Conference Follow up 10/13/12

Dearest family,

Another of the perks to being in the offices is that we have ready access daily to re-listen to the sessions of General Conference.  I still haven't listened to all of Priesthood session, but things are coming along.

So now for a rundown of how I loved conference.

Saturday Morning:   !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  O.O  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  O.O  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  etc.  The announcement of the new age requirements has thrown us all for a bit of a loop.  One of the sister's families in the mission already has two daughters out and now the other two are doing their papers.  By May we expect to be receiving some of the first wave of the 19 year olds.  Perhaps sooner, but time will tell.  I thought it was also really interesting how Elder Cook opened the conference with remarks about intrafamily respect.  Part of the interesting bit of conference this time was that I listened to almost the entirety of it in Spanish.  Elder Bowen's talk was really good.  I liked how he touched on the reality of what most people feel when they lose a loved one.  There are many people who are less active in our branch who have dealt with recent losses.  And it's true, no one else really knows what that feels like, except for Christ.  Elder Nelson's talk just made us all chuckle, and very frequently.  We've kind of picked up that phrase as a companionship motto.  "[We] can help you."  We've actually tried to focus more on that and have tried coming up with random situations in which we could be posed with a dificulty and figuring out how we could be of help or how the Gospel could apply to and help them.  It's a very interesting and spiritually uplifting experience.  President Uchtdorf's talk was one of my favorites this conference.  While reviewing some of the frequent regrets, he touched again on his good-better-best concept.  I did find some of the regrests really interesting.  Just to refresh all our minds, I'll write 'em here too.  First, they wished they had spent more time with loved ones.  Second, they felt like they had failed to become the person they could have been.  Third, they wished they had let themselves be happier.  The first one I felt was relatively common, it's something that everyone desires, regardless of how much time they already spend with family.  The second one was a little more perplexing to me in that President Uchtdorf mentioned that it wasn't in the aspect of achieving some sort of business recognition or other promotion, but a personal spiritual desire.  The last one threw me for a loop.  But as I continued to think about it, it is so true.  As agents, we are all personally responsible for how we act.  We have the choice to be happy or not.  It actually reminds me of a talk that the Bishop's wife gave in Tortuguitas my last day there.  I'll indulge in telling that story here too.  

There was a King who had a very wise and wonderful servant, but this servant was also just a little strange.  No matter what happened, this servant always said "Que Bueno" (translated it would be something like how wonderful).  The King was not bothered by this most of the time, but it did call his attention.  One day, the King was practicing his swordplay and cut off one of his toes.  The servant then said to him "how wonderful."  At that comment, the King was infuriated.  How could his servant think it was a wonderful thing that he had cut his toe off?!  So the King fired this prized servant.  At the pronouncement, the servant again replied "how wonderful."  The servant was thrown out of the palace and the King continued his reign.  The following week, an enemy tribe came and captured the King.  While discussing what to do with him, the suggestion was made to sacrifice the King to their gods.  Preparations were made for the sacrifice, but then they noticed that the King was imperfect, he had a missing toe.  They decided that such an impure sacrifice would infuriate the gods rather than appease them, so they let the King return to his kingdom.  Realizing something, he called back his servant and told him of the event.  The King asked of the servant, "why did you say 'how wonderful' when I cut off my toe?"  The servant replied, "if you hadn't cut off your toe, you would have been sacrificed to the heathen gods."  Then the King asked of his servant, "Then why did you say 'how wonderful' when I fired you?"  The servant then said, "If you had not fired me, I would have been captured with you, and they would have sacrificed me in your place."   Moral of the story, try to see the good in every situation.

Saturday Afternoon:  Elder Perry's talk was really good and family oriented as well and I liked how he enumerated a few things that we can do as families to strengthed our ties and relationships.  Elder Andersen's and Elder Oak's talks were brilliant as well and answered many questions that investigators and less actives have had about God and our relationship with Him.

Sunday Morning:  Elder Eyring.  May I just say, WOW!  I received a lot of personal revelation during that talk.  It was interesting for me to hear that it is never God who is hidden, but rather that perhaps we are hidden from God.  We, perhaps, are placing a pavillion over ourselves which keeps us from feeling that which God wants to give us.  One thing that I personally thought about was the following, in reference to prayer: "If you aren't receiving revelation, change the way you ask your question."  It came to my mind in those words.  I also loved President Packer's talk, which to me featured the theme of rescue, especially with the story of the island and the two lights, and Brightly Beams Our Father's Mercy.  That also made me think about the last Sunday we were there together and sang that song in Sacrament Meeting. It was pretty cool!  Called to Serve was fun to sing, but it was interesting to see the confusion on peoples faces when we stopped singing after two verses.  There are four in Spanish.  Elder Holland's talk closely followed one that he gave in the MTC almost two years ago that a lof of elders here have on DVD.  It also made me think of his recent CES fireside address.  It would be a wonderful thing to watch when you get the chance.  I do feel really bad though, that I missed President Monson's talk.  He has a bad habit of speaking so well that it lulls me.  Needless to say, I will be listening to it again shortly.

Sunday Afternoon:  It was really cool how Elder Hales and Elder Holland used the same story from the Bible as the basis of their addresses.  Both used the same story with a slight twist.  It was way cool!  Listening to Elder Scott's talk was awesome because he did his own recording to be played during the conference.  I loved his focus on ancestry.  Elder Nash mentioned a few things that I really liked.  1) Fear distracts from faith.  2) the story of Anne Rowley.  The story of two hard seabuiscuts turning into a pot full of food is truly a miracle.  That one reminded me of the story of the woman who fed Elijah before herself and her son.  In that story, they only had enough to make food for their last meal, but the prophet promised them that if they gave him to eat first, they would not run out.  Elder Johnson's reference to Fiddler on the Roof made me chuckle, especially since I had mentioned that to my companion earlier that week.  I love Tevye.  Elder Clarke's talk on the Sacrament was really helpful because I think many of us don't really think of the preparation that we need to do personally to partake of the sacrament.  It is the same as if we were preparing to be baptized again.  That is what the sacrament represents.  A renewal of covenants made at baptism and a weekly opportunity to cleanse ourselves of sin.  The sacrament is of equal importance to baptism, for without the sacrament, we would not be able to receive a continual forgiveness of our sins.

GOOD CONFERENCE!!!!  It also helped with one of our investigators.  Leandro has been having a rough time really focusing in our lessons with him and we had been discussing whether or not to stop visiting with him because he just wasn't progressing.  But when he went to conference, he felt a tranquility that he hadn't ever experienced before and he then started getting more serious about this.  We actually were about to set a date for his baptism last night for the 21 (we've been teaching him for a while).  Tonight we have plans to review the Word of Wisdom, which would be his next step towards preparing to be worthy for baptism.  We're still struggling to get other investigators, but we don't lose faith.

I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!  Good luck in the next couple of weeks Megan and Sarah.  I want you to send me an email the moment (or at least the day) that boys are born!  I won't be able to see it until a saturday, but I want to see what day it was the moment I sign on.  Have a great week!  Y'all are in my prayers.

Oh, attached is one of the pictures I took when I went to help prepare the MTC.

-- 

Elder Matthew H. Dewsnup

 

Misión Buenos Aires Norte

Gral. Lavalle 1828

1646 San Fernando

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Last Weeks Letter 10/13/12

My apologies, I sent the letter and then received the notification of failure to send when I signed on today.

Dear Family,

Now beginning the downhill portion of the mission, all is not going at a smooth cruising speed.  I wish it were, but that's not the purpose of anything in this life.  Apparently the downhill slope has got a lot of rocks and cracks, intermingled with smooth sections.  Being here in the offices of the mission is definitely a match of that description.  There are moments during the day when everything is going smoothly and I can work easily on the projects that need doing, and then there are other times when the phone won't stop ringing.   The frustrating thing about that is that i can only half the time understand the spanish people talking on the phone.  Elder Chase told me that with time I'll get used to hearing people on the phone, and I believe him on that one, but I still wish it just came quickly.  Working at Allegiance helped though.  Working on the computers there and working with the legal language has helped me understand more how the contracts and things work here for the different apartments.

I'm a little behind on the picture sending thing and I'm not sure where it was when I left off, so here I have attached the pictures of Eusebio's and Juan's baptisms.

We're struggling with our proselyting time too.  I wish we had more time to be in our area teaching and finding.  It's difficult to be able to get people to teach and have consistent lessons with them when the time is limitted to three to four hours a day.  It's possible, but difficult.  We're managing to find people often enough, but they don't realy progress too far we're noticing.  And then the ones who do progress have only done so for a short while before just not doing it any more. 

Well, I'm hitting a block and don't know what else to write, so hopefully I'll have stuff to add later on in between conference sessions.  I love you all!!!

Elder Matthew H. Dewsnup

Misión Buenos Aires Norte

Gral. Lavalle 1828

1646 San Fernando

Buenos Aires, Argentina

At the Peak 9/29/12

Querida Familia,

Os estoy escribiendo hoy de la mitad de la misión.  En éste punto tan grande en mi vida hasta ahora, llega el momento de pensar en que necesito mejorar.  Hay tanto para hacer que ni siquiera puedo hacer el diez por ciento del trabajo.  Pero, los amo, con todo mi corazón.  

I'm writing you today at the half point of my mission.  At this great point in my life, up to now, the moment has come to think in what I need to change.  There's so much to do that I can't even do one tenth of the work.  But I love you, with all my heart.

I've been reflecting a lot this last week on all that I havce to do and all that I need to do, and all that I want to accomplish.  I know there's not time enough to do it all, but I need to do my best.  There are a lot of things here that are hard to work with and a re relatively frustrating.  Working with contracts on the apartments and fizing problems... There are many things that have come back to mind of what you all have taught me.  For example, Dad shared with me various experiences about finding ways for things to be done instead of saying that they can't be done.  That is one of my biggest jobs here.  I have to find ways for things to be done, in a timely manner, and at the lowest cost possible.   This position is really helping me to realize the importnce of tithing and the role it plays in the Gospel and the Church.  It is true that God does not need money, but to get things to happen in this world, without having a fund behind it, this church would have fallen years ago.  But those funds are sacred and need to be taken care of and watched more carefully than even a personal account.  It is astounding as well to see how little some people understand the importance of tithing.

We all know Mom and Dad's story of tithing.  That miracle has helped a few people here understand the gifts that can come from paying tithing, and it has also helped me understand even more importantly why it is that tithing is so important.  It is through the tithing funds that the missionary program can even continue.  It is through tithing funds that temples and chaples are built and maintained.  It is through tithing funds that we receive many of the blessings that we enjoy as members (the printing of church materials, copies of the Book of Mormon, etc.).

I love you all!!!  

Elder Matthew H. Dewsnup

 

Misión Buenos Aires Norte

Gral. Lavalle 1828

1646 San Fernando

Buenos Aires, Argentina

O.o The New Side 9/22/12

My Dear Family,

Well, this is a totally different perspective on the mission.  I had never before realized how much goes into the preparation and upkeep of a mission.  I mentioned to Mom, but I think it merits mention here that any letters or packages that come in for me during the time I am in the offices will be received by me the moment they get here.

Well, things are absolutely and totally strange for me here.  Proselyting time has now changed from almost all day to about 3 hours a day.  But I have been a learning a lot here in the offices.  We have so many apartments to deal with with all the different areas that have missionaries in them.  The costs are enormous and part of my job is to keep the costs from growing too much.  This is going to be a big helper for me for the rest of my life.  But the biggest thing is that this is going to help me influence the lives of others more as well.  My job is to help the other missionaries keep their focus on their work while focusing on mine at the same time.

Things that have been happining that are new here as well is that i get to work with all of the senior missionary couples as well, who are stationed here in the offices.  I'm not sure what exactly to tell you all further than that.  I now have no idea how the investigators in Tortuguitas are progressing, but I continue praying for them.

I commented to Dad a little bit ago that I had been informed a little bit about my first convert.  Gustavo, from Lopez Camelo, has been a strength and the way to bring the gospel to the majority of his family through baptism, and he almost daily accompanies the missionaries.  Now with the temple here in Buenos Aires open, I hope to be able to be present when he and his family are sealed for time and all eternity there in that place of all holiness.

The Temple here has been such a help and a goal now for all of us to strive for.  The time spent preparing for the open house and for the dedication were times of trial.  The adversary knew about the opening and he worked hard against the progressing of the work.  But as Joseph Smith taught, "no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing."  This work is and will forever more roll forth until the end of time, when all of the children of God have had the opportunity to prove themselves worthy to return to the presence of God.  With the dedication of this temple, the power of Satan has been decreased that much more on this Earth, and with every temple that is constructed and dedicated, his power will continue to decrease.

I know that the Temple is the House of God, and a place of Holiness as inscribed above the doors to every Temple.  The work that takes place in the Temple is a work of glorious salvation for all of us, the children of God.  This Church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, is the true church of God today upon the Earth.  As Jesus Himself proclaims, it is "the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth" (D&C 1:30).

This work is true.  God lives, as does His Son, Jesus Christ.  I know it.  I have felt it.

I love you all and keep you in my prayers.

Love,

Elder Dewsnup

Changes 9/17/12

My dearest Family,

This will be the shortest letter.  I have been transferred to work in the offices of the mission as the Elder in charge of housing.  Because of the change, my Preparation day will be on Saturdays for the duration of my time as an Office Elder.  Millions of apologies, but I'll be writing on Saturdays to you until I get transferred again.  I love you!

Elder Matthew H. Dewsnup

 

Misión Buenos Aires Norte

Gral. Lavalle 1828

1646 San Fernando

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Forward, Pressing Forward 9/10/12

Dear Family,

This has been probably one of the most exhausting and Spiritually uplifting weeks in my mission thus far, as well as a week of trial.  Some events that I'm sure you've at least heard about being the Cultural Celebration for and Rededication of the Buenos Aires Argentina Temple.  We were participants in the Celebrations on Saturday night, singing Called to Serve with gusto amid the youth participating there as well.  The three Buenos Aires missions participated, so there were about 600 missionaries in addition to about as many or more youth.  It was pretty stirring!  As a side note, I was just looking back and saw the word gusto and I just saw an interesting language connection that I don't know if others have noticed.  The verb "gustar" in Spanish means to please, and often when a person meets another they say "un gusto conocerlo," which is, being interpreted, "A pleasure to meet you."  So when connected back to the English, singing with gusto isn't necessarily singing loudly and fully as much as singing with pleasure.  Interesting language bit there...

The rededication itself was amazing!  I wish I could remember all of it, but my head just doesn't want to function properly for me right now.  Elder Mervyn J. Arnold of the Seventy spoke of hope an progress, which seemed to be a theme with the majority of the general authorities during this time.  I'll admit I kept getting lost during the dedicatory prayer because of the translation taking place.  I heard both languages and occasionally got lost in the change, thinking that certain things had already been said before remembering that they were just now being said in a different language.  It was an interesting experience being able to understand almost perfectly both of the languages, to the point of recognizing the exact same meaning of both.

Friday night we had a special missionary conference with President Eyring, Elder Ballard, and Elder Christofferson.  The Spirit felt there was almost palpable.  Elder Christofferson gave his address in Spanish himself, since he served his own mission in Argentina.  I wish I had brought my notes to share some of the things that they all spoke, but one of the things that sticks out in particular with me was an experience that President Eyring shared.  He talked about two main things, actually that stuck out.  The first has to do with the process of calling young men and women (and the senior couples and sisters I imagine) to specific missions.  He talked about how the first time he, as an Apostle, sat with Richard G. Scott to send them out.  He described how he sat in a room with Elder Scott in front of two computer screens; one showing a picture of the prospective missionary, the other a little bit of information about that missionary.  From there, while pondering about where this person would go, he said he would get the slightest of feelings of where the prospective missionary should go and would say to the mission offices "show me all of the missions in ___________ area."  Once the information appeared, he told us that the name of one of those missions would shine just a smidgeon brighter (not a direct quote).  He would click on that name, and the missionary would receive his call.  After several minutes of doing this for several missionaries, he told us he turned to Elder Scott and asked, "Is that small feeling all I'm going to get?  That small little push?" to which Elder Scott replied in the affirmative.  The telling of this experience led into the second thing that stuck out.

Following the sharing of this experience, he told us that that little push is what we as missionaries need to acquaint ourselves with and that it leads to really knowing that God knows and loves each one of those people (refering both to prospective missionaries and our investigators) so profoundly and so intimately that we need to trust perfectly in him and follow each little push we receive.  He said, quote, "When we know that God loves us...we will not fear."  

Fear is something that I have often succumbed to and given as a reason for not talking to such and such on the street.  "Oh, I don't know if they'll understand me," "I don't know if they'll accept me," "I don't want to get rejected," etc.  Something that I have learned (and will undoubtedly continue learning for the rest of my life) is that something like this has nothing to do with me.  In each question, my fear was a selfish one and one that exhibits a lack of trust in my Father, who already knows each of His children with a perfect love, one that breaches all bounds we can conceive of.  I have for years said that I know that God loves me, but by fearing in the manner that I was, I was in effect denying the claim of my own knowledge.  This is because if I know that He loves me, I should also know and trust in the fact that His love is perfect and that He will share with us a portion of that love for another person enough to help them to recognize that love for them, giving me the words to say to them in the moment that they are needed, trusting in God more than in the "arm of flesh."

Fear is the antithesis of Faith.  "Neither can live while the other servives." (Props to the one who can tell me where that comes from)  They cannot coexist in the same instant in the same person.  Faith drives away fear and leads to love, trust, and happiness.  Fear, when allowed to enter the heart, covers our faith and leads to hate, mistrust, and misery, leaving us with an empty feeling.  Faith is love.  Faith is Hope.  Faith is belief, and it leads us to act.

I apologize for using this time to organize my own thoughts on this subject, but this has been just as edifying a time for me as I hope it has been for you.  Our investigators continue to progress and we right now have seven people actively preparing to be baptized in the next few weeks.

Thank you for your prayers.  I feel their effect.  I love you and pray for you as well.

Love,
Elder Dewsnup

P.S. I haven't as yet read your emails to me.  We were trying to get on quick to get the writing done, because we have other things to do, but we'll be trying to get on again later.  I've printed the messages and will be reading them soon.  I'll reply if I can.  LOVES!!

This week 9/3/12

My Dearest-Wonderfully-Amazing-Absolutely-Awe-Inspiring-And-Loving Family,

I love you.  Things have been brought into a more interesting view for me lately.  In less than a month, I will have been on my mission for a year.  This is a little surreal for me (spelling?).  I can still think back and remember with clarity several of the events of the last week before entering the MTC and many things in the MTC.  It is hard for me to really comprehend the passage of time.

Elder Soelberg and I have been getting along wonderfully.  Very few arguments, and those trifling.  He's way cool and he's grown so much in the language.  He can't see his change, but in the four weeks we've been together, his language skills have just about doubled.  He is confident in himself during the lessons for the most part, until he thinks he's made a mistake.  I don't correct him unless what he has said completely changes the meaning of the sentence he wants to say, which has happened much less this last week than the first week.  Almost not at all.  It makes me think back on the first days of my mission and wondering how in the blue blazes I was going to figure out all the grammar.  I still don't think I have it all perfectly, but hey, miracles have happened.

I apologize for the scarcity of news in the investigator region in the last several weeks.  I don't remember if I have told you about Alberto and the Fernande family yet.  That family is a part-member, recent convert, and little "less active" family, and we were passing by relatively regularly to teach the retention lessons to those who needed them.  Once we invited another one of the boys to participate, and three weeks later he was baptized.  This last week (two weeks after the baptism and one since his confirmation) he was sustained to be ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood.  He also came to church in a suit and asked us for help tying his tie (as far as I know, he's the only one in his family who has a suit...).  He's a stud.  

This week we also found a lot of new people to begin teaching, many of them just from passing people on the street.  As I said earlier, miracles happen.  We just started teaching a young woman who has a one-and-a-half year-old boy named Eric.  He's so much fun to play with (before and after the teaching, of course) and is very obedient to his mother (sorry Mom, don't know if you can say the same about me at that age...).  It is so great to be teaching her.  This Sunday, she woke up early and almost couldn't sleep because she was so anxious to go to church.  Then when we stopped by to pick her up with another member, she looked so discouraged because she didn't have any diapers for Eric to wear and she was afraid he'd have an accident.  We organized things right on the spot, talked with the Relief Society president, and got diapers for her there.  She enjoyed the meetings immensely and is reading from the Book of Mormon and Gospel Principles books both at once.  The only thing that is a problem is that she and her husband aren't married.  Please! pray that they can get married soon and that there won't be any problems!!  We're going to be finishing up the Plan of Salvation, talking about eternal families, and then introducing the Law of Chastity tonight so that she can understand the importance of marriage in the eternal plan of God.  Just realized I haven't said her name, it's Janet.

I continue my studies in the Bible, and John continues to astound me.  The stories are much more poignant to me now than before.  I used to think the Bible was boring, except the parables (mostly because of the Living Scriptures movies we had).  Now I find so many different meanings and personal applications to so many little things.  It's way cool.

Well, my family, my time has drawn to a close for the day.  The rededication of the Temple happens this weekend and there are many preparations to do personally and in the ward.  The work calls, the fields are white, and the Keeper is calling me to "thrust in the sickle".  As I assist in the gathering of Israel, know that my prayers are with you all, that you may also be gatherers in your own parts of the vineyard.  Right now you may now be full-time harvesters, but in the middle of the daily chores, a small harvest can be enjoyed.

With love,

Elder Dewsnup

P.S.  Let Sharkbait and Minion know that their favorite Uncle Dweebus is giving them hugs!  When do I get to see prego pictures?
P.S.S.  I'll try to get some pictures of my own in the next letter.