SAN DIEGO— Bobby finally made it to Johannesburg today! Here are some photos from the day he left...
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Monday, November 21, 2011
I'm off to teach the people! The wonderful people of South Africa!
SAN DIEGO— Finally the day has come that I get to leave for South Africa! It seemed like it would never come but now it seems a little bit all of the sudden. Tomorrow I will be getting on a plane and not coming back for 2 years. Such an awesome thing to think about and also scary at the same time! Despite how nervous and scared I am, I even more excited and happy for this opportunity. It will be the best 2 years.
Last week I gave my farewell talk about looking for the good. My brother, Nate, also got to speak along with my friend, Jared. Hopefully my mom will be able to figure out how to get the audio and the written versions of it onto my blog, since I cannot figure it out, for those of you that were not able to attend.
My family also got to celebrate Thanksgiving on Sunday since I won't be here on Thursday and it was wonderful. It was gonna be weird for me not to have Thanksgiving with family but I guess that'll have to wait till next year.
Speaking of thanksgiving.... I'm so thankful to all the people that were able to come and for those who could not come still wished me luck. Having the support of other people makes everything in life so much better and easier. I really am so grateful for everything like words of encouragement and kindness and the prayers and faith that I know I will need.
I don't really have much more to say except that I am going to miss all of you so much! Keep me and all the other missionaries in your prayers! And write letters please! :D It will make me so happy to be able to hear about the things you are doing no matter how small or big they could be.
Reporting next time from South Africa,
Elder Dirkmaat
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
T-minus one month!
SAN DIEGO — So let's pretend like I posted this 4 days ago and I finally am only one month away from going on my mission! I am so excited; I don't even know how to describe it. On one hand I'm thinking about all the different things I'm going to be doing and wondering if I'm even thinking of the important things that I should be. There's all the packing that I need to do, things that I'm going to learn, ways I'm going to find out that I was so unprepared despite all my preparations, people I'm going meet, culture shock to be had and random little stuff (like, I hope my haircut doesn't look weird. Ha). And on the other hand I almost feel like it's just never gonna come and I'm going to be waiting forever to leave! ...Patience is a virtue, my friends.
I hope you all know that I know that me going on a mission is what God wants me to be doing at this time in my life. I will be spreading the fullness of the Gospel to anybody and everybody I am able to come in contact with. I know that God will prepare a way for me to be able to be a mouthpiece for Him if I am true and faithful to all the commandments He has given and all the covenants I have made with Him. I know that the only way I will be able to be successful is through the prayers and faith of myself foremost and also the members of the church and all my friends and family. God works miracles based on our faith and if we righteously ask with sincere hearts and contrite spirits, our prayers will be answered. Please pray for me to find people to teach or even just talk to and to be able to feel the spirit so that I may know the things that I should say them.
I have been lucky to have recieved positive feedback from my non-member friends and acquaintances but there are those out there who would say why waste two years of your life when you could be getting an education, moving up in the world and gaining experience. Well, I am gaining an education. A gospel education. I may be going to teach others, but we all know that the teacher is the one who learns the most. Also, what better way to move up in the world than by performing service to others for two years along with daily interaction with people. All the skills used on a mission are lifelong skills that I will be able to have with me forever and help me "move up in the world."
For all those who have not yet gone on a mission or know of someone who will be going on a mission: Be a worker in the temple before you leave! Working in the temple has been one of the greatest experiences and learning opportunities of my life. I love going to the temple and helping others get closer to Celestial glory. My favorite thing is to smile at someone as they receive blessings that cannot be received anywhere else in the world. The joy that it brings me and the joy that I can see in their faces is beautiful. There is no denying the Holy Ghost after the experiences that I have had at the temple. My experiences may not have been huge for other people but for me, they were just what I needed.
God knows us each individually and He knows what we need. He loves us because we are His creations. That is why he made the Plan of Happiness so that we could gain the knowledge that comes with receiving a body of flesh and bones to be able to return and live with Him by his side in all His glory.
I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
I hope you all know that I know that me going on a mission is what God wants me to be doing at this time in my life. I will be spreading the fullness of the Gospel to anybody and everybody I am able to come in contact with. I know that God will prepare a way for me to be able to be a mouthpiece for Him if I am true and faithful to all the commandments He has given and all the covenants I have made with Him. I know that the only way I will be able to be successful is through the prayers and faith of myself foremost and also the members of the church and all my friends and family. God works miracles based on our faith and if we righteously ask with sincere hearts and contrite spirits, our prayers will be answered. Please pray for me to find people to teach or even just talk to and to be able to feel the spirit so that I may know the things that I should say them.
I have been lucky to have recieved positive feedback from my non-member friends and acquaintances but there are those out there who would say why waste two years of your life when you could be getting an education, moving up in the world and gaining experience. Well, I am gaining an education. A gospel education. I may be going to teach others, but we all know that the teacher is the one who learns the most. Also, what better way to move up in the world than by performing service to others for two years along with daily interaction with people. All the skills used on a mission are lifelong skills that I will be able to have with me forever and help me "move up in the world."
For all those who have not yet gone on a mission or know of someone who will be going on a mission: Be a worker in the temple before you leave! Working in the temple has been one of the greatest experiences and learning opportunities of my life. I love going to the temple and helping others get closer to Celestial glory. My favorite thing is to smile at someone as they receive blessings that cannot be received anywhere else in the world. The joy that it brings me and the joy that I can see in their faces is beautiful. There is no denying the Holy Ghost after the experiences that I have had at the temple. My experiences may not have been huge for other people but for me, they were just what I needed.
God knows us each individually and He knows what we need. He loves us because we are His creations. That is why he made the Plan of Happiness so that we could gain the knowledge that comes with receiving a body of flesh and bones to be able to return and live with Him by his side in all His glory.
I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Temple Road Trip!
CARLSBAD — Temples are my favorite places on this planet! My other favorites are in nature(Mother Earth is a temple), tops of mountains(which are temples also), in the ocean(should be a temple! ha jk), and wherever family and friends are.
During the end of August and beginning or September I had the amazing opportunity to visit...6 temples (5 that I had never been inside of before) with my best friend Sara Newman all in one week! I was able to perform my first baptisms for the dead and confirmations for the dead at the San Diego, Las Vegas, Salt Lake, Draper and Oquirrh Mountain temples as well as go through 2 endowment sessions at the Jordan River and Oquirrh Mountain temples. We also visited the St. George Temple but didn't get to go in because it was closed for cleaning.
First off, even being able to enter the temple is an incredible experience itself but, being able to perform/participate in sacred ordinances and serving those who have already passed away and being able to do it multiple times in one week was an absolutely and unforgettable spiritually filled week. It's hard to describe the feeling of I have when I'm in the temple but it can be summarized as perfect, peaceful, beautiful, and sacred in every way. I know without a doubt that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the one and only true church on this earth today. There is no mistaking the feeling you get when in the temple that it is. I thought I knew before I had been able to go to the temple but it's kind of like I have a new understanding of what "knowing" is now. So excited to go to South Africa at the end of November and teach others what I know. Just wish I could leave right now! haha
Anything similar about all my posts so far?
Sara and I headed to Las Vegas!
The transition going from the outside to the inside of a temple is always a wonderful feeling but because Las Vegas was 112 degrees that day the feeling was 10 times better!
This was my changing room behind a dumpster because we had driven to Las Vegas in our regular clothes. oops!
Finally found somebody to take a picture of both of us!
Sara should be a photographer yeah?
Monday, August 29, 2011
The Temple is Indeed the House of the Lord
CARLSBAD — I got to go to the temple on Aug 19, 2011 and it was one of the best experiences I have had in my life! Every one told me that it was going to be confusing and there would be a lot to remember and boy was that an understatement. Good thing that I had my Dad, Grandpa, Mom, Bishop, and the Temple Workers there to help me out. :D
Going through the Temple was more than I could have ever imagined it to be but, at the same time it was strangely yet comfortingly familiar. The spirit I felt there was undeniable. I felt at peace without a worry to worry about. I'm not very good at describing things but the best way to put it is perfect and I wish I could spend every moment of my life there. Well, and in the ocean surfing... ;)
I look forward to going to the Temple as often as I can because it really is the House of the Lord and the most sacred place on this Earth. I hope everyone who is reading this has had or will have the chance to enter the temple too!
Here are a few pics...
This is during Christmas time cause I forgot to take one while we there last time
Absolutely Beautiful
Grandpa, Dad and I
Me with my Mom and Dad under, what I like to call, the "Tree of Life", cause that's what I think of when I see it.
At the entrance to the Temple...Our eyes look a little creepy ha
Mommy and Me :)
Monday, August 15, 2011
I Love to See the Temple and I'm going there on Friday!
I get to go through the San Diego Temple this Friday the 19th of August at 6 pm and I am so excited!!! :D This was my favorite song as a kid growing up in primary and now I finally get to go inside of it!
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