Dustin's October 24th Letter

October 24, 2011

Dear Mom,

My week was good. We are still struggling a little to organize the work here. We moved to another room that is very small so that they can re-do the floor and it is not an ideal situation and we still don`t have new planners. Some obstacles, but we still found 2 new amazing families to teach and we`re getting more help from the ward leaders. So all is well :)  It sounds like your time in Europe has been great. I just got an e-mail from Dad that informed that you are now headed home. Glad you had a great time and I can`t wait to see pictures.

My District Leader reminds me a ton of Jordan, he is from Utah and his name is Elder Purvis. He is from my same group and is awesome, and his companion is from Nicaragua, he is sweet too. Thanks for everything and have a safe journey home.

Love,

Elder Divis

Dustin's October 17th Letter

October 17, 2011

Dear Mom,

I am glad that you are having fun in Germany with Dad and the Bechtold family! I say hi to the Bechtolds too :) I am too a little bit jealous that you went to a VW museum. Before the mission didn`t see too much in a good VW but here I have absolutely fell in love with the old 80`s VW BUS. (seeing as all the cars here are from the 80`s, I don`t see anything else) just a fun fact about me :) Your time there really sounds exciting, you`ll have to bring with you some day (maybe after you and Dad come pick me up down here in Peru) Hope you have fun in the Black Forest.

My week has gone pretty well. We now have 2 families preparing for baptism and marriage. One in November and the other in December, and we are working with a few others also. Not a whole lot of investigators came to church yesterday, which made me a little bit sad (well as said as you can get being a blessed in the constant service of the Lord) and now I know that I can do a better job explaining the Sabbath day and keeping it holy. Seems to be a challenge for many. This week I also had a usual interview with Pres. Blunck. He is a very inspired servant of God. He taught me some pretty cool stuff about how to be a more effective teacher. Loved it!

Thanks for everything and hope your time Germany proves to be the most enjoyable.

Love,

Elder Divis,

P.S. If you can, I would love pictures of Germany, the family and my sporting events. I`ll be sure to send pictures next week. I don`t have the cable today.

Dustin's October 10th Letter

October 10, 2011         

Dear Mom,

Yes, the keyboards are different here, I always wonder if the punctuation is ok when you read it (But I still can`t blame my terrible spelling on the keyboard, I just can`t spell.) I am glad to hear that you and Dad made it safely to Germany and are having a great time. My week went better this week. We had a baptism! Nadia Valenzuela was baptized and confirmed. And something just as exciting, a family that we are teaching, Damer and Monica, told us they would get married in 5 years or so, but we talked with them and they prayed about it together and they will get married November 19th!!!! 2011. Damer is Anderson`s little brother. (Anderson got baptized 2 weeks ago) And another family is also preparing to get married. I love working with family and I know that they are fundamental to the Plan of God. Thanks for being the greatest family ever!!!! I wanted to ask you, Can you send me pictures of the family? It would be cool to have pictures of the individual families. ie: James` family, Trissa`s, Laura`s, and Jordan`s. And pictures of me playing Football, Wrestling, and Soccer. A couple of each. I know it most likely won`t be possible while you`re in Germany but if I didn`t write it now I might forget.

Don`t get discouraged not understanding the language. I was talking with some members that told me I didn`t speak a word a year ago and some new missionaries that are just starting. It made me think about what has changed and how I learned. You just to open your mouth and vomit the words out. They sort through what you threw up and understand a little. Now that`s a pretty graphic example but the point is, you just gotta try. Some will understand ok others a little and others won`t understand anything and that is when hand gestures come in handy, haha ha :) I love you Mom and I marvel at your wonderful qualities and hope to be able to acquire them.

Love,

Elder Divis

P.S. I got all your e-mails that you sent from your iPhone. Thanks for the updates. Have Fun!

Dustin's October 3rd Letter

2011 October 3

Dear Mom,

The conference was amazing! I will definitely have to but in practice Bro. Richardson`s talk also, and when I saw Elder Bennett I wrote down in my notes to ask you if we`re related, but you already answered me, and I loved his talk. I loved all the talks! It gave us the way to live in this great dispensation. that`s why it is so important to have prophets. I know that Thomas S. Monson is a prophet of God and that through him we are guided and blessed by God. I had the great blessing of listening to most of the conference in English with the other 5 Americans. My week until conference was ok but during it was like being in heaven.

Love you mom, good luck in Germany.

Elder Divis

Dustin's September 26 Letter

2011 September 26

Dear Mom,

Thanks a ton for the e-mail. I love hearing that all is well at home; it brings me peace and joy. I can`t wait to see pictures of the house! It sounds like it will be all done and fancy by the time I get home. I am glad to hear that seminary is going well. I think it would be a wonderful calling to be a seminary teacher, because I absolutely love studying the scriptures and the Gospel. I especially like the topic of Enoch and the Zion society, cause that`s the goal isn`t it. You are right. It is so important to write in a journal and record your thoughts. As a missionary you should have a personal journal and a study journal. The study journal has helped me out a ton and gives me the chance to receive revelation and organize my thoughts and then a personal journal helps me realize the miracles. My mission pres. taught us to be optimistic and look at the glass half full and in the full half of the glass is where you find the miracles, because they happen every day. He then invited us to write down the miracles that happen in the day in our personal journals and then we really can recognize the hand of God in our life. And it also organizes my thoughts. I went through a time in my mission when I didn`t write hardly anything, so you`d think that nothing happened right? but it was the quite the opposite, it was full of many things and now I have to think back and catch up, but it has been my goal this transfer to write in my journal every day. I missed a few days but I am doing much better and the blessings are coming just as promised. I am super excited for you and Dad that you`re going to Germany! I know you always have a great time and learn tons. Hope this visit will be better than ever! I am truly grateful for all you do for me. Every time I teach the Gospel I teach about the family. Every time I teach about the family joy and satisfaction and gratitude fill my heart for the wonderful family that I have. Thanks for your example and I hope you know that every day I am being the man you taught me to be.

Love,

Elder Divis

Dustin's September 19th Letter

2011 September 19

Dad,

Thanks a ton for the E-mail. I like one definition that I read. That faith is a result of righteousness. I also learned this week in my companionship study that our faith grows as our knowledge of who God is grows, cause if we don`t know God we don`t know what to believe. Like the scriptures say what eternal life is, to KNOW God and His Son. But the three phases are clear examples of this. When we are excited, it is because we are learning by the Spirit or getting to know God, because the Holy Ghost testifies of God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. When we are concerned, like Nephi, not knowing what to do or how to fulfill the commandment of God he went, led by the spirit, to attempt for a third time, after being chased to be killed and beaten by his brothers. He was concerned but FAITHful. And the sanctification, when we know God to the point where our will comes into harmony with His will. We know God is pleased because the Spirit manifests it to us. The promise to all mankind if we endure to the end is eternal life. We will know God. I have come to know Him more and more every day and feel His love that He has for these people. Now the question is, will we ever fully know Him? Do we need faith if we live with Him? I believe that faith is something that will forever exist. I have got a lot to learn, but as we know faith is an action word. So, I have got a lot TO DO. Thanks for the e-mail, I learned a ton. And I am definitely focused in quality, but as my mission pres. and Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley we don`t have to choose between quality and quantity but that in the work of God, Both can and do exist. Now here in the city it is a little bit 'harder' some say, because people mock you, slam the door, yell, argue, and laugh. But I say that it is still the work of God and where ever we are we can find the miracles. We have to look at the full part of the glass, if it’s half full, a fourth full, an eighth full or a sixteenth full. Because in the part that is full is where we find the miracles. Because if there is true faith all the gifts of the Spirit exist and they exist daily, we`ve just got to find them and use them. Don`t know if I communicated myself well enough cause I feel my English is suffering. I love you Dad!!!

Elder Divis

Thanks for the letter Mom! I love you tons. I kinda got carried away in my letter to Dad so I don`t have a ton of time, but we had our stake conference and it was great. So hey to Tyson, Jenny and the seminary crew and good luck in the exercise program :) Love you bunch Mom.

Elder Divis

Dustin's September 15th Letter

2011 September 15

Dear Mom,

Sorry I didn´t write on Monday. We didn´t have P-day until today (don´t know if I told you last week).  My week and a half have been great! We have one baptismal date for this 24th and another for the 8th of October so that is great, especially because the ward as only seen 1 baptism in the last 6 months. The Lord has children of His family ready to enter into his kingdom in every part of the world. I love what Jesus has said many times in all the scriptures, "the field is white ALREADY to harvest" the mission field is ´white´ right now! Not in a week or a month or a year, it´s ALREADY full of people looking for the Gospel. They might not know it but I do, we do, and God does. I, Elder Divis, just have to rely on the Holy Ghost to guide me to these families that are capable of entering into the Temple and living eternally in the family of God. Sounds like the progress on the house is going very well :) you´ll have to send me pictures. Say hi to the visitors, although I am pretty sure they have already departed. I am also glad that you enjoyed the stake conference broadcast from Salt Lake, I´ll have to tell you how ours goes here. All of Peru will have stake conference this Sunday and it will be broadcast from Salt Lake. I am very excited and I will tell you all about it in a few days. I am also unbelievably excited for General Conference in a few short weeks. Let us all prepare to receive direction from God. I love you!

Elder Divis