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LDS Missionary - Cali Colombia May 2013 - May 2015

Saturday, May 30, 2015

Testimony.

Hey All.

So... This is it. Last letter. I’ll be home Tuesday. This past week and a half I have not been able to proselyte because of an expired visa. Although it was not the ideal situation, I hope I was able to be a blessing for the mission back on the home front here in the office, organizing and doing the missions 40 year anniversary, and starting up the missions family history program. I would be lying if I told you all that I’m not nervous at all. At random times I get this pit feeling in my stomach. It’s all good though. We must continue forward in our lives, passing through many stages with our "hands to the plow," not looking back. I hope to not look back... There are plenty of things to do, and although I feel like my mission was the most important thing I have ever done in my life, I know there are many things ahead of me. I have not arrived at my destination. Paul once said to his son in the gospel, Timothy, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith." I too say that I have fought a good fight, but I have not finished my course, and I will continue to keep the faith. The truth is, I have learned many things here, and I hope to have been a blessing to Heavenly Fathers children, and been able to change lives, and in the end I know that most of all, my own life has changed. Knowledge, understanding and comprehension of our Heavenly Father have I gained here, and I hope that the Lord will continue to enlighten my mind "like the dews from heaven" throughout my live. The testimony I have I feel is very simple. I know that there is a God. This God is my Heavenly Father. He truly does love me. His son is Jesus Christ, a real person who is alive today. I know that he did all and more than what the scriptures say he did. I testify that Joseph Smith saw what he said he saw. I love him for what he did and for being humble enough to be obedient to be an instrument in God’s hands to restore this marvelous church and gospel. This church has power and authority to administer and perform ordinances in the name of Jesus the Christ. Ordinances that will bring us the blessings we all need in this life and the eternity’s to come. I love the gospel. I know we will be happy as we strive to understand it and live it. The words I treasure most and hope to hear one day are these spoken by the Savior. "Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of thy Lord." I say these things humbly. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Elder Robert Michael Dean II

Saturday, May 16, 2015

Experience in Buga.

Hey all.
Hope you had a good week. This week I was in a town called Villa Gorgona. It's about 30 minutes outside of Cali.  There are 2 elders there, and they have to travel the 30 min to Cali to go to church since they don't have a chapel out there yet. It was good, and after I was 2 days in Buga. Buga is cool. It's a branch as well? but it's a pretty strong branch and there are 6 missionaries total in the city/branch. Anyway, all in all, I'm doing pretty good. This week in Buga I was with the two elders (Elder Vaca and Elder Nielson). We were looking for a contact they had done the other day, and we rang the doorbell, and her son was looking out the window, and told us she wasn't home, and as we talked to him, he wasn't showing much interest. When we started walking away, a man sitting in a chair outside his house had been watching and listening, and called us and said, "Hey! I want to listen. Can you guys come in and help me?" We walked in to the house of this guy, pretty big guy, and not looking like the friendliest fellow. We sat down and presented ourselves and listened to him. He expressed himself, and told us about some of the difficulties and challenges he was having in his life and about his past. As I sat there listening to him, my mind was filled with a specific chapter in the Book of Mormon (Alms 7) as he expressed his desire to listen to us and learn more about God. We left him a Book of Mormon with the chapter to read, and took down a day to go back. I was very grateful for the opportunity to be placed in that moment, in that spot, and I know the gospel will fill him and help him in every way. Anyway, just a short little experience from this week. I hope you all have a good week. I'll send some pictures and write more next week.

Elder Dean



Found another one of Rico's third cousins twice removed in Villa Gorgona.

President Troches invited us over to lunch.
He was President Prince's counselor, and is pretty much the best.

Shoes going strong!

Sunday, May 10, 2015

Recognizing the Hand of the Lord.

Hey all. How's it going? So transfer week is over finally. Receiving new missionaries, getting everybody in their new areas in one piece, and to top it off my 16th and last leadership council on Thursday. Friday we did divisions with missionaries, and here we are, Saturday, good old pday. Next week starts the last push on the divisions with the Elders. These last few weeks I'll be in Tulua, a town called Villa Gorgona, and plans for 2 days in Ipiales and 2 days in Popayan. Should be quite the skype call tomorrow haha. All in all, I'm doing good. I'm finishing up the Book of Mormon again. I'm in Mormon, and something really interesting that I'm seeing with the Nephite civilization is that one reason for their destruction is their lack of recognizing the hand of the Lord in their lives, giving them chance after chance to repent and sparing them from their enemies, "and behold they did harden their hearts against the Lord their God." In the footnotes, the word for this is ingratitude. (Mormon 3:3). I am trying to see and recognize the hand of the Lord more. Hope we can all do the same. Love you all. Talk more later.

Elder Dean.


With the new missionaries at Cristo Rey.


Companion Swap.

Saturday, May 2, 2015

Last Transfer.

Howdy ya'll. Hope everybody is doing good. This week I was in a bus a total of 24 hours, traveling to Narino and back haha! Tuesday and Wednesday we were in Ipiales (thought about jumping the border to Ecuador, but I didn't haha jk) and Thursday and Friday we were in Pasto. Not going to lie, it was quite a chilly week. I was pretty cold, but here I am in Cali, in the office again, sweating. Ha! Transfers are this week, and my new companion is Elder Lyle. We will be companions our last 4 weeks of the mission, and we'll go home together. We got to the field together, and we ll leave together. Elder Lyle is from Oregon. He's  pretty cool. I'll be here in the office these next few days for the transfers. I'll probably travel again Thursday, and probably with Elders here in Cali. Anyway, my time is up. I'd better hop off, but I'll send some pictures. Mothers day is coming up. Hope you all have something special planned for your mothers! haha There's still time to think of something - it's not too late. Talk more next week.

Elder Dean.

 Ipiales


It was a good transfer with my companion Elder Rojas

My new companion, Elder Lyle.  We are in this to the end! 

Saturday, April 25, 2015

Lesson Learned: Charge The Cell Phone

Hey all. What's going on?
Hope you all had a good week. Another week has come and passed. Such a crazy thing... Traveling has turned so weird- the time just seems to cruise on by... different people, faces, different missionaries every day- it just goes on. This week I went to Pradera on Tuesday. It's a little town 30 minutes outside of Palmira. Then I was in a little town called Cerrito on Wednesday, also a little place about 40 minutes outside of Palmira, little house chapel and all. Thursday I was in Palmira, and then Friday I finished up here in Cali in Vista Hermosa. Funny story: Thursday night a member dropped me off on the highway headed to Cali so I could jump on a bus and be back in Cali Thursday night. Sometimes I have to travel alone, and when I got on the bus, I called Elder Mejia and Roman, the secretaries, to tell them to wait for me in the terminal in Cali, and that I would get in about 10:20. I hung up and my phone died, so I got into the terminal in Cali 10:20 at night, but there were no Elders in sight... I called them from a public phone to ask them where they were, but they didn't answer, so I just hopped in a taxi and got home. When I got home, another secretary was there, and was like, "What are you doing here?! Elder Roman and Mejia went to go looking for you, and quite a few people are trying to locate you." haha. The whole office thought I had gotten lost or something, and my companion Elder Rojas was looking all over Palmira for me. Lesson learned- CHARGE THE CELL PHONE haha. Anyway, other than that, everything going good. I'm here in the office having a pretty chill pday. I cut my hair, ate dominos for lunch, passed out on the couch in the living room for a few hours, and now just writing everyone real quick. Here in the office ready to start the last week of the transfer.  Pretty much all the transfers are in, but who knows if there will be any last minute changes. We'll see next week. This week coming up: Tuesday-Friday we'll be in Ipailes and Pasto. The big bus rides coming up. Always the longest trip. Love you all. Hope you have a good week. Thanks for the prayers and thoughts. Until next week.

Elder Dean.

Elder Herrera (Bolivia) Elder Deterline (Utah) 

Elder Ludwig (SL) Elder Mamani (Bolivia)

Friday, April 24, 2015

There Is Always Time.

Hey all. How's it going? Things here are coming right along. It's crazy to think that there are only 2 more weeks left in this transfer.... This week we had a change in plans, and instead of going north, we went to Jamundi on Tuesday, and then down to good old Popayan Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. I love Popayan. This time I ran into quite a few people. It was crazy to see familiar faces. Super special. This next week we now plan on going north to Palmira and Tulua, and then we plan on the last week of the transfer going south to Pasto and Ipiales. We'll see how it turns out. While traveling, I've been thinking about how difficult it can become to do the little things, like daily scripture reading. But these past few days I've been thinking, and I really I'm going to make the time. I know that we all have busy days and weeks, but there is always time for the little things if we set a little time aside. Even if it's only 5 or 10 min. Anyway, I love you all. I hope you all have a really good week. I'll try to write more next week.
Elder Dean

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

23 Months Out.

Hey everybody! 
What's up everyone? Hope you all had a good week. Here I am. It's Saturday. Just finishing up my pday. We got in from Buenaventura today at 11 in the morning, and I passed out until about 1, ate lunch, and it's been a pretty chill pday. I really enjoyed conference. I think some of my favorite talks were Elder Eyrings (Saturday morning and Priesthood). He's the best. I really hope to have, one day, the spiritual strength and confidence he has. I liked a talk by a 70 that talked about Shiblon in the Book of Mormon, and that we should all try to be more like him. Many other talks were very powerful as well. This week, Tuesday and Wednesday, I was with the elders from Israel, here in Cali, and then we went to zone leader council on Thursday. We changed the logo, phrase, and focus of the mission, and I feel happy to have been a part of it. We gave a training Thursday as well to the sister missionary leaders. Friday morning, we woke up real early and headed to the coast. Buenaventura. I went in divisions with Elder Silverio and Elder Darby. We worked hard and had a pretty crazy day. You never know what adventure you'll have in good old Buenaventura. We were able to teach 11 lessons in one day. Good stuff. Anyway, so we'll be here in the office tomorrow and Monday, and then Tuesday we're off to the north. Tulua and Palmira. Traveling like crazy. Anyway, I know that the mission is coming to a close. It's kinda just back there in my mind, but let's be honest, it hasn't really hit me yet, and that's just fine. Traveling and working hard. The classic question from everybody, "How much time do you have in the the mission?" 23 months... They always react like, "Oh! You're already home!" I think I'll start lying and telling people I've only been out a year. Haha jk. Love you all. Hope you have a good week. Until next Saturday.

Elder Dean.

 Elder Marin (Argentina) Elder Quezada (Utah)


Elder Alvarez (Chile) Elder Maciel (Paraguay)

Elder Silverio (Brazil) Elder Darby (California)

Sunday, April 5, 2015

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter Everyone!

Hey all. Hope you're enjoying this Easter weekend. Here I am watching conference in the office and writing in between sessions. Best p-day eve-r watching general conference all day. Anyway, this week was good. I was in Villa del Lago, Americas, Ceibas and Limonar this week- all here in Cali. Yesterday I did divisions with Limonar. It was weird going back to my first area! Everything looked the exact same. Interesting experience: we went to an appointment that they had, and we walk in and right away I recognized the girl. I had found her back when I was starting my mission. 17 years old, starting a pregnancy, and things not looking too bright. I had given her a Book of Mormon, but she never progressed, and we lost contact. Yesterday in the lesson, she said that she had found the missionaries again just a few days earlier. Now 19 years old with a baby girl, we taught her and her whole family yesterday, and they all committed to go to general conference, and her dad even said the last prayer. Cool stuff. Who would have thought. I guess we really never know what seeds we plant or what purpose we have. Anyway, just watched the first session of general conference, and I really loved it. Excellent talks by Elder Eyring and Elder Clayton. I honestly liked every talk. Excited to listen to 4 more sessions. Anyway, so today, tomorrow, and Monday, we'll be here in the office, and then Tuesday and Wednesday here in Cali in divisions, and Thursday we have zone leader council where we will give some training to the Elders. Friday we are going to Buenaventura - headed to the coast. Buenaventura is always quite the experience haha. This gospel is MARAVILLOSO. I think I'll just leave it at that :) Hope you all have a good week.

Elder Dean


Elder Mendez (Ecuador) and Elder Arias (Bolivia)


Elder Walton (Gringo) and Elder Rodriguez (El Salvador)


Elder Fernandez (Bolovia) Elder Weight (Utah)


Elder Navarro (Peru) and Elder Serrano (Colombia)

 Me and my companion Elder Rojas

Saturday, March 28, 2015

Because He Lives

Hey everybody.
Hey everyone!  How's  it going? Well, here we are, Saturday afternoon, just finishing up my pday. This past week has been crazy. Sunday was a sad day when Elder Walker headed on out to the airport. Went on home. I really have missed him this past week. It's ok though. I'm sure we'll see each other back in Utah. Sunday was craziness. We were in the office getting the transfers ready and out. Everybody  left the office super tired that night. Monday was the same, and Tuesday all the new missionaries got in. Tuesday night my new companion got in from Ipiales. Elder Rojas! Elder Rojas is awesome. He's  from Villavicensio Colombia. He's  been out a little over a year. Super hard worker. I was his zone leader in Palmira. He had like 10 baptisms in my time in Palmira. He was a zone leader one transfer in Ipalies, and now with me. First Colombian companion! Anyway, he's awesome. Wednesday we had the transfers and new missionary/trainers training and meeting with President about the plans for this next transfer. We did 30 companionships last transfer, and this transfer we are going for 43. Thursday we traveled all day in Vallegrande, here in Cali, and Friday in Morichal Cali as well. Anyway, the church has started a new initiative that's called #graciasaqueelvive (Because He lives). It's something similar to what the church did for Christmas with the "He is the gift". It's for Easter, and Easter week, and it will continue on this whole year. We are contacting couples and people like crazy with cards the church sent us - getting the message out. With Easter coming up this week I hope you can all check out the video. Share it on Facebook. I really hope you like it as much as I did. With Easter coming up, I add my testimony, that I know that He lives. He resurrected and I know he lives today. And because He resurrected, I know that we all too will one day. Because He lives today, I can receive forgiveness of my sins, I can find strength and happiness and hope. I have what is known in the new testament, stated by Paul, "peace in believing". I'm exited for general conference this week. Don't  forget to watch it! Anyway, love you all. I'd better get going. P-day is over. Talk more next week!

Love, Elder Dean


Saying goodbye to Elder Walker with Elder Roman (materials secretary) and Elder Mejia (finance secretary)


Transfers done. I'm tired.


Elder Barlow (Utah) and Elder Soares (Brazil)

Elder Langford (Utah) and Elder Zuniga (Peru)

Saturday, March 21, 2015

Traveling in Southern Colombia.

Hola a todos.
Hey everybody. What's up? Sorry I didn't have the chance to write last week... We changed pday for today- Saturday. This past week we've been here in Cali, resting up and getting Elder Walker ready to go home Monday. YIKES. Poor guy. He's been an awesome companion. We've honestly got along so well working together. It's all good though, because we'll be in contact and see each other in Utah. The week before, we were traveling the south. We traveled all night Monday, and Tuesday morning we got in to Ipiales and went to work. It's really cold in Ipiales, and it's right on the border with Ecuador. I took a picture of a city called Tulcan, Ecuador that's right across the way from Ipiales. I'll send it to you. Tuesday morning we got back on the bus and drove 2 hours to Pasto. We worked in Pasto Tuesday and Wednesday, and I actually ran into a few people who recognized me. The asked me, "You're still in the misión??" haha Yep- still here. Wednesday night- back on the bus all night up to Popayan. Back to the best climate in the misión. My beloved Popayan. We worked Friday and Saturday in Popayan, and we slept in the zone leaders house- my old house. Funny to go back and all the memories come flooding back. Saturday night- back on the bus and back home in the office at about midnight. We've been helping out with the transfers and everything's ready to go. Tomorrow they go out. I know who President is going to call to be my new companion, but I won't say just yet just in case President makes a last minute change, even though it's pretty certain. Yesterday President and his wife took me and Elder Walker to lunch to a pretty nice Colombian restaurant for Elders Walker's ending the misión. (Sorry the word misión is in Spanish-  the keyboard keeps correcting me and I cant fix it haha.) Anyway for pday today we are going to go shoot some hoops for the first time in  a long time and go get some cholado (Colombian snow cones). Last night Elder Walker and I were talking, and going home is really hard. There are so many things that we want to keep doing when we go home, but the things of the world are so easy to fall back into. The scripture in Helaman 5, when Helaman tell his sons that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ, that we should build our foundation. If we strive to make him the center of our lives, I know that all of the temptations and distractions of the world really won't hurt us. To think of Christ, talk of Christ, and rejoice in Christ more in our lives will bring the sweat peace that only the gospel brings. Anyway, I'll leave it at that for now... Love you all. Until next week.

Elder Dean

Elder Green y Elder Talavera (Utah y Peru)

Tulcan, Ecuador off in the distance 




Elder Skinner y Elder Cortes (Oklahoma y Chile)


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Elder Pead y Elder Coca (St. George y Bolivia)


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Popayan.  Elder Silverio and I found these investigators.  After teaching them twice, we passed the reference.  They were baptized 5 months ago, in November.




Lunch with the Pricolis.

Friday, March 13, 2015

Being a Traveling Missionary is Awesome.

Hey all.
How's it going? Hope you all had a good week. I've felt better this week. We were traveling like crazy this week... This week I was in Tulua Tuesday and Wednesday, and then Thursday in Buga, and Friday and Saturday in Palmira. Being a traveling missionary is awesome, but it's a little hard sometimes, too. But I can honestly say it's the best experience. Being in a new place with different elders everyday is quite different. This week we are in Ipiales, Pasto and Popayan. Pasto and Popayan should bring back some memories. I won't be in my old area, but it will be interesting to be in Pasto and Popayan again. Maybe I'll run into somebody. Who knows? Today for pday, Elder Walker and I hiked up Las Tres Cruses. I had already hiked up when I was back in Colon, but Elder Walker had never done it, and he goes home in 2 weeks, so we did it. I got super sun burnt.  Bummer haha. I've got to log off because we have to catch our bus in an hour. We will travel all night tonight and get to Ipiales at 6 or 7 in the morning. Reminds me of the good old days traveling from Pasto to Cali and back for zone leader councils. Anyway, love you all. Hope you have a good week. Thanks for your prayers. I know they work. Chao.

Elder Dean.


Elder Arias y Garramuno (Bolivia y Argentina)



Elder Prieto y Hernandez (Uruguay y Honduras)


Elder Deterline y Almeida (USA y Brasil)


Elder Amascifuen y Ortiz (Peru y Colombia)


Tres Cruzes


Monday, March 2, 2015

Sick Week.

Hey everybody! 
Hey all. How's it going? I hope you all had a good week. This week has been kinda rough. I've been battling through some sickness. It started Monday with some body aches etc... but Tuesday and Wednesday I had some pretty bad fever, and was in the house all day. Thursday I felt better and went to a conference. The conference was cool. We even got to see the movie "Meet the Mormons." The quality wasn't very good, and it was in Spanish, but it was cool to see it. Friday morning I was feeling better so we went out and prosylited all day, Elder Walker and I, and Friday night I started getting a pretty bad headache, and Saturday morning it was a full blown migraine. The doctor came over and took my blood and hooked me up to an IV, so all day Saturday and Sunday I was in the house, and today I'm feeling better with plans to hit the road again tomorrow. Anyway, other than that, no huge news. I'll send some pictures with the email for sure. I love you all. Thanks for your prayers and thoughts. Talk more next week.

Elder Dean.


Conference Thursday: Me, my son Elder Silverio, my grandson
 Elder Bernales, my greatgrandson Elder Moran 



Walking up some stairs in the area


Elder Walker expressing how much he loves
 being in the office after 7 months.  Love this guy!


Colorful homes of Terron Coloreado


Sick Elder Dean

Monday, February 23, 2015

Lessons In Faith: Buenaventura

Hey home!
Como va todo? Bien bien? Ahh bueno. Hope you all had a good week. My week was full of travels, that's for sure. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday I was in a different area everyday in Cali. Saturday morning at 4am, Elder Walker and I traveled to Buenaventura, and were there all day, and slept there Saturday night. I've never sweat so much in my entire life, it was so humid. Buenaventura is super poor. The whole day I was crossing bridges just a long plank of wood over water - all trashy and dirty. Some of the houses are wood built on bamboo on the water, where the bathroom is a hole in the floor. The church is only about two and a half years old in Buenaventura. Sunday morning we traveled back to Cali and got off the bus and went straight to sacrament meeting. I was quite car sick. It was the twisty-est and turny-est road ever coming back over the mountain pass to Cali. Anyway, it has been quite the experience being with a different companonship everyday. So many new missionaries who just don't really know what to do. I feel like I've really had the opportunity to help quite a few missionaries out in all aspects of the mission work, and I hope to be able to keep up the energy and be able to be a blessing for the mission in these next few months. This week I had the opportunity to get to know a recent convert. The Elders took me to his house, and right away I could tell he was very special. When he opened the door I realized that he was blind. He invited us in and started to ask me questions about who I was and all about me. He was baptized 8 months ago. He told me with pride that he had memorized the sacrament prayer and that he had blessed the sacrament this past Sunday. We taught him the first Article of Faith, and after hearing the article one time, he repeated it perfectly. He has many gifts that make up for his lack of vision. When we knelt down to pray at the end of the lesson, he prayed for the bishop, the visiting teachers, the elders, the less active members, and to always be worthy of his priesthood, and prayed with such sincerity and faith. He knows the Book of Mormon is true, and that God exists, and is just as sure that the church is true as he was sure I was there, sitting in front of him. He couldn't see me, but he knew I was there. I learned a great lesson from him, and am very grateful for the lesson on faith I learned. Anyway, this week I will be in area tonight and tomorrow with Elder Walker, Wednesday in a conference, and Thursday, Friday,  and Saturday traveling again here in Cali and in a town called Villa Gorgona. Love you all. I hope you all have a good week. Thanks for your prayers and thoughts. Talk more next week.

Elder Dean

Monday, February 16, 2015

Terron Colorado

Hey everybody.

How's everything going? I'm doing great. My toe has healed up pretty good and I'm back in business. Haha. So this week I got all my zone shipped off for transfers, and then I hopped on a bus with all my bags real early Wednesday morning and got in to Cali at about 8 am. Got together with Elder Walker, my new companion, and we helped with the transfers for a little bit in the bus station in Cali. We got to the house about 10 am, and I left my bags in the house and straight away we went to the area. The area is called Terron Colorado, and it's like San Francisco on steroids. haha. It's straight up hill side, and iI have no idea how they built all the houses, but they did it. It's fairly poor, and we honestly won't be here in the area much, but from Wednesday until yesterday Elder Walker and I were able to teach like 20 lessons, and we had a few people in church yesterday. Elder Walker is awesome. He played basketball at Cottonwood High. We get along really well. We also share the area with President's secretary and the finance secretary (Elder Rebolledo and Elder Mejia) and Elder Lyle and Elder Gomez, Presidents Assistants. We all live together in the same house, right around the block from the mission office. It's a nice house. It's old, but it's a really pretty old house. Kinda classy. This week with the new missionaries that came in, I found out that I have a "great-grandson." I trained Elder Silverio, he trained Elder Bernales, and now Elder Bernales is training a new missionary. Gettin' old here haha.  Today for p-day we've just been running errands, getting ready for tomorrow, because starting tomorrow we will travel pretty much 4 weeks straight. We'll only be here in the house Sundays and Mondays. Divisions everyday with a different companionship, and we'll sleep on the floor! It's gonna be quite the adventure. Anyway, I'd better get going. Still gotta get some things set up. We'll be in Cali this week, and also Buena Ventura. It's coast, and it's super hot and muggy- right next to the ocean. Anyway, love you all. Thanks for your prayers and thoughts. I hope you have a good week. Hope Valentines day was good. I didn't even remember it was Valentines day until just now! Haha! Talk more next week.

Elder Dean

Elder Walker and Me

Monday, February 9, 2015

One Shoe and a Flip Flop: Extended to June.

Hey all.
How's everybody doing. Hope you all had a good week. This week was a little slow. This week I had to go to Cali and the toe doctor cut my nail off a bit. It was infected as well, so I've had to proselyte in one shoe and a flip flop haha. My companion has also been a little delicate with a wisdom tooth they took out a few weeks ago. We did what we could though. Anyway, so Wednesday morning I'm headed back to Cali. I've been called as a traveler. My new companion is Elder Walker from Utah. He has been an assistant for 7 months. We will be companions, and we will travel the mission doing divisions with missionaries, training them, and reporting to President. I actually had an interview with President, and have known for about 3 weeks now, but just kept in on the down low. My time here in Palmira wasn't too long, but I met amazing people here, and I hopefully have learned. They as well offered me to go home in June, so I will be going home in June. A little extra, but not too much, so we'll see you all then. This will be a new experience for me, and very different, but it will be awesome ending my mission by traveling the mission and getting to know so many elders, areas, and people. Anyway, I hope you all have a good week. I love you all. Hope you all feel the happiness that comes from this gospel. It's marvelous to know our purpose here, and know how to achieve real happiness. Until next week.

Elder Dean

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

No Bake Cookies and Square Dancing: The Heart of American Culture

Hey all.

How's everybody doing? So this week a few interesting things happened... This Friday we had a international foods night. The sister missionaries from Venezuela and El Salvador, and Elder Campos from Peru, all did a little dish from their countries, and I did chocolate no bake cookies. They didn't turn out as good as Dad's, but everybody loved them, and I definitely won best food haha! They didn't show up with the projector and some other stuff, so I just stood up with the microphone and talked about the states and even taught a little square dance haha. Saturday was crazy. We went to go fill up the baptismal font Saturday afternoon for Daniel's baptism. First, Daniel is an investigator that we've been teaching for about 4 weeks now. He is friend of Miguel Beltran, a young man in the branch. We went to go fill up the font, and the water pump was broken. With only a few hours before the service we started filling up buckets of water, trying to fill up the font, but it just wasn't working. So we sent two other elders from another chapel here in the zone to go fill up the baptismal font at another chapel, and when everybody showed up we had to send everybody over to the other chapel. Finally we made it over there, but we forgot the baptismal clothing, so I grabbed Elder Nilson, another elder here in the zone, and we took a taxi super fast to go get baptismal clothing. We got back to the chapel at 8:45 and the assistants called me to tell me that Elder Campos replacement was at the bus station in Palmira. I left the baptismal service to go pick him up, and left Elder Campos there to baptize Daniel. I missed the service, buts it's all good. He got confirmed yesterday in another branch because he doesn't live in my area, but we taught him in his friends house because he couldn't receive us in his house. The important thing is that he got baptized and his progress in the gospel. Yesterday afternoon Elder Campos headed out. I'm now here with my companion, Elder Azabache, also from Peru. I miss Elder Campos. It's interesting that sometimes the little things your companion does sometimes you get bugged with him, but when he leaves, you realize that he was a really good companion. Anyway, he's headed back to Peru. Anyway, I better get going. Gotta get the week started here. Thanks for all your prayers and thoughts. I hope you all have a good week.

Love, 
Elder Dean

Monday, January 26, 2015

Last Week in Palmira.

Hey all.
How's everybody doing? Hope you all had a good week. Here- we are good. We had a pretty good week. This week we had interviews with president, and we walked A LOT. Haha. This week we walked to a little town about an hour walking distance outside of Palmira. We walked and walked and walked and got to the little town (one street, all dirt, about 50 houses) and we realized it was the wrong little town. Bummer. We walked another hour in the other direction and finally got to the little place we were looking for. I felt like a pioneer. Haha But, it was weird walking for miles with nothing but sugar cane and the sun blazing above. This week we had interviews with president, and he informed me that I will not be finishing up my mission here in Palmira. Elder Campos ends his mission this Sunday, and I will take him to Cali, and then pick up my new companion and show him the area the last week of the transfer, and then I'm out. I'll let everybody know in these next few week where I will be going. Anyway, other than that, I hope you all have a good week, and thanks for your prayers and thoughts. I'll try to keep Elder Campos off the trunky train this week ;) I've now sent home 3 missionaries and I'm not done yet! Love you all. Have a good week.

Elder Dean.

Monday, January 19, 2015

Banana Picking

Hey all.

How's everybody doing? Hope you all had a good week. This week was pretty fast... We had zone leader council Thursday all day and then Friday and Saturday I was in Pradera (a little town here in my zone). The church is fairly new there. There are about 30 people who attend the branch in a little house they've converted into a chapel. The elders are gaining some momentum down there. It was good to work with them for a day. I'll send a pic of the little house chapel. Anyway, this Sunday morning, Lucero got baptized. It was a small little baptism service because almost all the members were in Bogota at the temple. It turned out good though. She is an awesome lady with a lot of faith, even though her husband doesn't support her at all, and there are quite a few difficulties. But my companion baptized her, and I had the opportunity to confirm her a member of the church. Awesome. Anyway, today for pday, a member invited us to a cabin up in the mountains outside of Palmira. We had a fun time, and unfortunately we got back pretty late, so I'm rushed for time. I gotta leave it there for this week. Gotta get the week started, but I hope you all have a good week. Keep up the efforts to live the gospel all, and we'll talk more next week.

Elder Dean


Baptismal Service for Lucero


Today for pday- helping lower bananas.
 They weigh like 70 pounds every bushel.


House chapel in Pradera

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

La Hacienda Del Paraiso Valle Del Cauca Colombia

Hey everybody!
What's happening? Hope you all had a good week with that January rain back in Utah. haha! I'm doing pretty good here. This past week was pretty normal. We are working away. My companion just received his travel info back to Peru in the computer next to me. He's going home in 2 weeks... Yikes. Today is Tuesday. They changed my pday for today because yesterday there was a mini MTC for all the youth here in Palmira. There were about 15 boys and about 20 something girls, and we helped out all day with that yesterday. It was cool. Today for pday we went to a really old ranch about 30 min outside of Palmira. It's super famous, and it's a really pretty old house that's about 200 years old now. They've now turned it into a museum, and on the 50 mil Colombian peso bill, the guys face is on the front and the house is on the back. It was really cool and had some really interesting history. It was ok to do something a little different for pday. Anyway, other than that, things are trucking along. We're working hard to have a baptismal service this weekend. I love you all, and hope you have a great week. I'm reading the Book of Mormon like I always do everyday, as well as reading the New Testament. Scripture of the week: Ephesians 4:32. Love you all. Hope you have a great week.

Elder Dean. 


La Hacienda Del Paraiso
Valle Del Cauca Colombia



Thursday, January 8, 2015

Happy New Year

Hey all.
How's it going? Hope you all had a happy new years. My new years was pretty chill... A sister in the branch invited us to eat dinner. We didn't have tons to do, so we sang some last few Christmas hymns to a few people and tried our best. Even though it was New Years this week, we still had a pretty good week when it comes to proselyting. New Years Eve, I stayed up until like 11 listening to fire works, and booze drinking, and loud music, and then fell asleep. Haha. HAPPY NEW YEARS. Anyway, thinking about this new year, 2015 will be a year of many changes. I have a few goals about how I want to end my mission, and just a few goals about when I am home (let's stay focused here ha). Anyway, all in all we're going good. This past week I haven't seen a single cloud in the sky almost. The sun has been so strong. I'm like the snow man. "In the sun he melted, melted, melted." I love you all, and I hope you are happy. Thanks for your prayers and thoughts. Until next week.

 Elder Dean

Say hi to Rooney. The dog that probably outweighs me.