Conference in Cali and a Baptism.

Hola!

Hey there everybody. How's it going!? Hope you all had a good week. I had a great one... So this Thursday we had a conference in Cali, so we had to wake up at 4 o'clock in the morning and get on a bus for the 3 hour bus ride to Cali. Is was cool being back in Cali for the day. Tons of people, hot, Salsa music blasting, smelling a little funny... good old Cali :) Memories from my first 3 transfers. The conference was good. It was from about 9-5. We listened to President and Sister Prince talk, and the APs too. We ate an awesome lunch and had a little talent show. Every zone had a little play. My part in our play was to sing "White Christmas" with the other gringos in Popayan. It was fun. We also watched a movie called "Ephraim's Rescue." It's about pioneers, and it's made by the same people who did 17 Miracles. It was excellent. You should defiantly watch it. So then we hoped on the bus back to Popayan, and got back in the nighttime. 

 

This Saturday we had a baptism service with Hernando. He's 80 years old and was part of another church for more than 30 years. After a long process, he decided that he wanted to be baptized. The baptismal service was excellent. Presidente Lalo Baptized him. We invited Elder Lameraux and Elder Mancilla to the service because Elder Mancilla plays a few hymns on the piano haha. Elder Lameraux and I also did a special number. We sung a hymn- the first two verses in Spanish and the last one in English. The spirit was super strong. Sunday, Hernando gave me a heart attack. He got to sacrament meeting at 9:15- just in time to be confirmed. Elder Mosqueira confirmed him. It was a good blessing, too. So transfers came in last night and Elder Mosqueira and I will be together another transfer, so we'll be together 3 months. That probably means I'll be here in Popayan 4 and a half months, but who knows! This morning during personal study, I finished the Book of Mormon. I have been reading it one chapter in English, and then right after the same chapter in Spanish. After I finished it today, I just want to bear my testimony that I know it's true. I am without doubts in my mind that the Book of Mormon is true, and that this church is also true. I'm very grateful for the gospel in my life, and all of you. I'm very blessed. I have to log off and start the week, but I love you all and I hope you all have a safe and good week. Talk to you more next week.

Elder Dean

 The street where I live here in Popayan

Baptism for Hernando

 Getting back with an old pal in Cali, Elder Wilcox and I

Kid's activity last week. Don't worry, I'm not mad- camera caught me before I smiled and I have a sucker in my mouth

Another area of Popayan

Reason For The Season.

Que mas Parseros?

Hey everybody. How's it going? Hope you all had an excellent week! So this week was pretty good... This week we were in the hospitals and clinics Tuesday and Wednesday, like 6 hours, trying to figure out if we could help Elder Mosqueira feel a little better. He hasn't been feeling too hot... The medical system isn't quite the same here as it is in the United States. Not too organized- that's for sure... But it's all good. Eventually we found out that he's got some parasites. Poor guy. He took a few pills a few days ago, and he seems to be feeling a little bit better, so that's good. Saturday we had a pretty cool activity with a few members of the church and all the missionaries here in Popayan for about 100 little kids. They are are super poor, but Saturday morning from about 8-11 we had an activity. We played a bunch of games with them and gave them candy. Some sisters combed hair and painted faces, and then they feed them all some rice and chicken. Happy kids- that's for sure! I took some pictures, but I forgot my camera, so I'll have to send some pictures next week. So Sunday was good and a little rough at the same time... The branch here I'm in is pretty weak. We had about 40 people in church Sunday. Not too hot. It can get a little frustrating at times, not having much help from the branch and members, but we gotta help everybody we can. That's why we are here as missionaries. So I watched the Christmas devotional last night in English with some other gringos here in Popayan. I liked it a lot. Listing to Christmas hymns in English was fantastic. I liked that they really focused the talks on the Savior, too. We should all be thinking about Jesus this Christmas season, and the remarkable things he did for us. Through him we can be happy and find peace, I can testify of that. Thank you for the prayers and thoughts. I love you all. Even though I miss you all a lot, I'm grateful for the opportunity I have to be here in Colombia serving my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This gospel is remarkable. I'm grateful for it in my life. I love you all and I hope you all have a good week and enjoy the snow :) Talk to you all next week. 

Love

Elder Dean

First Baptism In Popayan.

Hey Everybody,

What's up? So I hope you all had a good Thanksgiving! Was just a normal day here in Popayan for me... But its all good. I'm grateful for a lot of things, and that's what Thanksgiving's all about. So this past week we had a baptismal service. We baptized Mauricio, and the other elders in the apartment baptized a girl named Mabel. It was a good service for sure. Presidente Lalo baptized my investigator, and Elder Eliason baptized his investigator. Sunday morning I confirmed Mauricio in sacrament meeting... Always sketchy giving a blessing like that in front of about 60 people... My first time was worse though! In Cali there were more people because I'm in a branch here in Popayan. Other than that the week was pretty normal! Haha Miracle nothing too crazy happened during the week. Only a few drunks tried bothering me this week, but I think my Spanish might be getting better because when the drunks ask me where I'm from I tell them, "Medallin Colombia," and they leave me alone... Haha! I'll send a picture of us with Mauricio too :) Hey, I hope you all have a good week... And hope everybody can enjoy the holiday season without getting too stressed out or anything... Remember what Christmas is all about, and I promise that your Christmas will be awesome!! I'm in a division right now with Elder Eliason. We are having a good time... Haha Always quoting Dumb and Dumber and taking about sports... Well I gotta go cut my hair, so I gotta cut it short... Love you all. Thanks for all the prayers and support. Have a good week!!!

 

Elder Dean

 

6 Months Out.

Hey Fam. Friends.

What's up? So this week was pretty good. Friday I completed 6 months in the mission.... Cool. Ha It wasn't that big of a deal. But still cool! The same day was Elder Menendez's birthday. He didn't wanna celebrate or anything, but I ordered a pizza to celebrate the birthday/6 months. Then I put some candles in the pizza for his birthday, and we sang happy birthday to him. We ate the pizza and then went to bed... whooo!!! haha Super exciting. I almost set the house on fire lighting the candles. I had to use toilet paper and the stove to get a flame haha. Anyway, p-day today was pretty normal. We got up studied till 10, then went and bought some groceries. After, we played soccer with the missionaries here in Popayan at a little artificial turf field for an hour or two. The little field was slippery because of the rain, and I took a ball right off the face. Fun stuff. Haha. So I am hoping to have some baptisms coming up here soon, so hopefully I'll have some good news to write y'all here in the future. The guy at the internet cafe I'm in right now was blasting Guns and Roses, and now hes blasting Dubstep. I should probably head out haha. It's official- Dubstep has made it to Colombia. Oh shoot. Haha. Anyway, love you all. Better hop off. But I hope you guys all have a good Thanksgiving. I'm pretty sure my Thanksgiving will just be a normal day.... Fun! It's all about remembering your blessing though... Read the Book of Mormon and go to church this Sunday! Haha love you all. Have a good week.

Elder Dean

Happy 6 months with my best friend - the electric mosquito killer.

 Elder Menendez, the birthday kid, enjoying the pizza.

Popyan: Week 2

Hello everybody.

How's it going? I'm here in Popayan, starting my 3rd week here... I'm getting a little more comfortable here in the area. So this week was pretty normal... Me and Elder Mosqueira are working hard trying to find people to teach. This week we stopped by an inactive old lady's house... She is super old, and we started talking to her about why she hasn't been going to church these past few years... She talked forever! While she was telling Elder Mosqueira her life story, her friend that lives with her, and another inactive came in and started talking to me... The other old lady was super crazy, and I tried giving here a pamphlet of the church, but she started crossing herself and saying the Lord's Prayer... While that was going on the other guy, super inactive as well, was drunk as a skunk shouting/reading some random part of the Book of Mormon... Elder M and I looked at each other and started busting up laughing, and to recover I said, "Hermana sorry it's just that Elder Mosqueiras accent is just too funny." We couldn't stop laughing. It was horrible. I felt so bad... Maybe it was a stress relief or something haha. Today for p-day we played soccer with all of the missionaries here in Popayan We we playing normal fun and all, when somebody had the bright idea to play Gringos vs. Latinos.... I was like, "Oh gosh, this is going to go well..." And then a miracle happened. Us gringos won 5 games in a row! I have no idea what happened. We played out of our minds haha. And an even bigger miracle happened. I scored 3 goals. Not gonna lie, I was shocked at myself, and we can probably bet that it might not happen again haha. But I am getting better. Anyway fam, love you tons. Hope you all have a good week. Gotta goooooo. So lame. Writing time flies by so fast. Talk to you all next week. Maybe I'll send a pic :) Love you!!!

Elder Dean

Popayan: Week 1.

Why hello there everyone...

How's life in the good old U S of A? Hope you guys are all doing good. So my first week here in Popayan was good. Last Tuesday I hopped on a bus and drove through the country sides and got here to Popayan in 2 or 3 hours. So here in Popayan my area is pretty small, especially because half of the area isn't houses- it's shops and stores. Here it is pretty sunny in the mornings, and then pretty much every afternoon it gets real gloomy and rains most days, too. There have been 2 thunderstorms with thunder SO loud! Haha Crazy loud! That's cool. I had to buy a sweater here because my first two nights I was used to Cali weather - nice and hot - so I got pretty cold my first two nights. I'm getting used to it now, though, so that's good. So the sacrament meeting was pretty interesting. There were about 60 people in attendance in the branch. Super weird. After that, the second class was pretty dang interesting, too. The teacher taught some good false doctrine to investigators and everybody... Haha nice! You always find that here though - false doctrine like crazy. 

I'm living here in the apartment, and sharing the branch with the zone leaders here in Popayan: Elder Eliason and Elder Menendez. They are pretty chill guys. They are both new here this transfer, and so am I, so my comp is the vet here in the branch with 5 or 6 weeks... Haha stressful! The other Elders had a baptism this week. Awesome. I leaned over to test the water before the baptism and dropped my agenda and everything into the baptismal font. Nice goin' Elder Dean! Elder Eliason almost died laughing. I wasn't the happiest camper, haha but it's all good! Anyway, gotta head out. Didn't have much time to write this week because we couldn't find internet and we have to end p-day at 6... Sad :( Anyway, I'll write more next week, and I hope you all have a good week. Read the scriptures and go to the temple if you can this week! Love you all. Ciao!

Elder Dean.

 Leaving Cali was tough! Lots of people I'm going to miss.

Musical Chairs and Transfers.

Hey Everybody!

SO I gotta make it quick. Today is absolutely nuts! I got a call at 9:30 last night, and I'm getting transferred tomorrow. I have to be in a big bus station before 7'o'clock tomorrow morning. So I'm headed out of the big city, Cali Colombia, and headed to a town called Popayan... I don't know much. I know it's about 2 hours via bus away, and that the climate is cooler. There aren't any wards there. It's all branches, and they are putting a plan in motion right now to make it a stake! We'll see what's up! So this week was pretty normal, other than that big news bomb I got yesterday... Hope you guys all had a good Halloween. Halloween here in Colombia isn't too pretty! haha. It was a rough day for mission work, that's for sure... Anyway, 2 days ago we had the ward Halloween party with all the primary. When we got there, they started and told us missionaries that we were in charge of the games... Alrighty then! So me and Elder Wilcox thought real fast, and we started to play musical chairs... Only one problem. We didn't have any music! So me and Elder Wilcox had to sing together and stop together for the music... The only songs we could think of on the spot were the itsy bitsy spider, take me out to the ballgame, and popcorn popping... Haha! It was good though. Dang - sorry I seriously gotta cut it way short. I gotta do tons of stuff get ready to head out tomorrow to Popayan! I'm gonna miss it here in Cali, in Limonar, that's for sure. Rough stuff... Anyway, my companion will be Elder Mosqeuira. He's from Argentina. I've met him a few times, but I don't know him too well. We'll see! Love you all tons. I'll write more next week. Ciao!

Elder Dean