So this week has been great! Elder Gibson and two other elders in my district got their visas this morning, so I am hoping that means mine won't be far behind. Maybe, just maybe, I will get mine by the end of the day today because they said they got a lot of them in from Mexico and they are still searching through them, so I am praying. And if I don't get it today, I will just keep praying because my time here in the MTC is getting short! I am going to fast for it(my visa) on Sunday! It is so crazy how much I have grown. My Spanish is getting so much better. I am getting to the point where I feel like I can say almost anything I want. Some times, well lots of times, it takes me a second or two to think of a different way to say what I want to so that I can say it in Spanish, but in all I feel like I can get across what I want to. We have started teaching the second lesson, The Plan of Salvation, a lot because that is what we are teaching in TRC on Monday. This lesson was the hardest in English for me because it is really easy to go to deep because growing up in the church I know a lot about it, but I have had to learn to tell it very simply so that it can be understood. So this lesson has been hard in Spanish but I have been putting in a lot of hard work and when we taught it this morning it went very good.
So something really great happened on Tuesday. We had our Tuesday night devotional like always, but this week the speaker was L Tom Perry!!!!!!!!! It was amazing. Let me tell you, when he walked in the door we all stood and he just brought with him such a great spirit. I feel like in the MTC the spirit is already really strong, but when he walked in it just went out the roof. It was amazing. His talk and testimony was so great. He pretty much gave the first lesson of the restoration but in an amazing way with amazing spirit. He told about how Joseph Smith is a true prophet and that The Book of Mormon is true and just so much my testimony grew so much. It was just such a great talk. I wish I could just read the whole thing to you because it was amazing. I know that he is a disciple of Jesus Christ and you can feel that in the spirit he brings with him. It was really so great. And also he is so tall. I knew he was tall, but wow, he is really tall haha.
We had our new teacher for the first time this week. Her name is Hermana Bingham. She is a great teacher and I have already learned a lot from her. Her dad is Elder Nash of the 70. He is an area president in Peru, so that is kinda cool. But this week has just been very good and I have just grown so much I feel like I have gotten to a point were every day I like double in what I know and how big my testimony gets. I just am trying to work my hardest in here because I know that if I slack of in here, I will regret it so much in the field and for the rest of my life. I will never get this time back and I will never have such a great opportunity to grow so much daily. I love this work and I can feel the blessings that I receive from this work. This gospel is truly amazing and is really the only thing that can make people truly happy. Without this gospel, you will always be searching to fill a hole inside you. Tell Lee that I loved her letter and that it helped me to get that. Tell her thanks for writing me.
About the pants, the color that we ordered was not navy, it was gray, I am pretty sure. So maybe that is why they didn't know but ya I think it was a gray pair. I don't know of any place here to buy any and so ya. I don't really know what size but Pomeroy's should have it??
Ya a couple weeks ago, we were all at dinner and I was talking to Hermana Whipple and that she was from AZ. And that she knew Robert and Nanette and so we were just talking about it, and so we found out that we are second cousins, haha, which was funny but cool. She is not in my district, she is in my Zone, which is a little different. My district is the 7 missionaries (two companion-ships and then my 3 some) and then the Zone is made up of 4 or 5 districts so ya that is how that works. She is in the district that leaves really soon. Some leave on Sunday night, some leave Monday and a few leave Tuesday. Which is sad to lose them. My like best friend that I have made here in the MTC is in that district, elder Adams, so that kinda stinks, that he and all of the rest are leaving but I'm pumped for them to get out there! I am so pumped to get out into the field and serve in Mexico. Up until this week I felt so unprepared because I felt like my Spanish couldn't even get me by. But after this week, I feel so much better about it and I have come to rely on the spirit a lot more. So now I just feel so pumped to go out and serve! I know that this message will bring the people of Mexico so much happiness. It is really crazy. I really have been feeling the gift of tongues. When I get into lessons it just comes and I can speak so much easier and I remember so much more. I have started speaking in like only Spanish all day and it has been helping me so much to learn and grow! When I write in my journal, it is really funny as I write every word I know in Spanish, as I write the English word the Spanish word for it come into my head it is weird but cool. Well, I love you all. Tell the kids thanks for the pictures. I love them and thanks for the letters. Keep writing me. I love you all so much and miss you all a lot!
Love,
Elder Despain
Friday, April 30, 2010
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Mom & Dad's Letter April 23
Dear Mom and Dad,
Sorry the email was short. It is really hard to type a lot in 30 min. I never get to say what all I want to. That is awesome that you had such a great turn out at the ward party. I think that is so great and such a great opportunity to serve and to get people involved.
I can't get over how great the spirit was at the Temple today. The Temple is really just so amazing we are so lucky to have so many so close. There is no place we can feel the Spirit so strong. I just love it! I miss you all so much, the whole family, but it's really great here. I can't believe its been 5 1/2 weeks and when you get this, like 6 weeks. It's crazy. It goes by really slow but super fast at the same time. Elder Grow leaves to the Peru MTC in like 3 days so that's kinda sad and Elder Adams who I have become good friends with got his flight plans and leaves a week from Sunday. So that is sad and my teacher leaving was sad but everything else here is great! I am growing a ton. The Spanish is coming a lot better and we teach in all Spanish for the second time on Monday. Last Monday went really good. It's just awesome here. If you work hard you really see the results and you see how much the Lord blesses you for working hard. I know if I forget myself and become a disciple of Jesus Christ that I will be able to do anything that the Lord would like me to. This church is amazing. I love it! The Gospel is great and there is nothing that can bring greater happiness! I love you so much and I miss you! I'm glad you got the pictures. I hope you like them haha. Oh ya weird, it snowed yesterday morning. Utah has like bi-polar weather! It's so weird! Well sorry I can't write more. Tell the girls sorry that I didn't write them. I will try to soon, but there was no time, so sorry! Thanks for the prayers. Oh ya, and your cousin that is here right now, I saw her and talked with her (Aunt Donna's daughter Cheri and her husband). They are going to be serving their mission in Mesa. They are probably there now. Anyways, she said she tried to call you and you didn't answer. But anyways, I took a picture with her. She said she would go by and see you at home. I love you. Thanks for everything! I hope the kids got their postcards.
Love,
Elder Despain
Note from Ann: I did get to talk to Cheri before she left the MTC. It was so amazing to talk to someone who had just talked to Randall. Cheri said she had seen him several times, but the last night they were there, they were in the cafeteria and Randall came and found them and talked to them. Wow, has he grown! I couldn't get him to talk to anyone at our extended family parties in the past! Even Cheri was amazed at the change she saw in him over the 2 weeks she was there. Cheri also got to see Brian Roberts, her nephew and Julie Brinton's brother, multiple times. She said it was really exciting to get to see them. David Whipple, (Aunt Virginia's son) said his daughter Lana is in Randall's district at the MTC. Apparently it took them 5 weeks to realize they were related. I haven't heard about it from Randall yet, but David said Lana emailed them about it. Aren't families great! Thanks for reading the Blog and sharing in Randall's missionary experience. Don't forget, you can comment after any posts and I will send the comments to Randall by email. We would love to hear from you all! Thanks for your prayers and support.
Love, Ann
Sorry the email was short. It is really hard to type a lot in 30 min. I never get to say what all I want to. That is awesome that you had such a great turn out at the ward party. I think that is so great and such a great opportunity to serve and to get people involved.
I can't get over how great the spirit was at the Temple today. The Temple is really just so amazing we are so lucky to have so many so close. There is no place we can feel the Spirit so strong. I just love it! I miss you all so much, the whole family, but it's really great here. I can't believe its been 5 1/2 weeks and when you get this, like 6 weeks. It's crazy. It goes by really slow but super fast at the same time. Elder Grow leaves to the Peru MTC in like 3 days so that's kinda sad and Elder Adams who I have become good friends with got his flight plans and leaves a week from Sunday. So that is sad and my teacher leaving was sad but everything else here is great! I am growing a ton. The Spanish is coming a lot better and we teach in all Spanish for the second time on Monday. Last Monday went really good. It's just awesome here. If you work hard you really see the results and you see how much the Lord blesses you for working hard. I know if I forget myself and become a disciple of Jesus Christ that I will be able to do anything that the Lord would like me to. This church is amazing. I love it! The Gospel is great and there is nothing that can bring greater happiness! I love you so much and I miss you! I'm glad you got the pictures. I hope you like them haha. Oh ya weird, it snowed yesterday morning. Utah has like bi-polar weather! It's so weird! Well sorry I can't write more. Tell the girls sorry that I didn't write them. I will try to soon, but there was no time, so sorry! Thanks for the prayers. Oh ya, and your cousin that is here right now, I saw her and talked with her (Aunt Donna's daughter Cheri and her husband). They are going to be serving their mission in Mesa. They are probably there now. Anyways, she said she tried to call you and you didn't answer. But anyways, I took a picture with her. She said she would go by and see you at home. I love you. Thanks for everything! I hope the kids got their postcards.
Love,
Elder Despain
Note from Ann: I did get to talk to Cheri before she left the MTC. It was so amazing to talk to someone who had just talked to Randall. Cheri said she had seen him several times, but the last night they were there, they were in the cafeteria and Randall came and found them and talked to them. Wow, has he grown! I couldn't get him to talk to anyone at our extended family parties in the past! Even Cheri was amazed at the change she saw in him over the 2 weeks she was there. Cheri also got to see Brian Roberts, her nephew and Julie Brinton's brother, multiple times. She said it was really exciting to get to see them. David Whipple, (Aunt Virginia's son) said his daughter Lana is in Randall's district at the MTC. Apparently it took them 5 weeks to realize they were related. I haven't heard about it from Randall yet, but David said Lana emailed them about it. Aren't families great! Thanks for reading the Blog and sharing in Randall's missionary experience. Don't forget, you can comment after any posts and I will send the comments to Randall by email. We would love to hear from you all! Thanks for your prayers and support.
Love, Ann
Friday, April 23, 2010
In My 5th Week - 4-23-10
Wow, I can't believe I'm in my fifth week here. It's so crazy. I have not got my pants yet. Sorry, I kept forgetting to tell you, but I remembered this time. I sent some of the kids postcards so I hope that they get them. Sorry it took me so long to send them. It is really hard to find time to write anyone. There is just no time. So I got to go to the temple today like always on p-day, but I just can't get over how amazing the temple is. Today there was just such a spirit there and I just love it so much. I just can't get any happier then when I am in the temple. It gives me all the same happy feelings I get when I am with all of you at home. I can feel my Savior's love in the temple so strong so it is just like the love you all show me, but way overwhelming. Lately I have been thinking a lot about how it is impossible to even comprehend the love our Savior has for each of us. Every time we have an experience we think we have felt his total love and that you couldn't be more loved and then something else happens and you feel that love even stronger. I think that the closer we come to the Savior the more we feel His love and so we really will never know the full extent of that love until we are back in His presence. I'm so grateful for the love He shows for all of us. I know there is no way I could get through this life without that love. And going back to the temple by far that is where I can feel it the most. I love it and I just want to be able to feel that love that strong more often and that helps me to work harder so that I can come closer to my Savior and feel that love more. I know that our Savior loves each one of you just as much as He loves me, we just have to be willing to accept that love.
So it has been raining all day today, so I was really grateful walking to the temple that I got that waterproof jacket. It worked very nice and kept me dry on the walk up there! This week Elder Gibson hurt his finger playing basketball and so we had to go get it x-rayed. We walked to the place like a block away from the MTC. Haha, it was so weird being out in the real world, haha. But ya that was just weird and fun but its crazy in Utah even out of the MTC everyone knows who you are, haha.
So not this last Saturday, but the one before that I had a really humbling experience because the language was just not coming how I wanted it to and at the time I found it to be humbling but looking back I realize really how much it humbled me and made me work harder. In the last 2 weeks my Spanish has grown a crazy amount. This past Monday we taught all in Spanish and it actully went really good and I was able to teach and I know that I could do that only because of that humbling experience because after that I just grew so much faster because the Lord brings us down so that He can build us up stronger and that is what happened. My Spanish is still far from good but just that I was able to do the task and teach the lesson and bring the spirit was amazing. I know the Lord is blessing me. I know for a fact that without His hand in this there is no way I could learn Spanish like this. I pray and I work my hardest and I feel like it's not enough but I just go forward and when the time comes that I need to teach, all that hard work pays off and the Lord and the spirit brings the things I studied to my head and I am able to teach and to move forward. It can be really hard because every time it requires me to take that step of faith and open my mouth in those situations knowing I can't do it on my own. But I know that every time I do it, He helps me and He makes sure that I don't fail. And when that happens I grow and it becomes easier to take that step of faith the next time.
On Tuesday, we had Elder Kevin Pearson of the 70 come speak with us. It was amazing. He talked about forgetting who we use to be. Forgetting Randall Despain and becoming Elder Despain and a disciple of Jesus Christ. There are lots of things that Randall Despain can't do, like learn Spanish, or whatever it may be, but there is nothing that Elder Despain the disciple of Jesus Christ can't do. If I forget myself and go to work and become that disciple then I have the Lords help and there is nothing that I can't do. If it is something that the Lord wants me to do, He will make sure that I can do it. This hit me hard and was even more of a boost to work harder. I know that what he said was true, I have already seen it here and I know I will see it even more out in the field.
So, our teacher Hermana Bott graduated so her last day was Wednesday, so that was sad that she is gone now. They can't teach here after they stop going to BYU, so that was just sad. She was a great teacher and I learned so much from her. We still have Hermano Dubois, so that is good and we will get a new teacher next week so we will have two again, but ya. On Hermana Botts last day, she brought in all of her pictures from her mission and it got me so pumped to go out in the field. I am so ready to go out and share this happiness that I have. I know that there are so many people down in Mexico waiting for this gospel and i just can't wait! I know I am going to love it. Today at the temple we stayed and eat lunch there. It was so great to have a real meal. I mean the MTC food is okay, but it is getting old, haha. But the temple food was amazing so that was a nice break. Well, I just want to let you all know I love you so very much. I am so happy to get all the letters, they are great I try to write back as much as I can. Sorry it isn't more. But I love you all and I pray for everyone every night. Keep writing me. I love to get all the letters. Thanks so much for everything you do! I love you all so much! and I miss you all a ton!
So it has been raining all day today, so I was really grateful walking to the temple that I got that waterproof jacket. It worked very nice and kept me dry on the walk up there! This week Elder Gibson hurt his finger playing basketball and so we had to go get it x-rayed. We walked to the place like a block away from the MTC. Haha, it was so weird being out in the real world, haha. But ya that was just weird and fun but its crazy in Utah even out of the MTC everyone knows who you are, haha.
So not this last Saturday, but the one before that I had a really humbling experience because the language was just not coming how I wanted it to and at the time I found it to be humbling but looking back I realize really how much it humbled me and made me work harder. In the last 2 weeks my Spanish has grown a crazy amount. This past Monday we taught all in Spanish and it actully went really good and I was able to teach and I know that I could do that only because of that humbling experience because after that I just grew so much faster because the Lord brings us down so that He can build us up stronger and that is what happened. My Spanish is still far from good but just that I was able to do the task and teach the lesson and bring the spirit was amazing. I know the Lord is blessing me. I know for a fact that without His hand in this there is no way I could learn Spanish like this. I pray and I work my hardest and I feel like it's not enough but I just go forward and when the time comes that I need to teach, all that hard work pays off and the Lord and the spirit brings the things I studied to my head and I am able to teach and to move forward. It can be really hard because every time it requires me to take that step of faith and open my mouth in those situations knowing I can't do it on my own. But I know that every time I do it, He helps me and He makes sure that I don't fail. And when that happens I grow and it becomes easier to take that step of faith the next time.
On Tuesday, we had Elder Kevin Pearson of the 70 come speak with us. It was amazing. He talked about forgetting who we use to be. Forgetting Randall Despain and becoming Elder Despain and a disciple of Jesus Christ. There are lots of things that Randall Despain can't do, like learn Spanish, or whatever it may be, but there is nothing that Elder Despain the disciple of Jesus Christ can't do. If I forget myself and go to work and become that disciple then I have the Lords help and there is nothing that I can't do. If it is something that the Lord wants me to do, He will make sure that I can do it. This hit me hard and was even more of a boost to work harder. I know that what he said was true, I have already seen it here and I know I will see it even more out in the field.
So, our teacher Hermana Bott graduated so her last day was Wednesday, so that was sad that she is gone now. They can't teach here after they stop going to BYU, so that was just sad. She was a great teacher and I learned so much from her. We still have Hermano Dubois, so that is good and we will get a new teacher next week so we will have two again, but ya. On Hermana Botts last day, she brought in all of her pictures from her mission and it got me so pumped to go out in the field. I am so ready to go out and share this happiness that I have. I know that there are so many people down in Mexico waiting for this gospel and i just can't wait! I know I am going to love it. Today at the temple we stayed and eat lunch there. It was so great to have a real meal. I mean the MTC food is okay, but it is getting old, haha. But the temple food was amazing so that was a nice break. Well, I just want to let you all know I love you so very much. I am so happy to get all the letters, they are great I try to write back as much as I can. Sorry it isn't more. But I love you all and I pray for everyone every night. Keep writing me. I love to get all the letters. Thanks so much for everything you do! I love you all so much! and I miss you all a ton!
Love,
Elder Despain
Monday, April 19, 2010
Letter To Kimi 4-16-10
Dear Kimi,
Thank you for the cards. That will help me so that I can write to the kids! I think they will like them a lot! This week has been very good. I have grown so much this week! Although teaching in all Spanish is very hard, but through the Lord it can be done. Have you been reading your scriptures every day??? You better be! If you have been reading them everyday, have you seen the blessings from it?? If you haven't, know they will come. I promise your life will be blessed through reading daily. Thanks for the tie tack also, but unfortunately, I can't wear it :( They don't let us! :( But one thing I can wear is ties. So if you ever see an ugly or weird or old or plaid tie, you can send me that. I love weird, old or plaid or all of the above ties! There is lots of tie trading that goes on here so even if I don't like a tie, I can always trade it and get one I like! Everything here is just great and I love it! Going to the temple is great and always brings a great spirit! That is another thing that will bless your life a ton is going to the temple! I love the temple so much and I always learn something new every time I go!
Thanks for being such a great sister. We are so blessed to have such a great family and such a close family. I'm so grateful that I was raised in a strong family with the gospel. It's such a blessing. This gospel really is the only thing that can make people truly happy. I am so excited to go and serve in Mexico. I know there are people waiting for me y only me to bring them the gospel. I know that this gospel will bless anyone that has it and I am so happy I get to share that with the people of Mexico! I love you and miss you! Make sure to read!
Love Your Little Brother,
Elder Despain
P.S. Tell Zane and Nate I love them and still love their pictures and I hope they are listening to their Mom and Dad. If not, tell them that Randall/Elder Despain says they have to listen to their parents! The Church is True! Love You
Thank you for the cards. That will help me so that I can write to the kids! I think they will like them a lot! This week has been very good. I have grown so much this week! Although teaching in all Spanish is very hard, but through the Lord it can be done. Have you been reading your scriptures every day??? You better be! If you have been reading them everyday, have you seen the blessings from it?? If you haven't, know they will come. I promise your life will be blessed through reading daily. Thanks for the tie tack also, but unfortunately, I can't wear it :( They don't let us! :( But one thing I can wear is ties. So if you ever see an ugly or weird or old or plaid tie, you can send me that. I love weird, old or plaid or all of the above ties! There is lots of tie trading that goes on here so even if I don't like a tie, I can always trade it and get one I like! Everything here is just great and I love it! Going to the temple is great and always brings a great spirit! That is another thing that will bless your life a ton is going to the temple! I love the temple so much and I always learn something new every time I go!
Thanks for being such a great sister. We are so blessed to have such a great family and such a close family. I'm so grateful that I was raised in a strong family with the gospel. It's such a blessing. This gospel really is the only thing that can make people truly happy. I am so excited to go and serve in Mexico. I know there are people waiting for me y only me to bring them the gospel. I know that this gospel will bless anyone that has it and I am so happy I get to share that with the people of Mexico! I love you and miss you! Make sure to read!
Love Your Little Brother,
Elder Despain
P.S. Tell Zane and Nate I love them and still love their pictures and I hope they are listening to their Mom and Dad. If not, tell them that Randall/Elder Despain says they have to listen to their parents! The Church is True! Love You
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Almost 5 Weeks In 4-16-10
It is really crazy that it has been almost 5 weeks. Things are still going good here this work is amazing. This week we have been teaching alot in all Spanish because on Monday we have our first trc in all Spanish I am kinda nervous but I know that I can do it and what I can't do I know the Lord will help me to do. The temple was amazing today. I really look forward to going every week it is always so great and always just brings the best spirit. I miss everyone at home a lot. I feel like I have been gone for like years but at the same time it feels like I got here yesterday. One Tuesday we had a devotional by Glenn L. Pace. He is a 70 (Quorum of the 70). It was so amazing. I think it was the most spiritual meeting I have ever been in. He spoke on God's love for us. He asked that it not even be recorded like it normally is because the things he had to share were very personal and sacred to him, so just that made the meeting really special. The spirit was so strong and I loved the whole talk. I got so much out of it and it was just amazing.
I had to spend some money off my debit card because they closed the gym and now we have outside gym. It is still super cold here when you have gym at 6:35 in the morning, so I had to buy a sweat shirt so that I wouldnt freeze. The first day we had outside gym it was so, so cold, so I decided to buy one so sorry haha. But other than the outside gym, the week was great. I have never worked so hard. I think that I worked the hardest this week that I ever have. I think that it is because of the lessons in spanish haha so I really am trying to get prepared but it is hard. Although every time I start to get discouraged, I just think of dad and I am so grateful that I am not learning Korean haha. I feel like Spanish is hard but I dont think it even compares to some of the things I could be learning so I keep pushing through. Sometimes I feel like my head just doesn't work in Spanish but the Lord is blessing me a ton and I have learned so much. Every time I feel like I'm not good at Spanish I just think back to the first day and how much I knew then, haha. Nothing, so just the fact that I can understand people and teach a lesson in Spanish is really amazing. For the last like week and a half, Hermano Dubois, my teacher, has been only speaking Spanish and all his lessons and everything are in Spanish. When I came into the MTC, if someone taught in Spanish I wouldn't get even one word but suprisingly I get almost everthing he teaches. It is amazing and I know that that is only possible because of the Lord. He blesses us all so much in all that we do here. It's so amazing.
I just got my package. It was great. Thank you so much Mom and the pictures were so amazing. Tell all the kids thank you and I will hang them all up in my room!!! Thank you so much for the letter Dad, it was great to get a letter from you and it helped me alot! Tell Julie thank you for the package. Also, tell Kimi thank you for everything she sent. I can't wear tie tacks at all so don't send any more of them. I wish I could wear them, but they don't like us to so I don't. And about the ties, really any ugly tie or weird tie at like DI would be great haha. There is lots of tie trading so that's always fun. But you know me, I really just like weird ugly stuff so if you run into any please send them.
It's so great being here and growing so much every day. It is so weird, I haven't slept in or even had trouble getting up once here. It is really amazing because I don't think I have ever went 5 weeks getting up on time every day haha. But the Lord blesses me and I get up right on time every day. Lots of days I feel tired but I always get through them and I know that is because the Lord blesses me to get through them and stay awake.
Elder Grow isn't in my district. He is in my zone so that's a little different. In your letter you said district. But ya, it has been great just to have someone I knew from home. But ya, everything is just going really good. I can't wait to have the trc on Monday just to get it over with and see if I can do it haha, which I know I can because the Lord will make sure I do make it. But that will just be a big relief to get through my first all Spanish trc. It's so get to have such a great family and always get letters. I love hearing from everyone and its is always great to hear from all the kids. It always brings me a laugh and smile. Make sure to let them all know that I love them and that I am so thankful for their prayers, they help me a ton. Also, tell them I am praying for them. Also, I love everyone else back at home. I miss you all and I can also feel your prayers and they help me out so much. If it wasn't for prayer, there is no way that I could do this and get through it. It's so weird, the days go by slow but the weeks fly by. I feel like yesterday was p-day but it has been a week. I guess when we are all working hard it just flys by and you dont realize it. My testimony is growing so much every day. I am just so grateful for this wonderful gospel. I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to grow up in such a wonderful and great family that had the gospel. I am so pumped and ready to go and take this great gospel to those who are waiting for me in Mexico. I know that this is where I need to be. I know that there are people in Mexico that are waiting for me to come and share this message with them. I know that there are people that need to hear it form me and only me. I love you all and I miss you so much but this gospel is true and it is amazing!!!!
Love,
Elder Despain
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Letter To Kimi 4-9-10
Dear Kimi,
Well, Hello sister :) Thanks for the mail, postcards, letters it's great, so thanks! :) Sorry I didn't write last week. It just is crazy. There is no time! Well I wish you luck on the house thing ( Kimi's note: We are trying to find a house to rent to get out of our apartment) I hope you get one you like. General Conference was so amazing. It made me miss you all because it was all centered on families but it was still amazing! My favorite talk was in the Priesthood session by President Uchtdorf. It was on learning a language and patience. He talked about him learning English and then a lot about patience. It was so great and so perfect. All the talks on teaching as parents made me realize that here at the MTC I am not only learning for my investigators in Mexico, I am learning to be a good teacher to myself, my future family, in my future ward callings and so much more. Th eMTC is preparing me to be a great teacher for the rest of my life. Ya sure the short term is for the people of Mexico, but it will be a blessing for the rest of my life. But ya conference was great!! I love what you said about scripture reading. I encourage you to try and read in the morning which is very hard, but I promise that if you pray before reading, have a question or problem in mind when reading and then give yourself 5 minutes to think after reading. I can promise you that you will receive those blessings from our Heavenly Father and you will get answers to those questions or problems that you had in mind when you read! I know that this will happen through reading the scriptures. I know for a fact that it will bless your lives and make each day better! I love you and I know the only way for you to be truly happy is through this gospel, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We can receive Heavenly Father and Jesus' help through prayer and scripture study! We just have to do those things and be diligent in doing them if we want their help. In 1 Nephi 10:19 it talks about being diligent in seeking. Then again in 1 Nephi 16:28 but in that we can relate the pointer to the Holy Ghost in our lives. It guides us according to our faith and diligence and then not only to that but to what we do when we get those promptings we must follow then and then we will get more and more as we follow them more. So we need to have faith and diligence to receive the pointing or the Holy Ghost's promptings then we must act on the promptings then if we do we will receive more and more, more often! So I promise if you read daily and seek with diligence you will receive answers, promptings and blessings! So read! The Gospel is true! The Church is true! The blessings we get from it are real! I love you!
Love your little bro,
Elder Despain
P.S. Tell Zane that I loved his picture. It is on the wall next to Jayden's and all the Elderslove it and the saying "me and you are alien missionaries I have been watching Monsters vs. Aliens a lot" "(CAN YOU TELL I AM)" Ha Ha Love it! (Kimi's note: The picture Zane sent was the first picture of a person he had ever drawn and it really looked like an alien with three eyes, but we were all proud of it!)
Love you all
Well, Hello sister :) Thanks for the mail, postcards, letters it's great, so thanks! :) Sorry I didn't write last week. It just is crazy. There is no time! Well I wish you luck on the house thing ( Kimi's note: We are trying to find a house to rent to get out of our apartment) I hope you get one you like. General Conference was so amazing. It made me miss you all because it was all centered on families but it was still amazing! My favorite talk was in the Priesthood session by President Uchtdorf. It was on learning a language and patience. He talked about him learning English and then a lot about patience. It was so great and so perfect. All the talks on teaching as parents made me realize that here at the MTC I am not only learning for my investigators in Mexico, I am learning to be a good teacher to myself, my future family, in my future ward callings and so much more. Th eMTC is preparing me to be a great teacher for the rest of my life. Ya sure the short term is for the people of Mexico, but it will be a blessing for the rest of my life. But ya conference was great!! I love what you said about scripture reading. I encourage you to try and read in the morning which is very hard, but I promise that if you pray before reading, have a question or problem in mind when reading and then give yourself 5 minutes to think after reading. I can promise you that you will receive those blessings from our Heavenly Father and you will get answers to those questions or problems that you had in mind when you read! I know that this will happen through reading the scriptures. I know for a fact that it will bless your lives and make each day better! I love you and I know the only way for you to be truly happy is through this gospel, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We can receive Heavenly Father and Jesus' help through prayer and scripture study! We just have to do those things and be diligent in doing them if we want their help. In 1 Nephi 10:19 it talks about being diligent in seeking. Then again in 1 Nephi 16:28 but in that we can relate the pointer to the Holy Ghost in our lives. It guides us according to our faith and diligence and then not only to that but to what we do when we get those promptings we must follow then and then we will get more and more as we follow them more. So we need to have faith and diligence to receive the pointing or the Holy Ghost's promptings then we must act on the promptings then if we do we will receive more and more, more often! So I promise if you read daily and seek with diligence you will receive answers, promptings and blessings! So read! The Gospel is true! The Church is true! The blessings we get from it are real! I love you!
Love your little bro,
Elder Despain
P.S. Tell Zane that I loved his picture. It is on the wall next to Jayden's and all the Elderslove it and the saying "me and you are alien missionaries I have been watching Monsters vs. Aliens a lot" "(CAN YOU TELL I AM)" Ha Ha Love it! (Kimi's note: The picture Zane sent was the first picture of a person he had ever drawn and it really looked like an alien with three eyes, but we were all proud of it!)
Love you all
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Letter April 10
Dear Mom & Dad, (y = and)
I love you! Tell everyone that I love them y that I love hearing from them y I can feel their prayers!. Tell the grand kids that I love them y that I love that they pray for me! Tell them to listen to their mom's. This week was great and Conference was amazing. I loved it all! I realized that the MTC isn't just teaching me to be a better teacher for my investigator in Mexico. After conference, I realized it is much more than that. They are preparing me to be a better teacher throughout my whole like, a better Sunday School teacher, and to be a better teacher as a parent and much, much more. Can you send me some more stamps? I have used a lot of them! Also, if you ever go to like DI or a thrift store, would you look for and old plaid tie or two haha? I would love an old plaid tie or two like that one I got at DI that was a clip on, but I want regular tie ones, haha. Just if you ever see one:). I got a CD made of my pictures that I have taken here. It was only like 2 dollars, so I will send that to you when they finish making it, probably like Monday. This week has just been so great! I am still doing good. The Spanish is still every hard y I'm not ready to teach in all Spanish, but the Lord will help me if I keep giving it my all! I love this work & I love the Atonement. I'm so grateful for it y it's amazing how much I use it. We watched a talk from Elder Holland and it was on the Atonement in Missionary work. It was so great y it really struck me how true it is. Even since I have been here the Atonement has meant so much more to me. We teach by the Spirit so much y we need every little bit of that in our lessons. Every rule, every min. we are late going to bed takes away from that Spirit so to get that back we must use the Atonement so that we can teach with that full power again. Ever since watching that talk, I have been thinking about it and that is what I thought of (see above example) and that I really use it so much more, like daily! Since realizing that our lesson on the Plan of Salvation has meant so much more, and to my companions also. Without even talking about it our lessons on the Plan of Salvation just became centered on the Atonement in every part. And by doing that, it has become so much more powerful. We taught it twice, both times to missionaries in our zone this week after watching that talk. We taught them as missionaries not as investigators like we normally do. So since they are missionaries it is usually hard to teach them the lesson because they already know it. But by centering it on the Atonement, the lesson became so powerful and during those two lessons, I don't think I have ever taught by the Spirit y felt the Spirit so strong! It was just so amazing. I am growing so much. I'm just grateful so much for the opportunity I have to use the Atonement daily in my life. I'm so grateful for this Gospel! Thank you so much for raising me in a home with this wonderful Gospel! I know that this is the only thing that can make us truly happy! Thanks for everything. I a great parents and a wonderful family. You are all so amazing to me and I am so very lucky. I'm sorry my letter isn't long today but I hope the email answered some questions that you had. I love you so much y I'm so grateful for all of you! Thank you for your letters y your prayers. The prayers really help y I really can feel them. I love you y miss you all.
Love,
Elder Despain
I love you! Tell everyone that I love them y that I love hearing from them y I can feel their prayers!. Tell the grand kids that I love them y that I love that they pray for me! Tell them to listen to their mom's. This week was great and Conference was amazing. I loved it all! I realized that the MTC isn't just teaching me to be a better teacher for my investigator in Mexico. After conference, I realized it is much more than that. They are preparing me to be a better teacher throughout my whole like, a better Sunday School teacher, and to be a better teacher as a parent and much, much more. Can you send me some more stamps? I have used a lot of them! Also, if you ever go to like DI or a thrift store, would you look for and old plaid tie or two haha? I would love an old plaid tie or two like that one I got at DI that was a clip on, but I want regular tie ones, haha. Just if you ever see one:). I got a CD made of my pictures that I have taken here. It was only like 2 dollars, so I will send that to you when they finish making it, probably like Monday. This week has just been so great! I am still doing good. The Spanish is still every hard y I'm not ready to teach in all Spanish, but the Lord will help me if I keep giving it my all! I love this work & I love the Atonement. I'm so grateful for it y it's amazing how much I use it. We watched a talk from Elder Holland and it was on the Atonement in Missionary work. It was so great y it really struck me how true it is. Even since I have been here the Atonement has meant so much more to me. We teach by the Spirit so much y we need every little bit of that in our lessons. Every rule, every min. we are late going to bed takes away from that Spirit so to get that back we must use the Atonement so that we can teach with that full power again. Ever since watching that talk, I have been thinking about it and that is what I thought of (see above example) and that I really use it so much more, like daily! Since realizing that our lesson on the Plan of Salvation has meant so much more, and to my companions also. Without even talking about it our lessons on the Plan of Salvation just became centered on the Atonement in every part. And by doing that, it has become so much more powerful. We taught it twice, both times to missionaries in our zone this week after watching that talk. We taught them as missionaries not as investigators like we normally do. So since they are missionaries it is usually hard to teach them the lesson because they already know it. But by centering it on the Atonement, the lesson became so powerful and during those two lessons, I don't think I have ever taught by the Spirit y felt the Spirit so strong! It was just so amazing. I am growing so much. I'm just grateful so much for the opportunity I have to use the Atonement daily in my life. I'm so grateful for this Gospel! Thank you so much for raising me in a home with this wonderful Gospel! I know that this is the only thing that can make us truly happy! Thanks for everything. I a great parents and a wonderful family. You are all so amazing to me and I am so very lucky. I'm sorry my letter isn't long today but I hope the email answered some questions that you had. I love you so much y I'm so grateful for all of you! Thank you for your letters y your prayers. The prayers really help y I really can feel them. I love you y miss you all.
Love,
Elder Despain
Friday, April 9, 2010
Email 4-9-10
So things here are still going good! I'll try to answer all your questions ha. About the cd player, no I haven't used it at all. We are not allowed to listen to any music because if every elder listened to music it would be way loud. So ya, I don't get to use that, but you could send me more cds so that I will have them in the field because it is much easier to ship them here than to Mexico. About my room, yes, we all sleep in the same room so there is 3 of us in there. There are normally 4 elders to a room but we only have 3 because of our tri-companionship. It is pretty cold, or it has been anyways. It has warmed up some. It has snowed probably 12 times at least since I've been here, but it hasn't been to bad. I am really glad for the sweaters they have been nice. About the suits, we had to wear them every day since I have been here, but on Monday after conference it went to summer dress. Now we can wear what we want as long as it is the same as what your companion is wearing. If he wants a suit, then we all have to wear a suit. If he wants long sleeves, no suit, we have to have the same. So ya, we just have to match. But even with summer dress, we still have to wear a suit on the temple grounds and to church, devotionals, and firesides. It has been nice being able to mix up what we wear this last week. Even though it is summer dress, it is still kinda chilly at times haha. The laundry room is pretty big and lots of washers and dryers but still sometimes it fills up and you have to wait to wash. The book store is in the middle of the MTC so we go there a lot. Sorry I had to use my debit card but I needed some things. I got a shirt that says Mexico and my mission so ya haha thanks. We get a little money on this little card so we can use that for little things we need from the book store. It's kinda cool going in there because it is the only thing like the real world haha. So sometimes we just go and walk through it and don't get anything ha, but it works out good. On Wednesday we had 2 elders from our district leave to Peru MTC so that was sad. Elder Wayne and Elder Borque. It was sad to lose them because now we only have 7 of us in the district, but it is still good and it will be awesome for them. Also on Wednesday we got a new district in a zone and one of the elders that came in with that district was Elder Grow from our Stake. I was good buddies with him in high school. I don't know if you remember but I went snowboarding with him or took him snowboarding one time so that is awesome. I'm sure it was nice for him also because the first day is crazy and it would have been nice for me to know someone so that is cool. The MTC is still so great. I am learning tons and tons every day. I finally got an answer in the RC. That is where you call people on the phone and ask if they got whatever thing they ordered from the church and you get to try and invite them to have the missionaries. Well anyways, you get a lot of answering machines so that can be frustrating but this week I got a woman that answered and although she didn't accept my offer, I still was able to bear my testimony and talk with her. It was great and it was a big boost for me because you know me, I hate talking on the phone even to people I know. I know you're all probably shocked I would even do that, let alone like it haha, but it was great to have the opportunity to bear my testimony. This week coming up on Monday, we teach our last lesson in English. The contact door approach and everything is in Spanish, then the lesson is in English on the plan of happiness. So that is all good and easy, but that means that next week on Monday in the TRC it is all in Spanish and that is not easy. I am very nervous about that. We have started practicing for it, but teaching a whole lesson in Spanish is crazy hard but I know if I keep doing everything I can, the Lord will make it possible. I got a letter from Lee it was really great and if you could please tell her thank you for her thoughts. I wish I had time to write her but there is just not enough time, so please tell her thank you for her thoughts and prayers. I hope Julie got my letter. Christi in her letter said Julie wanted me to write her and I had already sent a letter to her so I hope she had got it by now. If not, tell her I did send one. Tell all the grandkids thanks for their prayers and pictures. I hope you told Jayden that I absolutely loved his picture and that it is on the wall next to Zane's picture. I will leave it up. It's awesome. It's just really great here. I am just trying to work my hardest, use every moment I have, the best I can, and learn the most I can. I know this church is true and this gospel is so amazing! Conference was so great. I loved it so much. The spirit was so strong and all the talks were amazing. I really loved Elder Uchdorf's talk in Preisthood about learning English and patience. Both applied perfect. I loved so many more. They were all great and I missed you all a lot because the topic was on families. I know I need to be here and it is amazing. Well, got to go if I want to send this. I love you all so much. You're in my prayers and I can feel your prayers for me. Thank you,
Love,
Elder Despain
Monday, April 5, 2010
I GOT MY FIRST LETTER!!! ~Julie
My Dearest sister Julie,
Hahaha did you like that ha! Thanks for the letter! I hope you have been reading the letters I sent to mom! Because I haven't written you any I feel bad but I am now so that is good right? I wanted to write you but it is crazy here there isn't enough time in the day they keep us so busy and we can only write letters on Pdays not that I would have time any other day even if they let us haha. But busy is good I really do love it here the spirit is in everything we do and it is amazing. Your always happy here even when you're sad you're still happy its so weird but so awesome. So you know how you were joking about Grandma sending me letters in cursive and then I can't read them haha! She did ha and she sent me a card and it was so hard to read but don't worry it gets better! My Branch President, President Loid writes in cursive ha and we have to write him a letter once a week and he writes us back so that is a challenge to read HAHA so I think you cursed it by joking with me about it! But I am getting better at reading it Ha. When I got Grandma's card today I didn't have as hard or a time reading it because I have been reading President Loids HA. So that story about Ayla's mission is so funny. I love her and her great imagination! Tell Bret that I have been having a hard time getting anywhere on Call of Duty without him too! Translation: I don't get to play it and I miss him also! That's awesome that you got to go to the Easter Pageant! And that is so great that so many people went with you! It was like I was telling mom it isn't about converting people it's about bringing them closer to Christ and going to the Pageant would definitely do that for everyone! So I am still not very good at Spanish but I have improved so much its so crazy. I never would have thought I could learn so fast but the Lord really does bless us here it's amazing! I can feel everyones prayers so much! They help me out so much! Thank you for your prayers and please keep praying for me and for my visa! It is so crazy to me that I have been her two and a half weeks and by the time you get this almost three weeks it's just crazy the time goes by slow but then I look back and yesterday seems like it was the day I came in it's just crazy! I have grown so much since I have been here though so many prayers have been answered and my testimony grows so much every day! This gospel is so truly amazing and it really is the only way to true happiness. I love you and miss you all a ton but i know I couldn't be any better place! Sorry I didn't write you sooner! I will try to be better! I am praying for you and I hope you don't feel too sick :( Well I got to go I love you! Bye
Love,
Elder Despain
P.S. I hope you found a new pickle runner (someone to get you your pickles that is)
Hahaha did you like that ha! Thanks for the letter! I hope you have been reading the letters I sent to mom! Because I haven't written you any I feel bad but I am now so that is good right? I wanted to write you but it is crazy here there isn't enough time in the day they keep us so busy and we can only write letters on Pdays not that I would have time any other day even if they let us haha. But busy is good I really do love it here the spirit is in everything we do and it is amazing. Your always happy here even when you're sad you're still happy its so weird but so awesome. So you know how you were joking about Grandma sending me letters in cursive and then I can't read them haha! She did ha and she sent me a card and it was so hard to read but don't worry it gets better! My Branch President, President Loid writes in cursive ha and we have to write him a letter once a week and he writes us back so that is a challenge to read HAHA so I think you cursed it by joking with me about it! But I am getting better at reading it Ha. When I got Grandma's card today I didn't have as hard or a time reading it because I have been reading President Loids HA. So that story about Ayla's mission is so funny. I love her and her great imagination! Tell Bret that I have been having a hard time getting anywhere on Call of Duty without him too! Translation: I don't get to play it and I miss him also! That's awesome that you got to go to the Easter Pageant! And that is so great that so many people went with you! It was like I was telling mom it isn't about converting people it's about bringing them closer to Christ and going to the Pageant would definitely do that for everyone! So I am still not very good at Spanish but I have improved so much its so crazy. I never would have thought I could learn so fast but the Lord really does bless us here it's amazing! I can feel everyones prayers so much! They help me out so much! Thank you for your prayers and please keep praying for me and for my visa! It is so crazy to me that I have been her two and a half weeks and by the time you get this almost three weeks it's just crazy the time goes by slow but then I look back and yesterday seems like it was the day I came in it's just crazy! I have grown so much since I have been here though so many prayers have been answered and my testimony grows so much every day! This gospel is so truly amazing and it really is the only way to true happiness. I love you and miss you all a ton but i know I couldn't be any better place! Sorry I didn't write you sooner! I will try to be better! I am praying for you and I hope you don't feel too sick :( Well I got to go I love you! Bye
Love,
Elder Despain
P.S. I hope you found a new pickle runner (someone to get you your pickles that is)
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Email 4-2-10
So this week was good. It was hard but good. I am still growing so much every day. My Spanish is getting better and better every day! I am missing all of you at home a lot though but the Lord helps me through it. Being here is just such a blessing. I am just happy all the time even when I get down or I am a little sad, I am still happy and that is because this gospel is really what makes us truly happy. I love it so much. So you were asking about my Sundays. Yes, we have sacrament meeting. All the talks are by are zone because it is a zone sacrament meeting. We all have to prepare talks and then when they get up to say what the program is, they say who is talking and so you just have to be ready. All the talks are in Spanish so ya, but last week we had fast Sunday so no talks, just fast and testimony which I was very happy about because that way I didn't have to prepare a talk for it. The first Sunday they did talks and it was hard to understand but I could understand a little and it was still really good. I am so excited for this weekend and conference. It is going to be awesome. I'm so so excited. But no, we don't have priesthood on normal Sunday. We just have a district class meeting and one of us has to teach the lesson. At night we have a fireside and then we watch a church movie like the Joseph Smith movie or the Testament or something. So that can be fun. You were asking about my daily plan. I will write that in a letter because it changes day to day and I only have 30min on here so it would be hard to put that all in. But, I will send it in a letter. I love being here. It's just so crazy how much I have grown. I don't feel like I have been here for two and a half weeks but I have been, and then again how much I have grown in my testimony and in the language that makes it feel like so much longer that I have been here. The food is starting to get old haha, but it gets us by and they feed us good for how many they have to serve every day. But mom, I miss your home cooking though a lot. The food doesn't really taste bad it is just the same things often so after 2 and a half weeks it is getting old haha. I got my package today. I loved it so much. Thank you! I just cant get over how much prayer is helping me here in the MTC. I have never prayed so often but I don't know why I haven't been because it's such a blessing.Ii have just been missing out on so many blessing by not praying this much because every time I pray I get blessed. So that has just been so amazing to me and I am so grateful for that. I don't know what I would do with out it. It is getting harder here though the days seem to be getting a little longer there is so much studying to do and just not enough time to do it. I never get done everything I want to but it makes for a long day being in the classroom all day haha. I have really been thankful for gym it is a nice break to be able to get out and run and be competitive. I think it helps to break all the stress that all the studying builds up. But even though it makes for a long day, I really love studying. I just get to study the scriptures so much and everything it is great! It is so crazy to me how much they don't tell you how to teach or anything because every person we teach will need something different. They don't really tell us how to teach, just to study and then let the spirit tell you what to teach so that has been crazy to me but really awesome. This week in the TRC where we teach investigators, we taught the first lesson of the restoration again but we did a lot better! When we got done teaching and the teachers or the fake investigators were telling us what we can do better, all of them said to me, "You did great. I learned something new from you and I really loved that I actually learned something new." So I don't know what I said, but I thought that was really cool because our whole purpose is to bring everyone, even members, closer to Christ and that made me have confidence that I am doing that. So, I really had a cool experience with that! And then also this week, we started doing the call center. You go and you call people that ordered stuff from the church and you ask if they got what they wanted and how they liked whatever it is they got. Then you get to share your testimony or whatever you want to say and invite them to have missionaries come visit them or stuff like that. So, that was scary but way cool. I found out that fear really is just the opposite of faith and really all you need to do is push the fear aside and have faith and it became easy. When I did that, the Lord blesses me with what I need to say and when to say it. I love this gospel. It really is amazing. It is blessing me so much and I just love it so much. The temple today was awesome like it always is and a great break and that was really nice to get to go to. I love you all so much! Tell Jayden that I loved his picture. It is hanging on my wall and all my companions and missionaries in the zone are jealous because it is so awesome. So tell him thank you. It was great. I will keep it up there until I leave! Thank you for all the letters. I love you guys and your support is amazing and helps me so much!
Love,
Elder Despain!!
Letter 3-30-10
Dear Mom y Dad,
Thanks for everything! I hope you got my emails this week! Sorry that I sent it to the wrong one last week. I resent that one so I hope you will get them both! Please don't email back, just write me back on Dear Elder if you could because 30 min goes by so quick! Plus if I get it through Dear Elder I can read it during the week y I don't have to wait till Friday to get my mail! I love you so much! The MTC is so great. I am growing so so much it's amazing! On Sunday at our devotional, we had Elder Robins of the quorum of the 70 speak to us. It was amazing. He spoke on the conversion power of the Book of Mormon. It was amazing! After that we had a district devotional and we all bore our testimonies. It was great! Sister Loid my Branch President's wife said "the greatest person you will convert on this mission will be yourself." It's so true and I am already seeing it is great! In PMG (Preach My Gospel) it says you can only convert people to the level of your conversion, so I'm just trying to build on what Sister Loid said and get myself converted to the highest level as possible so that I can be the most prepared as possible to serve the people of Mexico! I'm so excited to go down there and serve! The time here goes by so quickly! There is so much to do every day and not enough hours in the day to do it all! But I love this gospel and I know it's true! I know I couldn't be any better place right now! I love you so much! I hope you get the emails I miss you!
Love,
Elder Despain
P.S. The temple was great. I got to go today. It was awesome and a good break, but very spiritual.
Thanks for everything! I hope you got my emails this week! Sorry that I sent it to the wrong one last week. I resent that one so I hope you will get them both! Please don't email back, just write me back on Dear Elder if you could because 30 min goes by so quick! Plus if I get it through Dear Elder I can read it during the week y I don't have to wait till Friday to get my mail! I love you so much! The MTC is so great. I am growing so so much it's amazing! On Sunday at our devotional, we had Elder Robins of the quorum of the 70 speak to us. It was amazing. He spoke on the conversion power of the Book of Mormon. It was amazing! After that we had a district devotional and we all bore our testimonies. It was great! Sister Loid my Branch President's wife said "the greatest person you will convert on this mission will be yourself." It's so true and I am already seeing it is great! In PMG (Preach My Gospel) it says you can only convert people to the level of your conversion, so I'm just trying to build on what Sister Loid said and get myself converted to the highest level as possible so that I can be the most prepared as possible to serve the people of Mexico! I'm so excited to go down there and serve! The time here goes by so quickly! There is so much to do every day and not enough hours in the day to do it all! But I love this gospel and I know it's true! I know I couldn't be any better place right now! I love you so much! I hope you get the emails I miss you!
Love,
Elder Despain
P.S. The temple was great. I got to go today. It was awesome and a good break, but very spiritual.
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