Message from Pilar

12/19/11

Alrighty, here's the Scoop!

Dad sent me an email asking what a normal day is like so here we go.  Wake up time is 6:30 and we have until 8:00 to eat, exercise, and prepare for the day.  At 8:00 we have Personal Study for an hour, following which we have about two hours of Companionship Study.  Depending on other things that happen, we may have more or less time than that.  After companionship study, we're supposed to have an hour of Language study for an hour, but I've only been able to do it twice thus far in the last three-ish weeks. we've had a lot of other things that have needed to be done, but we really enjoy our study time.  During each companionship study, we do a practice of introducing the Book of Mormon to someone using the first and last two paragraphs of the introduction to the Book of Mormon, which explain what the book is, three things we should do when we receive it, and three things we'll know once we know the truth of the book.  The two hours of companionship study will only last for the first twelve weeks of my mission while I'm still in training.  There is a relatively new training program called In-Field Training that happens now.  I think it was introduced to missions within the last year or two.  Anyway, after the study time, we prepare for the day with any other last minute things then head to whichever member's house we have lunch with in that particular day.  After lunch, we go to work, most of the time having lessons, but often having to imrovise when appointments fall through.  The proselyting day ends whenever we need it to in order to return to our apartment by 9:00; 9:30 when we're teaching a lesson.  Once we return to the apartment, we plan for the next day (first), afterwhich we prepare for bed, write in journals, etc., to be in bed by 10:30.

Often enough in the last three weeks we've had to change this schedule to accomodate (spelling?) traveling to and from conferences, training meetings, and today I had to go to Capital to register for my two year Argentine papers, as the visa will expire soon.

Dad also asked what kinds of food I normally eat.  So, here's a description of some of the foods:

     1) Empanadas.  These are like turnovers that Dad makes, but instead of being filled with jam, they're filled with meats, potatoes, etc. and baked or fried.  They look like stuffed semicircles of yummy goodness.  Imagine half a jelly-filled donut, but instead of jelly, finding shredded chicken and baked potatoe, or ground beef and a veggie mix.  Anything can go in them.

     2) Dulce de Leche.  This is like Mom's carmels, but creamier.  Dulce de Leche doesn't harden like the carmels we've come to love, but remains creamy.  I'd say the consistency is somewhere in between cream cheese and yogurt.  Maybe closer to yogurt, or the creamy honey that Dad likes to spread on bread.  But it tastes heavenly!

     3) Alfajors (pronounced ahl-fah-hohr).  These are made in a number of different ways and are the most prevalent candy/dessert that you find in gas stations or other stores.  It is made like a sandwich with Dulce le Leche in the middle.  I've seen it like Oreo's, like Ice Cream Sandwiches, etc.  But the way I've liked them best has been a home made variety by a member, where the Dulce de Leche was spread between two wafers (like Nillas, but softer) then rolled in Coconut shavings.

     4) Milanesa.  This is similar to chicken fried steak, but thinner.  The only way I can really describe it, would be a mix between a soft beef jerky and Dad's Chicken Schnitzel.  Sometimes it even is made with chicken, but it is generally beef.

     5) Churi.  This is a type of Sausage similar to Brauts, but sweeter.  When split in half and stuck between two hunks of bread... yum!!!  That is called a Chruipan (Churi being the sausage and pan being the word for bread.

     Other foods are very similar to what it's like in the States: pasta, fruit salad, salads, etc.  There is no really spicy food here, the rare taco at a member's house (which has happened once in my companions' mission, last week with a member family who spends a lot of time in Utah. He's been out for almost 9 months).  There have been no rice and beans dishes served, and the pizzas are lacking for sauce.   But on the whole, there a lot of similarities in the foods.

 Dad, you said I may have received some news in duplicate from both you and mom.  This is true, but I like it, because the two of you tell it a little differently.  I'm pleased about your new guitar and amp!  I hope to hear what it's name is in the next email ;)  The new oven and reupholstered chairs sound like nice Christmas presents too!

Mom, you asked me to give more information on my address and the church and the streets I work on.  Sadly, I'm not supposed to send that information, and even if I could, I don't know it.  I only know where they are in the city.  Suffice it to say our apartment is located near a field by a round-y-round, and the church is between our apartment and the highway, more or less.  Our proselyting area is mostly the casitas between Champagnat and Dr. Thomas de Anchoren, and goes as far north as the Calles there, but we also have the neighboring areas.  We just don't currently have anyone in the other areas that we teach.  The neighborhoods we have are: Las Margaritas, Agustoni, San Alejo, Peligrini, and all inbetween.  All of these are North of  the highway.

Something that we've shared and taught with several investigators and recent converts, and even inactive or less-active members, this week has been the contents of Alma 36 and Helaman 5.  These chapters deal with the counsel of fathers to sons as well as repentance.  Alma 36, of course, is Alma's personal experience with repentance as told to his son Helaman and accounts how it was only after he cried out to Jesus, after he pleaded for the Lord to "have mercy upon me, who am in the gall of bitterness," that he was delivered.  And oh, what joy did he experience!  He says that there was nothing as exquisite and bitter as was his pain, but on the other hand, nothing as exquisite and sweet as was his joy after repentance.  It was from that moment on that he labored with his might to bring souls unto repentance and a deliverance from their sins.  In Helaman 5, we read about the advice of Helaman to his sons Nephi and Lehi, to remember (said 13 times in I think 10 verses) the things and lessons of the past and to always build upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ the Lord.  Later on we hear of them being cast into prison, where a mob came to kill them.  Nephi and Lehi were surrounded by a protecting wall of fire while the mob was surrounded in a cloud of darkness.  Among the mob was an apostate Nephite who remembered the words taught to him in his youth about repentance.  In that moment, he repented, and when the mob cried out pleading to know what to do, that repentant dissenter, named Aminadab, told them what he had been taught, and what they all had been taught by Alma, Amulek, and others, all of whom they had rejected.  The mob numbered about 300.  All cried unto God for a repentance, and then they were surrounded by the fire as were Nephi and Lehi, all witnessing the glory that those two had witnessed.  So great were the experiences of those 300, that they then went out and preached the word, as had Alma, and they brought nearly the entire Lamanite nation unto repentance, to the point that they were more righteous that the Nephites.

That is a message we take.  The message of repentance; a message of hope.  That hope is in Christ, who is mighty to save, and has suffered for our sins that we may not suffer, "which suffering caused I, God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed from every pore" Christ already paid the price.  We don't have to if we come to Him, paying the price of a humble heart and a contrite spirit, willing to make a change in our lives to do whatever it takes to choose the right, even if that means hardship.  Even if we fall, that is why we have repentance and especially the sacrament; to allow us to continually better ourselves and try to be as He is.

We shared the above chapter of Alma with one of the men who dropped us after we attended his wedding.  The next day, when we went back, he had read the chapter and asked us questions.  Then he asked us for more to read.  Hopefully we made an impression to the point of him coming to Christ through the waters of baptism and eventually the sacred covenants of the Temple.

I love you all, and I'll talk to you in a week!

With love and prayers,

Elder Matthew Dewsnup

P.S. The picture attached is me after we returned home from working last night.  I don't think I've ever sweat this much in my life.

P.S.S.  Mom and Dad will be pleased to know that for the first time I ate mushrooms, green olives, and dark meet without a single face of distaste.  I even (surprisingly to me) enjoyed them.

P.S.S.S.  Let Sister Hicks know that I got the package last Friday from the Activity Days girls, and a big thank you to them.  Dad, your letter arrived at the same time.  We had a leadership training meeting at with we all got mail, but if anything else has been sent, as yet I have not gotten it.  Again I'm sorry to all I haven't gotten letters to yet.  Time is of the essence and I don't have much of it.

Week 10 {and a half}

{This is Megan... Sorry it's been a while since I've really posted any updates. It's been really busy with the holiday season so I'll just go head and post the actual letters...}

12/12/11

How to begin...

These last two weeks have been some of the most discouraging and uplifting of my life.  All of the baptisms that we had planned for the last two weeks fell through and we had two investigators drop us last week.  Our ward has in its records between 600 and 700 members, but in the last two weeks only about 80 on average have attended and Elder Black says that's the norm here in our area.  The retention rate is our killer.

I still can't understand the language as much as I'd like (meaning I can't understand it perfectly yet) but I know that I need to be patient and continue to listen.  My understanding has improved, but the speed at which some people talk still astounds me, and some of the idioms don't translate perfectly in English, so it's hard for my companion to explain what they mean.  We got our bicycles fixed up and are now riding them pretty much all the time, so the blisters I had are healing over and now my thighs need to be stretched each night, so they don't cramp up.  But as they say in Meet the Robinsons, Keep Moving Forward.  More on that in a minute.

Mom asked what my living quaters were like, though she didn't use those words.  I live in an apartment complex with three other elders (one, of course, is my companion) which is about a mile to a mile and a half south of the Pan Americana highway that runs through town.  The apartment has a front room, kitchen, two bedrooms (though we only use one with four bunks, the other is our study room), and the bathroom.  Conditions aren't as clean as I'd like them to be, so I try to spend a little time each day (more on P-Days) cleaning up a bit.

Mom also asked about meals.  The biggest meal here is Almuerzo, or lunch, which is normally eaten during the Siesta.  The Siesta is a period of the day that lasts for about three hours as a period of rest for people during the day.  They eat and take naps!!  How cool is that!  But we usually eat a large meal with members and then go to work.  The proselyting day ends whenever it needs to for us to return to our apartment by 9:00, so after nightly planning, we then either eat a snack, or go without.  So usually the only meals we do are breakfast and lunch, with a little before bed.

And Mom asked about whether or not I have played piano in church yet.  Seeing as I seem to be the only person in all of Pilar who knows how, yes I've been playing.  I have played in both sacrament meetings and at the ward end-of-the-year social last Thursday.

Right now, while I'm in training, our proselyting hours begin right after lunch, but once I'm done with training, there should be enough time to have one or two appointments in the day before lunch.  The proselyting area that Elder Black and I have right now is the area north of the Pan Americana, which is a poorer section of the town, except for the Countries (gated, walled, and protected neighborhoods, at which there are gaurds and specific things needed to enter).  We don't go into the Countries unless we have a referral to contact, a lesson with a recent convert or lunch with a member in one of them.  Thus far, I've only been in one.

I just looked at the clock here and realized that for all of you at home and in that time zone, it's almost 8:00, which means Joseph just started classes for the day, mom likely has headed off for Curves, and Dad's at work.  Meg and Marving are probably at their separate jobs.  Sarah is teaching her first class of the day and Brandon is probably either spending time with Annie, or has started his own classes (I don't know what your schedule is like as well as I know the Missoula schedule).  That's a really weird thought, seeing as for us, we're approaching our lunch time.

Mom also mentioned that she found Pilar on a map from National Geographic.  If any of the rest of you want to see the town, I'd suggest either using Google Earth or the map section under tools on lds.org.  If you sign in, you can see mission boundaries and such, boundaries of your ward and stake, a stake directory, and other cool church related things.  On that map, the Pan Americana is called Ramal Pilar.

In one of my personal study sessions this week, I was studying out of Preach My Gospel, chapter five, which deals with the Book of Mormon.  I looked at the section where there are a bunch of questions and then places where answers can be found in the Book of Mormon, and I loved what I found there.  I looked at Alma 22 and 38, and 3 Nephi 13 and 14.  Alma 22 talks about when Aaron is conversing with the father of King Lamoni and the King asks Aaron what he can do to have eternal life (v. 15).  Aaron answers in verse 16 with what I have termed "how to get an answer"  He says "If thou desirest this thing, if thou wilt bow down before God, yea, if thou wilt repent of all thy sins, and will bow down before God, and call on his name in faith, believing that ye shall receive, then shalt thou receive the hope which thou desirest."  This told me that when we want to know the answer to a question or when we want something, we need to pray about it.  The first step to a prayer like this is to have a desire; we really have to want to know something.  Then we bow down before God, repenting of our sins, in prayer, calling on His name in faith.  We approach Him in prayer with a repentant heart.  Then, most importantly in my mind, we have to believe that we'll receive an answer.  Only after that will we receive the hope we want.  I like the fact that it says "receive," because it's not going to be given to us if we're passive about it, or if we don't really want it.  We have to want and then we will obtain.

Alma 38 is where Alma is talking to his son, Shiblon, and many of the things there are great for investigator, member, and missionary alike.  In verse 8, he talks about how his sins caused him "the most bitter pain and anguish of soul" because he knew that he had done wrong in trying to destroy the church and in leading many people to do evil and wicked things.  The best part is that he then says that "never, until I did cry out unto the Lord Jesus Christ...did [I] find peace to my soul."  It wasn't until he reached out to God and to Jesus Christ in prayer, feeling truly repentant, that he was healed.  This to me just talked about how we won't receive forgiveness of our sins without first reaching out to God and asking for it.  We have to humble ourselves and feel truly repentant in order to be forgiven ourselves.  The beginning of verse 12 is wonderful for missionaries too: "Use boldness, but not overbearance."  We need to be bold, as missionaries, in helping people to come to Christ, but we also need to do so with love and kindness, not forcefulness.

3 Nephi 13 and 14 were reiterations of Christ Sermon on the Mount to the people of the Americas, but I found it interesting that the questions asked in Preach My Gospel in connection with these chapters were: How can I balance my career and my family? (13, compare Matthew 6), and How can I improve my relationship with my spouse? (14, compare Matthew 7)

I love the scriptures; there is so much in them that we can learn from and apply that will be us become better people.  I know what I'm teaching is true, and I know that the Gospel can help everyone I teach.  This message is one for the world, and soon all will know it, for the day soon cometh when Christ will appear.  I don't know where that is in the scriptures, maybe Dad can help me with that reference, but we don't know when it will happen, all we can do is prepare for it.

I love and miss you all!!!  And you are in my prayers, as I know I am in yours.  Until next week.

Elder Dewsnup

p.s.  The pictures attached are of my first companiona and I, and then two pictures of my sunburn, one with my shirtsleeve and watch on and shown, the other with the shirtsleeve pulled up and the watch taken off.

p.p.s. at the termination of this email, we are now approaching 9:30 your time, the pictures have taken a
long time to load.

First Week In the Field

We got an email from Elder Dewsnup on Monday. He has arrived safely!!!! (Well, we knew that from his Mission President but it was nice to finally hear from him.)

His first area is called Pilar, but more particularly their area of town is north of the Pan Americana Highway (where ever that is ;)) and his trainers name is Elder Black. He's hoping that he'll be able to send some pictures soon. When he does I'll try and post them, if he sents them through email.

He says that Dewsnup doesn't exactly translate well into Castillano which is the Spanish dialect where he is at right now. But he said that everyone that he has talked to so far is surprised with how much that he understands and can speak so far.

They are in a biking area. So, and this is for my mom, please pray that they stay safe. My mom read in the Desseret News a few weeks ago that two missionaires got hit by a car when they were biking around dusk and I know one for sure has passed on. He had just extended his mission 3 weeks and so I can't imaging how his parents felt. So please, keep him and his companion in your prayers.

The most important information is regarding when and how he receives letters. He said "...we receive them (letters) no less frequently than at transfers every six weeks. If we were in the states, you could just send things straight to our apartment adress, but here they have to go to the mission home first, where they are kept until there are either meetings with the president or we are transfered, so if I don't reply to things for a really time, chances are I haven't received it yet." So... please don't stop writting. Continue to write him. There is nothing more depressing then to find out on transfers (or whenever he gets to meet with his Mission President) that after 6 weeks he hasn't received any mail. We've gotten pretty close with the missionaires in our area here in Montana and well, it really does affect them when they don't get a letter for a week or two or more. It's important for them to recieve those letters. And better yet, they don't even have to be LETTERS but notes. Send postcards, quotes, inspiration scriptures, it doesn't have to be a long drawn out letter, but it means the world to them when they something!!!

He wanted to also apologize to those he hasn't hand written to yet. He doesn't exactly have a lot of time to write letters like he thought he would but he is doing his best. Like I said above it is more important that we write him and encourage him and are there for him then to recieve a personal response back. You can always continue to check here for his progress.

He can't believe that the last 10 weeks have flown by so fast but now that he is in Argentina he is even more excited to push forward and teach the people.

Until Next Week....

Argentina Here He Comes....

Hey everyone, it's Megan. I'm sorry that there haven't been any recent posts lately. I've gotten so busy that I've had a hard time keeping up with my own blog. We have also decided to stop posting Matthew's' letters word for word. Instead I'll summarize his letters and still keep you posted.

So we got a letter on Week 7 that was title S.M.I.L.E. He said "We need to keep an eternal perspective on everything we do, no matter what it is. "...to be Spiritually Minded Is Life Eternal." Remember always the spiritual things in life and thank God continually for the things we have, we're more fortunate than many others."

Then we got a letter on Thanksgiving. He talked about how they had a devotional with Elder D. Todd Christofferson. He liked a quote that Elder Christofferson quoted from President Hinkley that said "Get on your knees and plead for help, then get on your feet and do it." He also shared something that I thought was rather cool and that I didn't know about. He said that Elder Christofferson also talked about the relationship between the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and missionaries. He explained that missionaries are essentially companions to the Twelve; that they have the same apostolic commission to go out into the world and be a witness of Jesus Christ. It's hard to summarize this next part so I'll just quote him. "I finally understood why we hold the title of Elder, rather than just holding that priesthood office. The title of Elder is given to the Quorum of the Twelve, the Quorums of Seventy, and the Missionaries of the Church; that's it. No one else in the church has that title attached to their name, even if they are ordained to that office of the priesthood, only those people bear the title of Elder on this earth." I thought that was pretty cool!

Then he flew out Monday morning and we got an email from his Mission President today saying that he has arrived safely.

Continue to keep him in your prayers!!!

Week 6

Hola a mi familia y todos de mis amigos!

After six weeks, I'm beginning to feel more and more like a missionary.  I got a haircut about a week ago and it felt really weird to have the lady touching my head.  For those of you reading this who are not LDS, one of the mission rules is to have no physical contact with members of the opposite sex except a handshake.  So, having her touch my head was a little weird, but hey, my hair is once again regulation length.

There have been several things here that have really begun to open my eyes to the work that we are going out to accomplish.  I was told last week that the UN announced that the world population has breached the 7 billion mark (I thought we already had...).  The last number that I heard of members of the Church there are world wide was a little over 14 million.  Doing the math, I figure that only .002% of the world's population is LDS.  The message that we have to share is so wonderful that I'm excited to go out and give it to others.  I don't want to treat any person as a statistic, nor do I want to consider just baptizing people.  What I am going out to do is share my belief in Christ and the Message of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ to the other 99.998%.  Well, I guess a much smaller number since I'm only going to a part of the world.  But the fact remains that there are so many people out there who have never even heard of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints or the message we have to share with the world, and now I get to go out and help other people come to know, as I do, that Jesus is the Christ and that His Church has once again been established on the Earth today, for the last time, until Christ will come again to reign personally among His people at His second coming.

I am going out to share the message of the Restoration; that God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to a boy who sincerely asked to know the truth; that that boy, Joseph Smith, through the power of God translated the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, and restored the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the earth; that families can be together, a sealed family for time and all eternity; and that once again, through Faith in Christ, Repentance, Baptism by the proper authority of God, The reception of the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and Enduring to the End, we can live eternally with our Father in Heaven.  The message of the Church of Jesus Christ, the message I am privelaged to share with the people of Argentina, is the way to lasting peace, happiness, and joy, not only in this life, but also in the next.

A few weeks ago, I shared with you the story of Nephi's family, in particular the story of Laman and Lemuel.  We all have been given commandments of God, and we asked for those commandments so that we could know the way to return to live with Him again.  Laman and Lemuel, even after being visited by an angel of the Lord, still refused, ultimately, to follow the commandments, because they saw them as "hard things" and they murmured.  I can tell you all now that life here in the six weeks I have spent, has progressed leaps and bounds, but that progress has been slowed every time I have complained about something.  It is in human nature to complain and to be disatisfied; it is godly to put aside the self and to focus on others - to serve.  We can lose track of ourselves and our own discomforts only through sincere service to others, and it is through enduring, persevering, and service, not through complaining and lazing, that we can find true happiness.  "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."  

Life here at the MTC, and I'm sure in the mission field, has been wonderful and will continue to be.  As I have been told several times, attitude is everything.  If we approach every task with a good attitude, it will be accomplished timely and seemingly quickly.  Approach something with a bad attitude, and it becomes a chore and a bore, and we do not want to do it.  Approaching things with a positive attitude, wearing a smile, can quickly and easily make our day better.

Mom and Dad, if you could link that here, I think people would love to see it.  

Also I came across a youth video that is good for those of all ages.  

Rely on the Lord and He will lift you higher,

Elder Matthew Dewsnup

Shout Outs:

Mom: The letter you send at 11:28 on Monday I received the following day.  I have not as yet received the package, but then we also haven't checked the mail today.  Also, I have withdrawn money from my account for my Hep A2 shot wich is in a little over an hour today.  I can explain the other medical charges later, if you ask me about them (I don't remember off the top of my head what's been charged and what hasn't).

Dad: I got your letter on Monday and loved the message you shared with me.  Thank you!

All others:  Thank you for your continuing support, prayers, and encouragement to me.  I love you all, and I'm praying for you as well!!!

Week 5

First off, my apologies to those of you who have written to me and I haven't written back.  My letter writing window is small on P-Day and y'all know I don't write very quickly.  I'll try to do better, but I still haven't replied to at least two letters I received my first week.  I should be getting those out today, but again, I apologize in advance if it doesn't get out as quickly as that.

 

Second, even though DearElder.com is supposed to be same-day-delivery to the MTC... It's not.  My mom sent me a letter that way on Monday that I didn't get until yesterday, so it can take anywhere from an hour (Meg's was like that the first week) to probably three days.  Physical mail can take up to about 5 days.  I got a letter from my dad yesterday that was mailed on Saturday... So... Plan ahead. 

 

On that note, thank you all for your continued support and encouragement.  I love hearing from y'all and look forward to replying.

 

This last week was pretty sweet.  Our investigators are... moving along. But the highlight was when we had Elder Zwick of the Quorum of the Seventy gave our Tuesday Devotional.  He and his wife devoted their time to the topics of prayer and the Holy Ghost.  In both talks the comment was made that "you are never alone."  The only time you will feel alone is when you want to be.  I've heard it said that "if you feel further from God today than yesterday, who moved."  When you ask for the Spirit, it will be there, provided you are worthy to receive it.

 

On the subject of my investigators, I'll begin with Macarena.  She's now really receptive and has accepted the baptismal invitation (keep in mind that both of these investigators are our teachers).  But, while she now wants to be baptized, we've hit a wall with the Word of Wisdom.  We were prepared on Monday to teach her about the restoration, but at the beginning of the lesson she mentioned that she was going to a Halloween party that night, at which she'd be drinking.  Neither of my companions picked up on that right away, but I was stopped in my tracks like a deer in headlights.  With Tati, we've discussed the Word of Wisdom from the point of a smoker, but none of us have even really thought about it from the perspective of alcohol.  The best (or worst) part is that, while we know it's bad, we don't yet have the language skills to explain what we need to.  Its frustrating, but we'll rigure it out.  Tati, is coming along well.  We've been doing a better job with him and we feel like he's really progressing well, but he still has a little trouble quitting.  We've given him a calendar on which he can check off whether or not he smoked, drank, read from the scriptures, prayed, or other things, and that's helped him to see his progress, but he still has a little trouble with the temptations.  The last time he smoked that we know of was on Saturday, but we have another visit with him tonight, so we'll see how he's doing with that.  We also had to push his baptismal date back by two weeks, so we have enough time to teach all the things we need to and to help him overcome his smoking habit.

 

As far as the MTC goes, it's starting to blend together.  It feels like I just wrote my last e-mail yesterday, so the time is really flying.  And I'll be getting my travel papers either next week or the following (though I'm pretty sure it's next week).  In four weeks from today, I'll be in Argentina.  Sooner, even, and that just feels weird.  But it's where I need to be and I'm anxious to serve the Lord.

 

I love and miss you all!

 

Elder Matthew Dewsnup

 

Shout outs:

 

Meg and Marvin:  I'm sorry I haven't yet written, and I got your letter last week after I got out email on Thursday and I wasn't able to write anymore.  There will be one in the mail this week.

 

Mom:  As I said, I got your message yesterday.  And I really did laugh at your quote... "Ohhhh, someone's been doing some really dark magic in there..." ;)  Also, would you be able to send me another three pair of my white atheletic socks?  I'm having to double up since we have gym time every day...  And if there's any way I can get the family picture from thanksgiving two years ago, that'd be awesome!  The one where we're all wearing black shirts and jeans. 

 

Dad: I also just got your letter yesterday.  I hope you're feeling better by now, and if not, know that I pray for you and all the family every day.  Thank you for your example and encouragement.

 

Joseph:  If you can, try having your Teacher's Quorum start reading Preach My Gospel now.  Ask the Bishop if you all can get copies. I'm sure he'll give them to you or can get them.  Also, I'd recommend starting to read Jesus the Crist.  It's a really heavy read, but once you become accustomed to the language, it'll move along quickly.  And you have an advantage that I do not.  You can look up the words he uses.  I don't have access to either the internet (at least not free access, only email and lds.org) or a dictionary.  But doing both a study from Preach My Gospel and Jesus the Christ is helping me develop a closer relationship with my Father in Heaven.

 

Sarah and Brandon:  Do you have a family picture of the three of you that I could get somehow?  I can't print things off here, but if it's possible, just a 4x6 picture woud be great!  Love you!  I hope Singers is coming along well too, and your classes Sarah!!!

Four Down, Five to Go ...

With the first four weeks done of my MTC experience, things are looking pretty up.  My new companions and I are finally getting into the swing of teaching as a trio and learning how to teach in general.  A lot of the workshops have to do with the 8 fundamentals of teaching, which I don't know all of off the top of my head, but a few of which are revelation through the Book of Mormon, Revelation through Church Attendance, Revelation through Prayer, etc., though not all of them have "revelation" as the first word.

 

I don't have as much time to write today as I normally do.  The computers have been absolutely booked today for some odd reason.  But something that I want to share is something from our Sacrament meeting that took place this last Sunday.  The main speaker was our Branch President, President Ricks, and his message was in a round about way related to enduring to the end.  He related the stories found in First and Second Nephi in the Book of Mormon, with Nephi's family.  But he didn't look at Nephi, the example of obedience.  He took the stand of Laman and Lemuel.  He described how, even though they didn't want to do most of the things, they actually did do them.  Even when it meant travelling a couple hundred miles to and from Jerusalem, twice, to get first the Brass Plates, and then the family of Ishmael.  They complained, but they went.  And when they got to Jerusalem to get the plates, Laman was the first to go.  The difference between Laman and Lemuel and their brother Nephi was not always in their obedience, it was in their willingness.  Where Nephi said, "I will go and do" without question, Laman and Lemuel went and did after complaining, saying "it is a hard thing you have required of us."  The biggest difference was that Laman and Lemuel murmured; they murmured against their father, their brother, and the visionary aspects of the commandments Lehi received from the Lord.  The verse he pointed out to us in closing was in 1 Nephi chapter 3.  It was not verse 7, he quoted verse six. "Therefore go, my son, and thou shalt be favored of the Lord, because thou hast not murmured."

 

We need to remember to keep an open heart and mind to receive impressions and revelations from the Lord.  Remember the commandment to pray with a sincere heart and real intent.  Many can pray sincerely to know the truth, but if they have no "intent" to act on the revelation or impression they receive, the answer comes in vain.  When asking a question in prayer, first seek to know and study it out with a desire to know the answer, have the faith to receive that answer, and then pray in that faith.  An answer will come, but it may be a long time in coming.  The Lord answers on His time and in His way, not ours.  The key work is "ask"; don't tell the Lord what you want and give Him a time limit on our patience.

 

I've learned most of this before, but it has taken on a whole new meaning as I have come to start teaching "investigators."  To all you future missionaries, pay attention in Seminary.  Try to read the full cannon of scripture before leaving.  And study ALL of Preach My Gospel.  "...first seek to obtain my word..."  *Dad, I'm sure you can help me out with some of these references, I don't have the time to put them all in before I send this**

 

When feeling down, always look up.  God will lift you higher.

 

Elder Matthew Dewsnup

 

Shout Outs:

 

Haslams: I got you letters this morning!  Thank you for sending them.  They made me smile.  Braxton: Remember to always look up.  Always pray for strength.  The example of others becomes your example when you choose to follow in their footsteps.  Ten un Buen Dia!

 

Dewsnups/Bastians: Thanks for the letters and email (Sarah and Brandon). They mean a lot and help me keep going. Dad especially, I always seem to get a letter from you when I need to hear it most and when my deepest thought it what you address.  Thank you all.

 

Mom/Dad: I haven't yet received the letter in regards to my companion, but I do know from Mom's "Dear Elder" that it's on its way.  Dad, tell the priests to study Preach My Gospel and to do all they can to read not only from the Book of Mormon, but also the other Standard Works.  It will help them even more if they are familiar with the stories that their investigators will know and if they can relate passages interchangeably from both the Book of Mormon and the Bible.

 

Meg/Marvin: I hope you've gotten a nice elk by now.  I'm rootin' for ya! 

 

Sarah/Brandon/Annie: Thanks for the picture.  I don't have the ability to print it, but it made me smile. As did the opening "Dear Uncle Dweebus" ;)

 

Joseph: Always keep in mind the end goal of Seminary.  It is to prepare you for a mission.  Read the full cannon of scripture if you can.  Set goals in which you can measure daily progress and get through it.  Also study in Preach My Gospel.  It will help you prepare so much more if you get it all read before you come out.  I wish I had.  Kia Kaha.