Daylen's last letter home

My mission has meant the world to me. I can´t even begin to express the gratitude of what I feel. It brings me to the hardest tears I´ve had to cry. I am grateful for all I have met along the way, and they were many. I am so grateful for the Savior, who has walked every step with me. He has upheld me like I never thought possible. I desire to lose my life for His sake.  

 Thank you mom and dad. For all your support. I feel so grateful for our family. I could not have done it without you. And I mean that. Your prayers have sustained me far more than anyone can understand. 

Many have been asking me, what´s the greatest thing I´ve learned on my mission. Frankly I don´t think it´s possible to answer. I don´t feel like I´ve finished or accomplished my mission, rather that I finished a certain stage and that I must keep going. It´s hard to evaluate the work I don´t feel is over. I´m still a work in progress, but everything has changed. Not a single perspective or opinion I currently have has not changed. The very way I think and feel is far different. Any topic, the way I think about church, beans, rice, people, relationships, ect. When I think about life before the mission, it often feels like it was another person who did those things. I may look the same or speak the same to others, but I am not the same. I don´t believe I´ll know until the eternities what the greatest lesson I learned on my mission. I believe it will effect every stage and decision for the rest of my life.   I´m excited and ready for new challenges.

I know this is the Lord´s work. He is our King. He loves us and cares for us. I know that the Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Is the Lord´s kingdom- the only way to eternal life. I know the book of Mormon to hold the fullness of the gospel. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen!    

“When you choose to follow Christ, 
you choose to be changed.”
President Ezra Taft Benson

Daylens coming home

Daylen is coming home!  He arrives at the SLC airport on Friday April 24th at 10:30 AM (Delta Flight 1105) From there we will be taking him out to lunch at The Golden Coral in West Valley 3399 W 3500 S, about noon . We invite everyone who would like to come to come out and celebrate his return home. He will report at Sacrament Meeting on Mothers Day May 10th 10:30 AM With lunch to follow at noon at the town hall in Oakley. (We really like to Eat)

I will also be turning this blog into a book as a keepsake for Daylen if you would like to leave a comment on this blog I will make sure it is added.

Destry

Every Member a Missionary!

On Wednesday we visited our recent convert Patricia. She greeted us with excitement and asked "Where have you two been? We have much work to do here!" She then related some of her wonderful experiences of giving her friends copies of the Book of the Mormon. "Every owner of these near-by stores all have one. These people have to know about this church, so many just don´t know." She stated. "That´s great Patricia!" we told her "Now we have to get all the addresses of these people and start teaching them." "Already done" She said "I have all the addresses. I like to go out in the morning and meet with new people and pass out the pamphlets and copies of the Book of Mormon. I just tell them I have a present for them that will greatly bless their lives. Then I write the church address and my phone number in front of the book so they can call me for questions." She then showed us something that even the best of missionaries don´t do, she showed a hand-drawn map of the area and all the places she had left a Book of Mormon to follow up with these people. She marked with us for next Wednesday to visit these people with her. All I could do was sit back in the chair, eyes bulging, and mouth open wide, asking myself "Who is the woman? Could she really be the same person Elder Bitencourt and I met a couple months in the street? I can´t even recognize her as the same person, because she isn´t. She´s received the Lord´s image on her countenance. 

Yesterday we were with Patricia, and could not believe she was the same person I use to know. She is full of such life and good humor. She told us how she had been working on her family history, and has done everyone up to her great-great grandparents. She was so excited when we told her she could get to the temple in May.  She asked us to take her to the home of a member who had broken both her arms. We made a visit together. As usual, Patricia was excited to share our message with everyone. As we began walking her home, she introduced us to a few people she knew in the street. 

"Pollard!" She said "Are you using that Book of Mormon?" I shook my head "Then give it to me." She would proceed to walk up to some people and speak with them. She would present the book and bear her testimony. Years ago, Patricia had been a missionary for the baptist church. She helped many enter in to that church. Now, she introduced us to them and is bringing them the full truth she has found.  The people love her and she´s a very well known person in the city.