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)

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.

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

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