May 4, 2015
First off, don't reply here. Just email jacobkdick@gmail.com
I am so sad! And happy! And anxious and nervous and frustrated and terrified and just about everything you could think of. It's weird.
They sang "God Be With You 'Til We Meet Again" in sacrament meeting after the counselor got up and said "It's Elder Dick's last Sunday with us! We'll miss him." Then he bore a testimony about me. Then he actually changed the program so they'd sing that song. You know what's a weird feeling? People singing that song ABOUT YOU at the end
of your mission.
I ran out of money. I guess I wasn't going home as soon as my pocket thought...
But I have enough rice.
I suppose this is the time I'm supposed to share my testimony, right?
*sigh*
You know what's cool about the church? It's true. I feel like Peter. Christ says "Are you gonna go away, too?" Peter replies "To where? You have the truth." That's how I feel. One of the most common words that runs through my head when I hear missionaries teach is "duh." Sound weird? Look at it this way. This is my favorite part of the gospel. Besides the Atonement and Christ and everything. This is just the coolest because it's so obvious. Prophets. Priesthood. Revelation. Bears. Beets. Battlestar Galactica. Back to the testimony. In a lesson I had yesterday with a new investigator, he basically asked us the textbook question. "Why is your church so different?" Well, could Noah rely on the revelations given to Adam? No. Otherwise he wouldn't have known about the flood. Could Moses exclusively rely on the revelations given to Noah? No. Otherwise the Jews would still be in Egypt. Could Peter or Paul or John rely
exclusively on the revelations given to Moses? No. Otherwise they wouldn't be Christians. So why are people relying on past revelation for things that are happening today? The apostasy was real. The Bible was continuing after Christ had ascended. And then it just stopped. Why? Because all of the authority to write scriptures (the priesthood) was gone after all of those that held that authority were killed and banished. But that's a whole other topic. I'm focused on the reality of Joseph Smith. He really wanted to know which church was true. So he prayed to ask. He really saw God and Jesus Christ. They really spoke to him. Through him, the priesthood was restored, and now we are led by a living prophet. It just makes sense. Duh. We believe in the Bible. We believe in the Book of Mormon. But nothing takes place of modern prophets and modern revelation. No book, not even the Bible or Book of Mormon, can take authority over a revelation received today and given through the prophet. Isn't that cool? Isn't that wonderful? Doesn't that feel safe? To know that we are guided continually by God? Doesn't it just make sense? The church is true. Seriously. If you don't know it, just ask.
I hate all of this goodbye stuff. All of this "ending" stuff. My last testimony. My last email. My last p-day. I've never ever been good at goodbyes or last whatever's.
Therefore, I'm not even going to try. Sorry for all the hype my family has probably made. For me, this is "just another day."
5 days until district conference. 6 until Nairobi. 7 until the plane. 8 until Wilmington. 9 until the beach. I'm a bit embarrassed for this farmers tan.
OBX. EI. SB. J3. If you're cool, you know.
See you next week.
Love,
Jacob
--
*Elder Jacob Dick*
*Kenya Nairobi Mission*
*The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints*
P.O. Box 46162-00100
Upper Hill Road next to Citigroup
Nairobi, Kenya
jacob.dick@myldsmail.net
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