Sister Welling, white top, and Sister Westling, colored top
(Third Sister not pictures)
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
26 Sanford, Maine
Mum,
Hey thank you so much, for getting me the music, I will go through it and if there is anything that I can’t have then I’ll delete it… but it should be fine , thank you, thank you, thank you so much! I can’t wait to get it! I love music so much and have missed it tons.
I’m good for protein power, I still have some of the last container. Thanks though, you don’t need to send any right now.
That is great about Brynn, I am glad that she decided to go, it’s been a constant toss up for her to go or not. I hope she really enjoys her mission.
Things here are ok, we don’t have a lot of investigators or even people who are willing to let us in and talk to them for a few minutes. We are the worst area in the whole district with like no investigators. So to be honest I am having a really hard time staying optimistic about it all. I don’t know if I’m am just a failure as a missionary or if I just suck at working or if I’m not obedient and don’t do things correctly. our district leader is like the MOST obedient person I have ever seen… he takes it to a whole new level (it’s almost a little bit odd) Anyway I always feel like such failure cause I mess up and don’t always do things right even though I am really trying to remember everything and do everything perfect.
Sorry it’s been a long week of a lot of walking and knocking and seeming to get nowhere.
have the opportunity to speak again in church on the eighth, so that’ll be good. I actually love to talk in church (Which REALLY surprises me too!) It gives me an opportunity study harder and to think and pray over what to say and it gives me the opportunity to speak to everyone. I will stress a ton over my talk trying to make it as good though.
Is it sad that you were released from nursery?! or is it happy that you were released from nursery? I liked going in there with you now when I get home I won’t be able to go in with you. I am glad that you liked the video with the chipmunk…. it was a funny little thing. I’ll try and take more of them. I will think over what to say for the ward missionary board, and either send it later today or tonight, just give me time to think.
Any way I love you mom and miss you so much you have no idea how much I miss you and the family and the dogs and just everything this is truly the hardest sacrifice that I have ever had to make, I try so hard to constantly stay focused but you see things, especially being state side, like movies that are out or music on the radio, TV shows, and yes even games although I know it’s stupid, I miss all of it I enjoyed playing with my friends and doing things outside and so much.
I know beyond any doubt I’m where I need to be right NOW, at this time of my life - I know I am where I am supposed to be and that what I am doing is beyond correct and true. I have witnessed and seen how true and amazing this gospel is. I have seen the blessings in my life from serving already and I LOVE it out here.
It is such an amazing feeling to know that I represent the Lord Jesus Christ and My God and that I am his servant carrying his loving word and gospel to people who are lost and who need to hear it and feel of that love. Despite all the yelling, the cursing, the gestures and rude things that happen to me I still love these people and desire so much to give them a gift greater than any they have ever had in their lives - but they just don’t know that.
I don’t know how to break through the shell that these people have put up in most cases and allow the lord to touch their hearts and to "heal them" as the scriptures say. I have gained such a testimony of the scriptures. I love them so much, more than I ever have before. I get two hours a day to devote just to studies and I feel awful if I misuse that precious time that I have. Even during lunch or dinner I love to either play hymns on the piano or study and read things like Jesus the Christ or the bible, they have such power Mom, beyond anything that I have ever realized in my entire life.
I have already read the Book of Mormon through once and I am about half way through it again. I am so blessed to have these sacred texts in my life to be able to cherish up and treasure the words of eternal life and to learn from Gods holy prophets. I hope to take these amazing habits that I’ve learned here on my mission so far and take them with me into the rest of my life. It feels so right to be on a mission.
One of the biggest and scariest thing of being here on my mission and seeing how fast time has gone, is too see how fast I am growing up, it was so easy being a teenager. I wish I could go back sometimes. But I know that I can’t - I need to progress and move on but that scares me. I don’t know what the future holds. I DO KNOW that by trusting and relying on my savior and if I remain true to covenants that I have made with him, that he will carry me through this life and into the eternities at which point I will live with him forever in the celestial kingdom, and to be with God forever. There is no other greater reward of any sort. I am so grateful for this gospel.
Any way I love you mom I miss you tons, tell everyone I love them and miss them too.
LOVE ELDER DEAN
Hey thank you so much, for getting me the music, I will go through it and if there is anything that I can’t have then I’ll delete it… but it should be fine , thank you, thank you, thank you so much! I can’t wait to get it! I love music so much and have missed it tons.
I’m good for protein power, I still have some of the last container. Thanks though, you don’t need to send any right now.
That is great about Brynn, I am glad that she decided to go, it’s been a constant toss up for her to go or not. I hope she really enjoys her mission.
Things here are ok, we don’t have a lot of investigators or even people who are willing to let us in and talk to them for a few minutes. We are the worst area in the whole district with like no investigators. So to be honest I am having a really hard time staying optimistic about it all. I don’t know if I’m am just a failure as a missionary or if I just suck at working or if I’m not obedient and don’t do things correctly. our district leader is like the MOST obedient person I have ever seen… he takes it to a whole new level (it’s almost a little bit odd) Anyway I always feel like such failure cause I mess up and don’t always do things right even though I am really trying to remember everything and do everything perfect.
Sorry it’s been a long week of a lot of walking and knocking and seeming to get nowhere.
have the opportunity to speak again in church on the eighth, so that’ll be good. I actually love to talk in church (Which REALLY surprises me too!) It gives me an opportunity study harder and to think and pray over what to say and it gives me the opportunity to speak to everyone. I will stress a ton over my talk trying to make it as good though.
Is it sad that you were released from nursery?! or is it happy that you were released from nursery? I liked going in there with you now when I get home I won’t be able to go in with you. I am glad that you liked the video with the chipmunk…. it was a funny little thing. I’ll try and take more of them. I will think over what to say for the ward missionary board, and either send it later today or tonight, just give me time to think.
Any way I love you mom and miss you so much you have no idea how much I miss you and the family and the dogs and just everything this is truly the hardest sacrifice that I have ever had to make, I try so hard to constantly stay focused but you see things, especially being state side, like movies that are out or music on the radio, TV shows, and yes even games although I know it’s stupid, I miss all of it I enjoyed playing with my friends and doing things outside and so much.
I know beyond any doubt I’m where I need to be right NOW, at this time of my life - I know I am where I am supposed to be and that what I am doing is beyond correct and true. I have witnessed and seen how true and amazing this gospel is. I have seen the blessings in my life from serving already and I LOVE it out here.
It is such an amazing feeling to know that I represent the Lord Jesus Christ and My God and that I am his servant carrying his loving word and gospel to people who are lost and who need to hear it and feel of that love. Despite all the yelling, the cursing, the gestures and rude things that happen to me I still love these people and desire so much to give them a gift greater than any they have ever had in their lives - but they just don’t know that.
I don’t know how to break through the shell that these people have put up in most cases and allow the lord to touch their hearts and to "heal them" as the scriptures say. I have gained such a testimony of the scriptures. I love them so much, more than I ever have before. I get two hours a day to devote just to studies and I feel awful if I misuse that precious time that I have. Even during lunch or dinner I love to either play hymns on the piano or study and read things like Jesus the Christ or the bible, they have such power Mom, beyond anything that I have ever realized in my entire life.
I have already read the Book of Mormon through once and I am about half way through it again. I am so blessed to have these sacred texts in my life to be able to cherish up and treasure the words of eternal life and to learn from Gods holy prophets. I hope to take these amazing habits that I’ve learned here on my mission so far and take them with me into the rest of my life. It feels so right to be on a mission.
One of the biggest and scariest thing of being here on my mission and seeing how fast time has gone, is too see how fast I am growing up, it was so easy being a teenager. I wish I could go back sometimes. But I know that I can’t - I need to progress and move on but that scares me. I don’t know what the future holds. I DO KNOW that by trusting and relying on my savior and if I remain true to covenants that I have made with him, that he will carry me through this life and into the eternities at which point I will live with him forever in the celestial kingdom, and to be with God forever. There is no other greater reward of any sort. I am so grateful for this gospel.
Any way I love you mom I miss you tons, tell everyone I love them and miss them too.
LOVE ELDER DEAN
25 - Sanford, Maine
Hey Mom,
So the two people that we are teaching are doing really well. Melanie is progressing and she comes to church. Jimmy her husband is still struggling because he is an alcoholic, he has not made it to church yet, but he still sits in on the lessons and you can tell that he feels the spirit but he hasn’t gone beyond that.
Yeah it’s been two weeks so far with my companion and it feels like I’ve had a ton of them, counting elder rice I’ve had six in just under 6 and a half months, which seems really crazy and like a lot!
That is really funny that the Sister Missionary in your ward knows elder Thomas. I haven’t seen him in like three months though so it’s been a while. I haven’t seen Elder Wells in two months; I don’t really see them that often once they are transferred. I think I get to see Elder Terry on Wednesday we have zone conference, so far though this companionship is ok, he is different but he works hard and he is good elder so it’s not bad. That’s also really cool that there is four missionaries in the ward now, here they have five in our ward the sisters are in a trio.
That is cool about your last wedding, I am glad that the flowers turned out beautiful.
About my friends from high school, the guys and I write weekly which is really cool and I love to hear from them. The girls are hit and miss, not too often I guess…..Which I guess I could look at it as it just helps me focus more by not getting a bunch of people writing me. And it makes it really exciting when I do get a letter!
This week though was mostly tracting every day we walked at least ten miles every day. We tracted in towns such as Shapleigh, Ross corner rd and Nason rd, and Lebanon on Chick rd, that’s really all we do just walk for the most part. The BEST part is when we do get to drive at least I get to be the driver!! I miss driving a lot! Honestly it is really hard… we are not supposed to speed but the speed limits here in Maine are so much lower than anything in Georgia or Utah so I have to be really careful and keep checking my speed. I can’t even follow traffic because it’s not like any of the New England people follow the posted traffic limits. I struggle with constantly going over. Dang it.
We had a dinner at a members house for like the first time in FOR EVER this week and it was at the Lances. Brother Lance is hundred percent Native American he is really fun to talk to. He is really big into scouts and stuff like that. He told me about some sweet places to go scuba diving when I get home. I have tons of things I want to do like the pineapple picking and just a ton of other stuff that you hear from the members and the people that you meet out here.
I love you mom and miss you so much hope you have a good week and thank you for that envelope.
Love Elder Dean
So the two people that we are teaching are doing really well. Melanie is progressing and she comes to church. Jimmy her husband is still struggling because he is an alcoholic, he has not made it to church yet, but he still sits in on the lessons and you can tell that he feels the spirit but he hasn’t gone beyond that.
Yeah it’s been two weeks so far with my companion and it feels like I’ve had a ton of them, counting elder rice I’ve had six in just under 6 and a half months, which seems really crazy and like a lot!
That is really funny that the Sister Missionary in your ward knows elder Thomas. I haven’t seen him in like three months though so it’s been a while. I haven’t seen Elder Wells in two months; I don’t really see them that often once they are transferred. I think I get to see Elder Terry on Wednesday we have zone conference, so far though this companionship is ok, he is different but he works hard and he is good elder so it’s not bad. That’s also really cool that there is four missionaries in the ward now, here they have five in our ward the sisters are in a trio.
That is cool about your last wedding, I am glad that the flowers turned out beautiful.
About my friends from high school, the guys and I write weekly which is really cool and I love to hear from them. The girls are hit and miss, not too often I guess…..Which I guess I could look at it as it just helps me focus more by not getting a bunch of people writing me. And it makes it really exciting when I do get a letter!
This week though was mostly tracting every day we walked at least ten miles every day. We tracted in towns such as Shapleigh, Ross corner rd and Nason rd, and Lebanon on Chick rd, that’s really all we do just walk for the most part. The BEST part is when we do get to drive at least I get to be the driver!! I miss driving a lot! Honestly it is really hard… we are not supposed to speed but the speed limits here in Maine are so much lower than anything in Georgia or Utah so I have to be really careful and keep checking my speed. I can’t even follow traffic because it’s not like any of the New England people follow the posted traffic limits. I struggle with constantly going over. Dang it.
We had a dinner at a members house for like the first time in FOR EVER this week and it was at the Lances. Brother Lance is hundred percent Native American he is really fun to talk to. He is really big into scouts and stuff like that. He told me about some sweet places to go scuba diving when I get home. I have tons of things I want to do like the pineapple picking and just a ton of other stuff that you hear from the members and the people that you meet out here.
I love you mom and miss you so much hope you have a good week and thank you for that envelope.
Love Elder Dean
24 - Sanford, Maine
Hey mom,
I am glad that you had an good week. Things here are good.
I realized this week that I suck at budgeting and I am pretty much out of money on my support card…. so it’s been a lot of dried stuff from the BACK of the cupboard… YUM! This will continue until September - when I will budget A LOT better then I did this month.
I saw the picture of you and the launcher that Joel sent and your hair is really long!! And also you should smile :)
That’s funny though that Lochlan likes the stake dances and he goes to them all the time…. he really is the odd ball in the family!
I am grateful that the Sherbert’s son is doing better, talk about a scary thing to go through. Things are going good with the new companion, and we are working hard together. So that means we are doing a lot of walking!
This morning while running I tripped and twisted my ankle and got a pretty big gash in my hand and skinned the whole side of my leg and knee so that’s no fun and on Saturday I got super sick, I had like flu symptoms, so I went to bed a little early having the chills I kept waking up during the night either cold or drenched in sweat. When I woke up the next morning I was feeling fine, so that’s good.
It’s true I have been here in Sanford a really long time and I don’t want to leave. I feel like I will be this next transfer so I don’t know we will see what happens.
The two investigators are doing well and still progressing which is awesome. Anyway this past week has been pretty good, things are just moving along the way they should.
Anyway I love you mom
I am glad that you had an good week. Things here are good.
I realized this week that I suck at budgeting and I am pretty much out of money on my support card…. so it’s been a lot of dried stuff from the BACK of the cupboard… YUM! This will continue until September - when I will budget A LOT better then I did this month.
I saw the picture of you and the launcher that Joel sent and your hair is really long!! And also you should smile :)
That’s funny though that Lochlan likes the stake dances and he goes to them all the time…. he really is the odd ball in the family!
I am grateful that the Sherbert’s son is doing better, talk about a scary thing to go through. Things are going good with the new companion, and we are working hard together. So that means we are doing a lot of walking!
This morning while running I tripped and twisted my ankle and got a pretty big gash in my hand and skinned the whole side of my leg and knee so that’s no fun and on Saturday I got super sick, I had like flu symptoms, so I went to bed a little early having the chills I kept waking up during the night either cold or drenched in sweat. When I woke up the next morning I was feeling fine, so that’s good.
It’s true I have been here in Sanford a really long time and I don’t want to leave. I feel like I will be this next transfer so I don’t know we will see what happens.
The two investigators are doing well and still progressing which is awesome. Anyway this past week has been pretty good, things are just moving along the way they should.
Anyway I love you mom
Friday, August 23, 2013
Sunday, August 11, 2013
A few pictures
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| DINNER! In Maine! |
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| Final picture before the mission president went home |
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| Putting the "Step back in time" buildings together |
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| Working hard! |
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| Service at the horse farm |
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| Horse at the horse farm |
23 Sanford, Maine
Mum,
School started today right? Hope Lochlan enjoys being in high school.
Things are going good here, and we are having a good time, my new companion is Elder Whitehead he came out a transfer after me. He is a good elder; he is a little bit..... different but he works hard and I am glad to have him for a companion.
Not much really happening here in Sanford… we tracted a lot, I mean A LOT!!!!! That’s all we really ever do. We tracted some streets in cities like Lebanon and Alfred, Deshon Hill rd, and Depot rd.
GOOD NEWS! I DROVE this week!!! It was really fun - I miss driving. I found a 1948 edition of the hymn book and it is the one that still has “Come thou Font of Every Blessing” how cool is that? We have an electric keyboard here in the apartment and I have been trying to teach myself to play the piano.
I suck
But it gives me something to do during the off times.
Granddad sent me a letter and said he was using my talk in a ton of different things…. I know that you said it was a good talk, but you are my mom. I just don’t think it was good. I wish it was better.
Any way Mom, I really love you.
Love Elder Dean
Things are going good here, and we are having a good time, my new companion is Elder Whitehead he came out a transfer after me. He is a good elder; he is a little bit..... different but he works hard and I am glad to have him for a companion.
Not much really happening here in Sanford… we tracted a lot, I mean A LOT!!!!! That’s all we really ever do. We tracted some streets in cities like Lebanon and Alfred, Deshon Hill rd, and Depot rd.
GOOD NEWS! I DROVE this week!!! It was really fun - I miss driving. I found a 1948 edition of the hymn book and it is the one that still has “Come thou Font of Every Blessing” how cool is that? We have an electric keyboard here in the apartment and I have been trying to teach myself to play the piano.
I suck
But it gives me something to do during the off times.
Granddad sent me a letter and said he was using my talk in a ton of different things…. I know that you said it was a good talk, but you are my mom. I just don’t think it was good. I wish it was better.
Any way Mom, I really love you.
Love Elder Dean
A Step Back in Time
Church group leads ‘A Step Back in Time’
By Andrew Rice arice@keepmecurrent.com | Posted: Thursday, July 18, 2013 5:22 am
SANFORD – Sanford’s Gowen Park will look a little different Saturday as a replica colonial American village will be erected, complete with candlemakers, Dutch-oven cooking, livestock and a gunsmith.
Members of the Sanford Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have been organizing an event they are calling “A Step Back in Time” since May, but for the sheer number of participating exhibits, 17, it was put together quickly, and through a collaborative effort between members of the church and non-church-affiliated volunteers.
“It has been amazing,” said Jen Davie, who handles the church’s public relations. “I’ve been so impressed with the level of volunteerism that has come forward, both in membership and community.”
Davie says that while the majority of the organizing came from within the church membership, they have seen an outpouring of donations from many community residents and businesses with no church affiliation. According to Davie, this includes thousands of dollars in lumber from Lowe’s and Limington Lumber and nearly 1,000 bottles of water from Poland Spring.
“People have been so receptive and so excited,” she said.
The donated lumber went toward the building of pioneer-era replica buildings, which will be a centerpiece to the event and house the majority of its exhibits. Davie’s father, Ron Paquin, was charged with the task of building the makeshift structures.
“They’re sort of mimicking what you might see in an old western town,” Paquin said.
The 11 structures will be moved to Gowen Park Saturday morning with the help of wreckers from a local auto service. Paquin, a retired builder with more than 20 years of experience, says he and other church volunteers worked on the structures on four separate nights.
He said the pioneer village can show Sanford people that Mormons have a lot in common with the average American.
“We’re just like any other religion,” he said. “Sometimes when you tell people that you’re Mormon, they look at you like you have horns on your head. We want to show them who we are.”
Every year on July 24, members of the Mormon faith celebrate Pioneer Day, a holiday not only seen as a special occasion, but also a celebration of everyone who emigrated to the Salt Lake City region during the pioneer era. Davie compared the Utah holiday to the Fourth of July, as it is an official state holiday.
“It’s a time when we can reflect on our pioneer heritage,” she said.
Davie also sees the event as a way to gather the Sanford community in one place to reflect on where they came from and to bring Pioneer Day to their church membership.
“I don’t want to say that we don’t appreciate our heritage, but we don’t live in Utah,” she said. “We wanted to give our membership a taste of what goes on out there.”
The 17-exhibit event will feature a hands-on approach, as guests can knead their own bread and bring it to be cooked in a Dutch-oven exhibit. Other exhibits include a creamery for making ice cream, wood cutting, beekeeping, quilting and soap making.
Victor Van Gieson, who will be heading the Dutch-oven exhibit Saturday, says about 10 different items will be offered that pioneers may have cooked, including a lot of beans and breads. A Dutch oven is a large cast-iron pot with a tight-fitting lid. Van Gieson says through being a scoutmaster of Sanford’s Cub Scout Troop 234, he has cooked many times with a Dutch oven, and learned multiple recipes.
“They (pioneers) used firewood and whatever they could find on the trail as a heat source,” he said. “We’re going to try to use firewood, as well.”
Davie hopes the event will appeal to the colonial background in everyone.
“It was a way for us to let our community know a little about our heritage,” she said. “So often we’re focusing on the faith, and instead I thought, ‘Let’s see what we have in common.’ Everybody has a story.”
A closer look“A Step Back in Time” is Saturday, July 20, from 9 a.m.-noon, at Gowen Park in Sanford. The event will feature multiple exhibits including wood cutting, bread making, spinning, beekeeping, apothecary, quilting, archery and a string quartet.
22 Sanford, Maine
Mum,
Hey so I am not moving still in Sanford. I am losing my companion which sucks. I am being made senior companion which means THAT I WILL BE DRIVING NOW!!!! so cool.
that’s awesome that you got to see Danielle it’s been a long time since she was in Georgia, yeah go ahead and give her my phone I don’t care at all.
That’s really awesome to hear about the table - that will look really cool when it is done. Summer ended really fast didn’t it? That is so awesome to hear about Devon and Sister Wall.
This week really we started teaching two new people but one is a really bad alcoholic and drunk always so that’s fun. However, it’s still nice to finally teach someone. On Friday we went to Exter for stake youth conference and we helped teach the youth a bunch of stuff, it was really fun. We went out on a kinda of a tracting thing with the youth after …. we just went out and went door to door giving out Lindt chocolate bars with a little card that said “thanks for being our next door neighbor” it was a cool experience.
Something cool about this week – I learned how to put a hard wood floor down on Saturday. It was actually fun and really interesting …. now sadly I’m really sore
Yeah not much else this week. Sorry for how short the email is. I love you mum.
Hey so I am not moving still in Sanford. I am losing my companion which sucks. I am being made senior companion which means THAT I WILL BE DRIVING NOW!!!! so cool.
that’s awesome that you got to see Danielle it’s been a long time since she was in Georgia, yeah go ahead and give her my phone I don’t care at all.
That’s really awesome to hear about the table - that will look really cool when it is done. Summer ended really fast didn’t it? That is so awesome to hear about Devon and Sister Wall.
This week really we started teaching two new people but one is a really bad alcoholic and drunk always so that’s fun. However, it’s still nice to finally teach someone. On Friday we went to Exter for stake youth conference and we helped teach the youth a bunch of stuff, it was really fun. We went out on a kinda of a tracting thing with the youth after …. we just went out and went door to door giving out Lindt chocolate bars with a little card that said “thanks for being our next door neighbor” it was a cool experience.
Something cool about this week – I learned how to put a hard wood floor down on Saturday. It was actually fun and really interesting …. now sadly I’m really sore
Yeah not much else this week. Sorry for how short the email is. I love you mum.
Love Elder Dean
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| This is a picture of my last companion, Elder Terry - I really liked him |
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