A Series of Small Sucessive Emails/Hello

June 23, 2015 

From:  Angie Dean
To:  Trevor Dean

Sent:  Sunday, Jun 21 at 7:44 AM

Subject:  Hello

(Excerpt from a previous email to Trevor from Me for context)...I mean you've only been gone two months now, but it seems like forever for me.  Although Trev I can honestly say, I have never felt like I needed to drive to Philly and sit on the corner with a big bat in order to protect you.  So that's good.  I hope you would tell me if things weren't going well,  then I could pray for you and put your name into the temple.  Pam and Marianne cried for weeks and weeks, but when I think of you, I am always hopeful.  It could be my adventurous spirit talking, but I would encourage you to  enjoy the successes and enjoy the disappointments if possible.  Both experiences will teach you a lot about others, and yourself.  Just don't let the dissapointments keep your down, because you really have no idea what seeds have been planted.  Therefore thrust in your sickle, and trust in God, he won't disappoint.


From: Trevor Dean
To: Angie Dean
Sent: Tuesday, June 23, 2015 9:13 AM
Subject: Hello

Sorry our P-Day was moved this week but I can address your last letter.  Yes, I have had a lot of good (and some bad)experiences,  but I am always happy.  I know that you raised me right to always look for the good and to keep my values.


From: Trevor Dean
To: Angie Dean
Sent: Tuesday, June 23, 2015 2:32  PM
Subject: Hello

Hey it's Elder Dean with the weekly news. I have had a great week, our car has been in the shop so we have done a lot of tracting and street contacting on our way to appointments. We have seen so many miracles. We have gotten some new investigators.  We have a great family we started teaching.  We also have a part-member family who wants to start taking the lessons.  There is also a woman who moved from Philadelphia who couldn't be baptized because she was living with her boyfriend, but sheis ready to be baptized we set a day for her in three weeks.   

I know  Heavenly Father has prepared this area for the work and I am glad that I can be the tool that hastens his work. I know that the times we struggle the most are the times we learn the most about ourselves and who we are.  So when hard times hit don't bend under pressure, be the weld that holds.
-Elder Dean

From Trevor Dean
To:  Angie Dean
Sent:  Tuesday, June 23, 2015 3:42 PM
Subject:  Last Ray of Sunshine

I will be on a regular schedule next week so I'll write you on Monday.  I love you. 
-Elder Dean

I wanted to send one last picture then I will be done.  Love you guys.
Put this picture on the front door or something!  Love you!!!

Explanation of the picture:    I got a bloody nose while tracting

June 15th, 2015

I have had a great week in the Philadelphia Pennsylvania Mission.  This week the Mendoza family and Benjamin Bonaparte were both baptized.  It has also been a crazy week for Elder Litton and I.   We have been really blessed. The first few weeks this area was dead, but through working with the members we have seen 7 baptisms and 1 child of record baptism in this area.   

I know that Heavenly Father has helped us with such great members to fellowship our investigators, to get them to church, and invite them into their homes.   Members really are the greatest tools a missionary has so remember to share the gospel as much as possiblebecause you can really change lives.
                                                                                                          -Elder Dean

Ehhh

June 8th, 2015

This week has been okay.  We have been doing lots of exchanges because transfers are coming up (both my companion and I are staying) so I had to take over the area with other missionaries for the last few days...it's been rough.  All of our investigators are progressing and we should have five baptisms this week.  I will try to send pictures for you.

One day while we were waiting for the car to be washed, I saw a group of Asians walking. I turned to my companion for the day, Elder Bair, and stated how this was unusual, when all of a sudden two break off and walk right towards us and state how they are members from Mongolia who have been looking for a ward building.  We told them where to go and gave them our number to call for any help. I have seen a lot of miracles this week like that, except most of them were Spanish members who have lost their connection to the Church when they moved to America. Thank goodness the elders who were with me spoke Spanish, so my job was to smile and look pretty for most of those conversations.

I know that the more people we talk to and share the gospel with the more success we can see.  In D&C section 4, the Lord promises us that the field is white already to harvest and as we thrust in our sickles with our might the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not but bringeth salvation to his soul.  What this says is that people are ready to hear the gospel and that as we share the gospel, people will accept its message...but it is proportional to how much work we put in.  If we tell a friend about our church every once in a while, we might see success.  And if we invite a few people to a ward activity, we will see that much success.  And if we share the gospel with everyone we see, we will see that much success. There is a lot of work to do and we are all called to the work.  I am glad to be serving as a missionary and to be able to change people's lives with the message that we share.  Do your best wherever you are and be the best that you can be.

-Elder Dean

The Daily New at 5:00

June 1st, 2015

Thank you Mom and Family for all the presents.   I got the box with Happy Birthday written all over it and I also got the Granny B box.  I kept opening boxes and there were more boxes in them.   

I also was able to have a baptism yesterday with the Adhikari kids. 
That was another great birthday present. 
The boy’s name is Sanjay.  In the middle is Shreya,
 and the eight year old is Nikita.  

The Adhikari's baptism this week was a little crazy due to stake conference.  Elder Litton and I had to plan everything about 2 hours before the baptism was scheduled, including making the programs, set up the room, invite people to the baptism.  It happened and that is what is important.  I performed the baptism of Shreya.  I have been very blessed to be able to have such success in my first area on my first transfer.  Not much else happened on the birthday.  No cake, just a lesson and a mission prep class.  Lots of fun.

Our other investigators  are also progressing well.  The Mendoza family and Benjamin are both progressing.  We are about to start the "fun" lessons (word of wisdom and law of chastity).   I can only pray that they have enough faith to pull them through.  I know that this is the true church and that what I'm doing here has made a difference for this family and that as we follow the gospel we can see improvements in our everyday lives because I've seen it in mine.  I know that Heavenly Father has helped me get this far.  I know the church is true and that Joseph Smith was called to be a prophet and he restored Christ's true church to the earth.

In additional news, we should be getting Facebook in a week or two.  

Love you lots.

Elder Dean

P.S.  I need to take more pictures.  It's just hard to slow down the rush to take them.  I will try to repent and take more.  Just let us work through the rush first.  I am going on errands, but if you have questions I'll be sure to answer them today.

P.P.S. Tell Ryan Happy Birthday and buy him a magic intro deck from me.  I will train him when I get back or Colin can.