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.

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! 

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)

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

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)

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

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)