Elder Dean

Serving in a Winter wonderland Dec 17, 2010

2009-12-17T08:31:00.001-08:00

Dear Family,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!! С ДНЁМ РОЖДЕНИЯ!! I hope that you are having an amazing birthday and enjoying every second of it. I hope that all is well there in San Diego as it is here. The weather is cold here but we are warm with the spirit as we feel the joy of this work mixed with the spirit of the season. I can't believe that Christmas is just around the corner. Next Friday wow! By the way our Preparation Day will be on Friday so don't be alarmed thinking that I froze to death because a letter did not get sent on Thursday. The letter will come telling you were I will be serving with my new missionary for next transfer. A huge group of missionaries are taking off on Monday and the new missionaries will come in on Tuesday. I can't describe how grateful I am that I am not going home on Monday. Nothing against you all but I am just not ready for that and so I am extremely grateful that the Lord has given me more time. I was talking with Elder Holm this week and it was interestring to talk with him because we both related that we have the same feelings that we are still needed here. We are not done yet. I am so excited!

This has been an amazing week as we have been blessed and seen miracles. I am so grateful to be serving where I am serving and with whom I am serving. We had a meeting with Steve this Sunday and things are going great with him. We made some brownies with a member and dropped them off to him on Friday of last week but unfortunately Steve was not home. He was very appreciative for the brownies though when we came by on Sunday night. We taught him about the Plan of Salvation and it went really well./ He has some really good questions that show us that he is really thinking about these things. We were really glad to hear that he has been reading the Book of Mormon and enjoying it. He told us about how he read about Nephi, Lehi and Laban. He wanted to know why Laban had the scriptures but was still just a bad man. It was so much fun to be able to talk with him about it. We asked him if he had prayed about it and he told us no and was kind of confused about the question because he considers the Book of Mormon to be true and didn't really understand the need to pray about it. I'm sure that you could just imagine our response, " Uh...That's great! But the only reason that we ask is so that you can have a confirmation from Heavenly Father of it's truthfulness." He agreed to pray about it. I am so excited for him but the only problem is that he watches the baby on Sunday when we have church, we told him to bring him along but he said that he has never traveled with him before. So a little problem there but we will see how we can overcome it with them help of the Lord. I really do love Steve and want the best for him and his family, they are all so great and so we will see what the Lord has in store.

The week would not be completed without the interesting moment of the week. We were contacting on Thursday night and everything was going well until we experienced a little trouble with some drunk people. Elder Hunt contacted a man who turned out to be drunk and immediately hit him/grabbed him by the throat. Elder Hunt was a champ and didn't do anything. He is a relaxed missionary and so the problem did not turn into more than a quick scuffle. We shoved the guy off of him and told them that we didn't any of that and they were not too happy with us. There were four of them and they said some words to us and we turned to leave. They yelled at us and I thought that they would chase us but fortunately that didn't happen. I am sure that the Lord was protecteting us and I am really grateful for that. I have never felt scared on the street before. This situation was a little unnerving because I really didn't want a fight to break out but I wasn't scared. I know that the Lord is watching over us and has His angels nearby. I know that we are always being protected.

On Tuesday night we were walking the streets contacting when we had an amazing experience. In the beginning of the transfer we tried to call a man named Alexander. He had been to church two times and been reading the Book of Mormon, but unfortunately his phone was switched off. We called and called but his phone never worked. We decided to put him in the formers and occassionaly called but it was to no avail. But while we were on the street on Tuesday I contacted a man and started to talk to him when Elder Hunt came up and said in a bewildered voice, "Alexander!?!" Yep, it was our Alexander. The first thing he said was, "Hey! Why haven't you called?" We told him that his phone was turned off and he told us that his phone worked just fine and then had us write down his number again. Someone had made a mistake on writing his number on the teaching record. He told us that he is reading the Book of Mormon and wants us to call. As we walked away Elder Hunt and I just looked at eachother in disbelief knowing how many people there are in St. Petersburg and we had "just happened" to run into the one that we needed. I know that the Lord directs this work and that He knows where each of His children are and can place his servants at just the right places. This experience has strengthened my faith and testimony of this work.

Well times up! I love you all and am so grateful for all of you. Let me know how you want the phone call to work. If you want I can buy a phone card here. Let me know. I am way excited!

Love,

Elder Dean

Dear Family- April 30, 2009

2009-04-30T05:39:00.000-07:00

Dear Family,
Hey!! How are each of you doing? I hope that you are doing amazing. It is always really hard to go from sending President Podvodov a letter to then go back into typing in english because on the keyboard there are both alphabets and so needless to say it gets pretty confusing sometimes, so sorry if there are some mistakes that I make and forget to correct. Well, I just got on the internet and had a letter waiting for me from Derek Bramwell telling me that he got to see you and that he hopefully will be coming over this week. That sounds like so much fun! Hopefully you enjoyed his homecoming talk and he didn't say anything that would scare you.
Well this has been quite a week, really, a lot has gone on and I have been so excited to write and to tell you about it. I guess I'll start out at last Saturday-the day that Sofia was baptized. It was such a good day and the baptism went amazing. There were quite a few people there to support and so that what great to see. The Sisters did a great job planning everything and getting it all organized so that the spirit was able to be there. She was so excited and was so happy to be dressed in white knowing that she was doing the right thing. As we were walking to the room where the service was going to take place I asked her how she was feeling. She said, " I feel so peaceful, there hasn't been anything that has brought me bad feelings that I shouldn't be doing this, just peaceful, it's almost unnatural how calm and peaceful I feel." Way cool! The Branch President conducted the meeting and after a few talks and songs we all made our way towards the baptismal font. Something that they do here which is kind of different is that they kind of have a musical number at the font. Nothing elaborate, but really simple. This time there were three sisters off to the corner singing "All Creatures of Our God and King" while everybody gathered around the font. After the song was finished, Sofia came down into the water and was baptized. When she was baptized she came up with the biggest smile on her face and was even laughing from joy. After the baptism I put out my hand and shook hers and said, "Sister Sofia, I congratulate you" she just laughed with a big smile and said thank you. The rest of the meeting went great and there were some great sincere testimonies born. The one that had the greatest effect on me was from her friend Sister Tatiana who has been there with Sofia on all the lessons. She said, "Its one thing for someone to be baptized but it makes it all the better when it is one of your relatives" (they are sister-in-laws) and then she looked at Sofia and became a little emotional and said, "We'll do this Sofia-together-every step of the way" It was way cool and the spirit was certainly present. And then on Sunday right after the District Conference a large group of members gathered together in a room and there we opened with song and prayer and then she received the Holy Ghost. The Branch President gave her a great blessing reassuring her of the love that that branch has for her. After the blessing she stood up with tears in her eyes and thanked everyone in the circle and then we closed with a hymn and prayer. Again the spirit was strong as the ordinance was performed by Heavenly Father's priesthood. Oh my! I love being on a mission and am so grateful for the opportunities that the Lord has blessed me with. Faith is powerfulI-I know it, that is how miracles are performed. I don't understand it perfectly but I am gaining a further understanding of which I am very grateful. Had a vist from President Paul of the Seventy this week and his wife and it was amazing. I wish I had more time but I have got to go.
Love you all,
Elder Dean

Писмо от Ст. Дина-23.04.09

2009-04-23T07:01:00.000-07:00

Dear Family,
Hey! How is everyone doing? I hope that you are all doing well and enjoying the warmth wherever you are at. The time goes by so fast and I can hardly believe that is Thursday again already. I read a letter from Dad this morning while I was getting a haircut and it sounds like we have a new addition to the family or as he put it "temporary". That sounds like fun, how does Sadie like it? She is probally not too hot on the idea of having to share Mom. Also that is prety exciting to be having Sisters from Temple Square coming. I am sure that they will be bring a real fire for the work, (and hopefully a full list of refferals!) but yea- that is way exciting! And if the Elders ever come over again and hang-out like they did, ask them if they saw and remeber seeing any films in the MTC from a talk from Elder Bednar. That should bring them a quick reminder of what they are supposed to be doing in member's homes.
As far as things go here I guess that I need to catch you up a bit. So i got transferred again and I am now serving in the area of Nevsky. It is the south east part of St. Pete's and there is a strong branch here. I am working with an Elder Nash, from Ephrata, Washington.(Have you heard of it Michicko?) It is his last transfer and so to be perfectley honest with you I was pretty nervous to be working with him, fearing that Trunkiness would interfere with his desire to work, but I am so very grateful to say that that is not the case. He is ready to work and I am so excited about this transfer. President really wants us to be focusing on having lessons inside homes and has set a goal for evey companionship to have 15. That probally does not mean much for all of you but in our mission that is a hard thing to do, but we have a goal and we are going to continue working at it until we accomplish it and hope that it can continue on from there. But really, I am so excited about this transfer, we fasted on Tuesday asking for the Lord's help this transfer and I know that there is so much power to be found in Fasting, Prayer, Faith, and consecrated work and so I am excited to see what the Lord has in store. Elder Nash is about my heigth, brown hair and always a big smile. He actually reminds me a lot of Brian Iufer and so it is kind of like serving with him and so needless to say-it is a lot of fun.
Before I forget, don't forget about Elder Bramwell's (or I guess it is Derek's) homecoming talk this Sunday, Hopefully Dad has already gotten in touch with his Dad and knows all of the details. Maybe you can even invite him and his parents over for dinner to get to know him a bit better and so that he can tell you about our mission. I'm so excited for you to meet him.
Last Friday we had a meeting with Sofia. We went because her apartment is really hard to find and so we showed the Sisters how to get there. It was such a great meeting! We walked in to find a table set up with tea cups, and Sofia announced that since it was my last day that we had to drink tea! She poured us all some tea and then brought out a huge cake that she had made for us that was really delicious. After talking for awhile, she warmed up to the Sisters and they did a lesson on Miracles. They started out by asking Sofia what miracles are and with out missiong a beat she told them that her quitting smoking had been a miracle. (I was so excited to hear that!) and she went on to explain, that it really was a miracle-that she had been smoking for a really long time and that she had made three concentrated efforts before to quit smoking and she had not been able to do it. She then said that thanks to the Lord and the Elders she had been able to do it this time. The Lord has blessed her so much and I am amazed at how ready she is to follow him. She has been such a strong example to me and I am excited for the day that you can all meet her. This church is true. There is no doubt in mind about it and I will glady spend all my days declaring it. It is hard at times to see people reject it so quickly and without any thought but I know that the Lord loves each of these-his children so much andd will continue to work with them in hopes that they will one day accept him and all that he has already done for them. Keep doing what you know is right. It puts a smile on the Lord's face when he sees us following him by choosing the right, so keep doing it. I love you all, I miss you like crazy but am grateful where I am and for who's work I am trying to do.

Love,
Elder Corbin Dean

Dear Family- April 16, 2009

2009-04-16T05:50:00.000-07:00

Dear Family,
How are all of you doing? From your letters it sounds like you are all doing well and enjoying life, and I am so grateful to hear that. Well a lot has happened this week and so I will get started right away. First of all, I hadn't heard anything about Cass and Ammon moving down to San Diego-That is so exciting!! I really don't know any details so if anyone wants to fill me in that would be great. I was so excited when I heard that I was telling everyone this week, that my whole family is going to be back together in San Diego for who knows how long with my brother and his family just an hour away. That is so exciting. I told Elder Clement and he told me the exact same thing, that all of his family is moving to St. George, he had already told me that but the latest news was that his sister Cassidy (what a quin-ki-dink) is also moving to St. George with her family from California. Anyway that sounds like a lot of fun and I hope that all of the moving goes smoothly.
Next-How amazing was conference! I loved it. We watch it a week later here and all the english speakers watch it in the Relief society room on the second floor and the Russian Sessions go on in the Chapel on the third floor. I could go on and on about what I enjoyed and noticed but I really found it impressive that (in my own thinking) that the three major topics that were talked about and repeated time and time again were 1. You are not alone (mainly referencing to times in trials) 2. Follow the Prophets 3. Go to the Temple. I don't know how it was for each of you but I really felt those three over and over again. When Elder Bednar told the church that those who have not been to the temple in quite awhile need to repent and return to the temple, I turned to Elders Holm and Croskrey and said, "Elders..." and they just turned and started laughing. It is hard to not have the opportunity to not visit the temple in such a long time but it really does make you appreciative of the blessing that it is. there is power to be found there if we will take the time to go and do that unselfish work for others. I look forward to going there again to feel the fruits of the spirit and hope that I will never lose vision of the importance of those sacred buildings. I have always been grateful for the fact that I have always been able to say, "I am from San Diego and I live 15 minutes from the beach" but within this last 15 months I have grown in my appreciation and have come to a realization of the blessing that it is to say that I live 15 minutes away from the San Diego temple. Surely I don't understand it all but the appreciation and understanding is growing. Before conference I wrote down and prayed about three answers that I wanted answered and I am so grateful to say that the answers came. The lord hears and answers our sincere prayers.
During the break between sessions on Sunday some told me that Sveta wanted to say hi but Sonya was afraid to come inside the room where we were. I went outside the room with Elder Croskrey and little Sonya just came sprinting up, "Elder Dean, Lift me, Lift me!!!" and Sveta was there just smiling and telling Sofia that now was not the time. They are doing really well and it is amazing to see that she still has the glow of the gospel surrounding her. It was nice to be able to chat with her for awhile. Sonya said, " Elder Dean, come over this Wednesday, Ok!" I told her that I couldn't and Sveta explained why, it was such a blessing to see them.
Also I have to admit that I could not help to think about Ammon and about how excited he must have been when Elder Uchtdorf announced that his story would be about, "Aviation!"
Next-We had a meeting with Sofia on Tuesday morning. We came in as usual, sat down. We then asked how she was doing and how she felt. She got a big smile on her face as she said that she answered, she said, "I feel amazing! I haven't smoked since you left!(speaking about last friday) and then she went on to tell us how much she appreciated conference. It was amazing and we all just kind of sat there and then she said, "No words?" and we just nodded our heads until we were able to open up and tell her how amazing that was. She said that it has been hard but she id doing it! Absolutely amazing! I know that it is an answer to many prayers fasts and the concentrated effort on her part. Again, I know that the Lord answers our prayers, (no matter where they are sent up). We then went on and began to talk more with her, we got into a hard and not very essential topic (for right now with her) and I was struggling to speak and explain, I could feel myself struggling and trying to think about how to explain it when I got the admonish in my head, 'teach by the spirit' , I turned to Sofia and gave up the reigns the best I could to the spirit and I bore my testimony of the vital topics that were the basis of here questions and then opened up to her and shared some unplanned, experiences from my life from which I have learned that God loves his children and is with us through our trials. The spirit was strong and was felt. I am so very grateful for the help that I received and for the support of my companion.
Yesterday was Transfers and so the time had finally come that I needed to say good-bye to Elder Clement and Elder Bramwell. It was hard, I never have liked good-byes, but at times they are necessary. Elder Clement and I talked for awhile and then said our, "See you later," he has been a big influence in my life and I'll miss him. I then said good-bye to Elder Bramwell. His homecoming will be on the 26th at the building on Pomerado (not the twin oaks) I assured him that you would be there and he has some things for you. Probally e-mail his Dad.
Well that is all the time I have. I got transfered again. I am now in the Nevsky branch in the city. I am confident that the Lord wants me here, I don't understand all the changes but I know that he does and that is sufficient for me. I love you all, take care and be good.
Love,
Elder Dean

Letter from Russia-April 9, 2009

2009-04-16T05:47:00.000-07:00

Dear Family,

Happy Easter! and Happy Conference! I know that you have already watched it but hopefully it was amazing and you were able to take that which Heavenly Father put in specifically for you. I am so excited to watch it this weekend. I cannot believe how fast the time goes by and that this will already be my third time watching General Conference in Russia. Thank you all so much for your letters, they really give me an extra boost to keep on going. Cass I loved hearing about that little girl's testimony and shared it with some of the Elders in my district, we had a pretty good one here the other week as the primary got up to sing for women's day. So the 6 kids in the branch went up the front and began singing "Because I have been given much I too must give" and it was so funny. There was one little girl that half way through the song found it amusing to start jabbing the other kids in the throat while they were trying to sing and it was so funny and then there was one little boy that was a little overwhelmed by going up to the front but started to make the slow walk all the way up to the front during the whole song and got there right in time for them to finish and go back to sitting down. It was so funny to see his slow walk all the way up to the front during the presentation and then turn around when it finished and sprint back to his Mom. Got to love it! Also thank you Brittany and Dad for those talks that you sent me. Really-I have been studying them throughly and finding ways that I can improve. Talks are always so great to read, so if you have any favorites please send them my way. There is another Elder here-Elder Ludwig and he and I are always switching and copying talks for eachother and its great. Sorry that I cannot thank each of you and rewrite you personally but I hope you know that if I had the time-I really would. So thank you so much for all your love and support, it is what I live on. Sofia on Sunday came to church and received a blessing from the branch president to help her to quit smoking. President did a great job explaing to her exactly how blessings work and what are responsibilities are and what the Lord promises. She is a tough cookie but by the end of she had tears in her eyes as she and Sister Tatiana left. It was a great experience and I could really feel the power of God being Manifested as we exercised his priesthood as it talks about in D&C 84. I am so grateful to hold his priesthood and fell its presence. Last Saturday we had a new senior couple come in from Idaho to help out with the CES system. We haven't received any American Elders since last summer but for some reason senior couples are able to come in without any problems. We even lost an elder this week as he went home with a hernia. Here one week and then home the next. Kind of scary but just reassures the fact that we always need to be living our life to the fullest and on a mission that certainly means working hard everyday and not just waiting for the end, because as Pres. Packer would-"It just does not work that way!" But anyway the senior couple came on Saturday and on Tuesday I got a call asking that my companion and I would go over to the Clements and help them get situated and help answer any of their questions. So we went over there and took them around a bit. and it was so much fun to go over there and herlp them out and then take them out on the streets for a bit. It kind of reminded me of Mom and Dad and how much I would love to take them around and show them all of the amazing things to see. i loved it so much and it was a lot of fun to help. Yesterday I was in the office on an exchange and so I got to spend the day with Elder Dunford and it was a lot of fun. He is such a solid Elder and he does so well managing the office. He has been there for 5 transfers now and he will for sure leave next transfer to spend his last transfer as a regular missionary. He is so great and really helps me a lot. I was able to spend a lot of spare time while I was burning conference disks to play around on the church's websites. I don't know if you know much about them but it is so amazing and you need to spend some time getting aquainted with them so that you can refer others to them. They have these short video clips called, "Mormon Messages" that are all over the internet explaing what we belive in. They are powerful. But also yesterday I was able to come to an appreciation of something te Lord had done for me. After finals (at BYU) I was pretty sure that I had not done very well, actually I did't know because I couldn't even bering myself to look at the test results screen and just left the testing buildings and I never got a chance to look at my grades before I left on my mission, and so president allows us to go on the BYU website and so yesterday I was able to check my grades and I found out that I got a 3.75. All A's and a B(In dance! I told austin that I didn't want tio take that class!) but I was so suprised and so grateful that he helped me out so much. Really I did what I could and he really helped out and made his arm manifest. And as I was thinking about it last night I was able to come to a realization that it talks about that in my Patriarchal blessing. I am so grateful for all of my blessings and for the opportunity to serve him. I hope that you all have a wonderful week and always remeber how much Heavenly Father loves and knows each of you. Don't ever forget that and be grateful for your trials that he has given you.Love you all,Elder Dean

Dear Family- April 2, 2009

2009-04-16T05:41:00.000-07:00

Dear Family,

Hello from Sunny Russia!!! It looks as if the weather will be following the same schedule as last year, which makes me really happy! I remember President Sandburg telling us on our first day in the country that it was the first good weather of the year and that hopefully it stayed that way and it did, and hopefully this year will be the same. Well it is kind of weird to say because it is kind of hard to believe but yesterday was the 1 year marker in Russia. Pretty crazy huh!? Yesterday I was on an exchange with Elder Holm and so we were able to celebrate our 1 year marker in the country and we were able to talk a lot about what we have learned so far. He is such a great Elder and it really was a lot of fun to be with him and to be in the same district as him. It is kind of funny but him and I have always kind of stuck together throughout the mission so far and it was fun to spend the day with him yesterday. I am continually impressed when I am with members from my MTC district because they have each grown so much and they are each becoming such strong holders of the Lord's priesthood. It just kind of makes me appreciate and understand when the scriptures tell us that the Lord wants our hearts-meaning He wants us to change to become more like Him and His Son, and how proud He must be when He sees us make good choices and do that which is right to bring our lives in accordance with his will. Certainly we are limited in our earthly imperfect vision but it really is a privilege and a blessing when we are able to see those positive changes in others. I don't really know if I am getting my thoughts across clearly, but I really like seeing people doing the right thing for the right reason, acting out of sincerity because of the relationship that they are building with their Heavenly Father.

Anyway it was a really great exchange and we were able to get a lot done as worked our hardest together. And the Lord helped me to know what to share with him as I had been praying about it for the last couple of days. He is a missionary with a strong foundation. But yesterday we decided that we were going to go out tracting and it was quite an experience. Because almost all the domes(apartment buildings) here have doma phones, tracting is not something we do very often. But if you keep your eyes open you can find open doors with either broken doma phones or without any doma phones at all. But as far as tracting goes, when we find an open door we go in, go up to the talk and then work our way down and very rarely do people open their doors and usually the conversation doesn't get past-We are missioanaries for the Church of Jesus Christ. But the Lord certainly is preparing his children. Me met a really amazing man named Atosh on the stairwell of a dome yesterday. We talked to him for awhile, shared with him who we were and little about what we are doing here and how we know that our message can help him. He told us that he was really interested and that he is tired of the life that he is living and ready for change. He gave us his number and he told us that he would be at church on Sunday. Wer gave him a "Lamb of God" DVD and he was really excited about meeting. Itwas pretty amazing and afterwards Elder Holm and I just looked at eachother knowing that we had just seen the Lord's hand at work.

But an e-mail talking about tracting would be incomplete without some funny stories-right?! On one of the doors yesterday Elder Holm rang the door bell in the dark stairwell and the first thing that we heard was a lot of dogs barking! and suprising the door opened pretty quickly from where I was I couldn't see inside right away but I could see Elder's Holm reaction and it was priceless. He quickly regained his composure despite all of the smoke being blown in his face and began speaking to the man who had answered the door. I poked my head around the door and there stood a very large man wearing only a pair of boxers/some kind of underwear and that was it, smoking a cigarette. Just a whole lot of smoke and a whole lot of skin and very little interest in us. He just slowly shut the door and Elder holm and I left the dome. It was so funny but probally did not beat the door that we knocked on to which a lady answered with out opening the door. She asked us who we were and we told here and she was really confused about what we wanted. We explained again and then she told us, "I am not going to open the door to you-do you know why? We than asked why and she said-"Because I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU!" we tried again to explain that our intentions were good but that really lit her fire and she told us in not a very nice way to leave immediately. We wished her all the best and then took off. No matter what happens i am so glad to know that all of these peopl are children of Heavenly Father and he loves each of them as he loves each of us, and I know that I am going to see all of these people again and they are going to come up to me in Heaven and say, "I'm sorry about that..." and I am going to say-"Don't worry about it and get over here and give me a hug!" and then I am going to begin them teaching them about that which I already tried in this life. I really know that that is true and it really helps me to see these people in a proper light and to understand that maybe their time is not right now but it will come and that I can look forward to with a smile.

Well that all from my end. Dad congratulations on the new calling!!! I am so excited for you, you will do great. I was especially excited to hear that you are reading Preach My Gospel, that is great. The last chapter speaks in very cllear details about your responsibilities and the responsibilities of all those around you. Get to know them and apply them and help others do the same. I haven't seen it yet but I know that is the Lord's way and when we follow his way we are entitled to his help and the blessings will come. You are going to help so much, I really am so excited. Build a relationship with your missionaries (Corb's letter cuts off here)

Dear Family- March 26, 2009

2009-03-26T05:43:00.000-07:00

Dear Family,
Well another week has come and gone and the weather is showing it here, well kind of. The sun is shinning but the temperature is still below freezing and so hopefully in the next week this winter weather will finally say its last good-byes. But just in the last week there have been signs of the "White Nights." It really is actually quite amazing. 7:30 at night in March and the shy is pretty bright. The snows following but its bright out. The weather can be so random here. The other day I got all bundled up and went out on our balcony to do some studying and the weather was really nice but it was cold, I come back in and a couple of minutes later look out side and the snow was following. Completely bright outside but the snow was following. Pretty random but such is life in St. Pete's. This week went well. We have an investigator named Sofia and she is such an amazing lady. She has been investigating for quite awhile but just recently she agreed to be baptized. We planned it for the 11th of April and things are going according to plan. She wants to be baptized, she knows that it is right but she has a smoking problem that she is trying to get rid of right now. We promised her that if she will read and pray everyday she will receive the help that she needs in order to throw this habit. She is so amazing though and I don't know if I have ever felt so comfortable teaching someone. I just feel like she doesn't judge us on our language and she always asks really good questions and so we know that she is listening to us intently. I had to give a talk in Sacrament the other week and on our meeting the Friday before with her I told her about that and how it is kinda of scary to give a talk in a different language and after our lesson we asked if she would be at church on Sunday and she said, "Of course I'll be there" and it was so nice to see her there. She is probably around 50 and she has a daughter who lives in Germany and she lives with her son. Same ol story though with the question of a husband-we don't know anything about that. It is kind of sad but that is really common here, and I think that the worst part is how generally it is accepted. I was reading in my Russian grammar book and there was a selection of dialogue to translate, and the whole dialogue was about a man telling his wife that he was going to go to Vladimer's house during the weekend to help him celebrate the one year marker of his friend's divorce by getting drunk. Horrible. And its really sad to go into these homes and to teach these single woman and no that there is no male presence there that should be helping them take care of all of the concerns that come with having a family, job, apartment... I don't know, but i do know that we are here to help and I do know that the strength of the gospel and the effects that it can have on the people and even the countries that embrace it. The gospel will grow here and as it does things will change for a better- I know it. But please keep Sofia in your prayers, she is such a nice lady and really means so much to me and I am anxious to see the blessings pour into her life. Oh but you can't talk about Sofia with out talking about Tatiana. Sister Tatiana is the member on all the lessons and she is a champ. She really is so amazing and is helping Sofia every step of the way. On Sunday we baked some banana bread and wrapped some up for church. And after sacrament meeting Sofia had to go to work and so before they left I told them that we had baked them something and pulled the banana bread out of my bag for each of them and Tatiana was so surprised because she said, "our minds were thinking the same way and pulled out a huge baked good that she had made for us. It was so nice of her and I have never had a member do that for me, she is definitely one that will inherit her rightful spot in the Celestial Kingdom, she is pure in heart. Also on Sunday I was walking through the halls with Elder Holm getting ready for a meeting when Sveta came walking out of Relief Society. The Lord promises us indescribable joy as we lose ourselves in his work, and I think that indescribable joy would be the closest way to describe seeing Sveta at church. She walked out and i said,"Sveta!!" and she turned and she was so excited and told me how happy she was. It was the first time seeing her since her confirmation and it was so exciting. I had to go right then, but I expected that I would be seeing her at church so I had some banana bread for her too and she was very grateful. She is so great. Yesterday i went on an Exchange with Elder Dunford. he is in my district and so we got to go on an exchange and it was so much fun. Just like the good ol' days back in Vyborg. He has definetly been my favorite companion and so it is hard to describe how happy I was to be with him. he goes home at the end of next transfer and Elder Clement goes home in three weeks. Saying good-bye is so hard for me but I am glad to know that I will see them again. I love you all. Thanks for all your letters and that package with the ping pong and letters. You are alll so great! have a week.
Love,
Elder Dean

Dear Family-March 19, 2009

2009-03-19T05:57:00.000-07:00

Dear Family,
Happy almost spring! As far as my calendar is concerned spring should be tomorrow but that might not be how it is in Russia? We haven't even changed our clocks yet and it is kind of hard to know when exacty that day is when you have no media telling you. I remember in the fall we were an hour early to a meeting on the Sunday that we "fell back", but that was okay to be an hour early, because an hour early is a lot better than an hour late! Hopefully we will find out sooner before later.
Well I hope that you are all doing well and enjoying every moment that life throws at you. It is amazing how fast the time is flying by! This week went really well though. On Saturday was the baptism of Yu Chang and it was an experience that will not be forgotten. To give you a quick recap of what happened-Yu Chang speaks very little english and so when we taught him there was always G-way with us who is also chinese buts speaks english really well so he would always translate that which was not understood. So because of that the whole baptism was in English which was really neat. But that meant that there were not too many Russians there and they were only there if they could speak english or if someone was there to translate for them. I think one of the best parts was pointed out by Elder Barton as he and I were waiting for Yu Chang and G-way to get changed, he said, "Isn't that just the lovliest sound- a room full of foreigners singing Russian hymns" But the baptism went so well. We had Chinese people there, Russian, Canadian, American, Ukrainian and I think that was it. There was an opening hymn and talk and then the baptism took place and G-way baptized Yu Chang. Everyone gathered around the baptismal font and those two entered the side room and everyone waited for them to come out into the water but after a little while all we could here was a lot of chinese coming out of that room, so I went in there and the both of them were trying to figure exactly how the baptsm works out. So I came in and gave them a quick crash course and then G-way entered the water and Yu Chang followed in after him. Then they took each other by the appropriate holds and then G-Way quickly try to go through the prayer and he made some mistakes. He has always kind of had a problem of saying, "the God" instead of just "God" and so we told him to try again before he immersed Yu Chang in the water and so he tried again but messed up again and so I went back into the room and knelt down by he water and whispered the prayer to him and then G-Way baptized Yu Chang well almost. He didn't quite get him under so he had to do it again. When we told him he just looked at me and said, "What!" G-way is just a little guy and Yu Chang is a littl bit thicker than him and so he was having some really trouble getting him down and then back up. So G-way lifted his arm again to the square, repeated the whispered prayer (Which he said perfectly!-the first would have been okay but was not very understandable but the second time was loud and clear) and then he dunked him again and it was a struggle but he got him under! They both then came out of the water and the first thing that G-Way said when he came back into the room was, "He is so Heavy!" I gave him a hug and told him that he did great! Yu Chang was so excited and after they got dressed they came back in and we had a little amount of time to bear testimonies. Some very sweet and sincere testimonies were borne and the spirit was strong. Yu Chang will forever be my friend, he has helped me so much by his example and I am so excited and proud of him. I told him that we probally won't live close to each other in this life but we will always be friends and that I will certainly see him in the next life. I can't wait for you to meet him! I love you all. Have a great week!
Love,
Elder Dean

Weekly Letter- March 12, 2009

2009-03-12T05:52:00.000-07:00

Dear Family,
Here comes a big Prvyet from Russia to all of you in the good ol' US of A. I hope that all is going well with each of you and that this week was full of great things. From your letters it sounds that things are just going along like normal for each of you. As for us over here this has been a week full of a little bit of everything. It is always takes a little while to get used to a new area but luckily I have been getting a lot of practice :-) but it has been such a big help to have Elder Muller with me to help with the transition. As far as things with him, things are going really well. He is a different elder but I say that in a good way because he is ready to work hard and to put the rest in the Lord's hands. He has some trouble with seeing the imperfections of other missionaries and it really bothers him to see them not do everything that they are supposed to be doing. He has had some tough companions in that regard and He was ready to go home last transfer because he felt that he could be helper out there in Germany than he is doing here. But luckily President Podvodov and President Pieper (Member of Seventy) worked with him and helped reassured him that he is supposed to be here. We talked a little bit about it and he is a really humble missionary and just wants to help people. He keeps asking me to teach him how to deal with some specific things and tells me that he wants to learn these things and I keep telling him that we will learn them together during this transfer. He really is great and I am so grateful for the Lord in giving me the opportunity to work with him. Some of my most recent companions I have not felt really united with them and I am sure that it is because that I could have done better and been more humble but with Elder Muller I really feel that I can talk with him, and share how I feel and not worry about if my feelings, thoughts, desires... are falling on uncaring, non-listening ears. He cares, which I really appreciate. So all in all I am really excited about my companion this transfer.
So this week has had its ups and downs which seem to hit so hard and so fast from so many unexpected, different angles but I know that the Savior is true to his word when he tells us that he stands at the door and knocks and unto he who answers he will come in unto him. Certainly with all the perfect patience and loves that he has he has come in unto me this week and has helped me to keep going, shake things off-without ignoring them, and to press forward with a smile, delighting and focusing on the many blessings and opportunities that are before me instead of focusing on that which does not uplift and inspire. Certainly there are reasons that we are tried and certainly the help and comfort does not always come immediately to our soul but with all certainty he never leaves us, but wants us to put our trust in him take the leap forward and wait for the net to appear. It appears, it always appears even if it feels that you are falling for awhile-its there. I know it, it will always be there.
So yesterday we had an amazing experience. We were planning to have a member present lesson with our 19-year old investigator but right before we left our apartment we got the always unwanted call telling us that he could not make. Which in turn completely opening up are day, And so instead of planning to go out and walk the streets talking to anyone who will listen for 6 hours we decided to be more productive and be more specified in our search. We decided that we were going to find a specific person. So we started to talk about who that could be and at first we wanted to find a man who could become a priesthood holder and then we wanted to find a family and as we talked about it furher we talked about how it is hard to find men during the day and so we decided that we were going to find a woman. Not just any woman, but a Mom with her baby. We talked even more and chose an area that we would find her and then started to talk about what we would teach her, which hit us-The Proclamation to the World. So we then went back into are study room and began folding, highlighting the specific part we wanted to share with her, and writing our numbers on a few of the Proclamations that we had. Then we practiced what we would say and what message we wanted to give. After we role played and each practiced being the woman and then switching sides we kneeled down, told the Lord of plan and asked him to bless it, us and her so that we could find her.After that we went out the door and begin our journey to find her, we went outside and the snow jkust start coming down but we had faith that the Lord would still make it possible and that she would be there where we planned. We walked for a long while nd then finally found our place-a park. We entered in and it was great-Baby carriages galore!! Even in the snowy weather. We began talking with a lot of people and teaching them about families but as we turned away from one we saw a lady pushing her baby in her carriage and we contacted her, only to find out that it was HER! She stopped, gave us a nice smile and we talked for awhile. She listened sincerely, read the part that we asked and then asked some great questions, like when and where is church and can I come. Her name is Ulia and after we talked for awhile and had an amazing conversation she agreed to read the proclamation and to try to come to church. We said good bye and walked away and then just turned to one-another and said, "That was her!!" It was so amazing, she was so nice and was the exact woman that we asked the Lord to help us find. We continued to walk through the park talking about what miracle had just happened and then Elder Muller looked across the park and noted that she was reading the proclamation. It was one of those scenes that is eternally imprinted in your minds because the spirit testifies so strongly that-"That is right!" It really was a miracle and I am so grateful for the Lord's blessing. Have a wonderful week.

Love,
Elder Dean

Dear Family-March 5, 2009

2009-03-05T05:45:00.000-08:00

Dear Family,

Wow! Can you believe that March is already here?! I don't understand how time is able to fly by so fast-its amazing! I hope that Michiko had a great birthday and that Dad is going to have a wonderful birthday also. Happy Birthday! Well like always a lot has gone on this week and hopefully if I can get pictures figured out here you will be able to see why! So I guess that I will start with the most important things first. Sveta was baptized on Saturday and confirmed on Sunday a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! Miracles do happen because certainly it is a miracle to see someone turn their life to Heavenly Father and enter into his church. Oh, but let me tell you all of us missionaries probably aged a couple of years from how everything went on-We had a meeting with Sveta on Friday night and we watched the movie "The life of President Thomas S. Monson" because President suggested it after his interview with her-which he gave her the permission to be baptized. So Friday night we watched it and it was so powerful, afterwards we talked about it and it was so amazing to look at her and to know that she knows that it is true. I won't ever forget that night. Friday was a crazy day though running around, calling people and doing everything that was needed for the baptism. It was especially crazy because we did not know that she was going to be baptized until 8:30 Thursday night but the Lord certainly stepped in and his servants helped make everything possible. Saturday came and my companion and I were there early to fill the font and to get things set up. the baptized was planned for three o'clock and according to plan everyone showed up at 3:00, everyone except Sveta! I am sure that you can imagine how that would be. Luckily everyone was content just chatting with one another and so there were no mutinies in the church. But we waited and waited and tried calling all the numbers we had (even though she had told us that she had lost her phone that week-we tried calling it anyway) no pick-up on the house phone (which was actually a slight relief) but finally at 3:50 we got a call from Sister Podvodova that she had just met Sveta on the street and that she was on her way to the building but Sonya had tripped and hurt her leg. Elder Ludwig and I ran downstairs and found them-I don't know if I have ever so excited to see someone. The women ushered her upstairs, got her changed and the baptism began promptly. It was such a good baptismal service and the spirit was present. At the end of the meeting there was time to bear testimonies and there were some very sweet and sincere testimonies given. The two that really hit me was from Elder Dunford and then from Sveta. Oh it was so amazing to see her bear her testimony and feel the spirit as she testified that she knew that she was doing the right thing and of the joy that she was feeling! I really wish that you could have been there and I am sure that you wish the same, but I guess that it will just have to be one of the "movies in heaven" that you can look forward to watching. I love this church so much and for the opportunity to show that love through trying to give my all to the Lord. I know that I have been blessed with the opportunity of seeing this miracle and will forever be grateful for it. I guess that it kind of leads me to the next major point of the week -transfers. In which I received a call to serve with my 10th companion and in my 6th Branch. to be honest it was kind of hard and I had the question through my mind wondering why I am getting moved around so much, wondering if I am fufilling my duties. But the Lord sent his comfort and understanding to me on Monday as I prayed about it and thought about all day Monday. I know that I am supposed to be working with Elder Mueller in the Othinsky Branch. It is the main branch in the city-or the biggest. I hope that all of you are doing well and that you have a wonderful week. May the Lord continue to bless each of you as you are obedient and may he keep you continually before his face. Love life and give it your all!

Love you son, brother and uncle,

Elder Corbin Dean

Family Letter- February 26, 2009

2009-02-26T05:57:00.000-08:00

Dear Family,

Another week has slipped by and I am glad to say that I have traveled to another country once again safe and sound. Yesterday my MTC group and I were in a van all day going to Estonia to renew our visas. Everything went well and so we are all grateful for that. It really has been such a blessing to me to see those Elders every three months and to talk with them, it is amazing to see how much they have grown and to feel our their spirits and of their love. Pretty soon-through the next couple of transfers a lot of missionaries will be going home and the responsibilities of this mission will be falling on their shoulders and in all honesty they are ready and it will be so good for the mission. I love them each so much and it has been such a privilege to build such strong relationships with each of them. Yesterday Elder Lark and I had talked for a long time in the car about a lot of things and I felt the spirit so strong. We shared our experiences and testimonies with each other and I can't describe how strongly the feeling of brotherhood is between him and I. He is a wonderful Elder and is a good example to me of someone that loves so many in such an unselfish way. Last night after we got back He, Elder Croskrey and I had the opportunity to go contacting together and it was so much fun. It is such a blessing to associate with elders who I know want to be here, who love the Lord and His work and are ready to work their hearts out for him. I am continually impressed by the blessing it is to build relationships with others and to continue to build them by serving and taking care of one another. Which helps me appreciate the gospel even more, to know that these relationships are not for 2 years or even a life time but we are building the foundation of relationships that will last forever. I have said it before but I am so grateful to know that in Heaven I will never have to say good-bye again. The Lord's plan is perfect and I am so grateful for the opportunities to build so many relationships through the preaching and sharing of His gospel.

On Sunday we had a meeting with Sveta and we found out that Bier is in a juvenile correction center. That may sound bad but she explained to us how it really is such a huge blessing. So last Thursday they went to court and waited for a long time only to be told that the hearing would not be that day but that they would have to come back on Friday. They came back on Friday and the hearing results were that Bier would have to go to prison for 2 years. What a shock that would be. But then there came in a lady that told them that there was another option that was available thanks to a program provided by the Russian Orthodox Church which is that he and 6 other boys will be together in this juvenile center for 20 days and then after that they will be let out but they will live out of this building for 3 months with strict rules saying that they must go to school and then come immediately home and if he for example wanted to go to church or to a sports night he would have to have it all planned out, who, what, where, how long... and for this three months he would not be in contact with any of his old friends and only close people could visit him. She told us that she just started to cry when she heard this and told us how grateful she is to the Lord for these blessings. Acknowledging his hand in this blessing. After we did that we talked about her upcoming baptism and she is so excited. She did not pass her interview wih the zone leaders but she has an interview with President Podvodov tonight. I am so excited for that because if everything goes well she can be baptized. This is going to be a crazy next couple of days but the Lord will certainly help things run smoothly, I know it. After that we told her that we had something for her and I handed her a plastic sheet with Brittany's letter in it. Original, translated and two pictures-one of the Bunkers all together and then one of Avery and Austin. She was confused at first when I handed it to her but I explained to her that my sister had written her a letter. She read it right away and was so touched by it, she had tears in her eyes and a big smile on her face as she came over after finishing it to give me a big handshake as Brittany had asked her to do. She read through it again and then asked if the pictures were for her and I told her that they were and she was so appreciative as she looked through them and asked me to tell Brittany-Thank you. She carefully put the sheets of paper back into the protector and we said a prayer to go. And then on Monday I gave her a call and she told me that she had just been reading the letter to her friend over the phone. She is an amazing spirit and I am so grateful for her example. A lot of people helped with that letter which was really, really nice. I translated half of it and had Elder Ydaltsov correct it over the phone and then a returned missionary at chuch translated the rest of it and did a great job. It really was a miracle to see the effect that that letter had.

I was reading an Ensign from 1995 this week and I came acroos an article that was very impressive to me. It talked about a mother of 5 children who became single and had the trial of making it through every week in order to feel the love of the Lord at Church on Sunday. She talked about how that was how she able to get through the week and about how she dreaded leaving church because she would lose the strong spirit that she would feel at church. She came to the mindset that, "When I am at Church the Savior is there, when I come home the Savior is not there." She than told about how for a completely different reason she recieved a priesthood blessing and in that blessing she was told, "Sister, it grieves the Lord when you think that He is not there, because He is there. Even though you think that He is not there, He is there" What powerful words those are. I know that I feel that way sometimes when I think that He is not with me when the times get hard but that it is my trial to get through on my own. But such thinking grieves him, it hurts him that we are pushing him away while is standing at the door knocking telling us that to he who opens, he will come in unto him (them) I like that so much and pray that this principle can sink into my heart so that I can make the appropriate changes.

Thank you so much for all of your support, your love, letters, and prayers. I know that I am here to do the Lord's work and I am so grateful for that and it is such help when I am able to know and feel of your love and support.

Have a wonderful week,

Love,
Elder Dean

February 19, 2009- Letter Home

2009-02-26T05:56:00.000-08:00

Dear Family,
Another week has flown by and I find myself sitting in the Hermitage again trying to figure out how to fit everything that has happened in the past week in a less than an hour letter home. This has been a good week with not too much out of the ordinary going on. Our mission right now is missing about 18 missionaries because 8 are trapped in Spain right now and 10 other missionaries are in Armenia we are not sure exactly when they are going to get back but the spain group is stuck there for awhile. It is so crazy all this visa stuff but it sounds like they are getting it under control by all of us who still have sufficient time getting a 2nd passport, like me and my group. So instead of having to ship us to another country we just drive over the border to estonia and pick uop are 2nd passport that is already done and waiting for us. Satan is working hard but unfortunately for him we have some smart cookies running this church and all of its affairs by inspiration. I am so glad for that blessing in our lives.
I'm sorry to hear that it has been cold lately in good ol' California. That must be horrible to have frost in the morning and to see your breath and everything. Really it sounds horrible-I can't even image...Alright I'm lying through my teeth on that one but in all reality I hope that it warms up so that people like sister Pittman can start feeling better. Also it doesn't sound like too much is going on there, everyone asks about the crisises in America and we just tell them that we have no idea and they then just stare at us dumbfounded and then comes the scolding. You are an american from america and you don't know if the cisis is big in america... What can you say-Sorry. But I hope that things are okay there. One thing is for sure, it has hit this part of the world pretty bad. The ruble has just dropped and the exchange rate is up to 35.5 to 1 dollar. When I first got here it was 23 and so that is the case here. Bad for Russia good for Americans pulling off rubles in dollars or missionaries serving in russia pulling off their MSF in rubles but is put on thier cards with dollars. We found out how much we pay for rent this last Zone conference and our apartment right now is more than $1000 a month and so this week I had three months worth of rent money put on my card to pull off and then bring into the office. The only bad thing is that the dollar dropped a little bit from the time the senior elder in the office put the money on to the time that I pulled the money off and so the church lost quite a chunk of money because of that. It's all so crazy but the Lord certainly is aware and continues to help.
By the way when I read about Yourczeck calling the other week I loved it, that was so funny and it was even better when I got a e-mail from him last week in classic Yourczeck style, its great. I think that my favorite part is that he thinks that I called him 6 months ago but I called him when i got my call which was almost a year and a half ago! So funny.
Last week I texted Yu Cheng after using the internet while we were walking up to the Peter Paul fortress (which was actually really fun!) and I asked how it went talking to his parents. He doesn't speak english amazing and so it went something like this. Yu Cheng how was it talking to your parents?-You guess!-I guess that it went well-BINGO!-That is so great! We are glad to hear it-Eating many foods now! (talking about closing his fast) I love him so much and am so grateful that the Lord softened his parents hearts. He couldn't make it to church last sunday and so we moved his date back to the 28th so that he can go to church the week before he gets baptized. I guess that he lives near Hong Kong and so we pulled up pictures of the temple in one of our meetings and it was great to talk about that.
We tried to meet with Sveta and Bier last night but it was Sonya's birthday last night and so when we stopped by Sveta was out buying a gift for Sonya and so we just met with Bier but it went really well. Britt I am still working on the translation of your letters and so I get those to her as soon as I get them finished and checked. Thanks again for doing that I am so excited to give those to her. But this morning while we were buying groceries we got a call and it was Sveta. She asked for Elder Dean and I told her that it was me and then she began to tell me why she called (she has never called before) but she called to apologize for missing our meeting with her and then she then told me that today is a really big day and she asked that we pray for Bier. She then went on the tell me that today was his court date because I guess that either him or his friend that was with him got caught with drugs in the metro back in December. She sounded really worried and I told her that we would be praying for sure. I hope and pray that it all works out okay because it sounds like if he is found guilty he could go to prison.
Besides that things are going well. I don't know though, I don't feel as well as I would like. I don't know what is wrong but I just don't feel like I am doing really well. Not a feeling that I am doing bad but not a feeling like I am doing well, just stable. I am working hard but things just aren't clicking like they were in Pushkin. I don't know what it is but keep me in your prayers please so that I can figure it out. I read have been reading an article lately from Tad R. Callister talking about being a consecrated missionary and how every mission has a lot of good missionaries but only about 5-6 consecrated missionaries who are willing to give absolutely everything to the Lord. Certainly I want that and feel that i am willing but I just don't know exactly what i am supposed to do to actually give everything that I am to the Lord. Such is life though to figure out the tough questions that we don't have set answers to that Heavenly Father wants us to figure out through prayer and meditation, in short from him directly. I'm trying hard but I feel that I can improve and do more.
Have a wonderful week, I love you all. This Church is True, Jesus is the Christ and there is joy and comfort to be found in him-I know it.

Love,
Elder Dean

P.S. I am going ice fishing right now. Not exactly sure how but it sounds like fun and so we are going to try it!

Letter Home February 12, 2009

2009-02-12T05:39:00.001-08:00

Dear Family,
Happy Valentines Day! Here comes another letter coming to you from within the Hermitage. Its kind of crazy to just walk up through palace square into this enormous palace flash a badge and then come in and enjoy a nice session typing a letter to your family. The mission has really established a really good relationship here. Anyway how is everytbody doing? I hope that you are all doing well and that you are throughly enjoying life to its fullest. Britt and Jared I hope that you are staying warm it sounds like things got pretty cold over there for you, but who knows maybe it all talked up just like when people say that Russia is cold-no don't get me wrong, I am not putting a challenge up for Mother Nature but I am just trying to say that I honestly thought that it would be a bit colder here in the middle of February. No complaints just a comment. It really is a pretty day here though, the winds a bit chilly but the suns out and so that always helps. Today after we finish using the internet our zone leaders are going to meet up with us and we are going to the St. Peter and Paul Fortress. I am looking forward to it, it should be alot of fun. Last week we went into one of the really large cathedrals here and it was pretty crazy. As we were walking up they were ringing the bells on top of the building which is actually pretty neat. Not like BYU that is for sure, there is a priest/monk person up there (who went to school to get this position) who is surrounded completely by ropes and you can see him up there pulling and it kind of looks like he is doing a funny dance but in all actuality it is very impressive. But we went in there and it is something that I am sure none of you have experienced, maybe in Brazil but definetely not in America. There are pictures of icons all on the walls that people are praying to and lighting candles in front of etc. and then there are the priests in the very front who are reading in an old form of russian that only they understand...and after a little while of singing and reading one priest came around with the metal ball that is smoking to go and cross all of the icons in the building and the people there watching-which is a lot. It is very interesting and somthing that will ot be forgotten as it really is a look into the lives and religion of a whole different world. It was really fun though.
So last night we had two meetings with our three investigators and they went really well, probally better to say that they ended really well because the beginings were both a bit shaky. Yu chang is still having problems with his family in China excepting his decision to be baptized but he still wants it and so we talked more about it and decided that he will call them today to talk about it and to bear his testimony to them. We are keeping him in our prayers, and are anxious to hear from him today. He is so amazing and has such a firm belief in God and is ready to act on that faith no matter the consequences. He is even fasting for the first time today to have Heavenly Father help him.
After that we had our weekly meeting with Sveta and Bier and that lesson also kind of had a rough start but ended really well. They are both doing amazing and are continuing to progress towards baptism. We talked about the law of chastity and the Word of Wisdom with them and it went well. Sveta is all for it and agreed to begin only drinking fruit tea immediately. Bier on the other hand we were a little worried about because we heard that he had a problem with smoking and so after we talk the principle and asked if they would live it we asked Bier about smoking and he told us that he has already quit!!! Two weeks ago even. Sveta was even suprised as she listened. He then went on to twell us how hard it has been and how everytime he has seen someone smoking on the street he has had the biggest urge to go up to them and ask them for a smoke but he said that he hasn't! It really was a great meeting and the spirit is always so strong after we meet with them. I showed them the pictures that cass sent to me and they really enjoyed seeing all of you. They are so close and are doing so well please continue keeping them in your prayers. What a blessing it is to see the miracle of change. To see a person change their life into that which God wants. I am so grateful that the Lord has seen fit to allow me to be here at this time and to work with these people even in all of my inadequacies. This is His work and He does lead it because we truly are His children and He does love us.
Thank you so much for the package! The dictionary is great as well as all the other gifts especially Zina's history. I had my interview with president last Friday and so Friday morning I translated the Three nephites storyu and shared it with him and he really enjoyed it and he and sister Podvodova pass along their thanks to you and he sent me an e-mail today telling me to pass along a thanks to my parents for raising such a good son.
I love you all so much have a great week.
Love,
Elder Dean

Letter home February 5, 2009

2009-02-05T06:48:00.000-08:00

Dear Family,

How is everything going for all of you in America? Hopefully you areall doing well and you are just enjoying life to the fullest. What ablessing it is to be alive and to enjoy all that which life gives. Iam so grateful for all my many blessings and that I have theopportunity to serve on this mission. You may get tired of readingthat phrase but I will never get tired of writing it because it is true! I love it here and love waking up in the morning and attackingthe day and then getting into bed at night after speaking with theLord and just being so excited to sleep, wake-up and to have a freshnew day in front of me. Seriously life is so great and I am just sohappy to be doing what I am doing, where I am doing it, and mostimportantly for who I am doing it for. I don't know how to describe myfeelings exactly but I feel that I am begining to understand a littlebit more of President Hinckley's phrase that life is not to be enduredbut it is to be enjoyed to its fullest. Last transfer I had the chanceto go on an exchange with another Elder in Gatchina and as we were onthe exchange it was so great to really open up to him and talk abouthow great it is to serve a mission, and I told him about how lately I have been thinking a lot and how I thought about how we learn how tobe good missionaries, the tools are provided for us that we know howbut then I have been thinking about how I personally can do better andso I came to the conclusion that I should be trying to excel. To doeverything that I can to be a blessing to others and so I talked aboutthis with him and then in District meeting last week about "Ideas ofExcellence" and about how we each should be thinking about we each canbe doing a little bit better in the tasks that are placed before, waysthat we can excel. It probally sounds pretty basic, but I have beenreally trying to apply this and it has been amazing to see the effectsof it. Really what a great phrase is "Carpe Diem!" Seize the Day,everyday and make the best out of life not just for you but for thosearound you. And when life gets hard and we get a little pridegul takeit back down to the basics and make sure that you are still doing theA-B-C's and that always helps me to get back on track and a good checksystem to keep me humble and to always remember my reliance on theLord. Life is Beautiful and I love it!

So before I forget, someone please inform Austin that His UncleElder says happy 2nd Birthday!
Also Cass and Ammon I got you packagethis week, thank you very much! I am sure that the Elders who live inthat Apartment next Christmas will be very grateful to you! Also Dad Iam pretty sure that your package is here but I have to go and travel aways today to go pick it up at some post office in the middle of whoknows where in St. Petersburg. So that is good news there! If any ofyou plan on sending anything in the future please send it to theaddress I gave you, it works, I promise. I don't know what address youused but the one I gave you is better.

This has been such a good week. We have three investigators withbaptismal dates coming up soon-the 21st and the 28th. I am so excitedbut it does kind of get a little intense trying to make sure that weare doing our part so that they get there. I have never been in thesituation before on my mission yet and so this is all new and excitingfor me. Last night we had meetings with all three of them and eachwent really well! One is chinese and his name is Yu Chang. He told uslast night that he had something to tell us and so we said that thatwould be okay and he then proceeded to tell us that he told his momabout his decision to be baptized and she is very against it becauseshe is buddist. We were shocked but then he said, " But I still wantto be baptized!" He has so much faith! He keeps saying how he knowsthat the Lord will help him do everything if he has faith. Keep him inyour prayers-Please!

Our other two are a mother and son who are russian but look asian.Her name is Sveta and his name is Bier and they have a 6 year-olddaughter named Sonya. He had such a good meeting with them last nightabout tithing and about some other commandments and they are Champs!!They are excepting it all and are doing so great! She works atMcDonalds here and supports her family that way. We don't knowanything about a husband/father, but this family is amazing. When Iasked her if we could help her with anything she asked that we justkeep her in our prayers. I assured her that we are and that you wouldtoo. She is so nice and humble and I just wish that Mom, Britt, Cass,Mich and even Kailee (to play with Sonya) could be here to help herefeel loved and reassured. But I have a testimony of prayer and of it'seffectiveness so please pray that she can feel all of our love forher. She came to church on Sunday fasting and I asked her how it wasand very humbly she said that it went well and when I asked her abouther fast she simply said that it also went well and that God gave herrevelation. I can't remember if that sounds weird in english but inRussian that was so amazing to hear! The Lord answers the prayers ofhis children. Little sonya is all over the place and she always herfriends over and they are so much fun and I love playing with them. Ilove the Lord, and I love his work. I am here for him, that testimonyhas more clearly defined recently and I am so grateful for that andfor his love that he has for each us. May the Lord continue to bless you and know that you are in my prayers.

I love you all,
Elder Corbin Dean

January 28, 2009

2009-01-28T07:01:00.000-08:00

Dear Family,

Happy January 28th from the world famous Nevsky Prospect again. Things here are going so well and I am so grateful for this chance to write home and tell you all about some of the amazing things that I have been blessed to experience in the last week. I Love being a missionary and I am so glad for the chance to serve here. I know that I am supposed to be here, this is my place to be. I really do love it so much.

So the first thing that I wanted to tell you about before I forget is a meeting that we had with a recent convert named Artsoon. He is about 40 years old and is from Armenia and he got baptized not too long ago-less than a month. I called him up last week and asked him if we could meet with him, he told me about how right now he is living in Kolpino for 2 months working down there and how when he can make it up to the city he would give us a call. He works construction and right now they are just trying to finish up a building down in Kolpino. On Monday night he called and said that he was in the city and that he could meet. We had just walked in the door and so I grabbed some cookies to snack on and he turned rightback out and headed back to the metro. We said that we could meet him on Nevsky Prospect and so when we got there we gave him a call and he said that he was also already there and that he was standing right outside the metro stop. We couldn't see him and so we headed down the street and tried to find him there at the other Hevsky metro stop. Now let me tell you, Hevsky is a really really big street and there are a lot of people always walking along it. We finally made it to the other one and he was not there. I don't know how many calls we made to eachother that kept losing reception in the bustle of all the people, or hbow long it took but finally I told him to go to a certain store and we met him there. Dome Kneegee, one of the most famous stores right on Hevsky. We met him there and I thought that maybe we could would go somewhere else to sit down and talk but no, we taught him right there. It was so crazy but so much fun. We planned before on teaching him about missionary work and so I brought my Preach My Gospel and we read the section out of there. After he read that I said, "Artsoon, the gospel is a gift from God, and got wants everyone to have the gospel in their lives so that they can be happy, because we are his children and he wants all of us to be happy. And so Artsoon, that means that we all need to do missionary work because God wants us to do missionary work" The Elder that left this area described Artsoon by saying, "Artsoon is the nicest most humble man than you will ever meet, and the only thing that he cares about is doing what God wants. If you tell him to do something he will do it if you tell him that that is what God wants" That is true. Artsoon looked up at me after I said that to him and the first thing that he said was, "As far as the money goes, how am I supposed to support my family when I go on a mission" I couldn't believe it! He was just taught the principle and yet he was ready to forsake all and do what the Lord wanted. I quickly explained to him that it is not required for him to serve a mission in order to do missionary work but that he can do missionary work by being an example and sharing the gospel with his friends. He then told us about some of the stories that had already came up while he has been at work and how he has shared the gospel. He is someone that has established Jesus Christ as his sure Foundation and will not be moved when the winds begin to blow. I have never met someone with so much faith and so humble. I just wish that I could take him home with me and have him come into our house, have all of you meet him, have him to dinner and just let him feel so loved, and assured by the choices that he has made. That will probally have to wait till the next life, but certainly there are people all around that we can invite in and just love on them, make them feel like the children of God that they are. Thanks for always being such a good example of this-each of you. Keep it up!

Sunday was New Year's eve-Chinese New Year's Eve that is. And what better way to celebrate it then with some chinese people making dumplings! And that is exactly how we spent it. There are quite a few chinese people here, especially on our island that we live on and in the last little while two of them have gottenbaptized and quite a few more are interested and so we are working with them. They are here for school. A five year program in which they study different subjects and the language also. Oh my if I have ever said that Russian is difficult, Chinese definetely takes the cake. But we are having a lot of fun learning new phrases and trying them out on one another. The other day right after our meeting with Artsoon we go on a bus to go back to our island and when we got on I pulled out my "A Marvelous Work and a Wonder" but then I noticed that there was a chinese gus talking to his chinese girlly friend and so I called up En Lien and asked him how to sayHappy New Years in chinese. He told me and after I hung up I turned around and wished them a Happy New Year in Chinese and suprisingly the guy spoke really good english and so I started talking to him and it ended up being a really good contact and I invited him to church but he wasn't interested but then I asked him if he was interested in sports so I invited him to come to hockey and he was legitimately excited and told me to write his number down! I just called him and he is still interested and told me that he will give me a call. I'm so excited. I am sorry if I have ever written anything that has made it seem like I am not happy to be here, because that was a lie. A lot of missionaries like to talk stuff up and I am sorry if I have done that in the past. I'm sure that I have and I apologize. Life is good and I love it. The weather really is not that bad, honestly it is not bad at all. This is the Lord's work and he does qualify and comfort his own. Don't ever worry about me, the Lord is here with us and his angels do protect us and buoy us up. It is true. I love this work and am grateful for the words in my patriarchal blessings that implies that I will be a missionary all of my life. I love it, I love it and am so glad that the Lord has called me to it. Keep going family-Upwards and onwards! You are all great and never forget that the Lord loves you and so do I!

Love,

Elder Dean

January 22, 2009

2009-01-22T07:06:00.000-08:00

Dear Family,

Oh boy! So much has gone on this week I wish that I could have enough time to write everything and my feelings behind it all but unfortunately we will have to wait a little while before that time comes. So I'll get started. First of all this letter is coming to you from the Hermitage. It is kind of weird to think about the last time that I sent you a letter from here and how it was only my second transfer and all the thoughts that were on my mind then and to look back to see what has changed and what is similiar to that time and what has not changed. Kind of interesting.

Brittany and jared I got the calendar last Thursday, and I was so excited. I opened it up and everyone was way excited to look at the 09' version of the Dean Family calendar. Elder Clement and Elder Dunford were there and elder Clement told everyone that I have the coolest family and I always get the best gifts. I have to agree with him. I also got our family christmas card-that is way cool! I like it a lot. But after reading through a few letters and through the calendar I was walking through the metro and it just hit me how amazing my family really is. Kind a sense of humble pride swelled up in me as I thought about who I am representing here and those who are supporting me out here. I don't really know how to describe it but I felt the spirit and strong feeling of gratitude for each of you and all that you do. Thanks.

Before I forget there was another experience that I had while I was on the metro the other day. We went to the office to pick some things up for the branch and one of those things was the new Russian January Liaxonas. I opened one up while I was on the metro and begin flipping through the pages, and then suddenly lo' and behold I saw a picture of two of my cousins!! I was in shock and I looked up at Elder Rittel and excitedly told him, Look at this! Its my cousins! When we got home I looked through my pictures and found some pictures of Karen and Clayton. I showed them to everyone in the office yesterday and it was way fun! Kind of crazy!
Next, so there is a reason that this letter is coming to you from the Hermitage, that is because the Hermitage is now in my district. I got transfered from Pushkin and I have now been called to be the district leader of the center center district of St. Petersburg. 5th branch, 6th area and 9th companion, needless to say that it was a shock. It is hard to describe how I feel about it. I love Pushkin so much but I am also excited to see what the Lord has in store for me and my new companion here.(Elder McLeroy from Tenessee) We received our transfer calls on Monday and after Elder Rittel got off the phone we were so suprised because we thought that we both would be staying seeing that we were both white-washed in but the exact opposite happend and we were both white washed out. He to Pskov and I to be white-washed for the third time in a row into center. Pushkin is the first Branch that I really felt like I had a real relationship with them. Elder rittel and I worked so hard and it was hard to say good-bye. We told them at family night on Monday and afterwards I was talking to Bro. Igor (one of my heroes, the branch mission leader, 1st couselor in the Branch Presidency and Primary president!? His daughter is the only active primary child) but I walked in the main room and I looked at him and he just said, Jalka! Meaning-Too bad but with more emphasis. I said, "I know!" He then held up 1 finger and said. You were only here for one! And then went off on a lot of other things that I don't remember exactly. I was so excited for this next transfer but the Lord wants me to be here. I can honestly say though that I can walk away from Pushkin and say that I tried my hardest, I worked hard and left a piece of my heart with the people there. We had a meeting on Tuesday night and Bro. Igor just thanked us for our service, we sang, "i'll go where you want me to go dear lord" and I shared some of my favorite scriptures with him and told him that I will never forget this transfer and his example. The branch president then came and brought ice cream and then another member came to take pictures with us and to say good-bye. After we said good-bye to them we went to Loodmilla's house and she had made us some food and had some presents for us. She is so nice and I am looking forward to seeing her in Heaven. The Lord certainly qualified me for the work there and I have felt that comforting feeling as I have reflected on the pressures that have come with this new call. Please keep me in your prayers, especially so these people can feel my love and the Lord's and that I can have patience and love for my companion. I love you all so much and am so grateful for all that you do.
Love,
Elder Dean

January 15, 2009

2009-01-15T07:46:00.000-08:00

Alright now I can finally get started! So much has happened and I have been way excited to write this letter and so hopefully I can get it all in that i have planned out.
Last Thursday I recieved an e-mail from Kyle Scarry one of my buddies from water polo and he told me that he got my postcard and then he told me a little bit about what has been going with him but the most amazing part was that he told me that he has been praying for while I have been out here. I couldn't believe it, that is so nice and I didn't even know that Kyle said prayers. That was such an amazing e-mail to get and it made me so happy.
Friday- Friday we had interviews with President Podvodov and it was so great. President Podvodov has decided that instead of the office he is now going to do all interviews in the mission home. So my companion and I showed up at the mission home and Sister Podvodova let us in, had us sit down, made sure that we were comfortable and then gave us cookies, candy and hot tea, while we waited for President. after a little while president came out and we stood up and he told us to relax, sit down and to eat more. They are so incredibly nice. After awhile he finally took Elder Rittel in the other room and Sister Podvodova quized me about my health and after they came out, President took me and led me into his office and we sat down, said a prayer and began our interview. It was so amazing. He brought up things that I wanted to talk about but hadn't even said anything about and answered unasked questions that I had. It was so much fun. He asked me if I had any questions and I had prepared some and asked them. I asked about transfers and it was amazing to hear him describe what he does in Preparation for them, so much prayer and meditation. Then I asked him about how his call came-a phone call from President Eyring. After that he asked what spiritual experience I have had this transfer and so I related to him what happend with Feoder. He just sat back and looked up and asked me if I had told other missionaries. I told him not really and he told me that I should(one of my questions) and was just so grateful that the Lord had blessed us with that experience. Our interview was pretty long and we talked about a lot of things, but thing he said that was interesting was, "Elder Dean there are about to be alot of big changes in this mission so keep on keeping on, go forward!" After our interview we came out to see Sister Podvodova having tea with my companion and President told her that I just told him something that made him really excited and how it needs to be shared at the next zone conference. They are both so nice and they kept thanking us for what we do. I told them about how we sang on the trains and about the experience that we had. Sister Podvodova thanked us for telling her about that and asked us to write it down so that it can be spread through the mission. We walked out there with full bellys and walking on air from the love that we just had felt and been filled with.
Saturday-Saturday we had english and Feoder came! it was the first time we have seen him since our last meeting. English went way well and afterwards I was saying goodbye to people and I started talking to Feoder and he became really serious and he said, "Dean we need to meet. I have a question that I need to ask" I told him okay and tried to set up a time to meet. Afterwards I said, "Feoder is everything okay (because he said something during english that tipped me off that he has been having some rough times) and he said how times have kind of been tough, and I told him, "Feoder I just want you to know that we are praying for you, everyday and he just looked at me and said "I know" He said when the things were going on this week I said Why doesnt anybody pray for me, I need help why isn't anyone praying for me and then I remembered you and knew that you were" As he was leaving the door I told him that God loves him and I told him that I love him too. It was such a short but poerful experience. Sorry got to go pictures took tooo long. I love you all so much and am so grateful for all that you do.
Love,
Elder Dean

January 8, 2008

2009-01-08T07:19:00.000-08:00

Dear Family,

How is everything going? Hopefully you are all doing well and adjusting well after all of your vacation. It's kind of crazy-I was thinking about what I needed to write you and I realized that there has been a lot that has gone on since the last time I wrote, really this week has been the biggest week for Russia with two holidays and so a lot has happened.
Where to start where to start, should I start out by saying that I saw the sun this week and about how pretty it looked, or about how Elder Bramwell and I got torn up by a rascal of a cat and a 6-year old girl while our companions were building a computer for a member in our branch, or how the weather is freezing and we are around 0 degrees F(ay-yi-yi), or how a girl beat me at pong pong yesterday-yea probally not! I guess that I will just start out at the beginining. Last week Elder Rittel and I used the internet and then took off for St. Pete's and enjoyed our Preparation day hitting up all the sights and seeing all of the Christmas/New Year Decorations. It was a lot of fun! And really I have been thinking about it-Mom and Dad you both have some very nice warm coats and really the weather is not really that bad at Christmas time here... I think that I will leave it at that. But yea it was a whole lot of fun and so hopefully these pictures will work out so that you can get an idea of what the city looks like. After that we were home by 5 and then we had an enjoyable time being locked in till the 2nd. Oh boy though- if you think that the 4th of July is something special, you need to experience a russian new year. We got to stay up till 12:30 and as we were going to bed it sounded like a full out war was going on outside and it just kept going on and on, even for a couple of days! A lot of Loud booms and loud flashes! Sorry for the two e-mails...
But then the rest of the week went by well. January 1st is a ghost town on the street and so is the 2nd it is kind of spooky to not see so many people. And then on Tuesday we had our Branch party and it went great! We had about 40 people there so that was really good. And oh geesh there was so much food! A lot of potatoes, mayonaise, fruit...and so other stuff that I probally wouldn't have touched a year ago but wasn't too bad. To start out our party though we watched Joy to the World, that is such an amazing movie. I shoed it in District meeting a couple of weeks ago and really it is so powerful. It just reassures me of why I am here and of the testimony that I have of him who did so much for each of us. I wish that I could put into words the rush of feelings that comes when we watch movies like that or when I think about him. Certainly Jesus is the Christ and through him we will be able to continue onward and upward with the joy that we have found here. I am so gratful for the chance to stop people on the street and tell them that I know Jesus is our Savior, that God is our Heavenly Father, that they are his children, that he loves them and because he loves them he has prepared a way for them to find happiness in this life and in the life to come. It really is amazing.
Yesterday was Russian Christmas and so the Elders from Gatchina (in our District) came up and we went caroling on the trains. Oh my! It was such a fun experience. We got there just after a train to Peter had left and so we started singing in the big hall whereeveryone waits for there trains. We had a little babooshka go with us and that made it all the better. It was interesting to see everyones reactions to us, some were startled, scared, annoyed... but after we started people began to watch and listen and applaud after we would finish a song. We rode to Peter and back and went from wagon to wagon. If people were interested we would sing 3 songs if not we would sing Silent Night and then move on. I think that the most memorable moment come on the way back as we were singing on one of the wagons. We started to sing and I noticed one lady who was watching us intently. We finished up the three songs and then we began to walk through the wagon collecting money-just kidding! But we walked through wishing everyone a meery christmas and many of them tried to give us money. We came up to this one lady and she tried to give us some money and this sister that was with us tucked it back into her hand and said, No this is our present to you" the lady just broke down crying and cried into the shoulder of her friend next to her. Got to go love you all!
Elder Dean

December 31, 2008

2008-12-31T07:16:00.000-08:00

Dear Family,
Merry Christmas again and Happy New Year! Don't be alarmed that this letter is coming at you a day early! We get locked in tonight by 5:00 tonight and we don't come out until the 2nd and that is only if we have meetings with active members-so that is why this is coming at you today. Oh geesh so much has gone on this week I just hope that I can get it all in this letter. But before I forget Happy Birthday Brandon! 30!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!(yep that's thirty! count 'em) Congratulations! and also to Kailee and Taylor tomorrow! 14 that's a good number!

Also Brittany and Jared thanks so much for your birthday package it was great. Hopefully if it all works out you can see the tie that Brandon sent me and the tie that you sent in the pictures that I am trying to send. Also thanks for telling me the story about helping those poor, hungry missionaries that is so cool! And Oh congratulations on the new baby coming your way! That is so exciting and thanks for making me the first to know this time that you are pregnant Brit! Just kidding! They didn't tell me that they are having a baby. Hopefully no one stopped reading a couple lines up and have already called Britt and Jared. Just checking Mom and Dad's hearts! But anyway thank you to everyone for your letters, love, prayers and support!

Alright, so on Monday the zone leaders came down to Pushkin for district meeting and after that I went on an exchange with Elder Bramwell, the one from Poway. We had such a fun time together. Seriously it was so much fun. We had a couple meetings that we went to but the last one was probally the most memorable. We visited a friend of the church (for some reason we are not allowed to call her an investigator but a friend to the church) Her name is Loodmilla and she is really nice but is just a little bit off on her doctrine. (She was telling me on Sunday how she was watching T.V. the news or something and saw Abraham pop up on the screen and then saw Melchezidek in the background walking around) Like I said extremely nice but just a little confused. But we showed up to her house and she let us into her backroom where she had prepared quite a bit of food for us. But as we were sitting there she brought out this one dish that looked a little scary and the decription confirmed it-Mushrooms! Elder Bramwell turned to me and said-I can't do that! and I told him that I had a bad experience in Vyborg with mushrooms and I don't know if I would be able to either. Loodmilla came back into the room and said a very nice(interesting) but very nice prayer on the food and then we began eating. I told Loodmilla that Elder Bramwell was just telling me how much he loves mushrooms as I handed the bowl to him and received one of the worst looks ever as he scooped himself a hearty portion on her mushroom concoction. And we she left the room we both tried our hardest to get it in the mouth and down the esophagus. Suprisingly I was able to do it but Elder Bramwell was struggling over there. A lot of gagging. He tried twice but couldn't do it which resulted in him covering it up with his orange peelings. After that we told her that we couldn't drink her wine (even though it is blessed) and that we would be fine with our orange juice. When we finished up our meal we told her that we wanted to watch a movie about Jesus Christ with her. She was excited about that but unfortunately as we were doing so her daughter with her boyfriend came home a little wasted. The boyfriend came in and told us that even though he is drunk he will fight us if he has to. Elder Bramwell jumped up and told him that we were leaving and just started talking to the man. By the time we were all dressed and were going through the door the man was asking us to stay and telling Elder Bramwell how great of a guy he is. I felt bad for Loodmilla though, we could see that she was frustrated with what happend. We left the movie though so hopefully she watched it. Afterwards it was a good opportunity to talk about how God really does love each of us and even though we do not always choose the right he is right there with us trying to lead us into correct paths.

Also we met with our new investigator yesterday who I contacted last Tuesday on a train. His name is Patrick and he is from Angola Africa and is probally the nicest person I have ever met and so happy! He has been here for 10 years, married, and has a 13-year old son. And get this-his native language is Portuguese!! What are the chances of that. If only Ammon, Brandon, and Jared could fly over and help out that would be great! I did impress him with-"Beleza" and "Tudebang"(sp) and he was pretty excited about that as I told him about Brandon serving in Brazil. I am really excited to work with him.
Yesterday we also had a meeting with a man named Feoder, and it was one of the most powerful and sacred experiences of my life as the Lord poured down his spirit and changed a man's whole demeanor, character, person (I don't know how to describe it) before us. I don't want to try to describe it over the interenet because I wouldn't be able to do an accurate job. Please keep him in your prayers though with Patrick also.

I love you all and am so grateful for each of you. Have a wonderful holiday!

Until next week,
Elder Dean

2008-12-04T08:07:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving!! November 27, 2008

2008-11-27T05:25:00.000-08:00

Dear Family,

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you! Wherever you all may be I hope that you will have a wonderful day watching parades, playing some football, looking through coupon books, and of course eating some food!

As far as Thanksgiving goes in Russia it is just another day, but fortunately we elders in this mission are fortunate because our Preparation Day falls on Thursday so we are able to celebrate it as much as we can. After internet today we are heading over to our District Leaders apartment and we will have "Our Feast" there, and then afterward I get to go on an exchange with him and so it just be a fun couple of days. Also this week we are having a Tosno branch Thanksgiving party so that should be fun, that will be on Saturday and then church like usual on Sunday, Monday we will have District meeting in Kolpino and then after that Elder Holm and I will head up to the city and sleep there for a couple of hours and then Tuesday morning we will be bailing out of the country for a few hours and going to Estonia to pick up our new Visas. Or as some missionaries describe it to their friends on missions-Our mission is so hard that the church pays for us to have a vacation every three months! So anyway that should be fun. It is always such a blessing to see my MTC companions, they are so great and it is amazing to see the drastic changes that are occuring with them. It will be a somewhat hectic week but it will fun nonetheless.

Yesterday I had an interesting experience. My companion called one of our members yesterday morning and he did not tell me everything that he said, but in short he said some things that he shouldn't have said and it really hurt my companion. I didn't know that all of this had gone on but my companion was really bummed out yesterday morning and I didn't know why. We came in for lunch and while he was reading I came in and apologized if I had done something wrong that morning and he told me that I hadn't. After we talked for a little bit he just turned to me and said, "We are here, and we say that this is the Lord's work-Then why is it so hard!? We are trying to work hard here and...why do we have Georgie call us and tell us that we are a zionist church, or have Narkool advoiding us or even have one of our members say things like that...Why?!" Good Question. But I just told him to stick in there and that we need to remember what Jesus did and just always remember that we will never leave him. But as I was going to bed last night I was thinking about that and the thought just hit me that-Yes it is this hard because it is the Lord's work and who says that his work is easy. It reminded me of what Elder Holland said, "Missionary work is hard because when has salvation ever been a cheap experience?!" We talked about it a little more this morning and I was able to share those thoughts with him and then one of my favorite missionary scriptures that Elder Croskrey told me one time-2nd Timothy 2:1-3. Last part of verse three-Be a good soldier of Jesus Christ. He is a good elder and I am so grateful that I have been able to serve with him, please keep him in your prayers.

This morning for our Thanksgiving companionship study I wanted to watch "The Lamb of God." I am so glad that we did so because it truly helped me to think about the things that I am grateful for for. How amazing is it that Jesus Christ came to this earth and did all that he did for us. Elder Maxwell said, No man ever did so much by taking such a small step forward and volunteering as he did. He also said, even in his infinite knowledge he still made that step forward to be our Savior. He knew what that would entail but yet he still said, "Here am I send me" I can't describe the gratitude that I have for him. How can I put into words the feelings that come over me when I think about him and to know that on the third day he rose and that he lives today. He knows each of us-I know that. I have felt that over and over in my life and I can feel it right now. He is my savior and certainly he paid a price for me and I will spend my days doing what he wants. I am far from perfect but I am "done with cheap living." I will do what he would have me do to the best of my ability.I love my Savior and my Heavenly Father and pray that I may show that love to them.

Thank you all so much. You each have such a big impact in my life and I am so grateful for your solid examples that have led to me to where I am.

Letter of November 20, 2008

2008-11-21T05:57:00.000-08:00

Dear Family,

Well another week has passed by and I am ever suprised by how fast the time goes. Sunday was the 10 mark month of my mission and I as I look back it all seems so far away but at the same time it just seems like yesterday that it all happened. Crazy huh!? Alright, I'm not going to lie-its getting cold here!!! Things have been going well lately and I was thinking that the weather could hold up a little longer but this last two weeks it has all changed. We had our first snow on Tuesday and so everything is snow winter wonderland now. My companion was telling me that he can't remember the last time it snowed in November, and so it looks like we have an early winter coming at us this year. It certainly is a different experience contacting in negative weather though (celsius.) There is ice everywhere and my companion loves to slide at every chance he gets. He thinks that I am the biggest party pooper because I just walk along trying not to slip, I have tried to explain to him how that if I slip and get hurt I'm not coming back and that is certainly not wanted. Speaking of which my district leader called me this week and told me that we all now have to start taking worm pills every so often, I guess some Elders and even returned missionaries are having some troubles with that. Ay-yi-yi.

Well as the mission goes this has been a pretty roller coaster of a week. Georgie called us this week and told us that he feels bad for us because our church is made up with a bunch of zionists and we have no idea about it. He then told us that because he loves Jesus he will not read the Book of Mormon (???) and that if we want to visit him we can only visit as friends and not talk about the gospel. Angela-our potential that I was telling you about last week...well lets just say I had to send her a text last night teeling her-Sorry but we are here to teach people about the gospel not to find wives...Kind of crazy. I am so amazed at all of the experiences that one has on their mission. You can try to imagine before hand but it really can't compare to the real thing-I have seen some crazy things out here-Land Lady believes that she was Eve in her previous life, the "Russian Jesus" showed up to sacrament the other week... I love it! So last night we had our weekly meeting with our family trying to learn English, and it went so well! We talked for awhile and they showed us there coin collection and then they started telling us all these stories and showing us all of these Russian things and ended up giving me an old russian pennant. They were so excited. But afterwards we had our spiritual thought about family home evening. I felt the spirit so strong as I explained to them that I know that I love my family so much because we followed the prophet and had family home evenings. They felt the spirit too and asked that we come back and do a family home evening with them!! So amazing!I love you all, thanks for everything!

Elder Dean

I guess that I have more time than I thought. Sorry about the length of today's letter, I was trying to figure out how to send pictures again but it didn't work for some reason? Some things that I wanted to say:

Brittany and Cassidy- I got your letters with pictures. Everyone loves the pictures so thank you very much.

Happy Birthday Ammon!!!

Kailee and Taylor thank you so much for your letters, I loved them so much!

If anyone talks to Grandpa tell him that I say Happy Birthday!

Once again thanks for your wonderful examples to me and no that I love you all so much, and you really are a strong support to me at times while I am out here, hard to explain but I think that you understand. So thank you.

With love from your little Bro,
Elder Corbin Miles

p.s. The church is true!!!

Privet Mou cembuu! Letter 13th of November 2008

2008-11-13T05:24:00.000-08:00

Dear Family,

Well, here I am again-writing home to tell you you all about my week. So here I go... Last week-So I walk into the house for the family night and the girl comes around the corner and tells me that my family and friend say hi. I was so confused at first and I thought that maybe I didn't understand her correctly but then it hit me and I asked her-Are you the one that was living at my house!?! She just smiled and told me, "yes!" It was so crazy, we started the family night right away and so I didn't have a chance to talk to her but while we all were crammed in this room it was so weird to think that another person in the room had lived with my family, knew my house, neighboorhood... Elder Clement was there (he is the crazy one in the background of the picture that I sent last week) and he kept saying, "That's so crazy! She lived with your family and she probally even slept in your bed!" After we had a spiritual thought, prayer... we started to talk and it was really funny. She started to tell me all about their experience there. Oh and first of all I asked her what she was doing in Peter and she told me that just by chance she had flew up that day from K-grad to get her Patriarchal blessing the next day, what a crazy occurence that we just happen to run into eachother. Also I was a little worried to talk to her because I knew that there were some culture clashes but those fears were quickly diminished as she just started to tell me how amazing my family was, over and over again, and some other Elders told me that on the way over she was telling them about how great all of you are. But anyway, she was telling me about how they worked at Home Town buffet, lived with Janet, how much fun Kailee and taylor are... I showed her some of my pictures from home and it was so crazy to hear her identify Michiko, Sadie... before I could say anything, and then tell me that she too has pictures. Someone in Russia has a picture of our dog!!! So crazy! But then she started to tell me about her special friend. I asked what her what his name was and it was so funny to see her stop and say in a strong Russian accent-John! I couldn't help but smile to see how excited she was, she then said, "Your a specialist with mainting a long distance relationship" (obviously not) and then started pounding me with questions about how to go about doing so. She is pretty excited about him and told me that she plans to go back next summer. What a fun experience that was to run into her, you said she speaks english right? Everyone was asking me and I told them that I thought that you had told me that but that she didn't speak any to me. (Except for "John" He-He-He) Seems like a nice girl though.

This week has been amazing! On Monday we met with our new investigator Alexander! While we were walking home after transfers two weeks ago he stopped us and asked us for a Liaxonha. We didn't have any on us but we told him that we certainly could get him one. We took down his address and phone number. We set up our meeting with him on Sunday for Monday and it went great. He had other Liaxonas but we have no record of any missionaries working with him, and he was a little suprised that we wanted to stay and chat and not just leave the Liaxona and run.(like it seems was done in the past) But we sat down with him and it went amazing! While we were planning for the lesson that morning we didn't know what we should talk about but as I was thinking about it I had an impression that we should talk to him about prophets, so while we were with him we started to talk and got to know a little more about him. He has had a tough life (brother died from drugs not too long ago...) and he was a little off on his beliefs. He brought out his pornography and tried to be buddy buddy with us by showing us. It really impressed him when we turned our heads, declined and then explained how the Lord wants us to be clean and how we are saving ourselves for our future wives and having our own families with them. It was way cool to see his response! But after that we opened up the Liaxona with him and read from the First Presideny message from President Monson. There was such a power that comes from reading sacred scriptures, of course I couldn't understand everything but I certainly could feel the spirit come into that cold room out in the datcha country of Tocno. It was so strong, and it was so cool to see him come to a part that he liked and just get so excited about it, nod his head in aggreance and then reread it. We talked about a lot of things with him, including about quiting smoking and he said that he knows that the Lord can help. At the end of our lesson of our lesson we all huddled together and kneeled down together and Alexander offered the sweetest most sincere prayer as he asked the Lord to help him. Oh it was so amazing, we said goodbye and made our way to the road- I was so excited!!

But as amazing as that was I think that yesterday was just as amazing! We met an old babooshka on the street the other night and she was in a hurry and told us that if we wanted to talk that we could come to the gym/sports center on wednesday and talk to her there. Needless to say- she was pretty suprised when we came strolling into the sports hall last night! But it was great, her friend was there and we had a great lesson with them as explained why we are here. They were so excited about it that they asked us to come back on Sunday evening because they would be working. We gave them each their own copies of the Book of Mormon and they really appreciated that and said that they would try and read them. So the main babooshka's name is Anteena and she is our new investigator. If the other one is there on Sunday and is as interested as she said she is (She is) she then too will become a new investigator. And get this-we have a meeting set up tomorrow with another potential investigator named Angela- that's right-the one that tried to get a little more from me than a Book of Mormon from me a couple weeks ago, the one that gave me her number and then demanded that I kiss her. Elder Udaltsov called her the other night and she has no recollection of that night, and is quite suprised that we have her number, if she only remembered the events surrounding when she gave it to me! I am excited about that meeting. Also last night we were at our "Eternal English Investigators" house, which is aa family that we visit everyweek to help them with there english. Everyweek is awkward when we come to the spirirtual thought but last week we briefly ran through the Plan of Salvation with them and then gave them & pieces of papers with different scriptures on them explaing it in more detail that we wrote down along with our testimonies. They read them and then asked us about coming to church on Sunday, Check that - the dad was asking us about church on Sunday. It really was a real miracle to hear those questions coming out of his mouth. I love it! I love it!

Thank the Lord for his marvelous blessings that are so ever present in my life. I love you all, please keep me in your prayers.

Love,

Elder Dean

Letter from November 6, 2008

2008-11-06T05:42:00.000-08:00

Dear Family,

How is everything going for all of you. Hopefully this letter can find all of you doing well and having a wonderful day. Well first of all I am glad and very grateful for the opportunity that I have to be sending this letter to you and to do it in one piece! I almost lost my right leg this morning to a huge Boxer (that's a dog Jared) as we were running this morning to catch our train, but luckily it's leash hit its end before he hit me. Whew!

Well another roller coaster of a week has passed by but I can't describe exactly what has happened. I am just so very grateful that this church is true and for the testimony that I have that we truly do have a Father in Heaven who loves us unconditionally and who does answer our heartfelt prayers. There have been so many times this week that I have kneeled down before him and just pleaded for his help to help me feel better and the help has come. He has comforted me so much and continues to do so. He has poured hope into my heart and placed understanding in my mind. I wish that I could do a better job describing what he has done for me but I can't. I feel that this last little part of my life has been a time of learning and growing, it is hard to see changes in ourselves but I feel that in this couple of weeks I have changed quite a bit. It's interesting, the Lord promised me that I would have trials in my life but he also stated that he would be for there for me during them and that they would be necessary in order for me to become the man that he would have me become. How could Patriarch Ence have known so much about my life after only meeting me a couple times before, certainly he was inspired by God and patriarchal blessings are specifically for us. But as the Lord has promised me trials he also has promised to me that I would see success here on my mission, and I will hold him to it and have hope and faith that it will occur.

Alright moving on, I had a crazy experience last week. So on Monday my companion and I went up to the city because on Tuesday he needed to go to Finland to renew his registration and I was going to go to Pushkin, but because I was sick President Podvodov had me stay with the office Elders. So after we all got situated, the office elders and I went to a Family Night. It was a couple of metro stops away and when we got there there were so many people. We walked in the door and there were just people everywhere, I started to take off my shoes and suddenly this girl came around the corner. She stopped looked at me and said, "ELDER DEAN! Your family says hi and so does your friend!" I was so confused but after q

(This is where our letter ends unfortunately...talk about a cliff hanger...From the picture that he included, the person he saw was one of the Russian girls who had lived with our parents for three months this past summer. She had never met Corbin before and she wasn't from where Corbin was serving so it's pretty amazing that she met him and would know who he was.)

Happy Birthday Elder Dean!

2008-11-04T06:03:00.000-08:00

Here are some pictures from Corb's big day...

Happy Halloween

2008-10-31T05:52:00.000-07:00

Elder Dean's Halloween breakfast. Looks like Corb's come a long way from his sometimes picky eating days...although it seems he still managed to find his favorite white bread. Sounds like they put on a Fall Party, complete with Corb's homemade pinata, a donut eating contest, the token plate of brownies and from the looks of things, even a pumpkin pie. Impressive. (I like the random pumpkins splattered along the walls for decorations) This is when the huge Dean mouth really comes in handy. Corb is making his sisters proud right here.

Jared saw this pumpkin at a pumpkin festival here in Boston and took this picture in Corbin's honor. I guess this is what a Russian pumpkin looks like.

Hello from Russia October 23, 2008

2008-10-30T05:05:00.000-07:00

Dear Family and Friends,

How is everything going for all of you? Hopefully you all are doing amazing and that you are each enjoying life to its fullest. When you only communicate with your family on a weekly basis the time seeems to go by pretty quick. Speaking of which, next weeek will be the beginng of transfer number 6 for me. We will receive our transfer calls on Monday morning but I am sure that they will not move me this time, Elder Udaltsov must me pretty special to be able to handle two with me! But it is amazing to think that 6 weeks have flown by so fast and that next week will be 7 months here in Russia. So fast. Well Elder Udaltsov and I took a trip to the city on Monday for Branch President business and then we came back to Tosno just in time to have one of the worst family nights ever. It might have been bad at the time but it is really funny now. We met with one of member families here in Tosno with the last name of Paninii. There is a Grandma, a single mom and the cutest little 3-4 year old. But we met with them and after talking for awhile we decided to begin our spiritual thought with them. My companion really enjoys doing object lessons and so we planned that he would do the object lesson and I would share a verse of scripture about trials. The object lesson that he chose to do is one that involves a tea bag. You take a tea bag and empty out all of the contents in it. Then you unfold the tea bag and so it becomes a long sphere type thing, next you balance it in your hand and then light it on fire, the fire then burns down and gets closer and closer to your hand, but right before this burning ball of fire burns your hand it becomes lighter than air and floats up. Somehow it is related to trials but I still don't understand how, but anyway this is the object lesson that my companion wanted to do. So he asked them for a tea bag. emptied out all of the contents and then asked if one of them wanted to do it or if he should do it. The Grandma (not knowing what was going to happen volunteered to be the example) I don't know if my companion just didn't explain it fully or if she just didn't understand because things didn't work out as nicely as we wanted. She stuck out her hand and balanced the tea bag on it, my companion then lit the tea bag on fire and as it got closer to her hand she got really nervous (I can't blame her) and started to blow the burning tea bag, this caused ash to fly everywhere and a burning ball of fire heading towards the floor. Luckily it started to float before it hit the ground and burnt the rug, but as the fire was burning towards her hand she cried out, "What are you trying to do-Burn me?!) The 3-4 year-old granddaughter heard and saw all of this and instantly burst into a fit of tears and yelling-You tried to burn up Grandma!!!! Oh my-it was bad. I tried to share the verse of scripture with them after things calmed down a bit but it was to no avail. Lesson Learned: Do not use an open flame while trying to teach a gospel principle in closed quarters.

Dad in some of these letters that I read today you asked me some questions. DearElders-I get slips of paper folded up into thirds with the letters that you write printed on them in my box whenever the mail comes every 10 or 14 days. The delay is sometimes long and sometimes not too bad. For example, at the beginng of October I was reading mail talking about late August occurrences, but then this morning I read mail from around October 9th-ish. I don't get e-mails with them (sometimes randomly) but yea, that is how it works. Also as far as your questions go about a Christmas Package. There are a couple things that would be great to have but certainly are not essential. There is a Russian-English dictionary that is really good. The author is Kenneth Katzner and it is big and red. All of the dictionaries we can buy here and the one that the MTC gave us are Russian to brittish english which makes things tough, but my MTC teacher really recommended this dictionary because it has great examples of how to use the words, and is something that will be used even after the mission. Also I was thinking that it would be nice to have one or two of those swapmeet San Diego shirts (a couple long sleeve) just to represent, and if possible a San Diego padres cap, I considered just having you send out my Boston one but I think that a San Diego one would be better, and last of all-Pictures! Pictures are great, investigators like seeing pictures, members love seeing pictures, missionaries love seeing pictures and I love seeing pictures. Like that calendar Brittany and Jared gave me, they love it so that would be great.

Thank you for praying for Georgey, please continue to do so and add our new investigator Narkool to your prayers. He is a pretty amazing man from Turkmekistan (or somewhere like that) and we hope that he will come to our District Conference in Petersburg on Sunday and feel the spirit. Thank you. I heard that you think that I am holding a lot of things back in these letters. My time is really limited and they give us guidelines of what to write to you and so please don't think that I am keeping things away from you. Sure I have had some tough times, like we all do and but the Savior truly has been my biggest help to work through them and of course like I said last week your prayers for me. Please continue to do so, I need a lot of help language, love, faith to find...language (oops I think that I put that twice!) So please keep doing so and I promise that I am doing the same for you. You all are great and I appreciate all that you do. Stay close to the Lord in all your doings and he certainly will stay close to you. We are here to be tried so that we can learn so always try to keep things in perspective, and don't ever forget that the Lord loves each of us.

Have a great Week!

Love,
Elder Dean

More Sightly Sites

2008-10-16T12:51:00.001-07:00

Bcem Pryvet! October 16, 2008

2008-10-16T11:27:00.000-07:00

Dear Everyone,
Well here comes another one coming to you from the wonderful land of Russia! This has been a pretty exciting week and so I am excited to try and relate everything to you, hopefully I can get it all in...
Well time has been flying and it is crazy to think that it was exactly 9 months ago that I said goodbye to you in that chapel on that snowy day in Provo. It really is hard to believe that the time has transpired so fast, but I am so glad that i know that I have been where the Lord would have me be during this last 9 months. It is such an amazing feeling to be out here on a mission and to know that I still have a big chunk of time left to represent the Lord as I strive to do his work here. Thank you so much for all of your support, It may sound weird, but I feel that it is because of all of your support through prayers that I am not able to feel discouraged. Sure there are times when things just aren't going as well as I would like but for some reason I do not not stay discouraged for very long when it happens and in no time the spirit brings things things into perspective before me and I am able to shake things off and I get excited to move forward. So thank you so much, I can definitely feel the support of your prayers.
I received a question about packages, packages really aren't such a nightmare as everybody made them out to be before I left. They usually take from 3-4 weeks and if you send them to the address that I gave you a couple weeks ago, then the come right to the office and I am able to pick them up whenever I am able to make it there. I haven't heard any horror stories from the missionaries since I have been here so it sounds like it is getting to be a pretty sound system. Elder Clement's family would even send him packages through the flat rate boxes.(I didn't even know that they had overseas flat rate boxes but I guess that they do. Or if you are interested I heard that there is a number that you can call and the Mafia will deliver it to me personally. No joke, my district leader was talking about it the other week, but he told us that his mom told him that it is pretty expensive.(but very efficient!)
Well we were able to watch General Conference last weekend and it was amazing! Oh, if I could only put into words the effect that General Conference has on me. It seriously gets me so excited even Christmas Excited (no explanation needed-right!) And then afterwards-nothing else like it, the feelings that it leaves you with. We had some technical difficulties so we ended up having to watch Saturday afternoon in Russian and then just listen to both Sunday sessions. I didn't even get to see Priesthood because we had to get home to plan but I am excited to get the Ensign in a couple of months. But I came into it with a few questions and it was amazing to ponder afterwards and to see how and through who the Lord answered my questions. I am so very grateful for that.
After Saturday's afternoon session. We went over to Elder Clement's apartment so that he could give my companion a haircut. He is an assistant to President Podvodov, right now so he lives in an amazing apartment right next to the office. So we went over there for a bit and it was so much fun. His companion is named Elder Henderson and they are so much fun. They were both in my first district and so we had so much fun just telling stories and reminiscing about our missions thus far and some of the stories that we have had together. Like when Elder Clement and I were taken to a bar on Easter Sunday by our investigator, because he wanted us to meet his friends (he told us that it was just a weekly get together.) It is funny to look back on that now but it wasn't so funny to pull up to club "Arizona" 6 months ago, I think that Iwas so embarassed about that I didn't even right it in my journal. When we told Elder Henderson it was pretty funny because he was our Zone Leader at the time and so needless to say he was super suprised. But I am so grateful for all of those wonderful memories thus far and for their wonderful examples to me.
On Monday I went on an exchange with an Elder who almost got sent home a couple weeks ago and who is new in our mission because after a year he got reassigned from the Moscow mission to our mission. So needless to say he does not have a very good reputation. But it was such a good exchange and we had such an enjoyable time together. We came back to Tosno after district meeting in Kolpino and I fed him some Chili Dogs (he loved them!) and then after lunch I got in my language study that I had missed that morning. After that we were starting to get ready to go and in Russian he asked me-What does the word Idle(in English) mean? At first I described to him the word idol and he looked confused and then I realized that he meant idle. So I explained it to him, and then he said, "Let's not be Idle" in his heavy Russian accent. I was so excited to hear that! I then said to him, "Alright, Let's not be Idle" and we went and hit the streets for the rest of the night, and it went so well. He taught well and he even let me teach which I was so grateful for, so grateful. We talked to quite a few people and he never complained even though it was getting cold and dark. It was great. We did have a funny story though, while we were walking I got a phone call and while I was talking on the phone a few Drunks called him over and were talking to him. After I finished talking to one of our members I came over and had some lady tell me that she did not like talking to him and that she wanted to talk to me instead. I began talking to her and then as we were about to leave to told me that she wanted to tell me something so I leaned in because she made it obvious that she did not my companion to hear, so I leaned in and out of nowhere she threw her arm around my neck and tried to kiss me. But I stood up straight really quick so that she was not able to. She tried again but she could not reach and as I pulled out of her arms real quick she got really frustrated and yelled at me, "Get over here and kiss me!!" I just told her that I wasn't able to and we both walked off really quick. Ay-yi-yi!!!
The Church is so True and I love you all. Until (this is where his letter ends)

Love,
Elder Dean

Kak bce tam B Amereeka? October 10, 2008

2008-10-09T07:05:00.000-07:00

Dear Family and Friends,

How is everything going in good ol' America these days. It is kind of different being over here during this time and to not see the Halloween decorations start to come out. I just have to keep reminding myself that I am in a different country which has its own holidays and activities, like "Ice Cream day" don't have that one in America, or "Paratroopers Day" (I don't know why, but we had to be inside by 5:00 on that day???) and many many more. But that is not going to stop the missionaries from throwing a Halloween Party in the Kolpino branch. (I don't know how big of a hit it would be in Tosno with all of our Babooshkee?! so we are combining with Kolpino) Speaking of fun Fall activities, last Thursday (Preparation Day) we got together as a district and one other companionship came over from Pushkin and we had a big American Football game. It was so much fun!! With somebodies old cut up white shirt as flags and an old American Football that someone found in their apartment we played a really good game for almost two hours. We were all so sore afterwards as we went to our two hour long Ultimate Frisbee sports night but-oh it was a blast. Even the two Ukrainian and one Russian Elders were loving it. It was pretty muddy at the field where we played but it just added to the fun. On one of the kick-offs I dove for one of their flags and ended up hitting my head pretty bad but when I started to regain my bearings I smelled something really bad and realized that I had dove into a big pile of dog poop. It was really funny and I ended up having to take off that shirt and play the rest of the time in a sweater. There are so many good Elders out here and I am so grateful for the opportunity to be out here working with them and making such good memories in everything we do.

Alright-Russian Culture Moment of the Week-This one is about Russian Escalators. In the metros all around St. Petersburg there are escalators running people to and from the actual metros which are really far below the ground. So seeing that the metros are so deep that means that the escalators need to be super long-and they are. These are the longest escalators that I have ever seen-probally because they are the longest in the World! (Don't quote me on that-unproven fact!) But you get the idea. the only bad thing about this whole thing is that for some reason the Russian Government has made it illegal to take pictures inside the metro and yes on the escalators too. Too bad- Elder Clement actually has a really funny story about that when he and his companion were taking a couple of Elderly Couples who had come to St. Petersburg to renew the visas from the Samara mission-"Wow! these are the longest elevators I have ever seen! Honey Where's my camera!-NOOOO!) But they are probally about 120 yards long and from start to finish it usually takes about two minutes. That may not seem like very long but next time you are on an escalator think about being on it for two whole minutes. It is funny because the rides are so long that some people actually sit down on the steps during the duration of the ride, other people just stand, but if you are impatient or in a hurry you run down the left side. It may sound like I am making all of this up but its true, and if you find yourself on the left side by accident they'll let you know!

On Tuesday we had service at a man named P-yo-ter. (like peter but with a yo) Some elders were doing something on the roof of his datcha but Elder Edmunds and I were digging and building a slope. Next question-A slope for what? For two (random) 1-ton concrete pipes about 4 feet wide and 5 feet tall. I know-pretty crazy. Usually cranes are used to move these things but not when you have 6 missionaries working on your datcha. So we build this ramp out of dirt and then we all got together and tipped these things over (1 at a time of course) and then we all struggled to push these things up our homemade ramp and then on to another part of the yard. It was so much fun. I love doing random service like that and especially when it is a challenge. Pёter told us that if we couldn't do it then he would get a crane-but the crane was not needed! Well that is all the time that I have. I know that this Church is true and that that god does lead this church His church through a living Prophet. who I am really excited to hear this weekend

. I love you all- keep doing that which the Lord would have you do.

Until Next Week,
Elder Dean

Russian "Happy Birthday" Song

2008-10-08T06:53:00.000-07:00

I found this, liked it and thought I would share. After listening to it a couple of times, it's actually kind of catchy. (Who knows, maybe it will even make it onto our i-pod playlist, Corb would be so proud!) I thought it would be a good thing to post considering Corbin's birthday is coming up in less than a month (November 4th). Since it takes awhile to get letters sent through http://www.dearelder.com/ and the post office, I guess now is a good time to start wishing him a Happy Birthday. So go ahead. Break out the cutsie stationary or fire up your computer, grab a bowl of ice cream and let this random Russian boy serenade you as you write Elder Dean (who will officially no longer be a teenager) a letter for his first birthday out of the country. So С днем рождения Elder Dean(happy birthday) and here's hoping he finds a Russian version of a Betty Crocker cake mix so he can truly celebrate as only us Deans can...with a bundt cake.

(I'm not sure about the rest of you, but when Corbin comes back, I'm going to be expecting a rousing rendition of this song come my birthday, guitar included.)

Animal Antics

2008-10-03T10:46:00.001-07:00

Hello! October 2, 2008

2008-10-03T10:40:00.000-07:00

Dear Family and Friends,

Here comes another one to all of you on my favorite day of the year. I don't know why October 2nd is so special but for some reason it has always been a really good day for me. For example-last year my mission call was issued on October 2nd. Good Day.

Anyway, another week has flown by and I find myself in another internet cafe with a bunch of young teenagers playing all of their computer games and swearing up a storm. Luckily I don't understand it. Ignorance certainly is bliss in someways or another, and I am so greatful for that. This week has brought along a variety of things that I am excited to tell you about and so hopefully I can get them all in.

First of all, before I forget-Happy birthday to Brittany Stevens (today right?) I know that she probally does not read these but I am sure that you can pass that along for me Cass. Thanks!

Also I wanted to thank all of you for all of your letters that you continue to write me. I can describe the impact that they have on me every Thursday when I am able to open them up and hear all about how you are doing. It may be a little late when I get them but that is perfectly alright. For instance for some reason this morning I was having a tough time and wasn't feeling all too well but when we got on the train today I opened them up after a couple of minutes I had a big smile on my face as I was reminded that I have a lot of people that love me and are praying for me at home. I could say a lot more with specific examples like about the effect that that quote about George Washington had on me last week as I read a DearElder from Mom... but let it be sufficient to say, thank you so much I really do appreciate it all.

Well I can't remember if I told you about our Investigator last week. But his name is Georgy and he is a pretty amazing person. He is probally around 65 and he is my new best friend in Russia. We have a really hard branch to find and it probally is a major in factor in why our attendance is so small but Georgy showed up last week! And all by himself too! We tried to offer to meet him at the train tracks and got with him but he just told us that he was fine and that he would find it on his own. We were a little doubtful of this, especially considering how it took us about an hour and a half to find it the first time. But while I was preparing the sacrament I heard someone come in the door and say, i am here for Elders Udaltsov and Dean. I came out of the room that I was in and it was Georgy! I was so excited. He stayed the whole two hours and it went really well. One of our babooshkee came in and said, "Oh is this a new member of our church?" and before I could introduce him he said, "Paka neyt!" which means "not yet." Needless to say but that was pretty exciting to hear. But really quick-he is a poet, a pilot and he plays the accordion. He has written a really long poem all about Jesus Christ, (that he gave to me) and he has built two planes, with his own hands that he flys every Saturday. i told him about Ammon and he was so excited. I also promised to bring a couple of poems that Michiko sent me to our next meeting and he was so excited! He loves speaking to me in English and he told me that if I ever get bored I should give him a call on the phone so that we can speak english. He is so funny and so nice. We are excited to take "the Restoration" DVD to our next meeting with him and so is he. Please keep him in your prayers asking that he will feel the spirit and have a strong experience doing so.

Time is up-sorry! Thank you all for everything. Please keep me in your prayers, I really believe that they are the reason that I am able to feel so well and keep positive. Oh and Mom it is safe to safe that you can continue to pray that I get the language because there is still a ways to go before I "get it." Thank you so much and don't ever forget that Jesus Loves you and so I!

Until next week,
Elder Dean

Sites and Scenery

2008-09-25T07:36:00.000-07:00

Classic Corbin

2008-09-25T07:21:00.000-07:00

Zdrastvooete from Russia again! September 25, 2008

2008-09-25T06:49:00.000-07:00

Dear Family and Friends,

Well another week has zoomed by and the weather is begining to show it here as we get further in the the fall season. Serving in the city of Tosno means that the train is our main source of transport because we have villages in the surrounding area to visit that are in our area and also district meeting in Kolpino everyweek which is about 40 minutes away by train. But because the train travels right through the forest it has been pretty amazing this last week to see the trees begin to turn their colors. I am so fortunate to be able to be working in Tosno during this time of year, I certainly would not be seeing this in the city or even in Vyborg.

Before I forget, Last week I forgot so I made myself a big note not to forget this week-Happy Birthday Cassidy and Uncle Jim! You really are'nt that much older then me Cass-now that I think about it, 22 right? or 23 I know that you were born in 1986 but 22 seems so young. Anyway also Happy 10 year Anniversary to the twins coming into our family. That is so crazy that it has already been 10 years! I was writing in my journal last night about it and I am so grateful that that happend. Hopefully you did something super fun! By the way how is school going for them?

Last week I had a whole lot more to say but my mind went another way and for some reason my fingers felt handicapped as I tried to relay my thoughts and fellings to you. Hopefully this week I can do better. But I forgot to tell you that last Monday my MTC district and I made our visa trip to the beautiful country of Estonia. I know pretty cool huh? We left at three in the morning on Monday(in a car) and did not get back to St. Petersburg until 2 in the morning on Tuesday. It may seem like a long trip but it was a lot of fun. We spent about 7 hours in the city of Tallin-beautiful city bytheway-while they renewed our visas and then we traveled back but got caught up on the border for awhile-no more complaing about the Mexico U.S. border. We were at the border for about 4 hours. But like I already said-it was so much fun. So the border doesn't get packed like in Mexico they have everybody stop and park in a Parking lot until they call you to go-five cars at a time. At first it was about 5 cars every half hour but as we got closer to midnight it began to pick up. But we found a big grass field and so we had a lot of fun there. I always half a little NERF football with me and so Elders Lark, Croskrey and I had a great time playing a made up game that ended with Elder Croskrey running full speed and then tripping and doing a face plant-He is crazy but I love him. It was so much fun. Afterwards it got dark and cold and so we all huddled around and just started to tell stories from the last three months that we have'nt been together. So much fun! One of the best things about going to Tallinn is that we are able to buy real American food there. It really is a beatiful thing. For instance we went into a store and bought Bisquick and real syrup (syrup is non existent in Russia) needless to say-I have had pancakes for times within the last week!!!

So that trip to Estonia made things pretty crazy. If you can pull up a Map of the St. Petersburg area I'll tell you where I traveled. Vyborg to St. Petersburg( 3 hours), Peter to Tallin, Tallin to Peter, Peter to Vyborg, Vyborg to Peter (the next day) Peter to Tosno. It was a crazy couple of days of traveling with a lot of late nights and early mornings.

Two really funny things happend within the last two weeks also.( well they are funny now) The first one was when I got back to Vyborg, we went to Family home evening and then at 9:20 Elder Calderwood and I were at home but couldn't get in. Long story but he lock in the door broke and after an hour and a half at 10:45ish we finally got in. Dad it was kind of like when that missionary got stuck in the stake center. It was such a headache especially because I wasn't completely packed yet.

This week-I was vacuming and I heard Elder Udaltsov say something to me but I didn't understand him. I finished vacuming and then I turned off the Vacuum and looked up a say a man in our apartment, really angry and speaking a lot of Russian.(Thank goodness for Elder Udaltsov) Another long story short-our bathroom flooded and he was the neighboor directly underneath us. I took care of the water and Elder Udaltsov sweet talked him and then our land lady who showed up crying but left laughing (he is really good with people) Ay-yi-yi!

I don't have much time but I read in the New Testament about the Lady that came in and annointed Jesus' head with the oil. The apostles rebuked her saying that it could be used to help the poor and then Jesus taught them a very valuable lesson by telling them in short to appreciate that which they have. This really hit me and I realized how important that we take the time to appreciate the present and not get so distracted by the future that we miss that which is in front of us. I really applied this on Tuesday and just took a step back and appreciated that which was/is in front of me. It makes such a difference. Like Dad always says, "Wherever you are-be there." I love you all so much and am so grateful for all that you do. Please keep me in your Prayers because Heavenly Father knows all the help that I need, a it's alot.Until next week...

Love,
Elder Dean

Fellow Missionaries

2008-09-25T06:44:00.001-07:00

Pryvt from Russia-September 18, 2008

2008-09-25T06:35:00.001-07:00

Dear Family and Friends,

Well I guess that I will be sending e-mails from g-mail from now on, I finally got a cahnce to talk with President Podvodov yesterday and he told me to first try myldsmail.net and if that didn't work than he told me to use gmail and seeing that I was just typing this letter on myldsmail and it kicked me off I guess that I will be using this. He also said that it is fine to e-mail people outside of family so Brittany you do not have to send this one on, unless there are some that I am missing. But if you want you can send me their e-mail addresses and I can just add them on. (Bev, Uncle Jim...) Thanks.

Just when you think that you are getting a handle on life-everything gets flipped upside down. So much has happend this week so hopefully I am able to get it all in.
First of all-TRANSFERS-We received our transfer calls on Saturday and I really thought that everything would stay the same and that Elder Calderwood and I would have at least one more together in Vyborg. But apparently the Lord has other things in mind, which just goes to show how limited we see things through our own eyes. President asked that I would serve in the city of Tosno with Elder Udaltso as senior companion. As I already alluded to-I never saw that one coming, and to be perfectly honest I didn't even understand the whole call when it came. I think that I was so suprised that I was transfering that I missed "and you will be senior companion." I didn't find out until later on about that. Tolsno is a small little town or a large village about an hour south of Saint Petersburg. It is only our companionship there and my companion is the Branch President there. We both got white washed in, or we both got transferred in new. So we have a lot of work to do to understand where everything is and how things work here. Supposedly there is no priesthood just a couple of babooshkee in the branch(Yea it is really small.) Tosno is not one of the most popular places to serve in the Saint Petersburg mission(as I heard while I spent all day in the office yesterday) but I know that the Lord does not send us to fail and that He will lead us to those who are ready and vice versa. Elder Udalstov is from Ukraine and is a nice elder and speaks English really well and so he has been a big help and will continue to be a big help in my learning of this language. I really don't know why I have been asked to be senior, seeing that I do not speak Russian all that well. I am not one to stress out about things but since I have received that call this one has been on my mind quite a bit. I am so young on the mission and there are plenty of older missionaries above me who have not gone senior yet and speak so much better than I do. But as I have been thinking about these things it has been pretty amazing to feel the Lord's comforting spirit supporting and comforting me in this. On Saturday after I said my nightly prayer I was just thinking about it and I suddenly had two scriptures come into my mind which was what I needed at that time, and especially what I needed to get to sleep. (D&C 6:36, 2nd Timothy 1:7) and then the next morning as I had the same question on my mind of what I am going to do the Lord sent me another gift in the form of the phrase-Who the Lord calls he qualifies. I have heard that time and time again but I can't describe the meaning that phrase now has in my life, the comfort and joy that it brings. There have been other occurrences in the last week but the last one cam yesterday as we were traveling to Tosno, we were going up the super long escalator from the metro and I kind of getting discouraged thinking about the little activity that Tosno has has and as I was doing so I just thought I guess that we will just be spending the our whole time contacting, and then the thought came about the atonement, and how much that truly entails. Then the thought came into my mind if the Lord was willing to suffer the atonement are you willing to contact for two years, and I was glad to find out that my reaction was-of course. I am here to serve the Lord and will do so however he would he would have me. It may not seem like much but it meant so much to me and gave me the boost that I will need to overcome whatever is put in my path.

I love you all, thanks for everything.

Love,
Elder Dean

Elder Dean with Church Members

2008-09-25T06:20:00.001-07:00

Zdrastvooyte eez Rocceya! September 11, 2008

2008-09-11T10:21:00.000-07:00

Dear Family and Friends,

Today has been a crazy day and you might have been able to tell that by the time this letter was sent and also by the means that it was sent(g-mail). This morning I wrote my usual e-mail to all of you and then in my last minute I tried to send it off but myldsmail did not let me said it for some reason. It was so frustrating and I tried again and again to send it but it didn't work and then my time ran out on the computer. I payed for an extra couple of minutes to try to salvage it but myldsmail malfunctioned and deleted it. So then I tried to send another one to tell you what happend but it would not even let me send that one. (and then just as I was writing this one everything just disappeared on me-but luckily g-mail autosaves so I was able to pull this one up again-I am not having good luck today) but anyway we went home and I decided to call the zone leaders and they told me to use my gmail account and try again later today. So here I am again.

This has been a good week and everything is going well. Transfers this week and so we will see what will happen. I really hope that I am able to stay here at least one more and I am pretty sure that I will. The only bad news is that my really good friend Elder Croskrey has been here since we got here in April and so it is almost certain that he will be leaving. He really has become like another brother to me and I hope that one day we will be able to work together. He is such a hard worker and has such a desire to do what the Lord would have him do. So hopefully tthat day will come that we can work together, but like transfers we will just have to wait and see.

I got a letter last week that said that my letters have been sub-par lately, Sorry about that,I will try to do better.

Last night we had a great night at English club. It was "Welcome to America" night. I got the idea during the day yesterday and I called up Elder Hull and Elder Croskrey and they thought that it was a good idea and so we went ahead with it. What we did was-each Elder took a turn expaining a little bit about his state(Washington, Utah and California) and then afterwards we played a game to quiz them on how well they remembered everything that's right you guessed it again-Jeopardy!! It was so much fun. Afterwards we told them that we had a suprise for them and then brought out all of this food that we had made. Elder Croskrey brought Snicker Doodles, Elder Hull brought french fries and fry sauce(he is the one from Utah) and I brought brownies and homemade root beer. It was so much fun seeing all of their different reactions to all of these new foods and different flavors that they do not have here in Russia.

Well I am sorry that this is so short but I am out of time. I love you all and am so grateful for all of your support, prayers, and examples. Jesus Christ is our Savior, what a powerful sentence that is, and it is so powerful because it is true, and I know it.

Until next week-

Love,
Elder Dean

привет again from Russia! September 4, 2008

2008-09-04T10:31:00.000-07:00

Dear Family, friends, friends of friends...

Another week has flown by here in Russia and once again I am glad to report that all is well, and I hope that all is just as wonderful for all of you! It is amazing to think that this is already the 2nd to last preparation day of this transfer and next week we will already be receiving our transfer calls (hopefully not at 11:30 at night though) but it will be interesting to see what we will happen. I really do like Vyborg and so hopefully I get to stay another one but we will see what the Lord has in store. Also it will be interesting to see if I will stay another one with Elder Calderwood, I haven't had two consecutive transfers with anyone yet but maybe he will be one of the few that can handle me for that long with out driving crazy!

Oh before I forget Happy Birthday to Avery last Saturday hopefully she had a wonderful princess filled day! (Oh and Brittany I have been reading the white handbook and I think that Avery wanting to tickle me under the water is not allowed-Sorry ;0) ) and also Happy Birthday to Nikki Madsen (I think that I heard she gets this e-mail also?) and if anyone sees Nick Lockhart give him a hug and a Happy Birthday from me!

Well like I said the week has gone by quick and as always a lot has happened. Last Friday I went on an exchange with my Ukrainian District Leader Elder Polishyuk and it was quite an experience. Two elders came up from St. Petersburg on Friday to get there new registration (all they do is take a bus to Vyborg and then take a train home. That way they have a ticket saying that they left the city for a period of time and now they can live for another 90 days there without any trouble. It is really interesting but that is the Russian law for natives and so that is what the Church has them do.) So anyway, it was me with two Ukrainians and one Russian, which means a whole lot of Russian and a whole lot of weird food. One of the things we ate was called "sala," no do not get this confused with the word salsa because they are nothing alike. Sala is fat, that is the best way to describe it-just pure fat. And what they do with it is just fry it up and eat it. So imagine the white part of bacon (but thicker) and that is pretty much sala. So tasteless and super unhealthy! and they love it! Of course they made me eat it, and it wasn't extremely disgusting but I just didn't understand-there are so many different unhealthy things that we could eat that tasted so much better. It was a good expeience to eat it though, but luckily it is not allowed for Americans to eat fish so I had an excuse to eat the raw fish that they cut up and chomped down on. I think that the worst part though was doing the dishes. They all cooked it so I said that I would do the dishes-it was horrible. Everything was so greasy (sooo greasy!) and their apartment doesn't have any hot water so it was almost impossible to get things clean, but it all worked out in the end with some boiled water and some elbow grease!

Oh before I forget, thank you so much for all of your letters. Elder Croskrey was in the city last week and so he was able to pick up our mail for all of us. And so thank you for taking the time to write. I can't describe how much it helps to get a letter and to know that you have such a support system behind you pushing you along. So thank you. Oh and Cass that is so funny about Ammon's mom running into Sister Pope, what a small world. Also Ammon do you or your parents know any Lambeths from Cedar City. Elder Lambeth served here and just went home not too long ago and he said that he knew you went I met him. And last of all please ask your Mom if she knows any Larks that work for skywest. Thanks!

Hopefully eveything is going well with school starting up this week. It started here on Monday. It was the first of September and that is when school starts here and it is a really big holiday pretty interesting. Needless to say the kids are not too thrilled about celebrating that holiday.

On Monday night we had a family home evening with our branch president and his family, and it was probally the greatest night of my mission thus far. It really was so amazing to be able to be there and feel of their spirit and their incredible love for one another. Their last name is Nedelov and they are from Ukrainian, really close to Bulgaria. They have two sons and one daughter. They live in a two room apartment and are so strong. They wanted to get to know us and so we showed them our pictures and and then they wanted to know about who the first members of our families were and the stories behind them. I told them the story of the Nephite that came to Zina's home and they were amazed by it. Dad if you could send that to me so I can translate exatly that would be an amazing tool to have while I am here. But then after that we had a short spiritual thought and then we pulled out a game that we had made-you guessed it-Jeopardy. It was so much fun, and the whole family was loving it. It was such a good night and it really reenforced my testimony of why I am here to see the fruits of the gospel or the effects that it has on fa

(Sorry it got cut off but this is all the letter that we received)

Prvyet from Russia-August 28, 2008

2008-08-28T05:55:00.000-07:00

Dear Family, Friends, and all others that this letter goes to!

I am glad to report that another week has gone by in Russia and all is going absolutely fantastic. The weather is wet and getting a little bit chilly but nothing to worry about (except for Elder Calderwood and my run to Carousel after we finish up here) Everyweek Elder Calderwood have been running to the grocery store, it is a pretty good run but it is really cool because we run right by the coast and then run across the bridge that goes right by the castle. I am pretty sure that not too many missionaries get to run by a castle to go get their weekly groceries every7 week! But as we were running last week I saw that the light of the intersection was about to turn read so I sped up a bit so that we could make it but as I was about 3/4 of the way through the intersection I heard a big thud and looked back to see that Elder Calderwood has taken a pretty big spill right infront of a car and then as he got up almost fell again. He said that he was alright but he was bleeding pretty bad out of his leg-next time I am guessing that it might just be better to take a break at the light than give my companion a concussion and a one-way ticket back to America, to finish his mission there.

But it's always pretty funny to see the looks that we get when we get to Carousel and we are hot and sweaty and to see all the Babooshkee just staring us down as we give them our bags to wrap up. Speaking of that, there are some pretty different forms of Russian culture/things that they do that I keep assuming that you know but have forgot to tell you. For instance- whenever we go into into a store you either have to lock up your bags in a locker or give them to these babooskee at the entrance and they put them in a plastic bag and then seal them off to prevent theft in the store. It is pretty interesting.

What else...Oh, it is rude to sit with your foot up on your knee(aka sitting like a man in America) everyone crosses their legs here(as a Dad would say "sit(s) like a lady") it is pretty funny to see how natural it is starting to become and to walk into a room of missionaries and see them all sitting "like ladies." But I figure if a majority of the Apostles and General authorities sit like that then it must not be too "ladylike." Oh I almost forgot-it is rude because you are showing other people the bottom of your shoe and since it is so dusty and dirty here that is why it is so offensive. Also it is rude to lean up against a wall with one foot on the wall.(Does that make sense?) There is a superstition here that if you whistle inside that you will be poor because you will lose all your money(I keep getting people yelling at me for that while we are doing service inside) and also it bad luck to shake hands with people through doorways. So sometimes we will offer people our hands(men only-you only shake women's hands if they offer them to you first) and they shake their head look up and then will step through the doorway and shake your hand. And then i think that this last one is the funniest- nobody here sits on the ground , everybody squats-but not like people squat in America(like baseball catchers) over here we squat with our heels touching the ground, so your feet are flat with the ground. And the reason that they do this is because it is a superstition that if you sit on the ground you will go sterile- pretty interesting! The other week Elder Croskrey and I were weeding at the castle and we kept sitting on the curb but this lady kept telling us not to. We thought that it was just because she didn't want us to get dirty but then the last time that Elder Croskrey did it she came over and told us that he wasn't going any sons or daughters if he doesn't stop doing that. That kind of took us by suprised when we finally figured out what she was talking about.

This week we had the most amazing meeting with Cole-ya. We taught him the third lesson-the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It went so well because it really started to click for him because it made the first two lessons more clear. We started out by pulling out my Plan of Salvation puzzle and going through that real quick and then we asked him why he wants to live in the Celestial Kingdom and he told us-"Because that is where God and Jesus Christ live and that is where we will be happy" I can't describe how happy I was when i heard that. So sincere and so child-like, exactly what the Lord asks us to be. Then after opening up 2nd Nephi 31 with him and explaing why baptism is important the spirit really came in, and I could tell that it was testifying to him the need of baptism . Which provoked his last question and perfectly tied everything together, I understand that baptism is important but what's the difference of being baptized into your church from being baptized into another church. Good question and to that we were able to say, Cole-ya do you remember when we taught you about Joseph Smith... It was such a good lesson!

Also we met with Vasili and things didn't go as well as that but things happened that needed to happen. During the meeting he was telling us about how Christ does not exist and how God does not have a body...and that was going along for awhile when I remembered what my patriarchal blessing says, "be sweetly bold" and so i sat forward and I told him the truth. I told him that we were here to help people and to talk about Jesus Christ, that when he dies he will see God and that he has a body and he will see Jesus Christ and that he will look at him and say, Look Vasili I am here, I love you you and because i love you I died for you. I then told hiim that I know that the things that we said were true and that i think that he knows that they are true also. He didn't say anything-no argument, he was feeling the spirit testifying of these truths and i think that it scared him a little bit. It ended a little later by him asking us to leave and us having to drop him. Too bad really but hopefully he will accept it the next time it is brought to him. I love you all and I know that Jesus truly is the Christ and that through him we will live together through the eternities and find true happiness.

Until next week

-Elder Dean

p.s.
kevin and austin send me your addresses please and good luck
Love ya

Hello again from Russia August 22, 2008

2008-08-22T06:02:00.000-07:00

Dear Everyone,

Well another week has slipped by and such is life. Just races by and if we are not careful we miss out out on that which the Lord may of had in store for us. So you are porbally wondering why this is coming at you a day late. For ever reason it was the man at this internet cafe decided not to come in or he was just extremely late. We waited outside for almost an hour and then decided to get on with our day and go by groceries. Who knows maybe yesterday was a Russian holiday that we didn't know about. Very likely-they have so many holidays. Speaking of holidays and according to the inappropriate picture of Jared sporting a Brazilean speedo and Brittany sporting something else... Happy Anniversary to Cassidy and Ammon, Brittany and Jared and happy 1 year mark on Moena's Baptism. That is so exciting and I hope that you all go and do/did something fun!

Let's see-this week has been so good. We met with Cole-ya on Sunaday and we talked about baptism and he was really interested on our stand of infant baptisms. We opened up Moroni with him and it was so neat to see his reaction because it agreed perfectly with how he felt. And tomorrow we have a meeting set up with him and some of his friends that he going to bringing! Starting the missionary work already-amazing. Also we called up Vasili and he apparently had gotten over any feelings that he was having and wanted to meet with him. We watched the Restoration with him and he accepted it all and actually really enjoyed it. We have a meeting with him today and so hopefully we can work out some of his problems of believing that Jesus Christ is not necessary in the whole plan of things. We have a good plan and we will see where the Lord takes it. It has been a crazy week as far as the weather goes. It has been raining constantly and pretty hard at that. Let's just say that I am very grateful that I have a nice umbrella-Thanks Dad! Ooh and Mom, we had the biggest thunder and lightning storm the other night-you would have loved it. Elder Calderwood and I took our cameras (and a bowl of cereal for me) and went out on our balcony and tried to catch pictures of the lightning bolts.

Oh before I forget, if any of you were wondering about my address:

Pouch-
Russia St. Petersburg Mission
P.O. Box 30150
SLC UT 84130

or if you want to send an envelope or package-

Russia
Saint Petersburg 190000
a/я 122
Centralized Religious Organization "Religious Association of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Russia"
Elder Dean

I know its long but that address will come right to the office and make it so it doesn't get lossed in some Russian pochta in the middle of nowhere.I am loving life, working hard and I hope that it is the same for all of you. Love you (I am not quite sure who this letter goes to) but if you get it know that their is a little missionary in a big Russian country that loves and prays for you. Really! Have a great week.

Love,
Elder Dean

p.s. kevin and austin i hoped that you are getting excited-its about time that you hit the field! I have a couple thoughts that I wanted to share with you, so give me a call 89... Just kidding! Make sure that you take a look at my e-mail next week. I love you two and am so excited for each of you!
God Speed Brethren,
Your Bud-
Elder Dean

Hello everyone! August 14, 2008

2008-08-14T06:12:00.000-07:00

Dear family and friends,

Well like I say everyweek but-another week has flown by again! I know what the date is every day but sometimes it does not register to me what day it actually is, like today-it is already the 14th of August! Where did that come from?!

Anyway things in Russia are going well, I think that the weather is starting to take a turn and that summer will be ending soon, that is perfectly alright though it will be an interesting to see Russia go through the different seasons. The exciting news is that cole-ya came to church on Sunday and he said that it helped answer a lot of his questions. I asked him about baptism again and he said that he just didn't feel quite ready. That was excellent to hear because as essential as the ordinance is, it is so very important that he accepts it when he is ready, and the just leaves it up to Elder Calderwood and I to help him get there. Please continue to keep him in your prayers and ask that he will be able to have the faith to gain a testimony.

We also had one of our three investigators tell us that he feels that he should stop meeting with us, that is okay though because I think that he was just feeling a little streak of stubborness when he said that, and that in reality he wants to know more. We have a plan for him so hopefully it all works and out and he will be okay with us meeting with him again. So with that note please keep Vasili in your prayers also that he will have a desire to come unto the Lord through meeting with us.

We had a mission wide conference yesterday and it was so amazing! I guess that this is what we will do from now on instead of zone conferences. But it really was so much fun to see everyone and feel the spirit of being together. There was one Elder who bore his testimony who is from Vyborg but he is just temporarily serving just south of St Petersburg until he gets his Visa from Finland, but it was testimony that I don't think a lot of us will forget for quite awhile, because he told us that we are the last of the American missionaries that will be here for who knows how long, but then he just really emotional and said, Do your best, everyday in helping these people, and then wennt and sat down. It was amazing to see the effect of our missions through the eyes of a native of our mission, and how much it means to him that we are here.

I don't have much time but Elder Calderwood and I had some pretty crazy experiences this week. We stopped at a potential investigators house this week and things were a little crazy there, thought I was really going to die...but of course nothing to worry about, everything was just a misunderstanding. But we came back the next day and Aleg let us in and after talking to him for awhile we asked if we could read with him from the Book of Mormon. we got through about 2 verses when he just got up and told us that was it. we asked why and he told Elder Calderwood that he just couldn't do this with his bodyguard sitting there(pointing at me) it took a long time we finally convinced him that I was nice and would not hurt him. it was really funny though.

Love you all,
Elder Dean

August 7, 2008

2008-08-07T05:56:00.000-07:00

Dear Family and Friends,

How is everything going in the wionderful land of America!? Things here in Russsia are going great and a lot has occured in the last week. Last week on prepartion day we received a call saying that we would be receiving our transfer calls that night opposed to on Saturday. So we were home by 8:30 and were ready for the phone to ring. We waited and waited but the time just kept ticking by. At 10:30 we were in bed and had decided that someone was playing a joke and had told our district leader false information and so we went to sleep. At 11:30 our phone rang and woke us both up, we answered it and found out that it was President Podvodov with the assistants calling for transfers! Elder Dunford and I were so tired and confused as President gave us our new calls. Elder Dunford is now back in the city and I am still here in Vyborg working with Elder Calderwood. Elder Calderwood is from Idaho and is probally the nicest, quietest, gentle giant that you could ever meet. He has been out for about a year and 3 months and this is his first time going senior. We had our first companionship study this morning and it was pretty amazing. He is so humble and told me that he likes to work hard but sometimes it is not always the most effective way and so if I could help him out with that he would be most appreciative. He also said to me a couple times in his quiet voice how we will not be successful unless we have the spirit, and so we need to do those things that the Lord has asked so that we can have that spirit. I am very excited about this transfer and for the opportunity to see what the Lord has in store for us as we give him our all.

Last Saturday President and Sister Podvodov and their 11 year old son (or around there) came up to Vyborg and sat in on our District Meeting and then President interviewed each of us as Sister Podvodov went around and checked each of our apartments. It was such an amazing day because we really got to learn more about who they are and what they are like. I thought that I was going to have someone translate for my interview, but President just said all right your next and brought me into the office. Right when we got in there he received a phone call and left the room for a moment. While he was gone I sent up a prayer to Heavenly Father asking for his help during this interview, so that we would be able to understand one another. The Lord certainly does hear and answer our heartfelt prayers because it was an amazing experience to be in that interview and have that personal time for him to get to know me and for me to get to know him. He told me that I should teach my children Russian it will certainly benefit them in their lives and he then told me how on Monday he was going to begin a serious study of the English language, because he feels that it is something important for him to do. The Lord's Spirit was present and it was a wonderful experience.

After all of us were interviewed President Podvodov said good-bye to each of us and then Sister Podvodov said, Aren't you forgetting something and he said , Oh yea-where is a good place to eat? That's right you guessed it-they took us out to eat. It was amazing! Something so simple but had such a huge effect on each of us, as his deeds matched his words that he spake in ach of our interviews. And it was a good dinner too! I know that the Lord has called him and his family to be here at this time because he will accomplish amazing things and will do those things that are needed at this time for this country. I am so excited! Elder Dunford and I had a neat experience as we had our companionship inventory on Friday. He told me a little about his mission thus far and told me how he has had a lot of trials and how they have really worn on his faith. After talking for awhile he Thanked me and said, "This has been the happiest six weeks of my mission." It was such a neat experience to be able to hear that and think about my Patriarchal blessing and to see the words come to life once again on this mission. It is something that is hard to describe but know is true.

Yesterday during Transfers I ended up walking from the metro station to the office with Elder Kurtz. It was a really unique experience because Elder Kurtz is going home today and while I was with him we were able to talk a lot and it was interested the different feelings that the spirit brought to each us and communicated between us. I don't know how quite to describe it but it just hit me so hard how large my responsibility is here and how much there is to accomplish. I am continually pleading with the Lord that he will help me accomplish those things that he would have me to accomplish and fufill the potential that I have. I don't know how to describe it but it really is making a stir in me. I am not ready to go home that is for sure, but when the time comes I hope that I will be. I hope that it will be tough to go home for the right reasons because of the love for the people not for the feeling of regret from not giving my fullest. I pray and hope that this feeling will take hold and allow myself to give myself completely to the Lord and have him be the one to lead me. Also it was a difficult situation to say good bye to those who are leaving. Especially Elder Kurtz, he was the assistant to the president who picked me up from the airport and he was the Elder that really helped me make it through one of the toughest times in my second tranfer, by telling me that the Lord knows and does things for a reason and then told me that he loves me and it was exactly what I needed to hear. This church is true, of that i am more and more certain everyday. Do all that you can to show your love to the Lord by doing that which he has asked you to do with exactness!

Love you all,Elder Dean

ÐŸÑ€Ð¸Ð²ÐµÑ‚ Ð’ÑÐµÐ¼! Ð¸ÑŽÐ»ÑŒ 31, 2008

2008-07-31T05:56:00.001-07:00

Dear Everyone,

How is everyone doing in the many places that we are spread out over? I recieved word that we have another new member of our family-that is so exciting and I and so glad to hear it. I am not allowed to go to that blog site but if someone would like to e-mail me some pictures that would be much appreciated! So let's see-that makes 3 new members of that the family that I have yet to see, pretty crazy to think about, I already have Brandon beat on his 2 (kailee and Taylor), but don't let me down, my guess was 5 before I left!!!

Well let's see, another week in Russia has passed by and here I find my self in the warm Russian weather, sitting down at a computer in a little internet cafe, fighting mosquitoes, and cat running around my feat. Got to love it! But even more suprising is how fast this transfer has come and gone because on Saturday we will receive our transfer calls. The time has gone by so fast and it only seems to be going by faster as I am starting to get a hang of things. This transfer will be number 4 and seeing that Elder Dunford has already been in Vyborg for 6 months the chances are pretty good that it will will Ð´Ð¾ ÑÐ²Ð¸Ð´Ð°Ð½Ð¸Ñ to him, but we will have to see. This next transfer will be interesting to see what happens because we are losing 9 Elders and I think that we might be getting one-maybe. So obviously there have to be some cuts in the number of companionships in certain areas.

Every week I forget to tell you about our service here in Vyborg besides working on the Datcha. Every Tuesday we go and work at the Vyborg Castle. Which was built by the Sweds, then taken by the Fins and now belongs to the Rooskees.(That would be the Russian people for all you that may have gotten a little confused...Jared) But it is a lot of fun, all we really do there is move things from one place to another, but like I said it is always a lot of fun. And so if you ever get a chance, google "Vyborg castle" and maybe you can see some pictures because it is pretty cool looking-it even has a mote, moat..? "Have fun storming the castle!"-Jared, I know you were thinking it so I had to write it.

Last night was Wednesday night and so that means it was "English Club Night"-Yeah!!! Which is always a lot of fun but last night was especially fun because we played Jeopardy! Yesterday I took some time to prepare some questions for it and we played it last night and it was so much fun. Elder Croskrey and I gave them each a Hymnal a when they thought they knew the answer they would shut the Hymnal and answer. It was great, we made them answer in the form of a question, taught them the phrase, "May I please have..." and everything. I came up with three subjects, Sports-Places-Animals and came up with five hints for each. They were tough too, but I was suprised at how well they did. It was funny because they would understand the question but did know the word in English and so we gave each of them our dictionaries to use, but most of the words were cognates so it all worked out. But like I said it was a lot of fun and I think that they really appreciated the effort put into it, as well as Elder Croskrey's spiritual thought at the end. I am not going to lie, they had a little trouble with the clue and impersonation of-In what place would you here somebody say this-"Yo Man-the weter(weather) is beautiful here!!" Jamaica of course!!! I love having fun doing what you are supposed to be doing!

The other day I was studying in Alma chapter 5 and I came across something that I thought was pretty neat. In the 57th verse in says, "All you that are desirous to follow the voice of the good shepherd, come ye out from the wicked and be ye separate, and touch not that which is evil" I love that because it is so simple and so true. All you that desire to come unto Christ "Come ye out" from the wicked and then my favorite part-"Be ye separate" because that is so true. In the world that we live in we need to be separate, we need to be different, we need to be unique . And not separate to just be different but separate because God's people are separate from the evil that surrounds them. It reminds me of what President Hinckley said as he quoted the poem describing his life. "I chose the path less traveled by and that, that has made all the difference" What an amazing priviledge we have to be members of the Lord's Church and to have the comfort of knowing his truths. Don't ever forget that. I love you all.

-Elder Dean

Britt if possible please send these to Pres. comin also

ÑÐµÐ¼ÑŒÑ Ð¸ Ð´Ñ€ÑƒÐ·ÐµÐ¹! July 24, 2008

2008-07-24T06:44:00.000-07:00

Dear Family, Friends...

How is everything going in the good ol' U.S of A on this fine pioneer day?!! As for Russia things are as pretty as ever and the weather is just perfect! That is crazy that they interviewed Mom for the Deseret News! but even funnier some of the mistakes that they made...Samara mission...but hey that's what happens right?! As for this week that passed, things have gone well. It was kind of tough recovery from not having a real preparation day last week and not being in our area for so long, but we have got things back under control and things are running smoothly again.

We had a meeting with our investigator two days ago and things went great and we even extended a baptismal challenge to him, which he said that he would think over. He is going to busy working the next string of days so please keep Cole-ya (sorry I know that looks funny but I have the hardest time writing Russian words in English) in your prayers that he will stay out of Satan's influence and will have a desire to be baptized. Thanks. This week has kind of been a crazy one in a couple of different aspects. Well see if I can fit in a couple of examples to show you what I mean. The first one(example) I have officially entitled in my mind, "The Night of the Drunks" on Monday night Elder Dunford and I had a meeting with one of potential investigators at 7:00, we showed up to his dome and rang up his apartment on the dome-a-phone and a lady answered and told us that he was not home, we asked when he would return and she said that she didn't know. So we found a spot to sit down(so we didn't look super suspicious) and waited for him to see if he would come home. We waited for a half of an hour (that may just sound like a waste of time but that is just how it works sometimes here-for instance on Tuesday our investigator showed up an hour and a half late for our meeting-but he showed up!) but he never showed up and so we fell back on our back-up plan of going contacting. We started walking around trying to talk to people when we ran into Drunk #1, he was an older man who was really funny, he saw the picture of Jesus Christ on the pass-along card and crossed himself to start out. Then he was saying all of these crazy things that I didn't understand and out of nowhere decided that he wanted to start dancing, and tried to get us to join by saying in English,"Boogy Woogy!" it was really funny. After that he started speaking to us about the war or something and then asked if we could give him some money to buy beer(at least he was honest) and I asked him why, and he just turned and looked at me with the most innocent look and said because I love beer. We told him that we couldn't do that but he wasn't hurt by it and decided to give me a big hug, I thought it would just be easier to let him than to fight it, that was until he gave me a big hug and then picked me up and I had to squeeze his arms pretty hard to get him to put me down. But after he did he was just laughing and we said good-bye to him. We walked a little further and then started to teach a man and had Drunk #2 come up to us and wanted some attention. So it was seeing that the other man was interested and Elder Dunford was teaching him it was my responsibility to babysit this man until they were done. He kept talking to me and when I didn't understand he would then yell it at me-thinking that would help. He showed me that he had two fake legs twice, tried to get me to leave Elder Dunford to got get drunk at his apartment and then also tried to give me a hug! I don't know what it was that night but everyone was feeling the love-unfortunately I had to push this away due to my extremely awkward previous experience. Finally they finished up and we kept walking until we ran into the Drunk Couple numbers #3 and #4. This one Elder Dunford started teaching the man how to pray and he started to cry-probably just from the confusion of the stark contrast of his current feelings-effects of alchohol and the spirit. We talked to them for awhile and then went and bought them some bread before we said good-bye. We started to walk off but then Elder Dunford had forgotten his planner somewhere and so we were walking back to the store to look for it when we ran into Drunk #5, this man came stumbling up to us and we recognized him right away-our potential investigator who had stiffed us just an hour and a half earlier. In short he took it as a sign from God that we would run into eachother and agreed on us calling him to set up another meeting. It was amazing that we ran into him. The part that Elder Dunford and I couldn't explain was when I found his planner in my pocket when we got home-the one we went looking for???!!Love you all!

Elder Dean

Corbin/Mom in the Deseret News

2008-07-22T05:37:00.000-07:00

LDS reassign Russia-bound missionaries

By Tad Walch
Deseret News
Published: Tuesday, July 15, 2008 12:16 a.m. MDT

PROVO — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has stopped sending North American missionaries to Russia due to new, tougher visa laws.

North American missionaries who were being prepared at the Missionary Training Center in Provo for service in Russia have been reassigned. So have church members who had received calls to Russia but who had not yet arrived at the MTC for training.

North American missionaries already in Russia will remain to complete their service, which runs two years for men and 18 months for women.

Last year, Russia began to require foreigners on humanitarian visas, which includes missionaries, to leave the country every three months to renew their visas.

"The church is working to find an alternative solution to the 90-day renewal requirement," church spokesman Rob Howell said Monday. "Until an appropriate alternative is identified, new missionary assignments to Russia will be limited to those nationalities not needing visas.
"Missionaries currently serving in Russia are not being withdrawn, and the missions are fully staffed."

LDS parents have been sending their children to Russia to seek converts since 1990, when two missionaries from the church's Finland Helsinki Mission arrived in Leningrad. Later that year, the church established the first branch, or congregation, in Russia, and the government first officially recognized the church.

The church now has about 20,000 members, 121 branches and eight missions spread across the country — two in Moscow and one each in St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Rostov, Vladivostok, Samara and Novosibirsk.

Elder Corbin Dean of San Diego joined the Russia St. Petersburg mission in March. Two weeks ago, he traveled with several other missionaries to the Czech Republic to renew his visa.
"They were in Prague for about three days," said Elder Dean's mother, Sandie Dean. "They still went tracting (door to door) in Prague with the limited language skills they had. It was not a vacation by any means."

The Deans and other American families with missionaries in Russia wondered what would happen when the new Russian visa laws were announced.

"In January they told us they would have to go back to their home country every three months," Sandie Dean said. "I'm glad they haven't had to do that."

The law's text also requires foreigners to spend 90 days outside the country for every 90 days in Russia, a provision that hasn't been enforced, Brigham Young University Russian Professor Grant Lundberg said.

Lundberg is the Russia section head in BYU's department of German and Slavic languages. The university's study abroad program designs trips to Russia to last fewer Slavic languages. The university's study abroad program designs trips to Russia to last fewer than 90 days to avoid visa issues, he said.

"A lot of our students are returned missionaries," Lundberg said. "The developments there probably will have a long-term effect on our program, although we don't know what the long-term decisions will be."

Dean said her son and his companions flew 800 miles to Prague, a costly exercise for church leaders.

"It's terribly expensive to travel to another country, wait for a visa and return," said Gary Browning, the first president of the Finland Helsinki East mission when it opened in 1990 with responsibility to begin missionary work in Russia.

Now an LDS patriarch, Browning traveled to Russia this spring. He sees an opportunity in the new situation.

"The church really is growing in its maturity," he said. "All of us would love to have the missionaries remain there. There could be a silver lining to this cloud, because this may give the members an additional incentive to play their roles more effectively, and to find relatives and neighbors and work associates who would be interested in the church."
LDS Church statement

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints released this statement Monday about the services of its missionaries in Russia:

A recent change in Russian immigration law now requires foreigners on humanitarian visas (including missionaries) to leave Russia every three months to renew their visas.

The church is working to find an alternative solution to the 90-day renewal requirement. Until an appropriate alternative is identified, new missionary assignments to Russia will be limited to those nationalities not needing visas.

Missionaries currently serving in Russia are not being withdrawn, and the missions are fully staffed. Missionaries needing Russian visas who had not yet left for Russia have been reassigned.

Elder Dean's Pictures from Russia- (Click on one if you want to see it up close)

2008-07-18T09:14:00.001-07:00

Letter from Ð Ð¾ÑÑÐ¸Ñ! July 18, 2008

2008-07-18T08:09:00.000-07:00

Dear Family,

Well the 18th of July already-where has the time flown? And seeing that it is already July that means that I have hit my 6th month mark. I cannot believe how fast the time has come and gone and continues to roll on quicker and quicker. You are probally all wondering why this letter is coming to you a day late and I promise that there is a reason for that! Elder Dunford was in the wonderful city of Prague this week and so we kind of missed out on a Prepartion Day yesterday and so here I am today.

It has actually been quick a crazy week. The original plans was that I was going to stay in Vyborg and we would just put Elder Dunford on a bus(like they usually do) but with the new president comes new rules and protocol and so now you are no longer able to travel alone. The old rule was that it was okay as long as you would go straight there and someone was waiting for you, but that is no longer. I like the new rule better though, takes away any questions about-what if... So with that new rule in place that meant that I was going to the city, actually I got sent an hour south of the city to the small town of Pushkin. I was matched up with Elder Holm, who by coincidence was one of the Elders who was in my MTC group, so we got to spend a couple of days together and got to celebrate our 6th month marker by making some blini! Yesterday was a pretty long day though coming back, we left Pushkin at 2:30 and Elder Dunford and I did not make it back until about 9:40 last night, but it is so nice to be home and to get back into the normal swing of things. With my three exchanges this week I have only slept in my own bed two times-the mission life is certainly a life on the go!

Before I forget-the big news coming from the office is that there will be no more missionaries from America being called to Russia. I know pretty crazy! Our office recieved word that an Elder called to serve here had his call changed the day he entered the MTC. He will now be serving in the Dallas Texas Mission spanish speaking. Quite a big change! The reason being that Russia has announced that they will no longer being issuing new visas to Americans. I don't know if this is that big of a deal over there but on our side of the ocean they are calling it the "cool war" We will just have to wait and see what happens but I am certainly grateful that I was able to make it here before all this happened. I remember talking to Brandon about maybe waiting till after getting a semester under my belt to come on my mission. Thank goodness that I didn't wait and that I am here.

Elder Dunford and I have continued to see the Lord working miracles in our lives. Today while we were making our way to a members house we had a man come up to us and start up a conversation about religion, and while were talking to this man our Branch president just happen to walk by and come over to introduce himself. The man took it as a sign that he was meant to talk to us and meet our president this morning and we have a meeting set up with him for Monday night. It truly was amazing.

Last night I had a pretty interesting experience. We got home from our trip and got into bed at 10:30 but for some reason I could not get to sleep. Satan was working pretty hard on me and I was kind of beating myself up over some stuff and it certainly did not help that I could not get to sleep even though I knew that i was tired. I finally got up at around 11:45 and went and got a drink of water and then grabbed my flashlight an d opened up the Ensign while laying in bed. I spent some time reading Elder Oak's article and afterwards I turned off my flashlight and closed my eyes and I was asleep in no time. It really has been pretty amazing to reflect on that through the day. To see how the light of the Gospel truly is stronger than the darkness of the adversary. Good will always win if you allow it because love is stronger than hate. What a perfect plan Heavenly Father has created for us all based on love. That is one thing that I am learning more and more.

One of you asked how I look in one of your letters. I am pretty sure that i look the same. I don't know if I have gotten taller but I have gotten thicker, my body is begining to enter adulthood and is starting to fill out, last time i checked I am about 190 pounds, and the church's inspired 30 minutes of morning work-out has certainly helped. It just is another testimony of how perfect this Church is and how if it's members will follow its headings the blessings certainly will be bestowed as promised.I love you all!

-Elder Dean

ps Britt please continue forwarding these!

Hello! July 10, 2008

2008-07-10T08:14:00.000-07:00

Dear Family!

Oh my goodness! I have been so excited to write this letter this week-because so many amazing things have occured! So... Last Friday was an amazing day. Elder Dunford and I were walking the Branch Building because we were invited to learn how to make Blini(like crepes-kinda) from a Babooshka in our Branch, but while we were walking there, we noticed that there were an unusual amount of people walking on the path that we take to the building, so we started handing out invitations to try to get people to talk with us and it was absolutely amazing! We had three people stop and talk with us and we taught two lessons and got two of their phone numbers! That may not sound like a big deal but for the current circumstances in Russia it was a true miracle. One of the men actually asked if he could meet with us (it blew us away) but after that we were in front of the church and I just looked at Elder Dunford and said-Did that really just happen?!! It was so amazing! I don't know if I am getting my point across as much I want to but it truly was a miracle of having the Lord place those who are prepared literally in our paths. But once we got to the Blini party the Babooshka ripped us up and down for being late and probally said some things that she should not have said.(Because it ended up that the first companionship that got their did not have their keys, and then the second companionship also showed up late and then we were the last to arrive-but the original idea was that it was an activity for the youth and they just invited the missionaries along for some blini but no youth came and so I think she kind of took it out on us, I hate when that happens. Specially after such an amazing experience, but after a little while Elder Croskrey and I got her smiling again as we impressed her with our blini making and flipping skills! She was loving it when we started flipping the blini by flinging it up into the air and having it land on the uncooked side!)

Next-yesterday we had zone conference with our new mission president-President Podvodov. It was so good! He is only 42 years old but he is the most amazing person and is wife too! It was all in Russian and so that was a little tough-but the Lord certainly blessed me because I was able to actually understand a lot more than I thought that I would, especially with their strong Ukrainian accents(which actually sound really cool!)

Like I said before-this week has been so amazing because of the outpouring of the Lord's help so that miracle could occur. Two days ago we had a meeting with an investigator. This also not sound like a big deal but in all reality this has been my first true/real investigator, and it was my first time actually teaching one of the lessons. His name is colya and he is not Russian, but he is the nicest man. We found him contacting-one of my first days here in Vyborg and we gave him a Book of Mormon. His phone has not been working for awhile but we finally got a hold of him on Monday and set up the meeting for Tuesday Morning. He showed up!!!! and we taught him in the Branch building with a member present! He brought his Book of Mormon with him and we asked him how the reading was going he opened to the middle of Alma. Elder Dunford and I just looked at eachother and he then asked him if he had read that far. He told us that he has and that we could even quiz him on it if we wanted to! It was amazing, everything was amazing!!!!! We taught him the plan of Salvation and he excepted it all and told how more people need to hear about this and once he knows more about it from meeting with us he will be ready to share it with his friends!! Please keep him in your prayers.

And it happend again last night-on the way home from english I tried to invite a man and he asked where I studied german/lived there?? (I don't know where I picked that accent up???) but he had a large 2 liter thing of beer in his hands and after teaching him and talking to him he told us that he wanted our help in helping him quit. so we have a meeting with him tonight! These truly are miracles-I know it and I know that they are from the Lord and that the promises that he has made to me are coming true, but the biggest thing that I have learned is that they did not start to come until I asked and then excercised the little amount of faith that I have. The Lord will help when we ask-its true and I know it!I love you all so much and I got my mail in the office yesterday and I can't tell you how happy it made me to read it this morning!!! Thank you so much for everything!

Love,
Elder Dean

p.s. Everyone love the calendar you made Brittp.p.s We used my plan of salvation puzzle with colya-cass and ammon!p.p.p.s. stick in their with the Russians-believe me I know what it is like

Dear Family...July 3, 2008

2008-07-03T08:17:00.000-07:00

Dear Everyone,

I was just writing you an email but something happened with the computer and it got deleted, so I guess that I will start over. This has been a pretty eventful week in Russia(it seems like it is always that way!) But everything is going well- except for the unnatural ammount of mosquitos in Russia when the weather warms up! They are everywhere! Every night I closely examine our whole apartment(Elder Dunford probally thinks that I am crazy!) and make sure that those little pests are hiding out anywhere-but as closely as I examine it we always seem to wake-up with some new bites! I actually have a funny story about the mosquitos in our apartment(funny now but not so funny while it was happening) Starting with transfers day I was not feeling too well and I was really tired. So needless to say I was really looking forward to getting a good night's rest every night during the weekend to help me recuperate. But on Sunday night after we had said our companion and my personal prayer I jumped into bed and started to fall asleep. But right when I was just about to nod off-there was a super loud buzzing in my ear-a mosquito! It drove me crazy, because everytime I was just about to fall asleep the little bugger came and woke me up by landing on me and flying around my head. Long story short, I got up and turned the light on three seperate times to kill the mosquito and ended up killing five of them, the last time Elder Dunford woke up to me with my tapachkee or my slipper, in my hand probally with a crazed look on my face swatting at mosquitos, and didn't fall asleep until 1 in the morning! Ay-yih-yi!

Speaking of Elder Dunford, let me tell you-it is a trip living with someone from Vegas...Just kidding Jared. No actually we get along great and so I am very thankful about that. He really likes to chat a lot and so that is a lot of fun to do throughout the day with him. Yesterday we had service on a member's Dotcha. Which is just like a little shack out in the forest with a garden around it (a way for Russians to escape the city for a little while) But there were 6 of us there and so the Sister assigned us to weeding and going and fetching water. I was chosen to go and fetch water with my district leader-Elder Polyshook who is from Ukraine. The rest of them weeded. But Elder Polyshook and I took this handcart thing and kept making trips down to this fresh water well thing and then hauling it back up this long hill back to their Dotcha. I am not going to lie-it was hard work! And I can't tell you how many trips we made in the three hours that we were there. But afterwards I was talking to Elders Dunford and Croskrey and I told them how it was tough hauling all that water, And they told me how they were thinking(while they were weeding) that it must have been hard because last week they did it with four people that was tough. That would have been nice to know earlier that they usually do it it with four people! But it was fun anyway. Elder Polyshook and I have a little bit of a language barrier but once again it is amazing to see how the spirit speaks all languages because I know that I could definitely feel the spirit as we labored together. I love missionary work because it is a wonderful opportunity to represent the Lord in helping to make people happy. I am glad that I am here and I am grateful for all of your support.

Love,
Elder Dean

Hello from Russia! 21/6/08

2008-06-21T08:19:00.000-07:00

Dear Family and Friends!

Real quick before I jump into my letter I just wanted to straighten something out real quick-I don't know how it is for other missions but for my mission it is okay to send/accept e-mail outside of your family. I talked with President Sandberg about it and he said that it is allowed, it may be different in other missions but just know that I am not being disobedient.

Alright! Well where to start, where to start, hmmm how about the beautiful city of Prague (or yes Jason-Praha!) On Tuesday day we had a crazy day we had a crazy day getting everyhone gathered together but after hours of traveling here and here and then back there again Elder Rittel and I were able to find everyone with some definite help from the Lord(we almost left an Elder at a bus stop because we could not find him and were about to take a metro to another bus voxall or station because we had no idea where he was but as we were heading down the stairs we heard a whistle and saw Elder Moore sprinting towards us! We had almost crossed the street just a little ways up the road but then I remembered that we did not have to and that there was a metro stop on the side of the road that we were on. It certainly was an answer to prayer and because it happened we were able to make it to the Sandberg's before 9:30 if not we would have been lucky to make it home by 11:00) But because I was the only Elder of our Mtc group that did not get sent out of the city the 1 other Elder not from our Mtc group but is a couple months older in the mission who serves in the city, we were the missionary herders for the night. Nothing like a couple of hours packed like a sardine in a hot and sticky metro or bus! Got to love the mission!

But we finally all got together again and had the priviledge of staying at the Sandberg's. They were so generous to us and President Sandberg actually drove us to the airport on Wednesday at 5 in the morning because our driver slept in, and not only that-it was his birthday! What an incredible example of love and selfless service. But we flew into Prague on Wednesday morning and got there at 8:00 and had our passport/visa lady waiting for us. She gave us all three day transport passes, took us to our hotel, took our passports and told us that she would see us on Friday at 9:00! Just like that- we had two full days in the city of Prague! We walked around for awhile and then went back to the hotel and got settled in at 2:00 because that is when our rooms opened up. We then caught up on the sleep that we were desperately lacking and then took off again. We ran into a man with a seven seater bicycle in the shape of a circle(I know crazy-huh?) and his name was Victor. We talked to him for awhile and he was the nicest guy. He asked if we wanted to take his tour but we told him not right now. He then just started telling us a little about Prague, it was pretty cool to hear about it all but then he told us about an excellent restraunt to eat with genuine czech food that was off the main tourist path and would save us some crowns(czech money) we ended up going there that night and ran into him again, we sat with him and his girlfriend and like he told us it would be the food was amazing! After that he took us to the bike shop that they work at we talked for awhile. It was so much fun! We said good bye for the night and then hit up a couple more sights before our 9:00 curfew.

On Thursday we had the most amazing continental breakfast, did our studies and then took off. It definitely helped that we were missionaries because we walked liked missionaries and we covered so much ground-it was great-seven white shirted men pacing through Prague! That has got to be one of the prettiest cities in the world, I canmot go into to detail about everything but it was incredible(google image that one too!) But throught the course of our day someone had brought english pass-along cards and so we contacted in English(it was amazing to do missionary work in English! and everyone spoke it there too!) But I had also grabbed two Czech copies of the Book of Mormon from the mission office and so we were able to hand those out also. One to a man named William who just dove in and started reading(it was so cool!) and then one to Victor who we ran into again(actually a couple more times!) He was so gracious and promised to read it and asked that we come and see him again if we come back! If it is true that we have some czech blood in us we should feel extremely priviledged because they are the nicest people and extremely sincere. It was a real blessing to see their beautiful city and feel their warmness as a people.

I love this church and know with all my heart that it is true and feel extremely priviledged to be able to be here representing the Lord, I only prayer that I am doing a good job at it!

Love,
elder dean

Letter from Ð Ð¾ÑÑÐ¸Ñ! June 12th, 2008

2008-06-12T08:22:00.000-07:00

Dear Everyone!

Well here comes your weekly letter once again from the world famous Hermitage Museum! Speaking about the Hermitage I have a funny story about it-On Tuesday while we were working here(telling people to take off their coats and leave them in the cloakroom) it was a pretty rainy day. And while I was just standing there I saw a dog come sprinting through the Hermitage! It had just wanted to get out of the cold and wet and so it snuck into a random door and as luck would have it-it was the Hermitage! It was so funny watching all of these security guards running around trying to herd this wet dog out on of the doors! I love when stuff like that happens!

Well this week has been another crazy one with just a lot going on but such is life-especially the life of a missionary! I found out this week that I have to go out of the country to renew my visa next week. Usually they would just send us on a bus to Estonia but Estonia got mad last week and so they are no longer allowing missionaries in there to renew their visas and so that means that we will be going to Prague-that's right the Czech Republic! Pretty crazy! It was kind of on short term notice and I guess that we will be the last group going there(Elder Clement's was the other group that was able to go and they got back yesterday)And so next Tuesday my whole Mtc group and I will sleep over at the Assistant's apartment and then Wednesday morning we will fly to Prague and spend the rest of the day Wednesday there, all day Thursday and then fly home on Friday!Who would ever thought that I would be going to Prague and if I am right-heading back to the land of my(our) roots! So that will be a pretty exciting time-seeing a new country and everything!

Not to alarm anyone but I got hit by a car this week!I know that there is probally a big smile on Brandon's face right now as he and his little brother can now relate to one more thing! But really it was'nt anything. We(I was on an exchange with an Elder Mueller from Germany) were walking around talking to people as we were waiting for our potential to show up for a meeting that we had-but as we were doing we were walking by a lady and so I started talking to her and handed her a pass-along card-she wasn't very interested-but as we were walking she stopped and turned to look at me but as she did so I noticed this car backing up behind her. The car was coming pretty fast for backing up and I said, "ostaroshha!" which just means, be aware. And the car didn't slow down at all and so right before it hit her I reached out with my left arm and caught her around the side and kind of threw her behind me out the way(This move may have even may Yourczeck proud!) and then the car just backed up into me and knocked me backwards until I hopped up on the curb with the lady and Elder Mueller. The car stopped when it hit the curb and then drove off. It was so weird and afterwards we were all just kind of looking at eachother like, "Did that really just happen!" Needless to say-she was very interested in my pass-along card arterwards!

Yesterday Elder Mueller and I went to go and visit a member and we had a pretty amazing experience with him. His name is Idalo and he is from Nigeria-speaks english-got baptized a year ago-is a rapper and he just came out with his own CD-is studying here, but doesn't like it because he feels that he is wating his time because if you are not from Russia they really don't care about how well you do in school and if wanted you could just buy your own diploma. So now he wants to go to BYU and so the Zone Leaders have been helping him get all set up to go but I had to pick-up some of the papers yesterday so that I could give them to out Branch President to fill out. But anyway while we were in his dorm we talk him about repentance and about how if we really want the Lord to help us than we need to do all that we can first(This is because after church on Sunday he expressed concerns to Elder Clement and I how he wants to stop cussing) and so after teaching him about those principles I said, "Now having learned about those what do you think about that-behind you" He has two large inappropriate posters that the missionaries have been trying to get him to take down for the longest time. He turned around and said,"NO!" but after some coaxing and reading some more scriptures with him he took the step and tore them down! It was amazing-beacause these two posters had a lot of significance to him and he was the one that tore them down and then ripped them up! I love helping people but it is even more amazing when you see people helping themselves by taking the proper steps towards turning to the Lord! What a priviledge it is to see that change!

Love you all,
Elder Dean

p.s. when are these babies coming?!

Weekly Letter from Russia-June 5, 2008

2008-06-05T08:24:00.000-07:00

To my dear Family and friends,

Well I bet that none of you can honestly say that you have every recieved an e-mail from the World Famous Hermitage Museum before, but now you can! Right know I am in the Hermitage and in about 30 minutes they are going to give a small group of missionaries an exclusive tour of the place! Sounds like fun, huh! So that is what I am up to today, also I have an interview with President Sandberg today and so I am super excited about that, that is something that I really need right about now. In my mission prep class that I took during the fall, Bro. Bott said that serving a mission equivicates to about 50 years of regular church service, he then followed up that statement by saying that is it any wonder that a mission is such a roller coaster ride? If you are going to get all of that experience in two years it is required that on your mission you will have your lowest lows and your highest highs. I can tell you now that that statement is true. I have been having a really hard time lately but yet at the same time I cannot describe some of the sweet experiences that I have been able to witness in the last little while. My companion and I are trying to work out some things between us and it has been a really tough first half of a transfer. Last night after our English Club I asked Elder Clement if he could give a priesthood blessing and so we went into another room and he gave me a very inspired blessing with many sound admonitions directly from the Lord. There is no experience that relates to being the recipient of a priesthood blessing, to hear those words and know that they are coming directly to you from the Lord. There are things that Elder Clement said to me that I had read earlier in my patriarchal blessing earlier yesterday morning and also some of the very thoughts that I have mulling over during the past couple days. The power of the priesthood is real and it has been restored for the purpose of blessing us-Heavenly Father's children. It truly is an amzing blessing, and through it I have been able to recieve the help from the Lord that I need to get through these current trials.

On a different note, I have a favor to ask someone. If someone could send me some copies of the some children hymns or other songs not in the hymnal that would be great. Two that I thought of this week that I would really like would be, "I am trying to be like Jesus", "Beautiful Savior" and "This is the Christ" and any other of your favorites. Thanks-with Summer coming around there are many new situations that are arising around me that it is important that I always have a inspired hymn in the back of my mind.

I don't have much time but I wanted to share something else that occured yesterday. We had a pretty hectic day running around in a threesome because an Elder got sent home yesterday to have surgery on his ear. But after everything got situated I realized that we had English club in about an hour and I had not prepared a spiritual thought. I did not know what it should be on so I said a prayer and asked to know what I needed to talk about, and I don't know how to describe it but the answer came through a strong feeling confirming a thought-talk about Eternal Families. So real quick I grabbed my calendar, the one that Brittany gave me with a large picture of our family on the front and then a russian hymnal and last fall's general Conference Ensign and then we zoomed off for English. I wasn't quite sure what I was going to say but I prayed for the Lord to help me and those who would hear, and He did. After our English lesson we introduced that we would be having our spiritual thought and then the lord helped me introduce this new(for them) gospel doctrine into their lives. I can't give you a detailed account but the spirit was there as I shared this wonderful knowledge that we have. I shared the story of Elder Octaviano losing his daughter, Cassidy and Ammon losing Cael, and I bore my teatimony that I know that each of these parents will hold their children again. The spirit was so strong and I am feeling it again as I reflect on that moment. We closed our thought by Elder Clement and I singing "Families can be together forever" first in english and then in Russian. After closing my testimony in the name of Jesus Christ I was suprised to see that I was not the only one with tears in my eyes and I could see the effect that the spirit had/was having. It was an experience that I do not ever wish to forget and don't plan on doing so. I know that those doctrines that I taught are true and I bear my testimony to you that we will be an eternal family, through the grace of our Heavenly Father's Plan. Of this I know for certain-more so than ever. I love you all and pray for each of you daily and I know that the Lord hears my prayers, for as Elder Clement relayed to me last night from the Lord- "All is well at home" of that I am truly grateful.

-Elder Dean

Ð¿Ñ€Ð¸Ð±ÐµÐ¼ from Russia-May 29th, 2008

2008-05-29T11:46:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone!

Thank you so much for sending all of your good news my way! It is so nice to be able to know that all of you are doing so well and that so many prayers are answered! Jason thanking you so much for sending that letter and pictures! I can tell that even though the feminine forces will be strong, he is going to be a tough kid!!

Well as far as Russia goes things are going well! The weather is nice and so that certainly does help make life easier as we try and talk to people about the wonderful news that they have not heard yet. Also with the sun coming out and the Summer coming on strong it has been interesting to see something I have never seen before-Gypsies! I did not know that gypsies even existed but they do and guess what-they even look like Gypsies! Imagine a gypsy in your mind and that is what they look like. Pretty interesting to see. I have heard some stories about them but from what I have seen they are pretty mild and just beg for money. So we'll see!

Elder Pylnikov and I were waiting to meet someone at a bus stop the other day and as we were doing so across the street out of nowhere hot brown water came shooting out of the ground. It was so random-I loved it! It was like a miniature geiser of nasty, super hot water, that just came pouring out of the ground and after a little while ended up flood 1/2 of the street and then a little later the whole street. But it was no big deal-people just kept on with their normal lives and after a while some truck pulled up and the workers after awhile finally figured out how to shut if off but it was pretty funny though. But like I said no big deal-just another day occurence here!

Yesterday we had our zone conference and because it was President Sandberg's last one, the area seventy came. It was amazing! His name is President Pieper and he such an amazing person. He spoke to us for almost 3 hours and everything he said was just so amazing! It definetely helped restore some faith and boost my motivation to do the Lord's work. Which is something that I definetely needed. It is amazing how it is not always exactly what they say but what the spirit teaches you as you sit in a meeting where it is present. It is a hard feeling to describe but understood by those who have felt it. But while I was sitting in that meeting I had a feeling come to me about what I should teach about during the spiritual thought at English last night. I felt very strongly to teach about the Plan of Salvation. And so as I reflected upon that feeling more and more it felt more and more right, and I started to pray that the Lord would help me and guide me in what to say. It was originally planned that the Zone Leaders would not be at English and I would be alone in teaching the conversation group(like I did last week) but they ended up coming and so I had Elder Clement there to help me out. We had a good hour long english conversation(not allowed to call them lessons) and then we announced that we would now be having our spiritual thought and if they would like to stay we would love to have them. They all stayed-there were four of them, and I broke out my Plan of Salvation puzzle that Cassidy and Ammon gave me and we started teaching. There was an amazing spirit there, just calm and peaceful as we bore our testimony of that what we taught was true. I know that that was exactly what we were supposed to teach. I know that this is the Lord's work and that he leads us to do it. The work may slow in Russia at this time but the time will come when the people will come to this knowledge because they will find out what we have to say! I know it will come!

Love,

Elder Dean

Ð¿Ñ€Ð¸Ð²ÐµÑ‚ Ð¼Ð°Ñ ÑÐµÐ¼ÑŠÑ! 22/05/08

2008-05-22T11:50:00.000-07:00

Dear Everyone,

I just wanted to start out by thanking everyone for their love, letters and support, I am not able to convey to you the feeeling that it brings into my heart when I think of all of you and the support that you ever so continually provide me with. Also Happy 32nd Anniversary Mom and Dad! That is so exciting I hope that you go out and do something that will make it very memorable!

A lot has happened this week and I am excited to tell you but I have to be quick or I will run out time(as always!) First I will start off with your random Russian moment about the dogs in Russia. The dogs in Russia are the funniest thing, sometimes while we are making our way home at night you will see all these dogs just running around together, and that may not sound too funny but it really is! It looks like a mini gang just running around wreaking(sp?) havoc, because they run from place to place barking up a storm and it is so funny. But the best part is that in the morning you see all of these dogs just passed out all over the place because they spent the whole night running around. It is makes me laugh everytime!

Next, on Saturday we had a pretty crazy service project. We called a man in our branch and asked him how he was doing and he told us that he was fine but he needed some help moving a couch. So we met up with him and we walked to an apartment where there was the relatively big "L" shaped couch. We dismantled it so that it turned into a regular size couch and two love seat sized pieces and then we loaded it onto the elevator and took it down 6 floors and put it into a hired truck and we then drove with the truck driver to where this member lived and we unloaded the couch in front of the elevator-only to find out that the only part of the couch that we could fit in the elevator were the cushions and pillows. We then asked what floor he lived on, he told us the TWELTH! This is a good example to visualize what a Russian dome is like! So he took the cushions and pillows up on the elevator and then my companion and I grabbed one of the love seat sized pieces and made the 12 floor trek. It was a long way but we still had two more pieces to go, so we went back downstairs and got ready for the next trip. I thought that there was no point in making three trips if we can do it in two and so I took the couched and flipped it up on my head and Elder Pylnikov took the love seat and we made the trek again. About half way up I heard Elder Pylnikov breathing heavy and I heard a big crash! He had dropped the love seat piece down a half flight of stairs-oops! But long story short it all worked and we got the whole couch up on the twelth floor and they were so appreciative! They fed us a really good russian lunch of cucumbers, rice,tomatoes and of course "burn your tastebuds off" russian tea! It was so nice of them and we shared a spiritual thought from 3rd Nephi before we left. But while we were putting our shoes on this brother in our branch came up and gave me a big hug and then gave my companion a big hug also. From what I have seen thus far that is not a very Russian thing to do and so I was very touched and impressed by his gratitude!

Also on Monday night we had a service appointment to help a lady in our branch put up wallpaper. I was thinking the whole time how disappointed Mom would be that I was wasting my time putting up wallpaper and not suggesting that we paint the walls instead. But this sister in our Branch is single and has a nineteen year-old daughter who wants nothing to do with the church, which really hurts her. But while we were doing the service I mentioned to one of the Sisters that I had brought a Liaxona in hopes that we could do a spiritual thought she said that she thought that it was a great idea and so as we were finishing up I asked if we could have a spiritual thought and the Sister said Yes. I don't have time for details but it was absolutely amazing the things that occured leading up to that point and throughout that experience that many people would call coincidences but I know that they were not. It was amazing!Please keep me in your prayers, I say it in all humility that I need them, as well as the people we are teaching, and I promise that I am doing the same.

with lots of love,
Elder Dean

Weekly Letter 15/5/08

2008-05-15T11:52:00.000-07:00

Dear Family!

Well another week has come along and so that means another has left. And here I find myself sitting in a little Russian cafe again with another week of experience, stories... under my belt. It is so much fun to think about how much you are truly able to accomplish in the course of a week!

Yesterday I looked at my watch and realized that tomorrow will be my 4 month marker-and that just blew me away! The time has been flying by so fast it is amazing! But once again it was a reminder to me of how precious time is and how important it is that we use it to its absolute fullest at all times!

It was so nice to talk to Mom and Dad on Sunday! That truly has proven to be a blessing in my life and gave me an extra boost that I didn't even know that I needed. One thing that I want to share with all those who read this letter is to let them know how amazing my/our parents are. After I got off the phone with them on Sunday I had a very strong impression from the spirit of how fortunate I/we all our to have their influences in our lives. I cannot imagine a life without them but one thing is for sure none of us would be where we are today without them, and that goes for everyone! What a marvelous plan thaqt our Heavenly Father has set up-that we are able to enjoy the blessings of having a family here on this earth-and it is no wonder that we are able to know that our reward in the next life(if we are worthy of it) is to be with them forever. Of that I am officially stoked! Also it is interesting in sharing the gospel with the Russian people here-they can be pretty hard sometimes and you can throw all that you have at them(figuratively speaking) and a lot of the time it will have no effect but once you ask them about their family-it strikes a cord! And as for everything-there is reason behind that! And that reason is because-it just makes sense! People may say that they believe one way but really I am convinced that everyone knows the truth deep down inside and that is why it is so essential to have the spirit be with you when you are teaching (and at all times) so that when you speak those truths to those people the Holy Ghost is able to do his job-testify of truths and bring up those feelings of, "Oh, that just feels right!" And so once again it is amazing to view the plan of our Heavenly Father and realize the remarkable love that He has for each of us.

Sorry that was more like a spiritual journal entry but that is what I felt like I needed to write and so that is what came out. Anyway, this week has once again been some what hectic. We recieved transfer calls on Saturday night and I have been called to serve in my same area with my new companion, Elder Pylnikov. And as you can probaly tell from looking at his name he is a native russian. They usually stick the older elders with the natives (maybe so that they are able to communicate better) and so this is a really good opportunity. And not just by happenstance(sp?), I have really been praying for help with my language skills and so I know that this is a direct answer to my prayer. But just as the Lord always does He is going to make me work for it-isn't that great! That he has us learn all of the lessons along the way instead of just droping us off at the destination! And so the journey has began and it will be a tough trip.

Story of the week-Elder Clement and I were waiting at the bus stop the other day and as we were just chatting it up we heard and simulataneously saw a really big car accident off to the left of us us. A car ran a red light and another car smashed into him and sent that car flying into are direction. It all happened really fast but a long story short, as the car was traveling towards us we saw a real miracle, because there was a girl in the cross walk and there is no explanation for how she did not get hit except to describe it by saying it was a miracle. She was about to get hit and then somehow she was able to react so fast that she was on the curb-It is hard to explain but again it was a true miracle! The car traveled about 35 yardsand landed about 5 feet away from Elder Clement and I!

Love you all!

Elder Dean

Letter From Russia-08/05/08

2008-05-08T11:57:00.000-07:00

Dear Everyone!

Well here I am again-finding myself in a little Russian Cafe letting everyone know that I am safe and sound! That is always a nice thing to be able to say! Actually right now I am in a little city outside of St. Petersburg called Pushkin-my companions and I decided that we would take a little trip down here for our preparation day, and it has been a blast! Today we actually went up to the Puskin Palace and walked around there for awhile. You should try google-ing that and see all of the pretty pictures and know that I saw all of those things today! Hopefully one day I can figure out how to send pictures to all of you? I made a couple of CDs and tried sending them but unfortunately the "pouch" system shut me down-too bad! I guess that I am not allowed to send certain things in envelopes-I'll have to figure that out.

Well I got the news about Kevin getting his call to Guatemala and I am way excited about that-it's no Russia but I guess that it will have to do-just kidding! He is going to be great and have a blast! And i am anxious to hear about where Austin is going-there is still hope for another Russia call-my fingers are crossed!

This week has been a little bit ÑÑƒÐ¼Ð°ÑˆÐµÐ´ÑˆÐ¸ or as in english we would say, "Crazy!" You might have noticed that earlier in my e-mail I said, "companions" and no Dad that was not one of my many typos but a true statement. I have a new companion, Elder Pfister is his name and he is from Germany. And no transfers have not come yet-so this how it happend. Last friday we got a call that we had to meet our Zone Leaders at President Sandburg's house because we thought that one of them had to go to the hospital the next day and so he was going to stay with them and we would go in a threesome with our other Zone Leader, Elder Pfister. So we did go in the threesome and we were waiting for a phone call about a possible new companion for him or what? But that call did not come until Sunday night when Pres. called and called Elder Clement to be junior Zone Leader and for me to work with the two "Zone Leaders" until next week when transfer calls come. This all happend because our old zone leader, Elder Henderson has been called to be a branch president down in a place call Pskov. Pretty Crazy though! So for these two weeks that we have together we have two areas to cover and that makes for a lot of traveling but fortunately there are plenty of people to talk to on the way!

I love being a missionary here! I love being a missionary period! And I do not plan on stopping after my precious two years are up-because this is something that I just absolutely love doing! Surely I only know about 5 words in Russian and sure every once in awhile when I am speaking to someone the moment hits both of us and we realize that we do not understand eachother but as Elder Scott said, "I would not change that for anything!" that is why I am here to struggle to find out how I can teach the people here the precious truths that I know to be true. The truths that have changed my life! I love this opportunity that I have been given, it always hits me pretty hard when I stop and refocus and realize that my job here is to be representing the savior. I am to be doing what Jesus Christ would be doing if he personally was here. What a humbling honor that is, and I pray everyday that I will be able to fufill that responsibility. And I can feel the effects of your prayers working too-I really can. They keep me going!Thanks!

I love you all!
Elder Dean

The News From St. Petersburg! 01/05/08

2008-05-01T11:59:00.000-07:00

Dear Family,

Well here I am giving you your weekly update from St. Petersburg-no not Florida!-But Russia! Every week I write that and it never gets old-because Russia is such an amazing place, and I cannot wait for some future day when you all can see it too! Well since my e-mails are always so scattered and rushed I have decided to make them mor ordered. I was thinking and I came up with the following format: I will explain some aspect about Russia, a funny story and then something spiritual that occurred. I hope that sounds good!

Alright first things first-something about Russia. How about housing? Everyone in Russia lives in enormous apartment buildings call domes. Kind of funny-huh? They are everywhere though just these ginormous(sp?-sorry) apartment buildings. And everything is based on these domes-the street name signs are located on the domes and every dome has a number. And so when we go out contacting we look for Lenninsky Prospect dome # 13/48-then when we get there we use the dome-a-phone(no joke) and call the person and then they buzz us in-if they want(that is the hard part!) and then we either climb the stairs or squeeze into the tiny elevator and ride it up. The actual apartments are quite small-it is like taking Grandma and Grandpa's house and dividing it in thirds and making three apartments from that. But the slightly wealthier people here have things called Dotcha's out in the country and they go and visit those to get away from the city for awhile. As for those they are like large play houses! So yea-that is Russian housing for you. If you had any questions about it-I live in a very safe dome. We have three doors we have to go through to get into out flat and we even have a security guard(who is usually watching T.V. drinking Tea or taking a nap) no-but it is really safe-no worries!

Alright-so a couple weeks ago I had a bad rash on my arms and they were extremely dry, as was my face. Even to the point that the skin was peeling off! Elder Clement had the same prooblem on his hands and we could not figure it out, but I finally did last week! Here is what happend! The first Friday that I was in Russia, we went shopping for some things that I needed and while we shopping Elder Clement said how he needed some lotion and so we stopped in the appropriate aisle and found some that smelled really good(bananna and Vanilla-just in case you were wondering!) and so we each bought some. Afterwards throughout the following weeks-everytime one of used it, we expressed how strange of a "Russian" lotion it was-but it smelled good and that is all that mattered. But even though I was using this lotion my skin just kept getting drier and drier, and even thougth I was pretty sure it was the lotion-that is all I had and so I kept slapping it on to hide how dry my skin was. THE CONCLUSION: And last week as we were doing our shopping I stopped in the aisle because I saw our lotion there and picked it up and just said to Elder Clement, "Hey, there's are little buddy!" but when I said that a word caught my eye. "BaHH" and then my mind started working- that word means bath! Yes, I finally figured it out-we were using Body wash for lotion. I yelled that down the aisle to Elder Clement and he was pretty embarassed-it was great-oops! Needless to say-my skin is doing much better now!

Last Saturday night I was going through a big box with a lot of old things in it that previous missionaries had left and while I was doing so I found a bunch of ties in a bag, I came back inside and showed Elder Clement and said, "Hey we can give these to Andre" he agreed and so the next day we folded the ties very nicely and took them over to Andre-who is about to enter the MTC to go on a mission in Samara Russia. He is the only member in family and is just the neatest guy! And so we took these ties over to him and had him close his eyes while we laid them out-and then we had him open his eyes! He was so suprised and so grateful! He told us that he did not have the words to express his gratitude as he only had three other ties. We told him that now he has 12! It truly was a miracle!

Got to go love you all,
Elder Dean

Russia 24-4-08

2008-04-24T12:01:00.000-07:00

Dear Family(I have come to the conclusion even if we are not connected through blood we are still family!)

Well week 4 in Russia and things are going amazing! But first things first-I just finished reading everyones e-mails and submitting my numbers and writing Pres. Sandburg and I only have 26 minutes left -and the internet cafe does not let me print e-mails and so I am thinking for right now-while I am in Avtovo it would be best to do the DearElder thing. That would work out because my church building is the Mission office and so I would get those letters every week-so if that would be possible that would be great! If you want any questions answered immediately though-just send through this e-mail address. Thanks! Actually while I am on that subject and before I forget-Mom as far as wearing western clothing there is no problem there! I actually see all kinds of western clothing-for instance while we were walking home from english the other week I stopped to contact a man and while we were talking I looked his hat and it said San diego on it! It was really cool and he said he had bought it in Coronado, and last Friday we met with an investigator and he showed his Santa Monica Pier hat to me-small world!

Well on Sunday i gave my first talk on Sunday! and yes it was in Russian! I just got up there and said my name, how many people were in my family, where i am from and then bore my testimony. Everytime I looked down there were people just giving me the biggest smiles-it was great! I don't that they have seen such a goofy/excited/poor speaking elder before!? But overall it went very well and I had a lot of people come and talk with me afterwards.

Along that same train of thoought I was on my first exchange yesterday, and we went out and did a lot of contacting, it was so much fun! I like to think of contacting as "Seed Planting" because there are a lot of people who don't listen but they still walk away with a picture of Jesus Christ in their hands! But yesterday I taught my first lesson all by myself-I contacted a man at a bus, said somethings to him, asked him some qustions, gave him a Book of Mormon and bore my Testimony it was really amazing to see the Lord helping me out so much with the language. Also yesterday I almost had a man kiss me! I know! I gave him a Liaxona and a Book of Mormon a then he asked how much? And I told him, without pay (or free) and he got so excited-kissed the Book of Mormon and then made an attempt to kiss me but luckily I was considerably taller than him! Way cool guy though!

There are Miracles that occur everyday here but real quick I want to mention two-No lie Real Miracles. On Tuesday night (while i was on my exchange) i called up one of investigators-Michael(our english speaker) and asked when he would be home he said around 9 and so I said cool and wished him luck on his test he was about to take. Then we jetted home and I cooked up a batch of brownies and made a sign that said, "Congratulations on your english test Michael!" (he took an english test last Saturday that we helped him study for and he got top marks and credited to prayer!) and after the brownies were done we ran them over and unfortunately he wasn't there but a lady came out of his dome door and so we snuck in and left the card on his door and the brownies on the step. And then sprinted home! The next morning there was a text on my phone saying how suprised he was and how grateful he was! He then called me up and I got to hear how happy it truly made him- a real miracle to make someone that happy!

Love you-got to jet!

Elder Dean

Hey family 4-17-08

2008-04-17T12:04:00.000-07:00

Dear Everyone,

How is everyone doing all over this big world of ours? I hope that you are all doing well and having a great time! Well I will start out by answering the questions that were posed in the letter I recieved from Dad. Yes I got your package with the bug juice in it. The food is what we make-For example: this morning I made French Toast and for lunch Elder Clement made spaghetti. Things like that but it is always good! We do not eat at members houses but within the last week we have had a couple of appointments with them and some potential investigators, and everytime after the meeting they go into the next room and then call us in and we have chi which is tea and there are always little treats that go along with it. It is so much fun and I love it! It is like a lttle tea party where we just sit back and get to know eachother better-so much fun! So yes the food is excellent and people are very generous! The juice and bread over here is absolutely amazing!

Our apartment is tinybut that is just fine! I have pictures and just tried to figure out how to send them but the computer that I am on will not allow me to do so-sorry! Our apartment has one room and a kitchen-yep pretty small. I do my workout and studies in the kitchen and so everything is just fine. Everyone in Russia lives in what they call domes. They are just huge apartment buildings-huge. And before I forget-Yes, it would be an accurate statement to describe everyone in russia as in a hurry! But it is suprising how many people are willing to stop and chat with us. And along with everyone being in a hurry, everyone smokes and drinks in Russia. And I figured out why the last couple of days. The reason is because beer is cheaper than a bottle of water and cigarettes cost about 35 cents! It is rampant over here!

The other day EC (Elder Clement) and I stopped a man and were talking to him, we brought up the gospel and he told us that he did not need what we have. We said no seriously you need this. This man then started to explain the Soviet Times-He said you just don't understand what happend-you just don't understand and then walked off. It really hit me that we really don't know, but then it I had another realization that we do know what we have though, and that is why we are here. I cannot say much in Russian but I do know how to say that god lives and I know that God knows and loves you. What a great opportunity it is to bear that testimony to these people that were told for so long the opposite. I know that I am here for a reason and that this people need the help of the Savior in their lives and it is my job to extend the invitation. I am glad that I am here and just pray that I will not interfere with the Lord's work. I read through my patriarchal blessing this week and it helped me realize my purpose. Along with that I was suprised to find something else I have never realized in it. It exhorts to be obedient 6 separate times, 3 of which say, "perfectly obedient", I may not be the brightest or best missionary out here but I certainly can be obedient, and I am glad that the Lord has put his trust in me to be here. I have so much to say but so little time, like how I was playing basketball with a bunch of random Russians while conference was going on in America, or how last week I played soccer in a building that looked just like the Tabernacle-no joke, or about the crazy bus attendant who started singing a random love song to some random old lady that came on the bus and just had everyone in near tears, or how we jumped on a bus at the last second and my backpack got stuck in the doors and I was stuck for awhile, or how some potential investigators were making fun of me because I was getting cold yesterday while we were outside for a couple of hours in the arctic chill of a Russian morning, or how we gave a spiritual thought at English last week and had a man really open up to us about how he was afraid to die and explained his reasoning behind it because he was a sinner and he therefore had no chance, or how we saw a miracle in a man named Michael last night as we taught him about prayer and how we saw a change in him-we could actually see that he could feel the spirit-it was amazing!... So many things-so little time. Love you all-make sure that you stay close to the Lord in all you do and ask to feel his love for you-it will come!Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Dean

p.s. If you have questions please let me know and I will answer them next week

4-10-08 Hey Family and Friends!

2008-04-10T12:10:00.000-07:00

Dear Everybody of Reads This,

Well it never gets old to me, so I'll say it again-I'm in Russia! That really is amazing to me to say, because for all of you(with the exception of Jason) it is 1:00 in the morning, but for me it the middle of the day! I just think that is so funny-I don't know why but it is! Well, week two in Russia was even better than week 1- I don't know how that is possible but it is! (and I have a feeling that it is already going to progressively better and better...!) To help me remember everything that I wanted to write about I took notes about the things that happend during the week that I want to touch upon, so I will get started... Well I start at the begining-Last thursday(my preparation day) Elder Clement and I went out shopping and while we were waiting for one our buses we saw a Babooshka(that is so weird to write that in english) start crossing a relatively busy road(side note-Russians are crazy when it comes to crossing the street-they do it when they want and where they want-so as you can imagine things get a little crazy!)but she started crossing the street-she didn't even look both ways before crossing-and so she was crossing and then these two cars came racing down the street (going the regular speed in Russia-Fast!) and one passed the other car and then seeing the babooshka in the road it slammed on the breaks and the swerved. The skid marks were about thirty feet long and it was the by far the closest that I have ever seen anyone come to dying. After it was all said and done, the Babooshka finished crossing the street and continued on her way-not even a clue about what happend! I just thought you would like to hear that story because I think that it portrays a normal day on the streets of Saint Petersburg. From drunk people yelling about how they know Joseph Smith, to teenagers trying to yell at us in English but not making any sense, or to some babooshka swatting me on the behind while I was bending over and saying something to me in Russian...Whatever it is-Life is Good in Russia and I love it!

On Tuesday we had our service in the Hermitage, yep "The Hermitage" pretty exciting, huh! That place is beautiful and so big! Elder Clement and I got there early and so went in and looked around for a bit. We saw the room on "Anastasia" where she is dancing around, saw a couple of original Rembrandts-you know no big deal. No- I am just kidding it was really fun to got through there and I get to work there every Tuesday for the next 5 weeks(at least!) Please make sure to tell Sister Lockhart, I know that she will be excited to hear! But what we do is stand in the front doorway and tell people to take off their jackets and go check their bags. After we were through though-Elder Clement said that he had a good idea so we made our way up to the service desk-where they had just announced that ticket office would be closing in 5 minutes and we asked if they wanted an announcement in English. The lady said yes and so I made the announcement-Pretty cool huh! Your Baby boy/brother/friend was making announcements in one of the world's most famous museums!!!

My companion is great! We are both so appreciative to have been put together! Having Elder Clement for a companion is like spend 24/7 with you best friend-it is great! He kind of reminds me of a Brian Iufer/Matt Fisler Mix that kind of looks like a beefed up Michael Nelson! He is way fun though! Yeseterday he told someone on the phone that this last week was the absolute hardest week that he has worked on his mission! He is so great-I wonder off and try talking to people and then when I can't say anything else he hops in and saves me. It is great!

The other day we were riding on the Metro and I had an Idea-so I sound a seat next to two women on either side of me and I pulled out a Russian Liaxona. when i opened it up I instantly saw that it perked the interest of the girl next to me-probally about 19 years old. I pretended to read-because I really had no idea what it was saying-but I knew that she did! After a while a lady came and stood in front of me- and in Russia that means that they want your seat- so I stood up and started zipping up my backpack and then in my best Russian I said, "take this please" The girl was suprised at first but then her face lit up and said, cpaceba-Thank you! It was amazing-to see some get so excited! It was a miracle to me that I am very appreciative to the lord that he allowed me to be the instrument in his hands! We saw her reading it like crazy-and then reading it in between metros! It was amazing!Well I have a lot more to say but no time!

Love you all,
Elder Dean

Hey Family 4-03-08

2008-04-03T12:14:00.000-07:00

Dear Family,

I am in RUSSIA! Whoo can you believe that! So exciting... Well as you are probally all interested on what the details are I will get started...We woke up at 3:30 on Tuesday Morning got all of our final preparations settled and made our way to the Travel Office at 5:00. Our teacher Bro. Miller met us there to say his final good-bye with his new fiancee-what a great teacher! But we said our final good-byes and then got on the bus and made our way up to Salt Lake. It was weird to drive through Provo and Orem and to realize that the world still existed outside of the MTC. But we got on our plane and flew to New York with no problems-actually I take that back. While we were on the plane I was nodding off and I heard a loud thud. I didn't think anything of it but then a lady started screaming-that got my attrnrtion! A man who was walking down the aisle passed out. There were a lot more details but I don't have time to go into them-but the bottom line was that he was dehydrated and everything was alright. But we got into JFK and we were walking through the Delta Terminal and I took all of my tickets out of my jacket. There were a lot of papers there and so I wanted to make through that I didn't lose anything important. So i took out all the important looking things and then trew away two unimportant looking pieces of paper. After that we walked over to the next terminal and found Austrian Air and while I was at the counter the lady helping me asked where my baggage tickets were, I pleaded innocent and told her that Delta never gave them to us. She then turned and asked her co-worker if any of my other companions had theirs-of course they all did and when I saw what paper it was I turned to the lady and told her that I had thrown that paper away and I would be right back! I grabbed another Elder and went sprinting back to the other Terminal. I was just laughing and shaking my head the whole way-what a goof! But then when we got there I couldn't get into the terminal where the trash can was but to save time-it all worked out! When I was going through security at JFK I walked and the man there said, "Alright you I have thirty seconds, I am completely nieve-tell me what the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints believes in. It was a lot of fun anf I told him. He looked at my tag and then said are you going to Russia and I told him that I was. He then said, "how are you?" in Russian,I then told him that I was well and then asked how he was. He was impressed and then started to ask about how long I had been training for. I told him 2 and 1/2 months and he was suprised. I offered him a pass along card and he told me that he already had one because he saw "us" in Jamaica! It was a cool experience. The flight from JFK went went well and the flight was long but not a bad long. They fed us twice and I was able to get a lot done. Austria-from what I saw from the plane was beautiful. Very green and a lot of small villages scattered across the way. We landed and then had our first interaction with Europe! Three of us went into the men's restroom and found a women in there cleaning. Just doing her own thing-no signs or anything-but just cleaning while men were coming in and out using the restroom. Just a little bit awkward! and if that wasn't enough I opened a door to a stall and there was already some man in there-"Sorry about that!" (Because the stalls are completely covered from ceiling to floor)

A couple more funny things happened in Austria but we got through it alright and made our way to Saint Petersburg Russia! They fed us again on the plane-really good food!-Then offered us Pornography-definetely not America! But around 5:00 p.m.(about 6:00 a.m. San Diego time) we landed in the Mother Land! It was kind of trippy get through the process of coming into another country by ourselves but it all worked out! We met a couple of Elders, the AP's and President and Sister Sandburg.(they are super nice!) We got our luggage(it all made it!-Iguess that is extremely unusual)in the van and then we were informed that we were going to go out contacting! The Sandburgs left us and the missionaries took off walking towards the mission home. We all got on a Mar-shrew-ka(kind of like a van taxi-thing) and then split up along the way. Russian Drivers are completely nutz! I was loving it! Elder Lark and I went with one of the AP's and walked around a park in St. Petersburg, handing out fliers for English club. I had some teenage girl suddenly turn on me and started saying something to me in Russian touching my chest-IO just looked up at the AP and he said something and she backed away-I later found out that she just wanted a cigarette. We then made it to to the mission home-which is right next to that famous candyland building in St. Pete's. We had dinner, got interviewed and went to bed. Yesterday we drove to the church building in St. Pete's and had orientation meetings and everything else. I am serving in Autovo. It is the south west part of the city. Everyone else in my Mtc district got shipped out of the city-I am the only that stayed-of which I am very grateful-because I love it! My companion's name is Elder Clement and he is amazing. Everyone has been telling me the last couple days what an amazing elder he is! Prayers were answered! Well all is well in Russia(including the weather!) but I got to go! Love you all and I'll talk to you later!

Love,

Elder Dean

p.s. I don't know how you want to send mail-e-mail is fine or those dearelders

p.p.s. Yes I got your package Brandon-Thanks!

At the MTC

2008-02-01T10:31:00.000-08:00

Family and Friends before the Big Send-Off

2008-01-18T10:13:00.000-08:00

(Sorry about all the pictures that are horizontal and not vertical-I'm not sure how to flip them on this...Maybe if Corbin wasn't so dang tall, so many of these wouldn't be vertical in the first place!)

Dinner with Grandpa and Grandma Stotts, Uncle Jim and Sharma, and Mom and Dad.
Grandma and Grandpa Stotts

Corbin's Mission Call

2007-12-18T09:31:00.000-08:00

St. Petersburg, Russia!!

Elder Dean

Serving in a Winter wonderland Dec 17, 2010

Dear Family- April 30, 2009

Писмо от Ст. Дина-23.04.09

Dear Family- April 16, 2009

Letter from Russia-April 9, 2009

Dear Family- April 2, 2009

Dear Family- March 26, 2009

Dear Family-March 19, 2009

Weekly Letter- March 12, 2009

Dear Family-March 5, 2009

Family Letter- February 26, 2009

February 19, 2009- Letter Home

Letter Home February 12, 2009

Letter home February 5, 2009

January 28, 2009

January 22, 2009

January 15, 2009

January 8, 2008

December 31, 2008

Happy Thanksgiving!! November 27, 2008

Letter of November 20, 2008

Privet Mou cembuu! Letter 13th of November 2008

Letter from November 6, 2008

Happy Birthday Elder Dean!

Happy Halloween

Hello from Russia October 23, 2008

More Sightly Sites

Bcem Pryvet! October 16, 2008

Kak bce tam B Amereeka? October 10, 2008

Russian "Happy Birthday" Song

Animal Antics

Hello! October 2, 2008

Sites and Scenery

Classic Corbin

Zdrastvooete from Russia again! September 25, 2008

Fellow Missionaries

Pryvt from Russia-September 18, 2008

Elder Dean with Church Members

Zdrastvooyte eez Rocceya! September 11, 2008

привет again from Russia! September 4, 2008

Prvyet from Russia-August 28, 2008

Hello again from Russia August 22, 2008

Hello everyone! August 14, 2008

August 7, 2008

ÐŸÑ€Ð¸Ð²ÐµÑ‚ Ð’ÑÐµÐ¼! Ð¸ÑŽÐ»ÑŒ 31, 2008

ÑÐµÐ¼ÑŒÑ Ð¸ Ð´Ñ€ÑƒÐ·ÐµÐ¹! July 24, 2008

Corbin/Mom in the Deseret News

Elder Dean's Pictures from Russia- (Click on one if you want to see it up close)

Letter from Ð Ð¾ÑÑÐ¸Ñ! July 18, 2008

Hello! July 10, 2008

Dear Family...July 3, 2008

Hello from Russia! 21/6/08

Letter from Ð Ð¾ÑÑÐ¸Ñ! June 12th, 2008

Weekly Letter from Russia-June 5, 2008

Ð¿Ñ€Ð¸Ð±ÐµÐ¼ from Russia-May 29th, 2008

Ð¿Ñ€Ð¸Ð²ÐµÑ‚ Ð¼Ð°Ñ ÑÐµÐ¼ÑŠÑ! 22/05/08

Weekly Letter 15/5/08

Letter From Russia-08/05/08

The News From St. Petersburg! 01/05/08

Russia 24-4-08

Hey family 4-17-08

4-10-08 Hey Family and Friends!

Hey Family 4-03-08

At the MTC

Family and Friends before the Big Send-Off

Corbin's Mission Call

ÐŸÑ€Ð¸Ð²ÐµÑ‚ Ð’ÑÐµÐ¼! Ð¸ÑŽÐ»ÑŒ 31, 2008

ÑÐµÐ¼ÑŒÑ Ð¸ Ð´Ñ€ÑƒÐ·ÐµÐ¹! July 24, 2008

Letter from Ð Ð¾ÑÑÐ¸Ñ! July 18, 2008

Letter from Ð Ð¾ÑÑÐ¸Ñ! June 12th, 2008

Ð¿Ñ€Ð¸Ð²ÐµÑ‚ Ð¼Ð°Ñ ÑÐµÐ¼ÑŠÑ! 22/05/08