Cinch Daniel Dalton

I got the most precious voicemail from Cinch tonight. I cannot wait to live only 3 hours from my favorite nephew! Only 3 more months!

Some pics from the trip to Port O Connor

Port O Connor, Texas

The beach house is located in a small fishing town called Port O'Connor, Texas. We arrived late last night and were not able to see much, but I woke early and took a little walk around the community. It is the house is located on the inner coastal canal and all the homes are on stints. Once I woke everyone else with my beautiful singing, we went and enjoyed breakfast at Josie's, what a gut buster. We enjoyed breakfast tacos and great company with the locals.

Seadrift, Texas

Our great friend, Tarah Goulding, invited us down to her parents beach house this weekend, and we had the most amazing Texas Cajun food last night! We had fresh oyster shots, shrimp, crawfish, crab, red potatoes, and sausage. It's was a great whole-in-the-wall place with locals galore.

Feliz Cumpleaños

Wow! It is hard to believe I am this old, but 27 years ago I was brought into this world in the loving arms a beautiful family. As I went to bed last night, I was overwhelmed with this thought. I am so grateful for the family that loves me and calls me their own. I miss them all so very much, but, as they say, distance makes the heart grow fonder. I love my family very much! Thank you Mom and Dad for raising us in Hansel Valley and for the many opportunities you have provided to each of us. Thank you Sara and Ted for finding each other and loving each other. Thank you Sonny and Kallee for being back home and for making the Flying M Ranch top quality. Thank you Bud for the many conversations we now have and for our friendship that has matured over the years.

To help me celebrate, my friends here in College Station threw me a birthday ~Fiesta~

                                                      

Special thanks to Courtney and Kate for their mad party planning skills. No tornado could stop us :) !

Here's to the next 27 years! May I be blessed to find a wife and share my life with her ;)

Titles

As I awoke this morning, while still lying in bed I looked around my room and saw one titled given to me recently and another title that I have always had. The “Doc Davis Brother of the Year” titled brought a smile to my face and great memories of my fraternity brothers. The other title was not written, but came as I caught the gaze of the picture of Christ I have in my room. That title, although not written with the picture, is written in my heart—I am a Child of God. It is in the reflection of that title that set into motion a wonderful teaching session of self-realization and prayer.

I have been given many titles in my life. I was first of all born a twin to my brother Bud. I am the younger brother of Sonny and Sara. I am the son of Tim and Laurie. I once was a North Park Owl, an Alice C Harris Husky, a Bear River Bear, a Utah State Aggie and now a Texas A&M Aggie. I was a Cub Scout, a Boy Scout and now an Eagle Scout. I have been called a friend, a colleague and at times a team member. I was once the Utah FFA State Vice President. I’ve carried the Ambassador title for Utah State and even the ASUSU Administrative Assistant. I now have my name outside this office titling me as a Graduate Assistant. All of these titles, and many more, are very important to me and have helped shape me into BTM, but there are others that are more important and carry a much more importance to me.

For two years, I carried the title of Elder Munns as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in the south of France. It was there that I truly came to understand my title of Son of God. In the countless hours of prayer, scripture study, knocking doors and missionary service, I began to understand what it meant to be a Child of God. I reflect often on my mission and there is literally not a day that goes by that I do not think about my mission and the wonderful things it taught me. In an essence that I do not really understand, it was on my mission that my life began. It was there that the spirit taught me truths and filled my heart with an understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

This past summer was the closest thing to my mission that I have experienced since my return five years ago. I was taught by the Lord more truths and had many moments of true realizations. I have tried to capture those experiences in this blog and share them with my family. In reflecting both on my mission and summer in Uganda and recent events, I know now more than ever I have the sacred responsibility to live up to a couple titles I have let slack in recent years. First, I am a Child of God, and as his Son, I hold the holly Melchizedek Priesthood. I must stand and be true to the light that has been given to me. I must “be thou an example of the believers.” I recognize that in my mistakes, I may be given other temporary titles, but the Lord is shaping me into what He has planned for me. I apologize for those moments in my life when I did not live up to these most important titles in my life. I want to start anew, and live each moment truly understanding who I am. I know that I will struggle from time to time, but I also know that this gospel I strive to live is a gospel of forgiveness.

Writing in remembrance of 9/11 President Thomas S. Monson stated, “Tragedies are not merely opportunities to give Him a fleeting thought, or for momentary insight to His plan for our happiness. Destruction allows us to rebuild our lives in the way He teaches us, and to become something different than we were.” On this day of memorial, I am committing to rebuild my life in the way that I have been taught, as a Son of God.

Selfish

Wow, I was so ready to come back to College Station this past weekend. As I visited with several friends in College Station during my 24 1/2 hours drive, I grew extremely happy and excited to see everyone, but as I arrived this excitement seemed to change to discomfort and feeling out of place. After the welcome back party at my house and everyone had parted, I felt out of place and not ready to be back in College Station. I think these feelings were stemming from the thoughts of being selfish. In Uganda, I was able to envelope myself into serving the people of Keyo and I had invested my whole self into it. Here at school, I was having extreme feelings of selfishness. Thoughts of schooling being all for my gain and not having opportunities to put my whole self into serving others around me made me a little depressed. I remember wanting to be back in Uganda so badly. Being at home in Hansel Valley was so perfect to reflect and truly digest my experiences in Uganda, especially putting on a fireside of what I had learned. I want so badly to just serve people and live for others. But, being back in College Station I felt so lost.

I cannot wait for my little teaching gig to start up again here in a couple weeks. I love working with my GED students and honestly, I am just as excited to see my students, as I was to see all my friends. It will be great to be with them again and be able to help them.

I am happy I was able to experience some of the feelings I did coming back to Texas. I recognize now that I am not being as selfish as I was feeling that first night. The schooling and training I am receiving now is preparing me to be a better servant in the future. What I am learning here is preparing me to be a better husband, father, teacher, public servant, etc. in the future. The Lord has blessed me with this opportunity and I hope to make the most of it. He is teaching me daily and I am recognizing more and more that if I take time to listen and reflect on those teachings, He is blessing me tenfold.

I am looking forward to serving my classmates, my professors, my students, my fellow ward members and my Lord throughout this season of my life.