11 Months

This week is major milestones! First milestone is that tomorrow (the 14th) is my 11 month mark on the mission. 330 days away from home! 330 days of being in a "foreign land" and talking to people I had never met before! Which is so crazy that it has already been 11 months that I have been here in Ohio and that I've been a missionary! Time sure does fly by in the "blink" of an eye 😉.

Second milestone is that this week on Friday is officially 4 months of being quarantined here in Ohio. Which is crazy, haha cuz I thought it was just going to last like 2 or 3 WEEKS, tops! 🤣 We have not heard anything about getting outside, and Ohio itself has actually had some really big numbers this week of COVID cases. We are averaging about 1,000-1,100 new cases per day now here in Ohio. Crazy stuff!

I've been thinking a lot about my talk that I gave at my farewell talk a year ago now. The topic was: "Why is it so important to pray?" I have been thinking a lot about it because lately, I have found myself on my knees more than I feel that I have ever before prayed in my life. Prayer isn't just for when we wake up in the mornings, it isn't just for when we need help . . . It's for all of those things, and everything in between. Being quarantined for 4 months on my mission now, I have felt some of my loneliest times, I have struggled the most, and have felt down in my life at points; but, I have also felt Heavenly Father blessing me more than I ever could possibly ask for. Take for instance, this weekend on Saturday. We were here at the apt, and I felt a prompting to get down on my knees and say a quick prayer. Then, about 20 min later, we had a member text us and tell us that their freezer had been left open and their meat(roast) needed to be cooked now, so they asked if we could come get some to take back to the apt for our dinner. Then, another member called and said she had chocolate cake that she had made for us. Were these 2 things anything short of a miracle? They were a miracle from Heavenly Father, because we have a loving Heavenly Father who does not ever give up on His children. I have grown an immense testimony and belief about communicating with Heaven. Ask for help, ask for strength. Phillipians 4:13 has been my saving grace lately. God doesn't leave us, and as we call out to Him, He answers back with His love, guidance, and care to help us figure things out.

I also have seen the importance of staying positive, and keeping a cool head in any given circumstance or situation that we may be in. I'm going to be completely honest and say that, these last 4 months have been the most stressful and intense 4 months out of the last 11 months I have been on the mission. There have been days that just were not going my way at all, and there have been days that seemed to be the worst days ever. I was taken back though to something Mr. Peery does at SHHS (Positive in the Present). I started to look at even the small things that I was being blessed with, or just the fact that I was able to make it through the day and that's all that mattered for that day. I have been able to work a lot on the attribute of PATIENCE. And being patient in all things, which also means that I am being humble in all things to accept whatever the Lord has, and to continue to just do my best everyday. I just have seen it so prevalent to stay close to my Savior Jesus Christ, especially now because the future is so unsure and so uncertain. Of this I know to be true though, as long as we all stay on the path heading towards Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, WE. CAN. NOT. FAIL.

Super exciting that you guys will get to go back to church this next Sunday Mom and Dad! Dad, when you give the spiritual message/thought for your mtg you are in charge of, here are some thoughts I have been thinking of that you could share if you wanted to with the group/sacrament mtg you're in charge of conducting. 

Here's my thoughts: Over the last 4 months, we have all as members of the church, experienced things that never before have we experienced. Something that stands out to me, is that we grew our spiritual minds during that time. During quarantine, we couldn't necessarily go to the gym, or some place to workout or to stay active a lot of the time, but God provided a way that we could still exercise our spiritual muscles, and strengthen our testimonies. God doesn't care about how much we know, or that we have been a member our whole life/even just a few short years. All that God cares about, is that everyday when we wake up, we know that we are a child of God, who loves everyone of us the same, and He wants us to trust in Him. There are uncertain times still ahead. President Nelson said it himself. Don't wait to find out for yourself that this Gospel is true. Start NOW, and "please, do it now. Time is running out". That is my testimony, that He is aware of us and He is in the small and simple things of our lives. Don't give up on the Lord, because the Lord hasn't given up on you.

- We have zone conference this week on the 15th, via zoom call. So that should be fun. First one with Pres. and Sister Horgesheimer.

- We had to drive to Medina on Thursday to get the oil on the car changed and to get 2 new front tires. It took about 3 hrs for them to finish it. So we left for the Firestone at 8:45, and then from 9-11:45 while they worked on it, we walked around and went inside of the ACE and grocery store there which was fun! The ACE/grocery store was literally an exact replica of ACE/stokes in Salem! It was a fun little store. Then we went on an hour and a half walk and saw some sweet sweet houses, they were huge! It was a great morning, and we got 2 new tires and an oil change done.

It was a great week overall, and honestly at this point, I've just told myself to look at the things in my life that will keep me being positive and energetic everyday because being in an apt pretty much 95 percent of the time does stuff to the mind 🤔. I am so grateful that I have been blessed with a love and creativity of the outdoors, to go running outside and to get great workouts in, and to go on walks and love whatever I come across on my walks.

How are you guys doing? How is school going for you Parker and Mom? Finals are coming up soon and you're going to do so great Mom! Parker, keep it up on the MA course, you're crushing it buddy. How is life in Salem, Payson, AF, and Millville going? I love seeing all the posts on FB of everyone in their yards. I'm excited to see what the front yard looks like when it's done mom and dad, and s&k, g&m, p&k, I'm excited to see what all of youre yards look like when you finish the projects in them. You guys really are doing so so great, and I'm so proud of all you're doing everyday and every week. 

I miss you guys a lot, and am so grateful for how far we have come in the last 11 months and all of the support you guys have given to me! Thank you so so much. I have the world's best family ever 😁👌.

I love you forever and always!

Elder Dylan