May 9 2016

I guess I'll just start by saying that it was really a treat to get to talk to you all Yesterday. It was 4:30pm my time when I started the skype call... I knew that it would be about 8:30 in the morning for you guys. It was great to see your faces, and to hear your voices. I found myself praying last night, after coming home from the skype calling... praying, for dinner with Elder Marccuci, and in my prayer I realized that you had probably just gotten home from church. I remember thinking for a second, "nice, just got home from church, the'll just give me a call and..." and then I remembered that I won't skype you again for several months. For the first time in several months, I had a little drop of homesickness, but then I remembered where I was, what I was doing, who I am, and all that... and I'm fine now, but that little drop, touched me. I wonder if I wasn't supposed to feel that drop for a second, to remind me that I did give up a lot to be here. Remembering that fact, that I gave up a lot to be here, helps me to want to give everything I've got while I am here. I love my mission, and I cannot wait to see what will come still. The experiences I have and am having here are priceless to me, and I wouldn't trade them. From the Joy, to the tears, this is truly the Lord's work. I am so happy that Kennedy is strengthening her Testimony about the reality of the Gospel. Learning to grow up spiritually is a hard thing to do... believe me, I cry at least once a week out here... throwing spiritual trantrums for an ever so patient Father in Heaven. Here's an example, Me: "Heavenly Father, please help me to know Christ better." A trial comes and I come whining: "Heavenly Father, why are these things happening to me? I am only trying to become more like your Son Jesus Christ, life's supposed to be improving when I live the Gospel!" Then, two weeks later, I recieve some personal revelation: "Elder Dean, Have you ever considered Christ's life before?" Me: "I guess not..." Heavenly Father: "Well... His life was really hard... People didn't really like him... They actually killed him, remember?" Me: "Oh yeah... Hmm..." Heavenly Father: ". . . . " Me: "So, I guess that means that, If I ask you to help me understand the Savior better, I will likely have to UNDERSTAND Him better." Heavenly Father: "There ya go..." (Heavenly Father has a Sense of Humor I think... rather... I know He does.) Kennedy, I love you, keep up the good work, and throw away the bad work. I can see you're growing so much. Good Job! I am so happy that Claire is strengthening her Testimony and has a desire to attend the Temple. Claire, I am so proud of you, and I love you so much. You have three older siblings, maybe sometimes you feel like you are the last... but that is not true, I love you sooooo much, and I am sooo happy to hear that you will be going to the Temple to do Baptisms next year! Whenever Mom takes Clayton or Kennedy to do Baptisms, you can still go, and you can wait there in the Lobby upstairs... I know that you want to go down into the font area, but if you want to be at the Temple, Claire, just imagine how much your Heavenly Father also wants you to be there! I promise that if you go to the temple with Mom when she goes with Clayton to do Baptims, and you wait in the lobby, I promise you that you will be able to feel your Heavenly Father telling you, "Thank you Claire for coming, I want you to be here, and you are always welcome in My House, I love you so much!" Claire... Jesus said, "let your Children come unto me, and forbid them not." Please don't let your age stop you from going to the Temple. If you go anyway, I promise you that your Heavenly Father will MAKE SURE that you feel Him CLOSE TO YOU. I am so happy that Clayton is growing up so fast! Clayton, the Gospel is the only thing in the world that you can study for the rest of your life and never feel like you conpletely grasp it, but it's always worth it because life just gets better the more you apply the Gospel. This is an Eternal Gospel, and God sends Mortal men and women to go teach it... that'd be like dad sending you to fly to Oregon and do a Carhart Install all by yourself after never having done it before. I know that the Goepel it true, and Clayton, I want you to go READ Alma Chapter 32, which Talks about FAITH... and how Faith is like a Seed. You are absolutely right, Faith is like a seed... and the Book of Mormon talks about that... exacly how you described it, like a seed. Love you all, I gotta go. Till next week, Love you and remember our Heavenly Father has a plan, just be willing to follow it. Čau! Starší Connor Dean