2010 November 29th
My week was great! I don`t know if I`ve told you about the baptisms this month but we had 4 and hope to have more next month. This zone is the highest baptizing zone in the mission right now and we hope to increase.
Sounds like you had a perfect thanksgiving and you really did enjoy all the holiday activities for me. Thanks :). They don`t celebrate thanksgiving here so my day was normal and I almost forgot it was thanksgiving! I was anticipating William’s call but I’ll have to wait another week. I am so excited for you William. Throughout your mission pray ALWAYS and ask for help from the Lord, also remember my favorite quote ``Come what may and love it`` Elder Wirthlin. You will be a great missionary if you follow this advise KISS ``Keep It Simple Stupid`` harsh I know but if you just obey the Lord and your leaders life is simple. Obey with exactness! It would be really cool if you could incorporate the quote ``Come what may and love it`` in one of my plagues. I still need to print photos but they will be awesome! Also, Trissa said she saw Elder Logan McCombs the other day! How crazy is that!
I love you a ton mom. The end of your letter almost made me cry. I really appreciate all that you have done and are doing for me. You are the greatest!!! I love you and can never repay you for all you`ve done for me.
Love,
Elder Dustin Divis
P.S. Told you it would snow a ton this year :) Enjoy it for me and I will enjoy the Jungle.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Monday, November 22, 2010
Dustin's November 22nd Letters
2010 November 22
Sounds like everything is going wonderfully back home. That is good to hear. I will keep Nicole in my prayers and her entire family. I love getting emails and dearelders from everyone!!! Say thanks to Aunt Lyn for the dearelder :) also, if you are sending a package and haven’t sent it yet, it would be nice if you could send church music on a usb stick, and my medallion of the whole armor of God. Also, could you ask Jordan if he got my letter from last month? I love you and I am doing great. I will write more info about the mission in the reply to Dad. I love being a missionary and you have no idea how happy it makes me to hear that William is going on a mission!!! It will change his life more than anyone can imagine. Enjoy the snow for me and I will enjoy the awesome thunder and lightning storms of the Jungle and the unpredictable rain :) I love it. I love the whole family and the great examples you have set for me. Love you mom
Love,
Elder Dustin Divis
2010 November 22
Dear Dad,
Thanks for the weather update. People here really have no idea how the weather is there so it is good to know what it is like right now and in Celsius. I love the snow but I love it here too. In Lima it is way colder than here. The leaders had a training in Lima this week and they all came back and said it is way hotter here! and my companion is a DL so I was with a member for 4 days this week. He is only 18 years old and preparing for the mission, so it was like I was a trainer for a week. I really enjoyed it and learned a ton. It was cool when Elder Parizaca returned and I told him all that happened and I realized that we did some really good work. I wouldn`t have realized the significance if I didn`t have to tell him everything we did. It was great. I finally experienced the rain of the jungle when one moment it is ridiculously hot and the next it is pouring rain and then hot and sunny again 5 minutes later. Loved it! I also love thunderstorms and almost every time it rains it is a thunderstorm :) The leaders here received the new manuals too and from what I’ve seen and heard they are great! The best way of finding new people is referrals (which every missionary knows) but in the street we usually ask for directions or if we can help them with what they are working on, then we teach a principle really quick and make an appointment and or invite them to the church. We also contact all the mototaxis that we take throughout the day. We spend a lot of time outside walking and contacting and many of the lessons are outside too. Lately one of us picks a principle and then points someone out in the street to contact and the other contacts them using that principle and then it is the other person’s turn. It works out pretty well. The key to finding the most people is asking references(referrals) from everyone! Even the people we contact, we ask if they know someone who would be interested. Christmas here, from what I`ve heard is pretty normal. I don`t think they decorate a tree but they have presents and eat a lot. They eat a ton of Panetone on Christmas. I guess we`ll see how it goes :) The dominating religion is either evangelico or catolico. I think that’s evangelic or something like that and of course Catholic. It isn`t hard to marry people. They just need documents like a birth certificate and some health stuff and 40 soles. The hard part is finding people who want to get married, they just live together but don`t want a commitment. Like living with someone and having kids isn`t a commitment. We do our best. Sound like you are making some good progress and I loved the pictures!!! Thanks for all the advice you give and for all you have taught me. Keep being the best parents in the world and I will put my best efforts in the Lord`s work. I love you Dad and can`t wait to hear from you next week.
Love,
Elder Divis
Sounds like everything is going wonderfully back home. That is good to hear. I will keep Nicole in my prayers and her entire family. I love getting emails and dearelders from everyone!!! Say thanks to Aunt Lyn for the dearelder :) also, if you are sending a package and haven’t sent it yet, it would be nice if you could send church music on a usb stick, and my medallion of the whole armor of God. Also, could you ask Jordan if he got my letter from last month? I love you and I am doing great. I will write more info about the mission in the reply to Dad. I love being a missionary and you have no idea how happy it makes me to hear that William is going on a mission!!! It will change his life more than anyone can imagine. Enjoy the snow for me and I will enjoy the awesome thunder and lightning storms of the Jungle and the unpredictable rain :) I love it. I love the whole family and the great examples you have set for me. Love you mom
Love,
Elder Dustin Divis
2010 November 22
Dear Dad,
Thanks for the weather update. People here really have no idea how the weather is there so it is good to know what it is like right now and in Celsius. I love the snow but I love it here too. In Lima it is way colder than here. The leaders had a training in Lima this week and they all came back and said it is way hotter here! and my companion is a DL so I was with a member for 4 days this week. He is only 18 years old and preparing for the mission, so it was like I was a trainer for a week. I really enjoyed it and learned a ton. It was cool when Elder Parizaca returned and I told him all that happened and I realized that we did some really good work. I wouldn`t have realized the significance if I didn`t have to tell him everything we did. It was great. I finally experienced the rain of the jungle when one moment it is ridiculously hot and the next it is pouring rain and then hot and sunny again 5 minutes later. Loved it! I also love thunderstorms and almost every time it rains it is a thunderstorm :) The leaders here received the new manuals too and from what I’ve seen and heard they are great! The best way of finding new people is referrals (which every missionary knows) but in the street we usually ask for directions or if we can help them with what they are working on, then we teach a principle really quick and make an appointment and or invite them to the church. We also contact all the mototaxis that we take throughout the day. We spend a lot of time outside walking and contacting and many of the lessons are outside too. Lately one of us picks a principle and then points someone out in the street to contact and the other contacts them using that principle and then it is the other person’s turn. It works out pretty well. The key to finding the most people is asking references(referrals) from everyone! Even the people we contact, we ask if they know someone who would be interested. Christmas here, from what I`ve heard is pretty normal. I don`t think they decorate a tree but they have presents and eat a lot. They eat a ton of Panetone on Christmas. I guess we`ll see how it goes :) The dominating religion is either evangelico or catolico. I think that’s evangelic or something like that and of course Catholic. It isn`t hard to marry people. They just need documents like a birth certificate and some health stuff and 40 soles. The hard part is finding people who want to get married, they just live together but don`t want a commitment. Like living with someone and having kids isn`t a commitment. We do our best. Sound like you are making some good progress and I loved the pictures!!! Thanks for all the advice you give and for all you have taught me. Keep being the best parents in the world and I will put my best efforts in the Lord`s work. I love you Dad and can`t wait to hear from you next week.
Love,
Elder Divis
Monday, November 15, 2010
Dustin's November 15th Letter
2010 November 15th
Thanks for all of the great info. I am so glad to hear that PJ and Charity are doing well and are married in the temple now. They will be blessed so much for making that wonderful decision. I wish I could have been there but Dad is right, I am where I need to be right now and I love it. I am doing wonderful as usual. We had a baptism on Saturday and I baptized Linda Marisela Moreno Valderrama. She will be a great member and has the desires to serve a mission. It`s great to see the gospel change peoples’ lives for the better. We also have a baptism scheduled for this Saturday and two for the following. It is great to see that work of the Lord move forward. Also, yesterday I gave a talk in both of my wards. Each one was about 10 to 15 minutes and everyone said they were good and my Spanish is getting better. My talks were on La Obra misional (missionary work) and I explained my objective as a missionary and then read a few quotes from the last part of the first chapter of PMG and explained how `every member is a missionary` and I think it really got to them and that we will begin to receive more help from the wards. I love missionary work and this area and this people!
To answer a few questions that mom had. I don`t cook at all. Throughout the entire mission I have a pension and they cook breakfast and dinner for us and every day we eat lunch with the members. Right now our pension lives pretty far away so she brings the food to us in the morning and we go there for dinner. It just depends on what area you live in if you eat in their home or not. I don`t do laundry either :) In this area my pension does it but sometimes it is someone else, also depends on the area. I live pretty well. We live in an apartment that is pretty nice and from what I’ve seen they are all pretty nice, we just don`t have hot water in the jungle but it is always so hot the cold water is welcomed. Also, I sleep under a bug net in the night, one because it is a rule and two cause I would rather not have bugs crawling on me in the night ha ha ha. Every day we go out and work hard and really try hard to work the members, but we find new people to teach all the time and I love it when I can see them progress. We take these things called mototaxis everywhere. It is pretty much the only form of transportation and they are motorcycles with the back part cut off and there is a bench seat and frame put on the back with two wheels. I`ll have to send a picture. That`s my thoughts and I love my mission.
For the plaques my favorite 2 are the one in Moses and the one in Ephesians but if the one in Ephesians is too long I also love the one in 2 Nephi.
I know that I am in the work of the Lord and I love you all and know that you support me and that the Lord blesses you and me every day.
¡Siga adelante!
Con mucho amor,
Elder Dustin Divis
Thanks for all of the great info. I am so glad to hear that PJ and Charity are doing well and are married in the temple now. They will be blessed so much for making that wonderful decision. I wish I could have been there but Dad is right, I am where I need to be right now and I love it. I am doing wonderful as usual. We had a baptism on Saturday and I baptized Linda Marisela Moreno Valderrama. She will be a great member and has the desires to serve a mission. It`s great to see the gospel change peoples’ lives for the better. We also have a baptism scheduled for this Saturday and two for the following. It is great to see that work of the Lord move forward. Also, yesterday I gave a talk in both of my wards. Each one was about 10 to 15 minutes and everyone said they were good and my Spanish is getting better. My talks were on La Obra misional (missionary work) and I explained my objective as a missionary and then read a few quotes from the last part of the first chapter of PMG and explained how `every member is a missionary` and I think it really got to them and that we will begin to receive more help from the wards. I love missionary work and this area and this people!
To answer a few questions that mom had. I don`t cook at all. Throughout the entire mission I have a pension and they cook breakfast and dinner for us and every day we eat lunch with the members. Right now our pension lives pretty far away so she brings the food to us in the morning and we go there for dinner. It just depends on what area you live in if you eat in their home or not. I don`t do laundry either :) In this area my pension does it but sometimes it is someone else, also depends on the area. I live pretty well. We live in an apartment that is pretty nice and from what I’ve seen they are all pretty nice, we just don`t have hot water in the jungle but it is always so hot the cold water is welcomed. Also, I sleep under a bug net in the night, one because it is a rule and two cause I would rather not have bugs crawling on me in the night ha ha ha. Every day we go out and work hard and really try hard to work the members, but we find new people to teach all the time and I love it when I can see them progress. We take these things called mototaxis everywhere. It is pretty much the only form of transportation and they are motorcycles with the back part cut off and there is a bench seat and frame put on the back with two wheels. I`ll have to send a picture. That`s my thoughts and I love my mission.
For the plaques my favorite 2 are the one in Moses and the one in Ephesians but if the one in Ephesians is too long I also love the one in 2 Nephi.
I know that I am in the work of the Lord and I love you all and know that you support me and that the Lord blesses you and me every day.
¡Siga adelante!
Con mucho amor,
Elder Dustin Divis
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Dustin's November 8th Letter
November 8, 2010
The address of Elder Johnson is correct. You should have it on the letters that I sent home for Will and Trissa and Jordan though. Also, I wrote a letter to Dillon and sent it to Carly but if he sent another that wasn’t dearelder then I haven’t received it. Sounds like you’re keeping busy though. Have fun with all the family affairs and say hi do everyone. The Jungle is awesome! I love it here. It is ridiculously hot and it is only going to get hotter. Summer is just starting and sweat everyday all day long and I love it. You`ll also be glad to hear that I am using my sunscreen and bug spray here :) My companion and I are over two different wards, Saenz Peña and Pucallpa, They are both great. We have baptisms scheduled for the next 3 weeks and we I got here on Tuesday we didn`t have any. I know I am going to have tons of success here. Also my Spanish is coming along faster especially with a latino companion. We tell people that I am from Argentina and they believe us Haha ha. When we tell them the truth they ask how I am so good at Spanish. One hermana asked how many months I had in the mission and she said that judging by my Spanish 14 months or more!!! Woo Hoo! I was excited to here that but I still feel I have a ton to learn. The charapa es bien loco but I want to learn it better. It is not just a different accent but they have a bunch of different words to and say `di` like the Canadians use `eh` and other stuff to.
This is what I wrote last week, more or less. For my plaque there are 3 scriptures that I really like. 2 Nephi 31:19-20, Moses 6:60, and Ephesians 6:10-13. They are all great and I will send a picture via letter soon so you can have one for the plaque too. And my question: is the plaque for Colville or Spokane or both? Cause they both asked for picture and scripture to do one. It would be cool to have one for both and then I could have 2 different scriptures and pictures.
For Christmas (since I am in the jungle and it is hard to find things to buy) I would like to have a package even though I know dad would prefer money. Everyone here says that they have received all of their packages fine but send electronics or anything worth more than 100 or so dollars. If you send I package I would love a bag of Homemade cookies (the one with oatmeal and everything, Jordan knows which one if you have a question) a fresh pair of garments, and socks and a new short sleeve shirt. Also you can ask James and Jordan what their ideas are. There isn`t peanut butter or BBQ sauce so that would be nice too and some American candy! But anything is great. ¡love being a missionary! The gospel is the best thing that anyone could ever devote their life to and I am loving every second of it. I really can`t explain how great it is to be a missionary of the Lord. I love you all so much and the time continues to fly by. I am in the jungle! In El Perù. I will tell you more about this district and zone next week. Please answer the questions :) Love you so much
Love,
Elder Dustin Divis
The address of Elder Johnson is correct. You should have it on the letters that I sent home for Will and Trissa and Jordan though. Also, I wrote a letter to Dillon and sent it to Carly but if he sent another that wasn’t dearelder then I haven’t received it. Sounds like you’re keeping busy though. Have fun with all the family affairs and say hi do everyone. The Jungle is awesome! I love it here. It is ridiculously hot and it is only going to get hotter. Summer is just starting and sweat everyday all day long and I love it. You`ll also be glad to hear that I am using my sunscreen and bug spray here :) My companion and I are over two different wards, Saenz Peña and Pucallpa, They are both great. We have baptisms scheduled for the next 3 weeks and we I got here on Tuesday we didn`t have any. I know I am going to have tons of success here. Also my Spanish is coming along faster especially with a latino companion. We tell people that I am from Argentina and they believe us Haha ha. When we tell them the truth they ask how I am so good at Spanish. One hermana asked how many months I had in the mission and she said that judging by my Spanish 14 months or more!!! Woo Hoo! I was excited to here that but I still feel I have a ton to learn. The charapa es bien loco but I want to learn it better. It is not just a different accent but they have a bunch of different words to and say `di` like the Canadians use `eh` and other stuff to.
This is what I wrote last week, more or less. For my plaque there are 3 scriptures that I really like. 2 Nephi 31:19-20, Moses 6:60, and Ephesians 6:10-13. They are all great and I will send a picture via letter soon so you can have one for the plaque too. And my question: is the plaque for Colville or Spokane or both? Cause they both asked for picture and scripture to do one. It would be cool to have one for both and then I could have 2 different scriptures and pictures.
For Christmas (since I am in the jungle and it is hard to find things to buy) I would like to have a package even though I know dad would prefer money. Everyone here says that they have received all of their packages fine but send electronics or anything worth more than 100 or so dollars. If you send I package I would love a bag of Homemade cookies (the one with oatmeal and everything, Jordan knows which one if you have a question) a fresh pair of garments, and socks and a new short sleeve shirt. Also you can ask James and Jordan what their ideas are. There isn`t peanut butter or BBQ sauce so that would be nice too and some American candy! But anything is great. ¡love being a missionary! The gospel is the best thing that anyone could ever devote their life to and I am loving every second of it. I really can`t explain how great it is to be a missionary of the Lord. I love you all so much and the time continues to fly by. I am in the jungle! In El Perù. I will tell you more about this district and zone next week. Please answer the questions :) Love you so much
Love,
Elder Dustin Divis
Monday, November 1, 2010
Dustin's November 1st Letter
I wrote an email with a ton of information about my mission and my
plaque for the ward and Christmas and everything but the computer shut
off and it didn`t save anything. I was almost done and I only have a
little more time.
I am doing great! I am being transfered to the Jungle tomorrow. My new
area is Pucallpa and my companion is Elder Padizaca from Bolivia. I
look forward my voyage tomorrow and I will tell you everything next
week.
I love you!
Love,
Elder Dustin Divis
plaque for the ward and Christmas and everything but the computer shut
off and it didn`t save anything. I was almost done and I only have a
little more time.
I am doing great! I am being transfered to the Jungle tomorrow. My new
area is Pucallpa and my companion is Elder Padizaca from Bolivia. I
look forward my voyage tomorrow and I will tell you everything next
week.
I love you!
Love,
Elder Dustin Divis
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