My last transfer April 27, 2015

6 weeks, 1.5 months, 1 transfer, or however you want to say it, it's coming to a close. My last transfer, which means, transfer day! Yep, believe the unbelievable. Baseball Jr year has struck again! Or so I thought. But before I will get int the details, I have to tell you about my week. 

So it all started out Wednesday. Wednesday, I had splits with Elder Ortiz. He is a funny and great missionary. We had a lot of fun in spite of the 112' heat! 

Then on Thursday, my companion, Elder Ibarra, got sick! He couldn't leave the house because the heat would only make him worse. Luckily I went on divisions with a few ward members. So Thursday, Friday and Saturday I was without a companion. I now know what it feels like to eat alone. To be honest, I'm even more scared to return home because when I was with the ward members, it just wasn't the same and I felt completely alone. Obviously the member was with me and the Lord also but it was just really weird. 

Well, Saturday comes around and again splits. But when I get home, I return to a big surprise; transfers. At first I didn't believe it but then after a few minutes I knew my companion wasn't joking. I was shocked and frusterated because not only was I leaving the area but I was leaving as a Jr companion! Many questions raced through my mind. How could president do this? Why now? Why me? Why send me to a new area with a new companion for my last 6 weeks? Why when we're having success, change me? I felt like it was Jr year baseball all over again. I couldn't sleep at all Saturday night. I didn't want to leave. I didn't want to have to adjust and adapt to another area only to leave in a short 6 weeks. To me it didn't make any sense. Why, when I had been working so hard to reach my potential and be a good leader, would the Lord cut me down? It seems to be a pattern in my life. In football, a sport that I love and was probably my best sport, I had a sudden anxiety attach that hit me so hard that I couldn't play. In basketball, I wasn't the best but I had started 2 years in a row only to be benched my junior year by the same teammates who I had started over the previous 2 years. And in baseball, starting Varsity short stop and third base sophomore year only to have been degraded by my coaches and put on JV and then not play a single minute my senior year. Was this going to be a pattern for my entire life? All these thoughts crossed my mind. 

As I was pondering all this, two stories came to mind. One is a story by a general authority who cut down a bush so that it could grow bigger and better and he likened it to how the Lord some times cuts us down so we can really reach our potential. And the other story is of Alma the younger. Alma was the chief judge of all the land but seeing all the wickedness he decided to give up his judgement seat to preach the Gospel. In that moment it hit me. I wasn't being demoted,... I was given the opportunity to "give up my judgement seat." I realized that I'm suppose to teach and influence my new companion and help train him how to be a good leader. That's what president has asked of me and I guess that's what the Lord wants too. I am learning that the Lord's ways are not always my ways or ideas. He has a plan for me. He knows me individually and knows what I need to do to reach my full potential. It's not about me, it's about the Lords work and I will continue in any way he asks me.

My new companion is Elder Lewis from Utah. My first companion from the states. He's 6'5'' and loves basketball. He had many full ride scholarships to many good schools but he decided to serve a mission instead. He's a really great missionary. I knew him back when I was in Ojo de Agua. He was in my district so I'm very excited to be working with him. Also in my zone there are a lot of great missionaries. And also with this transfer the Lord answered my prayers and in my zone is Elder Moreyra! He was such a great companion and is a great friend and I'm super glad I'll get to see him before I head home. I also might get to see some of my converts from Buena Vista because I've returned to the same stake. My area is Unidad and the stake is Villa Rica. I hope to swing by and see a few of them before I return home.

But I didn't leave the area with out first baptizing! We baptized Patty. She is the sister of a recent convert (Norma). She was super excited and I was glad that I could be there when she was baptized. 

Saying goodbyes is always difficult but I know that I will return and see them again some day. If not in this life, in the life to come. I know this church is true and that God's ways are higher and always better than our own. I may not always understand why But I know that I will be blessed when I follow his will. I know Christ lives and that this is his church. 

It's heating up in Mexico! April 20th, 2015

I don't know what to say at this point. It still hasn't fully hit me that I'll be home in 7 weeks. Well, it comes and goes. Mainly when I'm getting ready for bed. To be honest I'm a little nervous. The transition will be another 180. I just hope it's not as bad as the first culture shock that hit me my first few days here in Mexico. 

I have to congratulate Zach for following the call of the prophets. Long Beach will be blessed to have you. And the good news is that we have family close to Long Beach. Well, actually I don't know how close. All I know is that when we went to Carson's wedding In San Diego, we flew to the Long Beach airport. Who knows, but anyways, congrats man! 

So this week has been...well...hot! We are in the 100s almost everyday! Luckily I haven't been burned. We actually aren't out in the sun a lot because the people here have adapted the city to the climate and every house has a big tree to provide shade. It's still hot but I don't burn. 

Mondays we basically don't do anything. It's our P-day until 6pm and then we had District class  from 6-7:30. By the time we actually get done its 8 and we only have time to visit one person. 

Our mission president now wants us to focus more on visiting less active members and recent converts. And from them he wants us to receive references to fill up our teaching tank. We've had a lot of success with this actually.  

Patty is progressing very well and if everything goes according to plan, she'll be baptized this week. We also have Luis lined up but it will be more of a challenge with him. We also want to start working with his parents because they are really kind. Actually, his dad lived in Salt Lake for awhile and attend church for 9 months. Didn't get baptized but he liked the church, so we'll see where that leads us. 

I won a pizza this week! Last Wednesday or Thursday the US played Mexico in soccer and so there were a few over confident investigators and so I took the risk. I actually just wanted an excuse to eat pizza. Either way, win or lose, I'll eat pizza. The good news is that I wont have to pay. I was supposed to claim my victory Saturday but the guy that lost the bet crashed on his motorcycle and broke his leg. He's ok but the pizza will have to wait.

Yesterday we had a stake activity. I know, stake activity on a Sunday? But we watched Meet the Mormons. It was good because every person brought a non member friend. But I will say that my heart was moved yesterday. A little 7 year old girl came up to me with one of her member friends. Her friend had just been baptized. But this little 7 year old girl told me she wanted her mom to attend church with her. This 7 year old girl had been attending church with her friend every Sunday for a few months or even years. Time doesn't really matter. What matters is that a 7 year old attends church alone. I had to fight back tears as I listened to her. She doesn't live in my area so I can't do much. But I do know that God hears and answers his children's prayers. Especially the prayers of the children. I know God loves all his sons and daughters (each and every one of us). He lives. Christ is his son, the Savior and Redeemer of the world. I know they live. I testify with all the energy of my heart and soul.

Elder Dial

No I am NOT trunky! April 12, 2015

8 More weekly letters. No I'm not "trunky." I'm just saying that I only have 8 weeks left so people stop asking me when I'm coming home. It's hard to believe that 2 years have gone by so quickly. Friday I had divisions with Elder Pizarro (my "son") in my first area (Tres Valles). It was really cool because I got to see my converts and talk with them and also see a few members who are really good to the missionaries. I'll attach some pictures to this email. 

This week we also were able to find Fabiola. She is really good. We found her Saturday and invited her to church and she actually came the following day. We've only taught her once so we'll see how things go with her. 

Sunday is by far the most stressful day of the week. Mexicans are the worst at arriving on time! We arrive at 9:50 at the latest to wait for our investigators and greet them as they walk in but the majority of them don't get there until 10:30. We have to enter at about 10:10 so we can partake of the sacrament. But it´s still very stressfull having to wait for them to arrive. And while you're waiting, you're thinking about all you've taught them. If you taught them good enough so that they could understand the reason as to why they need to go to church and also thinking about all the things you've done that would help them feel the spirit and come to church to prepare for their baptism. But it is such a relief when they arrive. 

As we were waiting, Sandra and Moises arrived and it was so cool to see Moises arrive in a white shirt and tie. All the anxiety and stress is worth it. Every door slam, every bad word said, every rejection is worth it, and all the sweating is worth it. It reminds me of the scripture that says that there is more rejoicing in heaven for one soul that repents than there is for 99 just people that need no repentance. 

We also found a lady who sufferes from "Esquizofrenia". She was baptised under a "false" name. I say false because she says that when she was baptized, she couldn't remember her name and so she went by what all her neighbors called her. Well, log story short, that wasn't her name and now we are in a situation where we nor our president know what to do. Do we re-baptize her or just change the name on the church records. I fell like a detective trying to find the identity of a "jane doe".  

Well, that's about all the exciting things that have happened this past week here in Mexico. It gets so hot here that there are frequent black outs so that should make for a fun time.

I love Mexico and I love sharing the gospel. 

Elder Dial

Jedi Council April 6th 2015

I hope everyone got a chance to watch General Conference. It was amazing!! I loved it! It flew by! I'm a little sad because it was my last General Conference in the mission field. I received answers to many questions I had. It's amazing what a little fervent prayer and fasting can do for ya. I can't pick one talk as my favorite because I have many. I loved Elder Ballard's talk. It's as if he was talking directly to me. I also loved Elder Holland's and Elder Bednar's talks, along with President Uchtdorf and President Monson's talks. President Monson is getting frailer day by day. He looks like he's lost a lot of weight. I was reading that President Obama went to Utah and met with Church leaders but President Monson decided not to attend because he needed to reserve his energy for the conference. I love President Monson and I know he is a Prophet of God. 

This week leading up to General conference, we were EXTREMELY busy! Tuesday we were in Veracruz all day. We had what we call, "Jedi Council" because it's only a meeting with all the Zone Leaders of the mission and with President.

We talked about the 2015 Area plan for Mexico. It mainly talks about paying tithing and fast offerings. We are focusing more on these two commandments because the retention is of big concern not only here in Mexico but in all the world. And its a fact that some who pays their tithing and fast offerings will never go inactive.

We divided into North and South Zones. I can proudly say that I'm from the South side! Hahaha Also we talked about the success we've had this past month. We were able to baptize 24 in the entire Zone of Tierra Blanca.

The most in the entire mission. Also, President told us that we are normally the number one mission in all of Mexico so that shot us through the roof. We were the best zone in the best mission in Mexico.  Right now for the month of April, we will be lucky if we even reach our goal of 15. 

Wednesday we had zone class and basically talked about the same things we talked about in the Jedi Council. We didn't head out to work until after 3PM. We went with a few investigators that have a baptismal date for this week. It's the daughter and sister of a resent convert. They really like the Church and they LOVED conference. We still have a few things to teach them so we will see how it goes. 

Thursday we again only worked half day because we had our weekly planning. But we were able to visit Lalo (Jose Eduardo) He's a 13 year old who is reading the Book of Mormon and attending church. Only he couldn't come to conference because he left with his dad some where. 

Friday was the only day we actually worked in our area. We passed by everyone to remind them about conference. Not everyone went but those that went received a spiritual witness of the restoration and of a living Prophet.

Saturday after the first session, we had a little picnic with the ward and investigators. Only about 20 people came but it was a better turn out than I had thought. The idea came about because there are many, almost all members, who don't have cable so they have to watch it at the stake center. And in order to save money on gas/taxis, my companion and I decided to do something for the converts who live far away but would be attending conference and so that they would stay for the second session, we organized this little picnic in about 30 minutes and had members bring one thing. We brought sandwiches and another member brought Hot dogs, and another brought tamales. Needless to say, we had sufficient food. 

If you didn't have the chance to watch all the conference sessions I highly encourage you to go and watch them. Or at least read a talk a day. They were all great and my testimony has grown because of the wonderful inspired talks. I also hope that you had a wonderful Easter weekend. I know Christ lives. He paid the price for us. Because he lives, we will defeat the chains of death. He loves each and everyone of his children and he desires that we all may return to our Father in Heaven. He lives. 

Elder Dial

Called to "SERVE" March 30th 2015

Congrats Whit and Eric!!! And also Feliz Cumpleaños Aubs, Nicolette and Fur!! Hope everyone had a great week this week. 

For me, this week has been a great week! We baptized Moises and Sandra on Sunday and they were very excited! They live in another little town that is in another state, not in Veracruz, but it still is part of our area. Where they live, there are ancient ruins from 1907! It's just an old house that is supposedly  haunted but we went at about 6 and didn't see or hear anything.

Plus I wasn't too worried because I'm a worthy Priesthood Holder. But anyways, Sandra and Moises were very excited and now we are preparing them to enter the temple in a year to be sealed. If the Lord permits it I would love to return and enter with them into the House of the Lord. In order to do that I need to find a job and save up to be able to return. 

Then today we gave service all day! I got a little more golden! First we went and painted chairs at a part member family's house. The dad of a recent convert bought a new dining table set and wanted help painting them so we volunteered.

Then we finished that at about 10 and headed to our Ward Mission Leader's house to help clean up his yard. It was covered in branches! He has 3 huge trees in front of his house and basically they cut all the branches off. We also washed his car because he gives us rides to visit a few of our investigators who live far away. Needless to say I'm beat. But tomorrow I will be able to recover because tomorrow we are going to Veracruz to have a conference with the other zone leaders and our Mission President and we won't get home until about 8-9 Pm. 

We almost had an electrical fire this past week.

Luckily my Eagle Scout fire protection merit badge jumped in and saved us. Hahaha. Our stake president's son knows electrical stuff so he came by and fixed the problem.

Also, last Tuesday we had a leadership reunion with all the district leaders of the zone and we talked about the new incentive  that the church is putting out. It's called "Because he Lives". It's like the incentive "he is the Gift" back in December but we are focusing on the Resurrection of Christ. There's another video that I encourage all to watch and to share it with a friend. It's a short but powerful 2.5 minute video. Watch it; Share it; Love it. 

I took Dad´s advice and have been reading Christ's last week in mortality in Elder James E. Talmage's "Jesus the Christ". I love that book! It's so good and explains so much. If you haven't read it I invite you to read it. Your faith and knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ will increase drastically. 

Another thing that will increase our faith is taking the opportunity to watch General Conference and listen to the Prophet's voice. I love conference because I receive personal revelation. With out personal revelation everyone would be lost. Personal revelation is what happens when we have the light bulb affect. When we have an "out of no where" solution pop into our minds which is the exact solution that resolves some of our biggest problems. I invite all who are reading this to take a few minutes and watch General conference. you can watch it live Saturday and Sunday at the following hours: 10 AM-12 PM and at 2 PM-4 PM. You can watch it live at www.lds.org. 

I know that this Christ's church. He is at the head of it. I know he speaks through a living Prophet and that Prophet is President Thomas S. Monson. I know God loves each and every one of his children and has prepared a way for them to return to him, through the atonement of Jesus Christ. I invite all to come unto Christ. I know he lives.

Elder Parker Freeman Dial 

Ketchup in a bowl is not tomato soup! Mar. 23, 2015

This week was pretty exciting! It started Tuesday! Tuesday for lunch a sister made Roast Beef and Mashed potatoes with Corn on the cob!!!!

I was in Heaven! There was also bread but nothing like mom's home made rolls or Grandmas Home made bread, but it was very good! I, of course ate 90% of the mashed potatoes she made. She had lived in the US before so she knew how to make them. Mostly, here in Mexico, they are served cold. I almost gagged the first time I ate cold mashed potatoes. Being from Idaho has made me a little prideful on how I like my potatoes. Never-the-less, I partook of the cold potatoes and finished my plate. 

Wednesday and Thursday were normal days filled with teaching and interviews.

Friday we went to a ranch where S and M live. It was a pretty funny lesson. Well, what happened before is what's funny. They have a motorcycle and so I sat down on it pretending to ride it. But then S comes over and tells me to start it up. It took me a few tries but I go it. Then she let me ride it around. I only went in a circle of about a 25ft radius.  It was fun and I picked it up a lot quicker than my companion. 

Saturday the other Elders had a baptism so we went to help them out. Other than that Saturday was also a normal day.

Sunday we had a great turn out! S, M, J, N, and her aunt all came to church. S and M are really great and have a baptismal date for this coming Sunday. It's been a little hard teaching them because they live a little ways away so we'll have to pass by every day this week to  keep them motivated.

J, is a 13 year old friend of a recent convert. He came Sunday and was laughing with all the young men so I'm pretty sure that's a good sign. 

N and her aunt are family members of some other recent converts. N just had her baby and was recovering from that but she came and she liked it. She and her aunt came with her mom and sister who are recent converts,

 We formed our district basketball team in honor of March Madness.

After eating the wonderful mashed potatoes and corn I have been feeling more American and have been craving a grilled cheese with tomato soup. Well they don't have the good American -cheddar cheese so I had to improvise and used that plastic kraft single junk that always stuck to the ceiling of Maple Grove because all the kids rebelled against the nasty stuff. Anyways I had to use that. Next there was no tomato soup found in all of Tierra Blanca! so me and my bright ideas, told the sister to just heat up Ketchup on the stove and add a little milk. Bad idea! I basically ate a bowl of Ketchup! It was good at first but right now I'm feeling the effects. I guess I'll just have to wait 2 and a half more months until I can eat the good stuff again.

So this week I had a bit of personal revelation. It was pretty cool. this week a few members showed us a few videos of a few members of the church with excellent talents. Mainly singing. And I got to thinking of my own talents and how I haven't really developed much of my musical or sports talents and so I was thinking of what I could do if I had dedicated a little more time to one or two things. I was reading in Jacob 2 and reread a scripture mastery that penetrated deeper than before. "But before ye seek for riches, seek ye the kingdom of god. And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ, ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them, and ye will seek them, for the intent to do good. to clothe the naked and to feed the hungry and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted." I felt so dumb for even wanting to be rich. yea it would be nice but I realized that the richest man in the world is he who has found God. I may not be the most popular, richest or best looking, but as it says in Alma chapter 1, the richest, best looking, and most prosperous people are those who serve and give to those who stand in need. May we try a little better to look around a notice those who really need us. every morning we should ask ourselves, "Who needs my love today?" and then we should pray and ask God to guide us to these people. 

Elder Dial

 

We lost an Elder....March 16th 2015

¿Que tal? Estoy muy bien aquí en México! Solo me falta como 12 semanas :/ 

Well, the rain has kept everything fairly cool here. Well, cool as in not so humid but still pretty hot. It rained yesterday and nobody came to church. We were averaging about 140 each week but we dropped to 97 this past Sunday. I was very disappointed. It made me think a lot about the pioneers and how they suffered so much more than a little rain but they had faith in every footstep. A lot of the members don't have cars so they walk which means they would be walking in the rain. 

On a better note, transfers were today and I'll be staying here in Tierra Blanca for another transfer (6 weeks). Haha funny story, we lost an Elder today. There is a zone bordering ours and in order to get there one has to pass through Tierra Blanca. So in order to make things easier, we called one of the Zone leaders from this zone who was traveling with the other missionaries to make sure that a certain elder gets off at the right spot. Well, this Zone leader didn't follow directions and this Elder got off at the wrong spot. We were looking for him for a good 2 hours. Luckily there was a member who worked at the Bus station and knew he had gotten off at the wrong spot and so this member helped him and got him here safely. 

Other news this week is that a few of our investigators are really progressing. M and S are really great. They live about 30 minutes outside the city but a member usually takes us there. They are reading and praying and attending church. It's super fun to teach them.

Also we are teaching a few teens. One of wich fell at school and cracked his forehead open. We still don't know what his condition is but we will go see him tomorrow.

This week I had splits with Elder Hoffman. He's a great missionary and is really good at basketball. Every day for our exercise we run to a public park and shoot hoops for a while. It's pretty fun. Although all we every play is lightning. We aren't allowed to play 2 on 2 or 3 on 3 so we just stick with he basics of lightning.

Saturday we went and helped a member make tortillas with his tortilla making machine. It was pretty easy but it got super hot in that little room. Later that day they took us out for tacos and my were they good. They were "Gringas" which are tacos al Pastor with cheese and cilantro and onion and you put a wonderful salsa that spices things up a bit! I think I'm ready for the buffalo wing challenge that Carson and Jeff have every year at Christmas.

this next month we will be starting another program called "Gracias a que Él vive!" (Because He lives). It focuses on the resurrection. With April coming fast I encourage everyone to study a little bit more about Christ and his Atonement porque gracias a que Él vive, nosotros también viviremos. Se que Él vive. Las familias pueden ser eternas. En el nombre de Jesucristo, amen.

Elder Dial