Sunday, September 6, 2009

Back from Finland...

At St. Petersburg
Elders Isenbarger, Campbell, Sergeeve (who just returned home to St. Peterburg a few weeks ago.)Dewey, Murphy and Dial.

(picture by the McEvoy's)
Hey Everyone,

I don't have a lot of time ...places to go and people to see... I am going to cut this one kind of short. I had an amazing trip to Finland. We first started our visa trip with a sixteen hour train ride in which we slept most of the time. Once we arrived to Ekat we had a small window of time so I wasn't able to visit with all the people I wanted, but maybe next time. Friday morning we flew out to St Petersburg which was amazing. We did a bit of sightseeing, and saw some amazing churches and other sights. I would love to take my family back there someday. After sightseeing, we stopped at Carl's Junior!!! Yes...this was a highlight for some of us and probably the best tasting food we've had since being here in Russia. Honestly!!! We finally arrived to Helsinki Finland. I spent very little time sightseeing in the city and more time at the temple...my favorite place to be!! It is a great (the best) place to mediate and receive answers to one;s questions...I'm sure you would agree. Elder Campbell and I also found Ben and Jerry's Ice cream and that was amazing as well!!! I arrived back to Dyoma this morning. After my trip, and the opportunity to attend the temple, I feel refreshed and energized and ready to get to work!!
Thanks for all the support I get from everyone! I love you all I hope you all have a really good week. Once again, thanks for the support! Next week I will try and send some additional pictures. Gotta run... running out of time!

Love,
Elder Dewey

5 comments:

linds said...

Dear Elder Dewey,

Hi! How are you? I hope you are having a great time in Russia on your mission. My cousin Elder Ben Erickson is in Russia on his mission right now also. He goes back to Utah, where he lives, in December.

I am so grateful for you and all the other missionaries all over the world right now, because I know with all my heart that the Gospel is true, and that you are doing right now is the Lord's work. It just amazes me to know that you and so many other people around the world right now are giving up two years of their life to serve the church and what they believe in, especially when I know that they have so many trials and hardships going on in their lives right now. They are such great examples to me, and you are too. Thank you so much for going on a mission, because although this has nothing to do with me, i know that by you and every other missionary or soon to be missionary on this earth, this world is becoming a better place.

I hope you have a great time on the remainder of your mission, and I am grateful for you and all you do.

Have a great day!

-Lindsay Erickson

Anonymous said...

Dear Elder Dewey,

Hello! We are writing letters to the missionaries as an activity for Mutual. It makes me feel bad to realize that the only time I write to you wonderful missionaries is when we do it as a class. But I want you to know that I do think of you and remember when you and your Dad were our home teachers. You were so young! But we did appreciate you and the spirit you brought to our home. I am sure you are bringing the same wonderful spirit to the people in Russia. I hope that you are finding much joy in serving our Heavenly Father's children by sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are so proud of you and the sacrifice you have made to go and serve. You are such a good example to our young women and men and I hope you have a fabulous week. Take care and lots of love,
LoraLee Jesperson

Hailee said...

Dear Elder Dewey,

Hey! Hows Russia? It sounds like a really cool place! I hope your having a good, safe mission! I don't know if you remember, but you and your dad were my families visiting teachers when we first moved here about 5-6 years ago. You seemed so young and I cant believe your on a mission now! I don't have much to say, but I hope you know that we are all thinking of you. Well, I hope You have an awesome time on the rest of your mission! Cant wait till you come home

~Hailee Jesperson~

Anonymous said...

Dear Elder Dewey, I am enjoying teaching the Beehives in our ward with your mom! We have some great young women in our ward, and tonight we wrote letters to the missionaries in our ward. We think missionaries are the best! I hope the investigators you are working with are progressing and feeling the spirit as they study the scriptures and pray. Thank goodness for young men in the Ridge Ward like yourself who set a wonderful example for the younger boys. Our son, Nick will be nineteen this December, and he is preparing to go on a mission. He is getting his wisdom teeth pulled in two days, and he will get his patriarchal blessing at the end of the month. Thanks for being someone he can look up to!
Take care, Sister Francie Nelson

Dena said...

Dear Elder Dewey,

What a LUCKY Elder you are today for the opportunity to receive wonderful and thoughtful notes from a few of our Beehives and leaders of the Ridge Ward! You would be impressed with these yw! They are truly amazing girls, and already at a young age developed strong testimonies of Jesus Christ. They are wonderful examples and live their lives according to gospel principles, which allow them to radiant the light of Christ. Each week I go home amazed of their knowledge, choices they make, and strong testimonies. I always leave being the one spiritually nourished.
Tonight, while the girls were busy writing their letters, and enjoying each other’s company, I could not help but think of the yw in the small branches you serve in. I pray the church continues to grow in Russia so that someday the yw in that part of the world will have the opportunity to have a large yw's organization where they can feel of each other's love and be strengthened by one another.
Chad, I am grateful for your service. I know the letters we receive home each week are brief in description of what you truly experience, but it has been a wonderful journey thus far. Now that time is closing in, I hope you cherish every minute you have left. (I know you already do)
Time will start to go extremely fast, so enjoy it and make it count!

I love you and grateful for the opportunity to be a missionary mom and reap the blessings that only parents of a missionary receive...it is a wonderful experience. Although I look forward to your return, there is a part of me that will miss the anticipation and excitement of those weekly letters home that all mm's look forward to. I feel like I have been spiritually feed each week for the past three years while you and BJ have served your missions...I will miss being a MM.

I hope you have a wonderful week.

Love,
mom