It's Cold Outside......Apparently!

Hello!

So, first off, I'll explain what I meant from last week about being tased.   Some missionaries 2 weeks ago bought a taser for self defense.  Naturally, all five of us there had to make sure it would work...  As you all sigh in complete disappointment (or amazement), here's something that one of my grandparents taught one of my cousins, "Remember that an Elder is just a few years older than a deacon."  XD  (Don't worry, there are videos, I'm just not the one that owns them.) 

--Stay tuned for scenes from the tased missionaries--

Next up, the title of the email.  No, it really hasn't been cold, it's been anywhere from 60-80 all week, but I guess God knows it's too cold for me here, because I'm being transferred to Las Cruces!  I'll cover the YSA down there, and the New Mexico State University campus.  Gotta get that "college prep" going!  ;)  (Side note: yes, I was only in this area for 6 weeks.) 

Now for the pics:

1) We went on exchanges this last week out to east of the Sandias, and there was this random pink tree in the middle of the green trees known as Cedar Crest.  It was strange, that's why we took a picture!

2) The Gardners.  This is a family we got close to from Eldorado ward, they're awesome.  We would show up at the chapel at like 8:50 to do some reports, and they would be there playing ping pong. (Our chapel has a ping pong table or two on the stage, they would bring the net and paddles and stuff and challenge each other, it was awesome!)

3) That's Helen, she's a Navajo we started teaching, she's super funny!  She;s the investigator that came to church last week before we had actually taught her any of the lessons... hehe

4) The Guerros, another Navajo family that we started teaching.  The father in that picture is not actually a member, and so we began teaching them the lessons as best as we could.  The struggle is real, though, especially when they be not home.  :(

As for cool experiences, we were at zone council last Friday, when this random couple from Michigan walked in and asked for gas money.  What do we do?  We took them on a tour of the church as part of the council!  The whole zone was able to help and teach them about the church a little bit!  We'll be sending the missionaries serving in Michigan to visit them and help them learn more this week when they get back there!

Talk to you all next week!

Te whanaunga mo ake tonu!

(Great is my love for you all!)

Elder Eli James Dial

It's Le April Time

(Elder Dial sent this email April 9th)

Hey, everyone!

Out of all the weeks on my mission, this week was one of them.  XD

Let's see, where to start... Oh, I know!  We've lost contact with basically everyone that we're working with, so that's pretty great!

We've been going on the University of New Mexico campus and talking to people, so that's pretty fun.  It's weird walking up to someone my age and talking to them while they're going to class.  But that's alright, awkward moments are groovy!

With General Conference and all the changes that came with it, lots of people are still confused, but that's alright, it will work out and be all right, I'm not really worried about it!

We're going to be cleaning the temple grounds next week as a zone, it's going to be sweet!  We're going to invite the people that we're working with to come and help, too!

I almost forgot, but to sum up a long story,  I have officially been tazed. It doesn't feel too good, I do not recommend it.  XD

We had an investigator come to church yesterday!  It was awesome.  Her name is Helen, she's Navajo, and she's really hard to meet with.  We got her a ride and she came!  Yesterday was the Easter program, so it was great for her!  In gospel principles, we talked a lot about the topical guide, and she was super confused the whole time.  It wasn't until last night that we realized that we actually haven't taught her any of the official discussions... We've only met her twice!  But hey!  On the bright side, we know what we're going to teach her next!  XD

Focus on Christ and everything will come together, and there will be no need to fear!

Te whanaunga mo ake tonu!

Elder Eli James Dial

It's April????

(Elder Dial sent this email April 2)

Hello, everyone! (Happy Easter, yesterday!)

This week has been glorious!  A lot of change is happening, and it's going to be insane!  

First off, the Solemn Assembly. That was glorious.  No other words can accurately describe the awesomeness of that event.  ("I can't see!"  "He's too awesome!") #KungFuPanda

Next there was the Priesthood session.  The way President Nelson ended the session was so epic, there is only one way to describe how epic it was: "it was like a whale gave birth to a roaring T-rex, that was uppercutting a plato can."  #OlanRogers

Then, yesterday.  *mic drop*  

I'm excited for all the changes that President Nelson has talked about, and that will be happening/is happening now!

... And there's another change happening soon in the Albuquerque mission!  Yeah, smartphones are coming...   but not for the next month-ish or so!  This time, it's not speculation, it's the official word that we are getting devices.  *gag*

Pictures (because I forgot until now): 

1) Elder Dudley and I at the temple last Monday.

2)  Graffiti that people put up in the middle of the desert. (I guess they miss the water, ;)

3) We were on exchanges, I drew that and put that together, Elder Riehle was just there and decided to put his head in the picture.  :)

So, with all the changes that are happening, I like how much responsibility is put on us.  We no longer report statistics for home and visiting teaching.  I enjoy that very much.  There is much more trust placed in us as members of the church.  It's no longer about the numbers, as some people have got it into their head, and it is more focused on people, like it was in Christ's day.  If anyone is struggling accepting this change, I invite you to "be not afraid, only believe."  It's as simple as that.  Try believing in it, and everything will work out.  I have learned that if you believe that something was supposed to happen, then it becomes easier to handle it.  Believe that it was meant to happen, and it will all work out.  :)

Te whanaunga mo ake tonu!

Elder Eli James Dial

The Busy Feastly Week

(Elder Dial sent this email on March 26)

I don't have time for normal social welcomes.  Anyways...

This week has been great!  I've been trying not to get upset because of certain circumstances, but no worries, I'm not bitter.  As for this week, we went to the temple today, and it was really sad but spiritually epic!  Sad because this was the last opportunity I have to see some of the missionaries from down in El Paso, but it was great because it's the temple.  I don't think it's possible to not feel peace at the temple, so it felt really great.  

This week, I am going to be in meetings on Tuesday and Friday, which leaves Wednesday and Thursday to do some actual proselyting, basically, because of General Conference this weekend!  It has come so fast, it's insane! 

I know this is a short email, but just know that I'm fine, that God will speak to you this weekend through His prophets, and that it is going to be amazing!  Seek for answers and comfort and God will give it to you this weekend!

Te whanaunga mo ake tonu!

Elder Eli James Dial

Donut Lady

(Elder Dial sent this email March 19th)

Wasabi, everyone!

This week has been great!  To explain the title of the email, I refer to a comedian.  "I want a dozen donuts, 7 [covered in carmel]..."  "You have 5 left."  I'll leave that up to interpretation.  XD

Pictures:  

1) That's my companion in the middle, and that sums up the four of us... the shopping life.

2) "I'm going on an adventure!"  #MembersBackyardsAreBomb

3) We go bowling for free every P-day

4) Exchanges with the AP's, leaving notes on their (Elder Crook's) desk that teach true doctrine.  

5) Exhibit A of us being tired.  He fell out of his chair while he was holding a body pillow... yeah, the sleep struggle is real.  XD

Recently (back in December), the stake presidency was redone by President Uceda, of the Presidency of the Seventy.  While there, he made a promise that if we would focus on the less-active families/individuals, then the number of baptisms would double in the stake.  So, we have begun to work with the less-than-fully-active individuals, and because of that we have found two YSA* investigators, Julian and Daniel.  To put it simply, they are honest seekers of the truth, and it is awesome to be teaching them! ("They're grrrrrrrrrrrrreat!")

Never give up, never surrender!  Be incredible!

Te whanaunga mo ake tonu!

Elder Eli James Dial

Bleh part 2

Hey, everyone!

This week... I am so glad it's over.  Out of my whole mission, this week was the most mentally and emotionally challenging, sobering, exhausting week.  I have been pondering over what happened this week, and what I should or should not say to you all about it.  I have determined to share with you many of the things that I learned all throughout the trio life with Elders Schraedel and Riehle, but also include some things that I learned from this week.  Here you go:

     First: Men/husbands, no argument is worth sleeping on the couch for longer than a day or two.  Trust me, five weeks on a couch is NOT as comfortable as you think it is.  

     Second: Struggles come from two competing ideas.  If you don't want to struggle, give one of your ideas up and get over it.

     Third: "Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved." -President Monson

     Fourth: God is just as real as Satan. 

     Fifth (a recurring theme I've learned throughout my mission):  There are NO coincidences.  If you and I believe the Book of Mormon, then we believe that God is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent.  If that is true, then you and I believe that "a remarkable concurrence of events or circumstances without apparent causal connection[s]" don't actually happen, because God knows (and plans) them all.  Either believe in the Book of Mormon, or believe in "just happenstance", because you can't do both, no matter how many people you may lose as "friends".  (slight rant right there, not sorry)

As for my experience being in the Eldorado ward and the Mountain View YSA, both of them are awesome!  The family ward is sweet, it's probably the smallest geographical ward in the mission, but we also cover the YSA, soo... It's a lot of fun!  I'd gotten used to embracing the awkward, then I got put in a YSA...  I'm not bashing on YSA's, but yeah, they're... something else.  It's fun, though.  XD

Sorry for the short email this week, but just know that the emperor's groove has not been thrown off, Nemo "once was lost, but now [he's] found" and that Star Wars is not about different stars at war. :)

 

Te whanaunga mo ake tonu! 

-- 

Elder Eli James Dial

PS- I forgot my camera cord, so I'll send pictures eventually. 

PPS- my companion is Elder Dudley, he's from Calgary Canada.  

Transfers....for real this time XD

Hola, everyone!

Out of all the weeks on my mission, this week was one of them.  XD

This week.. hmmm, where to start.  Traveling to Socorro twice a week was fun.  That's not happening any more, though.  I am getting transferred from the Sage area, I am going to the Albuquerque East stake, and I will be serving in the YSA and another ward which I'm pretty sure is called the El Dorado Ward... So I guess you could say I'm on "The Road to El Dorado"...  You might as well call me Miguel or Tulio, because I could basically sum up my mission by watching that movie.  I served among Indians for 9 months, and I'm here for something more precious than gold.  I gain friends, and then my one constant friend (Christ) is always there to remind me of the real treasure.  Boom. Summed it up for you all.  ;)

Anyways, they split the Sage and Ladera wards for a week.  They are combining it again, where Elder Schraedel will take over the area (again) and will be in a trio (his 4th and 5th companions for this area).  Both Elder Riehle and I are going to the East stake, but not as companions. 

We said bye to a lot of people, it was rough, I almost cried, but that's alright, I have plenty of things to distract me (namely, an awkward moment or two *gag*).  Tis the mission life, I guess.

As for the video, I didn't realize how much I missed scaring the crap out of people until I became companions with Elder Riehle.  I had too much fun.  This was the best one.  Go ahead and judge the sound effects, I don't care, it was grrrrrrrrreat (just like Frosted Flakes)! ;)

I love you all, be strong and of a good courage, and believe in yourself and in Christ! (not in that order, though. :)

Te whanaunga mo ake tonu!

Elder Eli James Dial

Transfers...Kinda Sorta

Hey, everyone! 

So, the news you've all kinda sorta been waiting for: (if you don't like the phrase "kinda sorta"... take luck, because I'm kinda sorta using it a lot in this email. XD) Yes, I do have just one companion now!  The trio has been disbanded.  But, no. My greenie has not come yet (flippin paperwork!!).  One of the missionaries serving in a different area in our zone has returned home, so his companion came up here to be with me- but we are kinda sorta covering just one ward.  When I say "kinda sorta" I mean we will still be going down to his area to work, to "keep alive what needs to be kept alive" as far as missionary work goes.  So Elder Nelson (that's my companion's name) and I will be traveling 80 miles south on Tuesday and Thursday to get to the other part of our area known as Socorro, New Mexico!  We now cover the 2nd most northern area (the Sage ward) and we kinda sorta cover the farthest south area in our zone (Socorro), but nothing in between!  Don't worry, it should only be for this week, then it'll return to "normal"... whatever that is.  XD

A little background, Elder Nelson and I met when I was still in El Paso, and we kinda sorta shared a ward down there (that's a long story) but that was for one transfer.  Then I came up north in the mission and a transfer after I got here, he came up and was in my zone for the next 5 transfers.  So we've served around each other for basically a year.  It was one of those "we'll never be companions" or anything like that, but boom!  Here we are.  We're kinda sorta sure this is only going to be for a week (until transfers next Wednesday, and we know that from some inside details from President Guffey).  In short, we've known each other long enough and we get along really well together, so it's going to be a party this week!

I did give a talk in the Ladera ward yesterday, even though as of Saturday I was no longer serving in that ward.  It was slightly weird to think about as I gave my talk, but that's alright.  I was talking about trials, and it was really good!  It was an enjoyable experience (I say that because I have offered 20+ ish talks (don't argue, I've counted them) in different sacrament meetings throughout my life- I was more prepared for this one, and so I call it enjoyable merely because I was improvising for 10 minutes, like I may or may not have done in multiple of those previous 20 talks), and I'm going to miss that ward, even though I'm just right down the road from them!

As for my talk for yesterday, I'll sum it up in one sentence for you: When we are in our trials, we need to practice patience prayerfully.  Now I'll give you a nice little rundown (which is not Englished very well, just go with it): I talked about the 3 P's to overcome the hurdles of life: practice, patience and prayer. I used the example from my life of running hurdles, talked about practicing good habits now so trials don't destroy us later, I shared the example of the Stripling warriors, how they probably practiced using weapons before they went in to battle, before they even decided to go to war.  I then went on to patience and shared that perfection doesn't come immediately, just as trials don't end the instant you wake up from your Sunday naps (I literally said that, I shocked myself when it came out of my mouth) but then shared the experience from Alma 14, where Alma and Amulek are forced to watch everyone they grew close to on their mission be brutally burned to death, and are imprisoned for "many days" before being delivered.  Next I went on to prayer and how prayer helped me to have the peace I needed to run hurdles even though the outcome at the end of the trial wasn't the one I wanted.

Super choppy rough draft right there, but that's alright, because I only used an outline in my talk. XD  

That's the end of the email for me this week, I invite you all to ponder on how patience, practice and prayer all go together throughout this week- and to do all three with whatever trials come your way this week and throughout your life!

Te whanaunga mo ake tonu!

Elder Eli James Dial

6 months to......what???

Hello everyone! I'm not going to explain anything specific about the title to this email, just go with it.

This week has been pretty well!  

The mission tour with Elder Brent H. Nielson of the 70 (who is also the Executive Director of the Missionary Department) was pretty great!  Yes, mom and dad, he and his wife did remember- as I was about to shake his hand, he read my name tag and, while turning to his wife said, "This is the man who's parents we met a week or two ago in Rexburg! We're glad we were able to see you!" (I realize now that I should've responded with, "most people are" but I didn't think of that until now XD)  As usual, I didn't tell anyone, so the Elder behind me was super confused. XD

While he was here, though, some beans were spilled...  This mission will be getting devices (smartphones) next month.  Believe it or not, with that happening, "I'm not happy, Bob. Not. Happy."  I'm going to be that missionary that helps transition it all from paper to electronic.  I'll probably spend like 4 days putting all the info from the area book into the app/electronic stuff (not to mention I've basically forgotten how those things even work), and barely figure things out just to finish my mission 5 months later.  That's alright, I'm over it. :)

On Sunday, we had dinner with a member right?  Well, we found out who this guy is: his name is Brother Dotson.  He helped make some of your childhood so awesome. How?  He played some music for Disney's Robin Hood.  (picture #1)  You're welcome.  (There will be a video sometime in the future of him playing that guitar.)

No, my companion is not here, we're still in a trio.  And what do we do in a trio?  We take pictures when no one is looking- check out those gems (pictures #2 and #3)

Now, for some slight (only slight) explanation of the title of the email.  Yes, I do only have 6 months left.  But during this last 6 months, I now invite you all to study the Book of Mormon, looking for something specific.  For example, I plan to read and highlight all the manifestations of love found in the Book of Mormon.  I challenge you all to do something similar (maybe not the exact same, but do it to help you with something that you would like to become within the next 6 months).  I promise as a representative of Christ (I have His prophet's signature in my pocket this very second) that if you do this, you will become something greater in the next 6 months and will be firmly built on the foundation of Christ (Helaman 5:12). :)

Te whanaunga mo ake tonu!

(Great is my love for you all!)

Elder Eli James Dial

Bleh

Hola, everyone!

First off, I must that of all the weeks I've spent on my mission, I'm sure glad this one is over.  XD

We went on exchanges this last week, I was in Valencia with Elder Stephens, it was good!  That first picture sums that exchange up- we done did teach people the gospel, and found random funny things in the middle of nowhere (hence the picture).

We had interviews with President Guffey on Wednesday, where he told me that "within the next two or three days" I will be getting a companion- whether it was the one I was meant to train, or a different missionary who's companion was going to go home...  It is now day five and I'm still in a trio...  *sigh* paperwork. :(  Don't get me wrong, being in a trio is a lot of fun-it's just seems that it's more tiring as well.

Next, we went on an abrupt split with the assistants to the president.  They had an investigator for us, but we both had lessons at that time, so we went on splits so we could cover both lessons and introduce the other missionaries to the investigator, so that was fun.  We have this weekly sports activity that we do as a district to build member trust, and so the 5 elders in my district played indoor soccer in our "proselyting attire"-normal missionary clothes.  With how much traction these shoes have I think I might go into speed-skating when I get back.  XD Needless to say, as with all other missionaries (except when participating in the spud tug), we won.

Then Friday.  You know the stereotypical view of Mondays?  Yeah, that was Friday this last week.  We have district council every week, where we receive training on what to do and how to do it as missionaries, right?  Well, we got permission to leave our area (before district council) to go to UNM hospital and give a blessing to a brother who was in a car accident the night before.  The blessing goes well, and then we give a blessing to the father of the guy.  Thirty seconds after that, the father and I catch Elder Schraedel as he's falling to the ground.  Elder Riehle and I then spent the next 1.5 hours (that was supposed to be district council) in the hospital waiting room while the doctors check out Elder Schraedel.  Don't worry, he's alright.  Moral of the story: eat breakfast before you have high-stress situations, especially if you don't do good around blood and such like that.

Saturday there was a ward activity for the Ladera ward, it was awesome!  They went to find some of the people that are on the ward list but that nobody knew, so some families went to go find them.  We (the ward) ended up with 82 houses knocked on, and 7-8 people/families for us missionaries to go and visit, all within 1.5 hours. 

Sunday was going great, until I was passing the sacrament. There were some people there that were visiting from some Utah college.  They were in town for some race.  As I'm passing the sacrament, I recognize one of the girls there as a girl who graduated a year after me from Shelley, we were on the same track team for like 5 years.  (For those of you who know, it was Paytin) and I was confused and weirded out for the rest of the day.  I forgot that people from Shelley are even real people, it psyched me out.

Glad to be done with this week, even though it's been epic(ly stressful)!

Te whanaunga mo ake tonu!  Hear from you next week!

Elder Eli James Dial

It's February

Hey, everyone, it's February 5, 2018.  Ponder on that for a second.

It's a date. XD

Picture 1:  That's the doormat of one of the less-active brothers we visit; sometimes we do actually yell ding dong. :D

Picture 2:  Don't worry.  That's just a paintball gun. 

This week has been awesome!  I'm still in a trio, my "son" is still in the "womb" (MTC) and his "due date" (arrival to the NM ABQ mission) is still unknown.  :(

We were able to have a lesson with Anton, he's a beast!  He wants to be baptized at the end of February, but the paperwork needs to be completed... *sigh* paperwork.

We contacted a referral this last week... kinda. So it was 7 at night, we knock on the door but no answer.  We knew they were home, so we knocked a 2nd time.  A lady comes to the door says, "1 sec" and closes the door...  10 minutes later, we decided that she wasn't coming back.  (She didn't).  We're pretty sure that was longer than a second.  XD  Tha'ts alright, she will be contacted and taught the gospel.

In about 2 weeks we will have Elder Brent H. Nielson of the 70 visiting the mission.  He's the head of the Missionary Executive Council, so that should be EPIC.

I've pondered a lot this week about love and charity and such.  I personally love 1 Peter 4:8, it is legit!  If we have charity, not only will it prevent a multitude of sins, but it helps us to become true followers of Jesus Christ and help others along the way as well!  You know, "...except [we] should have charity [we are] nothing...." (2 Nephi 26:30), and "by this shall all men know that ye are [His] disciples...." (John 13:35).  "True Christianity is love in action.  There is no better way to manifest love for God than to show an unselfish love for your fellow men.  This is the spirit of missionary work"  (President David O. McKay, in Preach My Gospel, page 13.)

Tip of advice:  Stop viewing it as missionary work. Start viewing it as showing love.  Whatever way you show love to your brothers and sisters, it is missionary work.  They are one and the same.  So if you claim to believe in and follow Jesus Christ, start showing love for (AKA doing missionary work to/with) people.

Te whanaunga mo ake tonu!

(Great is my love for you all!)

Elder Eli James Dial

All for One and One for All!

Hello everyone!

This week has been pretty swell!  No, my trainee has not come yet, I am still part of a trio, and that first picture sums up my companions.  It's still Elder Schraedel and I, but now, Elder Riehle (pronounced reel or real (he's the Riehle deal ;)), as shown on the left meditating while in Domino's. He's been out for 6 months, and he just came from Taos, the most north area of the mission.  (We are now the 3 Musketeers, hence the title of the email)

Our new investigator, that second picture is.  ;)

We had a good lesson with Anton, he's an investigator who wants to be baptized but has some legal stuff he's got to go through before he can be baptized.  He's been reading the Book of Mormon for over a year now, he's almost finished with it.  He's also reading the Gospel Principles book, the pamphlets we give him, and also Preach My Gospel. We basically go over that we may cover the material, so when the paperwork is complete he won't have to wait to be baptized.  (Paperwork.  It's holding him back from being baptized and my trainee from coming to New Mexico.  LAME.)

We visited with a less-active named Lindsay, she's pretty awesome.  She has a boyfriend, Chris, who's not really interested, but he respects us and pays attention and listens to the lesson.  They're expecting a baby girl (which will be named Leah) coming up, and we've been trying to help her (and him, inadvertently) to attend church more often.  We started to teach them who they are as children of God, and it was sweet!  They both have rough pasts, but they're really into Star Wars, and that's where they came up with the name of Leah.  They talked about how Leah, in Star Wars, was always a beacon of hope.  Well, their daughter, Leah, is their beacon of hope to be better parents than they had (part of their rough pasts was the difficult time with certain parents). In order to help them recognize the Holy Ghost more, we felt that we needed to draw their minds back to the moment when they decided on the name of Leah, because it clearly meant a lot to them.  So we did, and it turned out incredible!  Chris, who was raised baptist, almost said the prayer- he hasn't prayed in years, but he almost did!  Then his mom walked in the apartment.  (it's her apartment, they live with her temporarily)

Talk to you all next week!

Te whanaunga mo ake tonu!!

Elder Eli James Dial

Transfers + Stress= -_-

Hello, everyone!

This week has been a stressful week. Again. ("Again? Freaking again?") 

So, we have been cleaning our apartment for 2 new Elders to move in- and we were in the process of doing that last Monday when President Guffey called and I was asked to be a trainer.  Then we go on exchanges, where I was with Elder Andrade from El Salvador, and he loses his wallet with some immigration information in there (hooray for driving around for 2 hours visiting different places looking for it).  Next was zone conference on Thursday, where I am the only missionary asked to give a 5 minute talk (which isn't stressful if you're prepared... guess who wasn't prepared :(  )  That night we get a call from the Assistants telling us they are splitting our area- the Sage and Ladera wards will both have their own missionaries starting this Wednesday, but that neither ward is going to get whitewashed.  So then we start speculating which ward we'll be covering and who our companions will be.  Then, on Saturday, President Guffey calls again and tells me that my trainee (that I would've begun training two days from now) has some paperwork for the military that he needs to have all figured out before he can come down. In essence, I was told that sometime that I don't know when (I'll probably find out the day he gets here) I will be receiving a brand new missionary.  Until that unknown day, Elder Schraedel and I will be staying in a trio in the Sage and Ladera area.  Once my trainee gets here is when the area will be split.  The worst part?  We still don't know which ward we'll be covering when the area does get split.  And to top it all off, those first 2 pictures are the closest I've been to fresh snow since spring of 2016.

That was a fun way to start the last 7 months of my mission. *gag*

That 3rd picture is artwork from Laguna (my previous area) in one of the Sage member's homes, my last area.  Someone put three bird feathers together and painted an eagle on them.  Isn't it pretty inconceivable? ;)

We started teaching a part member family recently.  The 12 and 13-year-old kids aren't baptized.  They are already active, they just need the permission of their mom in order to be baptized.  They're mom is against the church because her ex-husband is participating in it.  (side note: Don't let your pride destroy other people's salvation, please! It's already destroying your own, don't drag others down with you!!  [that's what Satan's trying to do, don't become his MVP]) We have began to move forward in faith that they'll be able to be baptized soon.  And so are they.  :)  They spend every other week with their mom, so they only go to church whenever they are with their dad- until recently.  The 13-year-old boy, named Logan, decided one Sunday that he was going to go to church, but he was at his mom's house that week.  Solution?  Wake up before mom, and "run away" to church.  XD  Naturally, Mom's furious, but two weeks later when they're back at her house, she says, "don't run away. I'll take you to church." 

Logan: 1

Mom: 0

God will provide a way for you all to keep His commandments!  All you need to do is exercise your faith and "go and do" (1 Nephi 3:7) in order to help you grow and become!

Te whanaunga mo ake tonu!

Elder Eli James Dial

Missions are Sweet!

Hello everyone!

This week has been great!  A lot more stressful than I would've liked, but that's alright. 

Transfers are next week, and I will be training a new missionary (in missionary vernacular, I'm having a son).

As for the rest of the week, it was pretty good!  We receive a lot of referrals, mostly from the media, and it's been a struggle contacting all of them.  We've gotten a couple from sister missionaries from other missions, including one sister's (who's serving in Florida) dad, and another sister serving in New Jersey sending us some of her family to teach, it's been pretty awesome!  It truly is a small world!

We have zone conference on Thursday it was a surprise!  We found out basically a week and a half ago, and we usually know... before that sometime.  It'll be fantastic!

I've been pondering a lot this last week a quote by President Monson (wasn't his funeral epic?!), "Don't ever let something to be done become more important than a person to be loved."  Then I was reading in 3 Nephi 17 this morning, and I realized in verses 4-7 Christ did exactly that!  He needed to go and do, but He felt He needed to show more love to the Nephites!  So, He called the sick, lame, deaf, blind, and all others with illness or anything like that up to Him so He could heal them!  What people do you serve in your callings that needs some of Christ's love?  All of them!  Everyone could use some of Christ's love, and you can only show that by spending time with them!

Sorry for the short letter this week, but I love you all!

Te whanaunga mo ake tonu!

Elder Eli James Dial

The Joys of Missionary Work

Hey everyone!

Sorry about last week's email, if it seemed like a rant, that's because it kinda was.  *cue embarrassed cheesy grin*  If you didn't see it that way, awesome!  Then you can move on to the rest of the email. :)

Anyways, this week has been pretty good! 

Picture #1: I just bear-ly took that selfie today... (if you didn't see that pun coming, then you must not know me very well. ;)

Picture #2: I didn't realize it at the time, but I was practicing my impression of a cross-eyed dinosaur, what do you think?  XD

Picture #3:  That picture was taken of the Elders in my district the morning that Elder Finlay, the elder on the far left, was emergency transferred to El Paso.  They were staying at our apartment the night before, so we got up and instead of exercising we drove them to their apartment so he could take the 2 hours he could to pack before he left.

Picture #4:  I make muffins for the district so we can eat them after district council on Fridays. The muffins usually bake for 14-16 minutes, but one batch may or may not have been in the oven for 35 minutes...  I bet you can't tell which ones they are. XD #whoops

The two wards we cover now have meeting times that overlap: Sage ward meets at 9, and Ladera has ward council at 9:30, so we go on splits for church now-  and it's been pretty sweet so far!  Slightly difficult to explain to some of the members that we need to have specific companions during ward meetings, but fun!  The brother who was my companion for sacrament meeting, has only been a member of the church for about eight years, and it was hilarious!  He turns to me and says, "You're the senior companion here, I follow you."  They might have been pulling faces at the kids in front of us, but him and his wife are awesome!

Funny story for you: a brother from the Spanish ward just returned from his mission, and the family had an open house for him at the church this last Saturday.  We had just given a church tour to an investigator, and we walk in to see what was happening.  The open house was over, and there was still food out... We walked in too far.  One sister pulled us over to the food, and proceeded to pack us a meal.  The funny part, is that they had the little cutie oranges.  They began to give us all of the leftover oranges.  Our hands were full, but that wasn't going to stop these sisters.  What did they do?  They opened my backpack while I was wearing it to figure out where to put these last oranges.  *sigh*  Don't worry about me going hungry, that's for sure.

Some events the last two weeks have lead to me ponder this quote from this last general conference: 

"The Lord has more in mind for you than you have in mind for yourself!  You have been reserved and preserved for this time and place.... 

"The Lord needs you to change the world.  As you accept and follow His will for you, you will find yourself accomplishing the impossible!"

-President Russell M. Nelson, as quoted in John C. Pingree Jr.'s talk "I Have A Work for Thee" from the October 2017 General Conference

God has a plan for you, just come closer to Him and you will be changing the world! 

Te whanaunga mo ake tonu!

Elder Eli James Dial

:/

Hey, everyone!

Happy days to celebrate (birthdays, anniversaries, etc.,)

Kalli, Holly, Sarah, Nate, Tyrell, Steph

Anyways, I have few minutes to speak, so some English may get rough in this email, stay on toes to keep up.  ;)

We had the "Day with the Lord" yesterday and Sunday night, it was awesome!  We didn't spend the whole day reading the Book of Mormon, like last year, but this year was a lot more powerful to me!  We received a lot of envelopes and instructions in each one-telling us to read this general conference talk, ponder these questions and write down what we learn and things like that.  It was a really cool experience, I'll keep the envelopes and such so I can do it again later on throughout my life!

Also, on Sunday we had our most solid investigator come to church again, but he stayed for the full 3 hours this time!  His name is Anton, and when he came to Gospel Principles class it was sweet... until the teacher started to teach some slightly-not-correct doctrine.  The lesson was on the Millenium (perfect for someone new, right?)  and this teacher somehow got talking about the pre-earth life.  Long story short he said that there was a lady he knew who said, "If I knew how hard this life would be I would never have chosen to come here."  Then he said that we were all shortsighted in making that decision to come earth. Multiple things about this have been bothering me:

1) that lady was focused on the wrong thing.  "Adam fell that men may be, and men are that they might have joy." You are here to be joyful, and it's hard to be joyful if you're focused on how difficult your life is.  If you find it hard to be joyful, "Count your many blessings, see what God hath done." That helps!

2) You and I knew full well it would be hard in this life. We didn't fully understand how difficult, but you and I knew that it would require us to stretch, work hard, and, essentially, give our whole being to God to succeed in this life.  We knew what our final goal was when we left, and we knew what we would have to do to get there, so no, we were definitely not shortsighted. 

3) Teach out of love!  That was something this teacher did not do.  He was trying to teach a concept, but no one really tried to pay attention because he didn't show love.  With this new "Come Follow Me" program coming out for you adults it is all love based!  If you love people, you will provide a discussion-oriented environment for the people you teach will come to know that you love them.  You love them by listening to their input, by asking them what they learn, and inviting them to share!  You show your love for them and for Heavenly Father by providing them an opportunity for the Spirit to speak through them-which will also help them to be truly converted to the gospel that you would've tried to lecture to them anyways.  Some of the most loving words Christ said to the people in the Book of Mormon were in 3 Nephi 11:14- His invitation for them to know who He is for themselves.  By having a discussion based lesson in your classes and quorums, you will be saying that same thing to the people you teach- "Arise, and come [and know for yourself]"!

Te whanaunga mo ake tonu!  I love you all!  Start the New Year off with your lightsaber in your dominant hand!  :)

Elder Eli James Dial