Lift Where We Stand

Elder McEwan & Elder Yukihiro

It rained and snowed on Saturday here in Lewis Center, and was sunny the rest of the week. This Ohio weather is very indecisive when it comes to choosing when it will rain or be sunny.

This week was an interesting week! It taught me a lot about who I am individually and who I am striving everyday to become, not just as a missionary, but as a person who wants to be closer to my Savior Jesus Christ.

Alright, here we go! On Monday night, we had invited the Olson family (members) to play hockey with us at the Powell bldg, they absolutely love hockey! They're from San Diego and moved out here last year. So it gets to be 7 o'clock and they show up. Elder Yukihiro is on the pew in the chapel laying down. Me and the Olson family went into the gym and started playing hockey and some football (just like the good ol days ;)). At around 8:30 pm, we went to check on Elder Yukihiro and get ready to leave. He looked so so miserable! He had thrown up 4 or 5 times already, and had a fever. Me and Brother Olson gave him a blessing, and we drove to the apt where I proceeded to play Dr. McEwan and give him medicine and everything he needed to be comfortable, for the most part.

This was a great experience for me in many ways. One way is that I learned the importance of being and staying worthy for the opportunities that will come to us in an instant, like giving a Priesthood blessing. I was very grateful to be there for Elder Yukihiro to help him. Also, the second way is that I very much learned the ability more than I ever possibly have, of serving my neighbors. And that Heavenly Father needs us, ALL of us, to go to work and serve everyday. Because people are in need of our ministering.

So on Tuesday, we were supposed to go to Zone Conference, but President Stratford called and said for us to stay at the apt and for Yukihiro to rest up. So that's what we spent the day doing. Elder Yukihiro slept literally all day long, and I read the Book of Mormon for a couple hrs (I'm in Alma now :)). And I watched Ephraims Rescue, and did some laundry.

Wednesday, we went to the other Zone Conference over in New Albany. We had a great time there! It was fun to see some familiar faces from missionaries who came out with me, as well as meet some new ones. They had us do a workout segment right before lunch -- all the elders were in suits and sisters were in slacks. It was about 10 min long, but super fun to do :). Sister Stratford said, "Elders and Sisters, I want this to be a jumpstart for you to start working out and being healthy. Because I know some of you aren't doing either of those things." I smiled and was very grateful that I have stuck to my workout routine every morning and have been able to stay healthy. I'm literally in the best shape of my life, and I love it. We got home from zone conference and Yukihiro went back to sleep, and I read Book of Mormon and did a lot of thinking.

Armor Up Coins

Thursday gets more exciting. We went around knocking on doors all over Lewis Center and tried to make the most of our time that day. We were able to have a great lesson with John Russell (member) and his caretaker, Abdul, who isn't a member. Abdul is from South Africa and a super cool guy! We talked about the Book of Mormon and why we have it and need it. He asked a lot of questions and I can honestly say, the Spirit was felt there as we bore witness of the reality of the book and that Jesus Christ lives. We had a lesson also with the Canon family (members). We went over the ward mission plan and gave them the member missionary tags. I also gave them the armor up coins that you guys sent me. Thank you very much! They loved them and some of the kids thought they were chocolate coins and tried to bite into them. I also gave 3 coins to the Tucci family and was able to share with them what the coin signifies.

Friday, we decided to make chocolate chip cookies and take them around to members in the ward. We made about 2 dozen I believe, and then went around the ward all day meeting with a few families and setting up appointments to come back and visit. We were able to set up an appointment with the Ball family and the Cornelius family for this upcoming week. Ministering is very widespread and can be done in many of ways; it doesn't have to be a lesson. It can simply be a drop by and a short visit. We had pizza Friday and got Little Caesars pizza. It made me happy because I haven't had pizza Friday since before I left, so it was a good night. And we did weekly planning at Elder Bowers house in Polaris.

Saturday it was raining all day, the routinely Ohio rain. We went about in the morning hitting up some formers who hadn't been talked to in a year or two. None of them said they were still interested, but we had a great visit with them about loving one another as our Heavenly Father would and serving where we can. Saturday afternoon we went tracting, haha not the funnest part of missionary work ;). We met a guy named Kamelesh who is also from South Africa area. He was about to leave, so he said we could come back in a few days and visit. We then went to the library and cleaned out the area book and texted some people to set up appointments, and none of them responded; but we press forward. I then suggested we should start a Book of Mormon/Bible class for the ward and invite the Polaris Elders and members to it. We are going to talk to Bishop Nelson (Lewis Center bishop), and see if he agrees with us that we should start it.

Sunday was so great! We had church, and in sacrament meeting Bishop Nelson talked about the importance of patriarchal blessings and why we must always study them out in our minds of what we wish to know. He said something that stuck out to me and I want to share with you. He said, "A patriarchal blessing is God's promised blessing to an individual. But the key word is, 'Promised'. Meaning, we have to work hard and put forth effort in what our patriarchal blessings say, in order to receive those promised blessings." Please read your patriarchal blessing frequently. I have felt the joy it brings and I will take the committment as well to continually be reading it. We had dinner with Elder and Sister Weidman. They live kind of in between Powell and Lewis Center. We had french toast, my favorite! I needed it actually -- I was craving some generic food.

That's pretty much it for the week! We did talk with Elder Weidman last week and he said he is going to be needing us A LOT over the next few weeks to help him out with moving all the furniture not needed in the northern zones, down here when Elder Gorrell brings it down. So that'll be fun to help with. Hopefully it can warm up this week. It was 34 degrees all week with about 80 percent humidity, the BEST.

Something I Learned from Zone Conference this week is this: We as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, need to give our lives over to Jesus Christ so that He can use us in the areas of this life that people need to hear our testimonies. It is nerve wracking, because I have felt it. But I know change is necessary in this life. I have felt a huge change come over me this last month, and I'm grateful Heavenly Father blesses us to always learn and grow and improve everyday. Pray for opportunities to strengthen your testimony everyday.

I also wanted to invite us to strive to have the Spirit with us as we plan out our days. Seek guidance from Heavenly Father for what He wants us to accomplish everyday, so that we can, everyday, make the most of our time.

This challenge for this week is a very special one, and I'm very very excited for all of us to strive to do it this week. I challenge and invite us to: "Each day this week, share our testimonies with someone we feel could use it. It doesn't have to be a long one, but even a short brief conversation of why we are so happy. A quote comes to my mind from Eleanor Roosevelt, 'Do one thing everyday that scares you.' What power! I invite us also to do this, to do one thing everyday that scares us. As Fast Sunday is this next Sunday, I encourage us to bare our testimonies in church, and share what we know, because we know this Church of Jesus Christ is true.

This Gospel is true, Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. I'm so grateful for Him that He died so that we can all live and become who we need and want to be in this life. Take advantage of everyday, starting TODAY :). Lift where we stand, and serve those around us. Say hi and smile at someone who feels lonely. The Savior is using each of us to bless the lives of someone within our midst, we must go forth and share that love with them.

Keep up the great work! The Lord is on our side.

I pray for you guys everyday and miss you so much, and I know Heavenly Father is blessing us to do those things He needs us to do. Always look to Him for the ultimate example, and strive everyday to bless those people around you. I watched President Monson's video this week, "The Lords Errand." He said a simple phrase in it and it stuck with me. He said, "Following through on a prompting from the Spirit, is answering the prayer of somebody else." May we all do this, and be in tune with the Spirit to help answer those prayers around us.

I love YOU Forever and Always!

Elder Dylan ❤

On the Lord's Errand

I wanted to share something I learned in church this week and what it taught me about always having the Spirit with us. It was on Spiritual Capacity by Michelle Craig, October 2019 General Conference.

She talks about the importance of having the spirit with us so that we can be influenced to go and help one of our Heavenly Father's children. I like that she talks about being on the Lord's "errand". When we act on a prompting from the Holy Ghost, we are answering the prayer of somebody else. Heavenly Father has given all of us the ability to serve and to have the Spirit everyday of our lives. And then just like President Monson states, "If the Lord needs an errand to be run, _____ will run it for Him". I challenge each of us, myself included, to always strive to have our name in that blank space. The blessings we receive from it will be insurmountable.

We don't know the time or place we will be called upon to act in our Heavenly Fathers name, but when we are called, may we all respond with the sound of a trump ❤.

I love you all so very much and am so very grateful for each of you!
Elder Dylan

Pictures from Lewis Center

Preparing Ourselves for His Coming

This week was great and I was able to learn more than I ever thought possible about myself and about the importance of opening my mouth to everyone I see.

So on Tuesday we went out and met with a lot of formers in area book who hadn't been met with in about a year. No one came to the doors, but we were able to talk with 2 or 3 people out walking their dogs on the street and have a good conversation about what we as missionaries do and it was super cool. We had a lesson with the Forgrave family (members) and also had a lesson with the Tucci family (members). At the Tucci house, we taught with Brandon, who is 18 and deciding if he wants to go out on a mission or not. So it was super good to give him this opportunity to see first hand what "Mission life" is like.

Super sad thing happened that I found out about. I don't know if you remember Carol Hoeningman who lives up in Chardon. Well, apparently something happened literally the day after I left, and she passed away Jan 10th :'(. They had the funeral for her this last Saturday. She was a really really sweet lady and super kind in every way.

Wednesday we had the Marysville Zone leaders in our area for training visits. We started off the day by driving to Powell to the church bldg and going to district council. I gave a training/role play on "How to Begin Teaching" (chapter 10 in Preach My Gospel), and I think it went very good! All the missionaries who I give trainings to always say they are super impressed by how I present them and that I give them in my own unique way. We had a guy from Sandy, Utah come and talk to us about marketing and selling our product, "The gospel". His name is Mark Peterson, and he owns Apple Spice in Sandy. He is friends of Elder Bower (driving coordinator), so that's why he was here.

I went out with Elder Kamerath Wednesday afternoon. All 4 of us went and helped Elder Weidman move furniture into the storage shed in Powell. It was a couple washers and dryers, shelves and beds from an apartment. Maas360 also decided to give up on Wednesday afternoon and it deleted ALL missionaries area books and all the apps.  Not just for the OCM, but missionaries worldwide. So we were driving blind for about 2 hrs, but then it came up and started working again, and we had a good time! We found 1 new person up in Sunbury. His name is Greg Laycock. He has a Book of Mormon and was talked to 3 or 4 yrs ago by sister missionaries, and we met him while he was out walking his dog, so we walked his dog with him :). He said we could come back anytime and meet with him and help him answer his questions. We also met with John (member) and his caretaker, Abduul. Abduul said he would love to come to church with John, so that is sweet!!

On Thursday we went to Polaris to Elder Bowers apt and Elder Yukihiro had a video conference call with the APs, President, and all the DL's in the mission to train them on being good leaders and having good, model areas. We then went to a gated community in the afternoon and tried to meet with a guy named Joydeep Gupta, but he said he was just leaving the house. So we decided to do a little tracting and started offering service to people as our approach. They said they were all good, and one guy even asked if we had licenses to be doing what we do (I lost my ministerial certificate . . . :)), but other than that, no one came our way. We had a lesson with Brother Edgson. It was supposed to be the whole family, but everyone else was at a choir concert.

Friday we met 2 new people again! Do you remember Gina Young who I told you about last week? Well, we tried to stop by on Friday and see her but she wasn't home. Her 2 sons were though. Tareek and Dakota answered the door and they asked us what we do and wanted to hear our message. We shared the restoration and why we as the missionaries go out to the world to teach the Gospel. Tareek said he has been searching recently for truth and really wants to know where he can find it. We gave him our number, and the address to Powell church bldg, and invited him to Church. God works in mysterious ways and I'm so glad we could find them.

Saturday was an incredibly WET day. I have never seen it rain so hard in such a short amount of time. But did we go out in the rain and preach the gospel? Behold, I say unto you: Yay :).It was so much fun! We walked up and down the streets in Lewis Center and everyone we talked to at the door step said we were crazy and to stay warm. We were hoping they would've let us in to get warm, and share a message ;). It stopped raining by the afternoon and we met with a guy who is a preacher for a church over in Powell. We talked to him for 25 minutes on his front porch. He was super interested, so he gave us his number and said to call him and we can talk more and go get lunch. Double win! ;) We talked with 2 Hindu people and 1 Egyptian. That was quite fun! The Hindu people couldn't understand English and we couldn't understand them, but hopefully they could feel the spirit. The Egyptian said he would read the Restoration pamphlet we gave him and call us if he was interested, we also invited him to church. We had really good lessons with the Obarr family (members) and the Nielson family (members) that night. We talked about the ward mission plan and gave them each a Member Missionary tag that they could wear and use everyday to remind them of their calling and purpose.

Sunday we had ward council at 10:30, and then church at 12, and then a zone wide conference call on messenger with the zone leaders to go over the zone focus for the transfer. We also have zone conference this week on Tuesday at the Galloway bldg.

It was a super great and amazing week! Time seems to be just flying, and I know that when we are in the service of our fellow being, we are only in the service of our God and we have the ability to lose ourselves in the work. (Mosiah 2:17 :)

I have learned so much about the Gospel of Jesus Christ this week. I was able to reflect on a year ago when I first started my mission papers and how far I've come since then. I am forever grateful to a loving Heavenly Father who has blessed me so much on my mission to learn all that I need to and hopefully to help others on their spiritual and life journeys as well.

I've been thinking a lot about the challenge we should do this week, and I've had a lot of ideas come to mind. The challenge I have decided on is based on the title of this email: Preparing Ourselves for His coming. I want to extend this challenge: As we prepare for April General conference in about 2 months, I want us to truly focus on what we are doing everyday to have the Spirit more abundant in our lives and how we can be closer to our Savior Jesus Christ. Just picture, if the Savior himself was standing right beside you right now, would you be saying or doing the things you were doing? I invite all of us to ponder and pray this week, and always, how we can be closer to our Savior. And as the 5 virgin's with their oil ready, be ready for the bridegrooms coming.

Also, go and read Joseph Smith's account of the first vision to prepare yourselves for Conference. The work is hastening in it's time, and Christ is getting everything ready for His coming. So we must be ready.

I know this Gospel is true! I have seen the joy i'ts brought to my life, and I know that families are central and eternal to His plan of happiness. I'm so eternally blessed to know that families are together forever, through Heavenly Fathers plan. I always want to be with my own family and the Lord has shown me how I can, the Lord has shown me how I can. (The best primary song ever :)).

I invite all of us to open our mouths everyday and talk with everyone, and be the example of who Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are, and who we are. Be confident in yourself, and pray to know what to say in the time that you very most need it. "Seek not to declare my word, but first seek to obtain my word; and then shall your tongue be loosed, yea, unto the convincing of every man." - PMG chapter 1.

I care about you all so so much and I pray for you everyday. I miss you a lot, and I know we are all being blessed everyday. Keep praying and immersing yourselves in the scriptures everyday, and do what you can do, in the best way you know how, and the Lord will accept your effort - Marjory Pay Hinkley.

I love you forever and always!
Elder Dylan

P.S. Study conference talks from Oct and April 2019 general conferences, and make an individual mission statement and vision to what you're wanting to do to strengthen your testimony and become who you need to become. "We Can Do Better and Be Better - President Nelson. A super good talk.

How Full is Your Glass?

One of the lessons I taught this week was on how full our glass is. I used the analogy of when we don't have the Savior and His teachings in our lives, then our glass is empty and we don't have enough to spiritually quench our thirst. But as we strive to listen to His teachings and as we do all that we can to help in this Great work of salvation, our glass begins to fill and we in turn, have joy and happiness beyond measure.

I know this is true with all of my heart. This life is all about our spiritual progression and how we will live our life to the fullest. Always remember to keep your glass 100% full, even if your glass is feeling empty someday, the Savior and His teachings will be there for each of us.

Your Personal Influence

I wanted to share with you a talk I read by President Monson titled, "Your personal Influence." In it, he talks about how a man wanted a calling/task to do during the day, and so the Savior gave him one to do. When the man saw that the calling was in a small place and he wouldn't be recognized highly of his service, he cried to the Savior and asked him to not send him there. The Savior then asked, "Are you working for them or for me?"

That question hit me really hard when I was reading this talk. It's important to always remember that it doesn't matter where we are, how many people we talk to, or how many people see us doing something good; all that matters to the Savior in the end, is that we are being good examples and a good influence on others around us.

It may not be the greatest calling or the best job to be doing, but at that specific moment in time, the Savior has prepared someone in our environment to be blessed by our sincere service. I encourage us to go about our days with happiness for what the Lord has called us to do, and to look forward with steadfast faith in Christ.

I wanted to share with you what I've been able to share this week and what I have felt as I've been able to walk up to people and tell them about this amazing message I have to share. It is this: Member Missionary Work is an act of the Lord's redeeming love, and we must all be striving to share the Gospel everyday. Just like in the youth theme song 'Go and Do' by David Archuleta, even though the world may shut him out, I will make Him room. It's so vitally important that we Go and Do, and that we stand for truth, never ever backing away from the principles and knowledge we have learned and gained. I'm grateful for this Gospel of Jesus Christ in my life, and that I have been able to change and become a dedicated disciple of Jesus Christ, and I want to be that person everyday, with faith unwavering.

I love you all so much, each and everyday. I pray for you all everyday and I'm forever grateful for you guys and for everything we have learned together as a family. Thank you for your amazing examples to me.

I love you forever and always!
Elder Dylan

Go Forth and Serve

Wow, so much has happened in such a short amount of time and I'm so grateful for that. It has been an adventurous and exciting last few days and I'm so excited to tell you all about it!

Thursday morning I got up at 6:15-ish and made sure all of my stuff was in my 3 suitcases and that my bike was ready to go. I packed it all in the car and we set off for Dublin church bldg at 10 o'clock sharp! I was driving, and had so much fun. We drove through Solon, then from Solon to Dublin it is 100 miles of open freeway (hah talk about a long stretch ;)). We pulled into Dublin church parking lot at 12:50, 10 minutes early. I found my companion, Elder Yukihiro, and I also saw and talked briefly to Elder Henshaw. We are both super excited to be in the same district this transfer! So me and Elder Yukihiro left Dublin and drove 25 min north to the city of Lewis Center where our apt is. He asked me if I wanted to stay there for a min and unpack or go start doing stuff. I chose the latter ;). So we got into the Malibu (we are a car area, mostly) and we went to 5 families, one of them being the ward mission leader and the other one being the bishop who we went out teaching with that night. Guess what the bishops name is . . . Bishop Nielsen! So I had a Branch President Nelson and now I have Bishop Nielsen.

Elder Yukihiro is from a city close by Anaheim, California, and he said his family is originally from Japan so that us where he got his last name from :). He has been on his mission for 9 months! He loves sports and so we get a long just great. He has been in the Lewis Center area for 4 transfers now, so it's been good to have him know the area a little and we can make a huge difference for these people. It's been fun as well, because this is his first time being District leader and so since I've been comps with the DL for 3 straight transfers I've been able to help him out and it's taught me a lot about the type of leader I am and how I can always be improving in some way.

Friday I got up and worked out. Elder Yukihiro said he was the #4 nose guard player for the state of California when he played football, so he loves to workout . . . Just not every morning when I do it haha :). I also had a pretty bad bloody nose that morning. I think it is coming from not being in such a cold environment anymore and more just a wet rainy, warm temperature. We went and stopped by members all morning, and talked with a few of them, Kelly Jo, Deborah Ann, and Gary. Elder Yukihiro said he loves doing member work so I'm super pumped! We have made a goal to see 20 members in their homes every week, and we are working so hard to do that.

Another  amazing thing about this area! With Lewis Center being 15 min away from the Mission Home and the Mission office and the closest missionaries to those places, we get called by the senior couples a lot to help them move furniture in and out of the storage shed they have here, and also helping out directly in the mission office. Sometimes even going to the mission home and doing stuff with President and Sister Stratford.

On Friday afternoon we went and helped Elder Wheadman who is the housing specialist, move furniture to 3 different storage places in Powell. He is a 65-yr old man, and his wife told us to be sure he didn't lift a single thing while we were moving :). He didn't listen, but thankfully he did okay :). On Friday night, we did weekly planning at Elder Bowers apt. He is the car specialist for the mission and lives in Polaris, which is the next area over, but he allows us to do weekly planning and p-days at his house because he has Wifi :).

Saturday we went and saw the Gibson family, they're part Portuguese so they spoke a little to us and it was so cool to hear! We did member work all day, and went to a family called the Tucci family. They have a son who is deciding if he wants to go on a mission. He graduated high school last year and is just working now. We took him out with us that night and went to see 2 families. It was so good to have him there with us to help him see what missionary life is like!  I challenge each of us to have the missionaries in our homes, and to also go out with the missionaries to lessons and appointments during the week. It will bless all of our lives so much.

We have church at 12 pm on Sundays. It's a little different not going to 7 am meetings with church at 9 like I was in Chardon. But it's good too because then we have study time in the mornings now before we head to church. We go to church at the Powell bldg, and we are in the Lewis Center Ward. District Councils will also most likely be held at the Powell bldg, which is about 10 to 15 min away. Church was so amazing and so incredible! The members were so welcoming to me and really made me feel right at home, which I appreciated very much. They are a ward of about 120 members, and a mix of families and older couples. I'm super stoked to work with them!

So I also found out that on some Monday mornings for part of our p-day, we go to the Olsen house and Sister Olsen is the seminary teacher here. They have 6 am early morning seminary, and we go every couple of p=days! :) I think we are going to try and go this week.

And today we are also going to help Elder Wheadman at 11 or 1130 with unloading furniture that came down from the northern zones, and putting them into the storage shed in Powell. I'm so glad I became a lover of moving furniture and lifting before my mission, because it looks like we will be pretty set on those things here, and I cant wait!  Elder Wheadman (housing specialist) and Sister Wheadman (mission nurse) live in Provo Utah! :) They'll go home in March of next year.

Lewis Center is so cool! As I'm sitting here writing this email, I'm realizing I could go on and on and on about how cool this place is. It is a suburban city area, and some of the houses here are literally mansions! Like, 3 story houses with pools and 4 car garages, 6 bedrooms, etc etc. I love that we can just be walking on the street and see people out and about and go up to talk to them. We usually drive everywhere, and then we park on one street and walk around 2 to 3 miles to houses for about 1 1/2 hours. I'm definitely getting my steps in and my feet are telling me they hurt every night.

It has rained everyday I've been in this area. It rains for 7 or 8 min, then is wet and sticky humidity for about 30 seconds, and then rains for another 10 min. I was telling Yukihiro on Saturday when we were walking around to places, that these people probably get so confused when they live here, because they're mowing their lawn in the middle of December and January!! Its winter, but green grass and blue skies and I absolutely LOVE it!

There is quite a few malls and stores here, and so that'll be nice to be able to talk to people that way too and have more of a link to groups of people. The people of Ohio are so cool to get to know. I've realized and come to learn that they just need friends in their lives. A lot of them are lonely and live by themselves, and so to have the missionaries and other members stop by to visit them, is a huge thing for them and I'm grateful to be a part of it.

How is the Book of Mormon come follow me going for everyone? I have been reading the Book of Mormon everyday and I have loved getting immersed in the stories of the prophets of the old days and learning how they came closer to Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father. I cant wait for April General Conference and to see what it'll be like!

I wanted to extend a very important and special challenge this week, and it'll be a challenge and invitation that I will refer back to often. The challenge is this: Everyday, memorize someone's name that you see on a regular basis, and go up to them in the hallways, streets, or wherever you see them and call them by their name and say hi and smile at them. Be the leader and the example to everyone, and when people see you memorizing their names and doing this, they'll want to follow in your footsteps. It is a ripple effect and I think it is the coolest thing we could ever do for someone.

I know this will bless their lives. I saw it when I was SBP at SHHS and saw the happiness it brought people when they realized someone knew them by name and cared enough for them to say hi and smile. It is the small and simple things that matter most.

I pray for you all everyday, and I know Heavenly Father is blessing you. Time is speeding up, as President Nelson has said: "Time is running out and we are living in unprecedented days." I invite all of us to be ministers as Christ was, and go to THE ONE, and invite them back into the fold and be their friend.

A definition I've been thinking of for the word FRIEND: "Someone who goes out of their way to be there for someone, not because they were told to, but because of the burning fire and feeling they had in them to make sure God's children were and are taken care of."

I care about you all so so much and I miss you guys everyday. Keep doing your best and never give up. The Lord is on OUR side.

I love YOU Forever and Always!
Elder Dylan

"Be your best when it matters most" - Make it a great day everyday, and be a friend to ALL.
"I can only Imagine" - MercyMe. Go and watch this movie this week. The power behind its words is incredible.
"Don't let a problem to be solved, become more than a person to be loved"- One of the talks given in sacrament meeting.

I Love You, Momma!

Pay day is always worth the work and effort.

"Behold thy mother"- Elder Holland, October 2015.

Thank you mom for everything you do for me and for our family. You are truly amazing and I care about you so much. Thank you for your countless hours of helping me, Sean, Garrett, and Parker to be who we are today. I know we have not always made it easy, but thank you for your Christlike love and care and patience to always be beside us.

I love you forever and always!
Elder dylan

We are All Enlisted

I wanted to share something that I have learned while serving and thought impressed to share with you. It is this:

Always be who you were meant to be, who Heavenly Father created you to be. I listened to a talk by Elder Holland on Saturday and it was called, We are all Enlisted. He talked about how we cant expect to play for the adversary all our life, and then come mission and temple time, expect for God to be open to us entering His house and serving His people. The spirit will not be there with us and we will not succeed. Have the courage to do good, to be good, and to say good things :) The Lord needs us, ALL of us; today, now, and forever :) we must always be who we are in public, behind the scenes; make good choices, and we will be in the Lord's house for eternity.

I love you all!
Elder Dylan

The Transfer Call

Happy Happy New Year!! I can't believe it is 2020 already, and that I have been on my mission for 5 months now.

First things first though . . . . We were waiting for the news about transfers and it felt like waiting for  Christmas morning! ;) But anyway, I am getting transferred down to Lewis Center and my companion will be Elder Yukihiro, and he is the district leader. Elder Henshaw is in my district so that will be fun. Lewis Center is a ward and is in the Columbus North zone, and the area is right next to the mission home and Dublin. I'm so excited for this new experience and to meet new people and to do all I can to help the people in the Lewis Center ward. So me and Elder Stephens will be driving to Dublin on Thursday this week for transfers, which means about a 3 hr drive that morning. I will be driving so I'll make sure I will drink some spark and take D3 :);).

On Monday night last week, we went out and called the Chabot family and asked them if they wanted to go to Historic Kirtland with us on Saturday and they said yes! So then we called Elder and Sister Barney who were assigned to Chardon branch and who served on the sites, and they said they would be happy to give us a tour.

Tuesday we went out and contacted less active after less active after class active with no success of anyone answering the door or being interested, but what do we do, we keep going strong. I took Elder Stephen's to the End of the Commons Amish store in Mesopotamia, which is the most east part of our area you can get. We looked around and he was super excited to be able to be inside of an Amish store. We then went over to Brother Hartman's and helped him with his talk. He is speaking on Jan 26th and so he wanted to have us there to help him last week with preparing his talk. After his house, we went to Sister Johnson's trailer park in Chardon (the one we got kicked out of a few weeks ago ;)). But thankfully we didn't this time and were able to go to 2 potentials there, but neither of them answered the door For New years eve, we went over to Bob White's house and ate pizza and visited for a while, and then we sang karaoke until 9. Let me just say, singing karaoke was so much fun and reminded me that we always do that as a family and how much fun we have. I may have to try out for American Idol when I get home ;). We got to the apt at 9 that night and Elder Stephen's and I were going to stay awake til 12, but about 10:45 I was conked out . . . Literally. But I woke up at 11:50 and we blew the poppers and confetti that you guys sent me and we had a ton of fun :) We loved the cookies and oreos and I have ABSOLUTELY loved the spark that you guys sent me :) Thank you for sending that!

Wednesday we went to Solon for district council. The reason we went there instead of Kirtland is because one of the sister missionaries was going home last week and so her comp was in a trio and so it would've been just me and Elder Stephen's at district council in Kirtland :) DC was so much fun and I learned of the high importance of being obedient and the crucial aspect of talking to everyone, because you never know who the Lord has prepared for you.

Thursday was a super fun day! It was Josh Famm's baptism day that night and they had asked us to fill the font up at the church, so we got there at about 4:40 and cleaned the font out (there was spiders and cobwebs in the font . . . :) and then had the baptism. We stood in on his confirmation and I felt the Spirit so much and am so grateful that we as members of the church get the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. We also took the car to get an oil change that day and we waited for about an hour to do it, but we got it in and it is good to go.

Friday we had splits with the Perry Zone leaders, and I was in Chardon with Elder Rawson. We worked so hard that day, I was exhausted by the end of the day. We went to Brother Hartman's because he had told me earlier in the week that he wanted me to help him on his talk because he liked the way I prepared and structured my talks, and said I was a good speaker -- that made me feel good. We then proceeded to hit every single less active and potential member in Middlefield and Chardon, wow what a day! We met a guy named Leo. He is baptist and said he is firm in his beliefs, but that we are more than welcome to stop by in the future.

Saturday we went to Brother Walter's house and went through the list of ideas we had gone through to get activities going in this branch. (Hubb family group night, Preach my Gospel night, and branch activity night). After that, we went to Historic Kirtland with the Chabots and it was such a magnificent and wonderful time. It was their first time going on the tour, and we definitely had the spirit there with us. It was Elder and Sister Barney's last tour on the mission (I was so happy it could be with us. They leave today to head home to Cedar City, I'm going to miss them a lot! They were the best and so welcoming to us and always tried their best to help us in anyway possible. We helped Brother and Sister Arnold with painting their kitchen that night. It was quite the workout. Sister Arnold was like, "Elder McEwan, you sure look like you know what you're doing". And I just smiled and said that I had a lot of practice with painting my basement at home.

Sunday was a great day because it was the sabbath and we got to take the sacrament. It truly is a blessing to be able to renew our baptismal covenants with Heavenly Father every week. We went over to the Juker house after church for a visit and Sister Juker made cookies for us (chocolate chip) and wow they were good! Then we went to the Shepherd house and had a very good lesson on 1 Nephi 4 and why God takes the wicked things away to establish His righteousness on the earth. We then proceeded to watch Sister Shepherd clean out her fridge and give us most if not all of her food, I told her I liked buffets, so I guess she followed through on that comment :);).

Monday was a great day! I know I say that about everyday, but everyday is so amazing because when you're in the service of your fellow beings, you're only in the service of your God -- Mosiah 2:17. We went and talked to Brother Walter about the less active list. They're wanting to get letters sent out to these people to get them removed from the church records. A lot of them are no longer interested. One lady has a court order out for any LDS members that try to contact her. Super sad and I wish those people could see the true joy the Gospel brings, maybe in the future. We talked to Carol Bradshaw and she is doing great! We played a puzzle with her and I read her 1 Nephi 1 from the Book of Mormon and we had a really good lesson with her. We also were able to have a great lesson with Joey that night in Come Follow Me for this week and talked about the importance it is to have a humble heart and submissive spirit in order to hear what the Lord wants to teach us. I had us listen to Go and Do by David Archuleta and wow! I was in tears by the end of the song. I have never before felt the love of Christ in my life so strong as I did that night being able to testify to Joey about the importance of not giving up, and doing all we can, and letting the Lord do the rest. We played basketball for a while afterwards, and I won! Looks like I still got the moves in me :):).

Tuesday we went to Brother Hartman's and visited and took pictures with him. And then went over to the 1st counselor in the branch, Brother Lavin, and visited with him. We went to JC's restaurant with Bob White and it was so much fun! JC's is like a Denny's and Olive Garden mixed. It has lots of good fancy foods as well as your traditional burger. My favorite thing there is the Chicken Alfredo.

I've been pondering a lot this week about the last year and how I started the year and how I finished 2019. I have never felt more joy and happiness in my life than I have in the last 7 months since I went through the temple. I was remembering what President Dunn said in my setting apart as a missionary, and he said that I would "be humbled and be full of love and humility." This experience of serving the people of Chardon and coming to love them, even if they kick me out of their trailer park, has taught me the importance of not giving up and doing my best everyday. I am a child of God, and He has sent me here, has given me an earthly home, with parents kind and dear. I know this Gospel is true. It's the thing in my life that will bless me and my beautiful and amazing family to be together for time and all eternity. Please always remember how much Heavenly Father loves us, on an individual level.

The challenge I want to give to all of us this week is going to be a little different than the ones I have given in the past. Instead of inviting us to do something for just one week, I am wanting to do it for this 2020 Bicentennial year of the first vision.

I invite each of us to reflect on our lives and where we are currently, and then write out a list of ideas we could do to strengthen our testimonies this year. (Book of Mormon videos, come follow me, etc). Be willing to submit to the Lord, commit ourselves to doing these things we come up with, and challenging ourselves to be devoted and dedicated to the Savior Jesus Christ by Dec 31, 2020. I know we will receive Heavens promised blessings as we do this.

I also encourage and invite us to become the leaders our Heavenly Father needs us to be. I have been thinking a lot about the word leadership and what it means to me. What it means to me is this: It's not about the title or the recognition; it is solely about when we are in that position of leadership, we work hard to help those around us and encourage everyone to be on the same team, and work towards a common goal. Leadership is amazing and I'm grateful for the experiences I've had in leadership in my life. Always strive to have the Spirit with you so you can always be able to accomplish those things He needs us to.

Departing companionship with
Elder Stephens & Elder McEwan

I love you all so very much! We are in this together, and I'm so forever grateful for my eternal family that I love with all of my heart and that I miss so much. Thank you for everything that you guys do for me! Keep working hard and do your very best, because the Lord is on our side.

I love you forever and always!
Elder Dylan :)

We started the Book of Mormon challenge as a mission and have been challenged by President Stratford to finish before April General Conference. I would like to invite all of us to start reading the Book of Mormon and finish by April General Conference :).

Pictures