Training again! STOKED!!!

 Mike's Church Building in New Jersey

This is Gerardo.

Well, our baptism didn't quite happen yesterday like we were planning. Our investigator decided that there wasn't enough work here in New Jersey, so he decided to move to Florida. Major bummer. Just wish he would have let us know. We knew he was planning to move, but on Friday we called him to verify one of our appointments, and he was like, "Yo, I'm on my way to Florida." The conversation was pretty awkward from that point out as we said our goodbyes, but that's ok. It will be a super easy dunk for those lucky missionaries that find him down south.

Saturday, we had a HUGE Halloween party for the members. I would LOVE to send pictures but the computer that I am assigned to use right now doesn't have an SD card slot and I forgot my camera cord. Major bummer. But that's ok because we had 4 or 5 investigators that came to the party!!! The Young Women decorated the chapel to look all Halloweeny, members brought all kinds of pies, cider, and corn stuff. We did some classic games. The Elders did the donut game where you put your hands behind your back and eat the donut hanging from the string. We had one round where all four missionaries in the branch did it, and OF COURSE Elder Dial dominated. I know you're all super proud of me. But the best part was our investigators getting fellowshipped by the members of the branch.

We are starting to back away from some investigators that don't really want to make the next step towards conversion. Just like Elder Bednar said, there is a difference between having a testimony and being converted to the Gospel. Having a testimony means that you know that the Gospel is true. Conversion is living what that testimony implies. Most members of the Church have testimonies. But TONS aren't converted enough to live it. We as missionaries are trying to help people to develop deep, lasting conversion. Conversion comes through keeping commitments, sincere repentance, and the making and keeping of sacred covenants. We are trying to find the elect and will not quit until we find all the people that God wants us to find. We are doing lots of street contacting, offering free English Classes (which are super fun to teach, by the way) and trying to be more creative about finding. Any suggestions would be very much appreciated.

Well, transfer calls came, and Elder Wall is gonzo. I hope he gets up to Allentown, where I started my mission. He will get a little Puerto Dominicano to cleanse him of his Mexicanness. President also called me to serve as a trainer again. I am so stoked. This new missionary is gonna eat so much chile that he won't be able to see straight. I am super excited. I loved training the first time and can't wait to do it again. Hope this missionary likes to work and I hope that he isn't a tool.

Well, I absolutely love this work. I think I say that every single day and in every single email that I write home. If you want more joy in your life, find a way to share the Gospel. Reach out to someone new. Reach out to some less-actives in your ward. Be a friend to those who don't have one. More than anything, do what Christ would do. Love ya tonzzzz!!!

Miracles happen once in a while...

Dear Family,

This week was dang good. I went on an awesome exchange with our Zone Leaders, and I learned a ton. With a lot of their appointments, they aren't there for more than 20-25 minutes. A lot of times if we are at people's houses for an hour, they think that we will be there forever and it is hard to plan, if we are there for only 15 or 20 minutes, that changes. So many opportunities open and we are able to invite so many more people to come unto Christ. We are also working on having a fellowshipper for every single investigator and less-active we are working with. We prayerfully identify them, then make plans to have them come out teaching with us.

We saw a HUGE miracle this week. Our branch went up to Palmyra over the weekend a week ago. One of our investigators, who lives with a member family, went up with them. Up there, the Spirit touched him. We have seen a "mighty change of heart," like Alma says, occur in him. Before, when we taught, he seemed interested, but not really willing to do much to change. This is not the case now. He told us he wants to be baptized. People have told me that before, but Gerardo is really showing it. We reviewed covenants with him, and he told us about covenants from what he read in Mosiah 18. He is on fire. He is going to get baptized this Sunday!!!! He is leaving also to move back to Florida after his baptism, so we are probably going to get special permission to confirm him right after the baptismal service. We are seeing him literally every day this week. He gets it. He felt the Spirit, and he is acting on what he felt. That is real intent if I ever saw it. Send a couple prayers his way this week.

Transfers will be next week. Things are not looking to be in Elder Wall's favor... He has been here since May. But stranger things have happened. We are excited for all that is going on in our area and are excited to see what else the Lord has prepared for us.

I found an AWESOME quote this morning from Spencer W. Kimball. Little long, but that's ok. Makes it look like I wrote a lot.

"Do you want guidance? Have you prayed to the Lord for inspiration? Do you want to do right or do you want to do what you want to do whether or not it is right? Do you want to do what is best for you in the long run or what seems more desirable for the moment? Have you prayed? How much have you prayed? How did you pray? Have you prayed as did the Savior of the world in Gethsemane or did you ask for what you want regardless of its being proper? Do you say in your prayers: “Thy will be done”? Did you say, “Heavenly Father, if you will inspire and impress me with the right, I will do that right”? Or, did you pray, “Give me what I want or I will take it anyway”? Did you say: “Father in Heaven, I love you, I believe in you, I know you are omniscient. I am honest. I am sincerely desirous of doing right. I know you can see the end from the beginning. You can see the future. You can discern if under this situation I present, I will have peace or turmoil, happiness or sorrow, success or failure. Tell me, please, loved Heavenly Father, and I promise to do what you tell me to do.” Have you prayed that way? Don’t you think it might be wise? Are you courageous enough to pray that prayer?"

Are we really courageous enough to say that prayer? To say we will follow whatever guidance the Lord gives us, regardless of what it is? What if it requires us to give up some things, like our social comfort, like our desires, some of our passions, or makes us change? It will require us to change, but we all know that it will make us change for the better. I have a testimony of change. My mission has changed completely who I am. My testimony has grown in incalculable ways for the better. I am a different person. The Gospel has changed me because I wanted it, and then I allowed it to.

Mariachi Band at a funeral??? Of course!

 Agusto  (a "swell" member in the area) and Elder Dial

We had a lesson with Enrique Panteleón. He has a mountain of potential. Had a couple concerns, and kept going off on little tangents during our lesson, but after we bore testimony of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon, he felt the Spirit. It prompted him to want to read and pray. He said that he would. He brought it up. We didn't. I am so excited for the guy. He came to Priesthood session last week and LOVED it. Keep that guy in your prayers back home.

So over this past weekend, basically our entire branch took a huge camping trip up to Palmyra. It is about 7 hours from Bridgeton NJ. They had a great time. I wish I could have gone to see all of those Mexicans camping haha. But in any case, our sacrament meeting was a little sparse. It started out with NO Hispanics. We have a couple Americans assigned to the branch, and they were there. So we started in English. We kept the meeting in English up to the Sacrament prayer on the bread. Then, during the sacrament, a bunch of members came in. So, halfway through, we switched to Spanish and did the prayer on the water in Spanish. Good times in the Bridgeton Branch.

It rained a bunch this week. One of those weeks where I wish I had a car... But that's ok. Just got a little wet.

He decidido que la frase "Orale Pues" es la frase mas útil en Español. Se la puede usar en cualquier situación. A mí me encanta.

Mexican hot chocolate is delicious. Next time you are at the store, look for it. It is called "Abuelita." Matt will know where to find it. Then get some sweet bread and you don't drink the chocolate. You drain it by dipping your bread into it and then eating it. There is no more soda, water, or anything since the cold came. It is all chocolate, pan dulce, y atole. It is delicious.

We went to a funeral yesterday. I don't think I will ever forget it. There were lots of crying, mourning, and an extremely loud mariachi band. Like so loud that I wanted to cover ears but I did not out of respect, like it was super loud. It was Silvia Ignacio's (more-or-less active member) ex husband's funeral. She is a very dramatic person , one of the most dramatic people that I have ever met. Like so dramatic that I don't even want to try to explain it in writing right now. She was misinformed about the funeral location, and apparently she took that very offensively, to the point that she never wanted to speak to her own son again. Is that dramatic? I think so. Luckily, she opened up that heart of hers and went the funeral. We did too. She asked us to go with her.

I am extremely grateful for my membership in the church, and for the knowledge that I have of the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. Prophets again walk the earth. If we just heed what they counsel us to do, we will never go astray. We have access to their words on our phones, iPods, tablets, and computers! How awesome is that? If we will just apply what they say, we will be so much better off. Go, read their words, then apply what they say to you. I promise that if you are doubting at all, just try it. You will gain/strengthen your testimony so much. That is my testimony. I have done it. I know of myself that it is true.

 Love you all!   

 -Elder Mike Dial

Was conference not the best thing in the entire universe?

Well we just witnessed a miracle here this morning. We are having a Zone activity today, so we had to leave a little early to go get everything done. Before we were going to leave, it was pouring rain. This is when I would like to be in a car area or have a washer and dryer in our apartment. But then I thought, "Hey, we pray to the Guy that controls all this stuff. Let's ask Him to give us a break." So we prayed asking that we could get everything that we needed to done without delay. When we left, the rain had subsided a little bit. After about 30 seconds of riding on our bikes, the rain had almost altogether stopped. I sit before you beautiful people completely dry right now. Just like President Monson said a year ago, "God is in the details of our lives." No concern of ours is too small, nothing do minute that we cannot take it to Him. He listens!!!!

Was conference not the best thing in the entire universe? I submit that it was! I agree with President Monson that it was one of the most uplifitng conferences I have attended. I made an effort to listen and learn, and it paid great dividends. It is as good as Christmas for missionaries. The best part was that 2 of our investigators came! Along with a less-active that we have been working with. One of our investigators, Enrique Panteleón, came to priesthood session. He has the most potential of anyone I have ever seen. He has made a complete turn-around of his life and is now a devoted disciple of Christ. He is looking for truth. We can offer it to him. First of all, he actually came on time to priesthood session. Anyone who knows hispanics knows that that is a miracle in of itself. He LOVED President Uchtdorf's talk. Also President Eyering's. He said, "I believe." We are excited. We have been having trouble finding the elect, but in faith, and due to a Zone Training we had this past week, Elder Wall and I prayerfully set the date of November 24 as a date that our area, Bridgeton East, will have a baptism. Since then, the Lord has placed people into our path. I believe that Enrique will be baptized on that day.

Some of our solid investigators, Pedro and Rosa, were not able to come to conference for some excuse. That's ok though. They just didn't understand why it was so important. They are living together without being married, and have 2 kids together. This week, we are going to have a lesson with them with a couple from the branch to explain to them why it is so important that we are married. We heard a LOT about that during the Sunday Sessions. They are going to get married, and they also have a TON of potential. Just need to keep some more commitments.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PACKAGE!!!! Yes I got it. The pumpkin cookies didn't last long. The beef Jerky is just about gone. Same with the bread. Thank you. It arrived safe and sound. Literally made my week

What was y'alls favorite part of conference? I loved Pres. Uchtdorf's talks on Saturday. Man. I love hearing that guy speak. Knows what's up. I am committed to be the best home teacher in the world when I get home thanks to President Monson. I know he is a prophet. The Spirit has borne witness to me that he really is God's prophet upon the earth today. This I know. I love you all! Thanks for everything!!!

-Elder Dial

 (P.S.  I asked Michael to send a paragraph about his 40 year old piano teacher from Virginia who died tragically from sepsis after a routine skin cancer was removed from his head...he had a big influence on Mike, musically, piano and voice and motivating him to take his piano to a new level and explore not just playing the keys, but also arranging and getting more out of hymns etc.  Here is the paragraph he sent...)

Mr. Jake helped me so much during the course of my musical development. Most specifically, he taught me how to take a song and arrange it. Because of what he taught me, I have been able to bless the lives of others because of the musician I am today, and that is largely in part to Mr. Jake. How sad and tragic this is, because we miss him. But we know that he is doing a very important work on the other side of the veil. I know that.