Monday, 11 December 2017 ~ Week #20

Well, this has been quite a week. I must say, I started the week high in spirits, ended in low spirits, but though the work is hard, I am learning a lot. In terms of the missionary work alone, I realize That the success is a lot in what we do, not in what happens. Missionary success, because of this, can be visible when there are baptisms and people taught, but the missionary success is really in going out and being a friend and helping people to grow their relationship with their Savior Jesus Christ.

A missionary's purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them to receive the restored Gospel throught faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end.

Success is based upon how well one completes his purpose. If one knows his purpose, he can determine what he needs to do to meet that purpose. And thus, if he doesn't do what he needs to do to achieve that purpose, he does not reach that purpose. And the success overall is according the efforts, not to the results.

I have been thinking a lot of what kind of missionary I want to be, as I have been confronting with many challenges in my area. Then I was inspired to look in Alma 48:11-17. This speaks of the example of Captain Moroni, the most notable war general in the Book of Mormon, and perhaps in all of American History. It reads as follows.

11 And Moroni was a strong and a mighty man; he was a man of a perfect understanding; yea, a man that did not delight in bloodshed; a man whose soul did joy in the liberty and the freedom of his country, and his brethren from bondage and slavery;

12 Yea, a man whose heart did swell with thanksgiving to his God, for the many privileges and blessings which he bestowed upon his people; a man who did labor exceedingly for the welfare and safety of his people.

13 Yea, and he was a man who was firm in the faith of Christ, and he had sworn with an oath to defend his people, his rights, and his country, and his religion, even to the loss of his blood.

14 Now the Nephites were taught to defend themselves against their enemies, even to the shedding of blood if it were necessary; yea, and they were also taught never to give an offense, yea, and never to raise the sword except it were against an enemy, except it were to preserve their lives.

15 And this was their faith, that by so doing God would prosper them in the land, or in other words, if they were faithful in keeping the commandments of God that he would prosper them in the land; yea, warn them to flee, or to prepare for war, according to their danger;

16 And also, that God would make it known unto them whither they should go to defend themselves against their enemies, and by so doing, the Lord would deliver them; and this was the faith of Moroni, and his heart did glory in it; not in the shedding of blood but in doing good, in preserving his people, yea, in keeping the commandments of God, yea, and resisting iniquity.

17 Yea, verily, verily I say unto you, if all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men.

How much do I love the people around me, that I would be willing to serve them? How many times do I ignore the needs of those around, the needs of my brothers and sisters whom I have bypassed? How grateful am I to my Heavenly Father, knowing that He has blessed me without ceasing? How firm am I in my faith in Christ? How willing am I to obey His commandments, that I might show my love for Him as His humble servant? How perfect is my understanding? How much of a grasp does Satan have on my mind and my soul? What am I willing to change in my thoughts and actions that I might overcome my flesh and act in service of God?

Our Lord Heavenly Father loves us very much. I know that He wants to gain a relationship with all of us. He wants to reach out to us, and help us overcome our trials. And our Savior Jesus Christ wants us to become strengthened, and learn from our suffering, as He had already suffered the same. I know that true peace, true joy, true happiness, true strength, all of these things, only come by living the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ, exercising the principles of faith, repentance, keeping covenants, following the Spirit, and persevering to the end daily. We may be weak, maybe even in our faith in Him, and because of this we may stray away and rather become discouraged. But I know that our Lord is pleased with our efforts to try, every day. I know He has a plan for us all.

Overall, this week in the process, I realize that I've become a good pal of many of the members here. Piano lessons have been going super well; we had 14 students in the first lesson, in the which I taught fingering, rhythm and a few hymns from this. Everyone was learning, and using their mental piano when they were not playing. It was incredibly cool, and it went better than I thought. This was much cooler than what I was doing in Ermita, haha.

I hope that everyone has a wonderful week, and that we can all be a better person each day. If you have not checked it out, look up mormon.org and get started on the Light the World iniative. There are two more weeks until Christmas. Our Heavenly Father's best gift for us was His Son. And His Son's very best gift was providing us a way back to the Father. Let us think of ways of how we can give back to Him. When we serve our neighbors, we serve our God. (Mosiah 2:17) Do not get too busy this season, and enjoy the company of your friends and family.

I love you all.

Elder Dredge

Elder Braden K. Dredge

Guatemala Guatemala City East Mission

Monday, 4 Deccember 2017 ~ Week #19

Hey all! I hope everyone has had a nice week this week.

This one has been quite tiring for me I have to admit. I came into a new area, Area Las Ilusiones, Zona La Laguna, and there aren't many investigators at the moment. We are contacting everyday, striving to bring more souls to Christ. It is quite a hilly area too so I have been quite tired at the end of the day each day. But we are working hard. And I am enjoying the company of my new companion Elder Martinez. He is 22, has been out for 14 months, baptized when he was 20, and is a super chill guy overall. He is super mature and has skills in leadership. He is also quite smart and is a very good listener.

(The leg is doing fine by the way, I will add that as a side note. It is still closing up but I am caring for it on a consistent basis.)

And while we have been working much in Las Ilusiones, we had the awesome opportunity to go back to Ermita and visit the baptism of our converts Mario hijo and Mario padre. They are super pilas and I am super excited that they are now members. They have been friends of ours from the beginning and it has been an honor to know such a lovely family as they. And I had the wonderful honor to baptize little Marito, 10 years old this 27 november. It was quite cold in the font so he struggled to be physically calm in the ordinance but while he was struggling to not shiver, he had full confidence in me that I wouldn't drop him. This baptism was overall incredibly cool for me personally because it was the first time that I had every baptized. It was such a cool feeling. I know that the Priesthood is real. The power of God is restored to earth, and the principles and ordinances of the Gospel of Jesus Christ are again on the earth today. It was an honor in that moment to baptize my little buddy Marito, knowing that I am one of many that have that restored authority, and that Marito because of this can enjoy the blessings that I have enjoyed all my life for the rest of his own.

I just want to talk on the hope made possible through the Atonement. Everyday I feel like I could do better. I feel like I could be a better friend to those I meet with. I feel like I could have more faith, less fear, to talk to people. I feel like I could be more patient and longsuffering with the conditions of my area. I feel like I could love everyone more. I feel like I could think about my Savior more throughout the day to be focused. And how heavy it is to think every day that I could do better.

But this is why we have the Atonement. Jesus Christ made the difference of all of our efforts, having suffered all the consequences for things which we have done in the which we have fallen short. And having suffered all these things, he turns around, and he extends his hand back to us, encouraging us to do better to carry the burden that he carried for us. Our elder brother Jesus Christ is the most righteous, the most charitable, the most diligent, the most humble, the most selfless, the most holy, and yet the most joyful, the most peaceful, and the most happy that has ever placed foot on this Earth, and He had to go through His Gethsemane. Though we will never experience the same as He has, He, as His disciples, extends His hand to us that we might follow Him, bearing His suffering, therewith bearing witness of Him. In our lives we have trials, but He suffered them too that he might be able to succor us. And we have yet to gain His attributes, but nevertheless this is why we have our trials.

So as we think on our Savior this month, think about your own lives as well, what you have had to go through or what you are going through right now and think to yourself, How great it is that I have challenges in my life, because I have a Redeemer that has suffered the same and lives today, and helps me through these challenges that I might be able to come home to Him one day. How great it is! Let us remember Him in our trials, and thank Him for them, because of the blessings that they yield once they are gone.

To end this letter, I will attach the lyrics to Be Still My Soul, one of my favorite hymns.

1. Be still, my soul; the Lord is on thy side;
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul; thy best, thy heavenly, Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

2. Be still, my soul; thy God doth undertake
To guide the future as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence, let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul; the waves and winds still know
His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below.

3. Be still, my soul, though dearest friends depart
And all is darkened in the vale of tears;
Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,
Who comes to soothe thy sorrows and thy fears.
Be still, my soul; thy Jesus can repay
From His own fulness all He takes away.

4. Be still, my soul; the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord,
When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul; when change and tears are past,
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

Be safe, and remember your Redeemer. I love you all!

Elder Dredge

Elder Braden K. Dredge

Guatemala Guatemala City East Mission

Baptism of Mario by Elder Dredge ~ 27 November 2017

New Companion ~ Elder Martinez (Honduras)

27 November 2017 ~ Week #18

Hey everyone!

I can't write much but I am super excited because I am finishing my training and I am going to a new area in Zona 18 in the city!!!! My new companion will be Elder Martinez from Honduras. I have heard he is super cool so I will report next week on how everything goes with him! I am feeling super ready, and I know that the promise that the Lord has made in Ether 12:27 has come true for me. I am so happy now, and I am ready for new challenges!

I hope everyone has a wonderful week this week, and I hope everyone is preparing for Christmas!!! If you have time each morning dureing December, look up the 25 days initiative on Mormon.org and try to follow it!

Love you all!

Elder Dredge

Elder Braden K. Dredge

Guatemala Guatemala City East Mission

Monday, 20 November 2017 ~ Week #17

Hey all!

I apparently only have 5 more minutes more, so unfortunately I forgot to add pictures and all, but I just want to inform everyone that I am doing okay and that I'm walking and I'm preaching, improving in all things.

We also had a wonderful Day of the Book of Mormon activity over here. If you are reading this and you note that you don't have a copy of a Book of Mormon, ask a seminary student, or any member friend, and get yourself a copy. I would not be here without that book. There is so much to learn from that book. Truly it is inspired scripture, and it testifies of Christ. It does not just include testimony, but shares how we can gain one for our own selves. How cool is that? How much love our ancestors had for us, that they would write as much as they did that we can have a testimony just like them.

I know that God watches over all of His children, and that he is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Come unto Christ, and he will bring you to the Father. And by His Spirit, we can become perfected, and experience His joy. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Remember what you are thankful for. I will do the same this week, counting the blessings at home, and counting the blessings where I am now.

Love you all!

Elder Dredge

Elder Braden K. Dredge

Guatemala Guatemala City East Mission

13th November 2017 ~ Week #16

¡Alo, buenas! I hope everyone has been safe this week. This Elder has not been the safest...

So, right after I wrote last week, the zone (10 missionaries) went out and played paintball. It was super fun. It was in fact my first time! But... I got a pretty bad injury. In fact, one of the most horrid I have seen in my life! Basically, all my inner upper thigh was cut open by a barricade to which I was descending as I was sliding down a hill for cover. It was not the greatest feeling. Thankfully, I received great care from the hospital. I now have twenty stitches on my inner upper thigh. All is disinfected. It is experiencing a little bit of inflammation but I am treating it with oils and taking my pills so all is healing. I wrote all of my experience on a few sheets of paper as a narrative, of the which I took some pictures. I have been in my house all week, which wasn't the most fun, but at least I have been safe.

I did however get encountered by a dog this past Saturday, which was running at me to bite me. It was coming out of a door of a neighbor's house of an investigator who we had just gave a priesthood blessing moments ago. Being a limping cripple, I decided to remove myself from the situation as fast as I could. I decided to jump into the lawn. I ended up falling like a statue into the dirt. I was afraid the stitches might have opened. Elder Cruz, having been understanding and hospitable to me all the week, and I, got a car back to our house. The leg is still okay. We are all good. Everything is cheque.

So this week I just want to share my thoughts on the healing power of the Atonement. I have experienced quite a few moments of pain this week. Seeing my flesh open in front of my eyes after examining was not fun, not the most comfortable, and just really terrible. Getting the shots for anesthesia was a level of pain of its own, during the which I was literally singing opera. And receiving antibiotics in my cheek was quite a profound pain too, which felt like they were literally inserting a marble, during the which process I was yelling into my pillow and banging my other leg against the surface. Lots of pain this week. But in each of these moments, I thought about my Savior. In Alma 7 it reads that in the Garden of Gethsemane, our Savior Jesus Christ suffered not just our sins, but also our pains and afflictions and infirmities. He therefore loved us so much that he was willing to suffer our pains too, and not just our sins. He did this, "that he might now how to succor his people."

And I think to myself, "And He suffered splitting his leg open, receiving injections of all sorts, that he might know how to succor Elder Dredge." Truly, my brother Jesus Christ knows what I have been going through. He has helped me throughout this whole process. He knows my pain. He has had the same urges to scream. He has endured the same discomfort. And he did this because He loves me.

So, if any of you are suffering, or are pain, or are sick, or are damaged in any way physically, emotionally, mentally or spiritually, just be aware that your Savior Jesus Christ suffered that the same. And remember that He lives. I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Elder Dredge

Elder Braden K. Dredge

Guatemala Guatemala City East Mission

War wound from Zone Paintball Game -- 20 stitches!

Ever the smiling Elder!

Passing the time away!  Letting the inner nerd out!!!

6 November 2017 ~ Week #15

Hello, hello, hello, everyone! I hope you have had a good week this past week!

This one of my best weeks in my mission. I had the special honor of befriending and teaching a wonderful father and son, Mario y Marito. They are super cool, super spiritual, and super amable. Elder Cruz and I love them to death. We pass by them almost every day and spend at least 10 minutes talking about life and they are already curious about the Gospel so they ask about it too while we are there. The first time we really contacted, Elder Cruz was breakdancing with 41 year old Mario and I was beatboxing with little nine year old Marito. It was the time of a lifetime. We met with them later at the church building, and we shared pizza and the such. We try to be a little more structured in lessons now but they are super special to us. We gave them a new copy of the Bible and each a triplet (Book of Mormon, DyC y PoGP), with personal messages in the inner pages. Marito will definitely be a future missionary, upon hearing the invitation to church, being his charismatic self, he started to ask his friends to come too. And Mario is already such a splendid example for him. We are so honored to be the missionaries that will teach them.

Other than that, Elder Cruz and I have been really strengthening our companionship, and we have been strengthening our relationships with the members. We had a wonderful meeting with a family last night who so happened to be talking about the why singers in conservatory should sing in solfege rather than lalalalala (Mr. Fletcher, or any member of the Newberg choir, if you are reading this, you should know my ears were stinkin' perked). So of course, I invited them to sing a couple hymns with me... in parts. Holy cow. It was chilerisimo.

Overall I feel like I am improving in my abilities to listen to others and to teach them that they might understand. And I am really developing a love for all these people.

I just want to share that the essence of the Gospel is sharing what you have. Jesus Christ suffered for us that we might follow Him. When we need providence, we can depend on Him and find the strength that we need. He can develop in us the love that we have for others. We can share that love with others thenceforth. We can poco a poco develop his attributes. We can learn patience, longsuffering, temperance, knowledge, faith, hope, and the most important charity, through His grace made possible by the Atonement, and upon living the Gospel we can receive these things by the Holy Spirit. I testify that these things are true. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

I hope you all have a wonderful week!

Elder Braden K. Dredge

Guatemala Guatemala City East Mission

30 October 2017 ~ Week #14

Hey yall!

I can't write much but this was the week where by far I was the most tired, but also the one where I at least felt like I have been closest to the missionary I want to be! I have been able to listen more and more to the people here and more and more to the Spirit. We have been handing out Book of Mormon copies like crazy. I just have to say that there is no question that you might have in your life that cannot be answered in the Book of Mormon. How can I find true happiness, or be an example to my friends? This is all I can write.

Have a wonderful week everyone!

Elder Dredge

Elder Braden K. Dredge

Guatemala Guatemala City East Mission