30 March 2015

Hello!! Happy Spring to you all!! I think the sun has finally come out to stay. This last month or so, it has been pretty off and on. One day or two would be super warm, the next would be rainy and cold. Hmm. Texas. Make up your mind! Silly silly. Well. This week was SUPER! It always is. I learn so much each week, well, each day! Whether it is things in Spanish or things of the gospel, or how to be a better missionary/teacher... or a combination of all of it. :) I learn something, and hopefully change for the better.

Today is my compañera's birthday!! Hooray!! She is the big 2-0 now. Hooray! And, it's p-day too! So we had a super fun, and tiring day. We went down by la frontera, in the big grass field, and played soccer and speedball. I definitely do not have the coordination needed for soccer. But that is okay! It was still super fun.

This week was SO amazing. We had zone conference, and it was all in Spanish!!! So cool. I love hearing President speak, but hearing him speak and teach in Spanish is so awesome! He has such an amazing spirit about him. Gah. I just love it so much.

I just love being here! Coming on a mission truly has been one of the best decisions I've made. Yes, it took a little prodding and pushing from on High to get me here... But here I am! I've seen so many changes come into my life, and I love it! I don't ever want to be the person I was before. I want to continually change, to strive to be better, and through Christ, I can. Through Him, all things are possible.

Go to HeLives.mormon.org, and share with your friends! or in spanish, ElVive.mormon.org. It is such a beautiful video, and truly reminds us of all the possibilities we have in this life, because Christ Lives.

I love you so much!! Thank you for all you do. 

Love, Hermana Dean

Corn on the Cob was 2/$1 at HEB! So yummy!!

It said 90 degrees... but then as I was trying to take a picture, it cooled to 88. Lol. Still hot, but not as bad!

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23 March 2015

Hello everyone!!

This week was so fantastic! I know, I say that about every week, but it is so true! I cannot believe how fast March is flying by. So much happened this week. It feels like so long ago already.

We were able to teach a lot of lessons this week. I'm so excited for the people we are teaching. They really are the best!

There is this one family, Victor, his wife and kids. His wife is Catholica, but he is really interested in what we have to teach him. We met with him last night, and read a little from the Book of Mormon. It definitely seemed he recognized it as the word of God. I'm really excited to see how it goes with him, and his wife and kids. They are such sweethearts!

Earlier this week, there was a CRAZY rainstorm. The rain drops were like the size of golf balls. We got SOAKED. It was so great. I wish I would have taken a picture. Oh well :)

Friday, we had a Zone Conference, and took the Spanish Test. I passed Tier 2!! Finally! I'm super excited. Now for Tier 3. It's gonna be great.

Also at the Zone Conference, Elder Frampton gave a training on how we can serve better. We read in D&C 4 that we should serve with all our heart, might, mind, and strength...  ( This is one verse where I like the Spanish translation better. Instead of might, it says "alma" which means soul. )

The challenge he gave us was to find things in our lives that are hindering us from serving the Lord with all our heart, might(soul), mind, and strength. I made some personal goals of how to better myself, and I am super excited to see the outcomes.

Sunday was our District Conference. (like Stake Conference, but we are a District, not a Stake)

It was so amazing. The theme was "Tell Me The Stories of Jesus". The speakers talked about how we need to read and learn from the Stories of Jesus, so we can better emulate Him, and better help those around us learn about Him.

President Slaughter also spoke about one of the stories of Jesus. This one happens to be my favorite :) The calming of the tempest, found in Mark 4. The Apostles and Christ were in a ship, when a storm began. The apostles began to fear, and woke Christ, saying, "carest thou not that we perish?" They feared, and forgot that Christ is the maker of Heaven and earth. His response was, "Peace, Be Still". After He said this, the waves stopped, and the wind ceased. President commented, perhaps Christ was also speaking to the apostles when He said, "Peace, be still".

Sometimes, we may feel like we live in a world that is a storm-tossed sea. There may be hardships and trials, and we feel like we will perish. We cry out, "carest thou not that we perish?" or "don't you care about me?" We have moments of doubt. We forget that we fought in the pre-existence for these trials and hardships. We wanted this. We need to remember that. Peace, be still.

President also told us of a sign that is in the institute building in San Antonio. It says, "if you can't find 20 minutes to read your scriptures, then find an hour."

It is so true. President said, "If you can't find 20 minutes to commune with the heavens, then your life is out of order." Sometimes we need to re-prioritize our lives, and make room for Christ.

The Lord's response time is immediate. What is ours? When He knocks, do we answer? When He leads, do we follow? When he commands, do we obey? 

President closed with this: "The Lord knows more than we could ever imagine. Peace, be still. Trust. Have faith. Realize He knows more."

I love you all so much! I am so very excited for General Conference in 2 weeks! I hope you all are planning on watching it :) I most definitely am. What a privilege it is to hear the words of the Prophets!

I love you all so much!!

Love, Hermana Dean

We had sooooo many Mangos with Ruben! They were so yummy. Also, the best Chile I've ever had!

Super pretty sunsets

Gorgeous Sunday!

Weirdest Rooster of my life!

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16 March 2015

This week was so amazing! I cannot believe how fast time is flying by though.

We met an AMAZING, new family this week. Paco and Cindy. They are so adorable. They have a strong desire to learn more. I'm so very excited for them. They have had many trials in life, and are searching for the peace that will help them rise above it.

Stephanie and Bryan are doing great. Their little boy is having surgery this week, so they are in SA. They are so sweet, and have such great faith in the Lord.

Friday and Saturday, I went on an exchange with Hermana Montclair in Del Río. It was so much fun, and I learned so much from her. She is such an amazing Hermana, and has learned so much on her mission. She is so great!

Their area is a  car share. So they ride bikes or walk every other day. Turns out, Friday was their bike day. No biggy, I've done bike riding before. So I was excited. So we are riding along, and everything is going great. Then I feel something start to tug on my skirt...Then it pulls, and my bike stops. :) My skirt had gotten caught between the frame and the rear wheel! I was stuck. I was trying to get my skirt un-caught, without losing it completely. It was the funniest thing to watch, I'm sure! I'm just glad I had a slip on under! That would have been embarrassing, had I not. :) I got an amazing ab work out from laughing so hard. It was so great!

Intercambios con Hermana Montclair

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I love you all so much! I hope you are all doing well.

Love, Hermana Dean

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09 March 2015

Hola Everyone!! I hope you are all doing well. This week was so fantastic!

We were able to meet many people who want to learn more about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

We met Luis while we were out knocking. He is so great! He accepted baptism our first lesson with him. He is so amazing! We taught him about the different principles and ordinances of the Gospel yesterday. He loved it! He agreed and felt that it was all right. I'm so very excited for him. He is amazing!

Yesterday, we were knocking a couple houses around a different investigator, and found Stephanie and Bryan. They are so amazing! They are a young couple, and have a little boy.  They also want to learn more about this Gospel. We taught them about the Restoration, and they said they really liked it and it made sense to them. I am so excited for them! They are such a sweet family.

I love this area so much. I am so glad I get to be here for 6 more weeks. I am learning a lot, but can do better.

President has given us a list of chapters in the Book of Mormon that are "packed full of magnificent eternal truth"

They are so amazing! I would like to invite you, if you would like to, to join in this study. I have learned so much from what I have read, and am amazed at the simple, yet profound teachings therein.

Here is the list:
1.   2 Nephi 2
2.   2 Nephi 9
3.   2 Nephi 31
4.   Jacob 4
5.   Mosiah 2
6.   Mosiah 3
7.   Mosiah 4
8.   Mosiah 5
9.   Mosiah 15
10. Mosiah 16
11. Alma 5
12. Alma 7
13. Alma 11
14. Alma 12
15. Alma 40
16. Alma 41
17. Alma 42

18. Helaman 4
19. 3 Nephi 27
20. Ether 12
21. Moroni 7

President says, "Mastery of the following chapters will help you with the following:
1.  It will give you a sense of the marvel and wonder of the Book of Mormon.
2.  It will deepen your testimony of its translator, Joseph Smith, Jr.
3.  It will prepare you to be a better teacher of the Book of Mormon.
4.  It will help eternal truths sink deep within the soul.
5.  It will give you reason to rejoice in Christ and his glorious gospel.

I love you all so much! Thank you for all you do.

Love, Hermana Dean









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