August 6, 2018

Last Letter!!

Took some pictures with members after church yesterday, these are the Osabas, they are sup cool!

MOMMA!!!

It still doesn't quite feel real to me that it's coming to a close so soon, but at the same time I reflect on all of the things that have happened these past 2 years and I'm amazed at the experiences I've had, the things that I've learned and accomplished. The more that my testimony grows, the more I think I had no idea what I was doing when I first came out. I'm so glad I didn't ever question coming on a mission, because I 100% wasn't prepared, but I don't know if i would have developed the testimony that I have today if I hadn't gone. I now know that Christ is my Savior, and that God is our loving Heavenly Father. Sharing those truths with others has helped me see changes in my life as well as their's. I've developed a testimony of the prophet Joseph Smith, and his obedience to the things that God commanded him to do. I now know what an important role he played, and why so many people try and tear it down. I will be eternally grateful for the experience I've had to serve as a full time missionary. It has helped me learn and grow so much. I know that God loves his children and that's why he's restored the gospel in these latter days. Just like you I'm excited for my hug from my family, this is going to be so weird for me, but I'm so excited, thanks for the letters and pictures and packages and everything, see you soon!! 

Love Elder Dayton 

     

   

Taking a few good bye pictures with my comp Elder Vainuku, and a few more pics with the members of the branch.

   

  

Last Pday lunch with my district

  

July 30, 2018

10 More Days!!

Here we are getting milkshakes after a service, because the people at the service gave us money for milkshakes, haha! The place we are at has the 1 lbs hamburgers!! Which is huge and I've finished it😎

MOMMA!!!

It's so weird being able to count the days I have left on my fingers!! I definitely am ready to not email people haha, texting will be much better. I'm doing well this week, pretty tired for some reason, but we had a decent week. We found a new investigator from a referral, his name is Gustavo and he seems like a nice guy and is interested in learning about what we believe in. We got to teach Beatriz though she didn't end up coming to church so that was sad. She said she had a headache. 

Wow, actually thinking of when I left at the airport, it just feels like so long ago! So unreal, and I didn't see hardly any of the people at the Mexico mtc in my mission so that memory is so far away.

Dang!! Ya know I totally forgot you had mentioned indoor skydiving a while ago, that is so cool!! So excited for that!! As well as haircuts and being released. 

That reminds me I need to start working on my talk haha, this Sunday we were talking about charity and I decided to share an experience that was pretty personal and ended up crying in front of everyone. For some reason there are stories I can't get through without crying which is so lame! I know you are going to want to know what the story was, but it's kind of a long one so I'll write it for my last Pday, it's also going to go in my homecoming talk. I will see you soon to start the next chapter in my life!!! Love you!!

   

Red Lobster with Noel!! Good guy, bought me lobster and tries to hook me up with girls, haha!

 

Pioneer day here was a party, we acted in some branch plays too

A member took us to buffalo wild wings

$1.50 ties from Ross!

                                       

July 23, 2018

17 Days!

Here are some pics of us in hammocks after a dinner with a member, I asked if we could sit in them, mine wasn't very comfortable, but it was still fun, haha!

MOMMA!! 

This has been a pretty good week, we finally found a new investigator who is pretty cool, her name is Maricela and she is the daughter of a member, but we found her through tracting, she's way cool and pretty interested. Beatriz isn't doing too well, her progress in the gospel is good, she just has so many problems going on in her life right now it's hard for her to come to church and do everything else. We we able to help her move on Saturday, as well as paint a room she's staying in, so that was a good time. 

Yes I did get signed up for institute, I think Mason could just tag along with me when I go, I actually don't know which class it was or when, I'd have to check on my LDS account.

Ooooh whay kind of stuff have you gotten for the apt so far? Thank you, thank you so much for fixing up the guitars! And for fixing me a place at home :) I can't wait to bunk with Mace haha, it'll be a nice transition to college. 

Love you!!!

 

Here are some pics of me from when we were painting at Beatriz's place. The owners of the house have a really large Doberman and he likes me😊

So here are some pictures of a guy getting baptized after about 7 years of knowing about the church, his wife was baptized years ago and he wasn't, but over time he started getting close with members and come to activities all the time, and was coming to church every week, finally he decided he would get baptized!!!

And then the sunset was nice once😊

July 16, 2018

Home Again

(for the family)

Here are a couple pics the members took at meals the other day.

MOMMA!!

I'm glad you've all made it home safe and sound. You're right, it's not going to be long before I can say that too Haha! Crazy! I'm excited to be up at school with Mase, I'm sure we're going to have a good time, but I'm sure it's gonna be a lot different than what we're used to. Thank you for the advice I will definitly be following it, hey I found out Kyle Mac and I are speaking for our homecomings the same day I think. 

Also I am doing this thing called My Plan which is an online program that returning missionaries do before they leave, and something it's having me do is sign up for institute, so I need to find out if Jared goes to one or where we should be going. 

This week has been good, nothing new yet but we are excited for this next week, we have a couple appointments already with investigators and potentials so we are looking forward to that. I do plan on shipping some boxes so ya I might need some money, not sure how expensive that will be but...

So a miracle for the week, we taught Beatriz and she accepted a date to get baptized!!! Sadly, I will return before that date but I'm still super happy she is working towards this goal to be baptized:) We've already seen how much happier she is when she follows the commandments she's learning about!

Love you so much!!! See you soon! 

July 9, 2018

4.5 Weeks to Go!

Elder Vainuku's mom sent 4th of July swag!

MOMMA!! 

I'm doing well, feeling a little sick actually but nothing too major. We've been busy with doing service and trying to find new investigators, we haven't been able to find anyone solid this past week though😕😩  We did teach Beatriz though and she is so cool, and then we did service for a friend of hers and that was cool too! Sadly the friend works on Sundays, and on Saturday night Beatriz told us she wouldn't be able to come to church on Sunday so that was sad.

Our 4th of July was super awesome, our branch had this picnic activity that had a pretty good turn out, there was a ton of food and one of those big blow up water slide bouncers for the kids, and of course some members dared us to go on it and we did to prove we weren't fake. So you'll see a video of that through messenger haha. 

The weather here is alright, it fluctuates between 80s and 90s, this week was a little warmer but I think it'll cool down for a bit this next week. 

This Sunday my comp, Elder Vainuku, and a sister in the ward gave talks in church about the restoration, and they divided it up half and half from the doctrinal points that we teach and I thought it was super cool. Being on a mission I have come to realize how little some people know about the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and I'm not sure if that's just the way it is in Spanish culture, or if its also that way in the English wards as well, but I was glad they got to talk to the members about it because I think we should be studying about it a lot more than we do. Some things that happened during the time of the restoration are hard to understand at first, but when we push past our doubts and keep studying, we can find the answers to why things are the way they are. I'm grateful for the time I have to study every day, to be able to confront my doubts and overcome them, it helps me testify with more power, and I'm not afraid to discuss things with those who have legitimate questions. Joseph Smith was a Prophet, he translated the Book of Mormon, and he obeyed the Lord always. I'm grateful for examples like that that I've been able to read about in the scriptures, that I hope I can resemble some day. I love this gospel and I love you!! 4 1/2 more weeks will be quick I think! Pictures on there way👍

Post riding the water slide at the ward Fourth of July picnic! Good Times!

Exchanges and Taco Bell

Brig still thinks it's funny to not smile in his selfies!😤

 

July 2, 2018

Fourth of July Week

Here are some pics from transfers seeing some of my favorite missionaries!

MOMMA!!

I'm doing pretty good, we are at a members house getting haircuts right now, not sure if this will be the last one of my mission but we'll see. There is gonna be a branch picnic for lunch on the 4th where we are going to a park and the members are gonna make carne asada.

I'm jealous that all of you are in SD! But things are going well here. We went contacting at a flee market on Saturday and saw some little miracles which was so cool! We ran into 2 less active members at different times and talked with them and they ended up coming to church for the first time I've been in this area!! Beatriz also made it out to church so that was great, we attended a baptism with her as well and that was a good time! We've found new potentials but no new investigators yet): 

Love you all, enjoy San Diego for me!!

 

Here's a couple pictures with a recent convert we teach in our area. She is from China but kind of speaks Spanish so she comes to the branch with us.

Here is a 10 year old investigator of ours named Yara.

June 25, 2018

Last Transfer!

MOMMA!!

Not gonna lie it's getting harder and harder to spend time emailing on Mondays haha, all I want to do is spend my time hanging out with other missionaries since so many people are leaving! But, here I am. 

It sounds like girls camp was a really good time this year! Glad you guys got to go paddle boarding and what not, it's been a while since I've done that! 

This past week was good, we weren't able to find anyone new still, but we did get to see Beatriz and some of our other investigators and recent converts we are working with. So what's new is we got transfers going on and I'm actually staying with my comp which is awesome!!! But the districts are being all changed up and so are a lot of companionships, there are 3 or more people in this zone going home in the next week and other people that are just getting transfered.

 

So in my personal study I've also gone over that talk by Pres Nelson on personal revelation, they gave that out to us last week in church for one of the classes, and I'm in 3rd Nephi for the Book of Mormon in Spanish and I hope to be finishing that soon, hopefully before I come home. I also got to watch the youth broadcast which was awesome!

Lucky, you guys going to the beach for the 4th!!! Ya that time sounds good, but honestly any time sounds good to go to the beach haha! I already sent all the pictures for the week so I'll try and be better about taking pictures!! LOVE YOU!!!

Hey cool story. We went to a baptism for our zone leaders and the guy giving a talk on the Holy Ghost (Brandon) was a guy who I waved to on the street over a year ago. He came over and approached us and asked about who we were and if there were programs for him like activities and stuff. #ysarocks and so we introduce him to the ysa missionaries, and this was all back in Concord. He got baptized super quick after learning about the gospel and then he ended up moving to Antioch or something. And I only ever got to see him like 2 times and he didn't really know me, but in his talk he talked about the Holy Ghost and how it guided him to a missionary (turned out to be me) and then to Elder Bills (the other missionary in the pic) who was the ysa missionary at the time and he taught Brandon. So he introduced us again and it was a really cool experience! After the baptism he spoke at we left at the same time and I invited him to Jimmy John's with us because I have hecka gifts cards and so I got to pay for his dinner!

Blurry pic, but playing card on P-day.