A tribute to my year mark.  I got my haircut just like it was when I entered the MTC

So good news, I'll be staying in Salisbury for another 6 weeks! When this transfer is over I will have been in Salisbury for 6 months.  Also, I thought we also had a really great General Conference.   I thought all the talks really spoke to me in someway.  Did you have any talks that stuck out to you or any favorites?  One of my favorite talks was given in priesthood session by President Nelson when he talks about the price of priesthood power. Russell M Nelson The price of priesthood power.htm

There have been a lot of things I have been learning about the past few weeks, but one of the coolest ones is about the power that comes from Heavenly Father to those who are diligent.  As we focus ourselves, on becoming dedicated to his work, even if it's just small mundane tasks (like talking to random people on the
street)(or follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost) our dedication allows Heavenly Father to bless us with increasing power.  It's a lot like exercise.  Before and after an exercise we may not feel that different, but over weeks and weeks weights feel like they become lighter not because the weight changed but because we changed. It is the same as we strive to become Christlike.  As we chose to follow the Savior, even though the first step is sometimes hard, it like forgiveness as we forgive it become easier to forgive. The gospel is pretty cool.

Hey it's me. I'm still in Salisbury.  Transfer calls come in about two weeks, but as of now I'm still here. Elder Larsen and I have had an awesome week full of miracles. This week we have been teaching nonstop.  I have learned a lot about myself and my relationship to my Heavenly Father.  This week we had to exercise some faith and drop some investigators who just haven't been keeping commitments. We didn't have much of a teaching pool at the time but since then we have almost doubled our original teaching pool. I'm going to steal some thing from Gabe this Email and do a...

Cool things found in studies/Testimony Time:

So this week I was studying in the New Testament in 1st Corinthians chapter 13 and it speaks a lot about charity. The first footnote about charity is that the Greek root is love. I learned this week that in Ancient Greek there are four words used to describe love. The first word is Eros (I have no idea if I spelt that right). Eros is a love that is full of desire, it's like seeking some thing to "fill" you or give you satisfaction, it is the worldly idea of love now a days that you see on TV and in movies. The second word is Philos (I never took Ancient Greek so I have no Idea if I spelt this right either). Philos is a brotherly love i.e. Philadelphia is the city of "brotherly love". The third is agape (Pronounced ah-gahp-eh, also probably spelt terribly wrong) and this is the form of love closely associated with charity in Corinthians. Agape love is a love that gives, it is caring for some one else before your own needs. I think that the words in Moroni 7:47 when he says Charity is the pure love of Christ and it endureth forever…is talking of this agape love. Heavenly Father a has enough love for us that he sacrificed his only begotten son for us. Jesus Christ our savior loves us so much that he went through infinite pain and affliction so that by his mercy and a grace(Substitute the word Charity there) could help us return to live with our Heavenly Father. Now how can we show our love for our savior we can find the answer is in John 14:15 when he says if he love me keep my commandments. If we love our savior in an agape manner we will follow him and keep his commandments. Not because we want to be forgiven of our sins or have a celestial marriage or peace in the home (those are outstanding bonuses though) No we will follow him because he asked us to(emphasis added) and because we love him enough that when he asks we obey. It's a choice of love to sacrifice our Carnal will for his Divine will and as the savior says in Mark 8 deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. It's definitely a difficult journey but if we jump back to John 14:18 Christ says I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. And that's the beauty of the atonement often times I think that I have thought when I make mistakes it is my job to return to the strait and narrow path but when I make a mistake Christ comes to me, comforts me and helps me progress from a new starting point and I am so grateful for that. I am grateful for Christ's charity and grace for me and how he for the help he has given me all my life. I will always work to have genuine love for my savior as well.

-Elder Dean

P.S. I have no Idea what the forth word or definition of love is.

P.S.S. How has your day/ week gone?

P.S.S.S. Mom use your spider web of power to get some Emails heading my way

P.S.S.S.S. I love you guys in the most genuine way

-Trevor

Elder Dean and Elder Weston.  Transfers are on Wednesday and it is suspected
that Elder Weston will transfer.  We shall see.  

February 8th, 2016

Dear Mom,

There are a lot of interesting things that happen in Salisbury, especially when you are a missionary.  There are the "unique" people you meet, I think you heard some of the stories (flat world guy, the pastor who blessed my bronchial tubes, the witch) meeting those people was definitely an experience. 

But, there are also a lot of people who I am blessed to work with, such as Quinton Davis a recent convert who was baptized just before I got into the area. He was introduced to the gospel through his friend Robin Johnson and has found that it is true and we are helping him to get to the temple now. It's just another testimony for me about member missionary work. Some of the great investigators are Lionelf Florian a Haitian man who has been searching for Christ for a long time and had a dream about us knocking on his door before we came.  Another investigators is John Darby, John is ready to be baptized he is just having some struggles giving up smoking.

   

Some of the most interesting things that have happened here are changes within myself. One of the biggest changes I've seen within myself is how much I've improved at talking to people. Not that it was a huge struggle before my mission (it kinda was). My main goal, when talking to people, is to make them feel comfortable and important.  I am still far from perfect though. I also feel that in someways I'm a little more creative and willing to try new things, especially in cooking.   I enjoy trying to make new things and sometimes they even turn out okay. 

Another thing I have learned on my mission is what my weaknesses are and what I can do to improve them. One of my weaknesses is that I liked to be constantly entertained.   I dislike having nothing to do, but luckily on the mission our goal is to stay busy as

possible. Another weakness I have is how much stuff I hold onto that I don't need to.   I got some advice from uncle Jeff that really helped me.  He said,"So here's my advice for you, Trevor.  Enjoy your mission.  Work and serve and do your best.  But don't let

inconsequential things get you down.  Don't hold on to things, patterns or experiences that don't 'spark joy'.  If you have companions you don't care for, just realize that transfers come and go and don't hold on to it.  If you find yourself in a work or study habit that doesn't spark joy, let it go and try something else.  Take the good with you as you serve in different areas, but leave the unwanted, unliked and unused items and joyless habits and patterns behind.  It's all up to you to make of your mission what you will." 

It really inspired me this week to simplify things.  Because I only have so much time on my mission to learn, so why should I hold onto silly grudges and feelings of disappointment.   I can be doing so much more. I know that Heavenly Father helps each of us to over come our weaknesses so they become strengths (Ether 12:27). I know I'm still learning and will continue to make mistakes but I also know that every time I fall a hand will be there to help me up. I just have to keep trying.

-Elder Dean

Well things sound pretty much the same back home. Cold, The suburban is broken, and Ashton in tears again. Things here are also pretty "normal". I think Elder Weston is getting tired of my weird noises.  We  have just been doing busy work and have had  a few good lessons. This week we have a lot of scheduled lessons so things shouldn't be to hectic either. The only news I can think of is that transfers come in two weeks and Elder Weston will most likely be leaving.

How is Colin doing?  Is everything going well for him?   I hear a lot of news about Ashton and some of Ryan but I never here about what Colin is doing.

Also how are you holding up with school and work or just school (has your semester started?).   I am pretty warm here it's 65 degrees again I feel like it's going to be like winter in Utah last year it's just not going to happen.

-Elder Dean

Catching Up

1/25/2016
Hey Mom, how's it going?  I'm glad to see Ryan has done well in the pinewood derby and I'm sorry to hear that Helen and Chuck died, but they're in a better place now.

This week has been kind of weird because of the snow storm.  As Ryan would say it ,"we were pretty much trapped for three days".

So, Friday before the storm hit our mission president grounded our cars at 4:00 so that nobody would get caught in the storm. We walked up to the church after that (it's half a mile from our apartment) and did some paperwork. After that, we came home and watched the snow fall from our window.

The next day, it was still snowing pretty hard, and we live about two miles from the main area we work, so we stayed in our apartment and did weekly planning, made a few calls and cleaned the place.  We also got a call telling us church was canceled and that the roads were still icy so the cars would be grounded an additional day.

So Sunday we didn't do much... we sat in silence all day.  So if you add up  all the time, we were in our apartment for about 68 hrs straight.  It was a "super fun" weekend.

What about you guys?  Anything fun happen in the past week?

Just getting prepped for Halloween

        Chillin' with Pumpkin Dude
October 2015

 

  

The Priesthood Restoration Site

Located in what was historically known as Harmony, Pennsylvania, the site includes a visitors’ center and meetinghouse, the reconstructed homes of Joseph and Emma Smith and Isaac and Elizabeth Hale, the woods where John the Baptist restored the priesthood, the baptismal site at the Susquehanna River, a trails system, and new statuary.

Joseph and Emma Smith moved to Harmony in December 1827 to escape persecution for their religious beliefs. They lived with Emma’s parents, Isaac and Elizabeth Hale, until they purchased a nearby home with 13½ acres from Emma’s brother Jesse.

In early April 1829, schoolteacher Oliver Cowdery came to meet Joseph and soon became his scribe. During the translation of the Book of Mormon, Joseph and Oliver went into the woods and prayed for guidance on the subject of baptism. In reply, the resurrected John the Baptist visited them on May 15, 1829, and ordained them to the Aaronic Priesthood. He then commanded Joseph and Oliver to baptize each other in the nearby Susquehanna River. A little later in a nearby area, the two men received the authority of the Melchizedek Priesthood from Peter, James, and John, three of Jesus Christ’s original Apostles.

Also in Harmony, Joseph received 15 divine revelations that were later included in the Doctrine and Covenants. Joseph and Emma Smith moved from Harmony in August 1830. The home they lived in burned down in 1919 and is now reconstructed as part of the site.

(Excerpt from Priesthood Restoration Site

The old Priesthood Restoration Site

The new Priesthood Restoration Site




Smith Headstone

Baby Smith Head Stone

The Hale Home

Elder Dean at the Susquehanna

I'm not even sure what to say...so I'll just quote right from the source
"And above all remember."  -Elder Trevor Dean

Jitney

October 12, 2015

Tribute to Elder Gabe Richardson serving in Guatemala.  

Hey mom it's me!  Here is the news of the week.  First, transfer calls came and Elder Cruz is leaving.  So I will have a new companion tomorrow, it will probably be a Spanish speaker though.  Next, we had a super cool ward cultural party this last Friday to help the Spanish people intermingle with the Linwood Ward.  I made sure to get pictures of Guatemala and forgive the tooth pick.

This week has been a really long week because so many things have happened.   So, on Tuesday we did a lot of finding.  We were stopping by a potentials home...as we knocked on the door, a family opened the door.  They told us that the potential was their grandmother, but they had investigated the church in the past and would love to have us over next Thursday (hopefully they’re there). Wednesday I went on exchanges with Elder Crane, one of the missionaries serving in Cape May, NJ.  It was super fun to be out of my area for a day and not have any worries.  Thursday we had zone training in Vineland. Friday was weekly planning and transfer calls.   Saturday was Elder Cruz's packing day.  I kid you not it took 8 hours for him to pack.  And Sunday we had church and a few lessons. It has been a very uneventful week.

What about you?

The Random Musings of Elder Dean

(I don't ask, I just publish.  I guess Elder Dean found these pictures interesting.)

House lifting 

                           

 

The Beast.  This must run on coal.