3/25/13 Sorry this is a bit late!  :)

Okay so here is what went down this week!!!! Start off with the bad... Okay well every appointment we had this week fell through!!! Everyone!! It was way frustrating!! Elder lemon and I get fed all the time so we never go hungry but we must wake up and work out every morning so we don't get fat!!! Yes it snowed the past Friday .. We got about 7 inches and it was about 14 degrees all day Saturday  We also couldn't use our car so we stayed home and studies cause we couldn't go anywhere!! I love studying now! WEIRD coming from me but anytime I have the chance to study I am down for it. I started to read Jesus the Christ ! SO GOOD!!!!!!! I love it, Its about 800 pages but i am committed to reading it. Its pretty funny when Elder Lemon and I went tracting this week, we ran into this guy who was born again christian. He said he would pray for us and told us that we should consider changing our religions. We walked away and chuckled because we knew that we wouldn't sacrifice 2 years of our lives to come out to tell people stuff that we knew wasn't true. We are out to tell people of the truthfulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I guess this week has been a testimony builder for me. That I do believe in what I teach.

 

This week was really focused on lost sheep work. We went around to people on the ward list to see if they still lived there or if they wanted to come back to church or solve any problems. We didn't have very much success because no one would be home or a lot of people have moved. Out of like 30 people only 3 people actually lived there. So we worked really hard this week but didn't have very much success. But the work is progressing!!! This week is looking bright!! We have a lot of appointments this week so we are excited. Hopefully the week will be better and it won't snow!!! Because I don't want to be stuck at our house again! I would rather be out helping others come unto Christ! But we will see I don't think there was any snow in the forecast. Life is good, food is good, people here are good and health is good!! That is all that matters right? Well I have been reading this poem called "foot prints"!! Its probably one of my favorite poems!! It makes me cry like every time  If you haven't read it you should, its really good. I wish I had more stories to tell!!! But this week has been super slow but hopefully next week will be better!!!

Well first week out and its been pretty great!!! Got my trainer on Wednesday and his name is Elder Lemon!!! He gave me a lime and said "I was his lime to his lemon..." I thought it was pretty funny!!!He is from Salem Utah  Only been out for 7 and half months. But he said I started out in the best ward ever!! Its the Grandview Ward in Aurora, Colorado  The Broncos training center is in our area. I will be here for another 11 weeks because of training for sure. But if I stay one more transfer after that which will be on June 5th. If i stay in this area past that time I will be moving missions. I would be in the Denver North Mission... Never thought I would be switching actual missions, only being 3 months in!!! So ya July 1st is when all of the new missions start! Yep kinda weird but i'm up for anything right now! The weather is starting to warm up and snow is almost all gone. The members here are awesome!!! I never will go hungry here. We are staying with the Maughn's!! They are so awesome! Brother Maughn is the 2nd counselor in the bishopric.

So when I got here the teacher pool wasn't very big. So Elder Lemon and I are working on it. Never knew how frustrating at times it could be. But I have a car but we are low on miles... So Saturday we biked... I didn't know how hard it is to breathe in mile high area until I biked. I though I was going to die... But while we were biking we finally got to a neighborhood where we met with a less active, to see how she was doing. Then Elder Lemon wanted to visit someone he tracted into a while ago and see how he was doing. So we stopped by and just talked a little bit and then somehow we got into religion!! Don't remember how but we did. Then he said he had a question to which book/religion was true. He grew up Methodist but never really went to church. So we gave him a Book of Mormon and testified a little bit about it and had him read the intro. He is really curious and invited us over this Friday!!! Another plus to this awesome story, he wants us to come to his parents house and teach them too!!! Elder Lemon and I could not stop smiling. We know how much the Book of Mormon has blessed our lives and sharing it with him got us excited! Then we biked more. There is a lot of hills in our area!! But I made the 7 mile bike ride and it was worth it!

Yesterday was my first Sunday and it was way good. Gave a blessing, met a lot of people that I don't remember there names and we taught a fireside! Ya I am trying my best to remember peoples names. I think I am doing pretty good so far. A lot of people started speaking Spanish like I knew Spanish or something but nope I don't. Looks like I need to learn quick! The youth fireside went really good, we are preparing for Easter Sunday which is geared towards missionary work. Got them really excited! Plus a lot of them knew sign language so we had common ground!

I finished a book today, first book to ever read all the way through haha It was Our Search For Happiness!! It is by Elder Ballard and it was way good. Definitely recommend to read it.

Well overall time flies by and super excited that I chose to serve a mission. My testimony of my Savior, Jesus Christ has grown so much and my love for others too! I am loving my area and the people here! Can't wait to see the progress me and Elder Lemon will make in the next few months. Our purpose as a missionary is not to force people to convert. We are here to help others come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and his atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the holy ghost, and ENDURE TO THE END!!!

Love and miss you all,

Elder Esucdero

3/9/13

HEY!!!

Well we only get 30 minutes to email in the MTC. So I am on short time. But I have gotten the strongest testimony on priesthood blessings since I have been here!!! I was able to give 3 blessings this week and they have been sooo awesome. I literally have changed so much in the past week than I have in my whole life. I can't wait to get out of here haha We joke around about calling this place being a prison! But were only half kidding!! 24 of us are on a plane over to Colorado. There is a big wave of us going!!! The food is so gross haha I am making new friends, lots of friends!!! Don't really do anything anymore. Started packing today, that's weird. Our sisters are still amazing. Oh they went missing on Thursday for like 2 hours. One sister got offended and actually went to her room and started packing but the other 2 sisters talked it out and solved the problem. But I was freaking out the entire time because I am district leader and my district was missing! But Me and Elder Dively found 2 hours later!!! Well we have only had a couple problems with our district but I solved them. Sorry this letter is soo short, I ran out of time cause I had to switch laundry.... SORRY but we leave Monday 3/11 for Colorado.

Dillon's first letter from the MTC 3/2/13

Well Saturdays are my P-days and finally get to wash my clothes super excited about it!!! I sent you a letter yesterday but you probably won't get it until monday hahah well the MTC is sooo great!!! I have grown so much in the past few days more than I ever thought I would. I have learned that in order to help people convert, we truly need to convert ourselves!!! My teachers names are Brother Welsh and Brother Hales and they literally are the best teachers ever. They are so full of energy and so willing to help us. I really look up to them in every way!! My MTC companion is Elder Hansen, he is exactly like me and we instantly became best friends. His testimony is so strong and loves the gospel soo much.

So Thursday night we had our first branch presidency meeting where we met our branch presidency. President Stice is an amazing man and wants us to be exceptional missionaries, not average. To be exceptional we need to work extremely hard and to use exact obedience. After that we had interviews with each of us and then I have been called as a DISTRICT LEADER hahaha I saw it coming but I am really excited that I can lift up others and try to help people when they are in need. It is a huge responsibility but I am willing to do it! I am over 7 other elders and 3 sister missionaries. The sisters in our district are purely amazing. I was telling brother welsh that if sisters could hold the priesthood the sisters would be commanded to serve and the brothers would be invited too haha But its so true the sisters are so strong and have the best testimony's.

We are really busy everyday stretching ourselves to learn more and to grow in the gospel. I have noticed a huge change in me that I can't really explain but it really is amazing. I am striving to do my best in everything that I do. Trying to be obedient and strive to follow exactly what I need to do. My testimony has grown and been stretched as I have been able to teach here and study the gospel. I am so happy I chose to come out here.

The food is alright hahaha it was good the first night be slowly declined as the week went on. The days are starting to get faster but the first 2 days felt like weeks haha Rooms are awesome, finally getting good sleep. My room mate elders are awesome. Ummmm I think thats it. I am loving my letters.