Suzy Q

A note from Suzy Q - I didn't want to post this letter for obvious reasons, but it is Dylan's blog and this was his sweet, post LDS General Conference letter.  Dylan likes me a lot more now that he lives 1000s of miles away (3,124.1 to be exact).  I think, like moms having babies, he has forgotten many rough moments, but his words inspire me to "try a little harder, to be a little better."  I like how he looks back on our last meeting at the airport with fondness now.  At the time I know I was the annoying mom who he found lurking around each turn because I just couldn't bring myself to go back to the airport curb without him.  Ironically, I thought I was hiding really well but my kids have mom radar.  It is that balancing act between too much and too little that often I get wrong.  Truth be told Dylan can be a real pain in the neck, a humorous and intelligent pestering pain ;)  Just ask his little brother!  He liked to keep us on our toes.  We have loved to see his growth, his assimilation into a life of simplicity, obedience and service.  His true spirit has really shined and I believe this love for others has allowed him to understand more fully the love his Heavenly Father and his parents have for him and that we lurk because we love!  

Dawn Patrol Matagalpa. 

I love you mam and hope you had a great birthday. You would love matagalpa. Cool breeze that comes out of the jungle somewhere. Coffee shops. Libraries. Limited children. Good ice cream. We'll have to come out one day.

Never thought i would be homesick again in my life. Those same feelings that i had when i went to utah for school and when i was out in esteli for the first week of my mission have returned. I miss all those people so much. I found a little letter from one of the little girls that got baptized with her entire family last week. She said she was gonna miss me, gave me her adress so i could send her letters (which literally is ___ streets here and ___ streets there from the mango tree), and ended the letter in the name of jesus christ amen. She said that if i did forget about them, then she hoped that i would help other families liked elder hirschi and i helped hers. I have a love for all those people that is in describable. 

Elder Jake and Elder Ferrin

Elder Ferrin is so dope. He is from Salt Lake and played waterpolo. We are gonna have a freakin great time here in matagalpa.

Conference was sick. Mom should have started law school a little sooner because I know dad is probably a little upset because he did not throw a trade mark on perusal before ponderize came out. Also big wave surfing came to conference finally. Respectttttt the barrierrrrrrrrr duuuuuudddeeeeeeee. That 70 totally could have done a better job on the voices. 

There were a lot of talks that really got to me. Hollands really hit home for me though. 

Behold Thy Mother - Jeffrey R. HollandJeffrey R. Holland pays tribute to the strength, dedication, influence, and love of mothers.lds.org
(General Conference is where the leaders of our church, including the Prophet and Apostles speak and give counsel to the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as all people throughout the world.  All talks can be watched or read at lds.org)

The only thing that gets close to the love that Christ has for us is the love that my mother has for me. Its something undescribable. I love suzy so much. It would be cliche to say that that my mom is better that yours, but my mom does love me more. So grateful for all the little acts of love that she has shown me. Hot breakfast at 5 am every day for 4 years. 4 am nights in college frantically looking for all of those classes as a freshman. Countless screw ups in high school but she was always there to help me figure out who i wanted to become. Unforgetable experience in the airport as i was leaving for the mission and i thought she had left but there she was just watching me stand in the security line haha. I am so happy that that beautiful face was the last one i saw. That love comes from out of this world. My mother is so much like our Savior Jesus Christ and has been an example of patience, love and faith her entire life. Love you mom. 

stay sleezy everyone. 

Always Remembering Him

In the jungle the mighty jungle

Dawn Patrol Matagalpa. Mowgli has finally gotten back out into the jungle. I currently live and write you from a jungly little mountainside. Matagalpa is the so cal here in nicaragua. It gets a little toasty during the day but there is always a little cool breeze. At night it gets a little chilly. So dope. Just like t town. The transition will be a little smoother in a few months. My new companion is elder ferrin. Utah and water polo. Collin i will need a little help cuz all this water nonsense is going right over my head. He is way dope though and we will have a great time here. I have been having a lot of meetings with President Collado and the leadership here in Matagalpa. President told me today before i left that I will not be leaving until Matagalpa district becomes Matagalpa stake. 

I love elder hirschi. I am gonna miss that little dude. We have had so many awesome experiences together. Even though he doesnt know who lebron james is and has never seen the superbowl (which the jakes will change this coming year) he has become one of my closest friends and has been a great example to me. 

We ended our time together celebrating his 20 birthday and going out to Leon on monday. We threw a frisbee around in front of the big catholic church there. I may or may not have pulled an adam sandler from the movie big daddy after holding my pee in for way too long. nobody saw... well maybe a few drunks. (It's like the time little Bryce was hopping around in downtown SanDiego while we were feeding the homeless and with no bathrooms close by the homeless man pointed to a tree behind the library and said, "Hey man, when you gotta go, you gotta go!)  I later purchased a sweet surf nicaragua shirt right off a drunk dude in the street on the way to eat some shwarma with hirschi. We head stopped by this sweeeeeeeeet beach before we went home. It was by far the most beautiful thing i have seen here in nicaragua. 30 minute drive on a dirt road through the jungle to get to this baby. Las peñitas. Only barrels and not a single person in sight. 

Leaving my old ward this week was very hard. I love so many people there. I was able to speak on sunday before i left and it was on of the more special experiences that i have had on my mission. Its a love that i had never really felt before Nicaragua. Its something that i will never be able to forget. 

Elder hirschi and i had a pool party this week. Osmar, Jenny, Cindi, Britney, and Patricia all got baptized on thursday and friday this week. Patricia was a evangelical pastor 3 years ago and now is a freakin Mormon baby. The other guys are a mom dad and the two little girls. It was an amazing experience. Seeing how God can turn people's lives around is incredible. 

I am so grateful for the life that i have been given. I have said it so many times but this life is so much more meaningful and can be so much happier when we let God change us and be a part of it. He is always with us. His son died for us and is willing to take upon him our pains and trials when we humble ourselves and always remember him. 

 Alma 33:11

And thou didst hear me because of mine afflictions and my sincerity; and it is because of thy Son that thou hast been thus merciful unto me, therefore I will cry unto thee in all mine afflictions, for in thee is my joy; for thou hast turned thy judgments away from me, because of thy Son.. 

love you guys. stay sleezy.