Last Supper

Missionaries on their way home

Dustin's Last Letter July 23, 2012

Dear Mom,

This week went great!!!! The family Romero Davila were successfully married on saturday morning and baptised that afternoon. They invited about 12 members of there family that aren`t members of the church for their baptism and It all just worked out perfectly! Yesterday they were confirmed members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and were given the gift of the Holy Ghost. What better way to finish the mission than baptizing a family. The last two years have indeed been the best 2 years!

I will try and get a nativity set (hopfully they sell some in the airport) and I will show you pictures and tell you more tomorrow. Love you!

Elder Dustin Divis

Dustin's July 16 Letter

2012 July 16

Thanks for the letter!!!!!!!!! Next week I will check my email. The Family Romero Dávila will get married and baptized this weekend. Pray and wish us luck so that all goes well. This week we have worked harder than ever and it has given results. We found almost 20 new investigators with 4 families, we received more referral than ever and 8 investigators came to church yesterday with 3 families. I love the Gospel!!!!!! Thanks for everything.

Love,

Elder Dustin Divis

P.S. Can you get a list of things that the family might want and send it to me next week so I can do some last minute shopping? Thanks!

Dustin's July 9 Letter

Dear Mom,

My week went well. To start off, update on the family Romero Davila. Brother Enrique Romero got his birth certificate on Tuesday!!! So now they only need a couple other papers and they will be ready for marriage. Some of those papers include bills. They are very poor and are entering into their older ages which mean limited work opportunities. The ward planned an activity in one day and brought it to pass in 3 (sorry for the scriptural wording, I don`t remember how to say came to pass in normal terms... kinda embarrassing right?). They grilled up 11 chickens and sold 44 ¨polladas¨ Grilled chicken potatoes and salad. As a result the gain 265 soles (about 100 dollars) which is more than enough to help out the family in their goal to get married. We are obviously not going to pay for the whole marriage. The family has learned the principle of sacrifice and have put in more than their part, and now have seen that the ward is there to work with them in order to accomplish their physical and spiritual goals.

The pictures! James Micheal is huge! and sunburnt :) did he write his name and that he rocks? William... Where`s your missionary name tag? I think we´re both in the same boat if you know what I mean... we´re kinda chubby :/ and the house looks great! Is the floor going to stay just painted or will carpet go down in the future?

To answer the P.S. I love BBQ pork, pretzel salad (the really good cheesecake with strawberry jello and pretzel crust stuff, you know what I mean) Company potatoes with looooooooooooots of cheese, and Homemade burnt almond fudge ice-cream. I know right, sound pretty good. I love ¨muddy buddies¨ and the cookies that you make that are like big Oreos but way better. All of that just came to mind right now, and it will be delicious!!!

Thanks a ton for all your love and support. Don`t worry about me, I have a lot... a ton to do this week and next. I`ll try and send pictures, don`t know if Sister Blunck put the picture she took of me this week with president on their blog, if so enjoy :) Love you tons!

Elder Dustin Divis

Dustin's July 2 Letter

Dear Mom,

Thanks for the e-mail! Sounds like you all had a great time with the family. Thanks for the scriptures, they`re some of my favorites.

My week went well. The family Romero Dávila came to church again this week and this time with their son Isley. He`s 16 and wants to be baptized with his parents. They will get married and baptized July 21st. We are preparing finding more people for this month and next. (I never know exactly what I should write but I do my best). I did a work visit this week with Elder Fisher. He is new and was very discouraged and wanted to go home. We had a two day visit and I did what I could to help him and he seems to be getting better. He no longer says he wants to go home, so that good. I hope all is well back home.  All is well in good old Peru. Love you!

Elder Dustin Divis

Dustin's June 25 Letter

2012 June 25

Dear Mom,

Sorry for not writing hardly anything last week. My e-mail account was expired for being created 2 years ago. Everything has been fixed so that I can continue writing as usual :) Now, to answer your questions from last week; my new companion is Elder Chaves from Costa Rica. He´s great! I am still in the same zone and area. I have not received it yet. I will see him in the council on the 4th of July. Say hi to the family in the small family reunion that you will have/are having this week. This week was great! We are teaching a new family that are anxious to be baptized and so they are doing all they can to get married. They don`t make hardly any money and they`re both in their 60`s and they have a son that is 16 years old. There first son died as a baby and they couldn`t have more kids. Isley is there current son`s name, he was adopted as a child and has a great family. They come to church alone this Sunday and know many church members and will receive a great support from the ward. Everything is looking great so that they can get married in July and baptized on the 21st! We also found several other people this week that have accepted baptism in the first lesson so we hope they can show their great faith and keep progressing. Thanks for all you do for me. Your prayers help me every day and I hope that you all can be of great help to missionary work in your ward. The gospel is true and nobody will be able to deny it in the last day. It`s my job to make sure the people deny it and follow the Christ before that time comes. May God speed the right!

Love,

Elder Dustin Divis

I pulled this picture off the Mission President's wife's blog.  Dustin wasn't named in the photo but you can see him in  the background.

Dustin's June 19 Letter

2012 June 19

Dear everyone!

Thanks a ton for all the e-mails that were sent this week!!! It took me just less than an hour to do the zone record and read my e-mails. Thanks Mom, William, Grandma, James and Audra, Jordan, and Riah! I wish to always receive messages from all. This week we just happened to have to do other things and it took up some of our personal internet time.

My week as gone well. Elder Flores went home to Bolivia on Tuesday and my new companion, Elder Chaves got here later that day. He is from Costa Rica is 22 years old and has 17 months on the mission. We teach well together and will be able to accomplish much in this transfer. He comes from being in the Jungle for 13 months.

Sorry for not writing anything yesterday. The computer said that my e-mail account was expired and I couldn´t send anything. Now everything is fine. I will write more next week.

I love you!

Elder Dustin Divis

Dustin's June 11 Letter

2012 June 11

Dear Mom,

This week went well. We went bowling for P-day and I saw Elder Kepner for the first time since the CCM where we were companions! We had our monthly Zone leader conference and we were instructed on how to better lead the zone. On Thursday I did an interview for a lady that was preparing to be baptized with her daughter on Saturday. I won`t share confidential info. She has a great testimony of the restored gospel, of the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith and Thomas S. Monson. She understood and was willing to complete with all the commandments... except tithing, one of the key ones. She was set on the fact that in her situation it was impossible. I taught about the law of tithing and left her with a commitment to read and pray in order to understand and be able to pay a full tithe. She did not seem too happy. I thought within myself that she was not ready and would not be able to be baptized this Saturday but something touched my heart and whispered to me that she would be ready. So I made an appointment to visit her and the family Saturday morning to verify this impression. For two days I was going over in my mind the decision to pass her interview. I read many scriptures on baptismal requirements and also doctrine that proved that the sin of not paying a full tithe would fall on my head for allowing, as a representative of Jesus Christ, this woman to make a covenant with God knowing she would not complete it. I was worried. We went and visited her on Saturday and those subtle impressions were confirmed. She had read, pondered, talked about with her daughter and a member friend happened to visit her and she had prayed. She is more than willing to pay her tithing always. She and her daughter were baptized on Saturday! Many other thing also happened this week but there`s not enough time.

Transfers have arrived! My companion goes home to Bolivia tomorrow and my new companion will be Elder Chavez from Costa Rica. Tell you more next week. The gospel is so true and the may the Holy Spirit guide.

Love,

Elder Dustin Divis

Dustin's June 4 Letter

2012 June 4

Dear Mom,

My week went great! The Diaz Lavy family got baptized on Saturday and confirmed yesterday. The Dad is Cliver, mom Florita, and their three daughters Blanca, Briget, and Celeste. The Diaz Casteñeda family fellowshipped them and have been a great help. Brother Alex Diaz is the elder`s quorum pres. and his wife Nila is one of the Relief Society counselors. The whole family gave their testimonies after being baptized and they all spoke with the tongue of angels (see 2 Nephi 32) The dad gave his testimony that he was in it til the end and that he will never go back into his worldly ways. He used to smoke 5 packs a day and drink every weekend and was not the best dad. He is now fully repented and has received a remission of his sin for the grace of God and through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Sunday at church he ask me where he could find the donation envelopes in order to pay his tithing. I LOVE THE GOSPEL!!! We are doing all we can so that another family can receive the sacred ordnance of baptism.

My companion will be going home in one week. We have made the goal to do twice as many contacts as usual and have more divisions (Splits) than ever. Cause you`ve gotta go out with a bang! Thanks for all your love and support. I have learned many things here and I know I wouldn´t have been able to do so if it wasn´t for the solid base that I was given as a child and young man. I know God lives and that His son gave his life for you and me and all living creature of the family of Adam. He is our Savior and Redeemer. He is my strength, my life, my light, and my God. May God speed the right!

Love,

Elder Dustin Divis

Dustin's May 28 Letter

2012 May 28

Dear Mom,

My week started off good but then turned out great. Friday, Saturday and Sunday is when our week started picking up. Everdina got confirmed yesterday, and the Family Diaz Lavy came to church and will be baptized and confirmed this Saturday. We are teaching 3 other families that are preparing for baptism. I love being part of this great work! Last night we found an amazing family that reminds me a lot of the family Rafael that got baptized in my last area; which means they were prepared by God to receive the restored gospel in this time. My companion and I just have to do are best and depend on the Holy Ghost. The zone finished this month with 8 baptisms and 2 families baptized, which is better than the last 4 months of this year. June should be even better because we already have 8 baptismal dates and we should be able to help others so that they can enter into the Kingdom of God.

One elder ended his mission this week and went to Bolivia on Wednesday and another got sent to his mission in Mexico but on Friday the elder that hurt his knee came back. So, for now we have three elders that are in charge of 3 wards. In two week all should be back to normal.

Thanks for the picture and the inspiring quotes! I always like to SEE how things are going now how the family is. When is James´ and Audra`s baby due? I can`t think of much else to write. Hope my e-mail isn`t too boring :) I love you and hope you enjoy the holiday.

Love,

Elder Dustin Divis

Dustin's May 21 Letter

Dear Mom,

Congratulations on 30 years of eternal covenant marriage!!! Thanks for being the best parents ever!

My week went well. The whole week has been super busy running from one place to another, making maps for the zone, preparing and having zone conference with president, taking elders to immigrations, buying new telephones, filling up a baptismal fount when there wasn`t any water etc. The good thing is that all got done on time and how it should have. So I`m happy :) The family Diaz that got married last week all came to church with their three kids and they loved it! They (Dad, Mom and daughter) will be baptized on June 2nd!! We are preparing other 2 families for marriage and baptism and working hard with the other family that got married. Time is flying by faster than ever and I kinda wish it would slow down a little.

I continue to learn many things every day and I know that my learning has only but begun. I know without a doubt we are in the truth and light of Christ. We are subject to this life and through Him we will "come off conquerors". Keep up the good work and may God speed the right!

Love,

Elder Dustin Divis

 Baptism in the zone. In the baptismal interview he asked that I could baptize him then decided it was better if Elder Lazaro did it but wanted me to be a witness.

Our baptism. Everdina Espinosa Cardoso

Zona Tahuantinsuyo

Dustin's May 14 Letter

2012 May 14

Hey,

It was great to be able to talk to the family yesterday. You all confirmed my fears that I can`t speak English, or at least that I have a Spanish accent when I talk. I hope it doesn`t stick for too long but I will definitely keep practicing and learning Spanish for the rest of my life.

We only got to talk 35 min. because the first card only lasted for 15 min. We`ll make up those five minutes later. I love hearing William talk about his mission! It makes me so proud to know that he is serving the Lord :) Trissa sounds like all is going well and that she`s excited to go to Hawaii (everyone is!) From the pics that I`ve seen Gavin is getting pretty big and it will be great to spend time with Trissa, John and Gavin. Laura and family are doing great and I hope the best for them. Thanks Jordan for your patience with me. I`m sure you`ll have fun making fun of me while I still cannot speak well. I deserve it. I never got to say happy mother`s day to Riah or Audra so... HAPPY MOTHER`S DAY!!!! ... yesterday. James, I enjoyed talking in Spanish with you. We`ll probably have to talk a lot afterwards especially in crowded places so less people will understand us. I am sure if we spoke with a lot of slang from Venezuela and Peru nobody would understand even if they spoke Spanish.

I know Dad wanted most of the time for you Mom and I hope you got the time you needed and that you enjoyed the short phone call. I am truly grateful for all your support, love, and prayers! As I stated in my talk yesterday if it wasn`t for you I probably wouldn`t be here where I am today. Thanks Mom!!! To make up for the time you couldn't talk on Sunday I will spend extra time with you when we see each other again. That`s a promise.

This week for me went well. There were a lot of challenges but in the end two couples got married thanks to the many miracles. Money, rings, transportation, desire, and faith where all granted in the right places at the right time. Next month with a few more miracles they will be baptized as families and be able to enter into the Kingdom of God. I LOVE THE GOSPEL!!!!!! We also will have a baptism this Sunday, Evy Espinosa. She was so happy to hear the gospel. Her father abandoned her as child and a year later her mother passed away. She is now living with her aunt and cousin, who are members of the Church. This week will be full. We have a zone conference with pres. the baptism, another activity, a service project, and many people to find and teach.

Thanks for everything and thanks to everyone. I love you all and I`m praying for you.

Love,

Elder Dustin Divis

My companion the newly wedds and I

Dustin's May 7 Letter

2012 May 7
Dear Mom,
Thanks for the pictures! The weather here is cooling down a bit. At night and in the early morning it is a little brisk and ``winter`` is coming. I`ll probably have to start using a sweeter next month. I am so excited that Cameron is getting married! and I`ll be there! It would be cool to see a picture of Cameron and the lucky lady to get to know my future cousin-in-law.
I don`t remember if I wished you happy birthday mom, but in case I forgot to tell you ... HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! I also send birthday wishes to Jordan :) 24 years old, wow.
My week was loaded! As you know this week were transfers. 3 elders left the zone and we now have 3 new elders. Elder Castro from Mexico, Elder Ojeda from Bolivia and Elder Hernandez from Guatemala. They are great missionaries. On transfers day there where two Zone Leaders that were headed to the Jungle but we always have a Zone Leader Council the first Wednesday of every month so instead of sending them to the Jungle for half a day they sent the two Z/L with us, which helped out a ton. On top of it all it was a holiday here. We found and taught a ton of people! Wednesday we had the Zone Leader Council from 8am till 6pm and we learned a ton from president! After the council we visited some families with member and they`re preparing for marriage and baptism. Thursday was normal and we had 2 baptismal interviews and the same on Friday. Two families are preparing for marriage this week and baptism the end of the month. Right now one of the families called me and told me to call them in 30 min. Hope it`s to hear the good news about their marriage papers! On Saturday we finally got in contact with Claudelina (the sister that got baptized but not confirmed) She had been in the Hospital for 4 days and didn`t want to let you leave. Her family didn`t want her to keep coming to church. Sister Claudelina makes me laugh though :) she didn`t tell the doctor that she was submerged in cold water but that she took a cold shower and that`s how she got sick and she had so much faith that she is fine now. We also were praying and fasting for her and on Saturday we gave her Health blessing (don`t remember if that`s how you say that in English) Saturday she got confirmed and is as happy and healthy as ever :) I LOVE THE GOSPEL!!!! My time is up but I love you all! Love you Mom!
Love,
Elder Dustin Divis

Dustin's April 30 Letter

2012 April 30

Dear Mom,

My week went well. The zoo was fun, time flew by, but what`s new. Thanks for the updates and answers to my questions. I just felt a little curious. Say Hi to everyone. Your life sounds busy right now. Hope that all goes well. Dad mentioned that my emails have been a little short lately. I`ll get better.

Something happened this week that has never happened before in my mission! We had a baptism on Saturday (that has happened a lot) but yesterday she did not get confirmed! It was a great big roller-coaster ride. Her name is Claudelina Reyes, and she`s 79 years old. We ¨tried¨ to heat up the water but it didn`t work out too well. She got baptized after about 15 minutes in the fount. Everything went quite well actually. Sunday we called and she was sleeping so later we passed by her house to go with her to church and nobody answered the door. We knocked and called for about 20 min and decided she wasn`t there. Never showed up to church! Neither did any of the other investigators, I wasn`t feeling so hot at this point.

After church the day started to take an up. (Don`t know if that makes any sense) but we taught some lessons and we taught two amazing families! The Dias Lavy Family and the Ugarte Castro Family (just to let you know, every family in Latin America has two last names. If you already knew that, Great! if not, now you know :) They both shared with us that they have a desire to get married and baptized! And we will visit sister Claudelina today and she will be confirmed next week in stake conference. So by the time we got home I was feeling much better.

I have been doing a lot of divisions lately with the whole zone. I am getting to know all the areas and I know quite well all the missionaries in the zone. Today is transfer day! I´m not leaving (no surprise there). I like this area and can`t wait to keep working there till the end.

I have seen the Gospel of Jesus Christ change countless lives in this short time in Peru. I know that the church is true and that we are so privileged to live a time that God`s priesthood power reigns on earth. I love you and pray for you. I`ll might be doing the pre-call for mother’s day next week :)

Love,

Elder Dustin Divis

Dustin's April 23 Letter

2012 April 23

Dear Mom,

My week was pretty good. We didn`t have P-day on Monday but we went to the Temple on Thursday, which was amazing! We had interviews on Wednesday with Pres. Blunck then my birthday on Friday. It was better than last year`s. I got sung to and I ate some of the treats you sent me and ... that`s about it. I love being on the mission and I`m not really one to have a lot of party stuff.

This week we should have a baptism. I`ll be sure to send pictures. We found a single mom this week that has 4 kids. Luis 7 years, Nicolas 5, forgot his name 3, Marleny 1. Her name is Claudia Laura. Her brother is a member and has a really cool conversion story and is now married in the temple and has 4 kids, 2 of which have served missions and are married in the temple too. It just put a smile on my face to hear the desire to come unto Christ in order to receive joy and happiness.

Today we are going to the zoo. It`s called the Park of Legends. I`ll have fun :) I feel like a dad with 9 kids. I wouldn`t be surprised if I my hair starts turning gray through the next 3 months, haha ha. I pray for you always.

Last I heard Jen was planning on going on a mission. Has she turned in her papers or is she still preparing them? How`s Nicole doing? Does Jonny have a kid yet? Do you know if Ryan`s wife has a brother or cousin that`s serving a mission in Mexico, Tuxla Gutierrez? Have you heard anything about PJ and Charity? I really don`t have a clue what is going on in the family. Hope all is well and know that I love you!

Love,

Elder Divis

Dustin's April 16 Letter

2012 April 16

Dear Mom,

I want to say sorry that my letter today is super short. My time has been cut really short. Thanks for the updates on Carter. I`ll be sure to have him in my fasts and daily prayers, along with Laura and the rest of the family. I`ll send a couple pictures. Thanks for the package! It got here last Monday after writing you. The shaver is quite fancy and works well I am enjoying the new socks and delicious goodies. I love you and hope the best for all! Say hi to everyone for me.

Love,

Elder Dustin Divis

 About half my group in a conference

 Tahuantinsuyo Zone: Last monday playing soccer with some jerseys we made

 Rafeal Family. I went to Wiesse and baptised brother Edgar Rafeal!!!!

Dustin's April 9 Letter

2012 April 9

Dear Mom,

My week went well. If all goes as planned and hoped we should have 3 baptisms this month. We were able to have more lessons this week and we even visited some investigator families with the Bishop. This Ward is great! We just need to use all the resources that we have to efficiently bring about the Lord`s work as a team. Today, we are going to play soccer with the other zone. We made sweet jerseys as a zone for the game, I`ll send a picture next week. Don`t let me forget.

I had a good Easter. The bad thing is that here just about everyone celebrates the death of Jesus on Friday and nobody recognizes Easter Sunday. Not even the members put much emphasis in His resurrection. I gave a talk on Sunday and I hope it helped them remember that as Latter-day Saints we believe and worship a living God. I thank you mom for the love you show for the Savior because it has helped me develop the same love for Him. Happy Easter!!!!

Love,

Elder Dustin Divis

 Elder Nurinda and Elder Divis

Family Home Evening at the mission home

Dustin's April 2 Letter

Dear Mom,

Thanks for the pictures! My week went well and I loved conference!!! I got to watch the priesthood session, half of the Sunday morning session and the afternoon session on Sunday in English. Loved it! The good part is that I actually understand Spanish fully now. Maybe not fully but all that was said in the conference I understood. Like I was telling one of the missionaries in the zone, I speak ´´Gospel Spanish´´.

Before the Saturday morning session I went back to my old area and baptized Sister María Arce and her son Mario Rafeal Arce. His dad will be baptized the 14 of April and we hope is eldest son Toto will do the same. I really don`t know a lot about his progress because I haven`t been teaching them for two weeks. I hope to receive the good news in the following weeks.

We did a service on Wednesday hauling buckets of rocks up to the third floor of a house. I woke up pretty sore the next day, reminds me of old times. I love you and know that the family has been blessed for the faithful service and example you have set and that we have followed. My hope and prayer is that we can continue magnifying whatever calling we are given here on this earth.

Love,

Elder Dustin Divis

Huamán Silvestre Family 

Rafael Arce Family

Dustin's March 26 Letter

2012 March 26

Dear Mom,

My week was very busy. My companion and I got to our new area together on Tuesday. We are now serving in the Tahuantinsuyo stake, in Deseret ward. It`s the stake that covers the mission offices. We both got transferred from San Juan de Lurigancho to Independecia the same day and we are now getting comfortable in our new room, pention (food lady) and ward and responsibilities. The assistants are in this same ward but they are always traveling to the jungle and other parts of the mission doing what they do and they don`t have hardly anytime in their area. Now it’s worse because there is a new assistant and he isn`t use to so much tasks to do in one day. So we will be working here full-time and when the assistants have time they will do splits with us. I am looking forward to learning a lot here and having tons of success. One of the assistants is a missionary from my group. We came to Lima, Peru side by side in every plane and we roomed together in the CCM. He`s the best! Elder Essig is his name. Our new room is just that ¨new¨. They placed the necessary things (one dresser, two beds and two desks) in the room.... and that`s about it. We had to find chairs, buy a broom, light bulbs, mop, etc. Many other things kept us very busy. The best thing that happened is that we got to know the best bishop ever and his brother is the ward mission leader, and there is a ton of support in this ward. I will most likely finish my mission here and I am sure I will have many great experiences here.

Thanks for the information about you lives and I hope all goes well with work and vacations. Say hi to everyone back home. Thanks for the scripture and all that you do for me. I am also looking forward to general conference. Tonight we`re going to have Family Home Evening with President and Sister Blunck! Should be good.

Love you tons!

Elder Dustin Divis

Dustin's March 19th Letter

2012 March 19

Dear Mom,

My week went quite well. The eldest son of the Rafeal family got back from his exchange program in California last night and they invited us over for dinner tonight. Can`t wait to meet him, and teach him all that his family has been learning so that he too can receive the great joy that one acquires by making righteous choices. We also have a Family Night planned with a member family today. Everyone is sure that I am leaving and when I opened up my e-mail I saw something strange, the assistants had written me. That never happens! I am now going to be transferred to another zone here in Lima after 7 eventful months in Wiesse. The people that I have gotten to know are incredible and I was kinda hoping that I could stay for one more transfer, but I know that the Lord needs me now in another part of his vineyard. I have lots to learn and I know that this change will be for the better. This Sunday a new family made it to church and a father of family, and a convert brought his friend to church and now is investigating. Wish I could be here to help and see them progress but I know the elder that is coming will do great. For P-day we usually play soccer, which I love!!! but some get bored of playing soccer every week for 2 years(I don`t understand why) Last week we went bowling in the only bowling alley in all of the gigantic city of Lima. I had fun but I didn`t take pictures :/ Sorry. Della`s party makes me a little bit jealous. Thanks Jordan for the foto! Wish me luck in my new zone! I love you tons!

Elder Divis