Dillon's Missionary Blog

March, 7 2016

Heeyyyyyy

How's everyone doing in El mundo?

I hope you're all doing your best to have eyes that see.

This last week we were able to get back into contact with the families we had that we weren't able to get in touch with for a bit. The last week we had received a referral from a sister in the ward and we went back to see him and his wife on Wednesday. His name is Francisco and his wife is Gloria. After meeting him, we had left 3 Nephi 11 to read, and when we went back he had read it and his wife who we hadn't even met by then! They were way interested. Well I <3 you all and hope you are all conversing with the Lord frequently.

Elder Rawson=)

Keeping warm w/gustavo torres

We went to a town called Montalvo today and up the canyon to a cool spot. Finally got me taste of the mountains!

Stayin hydrated

Mom's package finally arrived :)

March 14, 2016

The best part of being a missionary is definitely calling people to repentance, or as it is more often said, inviting people to come unto Christ. I think the second sounds a little bit nicer. But there is such a joy that comes from the Spirit seeing people humble themselves and accept Christ in their lives. Change is hard but humility makes it possible.

When we have been asking the bishop and other members of the ward if there was a family that they were worried for, we were often referred to the Chacón family. So this week we were able to set an appointment with them for yesterday. The family isn't completely inactive but it had been a month or so that they had not been to church. We went by yesterday. I wasn't sure what to talk about but in the prayer I thought of talking about how to get a testimony of Jesus Christ. It ended up being one of the most spiritual visits in a while and I feel like this family can change a ton. The father said that it's time they get going back to church and they need the blessings in their life. Afterward, he asked for a blessing for his knee that has been swollen lately causing him pain. Even though they aren't investigators progressing towards baptism or even considered inactive, the joy of inviting others to come unto Christ is the same.

Love you all!

Elder Rawson=)

This is not okay with Mom :(

March 21, 2016

When you go to the temple you can never have that bad of a week! Tuesday night we headed out to Guayaquil for the temple and a zone conference Wednesday. Tuesday night we stayed in the temple hotel and I definitely took advantage of that hot water!

The conference was cool and President talked quite a bit about humility. Humility is critical in our salvation. We are all in the journey of ridding ourselves of pride little by little in our lives. It is also necessary to get rid of pride in order to have charity. I believe in order for a prideful person to have charity, he or she must go through a process of humility, faith, hope, humility, and then charity (as explained in Moroni 7). And he who is found with this love in the last day, it shall be well with him. I believe a prideful person can and must have faith in Christ to be humble, but it does first off require a certain amount of humility to start the process of becoming like our Savior. In order to have that portion of humility in us, Alma said we can either be humbled or we can choose to be humble. And blessed are those who choose to be humble. And from there we believe on Christ's name and exercise our faith to become more humble. And humility opens the door to charity, the pure love of Christ. :)

That's what's been on my mind lately. If anyone wants to write me sharing what they've learned or a scripture they have been ponderizing, I'd love it!

Also, it's Elder Howell's last Pday and goes home next week to Centerville. It's weird to think how all this really does end..

Well I love you all! chao,

¡nos vemos! ....... oh, y hermano, antes de irnos, ¿usted conoce a alguien que pudiera interesarse en nuestro mensaje? no? ... ok chao!

March 28, 2016

Hey everyone! It's been a slow Easter week but I learned a lot! The Vera-Troncoso family decided that they don't want to be baptized on the 9th of April but they agreed to work harder to be prepared the 16th! We had transfers and now I am with Elder Raul Hernandez from Mexico City! He seems way nice and chill and I think we will have some good unity together. ......(there was just a huge bang right outside this internet cafe, and there are loading a truck with big tanks of gas so hopefully everything doesn't blow up...) But I love you all and hope you have a great week, enjoy conference and take notes.:)

Elder Rawson

Killed myself the other day doing the new workout President gave us the last zone conference!

Stake activity we did as missionaries on Friday. President came and spoke! It went great!

New comp

Feb. 1, 2016

Time is flying by still. I feel like I'm hitting some sort of crisis that I have to baptize and convert the whole world before I leave. This week was great. We had a conference with the President here. I'm so thankful to have Pres. Riggins here. He's awesome and will probably be an apostle someday. We were able to work with the Guallco brothers, Edison, Ricardo, and Jorge and Jonathan Medina for their baptisms. Jonathan was really happy for his baptism. I was a bit worried for the Guallco brothers and their conversion but we had already had the goal for the 30th and they still wanted to get baptized but that's why we keep visiting them for about 4 months after baptism too so they stay!

Saturday was a trip, the water to fill up the font was green and nasty because the tank above the church was filthy so we emptied the font and then we were running out of time so my comp and I ran to the fire department and got the firemen to help us fill the tank! It was way sweet even though the water they filled the font up with was dark and brown anyways. But it was cooler because it came from the fire department!

Yesterday the university called Edison in the morning for a job so he couldn't go to church to get confirmed so looks like we'll be on it this week because it needs to be done!

The area is great and we are working with some great families and march should be looking good for us! Love you all!

"I'm trying to be like Jesus, I'm following in His way. I'm trying to love as He did, in all that I do and say."

Elder Rawson=)

Feb. 8, 2016

Hello!

Remember me?

The mission is going well. We just got done with transfers today. My new companion is Elder Caramelli from Uruguay. From since I've been with him he seems like a good quiet, and humble guy. It was funny when we got to the house because the first thing he got to doing was clean! I've never seen the kitchen so spotless. even before unpacking! So a good humble companion that likes to clean is all I can ask for!

This last transfer was a bit like a refiners fire for me. Can't say that all runs happily and smooth in the mission but that's how we learn is by getting out of our comfort zone! The last transfer wasn't exactly the smoothest that I've had. But this last week my old companion and I were actually improving quite a bit! But last night wasn't too smooth. To keep things short, lets just say sleepovers on the mission with members in missionary housing is against church policy. My comp got a bit upset being reported to the leaders for trying to have a member stay with us but we ALWAYS have to remember "which way we face". (oct 2014 gen conf) So things were a bit quiet finishing the night and the morning until he left between us.

Im excited to have more time here in Babahoyo though because I feel like God has a few families for me before I leave!

No pics today because its a holiday and all the good internet cafes are closed..

Always keep in mind that in order to do God's will and become more like him we must always strive to see as He sees, think as He thinks, and do as He does.

Love you all<3

Elder Rawson=)

The new house

Feb. 15, 2016

Great week with the new comp. Cleaned the shower spotless in the house for probably the first time in the last 15 years the missionaries have lived here today. Jaciel Castillo, 11 years old, grandson of a nice lady we reactivated last month is getting baptized this Saturday. I'm stoked because he's my best friend and we even played catch with his football for like 10 minutes yesterday.

Love you all. Look for God in all things!:)

Feb. 29, 2016

Buenas tardes con todos (with a strong gringo accent),

Hey everyone, how's it going?

It's been a slowish week. I was a little bummed because like the whole week we weren't able to get in contact with most of the families that we had before that were progressing well. But on the other had we were able to find new families that were interested so we'll be doing follow up with them this week. I love focusing on families in mission work and helping each one. I think the importance of the importance of the role of the family in the Lord's plan has been engraved in my mind here on my mission.

Well I think I'm basically used to what once was the craziest place on earth for me and all the things that go on around us, So it's harder for me to think of stories like that for you. But one can never get too used to the spiritual things! So this week what has been most on my mind was when I read in Jeremiah one day. I read the scripture mastery in chap1:4-5 that tells when he hears the voice of the Lord saying that he was called to be a prophet, but then I kept reading the following verses that explain why he was called. In 6, Jeremiah explains that he doesn't even know how to speak and wonders why. The answer is in 7, The Lord tells him that it's because he is WILLING to do what the Lord asks of him. I thought of this scripture considering the relation to Joseph Smith, who was willing to submit himself to the Lord's will in order to carry out the restoration of the Gospel in spite of all the persecutions. Same with Nephi and guiding his family to the promised land. "The Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind." DC 64:34. I consider this to be a huge attribute of humility.(Ether 6:17)

Love you all!

Elder Rawson=)