Dillon's Missionary Blog: The other side of Hump Day!!! One Year Out

One Year Hump Day...July 2, 2015

almost met my goal of having the splits down by my year mark haha!!!
(yup my goofball son is a little on the strange side...he makes me laugh) :)

Here's how I have been spending my exercises for the past little while..(didn't make my goal at 1 year)

Mon, Jul 6, 2015

That week flew. This week I completed 1 year as a missionary on Thursday. Its been a good time of pondering for me and what I have seen and what I have become as a disciple of Christ during the first year of my mission. Kind of like a little mid-life crisis. I've decided that although one could easily say that I've tried hard to be obedient, change my actions, and even to keep my thoughts and desires in the right place, I feel that God still expects a lot more out of me and the level of obedience I have offered this far is enough. Especially with getting to bed on time (confession). Sometimes it is hard because if we are in lessons late, our sector is a long walk from the house, we get home, plan, Many nights I receive calls from other missionaries to take their informs and try to write in my journal and other quehaceres. But I know that God has placed these rules for our own benefit and 10:40 is not the chosen time. This month´s Liahona magazine has an article called Which really opened my eyes the importance of getting to bed at a good hour to be able to get up and have a good morning. Because mornings are sacred! The killer question that I have is how much peaceful time with God have I missed throughout my life for sleeping in after staying up to late? DC 88:124 (Its actual, inspired doctrine) The articles from the magazine is filled with Life and Energy, from this month!

Es todo.

Elder Rawson:)

El Señor Jacome:) The owner of the forest!

clean drinking water I'm hoping!!!

1 year mark, so we slept out on the floor..SLUMBER PARTY!!!

July 13, 2015

Well I just got done with the transfers and am exhausted so can't think super well right now of what has happened this week. But Saturday Javier Sanchez, The son of Alfonso who was just reactivated, was baptized on Saturday. Alfonso wasn`t quite yet ready to baptize so they asked me do to it. And because I was leaving anyways. Yesterday after church we stopped by the Tubay family to say bye to them. Then later on we went and ate with the Sanchez family. They fed us fish, and I've always been a little hesitant to eat the fish down here... I'll get to that in sec. But Saying bye was hard. Seeing a big man like him tear up like that. Never knew I would've actually been able to help make such a big change in someones life like that before. But hopefully we'll be able to see then enter the temple before I head out. Then last night we got the call for transfers late like normal and I had to stay up to do my bags to leave early in the morning. And on top of that after finally having about 1 and a half hour of sleep the fish came back to haunt me. First time throwing up in the mish but it had to come at one time or another. It came back 3 times in the night and I got 0 sleep after that. The bus ride down to quevedo was not fun. my whole body hurts.. But now I'm in the 3rd trio of my mission with Elder Melzer from Mesa Arizona and Elder Ypis from Santa Cruz Bolivia. Elder Ypis is leaving in 2 weeks and then we ll be back in a normal companionship again. The house here is pretty ugly but all is well! venga lo que venga y disfrùtalo!

Elder Rawson:)

nature walk last pday in San Camilo

The old zone

the baptism of Xavier

Father and the Brazilian getting separated

July 20, 2015

There goes me first week back in Durán. I'm in the ward literally closest to Panorama, where I started but its on the other side of the highway and in the other stake so I haven't seen anybody yet. Except for Hermano Clavijo's car pulling out of the mall today. I was too late. But I'm sure I will see them again sometime.

The members here are way great and are like always so willing to go out and work with us. So I´m excited for that! But at the same time it seems that a few missionaries have been through here that hadn´t shown very good examples of diligence and the members are used to the missionaries spending time at their houses, and eating their food instead of changin lives. If there's one thing I have a huge testimony of is obedience. When we are obedient we allow God to do His work through us. It is the only way, because His rules are His ways. If we enter a house to teach a lesson without a man present, no matter what age or if we have the best intentions, we will not have the spirit and the time spent with be in vain. That's just what I have come to learn:) And remember, if you LOVE me keep my commandments:) (Love is a commandment!)

Elder Ypis one of my comps is going home next week as long as my ZL Elder Mendoza who I was also with in Quevedo for 4 months!

Ama la vida!

Elder Rawson=)