I will not be homesick!

English is a Little weird (Benji said after I was saying that he probably isn’t used to speaking it much now but was speaking it during our skype call. ) (I told him that I told Chellie that when she comes home that she doesn’t need to listen to the radio for a while because I think that it has become worse since she left on her mission.) Benji said: Sadly enough, with riding buses, we hear a lot of music. But, I prepared myself for a while before my misión by almost only listening to church songs. It's weird to think I hear more here than I did there. I do listen to the music you guys send me almost every day, and I love it. I'll listen to it while I work out to feel the spirit. Benji and his companion have had problems with the water in their house. And he said: We are going to fix that wáter problema today. This week we focused a lot on the husband of a less active who is not a member. He has done everything we have asked him to, and he is progressing. He couldn't come to church this week because he had to work, but his family did come for the first time in a long time. We are blessed to find more people every week. We are blessed to find those who are Ready. President Stellmon invited us all to have a baptism for January. We hope to achieve that goal. I loved talking to you guys (on Christmas Day). I was feeling a Little homesick after we talked, and I decided to read in the "Adjusting to missionary life" manual. It has suggestions for every type of stressful thing. (President Stellmon also invited us to read The Fourth Missionary, which is amazing if you can find it. As in, please find it and read it.) It told me to read my patriarcal blessing. When I read it, my mind felt transformed. I had been feeling like a kid. But after Reading it I realized that I was ready for everything. I just needed to remind myself that I was on a misión for the Lord. That a few years after my misión, I'll probably already be married with my own kids. It hit me that I God has a much bigger plan for me, that there is a man in the future that He wants me to be, and that to understand who that man is, I need to plan to be him. I realized that there is a man that I don't know yet who should be one of my greatest examples, that if I get to know him and plan to be like him in the future, I will be him, because that man is ME. I know that the blessings that I found there can and will come true if I am faithful. I invite all of you to plan for who you will be. I invite you to surrender your will to God and Let him change you. Learn who that person is, what they sound like, what they know, think, feel, and how it feels to be around them. Let that person be Even as Christ Is. Plan this New Years to be that person. Will YOU do it? I share this in the name of Jesús Christ, Amen. Love, Elder Dazey

Being one of God's Soldiers

This was a pretty good week. We had a lot of meetings. District meeting, Zone Conference, and a Christmas Dinner with the Ward. In the district meeting we all got too know each other a Little better, and we all practiced inviting people to baptism. In our Zone Conference we watched many segments from A Christmas Carol, and we talked about how humanity is our business, and how to enjoy Christmas, and that we can do things during Christmas time that we can't normally do. We can be a Little more bold, and people are more likely to receive us. We played a Missionary Family Feud game, and during lunch I played that pass the cup girls camp pitch perfect game with like 10 sisters and an Elder. It was fun. One of the assistants made a spanglish Night before Christmas and read it, and there were quite a few musical numbers. At the end one of the elders walked in dressed as Santa, so we got some pictures of our district. It was pretty funny. At the Dinner it started off pretty slow, but the Elders of our district sang Venid Adoremos (Oh Come All Ye Faithful), and our relief Society President started games with the members. We got to help out with helping people get their food. It sufficith me to say that I had a good week, and I know this one can be even better. My Parents shared their testimonies with my, and I wish to bear mine with all of you. I know that following the laws of God brings blessings. I know that there is no greater happiness and success that can be found than in this Church. I have faith in Jesús Christ. I have faith in my Father in Heaven. I have faith enough to be obedient and show God that I love him. I know that prayers are answered. I love being His son, and I'm trying to be like Jesus so that I can live with God. I bear this simple testimony in the name of Jesús Christ. Amen. I had a pretty heart touching moment with the kid in this picture. I sat down to eat at a table, and this mom was talking with her Little son. She said, "What do you think he looks like?" (Talking about me) He said "Capitán America" I love being confused for Captain America. But then after a few minutes he said, "What is your real name?" And I said "Elder Dazey. I'm a Super Hero too." His mom then said to him " Just like Captain America is a soldier, he is too. But he is one of God's soldiers." I about cried. It's an honor to be one of God's Soldiers. I hope you all have a very Wonderful-y Christmas and a Happy New year. Love, Elder Dazey

Some weeks are harder than others

So this week was good. I don't have my Journal with me, so I can't promise that I'll remember that much. It was very different from last week. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't great. It was weaker in some aspects and stronger in others. We've done a lot more contacting this last week. One sister gave us 13 references! I wish that all members were like that. She really had a spirit about her, and she has a lot of faith. It is so important what the members do in this work. In Preach My Gospel it says that the ideal situation is that missionaries never have to find investigators, but that the members bring investigators to them. We don't tract in this mission. Elder Sosa and I have not dedicated any time to tracting. If we feel inspired, we talk to someone, but all of our investigators come from references that we get from the members. If you can focus all of your efforts in always serving in missionary work, temple work, and perfecting the saints, you will see yourself walking with Christ, and you will know with a surety how Chellie and I are doing.  

I also told Benji about another story in my letter: President Marsh also told us about a crew team that he had read about recently. They won the Olympics in the 1930's. He said that if you look at what it takes for a crew team to win, it is kind of interesting because they all sit backwards and can't see where they are going or where the competition is. He said that they have to rely on the one guy that is sitting at the front of the boat who can see and give directions as to how hard to pull, which way to go to avoid other teams and when to speed up to race towards the end. That one person on the team can see what is coming. He can see what it takes to get to the end and he said that if we view Christ as our lead person, and are willing to take our cues from him and let him tell us what we need to do to avoid the obstacles ahead, that the path will be so much easier to get to the end. I loved that analogy. And Benji said: I really like that anology too.

(Benji's letter continues) Yesterday our building was Dedicated. Elder Sosa and I walked in an hour early and saw the stake choir singing. I had to join  So we sang with them for the dedication. It was very nice. This week we went to exchanges although we didn't have a change. Elder Sosa wanted to say goodbye to a previous companion who was leaving the mission. Our district changed a lot this week and we have a new district leader. All of the new missionaries in our district are nice. Our district leader is cool. Today we went back to the Centro and ate some more 5 peso tacos  It was good. Anyway, sorry that I don't have my journal this week, I'll try to remember it.

Love,

Elder Dazey

Soooo Many Blessings!

That's so great that you got so much done this week. It's sad to hear about sister Scottin's mom. That is so great to hear about Alex bearing his testimony at church. Needless to say, I shed a few tears on that one, thanks. I hope he can keep it up. That quote is beautiful. I've learned so much about Jesus Christ the last week. I've been reading in matthew and trying to prepare myself for christmas. I love the church movie, El es la Dadiva (He is the Gift). They gave us cards for that video to pass to everyone, I imagine that you have already seen them. I'm glad you enjoyed the prank. I did have an adjustment period to the water and food, but I don't have to share it ;D Just know that I'm alive, and Preaching the gospel. also that period is basically over. I haven't had problems for weeks. Tell Aaron I love him, and good luck at his concert. If you can, have him write something in your letter. Sorry I didn't write yesterday, We had to pick up a new missionary to take him to our house and let him stay with us the night before changes, so we are writing now. So this week was the best week I've had my whole mission. We got done with one day, and Elder Sosa even said that that day was the best day he's had his whole mission. We got the lists of members our president asked us to get last week, and we have worked on little things that we can do to be more obedient. Just updating our area book and having amazing planning sessions that are really focused on our investigators being a few of the things. I really do know Spanish. No joke. I plan to speak like a native by the time I get out, Because I can already understand almost everything, and God isn't holding back the gift of tongues. We we're given a new reference this week of a family that lives in our neighborhood. We have had two lessons with them, and they want to be baptized. They are both about 20, and need to get married to get baptized, but they have the desire. They really want to go to church, but they have had to work on sundays, so we will teach keeping the sabbath day holy. The "wife" read the first pamphelet just because they both liked us. Our second lesson with them was only with him, but he talked about how much he felt that we were already his friends. At the end we asked him who his best friend was (To get references) And he talked about someone across the street who he thought was his best friend, but now that guy smokes pot and is lame. He said that he thinks that pretty soon we will be his best friends. So far they are almost golden investigators, we just have a few problems to work through. 
We were with a Married couple in the ward to go to an appointment with a family, but they weren't there. We knocked on their door, and their neighbor answered. We told her that we were looking for her neighbors, and she said okay, and went back to what she was doing. We remembered that we had done that before, that we had gone to that house, and that that sister who just answered the door was open to recieve us. The problem was that we hadn't had another man with us at the time, so we couldn't go in because it was just her and her baby, but this time we were prepared because we had this couple with us. We knocked her door this time, and she recieved us. We talked to her, and she said that she was almost always alone, and that she enjoyed our company. She spoke of problems that her brothers baby was having, and we taught of God and Families. I invited her to baptism, and she accepted. The members that were with her offered to take her to church. She went to church this past sunday. She was a miracle. We wouldn't have taught her if they hadn't been there, and she was ready to recieve us in that moment, and we had the people we needed to enter. Our other lessons were very guided by the spirit. An invertigator that wasn't really progressing before became excited to hear the restoration, accepted baptism, and her kids, who previously didn't have any desire to go to church, were excited to attend. They couldn't this week because of some work problems, but hopefully we can get at least a few of them to come with us this week. We have served this part week. We learned a scripture (Nephi 10.22) And we applied it. Y el espiritu santo me da autoridad(and the Holy Spirit gives me the Authority) para que declare estas cosas, (to declare these things)y no las retenga. (And deny them not. ) We spoke with power from the holy ghost. We taught about family history, and felt the spirit of Elijah. This week has been full of miracles. We have had entire days of lessons that were entirely guided by the spirit. It was amazing.
I love you all. And I hope that in this Christmas season you all can discover, accept, and share the Gift that is Jesus the Christ. My studies have been so powerful the past week as I have studied the life of Christ. I am so excited for this season. I've had more gifts this Christmas than I could imagine.
Love, 
Elder Dazey

Missionaries are Pranksters!

 Thanksgiving I had exchanges. It was a normal day. But that's fine. I love it. I love the food. I don't like citas that fall through. I don't like being disobedient. We don't do dinner. We do comida (2 oclock) We have it with members every day but p day. (Needless to say our Relief Society president is the boss) I should be with Elder Sosa for my entire training (3 months) We are more in the city. I'm going to try to send some pictures today. It is all hills here. We live in a very large neighborhood called Galaxia. We actually spent a few hours in the Centro (downtown) today. It was super cool. Giant cathedrals, stores, 5 peso tacos (so good) It was cool. My Spanish? I'll let you guys tell me on Christmas ;D I'm at a level of Spanish that is hard for me to imagine. Every day I think about the fact that I speak a second language. The spirit helps a lot. We have 6 missionaries in our ward. It is cold when we run in the morning. BTW I've been pretty fit lately. Elder Sosa and I work out for realz. We're trying to be Nephites, because in every picture of a nephite they are huge. Well I'm glad Pappap is ok :D He's such a good guy. Tell him and everyone else that I love them. I had a dream with him in it.  Thanks for the scripture. I really like that one. Have you all seen the He is the gift video? (El es la Dadiva) It is awesome. Could you share stories of our ancestors? It can be anything from anyone. Your Mom, Dad's parents. Anything. I'd like to know more. I'm going to fill out my My Family pack this week. Can you and dad write a short autobiography of your lives for my pack?  I've had a good week. We had a lot of meetings this week, and We didn't have very good numbers this week because we had those meetings and a last minute move with the sister missionaries. Everything has been going well we are working harder. We did finally get some member lists that president has been asking us for. I love you guys. I hope everything goes well preparing for Navidad.

- My companion and our district leader did exchanges the other day, and left the toilet covered in poop. They filmed me seeing it. IT WAS A NIGHTMARE. They told me after that it was a chocolate, oatmeal, ketchup, jello mixture :D I'll try to send the pictures. :D

Love you too Dad,

Elder Dazey

Learning About Christ

I told Benji: To Start out, We invited two families to church for yesterday and Julia invited a few friends and no one came. Well, as Dad said, it was 'invite a friend to church Sunday' not 'make sure your friend gets to church' Sunday. Oh, well, we tried.

And He responded: Well you did what you could. You invited and you followed up. It sounds like you're a great missionary to me :D Tell Pappap I love him and to get better. It would probably be good if at some point he recieved a priesthood blessing. I'm so glad he's doing well though.

 I also told Benji about Julia's All County Band Concert and how she has been invited to be in All County Orchestra and his response was: 

Woah Julia. Dang. You go girl! That sounds like it was an awesome concert! I was so surprised looking at my family tree and seeing some of the work that you had done. It really is wonderful.

I also share the following story with Benji.

 I have started reading an article  where the man said that he took his family to see paintings Christ that were lined up in the order of His life. Each family member described what was happening in a painting and when it got to the Dad's turn, he saw the picture of Christ on the cross and said that this was where Christ died. His two little children said, 'No Daddy. He is alive.' He says:      I stooped down to ask them to use their quiet voices and to explain more about the Crucifixion. That’s when I saw what they were seeing. From their angle, we could see on the glass partition the reflection of one painting superimposed on another painting. One was the painting of the Lord on the cross, and the other was the painting of His Resurrection. In both paintings His arms are stretched out, in the one on the cross and in the other as He is leaving the tomb. When I first saw the paintings imposed one on the other, it startled me. In that moment the images seemed to match perfectly. It seemed as if I were looking at the Savior’s spirit leaving His body on the cross.

Upon closer inspection I discovered the illusion, then enjoyed looking at each painting separately—The Crucifixion and The Resurrection. But the memory of the two paintings superimposed is imprinted on my mind. In a single view, they encapsulated the Lord’s condescension and His transcendent glory. And in one moment, the reality of the Crucifixion and of the Resurrection was confirmed by the Spirit in my heart and soul.       

BENJI SAID: I Loved that! Seeing Christ through the eyes of his children helped him see revelations about the Savior that had never come to him before! That story is awesome. I love it. I have been reading Jesus the Christ and I want to focus my studies on his life this next month leading up to christmas. 

For Christmas,  I would also like hand written letters from you all with your testimony and favorite scripture about the savior. I want to see how you all prepared yourselves to have a spiritual Christmas season. My greatest present will be talking to you all on Christmas. Thank you so much for all of your spiritual and financial support for my mission. You already give so much.

Love,

Elder Dazey

PS. As for my week, we worked a lot more with members this week. Our main investigators are progressing step by step. We had a lesson with a family this week, and the invited others from their church and wouldn't let us share our message. They had antimormon literature and 4 bibles already open to scriptures upon our entrance. Needless to say, we left quickly. It was the saddest feeling I've had so far, to see people so contentious. But it taught me a good lesson about finding people that are prepared. We are helping a few families prepare to be sealed in the temple. Its awesome. We are getting better and better at teaching, and our lessons are overall very good.We are working with members more and more. Love your missionaries. Help them as much as you can. They can't do their job without you. I love you all, and I'll try to remember to bring my journal next week to write more specific information.

Prayers and Miracles

We have been talking a lot about family history lately. Keep it up Mom! You're the best! That makes me so happy. Like SO HAPPY. 

We've been trying to pray with more effort after a presentaion from the Assistants in our mission. They told us that we would pray around 22,000 times on our missions, and that we needed to make every single one good enough to bring miracles just as prayers brought miracles in the scriptures.

I told Benji a story that we were told in Ward Council as a spiritual message on gratitude. It was a talk that someone read where a man had his family would literally take inventory of all of the things that they had on their farm every Thanksgiving. It was for them all to 'count their blessings. One year the crops failed and he had to sell all of their livestock to be able to eat. Everyone was doing that so they didn't get a very good price for them. This was also the year that they happened to have electricity added to their farmhouse. He killed a jack rabbit for their dinner and his wife was unhappy because those were tough and took a lot of hard work to cook them right. The only crop they did have were turnips. Which were usually bitter. The kids looked at the dinner and refused to eat. The mom was in tears because she had worked so hard on it. The Dad proceeded ask the kids to get the old oil lamp out and they lit it and then he went around and turned off all of the light bulbs. They were amazed at how dark it got and that they could even see their dinner before. As they gave thanks for the meal and started to eat it, the rabbit was delicious and the turnips were the sweetest they had ever tasted! So many blessings! So much to be thankful for! 

So Benji's response was: Thanks for that story. I am working on having more gratitude in my heart. It helps me keep my mind on the work. It's awesome to see how our success in the area is directly related to our obedience.

You all are having a Stake wide Family History Fair?  (Mexican whistle thing) ESSSSSOOOOOOOO! That's so cool! I want to do more family history. Hopefully we can work it into our schedule.

   I invited a friend of mine to an 'Invite a friend to church day' and Benji said: I'm so glad you could invite Jennifer. That's exactly how it works Mom. God will always bless you as you are praying and searching. Keep up the good work. It's awesome to see all that you do as we work more with our Relief Society President. You really are a big help to those missionaries. They need you.  

  I saw a woman with her son this week, and I was feeling just a little sick that day (and you know how emotional I can get when I am sick) Her son reminded me so much of Alex. I didn't get to talk to them, but my companion did (It was on the bus) but I loved them so easily. I was almost crying. I have thought a lot about Alex this week. I told Benji: You know I was talking to someone recently and without even thinking about it much before I said it, told them that Alex doesn't know how to lie. He doesn't know manipulation or deceit. Although he can be difficult sometimes, he is so much more pure in Spirit that we 'normal people'. He is truly blessed! And so are we. I said that one day when we get up to Celestial Kingdom, he is going to be radiant, and he is going to look at us and say, 'This is me. I couldn't tell you before but this is the true me. Thank you for loving me.'

Benji said: Thank you for sharing that thought about the Celestial Kingdom with me.

  

I shared this quote with him. 

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

―  Martin Luther King Jr. He said: That is a beautiful quote. Tell Daniel He is doing a great job with missionary work and to keep up the good work. 

Love,

Elder Dazey

IBenji said they were having a hard time getting members of the Ward to come out to their teaching appointments and I told him that the Sister missionaries here have a calendar of the upcoming week with them each Sunday that they pass around and people can sign up for times when they have time available. By the time church is over, their calendar is usually full! So Benji said:  P.s. You're advice last week was gold. We have a schedule full of member present lessons. My companion wants to kiss you for helping us.

Loving the Work

In my letter to Benji this week, I told him this story:Today in RS we were talking about missionary work and Sister Torgersen said that at one point during her husband's guitar making and selling business, he was having a lot of people coming into their home who looked very different than the people that they would see at church. She said that they were all nice people and it was interesting to get to know a lot of them. Years later, now that her sons have gone on missions, they write back and tell her that they are very grateful for the lessons their parents taught them about getting to know and love people for who they are on the inside and not for what they look like on the outside. There have been times that one of her sons has felt inspired to go up to someone to talk about the Gospel and their companion has said that he wasn't sure about that person because they look a little "Sketchy". And Elder Torgersen's response was "And? That should stop us?"
She says that she has always told them to 'Look on the heart and not on outward experiences when approaching people about the gospel.' I thought that that sounded like very wise words and something that might help you on your mission. Benji's said in his letter:
Thanks for the story from Sister Torgerson. My Spanish is getting a lot better. The more humble I am, and the more that I listen, the more that I learn. Thanks for all the suggestions! I'll share them with Elder Sosa, and hopefully we can apply them. There wasn't much Day of the Dead in Galaxia (my área) Elder Sosa says that in other places there is a lot more. Mostly I just saw kids trick or treating for a few days straight.
The misión is going great. Elder Sosa Works hard, and I like to work hard too, so we are pretty obedient (though there is a lot to improve, always :D) We are helping one family prepare to be sealed in the temple, and our lesson with them was really cool this week. I love working. I want to learn everything that Elder Sosa does so that I can be better. Today we had a really cool activity with our zone. We literally played sports and ate pizza. It's great to take a break and play soccer and stuff. Weird how much more I like sports now. Elder Sosa and I were looking at some church paintings, and noticed that all of the righteous people were super buff. So our goal is do be nephites, because all of the most righteous people are buff, right?
Teaching is great. The church is true. Mexico is better every day. I love you Mom!
-Elder Dazey

Getting started in Mexico

My companion is from Querétaro, Mexico. He only speaks Spanish. It´s great :D So, I taught a lot in the MTC, but for some reason I have a harder time here. (Probably because I can only follow 60-80 percent of the conversation) But I have contacted someone on the bus without my companions help. He is starting to ask me to do a lot. It´s not that I can´t teach, it´s that I don´t always know what the last thing they said was. We will have a lesson tonight though, and I will teach a lot of it. Sacrament was good. The people are nice. We really just need people to accompany us to appointments and things.

 People don´t believe me at first and then I explain. Usually a missionary from The USA will say something like "Haha! A mexican that doesn´t speak Spanish" They like to make jokes ;D  Elder Sosa is super service oriented. He finds every opportunity to serve me, and I´m trying to be more like him.  

We have a Little apartment house thing. Two stories, 1 bedroom, 1 Bathroom, kitchen/study área.  All of the lessons that the sisters before us set up, fell through. We´re gonna baptize them all though :D  We need to find these people. We don´t have many to teach yet. So far I don't need a bike, in answer to your question. 

 I was studying today and thought about how the first principles of the góspel are like a pyramid, and that you have to have a foundation of Faith in order to have the desire and power to repent. Build Faith and Love for Christ, and anyone can repent of anything. I love you guys. Tell Julia to keep up her scripture reading. There is another Elder in my district that did marching band. Tell Aaron that kids everywhere are the same. The boys were playing Minecraft in the bathroom at Church on Sunday ;) Tell Alex I love him, and that I think about him a lot. My wards name is Margarita, which means 'daisy' in Spanish.  Haha. They think it´s cute that I´m a ¨Daisy¨

With Love,

Elder Dazey

Mexico Bound

Today Elder Benjamin Dazey was able to call us from the airport in Houston, Texas on his way to Puebla, Mexico! The call was a little delayed because he and his companion found someone to teach the Gospel to in the airport! Yay missionaries! Here is a picture of he and his companion on the way to Mexico.

Humility and Happiness

On Thu, Oct 23, 2014

I'm so glad that everything is going well. I heard from Anna that First Ladies had a great concert! You're doing great, Julia, keep it up. 6th chair freshman year? You're a boss.

I can't wait for Mexico. I feel ready. I've learned what I need to go, and I feel that I will be able to understand and speak very well. We've had the opportunity to teach members in Mexico over Skype twice. I understood most of what they said. It is awesome how much more I know now than I did in April. I can even roll my R's. For those of you that don't know, I have always had trouble rolling my R's. I started doing it like the first week that I came. I told the other Elders that I couldn't, and in less than ten minutes they had helped me do it. This is a miracle. The gift of tongues is real. I haven't had any crazy "I used words that I didn't know" experiences yet, but the Spirit has definitely played a huge hand in bringing all things to my remembrance. The gifts of the Spirit are REAL. I have been blessed with them. I have done things I could not have without them. 

 I took my personal study time yesterday to study about humility. I learned so much about it. Any doubts that I have had, any spiritual lack has been severely cut down after studying this. I love you all. Thanks for telling me about the 21 day prayers, Dad. I love to see all of your spiritual progression. Keep reading your scriptures. All of you. The blessings are real. Let Alex hear them too. Keep preparing spiritually. One of my favorite blessings from studying humility is in D and C 67. Go read it. I read Our search for Happiness this week. It was glorious. Perfect for members and non-members alike. (It was actually written towards non-members) Find a copy and read. You will Understand The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints a lot better.

I love you all. Till Mexico.

-Elder Dazey

Spanish is Great and Sharing the Gospel through Modern means

Voy a empezar con tus preguntas. La idioma es bonita. Me encanta español y estoy MUCHISIMO ANIMADO para ir a Mexico. Pienso que tendremos nuestros planes de viajar mañana! La enseñanza en español es facil pienso. Aveces no puedo recordar las palabras que debo usar, pero puedo hablar mas suave. No, no podíamos ver Conozca A Los Mormones. Es una lastima. Todos quieren verla. Estoy celoso que Chellie podia verla. El otro dia, Elder Klingaman pidio a el sitio de web a tener el video en el CCM (MTC) No pienso que vamos a verla, todavia no hay un video en español. Entonces, tengo que esperar. Voy a escribir mas en ingles despues que lavo me ropa. Se amo a todos!
It was great to have all of the letters from everyone. It is great to know that people are thinking and praying about me. I'm glad that I provided a Where's Waldo? moment, Doug. The MTC is great. Spanish is great. My companion and I are better than ever. The district is great. I was released as the District Leader, and since our Zone is now only our district, Elder Wilson and I are the Sacrament coordinators, and everyone has a "calling." 

We had two great devotionals this past week. We had D Greg Droubay, the missionary media president (I actually have no Idea what the name of that calling actually is) speak to us. He shared a lot about what is going on in advertising for the church and how they are helping us missionaries. He said that Mormon.org gets 44,976 unique site views a day, 897 people that chat with missionaries a day, and 323 referrals for missionaries. I love how we are using the internet the way it is intended to be. Keep Flooding The Earth With The Gospel. You can be the difference in other people's lives. Share Goodness, share talks, scriptures, pictures, info-graphs. You are helping us as missionaries. He told us to invite all to visit Mormon.org and ask them if they have seen our advertisements. 

 Please watch Meet the Mormons for me. I want to see it so bad, and all of the proceeds go to the Red Cross. You're practically killing two birds with one stone. Our other devotional was from Elder Larry R. Lawrence of the seventy. He talked about how we can combat Satan in our lives. He explained that when we feel temptation, we need to command Satan to go away, and then site a scripture. You all have power over him. You can do it. Please do it. Another interesting thing that I learned is that Satan does not know our thoughts. So he does not know the fruits of his labor until we act. We have the power through our own efforts and the power of God to overcome temptation. God will not allow him to tempt us more than we can bear. I love you all and encourage you to not stand passive during the coming forth of this great work. The Restoration isn't over, and You can be part of it. 

I love you all, and hope that you are safe, happy, and choosing the right.

Love, 

Elder Dazey

Thoughts on General Conference

It has been getting cooler here, and I think I am getting a lot better at breathing this mountain air :D I did send the snail mail letter, and it should get to you. If it hasn't, that probably means that Katie didn't get hers either. Could you mention to her that I have sent her a letter? I am so glad that you all are so busy and that you get to go to the temple! This week has been great, and I'd love to share some of my experiences with General Conference. 

General Conference was a blast. The first session, I had three questions prepared. How can I receive answers to my prayers? How can I be a better Husband and Father in the future? and, How can I be a better Missionary? Each one of thes questions was essentially answered in the first session :D President Uchtdorf had a whole talk on personal revelation, there were a million and a half talks about families (Especially Elder Scott's talk which I encourage everyone to rewatch/read and apply in large doses), and overall missionary work was a main topic also. I really enjoyed Elder Bednar's talk in the last session, and I think that he perfectly explained why I am here, and why there are 88,033 other missionaries out here with me. (Including my big sis :D) This is it: https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/10/come-and-see?lang=eng 

This is important. This video explains why we share the gospel. I want you all to know. It is also quite entertaining.

Go ahead and pause your reading right now. 

Watch the video.

I will wait.

You have plenty of time.

I don't care who you are. If you have stumbled upon my blog, then welcome. Watch the video.

Thanks :D

So, I had to make a fourth question, "How can I correct behavior with love?" Which was quickly answered in President Eyring's talk were he said that we must show an increase of love, meaning that we must have already shown them love at first. 

Priesthood session was one of those times where you sit down in the choir's seats behind the stand with Prophets of God and just think to yourself about how glorious everything is. It's one of those pipe dreams you put on your bucket list expecting not to come true, and then God displays his infinite capacity to bestow tender mercies. Singing with that choir was fantastic. I only hope that we were able to touch the hearts of every person watching and listening. It truly was glorious. 

After the session, I shook Clay Christiansen's hand, and we went intoa passageway behind the choir seats. I proceeded to see the director of BYU Vocal Point, and found myself shaking his hand and exchanging a few words about my mission and whether I was going to attend BYU. God blessed me. A lot. It was like missionary Christmas. I also shook hands with the General Music Predsident ( I want to say that was his calling) and I thanked him. He responded by saying "Don't thank me, thank God." He's the one who set this up. This was something I had realized while sitting up there. I pleaded with God that I could remember this experience, and I received the answer that I would remember it if I was grateful for it. The church is true. Christ Lives. We have a prophet today. I love all of you and hope that you are doing well!

Love,

Elder Dazey

P.S.- Mom, I am happy. Enjoy the pictures. They are of me and my district.

A bit about life at the MTC

Oct. 2, 2014I 

So I know that I didn't write a letter last week, but hopefully I can tell you a little bit more about what goes on at the MTC on a weekly basis. I'll try to abridge my journal. 

My first day we had an MTC Presidency Message, and we sang Army of Helaman. However, we replaced the words so that it said, 'And we are now the Lord's missionaries,' and 'For now we are called.' This was the greatest feeling. It's like every song that hopes for missionary work has now been achieved. I am a missionary!

Throughout the first week we started teaching lessons with an investigator. These were great  experiences even though we found out the next week that this investigator was actually going to be our other teacher, and that they prepare us for a real experience by not telling us that they are fake. But the practice is definitely real. We had a lesson with Orlando (our first investigator) that consisted of having all of us draw pictures of ourselves and write our weaknesses and strengths. Then he showed us how the Atonement can make all of these things stronger. We read scriptures from Alma 7 about the Savior. 

The first week we were visited by our Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leader about every other day. They would often come bearing gifts (the Sisters). The first opportunity that I had to interview the Senior Companions in my District was fantastic. I really got to learn a lot about them and especially their companions. We have devotionals twice a week on Sunday and Tuesday nights. They are really powerful and each of the speakers speaks very powerfully with the Spirit. They have choir practice also on the same days and have the MTC choir (Elders and Sisters) sing together on the Tuesday Devotional. There are so many missionaries that want to do choir that they actually left our district out of one of the devotional choirs because we were a little bit later than everyone else. We also get to watch a church video every Sunday after the devotional. The first one that we watched was of President Bednar, and he spoke on the Character of Christ. This video was so inspiring! It is only shown at the MTC, but is honestly one of the greatest messages anyone could apply to their lives. He speaks about how the Character of Christ is the ability to turn outwards to others just at the point that we feel we want to turn inwards because of the natural man. In times of trial, we need to be like the Savior when He healed the soldier's ear in the Garden of Gethsemane, after experiencing the greatest pain of all time. 

We have to take MTC campus IDs with us everywhere we go to get into places and to get food. One occasion, I could not find mine, and we had decided to leave without it. I thought I had looked everywhere. I had the distinct impression that it was in my shirt pocket from the day before, and I ran with my companion to retrieve it. I realized on the way there that I was acting in faith on an impression from the Spirit. I got to the room, and it was exactly where I was told it would be.

The Provo Temple is about 1000 times more beautiful on the inside than the outside. One day, I met a friendly bee that decided to land on my hand. I carried him for a few hundred feet, and ten let him crawl into a flower. He was so calm. I had another experience like the campus ID one where I was looking for my wallet because I needed my Temple recommend. I couldn't jind it, and everyone was searching everywhere for it. We knelt to pray and I found it very quickly. There are many tender mercies at the MTC. 

I hope that everyone is doing well, and that you are all seeking to develop spiritually. I am praying for David Moss. I love you all and don't forget that love is a verb! You can't just think it. You have to do it! If you do, you will find greater happiness and peace. 

With Love, 

Elder Dazey

Singing in the Missionary Choir at Conference!

The entire West campus is Spanish speaking and we are all going to different countries. My companion and I are going to the same mission. A lot of what has happened in the past few weeks will be in the letter home. It's good that you are reading D and C. I haven't read it all the way through, and I have realized how important it is that I do that.

Since I am sharing things about my stay at the MTC through a physical letter, I wanted to express some of the more spiritual topics, especially the experience of being a member of the MTC Priesthood Session Choir. Our practices began with the director explaining that we would be doing a lot of first in General Conference. We will be the first choir to sing a Medley at General Conference, and we are the first to sing primary songs, (Which are a part of the Medley). The first time I sang the Missionary Medley, it almost brought me to tears. Singing with this choir has been the most spiritual music experience I have ever been a part of. Every song that we sing is truly inspired of God for the world. If you listen closely to the words that we sing, you will feel the power of this profound message. I have grown to love every song that we sing. Take the time to listen to them many times, and ponder over their words. The spirit teaches through music. I testify of this truth. The Missionary Medley consists of four songs, and demonstrates the progression of of young man to missionaries. I will talk about a few of my favorite parts, but you all will have to find the parts that stick out to you. Just thinking of the entire progression, I can see how perfectly this message applies to my life. There is a point in which the choir sings two of the songs simultaneously, and they have been masterfully woven together. In this section the basses sing "We'll Bring The World His Truth."  The song had to be condescend at one point to fit the arrangement, and one line contains the combination of the first and last lines of the song. It says, "We have been born...to bring the world His truth." I am resisting crying just writing this letter. I was born to bring the world his truth. I feel like Joseph Smith when he talks about James 1:5-6 and says that no scripture had entered into the heart of many with such power as this one did to mine. This song, although I can not claim to be more moved by a song than any other person, has moved me to a greater desire for a change of heart. I want to live up to that line. I also wish to speak of the arrangement of "Ye Elders of Israel" that we are singing. This song at first was not as powerful to me until it was explained. Learn about this song, and about Babylon and the glory thereof. This song is a call to all to come and join us on mount Zion, and a last goodbye to our beautiful home in Zion. I am most moved in the final lines when we say for the last time "O Babylon, O Babylon, we bid thee farewell; We're going to the mountains of Ephraim to dwell." I realized that this is a perfect representation of us as missionaries. We are saying goodbye to our own beautiful homes and families to go forth to a better cause, to an even greater, eternal home. In this last line I feel that the entire army of missionaries have now turned away from Babylon and now have their eyes set on the Mountains of Ephraim. There is great joy in this. The music is most beautiful at this point, and the power with which we sing to the world and invite them to come with us is indescribable. Let the Priests now about this, and have them know that we are calling them to join the ranks. Finally I want to relate that I have not had any trouble being homesick. I love and miss you all, but it has not distracted me in the least. However, during one of our Tuesday Devotionals, I felt truly homesick. The speaker decided to focus his talk on the song about the first vision that a teacher's choir sang prior to the meeting. It said something to the effect of asking God if he had nurtured us in our primeval state. I closed my eyes and imagined God taking care of us a spirit children; speaking to us, and laughing with us. I felt homesick for a place I cannot remember. Read scriptures every day. Do family home evening. Pray for the work. Pray in repentance and feel the power of the Atonement. I love you all.

-Elder Dazey

First Week at the MTC

Well it has been a pretty long week, but it has been good. My companions name is Elder Wilson, and he is from Utah. He is a really great guy with a strong testimony, and it sounds like he comes from a great family. He really likes basketball, and his high school team went to states last year :D It is great to get back into the schedule of doing something instead of sitting around all day. I'll try to answer most of your questions, but I'm also going to try to send out an actually letter with hopefully more depth to my week. We only get an hour on the computers, and I am not a fast typer. GUESS WHO IS SINGING FOR THE PRIESTHOOD SESSION???...THIS ELDER! Our fist time at choir they handed out the survey to see who was good at singing, so we just made it in time to get the survey, and since I had previous choir experience and could read pretty well/play the trumpet tambien, I was chosen to be a member of the choir :D We did get to see the Temple Dedication, which was really powerful! (It was a broadcast) On sunday we heard from Elder M. Russell Ballard about missions and how we can be better missionaries (Not a broadcast, REAL APOSTLE) We do get to excercise about an hour every day about 5 days a week, and we can pretty much play any non violent/contact sport that we want here. Since we are the intermediate class, we have been speaking spanish almost always. We are supposed to speak as much as we can in our free time, but we miss sometimes. We've had 4 lessons in spanish with investigators which have gone pretty well. (Most of the "investigators" are actors) Our district is only six strong, but we we are all the intermediate class and we have some of the best spanish on west campus, so it's been pretty easy to speak on off times. Classes our great. Our teacher is amazing, and we get about 9 hours of study a day. 3 are Personal, companion, and language. 3 are with the teacher, and three are preparing and teaching investigators. I really love my district. All six of us are already good friends and we do everything together. I am the district leader right now, which contrary to popular belief, is much more than a mailman. I have the opporunity to interview my district's senior companions, be a good example, and prepare for meetings. It's good to see Chellie's blog too. I'd love it if you kept sending that. In the package you are sending me, I'd like my sweater, a small journal (like maybe 5 by for inches) as a spiritual journal, and whatever else. I think I had thought  of other things but I can't remember right now. I love it here. Are whole district has been really good about adjusting while we have been here. It's great to see the testimonies that they have, and how the spirit teaches all of us. We try to set goals for language learning everyday, and we try to memorize a few sctriptures a week in order to practice our spanish. The food here is really good, but if anything I think I am healthier. I have been trying to restrain eating the whole cafeteria, and have been doing a lot of physical activity. It's weird to think that Utah has been my home for a whole week now. The days feel like weeks and the weeks feel like days. That's what they all say, but honestly it all feels really long. We get some opportunities for service throughout the week like setting up chairs or cleaning classrooms. On sundays everyone has to prepare a 5 minute talk on the assigned topic in spanish and be ready to speak because they ask people to speak when you get there. We have devotionals twice a week (Sunday and Tuesday) and I think we usually hear from general authorities and the like. It's really spiritually strengthening being here. I will write an extra letter to try to say more about my week. But I think that this is it for now.

     Love you!   -Elder Dazey

P.S. This can all go in my blog :D

  1 Attached Images

Chellie and I got to visit for about 45 minutes a couple days before I reported to the MTC.

First Day at the MTC!

First Day at the MTC!
 I am having a great time at the MTC! My companion and I are doing great and are already starting to get to know each other really well. This is very exciting. We will be able to see the Ogden dedication on tv, and I heard that we may see the prophet speak! I'm so excited. I love you all and I am having a great time and will talk more later. 

Love you,

Elder Dazey