Chalking up New York

Hello family!

First off, THANK YOU for the packages!! We are pumped for Christmas!!

We have been listening to Christmas music from the day I got here...

Hahaha. 

You saw on Facebook already, and I am probably going to put some

pictures up later, but we did a chalk finding activity! It was so much

fun, and we are hoping that we get a whole bunch of new investigators

from it! If you want to see more pictures, go to

reachmygospel.blogspot.com.

Last week we had 5 dinner appointments!! Bet you didn't believe that

would happen, right?? Anyway, one of the nights we go to sister's

house, who is Mexican. She says that we are going to have mondongo...

If you don't want to run that word through google translate, it is cow

intestine! We had it in a soup. It was so scary. Imagine a big chunk

of chicken skin. I tried to chew it, but after two attempts, nothing

happened to it at all, so I just let it slide down my throat solid.

Luckily it was in a really delicious soup, so that helped. I had about

five six bites, then called it good. Hermana Lancaster went for one

bite and then almost threw it up. I was laughing so hard at the whole

experience.

I attended my first convert baptism this week! It was so beautiful.

And it was awesome because I helped teach this new member twice. I

felt the spirit so strongly during the baptism. Truly it is an

ordinance of Godliness.

Happy birthday to Emmy!! It was weird to miss it... But I hope it was amazing.

Also I found five dollars on the street! That was awesome.

We are learning about coming to know God.  As our Father, it is so

important that we know Him. Really know who He is as a person. We are

finding that many people simply lack the drive to live the gospel to

its fullest extent.  They are lazy, they are scared, they care more

about the world and people than God. I think that is because they

don't truly understand who He is. If people realized not only how

powerful our Father is, but also how loving He is, the concerns and

cares of the world will naturally fall away.  The measure of what we

do is determined by WHO matters the most. I believe that as people

come to understand who He is, how He works, etc. they will gain love

for Him, since He loves us. As we gain love, we will naturally want to

do the things that please Him. Genetically, we are half his, since we

are His Spirit children. We have inherited His love of good, His

natural inclination to learn more and to do more in faith. As we come

to know Him, we will come to realize who we truly are, and will

naturally do the things that make us like our Father.

In John 17:3 we learn that "this is life eternal, that they might know

thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent."

Spanish reveals the true meaning of this verse. There are two verbs in

Spanish that mean "to know". Saber and conocer. Saber means to know

facts, conocer means to know or be familiar with something or someone.

For example, yo sé a Ruth es mi madre- meaning I know who she is as that

lady that raised me. Yo sé que la Iglesia es verdadera. That is a

fact. Also yo conozco a Ruth, mi madre. Meaning that I know my mother,

I am familiar with her. We are friends. In past tense, conocer also

means to have met someone. So when I say yo conocì a Ruth, it means

more like I have met her- I know her. I hope that makes sense...

Anyways, in Spanish, Juan 17:3 dice, "Y ésta es la vida eterna: que te

conozcan a ti, el único Dios verdadero, y a Jesucristo, a quien has

enviado." Notice which version of the verb "to know" was used?

Conocer! Not saber.  Life eternal is not knowing about God, but

knowing God as a person, as our Padre!

Love you all! Don't forget to pray and have an amazing thanksgiving!!

Love,

Sadie

Stake Conference in the Bronx!

Hola mi familia!

Due to popular demand, I am now writing a weekly family email.  This week was super fast.  It was also pretty crazy.  We had stake conference and it was MIND BLOWINGLY good.  The theme was the temple, which was the perfect kick off for me to post my picture of the temple!  Conference was truly inspiring.  Our stake president talked about ridding yourself of all corrupting influences.  We focused on Moroni 10:32 (my mission scripture!!) and how it says to rid yourself of ALL ungodliness.  It was amazing.  He called everybody to repentance about getting to the temple as often as possible.  Not only is that the place that will lift us up above the world for the rest of our week, but it is also the place where we become partners with the Savior in saving souls.  How amazing is that?!  We are truly fulfilling our purposes as members of the Church and God's children as we make an effort to go to the temple.  

Sadie's newest piece: "The Spirit of God"

He also talked about keeping the sacred things of the temple sacred.  He also told us that modesty goes FAR BEYOND clothing.  It is about being careful and highly upholding the sacredness of the body.  The best quote from conference: "Many of you have heard it said that 'Modest is hottest.' NO.  Modest is Godliness."  I LOVE THAT!  Modesty is how we show that we are godly- that we want to be gods.  Do you think that in the eternities when we have earned the right to become gods and goddesses and our own worlds that we will be sitting there in hot shorts and bikini tops?  The last quote I loved from conference: "It is okay to be sad, depressed, ridiculed, stressed, etc.  But it is NEVER okay to be UNGODLY."  

Sunday night we had a fireside from Elder Nielsen, who was the one at General Conference who spoke about exclamation points.  He talked to us about how important it is to focus on the basics.  he told us about when he was called as a stake president, and had no idea what to do.  He went to the temple and oddly enough instead of feeling inspired to direct his stake members about going to the temple or focusing on missionary work, etc. He felt inspired to learn himself the Articles of Faith, and then to apply them.  He found that during his time as Stake President he was asked sooo many questions and put in so many situations where the Articles of Faith were relevant.  Such as the time President Hinckley was on 60 minutes, etc.  He had a friend grill him about the gospel, and he was able to answer every single accusation with an Article of Faith.  It reminded me of how I was prompted in the MTC to memorize the Articles of Faith in spanish.  I have yet to have huge opportunities to use them, but I am ready for when the happen!  I have felt the power of the Articles of Faith though.  They were inspired by our prophet, Joseph Smith, in a time where people had no idea what the gospel was about.  Even now, people don't know that much about the gospel, and the Articles of Faith still stand pure and true.  I love that.

Anyway conference was awesome. I loved it. It was a huge blessing to hear from a general authority, from a fantastic stake presidency, and also from President and Sister Morgan.

Also we received iPads this week! Currently I am typing on my iPad! It is awesome! We are doing The Lord work so differently now and I love that. It is an incredible blessing.  We are the ninth mission in the world to be receiving them, so we are definitely the guinea pigs. So it will be exciting to see how they progress!

This week we will be doing (hopefully) a chalk finding activity!  The zone leaders asked for us to think of ideas, and then two days ago were like, "oh, Sister Dodson, what are you going to draw for us?" So apparently it is kind of my project. I am sooo excited. We will be doing it on Saturday so expect pictures on Facebook soon.  I am thrilled to be able to use my talent to spread the gospel. I have been learning that that is the real reason I have it.  God gives us talents only for the use of the building up of his kingdom. I am so grateful for my gift, and for the support of people! My temple drawing has gone viral on Facebook. TONS of missionaries shared it, as well as many people from home! It is a blessing from God.  I am just grateful to be an instrument in His hands.

So a couple funny stories from this week: first I have learned that it is always better to stretch at home after working out at the gym... New York is scary. Luckily because we have been wearing big puffy coats and glasses we don't get cat called as much! The other day we were walking past a man with an electric wheelchair. When he drove past he almost ran over Sister Lancaster, and they had an awkward moment of yelling sorry at each other. Afterwords, as he's driving away he says, "Don't worry, I'll give you a ride next time!" I was laughing so hard.

Also this week I may have had a Marilyn Monroe moment! It has been super windy. We wear big coats, jackets, tights, glasses, etc. the glasses are awesome. The wind chill is terrible here and I don't like it when my eyes just water and water, so we got glasses to lock the cold wind! They have helped tons. Also we need them to protect your eyes from the poop, trash, and Dirt that gets blown into your eyes. Anyways we had dinner at a members house with a couple elders. I was wearing my orange skirt, my green coat, boots, but no tights (it was 68 degrees that day. November 18, and 68 degrees,). Anyways right when we walk outside,  a huge gust of wind comes up and blows my skirt up in the air! I am standing right next to an elder, with sister Lancaster and the other elder barely in front of me! Luckily I don't think the elders saw anything! Hahaha.

We have been focusing on members this week, and so far have four dinner appointments lined up this week! That is pretty exciting. Member missionary work is what creates lasting and strong conversions. Members are the key! So I would encourage you to continue looking for people to help convert. Everybody needs a good friend in the Church.

Love you guys so much! Thank you for all!

Love you!!!

Sister Dodson

She's Alive!!!!

Sadie is doing well, and loving being a missionary! We apologize for the delays in getting her emails up--we are still trying to figure out how who is going to post what. Anyways....her ya go!

Hola Family!

My whole entire district is staying this cycle!!! WHOOOO! I am soooo excited about that.  Because I LOVE my district.  They are all amazing!  We actually only had 4 people change in our zone.  But we opened up 2 new Sisters areas.  The english ward now has 14 missionaries.  That's in same!!!  We got 9 new missionaries to the area today.  Isn't that insane?  The day when sister and elders are half and half might be coming soon.  I don't know how I feel about that.  weird, right?!  Anyways, tomorrow we get IPADS!!!! I am sooo excited!  It is going to be so much fun and awesome.  I realized here that I hadn't seen any Mormon Messages... So it's going to be nice to be able to have them on my Ipad and watch them so that we can share them!  

So it is going to work like this.  I am going to an ipad for me.  So I will keep the same Ipad for my whole mission.  As in it is MINE.  Cool right?!  So after we get Ipads we are going to go buy cases.  Because I need a heck of a case.  If you break it you have to pay $300 for a new one.  And I don't want that.  Anyway I am spoiled.

I finally bought boots today!!! Thank goodness because it was getting cold! I am super excited.  Also I am so excited to still be with Sister Lancaster and to still be in the city.  CHRISTMAS IN THE CITY!!! BOOOYA!  I have convinced Sister Lancaster to go down to the city and ice skate at Rockefeller with me.  Because that is my only dream in life.  True story.

Language is not too bad.  I feel blessed to speak Spanish.  I need to speak more though... Basically we only speak it in lessons... President called us to repentance today.  He does that a lot.  I think his favorite thing to do is call people to repentance.  But hey, that's why we love him!

Nothing too much happened this week except a mouse ate my stinking Doritos.  

Also here is a tip for anybody going to serve a mission.  Please share this one because it is legit.

Have at least 15 pairs of underwear.  Enough for at least two weeks.  Especially now because it is freezing and we don't sweat at all I never need to wash my clothes, but I have to do laundry every week because I need clean undies.  Laundry is expensive and takes a ton of time.  So it is better to have enough undies for two weeks to do laundry every other week.  

Hermana Lancaster is having migraines and this morning was terrible.  She has told me she has never felt so tired as she has since we became companions.... I am worried I am wearing her out!  

Look for me to post my latest artwork!  It's pretty cool and I'm excited to share it with people!  I want people to see my drawing and want to go there….

Love,

Sadie

Also, here are some pictures that our cute friend, Jen, took when she visited Sadie in the city!

STILL carrying that banner!

Hey ya'll!
I am still serving in the New York, New York North Mission, and still loving every minute of it! In addition to proselyting on the streets of NYC, I will also now be proselyting online. This means I can use Skype, Facebook, and Blogs as means of sharing the gospel! 


In order to uphold my new calling, I will be readjusting my blog a little bit to help spread the Gospel more.  Hopefully renovations will be complete within the next week :).  In the meantime, feel free to Facebook stalk me, email me at sadie.dodson@myldsmail.net, and keep checking back in for updates!

Through this great opportunity we can assist in the spreading of the true message of the Restored Gospel to the whole earth, allowing for every heart and soul to be made whole and rejoice in our Savior.

Love you all!
Sister Dodson

Checking In

Sadie will be posting herself on the blog starting this week...so stay tuned! For those of you that mosey over here from Facebook, I will make sure she knows to post when she puts up a new blog post.

Thank you for your patience!

The World Will Know!

Hola family!!!

This week was insane! Yesterday we had an amazing zone conference.  I was able to see Hermana Livingston and see her play the violin.  She truly is TALENTED.  She started out by playing Amazing Grace, one of my favorite hymns that we played and sung all the time in the MTC, and I totally started tearing up.  I was like, What the Heck??  But it was beautiful.  I am so blessed to know her.

Hermana Dodson and Hermana Lancaster

Anyway, zone conference ended with a bang.  It was announced yesterday that we are now online proselyting missionaries! This means that now I will be preaching the gospel on Facebook, Mormon.org, and my blog!  Essentially I will be taking my blog over in a few weeks.  So if you see me on Facebook, don't get freaked out.  Haha.  But this is truly a blessing.  We talked about how the prophesy that the Gospel will go to the whole earth is now coming true, as we are using the internet to reach literally every person on this planet.  It is a miracle to be able to use the internet for it's true purpose: proclaiming Salvation through our Lord, Jesus Christ!

There have been missionaries in my mission using the internet as trial runs now, one of which is a convert.  He has been able to share the gospel with his family through Facebook, and a couple days ago was ago to Skype his family, along with other missionaries, and teach them about the Restoration.  I was so touched by this story.  He is having the opportunity to teach the most important people he will ever teach as a set-apart missionary.  This work is glorious, and I feel so blessed to be able to be a part of it!

Anyway, as part of this announcement, every missionary will receive an Ipad and each companionship will receive Iphones in the next few weeks!  YESSS.  We have been using members ipads to share videos, etc. for a while, and it is amazing to be able to use technology to bring the gospel to the world.

I am so THRILLED by Nani and Papa's decision to serve another mission at the age of 79!! I could not be more proud and humbled to have their example in my life.

Another thing you might love, if you haven't seen it yet, the missionaries in South Man Zone all got together and did a chalk drawing of the Plan of Salvation in Union Square!  They literally walked people through the Plan!  There is a video on KSL, and it is all over Facebook.  Pictures are also on a the blog reachmygospel.blogspot.com.  I feel so honored to have these brilliant people in my mission!  My district is now talking about doing this at Yankee Stadium.  Too bad baseball season is over!  

Another great thing, we are moving apartments, and we are moving next to a GYM!! I am so excited.  I don't think I have gained much weight, since we are lucky to get one dinner appointment a week, but I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to just be more healthy!  I can't wait to get back to the gym.  Bet you never thought I would say that, did you? Haha.  

I have learned so much about the Character of Heavenly Father by reading "Jesus the Christ".  It's funny, but I feel like as I have started to read that book, I have learned more about the Father than our Savior so far... Haha.  But I know our Father loves us.  I literally see this everyday.  He fills me with love for others as I have the opportunities to share the gospel.

A typical day includes waking up sooo early, get ready, study, language study, eating lunch, roaming our area hoping somebody is home until about 6.  Sometimes we have planned lessons, but a lot of times it is just easier to go knock on someone's door.  People are so busy here.  Although now we will be on Facebook in the afternoons during our non-busy time.

From P-day last week. Museum visiting!

We are going to the temple today.  I AM SO EXCITED!!! 

Love you guys sooo much, and I miss you like crazy!!

Love,

Sadie

NYC Week Dos

Hola familia!!

It's been yet another crazy week in NYC!  But we didn't really expect different, so that's okay.  Haha.  First off, I AM SO EXCITED.  We work mostly with less actives, who just don't realize the heaviness of the gospel and that things really do continue after baptism.  We have decided the best way to show them is to teach about the temple.  Truly the temple is where the saving ordinances are done, and it is so exciting to be able to share with people the power that is in the temple.  We are hoping that as we start to help less actives find a desire to go the temple, that desire will help them understand that they actually have to go to church to get to the temple... Haha.  Anyways, during companionship study we were talking about the temple and how we could get people excited.  Hermana Lancaster yells out, "you should do drawings of the Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) temple and Manhattan temple!"  Of course my mind was blown.  SOO those are my next projects! I am so thrilled to be able to use my talent to bring others unto Christ.  (When Sadie finishes them, we will have her send a picture so y'all can see her art. :) What a blessing it is to be able to do something so special for these people.  As we have been teaching about the temple to some members already, it is surprising how little they know.  Some have never seen a temple, and one less active who was baptized years ago, thought the temple and the chapel were the same thing... Not quite... But I am loving testifying of the power that is there.  There is an article in the Ensign about how youth are going to the temple, and I feel so blessed to be able to be a part of that! I am only 19 years old, and yet I get to partake of the blessings of the salvation already! I love it. We are allowed to go to the temple here once a cycle (6 weeks), but the South mission decided to let their kids go more, and so there are not enough workers and we can't go as often.  Many elders in my district have been out for 6 months and are going for the first time today.  I can't wait to go!!

Manhattan Temple

Santo Domingo Temple

I am really learning about the gloriousness and heaviness of this gospel.  It's not just something we do or a place we go, it's the work of salvation!! Literally without this true restored gospel of Jesus Christ, there is no way anybody can return.  It is a blessing to be able to share that with others, but also a struggle to be able to help them feel it's heaviness.  I mean, it took me 19 years to really be able to begin to comprehend! I just pray that we can bring the Spirit enough to show people.  

Our ward is so hilarious.  I looovee the people.  They are freaking funny.  We have this one old lady who store some 3D glasses from a movie theater because she thinks they help her see better than regular glasses.  Basically my whole ward is like that.  They are fun and hilarious.  We have having a Dia de Naciones activity in a couple weeks where everyone is doing a performance or somthing from thier country.  Us missionaries, the only Americans, are doing the Hoe Down Throw Down... I don't know how that happened... Hahahaha.  I like to call this activity "Carnaval de Barrio" since the word Barrio is ward as well as neighborhood.  All my IN THE HEIGHTS peeps will love this.  Hahaahahah.

New York is crazy.  It blows my mind to be so in the world, but so out of the world.  Like last P-day we went and played Ultimate Frisbee on a field literally right outside of Yankee Stadium.  Yeah. YANKEE STADIUM.  I was kind of freaking out the whole time.  Except now we got to Yankee Stadium like three times a week since it's the end of our area, so yeah.  But it's amazing.  I was in shock.  But anyways, then we go and testify to people about Jesus Christ.  We stick out like sore thumbs here.  Two cute white girls walking around the Bronx... The other day we passed a cop car and the cops in the car yelled out, "Hey, what are you two ladies doing in a place like this?!"  We get cat-called ALL THE TIME.  God has blessed me with deafness though, and I can't really hear all the terrible things that are said to us.  It is nice to be called beautiful every day though.  Hahaha... Not really.... Although Hermana Lancaster told me that she hasn't been cat called this much in this area before... Uhhh.  Yesterday we were crossing the street and this guy yells at me, "I've been waiting for you girl for an hour!"  And I was like "Sorry, have a nice day."  And then as I'm walking away he says "Oh, so you're saying I've got to wait a little longer??"  I was dying laughing.  Never in my life have I been called Shorty, and now I get called it like every day.  Whatevs.  

If you have suggestions…..please help!  So there is a mouse rotting behind our cupboards, and the super says we can do nothing about it.  Basically my apartment smells like rotting body.  If you could google how to get rid of the smell, or at least how long it will take for the smell to leave, that would be great!!!!  We are actually switching apartments probably this week with the zone leaders, and I feel terrible that they might have to move in to that.  Grossssss.  Let me know!!  Today, I am emailing from the apple store across the street from the temple.  BOOYA.

My companion is fantastic.  I love her tons!! She is hilarious.  I've made her pass out a couple times and it makes me pee my pants (skirt?).  She is literally always tired, so we have to schedule in a nap time.  Mom, you would love this.  I ususally use it as extra study time though.  Or art time.  Sometimes I like to call it "talent time".  Hahaha.  But she is great.  She brings the Spirit, and always makes sure I get a chance to share during the lesson.  She has been a fantastic example to me as she has shown me how to truly love and act in a place like this.  She has also been my HERO with spanish.  I am so grateful to have her.  She is from Springville, Utah, and went to high school with Robert (she thinks she had a class with him maybe??) . She is 22 years old, and will go home in February.  She loves art, loves geology, and loves the gospel.  I love her!

Question for ya'll, what the heck is going on with the government??

Also if you could send me info about the difference between direct and indirect object verbs in english...because I don't understand, and in spanish they are whack.

I love you guys so much!!

Love,

Hermana Dodson