Transfer Back to Cali.

Hey thur.

Hey everybody. Hope you all had a good week... I'm super short for time this week because I'm getting transferred. I got the news this morning that they are transferring me back to Cali. They are transferring me to lead zone San Fernando, the biggest zone in the mission. I'm leaving Pasto, a zone of 20 missionaries, and they send me to a zone of 26 missionaries. Fun stuff! I have to travel tomorrow all day, and with this bus trip back to Cali I will have spent more than 1 week in total in a bus with all of my trips from Cali to Pasto and back. Last one tomorrow. This weekend I also had the opportunity to baptize Sebastian. Sunday morning before sacrament meeting I baptized him. He's 8 years old, and his aunt and uncle that he lives with are members. Sorry I didn't have the chance to snap a pic, but it's all good. Anyway, it will be super hard to leave all the converts and members behind, but I know that the transfers are for a reason. My new companion's name is Elder Morales. I think he's from Peru, but I'm not sure. I don't know him too well... Tomorrow morning I'll hop on the bus and make the long trip to Cali. Back to the hot hot busy crazy city Cali. Sorry I didn't have time to write much, but I hope you all have a great week. I love my mission. My heart hurts leaving everybody behind here in Pasto, but I trust that there are more people I need to help by going back to Cali. I love the church. I know it's true. I hope you all feel it too... Talk to you more next week!

Elder Dean

Visa's Visa.

Hey fam, friends,

Waddup. Hope you all had a great week this week. My week was good. We got to Cali late Monday night, woke up and did the errands to renew Elder Viza's Visa (haha viza visa) and were traveling all day right away Tuesday afternoon! We got home Wednesday at like 1 in the morning, and worked hard all day Wednesday. Thursday we got shut up in the house, order of President Pricoli for the Colombia vs. Brazil game. Colombia lost, but for some reason they kept celebrating and drinking all night long.  They win they party... They lose they party. Party hard. We were shut up all day Thursday. I almost went crazy. Friday night the assistant's came into town with President Pricoli and stayed at our house. Elder Eliason and I had a sweet batting practice session until he drilled me. Line drive shot. Haha It was fun stuff. Crazy that he's going home next week. I'll miss him for sure. We got to know President Pricoli Saturday morning. He seems super nice. I had to direct the meeting. Sketchy in front of zone Ipaiales and zone Pasto, but I didn't say anything embarrassing, so we're good. Ha! We'll see how President wants to drive the mission this week in zone leader council in Cali on Thursday... You know what that means.... BUS RIDE AGAIN. haha Gotta travel to Cali again this week. Fun stuff. Anyway fam, better cut it short for this week. Transfers are coming in this Sunday. I'll complete 3 transfers here in Pasto, but I think I'm going for 1 more! I'll let you know what goes down next Monday. Hope you all have a great week. Homework this week is: read the scriptures everyday and attend all 3 hours of church this next Sunday. Let's always keep the basics in mind :) Love you all!

Elder Dean

Traveling Back to Cali.

Hey errrrrrrone!

Hey all. How's it going? Hope you all had a good week. My week wasn't too eventful, although a few interesting things have happened I suppose... President and Sister Prince headed out, and we had the changing of the guard Friday. President Pricoli is now the new president, and I don't know him yet, but I think I will get to know him this week... Colombia is crazy. President Pricoli didn't let us do any prosiliting Saturday from 3-5 in the afternoon, because Colombia was playing in the world cup. It was nuts. They won their game, and the whole country went nuts! haha. Crazy Colombians. Does anyone even know the world cup is going on in the States? Who knows... Anyway, I am writing way early today. Last night the office called us, and they made a mistake with my companion's visa. He is going to be illegal Wednesday, so we have to travel to Cali all day today to renew his visa tomorrow. Sweet p-day huh? Cooped up in a bus traveling 10 hours... Bummer! haha But it's all good. I guess it's better than having my companion deported. Anyway, that's about it for this week... Hope you all have a great week and remember to do the small things (prayers, scripture study everyday etc.) I've noticed that in my life lately as a missionary, I think I stopped praying for humility and with real intent little by little, and have felt a wake up call spiritually. Sometimes I think God is good at that... He loves us so when we start straying, he usually helps us get back on the right track, even if its a little rough. Anyway, I love you all. I hope you have a good week. Thanks for your prayers and thoughts. I always need them! Love you all.

Elder Dean

A Wedding, Baptisms, Soccer, and International Foods Day

Hey Hey HEY

Hi everybody! Como van? Bien? Bueno :) Hope you all had a good week. This week was pretty crazy actually- not gonna lie ha! Lots of things happened, but I'll just fill you guys in on a few things that went down... So Friday morning we got Carolina and Fihber married. Good stuff! Friday afternoon I went in a division with Elder Armstrong. He's from Kanab, Utah. We went to a member's house in his ward who owns a bakery, and we made a few huge trays of brownies for our activity, International Foods, we did Friday night.. It was also like the wedding party for Carolina and Fihber. We did it in the chapel. It was stressful, but turned out sweet. Elder Viza and the two sisters we share the ward with all cooked something from their countries. It turned out cool. About 150 people showed up. That's like 100 more than show up for sacrament meeting haah! Anyway, Saturday we had a baptismal service. I baptized two boys the sisters had been teaching, and then baptized Carolina. Saturday night after our baptisms, an Elder called me from my zone stressed out because his baptism fell through. We all had a commitment that if everybody in the mission baptized, that we could all go to Cali to say goodbye to President, and this Elder was the only one who hadn't baptized in our zone. We got down there and helped him out, and talked to his investigator, and he ended up getting baptized! Stressful and all, but we completed here in Pasto. We waited Sunday night for the call- the green light to travel to Cali for the farewell of President Prince, but the APs called us about 10 50 and told us that we almost completed as a mission, but fell short... NO farewell for President Prince. We were super bummed out, but oh well! What can you do. The Lord really helped us out here in Pasto though. With prayer, fasting, and hard work, we all baptized here in Pasto. The Lord is great. Although I won't be able to say goodbye to President Prince, I know the work will go forward. President Pricolli is coming in this week, and onward ever onward! Anyway, ran out of time, but thanks for all your prayers and thoughts. I'll send pics this week for sure. Hope you all have a good week. Talk to you more next Monday!

Elder Dean

 Proud Colombians

 Carolina and Fihber

 Baptism

 

 Brownies

 Dinner is served

Happy 20.

YO YO YO

Hey everybody. What's up? Sorry I'm pretty short on time this week but I'll write a quick letter... This week was pretty normal, but good. Yesterday was my birthday- nothing so special going on or anything. A few "Happy birthday Elder Dean" s from the members in church, and Carlos bought me ice cream and a book that I'll have to read after the mission. Awesome guy, Carlos. His sister, who's like 38, gave me a cupcake and kissed me for my birthday. Took me by surprise! Carlos was like, " Hey you can't kiss him! He's a missionary!" haha Funny stuff. I was probably more red than a tomato. But thanks for all your birthday wishes. I love you all. Happy 20... Weird. This week is President Prince's last full week as President, and then we are getting a change of president. Not sure how I feel about that. A little weird for sure, but you just gotta keep rolling with it I suppose. Anyway, sorry I had to cut it short this week, but thanks for all your prayers and thoughts. I hope you all have a good week, and I'll write you all more next week for sure! CHAO.

Elder Dean

Transfers and Immigration.

Hey everybody!

Hey everybody- what's new? I hope you all had a good week. My week was good... And hectic haha! So last Tuesday I had to get all of the missionaries out of Pasto for transfers early in the morning. I got together with Elder Payne (he's the zone leader in Pasto) because our companions both got transferred. It was hectic, but it all turned out well... Until about 11 o'clock. The president's secretary called me "ELDER DEAN! IMGIGRACION HAS SISTER LOPEZ AND CHUB!!!" I was like "What?!?" He told me that the police stopped the bus the missionaries were on that I sent out, and had taken Sister chub and Lopez... That's when I remembered- I had forgot to renew Sisters Chub's visa... My heart sank! I rushed down to immigration, and there they were, locked up, and ready to deport Sister Chub... I spent 5 hours running around Pasto like a chicken with my head cut off, getting the visa renewed, and 6 hours later finally got them out. WHEW. Almost had a sister missionary deported on my watch. Strike 3- you're dead Elder Dean haha. But in the end, all is well. Traveled to Cali all day Wednesday for zone leader council on Thursday. Got together with my new companion, EL GRAN ELDER VIZA. But the ride all night home was the pits... Ha. Sunday afternoon we were able to help Carlos with another activity for his foundation. Didn't turn out as well as the last one, but it was still good. Carlos is a stud- he gave a good chat. Well errrbody.... gotta get back to work. P-day has come and gone. Spent half of it in the hospital with Elder Arias.  He split his head open when we were playing soccer today. Fun stuff! Poor kid. Anyway, love you all. Hope you all have an awesome weekend. Grateful for your prayers and thoughts. The mission is an adventure. The hardest and best adventure I've ever been on. The church is true. Have a good week!

Elder Dean

 

 

Whipping up some agua panela

 

 Sunday with Carlos

2 Transfers in Pasto, Another To Go.

Hi thurrrr!

 

Hey everybody. Como van? I'm doing good here. A little chilly and a tad bit stressed, but its all goooooood. So this week was pretty normal working wise... Waiting for the transfers to come in, which they did last night. Annnnnnd like half my zone is outta here. haha I think 8 missionaries got transferred, including my companion, Elder Delgadillo. He is headed to Cali, close to the offices for his last 3 weeks in the mission field. We spent today, pday, for him to get ready to head out tomorrow morning. My new companion is Elder Viza from Peru. I know him a bit. He was in my first zone in Cali for a few months, and I have talked to him on occasions. Seems like a serious guy, but a good missionary for sure. We will get together in zone leader conference in Cali Thursday, and then travel back all night Thursday to Pasto. Everybody in the zone is headed off tomorrow, so I will have to get together with Elder Payne, the zone leader in Ipalies tomorrow to not be alone, and then him and I will travel together all day Wednesday to get to Cali for council.... Crazy week! Completed my second transfer (3 months) here in Pasto, and getting ready to start another one! It was a good 3 months here with Elder Delgadillo. Hard moments and fantastic moments... Awesome people like Carlos, Angela, and many others we were able to help. He is headed back to Guatemala in 3 weeks, finishing his 2 years here. I'm grateful to have had him as a companion, even though there were hard moments. He was and is an excellent person and missionary. I learned a lot, and I am excited and looking forward here to the future. Kinda a crummy connection today. I couldn't really communicate well with anybody- sorry! But happy birthday Sara! Love you! Thanks for all your prayers and thoughts during this week, and prayers for smooth transitions during transfers... Love you all have a great week!

Elder Dean