Three generations.

Hey everybody.

 

Hi everyone. How's it going? Hope everything's good. I'm doing just fine here... Sorry this week I'm short for time. Internet seemed all funky today, so hopefully my messages got to everybody.... Who knows. Anyway, I'm doing good. This week went fine. We are working along. I'm super excited for general conference this weekend. I hope you can all make an effort to listen, too! This is the last week of this transfer. Transfers come in this weekend. 3 months down here in Cali, here in Colon. Times flying by... This week I went and did a division in Jamundi. Jamundi is a town about 30 minutes south of Cali. My old companion that I trained is there in Jamundi... Good old Silverio! He's training too right now, so now I have a grandson.  That's how we call it in the mission. Silverio is my son because I trained him, and now he's training another Elder, so he's my grandson. Haha! Anyway, sorry this letter is super short today, but I hope you all have a good week. I'll let you know about the tranfers next week, and hope you all enjoy conference! Thanks for your prayers and thoughts. Love you all!

Elder Dean

 

Three generations

La Obra de Salvation.

Howdy!

 

What's up everybody. Hope every thing's going good back home. Things here are cruising along. So this week we had a visit from Elder Scott Grow of the 70. Thursday we had a meeting with him- all the zone leaders in the mission- all afternoon, and then Friday almost all day we had a meeting with him- all the missionaries in Valle. We were about 140. The meeting was held in my chapel here in Colon, so it was my job to make sure everything was in order. Fun stuff. You'd never think so many little things would have to be done for a visit of a seventy. It was crazy. But anyway, all day Friday too, after I was just ready to get back to normal. But the visit was good Elder Grow is awesome. We talked a ton about getting the ward involved in the work. They are changing the name now. It's not "La Obra Misional." It's now "La Obra de Salvation" Cool. They are changing stuff. Investigators have to attend 3 Sundays now, and not just sacrament meeting. To be baptized they have to attend 3 times, but all 3 church meetings. More focus on the converts and less actives. Stuff like that. I like it though. The attitude has changed drastically since when I first got to the mission field to now. I like it better in some ways, and in some ways I miss some aspects, but it's all good! In the end, whatever I do, I just want to be successful in helping people and being a blessing to others. To be a good servant. Things are going along, and I will keep at it. I hope you are all doing well. I love you and miss you all. I think when it comes down to it.... Life's just better with the gospel. Being at peace with God and fellow men should be our ultimate desire. I think I'm developing that desire.. To do whatever it takes to be at peace with God first, and after, everyone else. Let's all keep it up. Love you all. Hope you have a good week. If you need a booster, go this next Sunday to the temple and have a walk around and think about what's really important in this life. The leaves should be changing color now, right? It's the same climate here year round... I miss the temple. I miss you all. Talk to you more next week!

Elder Dean

Elder Grow, Victor's Baptism, San Antonio.

Hey everybody!

What's new? Every thing's just cruising along here doing fine. This week was pretty normal. We worked hard keeping at it. So this week Elder Grow is coming in to visit. He's a seventy, so we will have a leadership council with him Thursday, and then Friday we will have a meeting with him and all the missionaries s here in Valle (everybody in Cali, Tulua, Buenaventura, etc). Pretty much everybody except for those who are in Pasto or Popayan. That should be cool. Hey, sorry I didn't send any pictures last week of Victor's baptism or anything. I've been having trouble with my memory and camera. Virus, I'm pretty sure... That's what we get when we use sketchy public computers haha! No- but anyway, we are doing good here. Trying really hard to get some new investigators... The work is so much better when members help. Gotta keep trying to get the members to help us out and work as a team! This week my testimony of fasting was strengthened. I know that if we are passing through difficult times, or we need help with something, fasting truly helps. Anyway, sorry this letter is going to be super short this week, but I love you all. I'll send off some pictures this week of our last pday. We went around Cali visiting some cool sites. Today for pday we just did the normal play soccer, and then we went to Burger King haha. Anyway, I love you all. I hope you all have a great week. Talk to you more next Monday!

 

Elder Dean

 

 

Victor's Baptism

 



 

Catholic church: San Antonio

 

Overlooking Cali from San Antonio

 



 

I Love Cali!

 

Baptism/Third Week of Transfer

Hey everybody!

So sorry about last week. I didn't get a letter off for the blog... I think that might be the first time I haven't written! Sorry about that. But anyway... So this week we had zone leader council. It was good. We learned a lot, and the vision is that we can start trying to help the ward down here be one with the missionaries, and try to get better in that aspect. This week we had to do house riviosions of all the elders in the zone. Blah! Ha- the worst. But anyway, that's all over now. Until next month. Ha! So, this weekend we had a baptism! Victor got baptized. He had his interview with President Pricoli and passed, so we went ahead with the baptism. I had the opportunity to baptize him Saturday night, and then Sunday morning he gave us a scare and showed up half way through sacrament meeting! He got confirmed at the end of sacrament meeting. The bishop looked at me to do it, so I confirmed him as well haha! But it's all good. Way to go Victor. He's going to Ecuador for a week, so we'll see him in a week or so. Anyway, we are starting the 3rd week of this transfer already. The time's going by! I hope that I can continue trying to be better and become the missionary that God wants me to be. I love you all. I hope you are all doing well. Keep going holding onto that iron rod. I'm reading the Book of Mormon again. I'm in Alma and cruising along loving it. I'm reading it in Spanish again, and when I end it, it will be my 4th time reading it here in the mission. I hope to never stop reading it at least a little bit the rest of my life. I hope we can all keep reading, and keep trying to become better people everyday. I love you all. I hope you have a good week. Thanks for your prayers and thoughts. Talk to you all more next week!

Love Elder Dean

Gluten Free Colombia Style.

I LOVE YOU ALL GOOD LETTER COMING IN NEXT WEEK :)

First Transfer In Colon Cali Down.

Hey all.

How's it going?? This week has been good. We've been working in 3 this whole week. Kinda interesting.... Transfers came in annnndd.... I'm not going anywhere. Surprise! haha. Me and Elder Morales are staying put. Elder Cervantes is leaving us.  He's going to Popayan, and we'll be back to normal Wednesday. So this week we had zone conferences. We were together with another zone here in Cali and we listened to President Pricoli and the APs.  We learned and practiced. It was good. I enjoyed the conference. Best part was they ordered Domino's pizza for lunch... Nice! We are doing good here in the area. Just working along. Feeling ready to get this transfer going. First transfer in Colon Cali down... A few more to come I'm sure! Today for pday we made the trip to Burger King to eat lunch, and I went out of the way to a store where they sell imported stuff. I found a can of Doctor Pepper and a can of planters peanuts roasted. Nice haha. After, we went to the chapel and played ping pong for a while, and that's all folks! Sorry I got cut short on time this week a bit. Transfers in a zone of 26 are never fun. Yikes! Better get going.... Love you all! I hope you have a good week. Keep up the good work reading the scriptures, going to church, helping others, and praying. Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers. Talk more next week!

Elder Dean.

 

 

 Little ping pong tournament for pday. (Winner: yours truly haha)

Small and Simple Things.

Hey everybody! What's happening? So here we are. Another week gone and another week starting up. This is the last week of this transfer.  We'll have transfers come in this Sunday! Not gonna lie, this transfer has gone by pretty dang quick... But I'm pretty sure neither I nor my companion are going anywhere. He's been here 2 transfers now, and I've only been here 1. But I'll let you guys know for sure. Anyway, this week was good. We're working along. Yesterday, Sunday night, we took an Elder to the offices. He's going home. It's so weird to send missionaries home. I hate it! Weird feeling seeing people end, but oh well. Today, for pday, we were getting ready to start our pday at 10, when we got a call from the APs telling us that we had to go to the offices to pick up an Elder, and that he was going to be in a trio with us this week for some situations. We went to the office and waited there a hour or two for him, and then picked him up. We didn't have time to do much with the pday, but it's all good. It happens sometimes. We had enough time to go to the grocery store and clean the house a bit. So we'll be in a trio this week until transfers come in. Anyway, this Sunday was cool. We had the opportunity to help a sister we are teaching to come to church. She has cancer, and her mom is in a wheel chair, but she really had a desire to make it to church this week because she's starting more chemo therapy this Tuesday, and wanted to go to church before starting. We woke up early and went to her house because she lives pretty far from the chapel. I carried her mom from her wheelchair to the taxi, and she made it to church and stayed all 3 hours. She was a happy camper. Small and simple thing. Scripture for the week: D&C 64 verse 33 "Wherefore be not weary in well doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of that which is small procedeeth that which is great" Que tengan una semana excelente. Los quiero muchísimo.

Elder Dean