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LDS Missionary - Cali Colombia May 2013 - May 2015

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

#Heisthegift

Hey Everybody!
 
What's going on? Another week has come and gone, and here I am writing you on Tuesday. We had pday today. It was super weird having a pday on a Tuesday, but we had a conference with the whole mission yesterday. The church is launching a really big Christmas message for the whole world. It's going to be pretty big. EVERYBODY needs to start posting a few times during December in your facebooks and social network etc. It's called in English #heisthegift. Everybody can get on to christmas.mormon.org and share it with everybody. Cool stuff. Anyway, this week has been pretty good. My first week with Elder Tolentino. He's a good missionary. He's been out about 10 months and feels a little nervous about being a zone leader, but he's cool. We are just working hard, and I'm sure we will have success soon. Other than that, I don't know what's up. I'm kinda having a mind blank, but that's about all that's going on. This week we had a karaoke night, but not too many people showed up, but it was fun anyway. I love you all. This week or last week was Thanksgiving- I'm not really sure. I kinda loose track of these kinds of things down here, but it's all good. Well. I'm grateful for a lot of things. I'm grateful for my family and friends. The gospel. 'Im grateful that salvation is free if we choose it, and that Heavenly Father is willing to wait and be patient with every single one of us, no matter how long our personal changes take. I love you all, and I'm grateful for this Christmas season that will be starting up soon. Hope you all have a good week.

Elder Dean
 
 
Elder Tolentino and I drinking INCA COLA. It's a soda from Peru.

Sunday, November 23, 2014

4th Transfer In Colon.

Q HUBO?
Hey gringolandia! How's it going? Hope you all had a good week. I had a pretty normal week. We worked along this last week with Elder Morales. Poor guy. We were together 3 transfers- quite a bit of time- and although after 4 and a half months, and you are ready for a change, it's still hard because you're just used to your comp. I didn't sleep last night very well, but I think it was because my whole neighborhood was partying all night, and this afternoon they were still outside drinking. Party hard. Anyway, I sent him off last night, and they left me alone to do transfers in my zone of 26 haha (so sorry if the email is short). For right now, I'm in a trio with the other 2 Elders of Colon. So my new companion will be Elder Tolentino from Peru. 4th Peruvian companion in my mission. I'm pretty sure I have the record haha. I'll be training him as a zone leader this transfer, and then I think they'll ship me off to my last area. YIKES. I start my "4th quarter" this week. Anyway, I think I'll be with him Wednesday morning. Other than that, every thing's going good. I'm hoping things will get going soon here in my area. This week I'm very grateful for the gospel in our lives, and very grateful that Heavenly Father is so patient with us. He is more patient with us than we are with ourselves sometimes, that's for sure. I was reading the scriptures this week, and I love when Jesus teaches in Matthew that the kingdom of heaven is for those who are not perfect, for those who make mistakes, but repent and do the Father's will (Matthew 21: 28-31) Anyway, my time's up all, but I hope you all have a good week. I'll let you know how my first week with my new companion goes next week. Love you all!

Elder Dean

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

La Loma de la Cruz

Pues....
Hey. How's it going everyone? Sounds like it was a pretty crazy week back home, but good stuff! Well this week was pretty normal. Nothing too big happening. We have a few people we are teaching, and we are really hoping that some people will be able to start progressing soon! Anyway, this is the last week of the transfer, so Elder Morales is going home. Every time he sees an airplane, I think he stares at it just a tad bit too long haha! Today for pday we went to "La Loma de la Cruz." It's where they make and sell all the hand made art stuff, leather, bags, jewelry, native stuff. We went there a while back, and we went today so Elder Morales could buy some stuff to take home. We also went downtown. It's craziness! You can find stuff super cheap, and he bought some more stuff. It was a nightmare- tons of people. But that's about it. It was his last pday, so I had to go along with him. It's all good. So anyway, other than that, I'm doing pretty good. Just working along. Lots of things to improve as the mission goes on. I finished the Book of Mormon again. I read it in Spanish this time, and I started it again this week, but in English this time... It's the best book there is :) Anyway, I love you all. I hope you all have a good week. Sorry this email is short. I'll let you all know what goes down next week. CHAITO.

Elder Dean
 

Belalcazar look out


Sunday lunch

 
Elder Hansen headed home to Idaho
 
 
Elder Henao going home to Medellin Colombia
 
I'll miss these guys

 
My lizard friend I caught in the house

Friday, November 7, 2014

Halloween Dress Up and Cristo Rey.

Hey thur amigos!

What's happening everybody? Another week has come and gone. 2 more weeks here with my companion, and then he's headed back to Peru. We are working along. I'm trying to keep him from being too trunky. Haha He's a good guy. But seriously. I defiantly don't wanna end trunky. Gotta go out working hard. So this week was pretty normal... Halloween was pretty calm until about 7 or 8, and then there was nothing to do. Everybody was in the streets partying. There weren't even members home, so we walked around and went home at about 9 defeated. Ha. But it's all good. Other than that, I'm doing ok. I think the mission is probably the biggest lesson I've ever had. Heavenly Father defiantly wants me to learn many things here in my mission, I'm sure of that. I love the mission. Even though it's a little hard right now, I know that I have something to learn, something to change, and I know that Heavenly Father knows everything. I think change is the hardest thing for us humans to do.. Especially for me. But I also think that the only losers in this life are those who stop trying to get better, no matter how long the change takes. Today for pday we went to Cristo Rey, the big Christ statue that overlooks Cali. President and Sister Prince and the APs took me to Cristo Rey my first day here in Cali, and it was cool to go back and take some pics. My companion had never been, and he only has 1 pday left next week, so today and next week I'm just following him around, letting him do whatever he wants to do for his last pdays. I'll send some pics. Anyway peeps... I love you all, and I hope you all have a really good week. I'm grateful for your prayers, and I'm grateful for my Heavenly Father and my family. Love you all. We'll talk more next week. My time's up!
 
Elder Dean
 

 Halloween- dressed up as Elder Mejia
 
 "Welcome to Cristo Rey"

 Cristo Rey
 
The View