Wow, so yeah, I’m still here. And I’m fetching exhausted because we are just working like crazy. But man, it’s taking its toll on me! Especially because after working hard all week long, Sunday really fell through for us. All of the members we had lined up to take their friends to church just didn’t even go to church, after all week of prepping them to go. So we only got who we went and looked for in the morning. But yeah, so now my energy is zapped, but we’ll get back out there and keep working hard. We’re seeing a lot of success, and like, the people we had at church last week and the people we had this week are completely different, so it just shows we have a ton of people that we’re teaching, we just can’t get them all there at once hahaha.
But E’ Wagner is a stud, we really are tearing it up together, so it’s good to just have a good solid companion that I can rely on. E’ Ramirez went out to Luque to end his mission. It’s weird to think that Elder Fiala will be on his way home though, the mission really does just fly by. But yeah, I got my packages last Tuesday, so those sweaters are coming in handy... so is the awesome OSU fleece blanket that I will be opening on Saturday and haven’t used yet... But I promise I haven’t opened anything else, even though I know what it all is hahaha. So yeah, I should be able to hold out til Saturday. I really don’t want to be getting older though, it just means I have to actually be responsible or something like that. But yeah, it’s all good, means I’m competely passed the halfway point of the mission... I have 2/2 of the birthdays, ¾ of the general conferences, ¾ of the phone calls, and I don’t know what else.
But thanks so much for hooking me up with the dinero... in like a week the Expo starts, which is like the state fair, so I’m planning on spending very wisely my money on sweet souveneirs for me... and you, of course. Anyways, I hope you’re honing those chicken picata skills for the day I get home. But I’m glad you’ve got the little rescue society going full operation, it’s always good to know that a turtle is getting its proper basking light. I love you guys so much, tell the little man to feel better and the old man to keep chugging along in the ward, the Lord needs good, faithful workers to keep the kingdom moving. Focus on the missionary work, its the most important of it all. Tell Robyn to get her little big butt in church and Haley... well, study hard this time haha. And Mum, you just keep taking care of all of us munchkins like you do. And good luck finding a cool gift for the Bubba Gump house. A sweet bucket of shrimp should do.
Love ya,
Elder Dennis
Monday, June 22, 2009
Monday, June 15, 2009
June 15, 2009
First of all....
‘Que los cumplas feliz,
Que los cumplas feliz,
En tu día dichoso,
¡Que los cumplas feliz!’
Happy Birthday Daddio! Fetch, that means I’m like 10 days to turning 21... that is wayyyyy too old. But I hope you have a good birthday, thanks for being such a great example to me, you’re my hero. Love ya lots. Oh, and I think next Sunday is Father’s Day... so if it is, Happy that too. Oh, and that really awesome gift you’re gonna open, you know, the one that’s gonna be your favorite, Mom might lie to you, but I swear it’s from me.
Alright, so I’m still in Zeballos Cue... but thank goodness I am no longer with Elder Ramirez... I love the guy but we just did not rub the right way. So, I let you guess the name of my new companion. Yup, you guessed it, Elder Wagner! So I’ll let Mom freak out about that haha. But he doesn’t know any Wagners from St George, he’s from Ogden. Anyways, he is a stud, I’m so stoked to be with him. After three changes with latins, it feels SO good to really just WORK again. Nothing against them, but the latins aren’t known for being the most diligent missionaries. But Elder Wagner, who has one change less than me, is excited and this is his first change as a zone leader, and I can just feel that we’re just gonna blow this area to pieces! If you could feel how good it feels to go out and work and just see how we’re just powering through this area in just the first couple days, oh man, I’m so excited right now. Unfortunately, only like 2 full days of work didn’t quite give us enough prep time to get people in church, we only got 7 people there this week. It rained a ton a couple of weeks back on Sunday, and since then the amount of people in church has dropped a ton, down to about 10. But we’re just getting used to preparing people for getting to church in the cold and stuff, but we’re gonna explode this place again.
It’s so awesome to hear that Jake is on his mission now, that is so sweet, I’m stoked for him, and Kris and Allie, totally never saw that one, but that is way awesome too. Taylor should be getting home from his mission soon though, shouldn’t he? Let me in on that one, would ya? That’s weird to hear that people’s lives are moving on, time just kind of stands still while you’re in the mission as to things of the world. Like all these new kids are showing up and they talk about a new movie and I’m like, hey did you see this one, it came out like 6 months ago, oh wait, that’d be like 2 years now... fetch I’ve been a missionary too long. So yeah, this change I’m the oldest Elder in the zone! Yeah... That is one of the weirdest feelings in the world, I still feel like I just got here.
Anyways, have fun getting ready for girls camp and the grandparents... it should be lots of fun! Love ya,
Elder Dennis
‘Que los cumplas feliz,
Que los cumplas feliz,
En tu día dichoso,
¡Que los cumplas feliz!’
Happy Birthday Daddio! Fetch, that means I’m like 10 days to turning 21... that is wayyyyy too old. But I hope you have a good birthday, thanks for being such a great example to me, you’re my hero. Love ya lots. Oh, and I think next Sunday is Father’s Day... so if it is, Happy that too. Oh, and that really awesome gift you’re gonna open, you know, the one that’s gonna be your favorite, Mom might lie to you, but I swear it’s from me.
Alright, so I’m still in Zeballos Cue... but thank goodness I am no longer with Elder Ramirez... I love the guy but we just did not rub the right way. So, I let you guess the name of my new companion. Yup, you guessed it, Elder Wagner! So I’ll let Mom freak out about that haha. But he doesn’t know any Wagners from St George, he’s from Ogden. Anyways, he is a stud, I’m so stoked to be with him. After three changes with latins, it feels SO good to really just WORK again. Nothing against them, but the latins aren’t known for being the most diligent missionaries. But Elder Wagner, who has one change less than me, is excited and this is his first change as a zone leader, and I can just feel that we’re just gonna blow this area to pieces! If you could feel how good it feels to go out and work and just see how we’re just powering through this area in just the first couple days, oh man, I’m so excited right now. Unfortunately, only like 2 full days of work didn’t quite give us enough prep time to get people in church, we only got 7 people there this week. It rained a ton a couple of weeks back on Sunday, and since then the amount of people in church has dropped a ton, down to about 10. But we’re just getting used to preparing people for getting to church in the cold and stuff, but we’re gonna explode this place again.
It’s so awesome to hear that Jake is on his mission now, that is so sweet, I’m stoked for him, and Kris and Allie, totally never saw that one, but that is way awesome too. Taylor should be getting home from his mission soon though, shouldn’t he? Let me in on that one, would ya? That’s weird to hear that people’s lives are moving on, time just kind of stands still while you’re in the mission as to things of the world. Like all these new kids are showing up and they talk about a new movie and I’m like, hey did you see this one, it came out like 6 months ago, oh wait, that’d be like 2 years now... fetch I’ve been a missionary too long. So yeah, this change I’m the oldest Elder in the zone! Yeah... That is one of the weirdest feelings in the world, I still feel like I just got here.
Anyways, have fun getting ready for girls camp and the grandparents... it should be lots of fun! Love ya,
Elder Dennis
Monday, June 8, 2009
June 8, 2009
¿Ha upei che familia kuéra?
So yeah, we don’t have the changes yet… so yeah, it’s super exciting, I know. But I’m really praying I get changed. My area is way too small to stick around here again. That and my comp is really kind of annoying, I could use a good American again. Not to be racist or anything, but the efforts of the latins vs the gringos is just so much different. And I’m still junior companion, so my comp has all these ideas of what he wants to do and doesn’t like to listen to my suggestions, but he doesn’t know how to maintain an area that has the kind of success that this area can have. So it’s been a little frustrating this change, you can just look at the numbers and see the difference since he showed up and I was still kind of in charge and now that he has sort of taken control. But yeah, so I just want out hahaha. But the Lord knows best, so maybe I need learn patience or something like that. So whatever comes along...
But sounds like fun that Grandma and Grandpa Dennis are coming out to visit, it’s crazy to think that you guys have been living in NY for three years now, I only spent like 6 months with you guys before I left on my mission up there. I hope you still like it up there and everything. But tell Haley the apartment is totally off limits, that is definitely my pad when I get married hahaha. Okay, probably not, but still, I get my bed back that’s ‘stored’ up there! Anyways, I was reading the new Liahona, with the conference addresses, and in the back it has little bios on the new general authorities, and I liked reading up about what they studied and did for a living before they got called to serve. It was impressive to see how many were lawyers (but that’s definitely not for me). But it helped me start thinking a little more and becoming more open and I’m just like whatever comes my way, I’m good. Mostly I’m just worried about what school to go to, cause now I’m starting to think like, where is She gonna be? Hahaha. 10 bucks says Haley beats me to tying the knot though.
As for Fast and Testimony meetings, sometimes I just wish investigators or new members weren’t there to witness some of the things that are said hahaha. First off, almost all of the people say exactly the same thing, really fast: Joseph Smith, the Church, and the Canon books of the church, and the Temple. Then they sit down, eating up none of the very generous amounts of time that they could have to make things go better. And then people that haven’t been to church since I’ve been here get up and they’re all like pity me, my horse and buggy were stolen and I have nothing, but God is going to help me coughbishopsstorehousepleasecough. SO yeah, that’s painful to swallow. I try to just not listen and think about other things that have to get done that day, like who we’re gonna eat with and things like that. You know, the important things.
Anyways, hopefully you’ll know what’s going on, and you’ll be finding out that I’m in a different area next Monday. 16 months in 3 areas... I could use a new one here pretty soon. Love ya lots,
Elder Dennis
So yeah, we don’t have the changes yet… so yeah, it’s super exciting, I know. But I’m really praying I get changed. My area is way too small to stick around here again. That and my comp is really kind of annoying, I could use a good American again. Not to be racist or anything, but the efforts of the latins vs the gringos is just so much different. And I’m still junior companion, so my comp has all these ideas of what he wants to do and doesn’t like to listen to my suggestions, but he doesn’t know how to maintain an area that has the kind of success that this area can have. So it’s been a little frustrating this change, you can just look at the numbers and see the difference since he showed up and I was still kind of in charge and now that he has sort of taken control. But yeah, so I just want out hahaha. But the Lord knows best, so maybe I need learn patience or something like that. So whatever comes along...
But sounds like fun that Grandma and Grandpa Dennis are coming out to visit, it’s crazy to think that you guys have been living in NY for three years now, I only spent like 6 months with you guys before I left on my mission up there. I hope you still like it up there and everything. But tell Haley the apartment is totally off limits, that is definitely my pad when I get married hahaha. Okay, probably not, but still, I get my bed back that’s ‘stored’ up there! Anyways, I was reading the new Liahona, with the conference addresses, and in the back it has little bios on the new general authorities, and I liked reading up about what they studied and did for a living before they got called to serve. It was impressive to see how many were lawyers (but that’s definitely not for me). But it helped me start thinking a little more and becoming more open and I’m just like whatever comes my way, I’m good. Mostly I’m just worried about what school to go to, cause now I’m starting to think like, where is She gonna be? Hahaha. 10 bucks says Haley beats me to tying the knot though.
As for Fast and Testimony meetings, sometimes I just wish investigators or new members weren’t there to witness some of the things that are said hahaha. First off, almost all of the people say exactly the same thing, really fast: Joseph Smith, the Church, and the Canon books of the church, and the Temple. Then they sit down, eating up none of the very generous amounts of time that they could have to make things go better. And then people that haven’t been to church since I’ve been here get up and they’re all like pity me, my horse and buggy were stolen and I have nothing, but God is going to help me coughbishopsstorehousepleasecough. SO yeah, that’s painful to swallow. I try to just not listen and think about other things that have to get done that day, like who we’re gonna eat with and things like that. You know, the important things.
Anyways, hopefully you’ll know what’s going on, and you’ll be finding out that I’m in a different area next Monday. 16 months in 3 areas... I could use a new one here pretty soon. Love ya lots,
Elder Dennis
Monday, June 1, 2009
June 1, 2009
Bueno, les amo mucho. Y espero que puedan entenderlo. Anyways, it feels kind of weird to have to speak in English, because it’s been 4 months that I’ve lived almost 24/7 with a latino companion, who doesn’t speak almost a lick of English... mostly just the bad words they picked up from who knows where hahaha. So you have to correct them sometimes, but it’s all good. But this week went alright, we had the visit from Elder Aidukaitas, who is a really young guy in his 40’s from Brazil, so luckily I was already accustomed to the accent, or I think it might have been kind of tough to understand him at times. But he was like, I love you, you’re doing great, the best in the area, but Bam, you guys need to do better. So yeah, he dropped some major cane. To ‘Drop the cane’ is to like, reprimand or correct, I don’t really know how to explain it, but I remember that I didn’t know what it meant when I first showed up in Paraguay.
Anyways, we had 3 baptisms this week of Angelica, and her two children, Carlos and Yeni... (like Jenny)... so that was pretty cool. It’s amazing to see the way that each person shows it a little differently, but they’re all touched and changed by the restored gospel. You can really see a persons relationship with the Lord when they pray. Some people it’s just like a little kid, like what I remember our prayers to be at night as a family when we were younger, kind of husselled to get it over with, but when you get to listen to the prayer of someone who didn’t really know how to pray less than a month ago really converse with the Lord, it’s enlightening in a way I can’t describe. Angelica was never a person where it’s be like Wow, she’s golden. But this past weekend I got to listen to her prayer as we were leaving, and I was just like wow, she is solid. It’s amazing how people come out of nowhere like that as you teach them.
Well, this is the last week of the change, it’s crazy how fast time is flying... like I already have 16 months in the mission basically, and this month I turn 21! That’s fetching OLD! There is no way that I ever imagined I’d spend my 21st birthday in the South American country of Paraguay when I was growing up. My birthday will also mark a year and a half since I first went through the temple... almost time to get a new recommend, and it feels like just yesterday we went to Boston.
Alright, another food recommendation: You guys MUST look for a ‘Lomito Arbabe’ place the next time you’re in NYC. Look it up on the internet too, because if I can’t find a lomitos place in the states after the mission, I think I might just loose the meaning to life, it’s that good. The last time we were eating lomitos, it kind of hit me that I’m the 3rd oldest missionary in the zone (that’s just freaking, let me tell you) and I started thinking about my consumption of the delicious lomito arabe after the mission. So if you could get a head start looking for me and let me know of your results, it would be of great appreciation.
Love,
Elder Dennis
Anyways, we had 3 baptisms this week of Angelica, and her two children, Carlos and Yeni... (like Jenny)... so that was pretty cool. It’s amazing to see the way that each person shows it a little differently, but they’re all touched and changed by the restored gospel. You can really see a persons relationship with the Lord when they pray. Some people it’s just like a little kid, like what I remember our prayers to be at night as a family when we were younger, kind of husselled to get it over with, but when you get to listen to the prayer of someone who didn’t really know how to pray less than a month ago really converse with the Lord, it’s enlightening in a way I can’t describe. Angelica was never a person where it’s be like Wow, she’s golden. But this past weekend I got to listen to her prayer as we were leaving, and I was just like wow, she is solid. It’s amazing how people come out of nowhere like that as you teach them.
Well, this is the last week of the change, it’s crazy how fast time is flying... like I already have 16 months in the mission basically, and this month I turn 21! That’s fetching OLD! There is no way that I ever imagined I’d spend my 21st birthday in the South American country of Paraguay when I was growing up. My birthday will also mark a year and a half since I first went through the temple... almost time to get a new recommend, and it feels like just yesterday we went to Boston.
Alright, another food recommendation: You guys MUST look for a ‘Lomito Arbabe’ place the next time you’re in NYC. Look it up on the internet too, because if I can’t find a lomitos place in the states after the mission, I think I might just loose the meaning to life, it’s that good. The last time we were eating lomitos, it kind of hit me that I’m the 3rd oldest missionary in the zone (that’s just freaking, let me tell you) and I started thinking about my consumption of the delicious lomito arabe after the mission. So if you could get a head start looking for me and let me know of your results, it would be of great appreciation.
Love,
Elder Dennis
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