"The Lord has Made Us Mighty in Word"

Dallin's cute personality that I miss so much really came through his letters home this week.  It made my heart smile and I shed a couple of tears.  To make matters worse, as I was driving in the car with Carter today taking care of a bunch of things he needed done in preparation for his Fall semester, he turned on his itunes to the song by Five for Fighting called "The Best" and we talked about how much we are missing Dallin.   He told me how much this song reminds him of him and Dallin and all the times they played ball together.  My three boys have always been the best of friends.  We moved so many times in their young lives that they had to learn to really rely on each other.  I have countless memories of them playing baseball in every back yard we have had.  Sometimes it would just be two of them out there playing catch, but most of the time we would have a backyard full of kids and a full on wiffle ball game going on. They would play for hours and it would usually end with me ordering pizza and making cookies or brownies for everyone.  I miss those days - we all do!  Here are the lyrics to "The Best".  It makes me cry every time I hear it!

What kind of love is the best kind of love?
The one above all the rest of the loves?
Grab a hat, a bat, a ball and a glove
It's the love that I feel for you.

What kind of day is the best kind of day?
Makes up for all the rest of the days?
The park, the backyard, I don't care where we play
As long as I'm with you.

You know I miss you deep inside.
I wish we could go outside
To have a catch or two...

What kind of place is the strange, scary place?
And who put these tears and this dirt on my face?
No matter the score or the count at the plate,
I'll still be swinging for you.

Cause I need you in my life,
I wish that we could go outside.
Just to have a catch or two,
Me and you.

What kind of love is the best kind of love?
The love above all the rest of the loves?
Take the ball, the hat, my bat and my glove
They're a whole lot of nothing with you.

And I'll be waiting here outside
Spring or fall, rain or shine
To have a catch or two. . .

Cause your kind of love is the best kind of love
The best that love could ever do.



Blaine's Letter to Dallin this Week:

Hi Dallin,

Your rewriting the record book each day.  Keep up the good work Dallin.

Stay off the DL.

Keep your chin up, I can't wait for you to get home after you finish your 24 months.  Be a finisher.  Finish strong.  Use your experience to finish and remember to never give up on your fellow companions.  They depend on your ability to lead them to victory.

My words of wisdom to you this week is to believe in them.  Do not give up on them at any time.  Your leadership is vital to the teams victory. This attitude wins championships.  Continue to believe through the adversity and you will come out victorious.

Good Luck and Godspeed

Sincerely,

BG Milne

Dallin's Letter to His Dad:

Well dad, your first line turned out not being that big of a joke after all.  Today I found out that we broke the record this month for most kilomteters driven in one month.  What a feat.  Not due to screwing around or anything, due to a trip to kiruna, more member meals, and the fiasco picking up Halterman from the airport.

Anyways thanks for the encouraging words coach.  You always know how to get people fired up one way or another haha.

I'm off the DL now and hopefully it will be for good until I make my arrival in 5 months. Going to go out and get a W.

Love

Your first born

Letter from Home:

"I think most of the time we place far too much emphasis on, 'I can do this! I am determined to seek and find! I am going to work and work until I overcome this! I am going to knock really hard and watch it open!' This sounds great, but the problem with everyone of these declarations is the "I" in the statement.  Really, "I" can't do anything, because "I" am fallen man, and "I" am not capable of any great spiritual accomplishment.... "I" am truly nothing. The only thing "I" can do is yield my life into the hands of the loving Christ, and then "We" - meaning my Savior and I - can do this!  "We" are going to seek and find! "We" are going to knock and behold it opening up before us!  "I" have failed many times.  "We" never have!" - John Pontius

Dear Dallin,

How is my oldest son and favorite missionary doing this week?  Boy have I missed you.  Having your two brothers home this week almost all day - everyday has caused me to reminisce.  I can still see my three young boys in Louisville Kentucky playing baseball in the giant grass field in our back yard and walking to the duck pond.  I can see you playing on the playground in Colorado Springs, playing basketball in our front yard in Killeen, TX and even jumping off the roof of the house onto the trampoline - yikes! I see you boys in Orem and Minnesota and then St. George.  Where have the years gone?  Having you and Carter both graduated is really something. He has decided that he will live in Cedar while he attends SUU.  His scholarship money will cover his tuition fees and housing.  He has some money in the bank so that can be used to live on.  He would like to get a job as well.  Maybe he can take over your Pizza Factory job.   We will have to talk to Aunt Kim! 

Anyhow, how's the work going there in Boden?  How are things with your new companion?  How are the ward members and your investigators.  Are you being fed?  Are you still the district leader?

This week has flown by, but thankfully it hasn't been too terribly busy.  Dad is feeling better, I am doing quite a bit better, Carter is really sunburned from swimming and cliff jumping and Sand Hollow Reservoir yesterday, and Ty is his usual happy self.  He has the PVHS basketball camp this week so he is really excited about that, and his baseball team that dad and Ocey are coaching will be playing a double header this week against Snow Canyon.  Ty's team did really well in their last tournament up North last weekend.  Ty pitched a gem against a team consisting of Pleasant Grove, American Fork, and Lone Peak.  Dad was pretty pumped about that.  Carter is debating whether or not he should play Legion Baseball this summer or get a full time job.  We will leave for our vacation on Thursday, so I guess he will have some time to think about his next move.  Life is full of so many choices!

The boys are getting really excited about our trip.  They are especially excited to watch Bryce Harper play. We bought them seats right behind the National's dugout for this coming Saturday.  We are planning on going early to see if maybe they can get some autographs.  

Dad and I went to the temple yesterday.  It was a wonderful session.  The temple was so busy...  I don't think I've ever been when it was that busy.  They literally had to turn people away from the session we were doing.  The Allen's served as the witness couple during our session which was really neat because they were celebrating their 47th anniversary.  I love the temple.  Each time I attend I wonder why I don't go more often.  I learn so much each time, and the Spirit really rejuvenates me.  

Today being the end of the month was spent attending church and dad and Carter doing their home teaching and I finishing up my visiting teaching - better late than never!  Mike and Aunt Kim stopped by for a visit.  It is always fun to see them and enjoy a good laugh.  And tonight Ty taught our family home evening lesson on repentance.  He really did a great job.  We had homemade brownies, with ice cream and homemade fudge sauce.  I thought of you during dinner today.... We had homemade lasagna and I know that was your favorite.  We even had some squash and lettuce from our garden.

Keaton was invited to play in the All-Star baseball game up in Ogden this past Saturday.  His team won and he was awarded the Offensive MVP.  Harrison Goebel was award the overall MVP.  It will be exciting to watch Keaton at BYU this next Spring.  

I love you Dallin!  Keep up the great work!  Thank Heavenly Father for your blessings everyday!  Take care of yourself and stay safe!!!!

All My Love,

Mom

Dallin's Letter Home:

Hey Mom,

I was just thinking that it's too bad that I'm not even half as good as a writer as you are. I feel like Amaron in the book of Omni verse 4 but in my case it would be 

"And now I, Dallin, write the things whatsoever I write, which are few, in the blog of my mother"

And I can also relate to Moroni when he writes in the book of ether 12th chapter...

23 And I said unto him: Lord, the Gentiles will mock at these things, because of our weakness in writing; for Lord thou hast made us mighty in word by faith, but thou hast not made us mighty in writing; for thou hast made

all this people that they could speak much, because of the Holy Ghost which thou hast given them;

 24 And thou hast made us that we could write but little, because of the awkwardness of our hands. Behold, thouhast not made us mighty in writing like unto the brother

of Jared(the mother of Dallin), for thou madest him(her) that the things which (s)he wrote were mighty even as thou art, unto the overpowering of man to read them.

 25 Thou hast also made our words powerful and great, even that we cannot write them; wherefore, when we write we behold our weakness, and stumble because ofthe placing of our words; and I fear lest the Gentiles shall mock at our words.

I feel sometimes that the Lord has made me mighty in word thanks to the Holy Ghost when I teach. A lot of my companions have said that I'm the best teacher they've been with. I'm grateful that the Lord has helped me on that front but when it comes to writing I'm pretty weak haha.

Anyways, as always, it's great to hear from the family and to hear about everything that you guys got going on. I'm excited to hear about your guys' trip out east this week. That's going to be so cool, be sure to send tons of pictures!  That's awesome that Ty has been playing good ball and that Carter has so much going on. That's exciting that he's going to be living on campus up there in Cedar. He'll have to be my life coach when I get home to help me prepare for college haha.  But above all, I'm so happy that you guys still find time to go to the temple together, fulfill church callings, and hold family home evening. Those are the most important things. Keep it up everybody!

We had a pretty decent week up here in Boden. As we get closer and closer to summer, the days get longer and longer. Like it's perfectly bright out for like 19 hours of the day. I'll be laying in bed with light coming through the curtains and I'll look over at the clock and see 11:30pm haha. I might have to get one of those sleeping masks or something. Otherwise I'm good, feeling good, and having a good time. Loving the branch members. Especially the branch president here, President Newell, son of the former mission president Newell. Branch president Newell served a mission in Sweden and ended up marrying a swede and now they live up in Luleå while he finished his degree or something. Super good family. He is a spiritual giant just like his dad. Things are going pretty good with the Minnesota kid, elder Halterman. We are kind of opposites when it comes to personality but we still get a job done. He reminds me so much of the "Minnesota nice" hahah. 

Anyways I really like that thing from John Pontius that you put at the beginning of your email.  That quote sums up one of the most important lessons that I have learned on my mission. Philippians 4:13: "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."

You guys are the greatest. Keep enjoying life.

Love 

Dallin

This Week's Pictures: