I'm Here!!!

WE WERE SO EXCITED TO GET THIS TODAY!!!


So many things are different here! It´s really different, and this keyboard is actually really hard to type on as well because there are various buttons that just aren´t on a normal computer!
So the plane ride was very uneventful, and I ended up sitting next to missionaries so I didn´t really have a chance to talk to any Peruvians, which was probably a good thing because I bet they would have gone off in Spanish and I wouldn´t have understood anything! However, it was a good opportunity for me to study the scriptures and prepare for landing. I really appreciated all the food and letters that you had sent me!
Oh! That reminds me, before I forget, the MTC here said no packages, and they would really prefer that you send pouch mail. That´s because you have to pay customs in order to have packages come here and it just doesn´t work well. Maybe when I get out to Piura, but for now it´s probably just best to email me, and anyone is actually allowed to email me at this MTC! They also asked that you don´t send letters starting the fourth week of my stay here. They said you can just send them to my Piura address. I´m not sure if you have that or not, I have it somewhere but not with me, but I´ll try to email it to you next time regardless.
This is definitely going to be a tough learning experience! They hardly speak any English, and my companion, Elder Moreño, doesn´t speak hardly any english. The only times I´ve seen him was when we got to the MTC at 2 am, when he woke me up at about 8, and when we had lunch together. We were pointing at food and trying to translate the words for them for each other, it´s difficult. He is from Chile, and I know that because it said so on my papers I got when I arrived. :) I´ll learn to speak more Spanish, and I do know quite a bit, but we haven´t really had opportunities to talk yet.
I haven´t seen any dogs with fruit around their necks, but when I do I´ll let you know! The MTC here is way nicer than at the Provo MTC! The rooms are a lot nicer, as well as all of the buildings. Lunch was delicious, but another rule was that they had to take all of my food away. :( so now I just have what they´re feeding me, which is fine, I don´t want to get fat! My mind right now is just spinning around and around, it doesn´t seem like that different of a country, just like a humid Phoenix really. Sorry my letter just really doesn´t make sense, I can´t seem to make any sense of what´s going on right now anyway.
All is well, I´m safe, happy, and well fed. My companion and I are going to get along great, he seems super nice, and I´m excited to explore a little more of Lima! We can actually go outside on P days here. Spanish is coming slow...but I know that as I get more into things I´ll find I know a lot more than I think. The MTC here will be a lot better for me I think. It will give me room to breath, as well as challenge me. If I had stayed at Provo, I definitely wouldn´t have progressed as fast. Heavenly Father definitely knows the best way for me to learn and progress.
Along with the challenge of Spanish, the MTC president here has some strict rules and tough goals for us. One of these is to read the BOM every 3 weeks. The problem with that is we can only read during our off time, when we have nothing to do. This literally means we have maybe one hour each day to read almost 30 pages. It will be challenging, but I know that I´ll be blessed for that. We are also supposed to read 2 to 3 pages in the Missionary Handbook each day, which is fairly easy to do. I hope that I can follow all the rules here like at Provo, and make sure that I can focus during all my study time. It´s already been a challenge here. We´ve had from 1 to 6 to just do whatever we want! I don´t like that. Too much time to think, too much of an opportunity to be lazy. The two other companions in my room slept through our email time, so right now we are using teacher´s computers in order to email. Well I should probably go. I love you all! Sorry this email is so confusing, random, and scrambled. That´s kind of how I feel right now. Being out of the country is definitely a new experience!
Con amor,
Elder Schofield

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE- Dallon explained that we should email him the email address is dallon.schofield@myldsmail.net

One Last View from home...

Dallon left for Peru this past Wednesday, October 26th. We had a call from him while he was at the airport. He couldn't have been flying any higher if he had actually been on the 747 on his way to Dallas.

His Provo MTC companion, Elder Littel traveled with him to the Lima, Peru MTC. They were the only two Elders from their district to head out on that flight. Two others will travel to Lima later.

Dallon has really enjoyed him as a companion! We feel blessed that Dallon got a great person and very hard worker for his first comp. Their teacher Hermano Hopkins said these two were the best and brightest in the district :)

Dallon's MTC District-

From Left to right-

Elder Mullenbach, Miller,Agrem, Cowdin (shorter one), Hutchinson, Bracanonte, Jarman (taller behin Brac), Littel, Dallon, Cook and Hanes.

This Photo- Left to Right- Dallon, Elder Littel, Elder Cook and Elder Jarman.

These are the four Elders from the district who are going to Peru. Missionaries are trained in districts according to the language they are learning. The Elders from Dallon's district are going to places as varied as Florida, Arizona, Peru and many others.

Dallon's Last letter from the Provo MTC-

"WOW! My last p-day at the Provo MTC is here already! It's so crazy!!! My companion and I are way excited to be leaving!! It's going to be an incredible adventure!!!

I've made so many friends while I've been here, and I am going to miss them. My district has had a lot of fun times.

Tuesday was so incredible!! Richard G Scott came and talked to us! He shared some amazing council. One of the things he said that I liked was that we need to seek prayer in an unhurried manner. I've tried to do that the past week and I have definitely seen a difference.

Being here has been such an incredible experience. Yesterday, we taught two lessons about the Book of Mormon and the Restoration to our investigators, Fabriccio (Hermano Hopkin) and Mario (Hermano Farnsworth). We spoke in Spanish the ENTIRE time. Yo se que dros ha bendizir con de don de lengues. It's just incredible to feel that blessing.

One of the great guys here is Elder Doolhoff. He is an amazing Elder. Can't tell you how many times he came and talked to me when I was having a bad night or something. He really welcomed us to the MTC. Elder Gerber, his companion, is very fun. They are both going to the Phoenix Spanish Speaking Mission. Elder Cowdon is our District Leader and he is an amazing Elder. He has a strong spirit and helps us all. His comp, Elder Hanes, provides entertainment and excitement to everything. I'll miss him!

The MTC has been great so far. I'm really trying to establish habits that will last through my mission. It seems like we never have enough time to study but I'm working hard at it. My companion and I were able to speak with a teacher last night, and he gave us some pointers to help us study. I'm excited to try some of them!

One last spiritual thought, because it hit me so HARD when I heard it. Matthew 16:26 "For what is a man profiteth if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?" When I read that, I thought of what the whole world entails. Think about it, God created the world, the trees, animals, shrubs, terrain, etc. The technology, the money, the houses, all of it! That's "the whole world." But ONE soul is worth more than all of that. I've really tried to apply that to my purpose as a missionary. Every companion, investigator, and person on the street is worth more than "the whole world!" I can't remember who said it but a quote comes to mind. "Be careful who you step over in the street. You may be stepping over a king." I know that Heavenly Father loves every single one of us. He wants us to be happy and to realize how much more important our eternal salvation is worth compared to our lives here on earth. I'm excited to be able to go out and really affect others with the spirit that He has blessed me with. I know that He will show me how much He loves his children.

I hope everyone that reads this knows how much you mean to me. Each of you have had a lasting effect on me and I know that you are worth more than "the whole world." Never forget that! Family, friends, acquaintences, and even those I haven't met yet - you are loved. You are worth more than we can ever realize while we are one the earth. I pray for you all every night. Know that our Heavenly Father loves you as well.

I hope all is safe and well at home. Wish everyone luck and please make sure they read this because I was thinking each one of you in connection to this. I love you all!

Quiero ustedas,

Dallon

***Note from Mom... a letter will take 3-6 weeks to get to Dallon. A package approx 8-10 weeks- DON'T Forget to write him ;D

5,4,3,2,1... Blastoff!

Blastoff... Salt Lake City, Dallas, Miami.... Lima, Peru!
This week, Wednesday, our missionary heads off to Peru. The visas came through, flights are booked and he is PUMPED!!!- to say the least :).

It's strange thinking of him being half a world away. He will spend four weeks at the Peruvian Missiionary Training center in Lima. After finishing his language and skills training there he will be sent to a city or village in the Piura, Peru mission. His Spanish should improve drastically during his time at the Lima MTC. Usually at a foreign MTC, the missionaries are paired with a "native" companion. This helps the language progression drastically! In a recent letter to his Grandfather Dallon said,"I know God is with me. He is blessing me as I learn this new language. With his support, I am amazed at how quickly my language skills are progressing".

Dallon will be in a warm, humid area. Temperatures range from about 50 degrees to 90 degrees with between 40 and 90% humidity. The terrain is varied with one portion of Piura being beautiful resort beach towns (Crystal clear waters, waving palms, white sand beaches) and the other being brown, brown, brown. (Homes are built with corrigated tin, cardboard and whatever the people may have. There is little to no plant life and the ground is hard packed clay and dirt.)

Dallon has already been blessed with so many great "coincidences". Besides our next door neighbors' brother being his teacher here at the Provo MTC, we have friends of 20 years who were his Branch President(ecclesiastical leader) and wife while he was in the Provo MTC. We learned from them, there son in law's parents will be Dallon's MTC President and wife in Lima! He will have "family" connections wherever he is!

As the time draws near for him to leave, we'd like to remind evryone to write him often! Mail and the spirit are a missionary's life blood! Here's the address:
Packages or letters sent via DHL: Dallon Cory Schofield
Peru' Piura Mission
Calle Los Naranjos Mz H, Lp 4
Urb. Los Geranios
Piura
PERU

Letters via Pouch mail: Elder Dallon Schofield
Peru" Piura Mission
POB 30150
Salt Lake City Utah 84130-0150
Pouch mail MUST be done as follows: Items leave in pouch mail each Friday. Items sent after pouch leaves will be held until the following Friday. Only postcards or one pages correspondance may be sent through pouch mail. Notebook or other lightweight paper will not process through the USPS machines. Photographs are not acceptable.

Letters must follow these direction: Lay the blank letter side down. Fold the bottom of the letter about one third of the way up the page and crease. Fold the top of the letter to the bottom and crease. Secure the long side with two pieces of tape about one inch from each end, but do not seal the ends. In the top left corner write your name and complete return address. Affix first class postage in the upper right corner. In the middle write the missionary address.

DHL will definetly be faster. I am told the cost is about $3. A letter through DHL will go directly to Dallon (when we have an address) and should take about three weeks. Pouch mail goes to the mission home first, then out to Dallon. It will take 4-6 weeks minimum to get to him:)

Count

Count

Elder Schofield's Fave Dessert - Recipe

Grasshopper Mint Brownie

3 cups Sugar
3/4 cup Unsweetened Cocoa
1 1/2 cup Melted Butter
6 Eggs
2 1/4 cups Flour
2 tsp Vanilla
3/4 tsp Salt

Combine all ingredients in mixer. Mix until creamy.
Prepare large cookie sheet with parchment liner.
Pour in mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees for 22-27 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Layer 2 - Mint Frosting
1 lb Powdered Sugar
1/2 tsp Real Peppermint Oil
Green Food Coloring
1/2 cup Butter
2 Tbsp Light Karo Syrup
1 tsp Vanilla
dash of Salt

Combine and mix thoroughly.
Spread on cooled brownies.
Chill brownies for 10 minutes.
Frost with Chocolate Frosting.

Chocolate Frosting
1 lb Powdered Sugar
2/3 cup Unsweetened Cocoa
1/4 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Vanilla
7 Tbsp Butter
1/3 cup Boiling Water

Mix all ingredients until smooth.
Spread over mint.
Refridgerate before cutting to get crisp squares.
*These freeze very well.

Sweets, treats and exciting meets...

So, week one at the MTC comes to a close ;D Dallon is having a great time and working hard on the language skills! We are trying to keep him supplied . . . cupcakes and grasshopper brownies this week.

A word or two from our Elder:

"The MTC experience has definitely been an amazing one!! I can't believe that the whole week has already gone by!! I love that feeling. I feel the spirit every single second of every day!! I've never felt so amazing. My companion and I have tried to work hard . . . I love my companion and my district so much. We have so much fun together, and I already feel like we're brothers. It's amazing how the gospel can do that. We've grown closer together in a week than a whole month of basketball could do. We are all striving hard to learn Spanish and the gospel. We had a resource teacher come in last night and teach us how to create a language study plan. It was an awesome lesson, and I know that I will learn Spanish much faster now than I have with my old study habits. I hope that Heavenly Father will continue to bless me. I already feel so blessed with the gift of tongues you have no idea!"

"Sister Beck came and talked to us on Tuesday night. She said some really amazing things. One of the things that has stuck with me is that every morning we wake up in the hands of the Lord, and He will take us on our journey. I loved that message!!"

"Kinda weird how much mail means to me now . . . but it does mean alot."

Dallon is doing well and working VERY hard. His only discouragement has been the lack of mail as compared to the other Elders in his district. If you have a moment, drop him a line.

It appears his departure to Peru MAY be delayed a little. His travel plans should have arrived today, they did not :( He is a little disappointed about that . . . He'd love to be there today :)

First few daze....

Dropped the "boy" off curbside on a rainy gray day.

He grabbed his bags, gave us a smile and went on his way.

Dad drove the van through and around the curves,

Mom held her breath not saying a word.

The van hit the blacktop- off MTC grounds,

Mom cried so hard Dad thought he would drown...

We dropped Dallon off around 1:20 on Weds. We are so excited about him serving and sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with the people of Peru! Just two hours later Dad flew out to Phoenix and left me home- completely alone- for two and a half days. I gotta say they were pretty rough! Lots of tears. I didn't think it would be this hard to let him go :) In fact, this is a day I have looked forward to all his life.

I got the first letter from him on Friday. He's doing GREAT! Not homesick at all. He has an awesome companion from Logan, Utah who has been attending Utah State (Elder Littel). Kind of ironic that Dallon and I had just the day before been talking about how it might be harder for him to maintain his lifelong friendships when most of his comps might be going to BYU. Isn't it amazing how the Lord coordinates the "coincidences" in our lives.

Next great news was his first "discussion". Here's an excerpt from his letter, "I walked in and the teacher only speaks Spanish. He went to San Antonio on his mission. We are only supposed to speak Spanish already! I'm surprised at how much I remember... but it's not much! We had "investigators" we taught as a huge group. This one lady in particular talked about her sister dying. I was able to stand up and I talked a little about my experience with our family and how I was helped by the testimony I have of living together forever. I then challenged her to read the Book of Mormon and learn that for herself. It was incredible! I felt the spirit so strong and the instructor came up to me after and said i nailed it. what an amazing experience!"

Another "coincidence". Our next door neighbors, Dave and Megan, whom we have adopted as family, recently had a brother return from Argentina. He is teaching at the MTC. Megan asked him if perhaps he had met Elder Schofield among the thousands of Spanish speaking missionaries. Turns out Elder Hopkins (Megan's brother Brian) is Dallon's district teacher. He not only knew who Dallon was but was impressed with him. It will be nice to get the "scoop" from Dallon's teacher- another point of view!

We got an email from him yesterday... I felt terrible when he told us he was the only Elder in his district that did not get mail :( I did however fill his suitcases with notes and a wrapped "treat" a week for the next thirteen weeks :) WRITE HIM- HE NEEDS MAIL. We also prepared a treat and letter to have "same dayed" and found the service was closed on SAT. Sorry Son- I'm new at this mission Mom thing ;D

We are settling in a little to being missionary parents- but it sure is nice to have Chelsey home visiting off and on this week!

Elder Schofield- you are amazing!

By the way, his mission scripture is 1 Nephi 3:7 " I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them."

My First Post

Hey everyone!!

This is actually Dallon, making the first post of hopefully many, depending on how much of a blogger my mom becomes!! Haha, I'm sure that she will be a very devoted blogger once she figures it out. She truly is the best mom in the world, one that I am honored to have been raised by.

This day has kind of been surreal. Mom and I have spent all day together, at school doing ar

t and P.E., at Thanksgiving Point, and even at Costco. Man, I am going to miss Costco in Peru. Pretty much an amazing store! I'm really excited to be going, it really doesn't seem real yet. I'm sure once I walk through the doors of the MTC alone it will feel real then.

I hope all of you know how much I love each and every one of you! This is an adventure I've been preparing for all my life. Please write me as much as you can! I know that letters will provide me with the strength I need with all of the challenges I'm going to face.

If you need my address at any time, please feel free to check my Facebook page, call/email my parents, and hopefully it will be updated here frequently as well!

My mom wanted me to include some pictures, so here are some of me in my missionary suit!!