Nov 24 2014

Family and friends,

Wow what a week! I can’t believe that I’m already almost done with my first transfer. Second if you count the CCM. So crazy. I’m sad at how fast the time is going. I can’t imagine how hard it’s going to be to step onto the plane in 2 years.

First of all, Garrett and Brent I hope you guys had amazing birthdays!! It’s weird not being there. But I know this is where I’m supposed to be and I hope you had good birthdays :)

This week I’ve gained a testimony of the gift of tongues. I’m understanding more than ever. But still not everything haha I have so much to learn. But I’m grateful for the Spanish that I am able to speak. Kind of a funny story happened haha. This week we were visiting a family and we were just getting to know them. She asked my companion where he was from and he made her guess and eventually she guessed Bolivia. Then she asked where I am from and I made her guess too! Usually people would say United States without a second thought because I’m blonde, white, and 6 feet 2 inches tall. But she immediately said Columbia. WHAT?! Haha she thought I was from South America. I know I’m learning the language fast and the only reason is because of the gift of tongues and the Holy Ghost. I’m so grateful that I can be the instrument to bring people back to Christ. And I’m grateful that I can speak well enough Spanish to teach people about Jesus. So amazing.

Before I go any further... THANK YOU SO MUCH for the package!! Wow opening that bag and seeing all the candy seriously made my whole day. You should have seen my face. I took a picture and I’ll send it with this email. That’s as close as I can make it to the real thing. But yes thank you so much for the package and the candy. The Christmas packages are going to be so hard to not open, but don’t worry, I won’t open them. Thank you so much mom and dad. Also, a huge thank you to Sister Quist for bringing the package here to Lima. Couldn’t have got it without you!!

This week I got bit by a dog!!! :D I was walking and there was this little dog laying on the street. I stepped around it and it thought I was going to step on it or something but it freaked out and bit my pant leg!! I thought they tore. But I checked them later and they’re perfectly fine haha. It was scary though. I was about to kick the thing if it attacked me. I’m surprised I haven’t gotten attacked more by dogs because there are seriously hundreds of stray dogs here.

This week we are having our first baptism!! On the 29 we will be baptizing hermana Carmen Guevarra. She’s such an awesome person. I don’t have a picture of her but I’ll send one next week of the baptism. She’s awesome and she’s definitely ready for baptism. I’m so grateful that I can help people learn more of Christ. This gospel truly does bring happiness, and I’m so grateful that I can help bring this happiness into the lives of the people here.

This week we were in a little store talking to this couple about the restoration. He starting talking about some things that he was going through and all of the sudden I just zoned out. I don’t think I heard anything that he said, all I was thinking about is that we should switch lessons and teach the gospel of Jesus Christ (faith, repentance, baptism, Holy Ghost, and perservar hasta el fin. A few minutes later I pulled out a gospel of Jesus Christ pamphlet and started teaching about baptism and the blessings that come from this gospel. After this they were super excited to know that they can be clean again. And they went on to tell us that they want to get baptized and they want to know what they can do to be baptized. They’re really awesome, but they have to get married before they can be baptized. It’s amazing how real revelation is. They needed to hear about the gospel of Jesus Christ lesson. Revelation is real. It’s so real and I’m a witness that it exists! 

Well I don’t have much more time. But I hope you all have a great week!! And a happy Thanksgiving. Thanks for all the letters. I’m grateful for all of you and all of your support. I’m grateful for my family and everyone that has been a part of my life this far. I’m grateful for this church and for my opportunity to serve this mission. I’m grateful for Jesus Christ and for his sacrifice, through which we can all be clean and enter into the presence of God again.

Have a good Thanksgiving!!

Elder Dahlin

Nov 17 2014

Familia y amigos,

¿Como estan? Esta semana fue el maximo! estamos encontrando muchas personas para enseñar. Estoy agredicido que yo tengo esta oportunidad a enseñar y ayudar la gente aqui estar con sus familias otra vez despues esta vida. Esta obra es marvillosa.

This mission is amazing. I love it here so much. That was just a little bit of Spanish for you all haha. This week was really good!

First of all, I hope you had a happy birthday Dad!! I was thinking of you on the 14th. Did you get the new Call of Duty? haha I saw previews of the new Call of Duty in the streets and I thought of you. You love your Call of Duty.

Brent and Garrett!! Happy birthday!! Haha I think it’s so funny how 3 of the 10 of us have birthdays in November. I love our family. You guys are amazing. 

I celebrated all of your guy’s birthdays this week haha. I bought a cake. And it was a grand total of a whopping 3 dollars. 10 soles, which equals about 3 dollars American. Everything is crazy cheap here.

Oh yeah! So if you want to write me a letter, don’t send it through normal mail, SEND LETTERS THROUGH DEAR ELDER. That’s the only way I’ll get it. Dear Elder. If you don’t know what that is google it haha. 

So this week was pretty funny. The people here like to make fun of Americans. I’ve been called gringo, white boy, blancito, Colorado (I guess that’s racist for American) and many others. Haha I think it’s funny. And I’m writing every name I get called down in my journal.

So this week I went to a family history training thing. It was really cool!! FAMILY! Did you know that our family history on mom’s side is almost completely full 9 generations back!? Grandma, good work. I think there are 18 names missing in the last 9 generations. That’s amazing!! Family history is so important. And also did you know that our last name was Ersson? Then it changed to Hansen, then to Dahlin? Fun fact of the day.

This week I felt an earth quake!!! It was seriously so cool. Haha the whole earth..started.. to quake... but yeah that’s the only way I can escribe it. It was really loud and my whole body and everything in the house that we were in was vibrating. It was really cool. Unforgettable for sure. But there’s something scary that happened.. the ocean has receded 100 meters because of the earth quake. Which means that there’s going to be a tsunami. At least that’s what I heard. It could be false. But I know that if any of the missionaries are in danger, we will be pulled from our mission and moved out of harm’s way. The president of the mission can receive revelation and take us out of danger. How cool is that? I’m safe here haha so nobody worry about me. 

This week was really good. We have baptisms scheduled 3 weeks in a row starting the 29th. It’s amazing to see how people lives can change. Can you guys please pray that we can find people that are married and looking for the Gospel? It’s really hard when they aren’t married. But I know that all things are according to His will. Prayers are powerful. Please pray for this work!! 

So we had a training last night. It was from the area 70 of the South America northwest area. Me and Elder Davis Jenkins are both in this area! He said that every 15 minutes there’s a baptism in our area. How cool is that? The work is truly being hastened. And I’m so grateful to be a part of it. There is nothing like being a missionary. I love it so much.

Our mission had 84 baptisms last month and we’re really trying to break that this month. I know that it’s possible. All things are possible with Christ. 

Well, all is well, we’re teaching people every day and there are so many people here that are looking for what we have. 

The church is true, Christ is the Savior of the world, and Heavenly Father loves each and every one of you. Never forget that you’re a child of God. And just as your earthly parents love you, He loves you to a degree that we can’t even comprehend. I’m seeing the love that God has for the people here and it’s honestly life changing.

I love you all! Continue to pray for the missionaries. Have a good week!

Elder Dahlin

The attached pictures are of me in the big city of Lima, the cake that I bought, and a note that my companion wrote haha. He’s Bolivian and he’s learning which is so cool. But this note made me laugh. He’s awesome.

Nov 10 2014

Friends and Family,

I have 6 minutes to write this so it’s going to be short!

This week was better than the last. The weeks keep getting better and better. I’m more comfortable with Spanish than ever and I’m learning so much. At times it’s really hard but I know that the things that I’m going through are only for my own good.

I love teaching about the Plan of Salvation. It’s probably my favorite. Every time I teach about it, I can’t help but think about how lucky we are to have the families that we have. Always be grateful for what you have. Never forget that!

Before I forget, is Caleb Clement alive and well? I haven’t heard back from him for like a month! I hope he’s okay haha

Also, Happy Birthday to the best Dad in the world!! Dad you’ve helped me with so much and taught me so much. I’ll never be able to repay you for everything you’ve sacrificed and done for me. You're an amazing example and I’m so grateful for you and Mom and our whole family. I love you! I hope it’s a good one!

Haha some of you guys will laugh at this. You know how I have a habit of finding money on the ground? Even here in Peru I can find American dollars on the ground. The other day, I found 20 American dollars on the ground. That’s like 60 soles. Enough money for 2 weeks of food haha. Blessings.

This week we set 4 dates for baptism! It’s amazing to think that I’m here doing the Lords work helping others find their way back to Christ. The mission is amazing and I know that in 2 years I’m going to not want to come home. I love Peru.

This week we taught this guy, Hermano Lopez, about baptism. He’s like, so I can be free from sin?! And we told him that through covenants like baptism, we can be free from sin and guilt, and he threw his hands in the air and started crying and he was like, I need to be baptized!! We’re going to baptize him but first him and his wife need to get married. It was so awesome to see how excited he was about being baptized. It might take a few months for them to get baptized because his wife technically is still married to her old husband, so she needs to get divorced and then they need to get married. But I know that they’ll get baptized.

It was amazing to see how excited he was about this work and it made me tear up a little. That’s why I’m here, to bring people happiness, to spread the word that Christ lives and that families can be together forever. So much happiness. I know that all the blessings in my life have come from this gospel. I love this church. I know it’s true. Thanks for all the support!! I will have more stories next week but this is all I have time for. Have a good week!!

Much Love, Elder Dahlin

Ps. These pictures are from P day. We went to a park of fountains and aquas and lazers! So cool. Enjoy! :)

Nov 3 2014

Family and Friends,

What a week! I don’t have like any time so I’m going to be quick. This week I have learned a lot. A lot of what I’ve learned is to always be grateful for what we have. Some of the people here have nothing and they’re so happy. Like literally nothing. It’s so sad.

So I had another experience with prayer. And it was in the shower haha. So in our apartment there is a shower head that has an electric current in it. And when water touches it, it heats the water and that’s how we take hot showers. But if too many lights are on in the apartament, all the power turns off and the water in the shower turns cold. So I’m taking a shower and all of the sudden the lights turn off and the water turns freezing cold. NOO!! I was like ah dang it. And then I remember pray always. Even for little things. So I said a prayer that I could have hot water for just two minutes. Right when I said amen and opened my eyes the lights turned back on and the water turned hot again. I was like wow prayer works. And then if that isn’t enough!! Right when I finished showering and I was reaching to turn the water off, BOOM. The lights turn off again and the water gets cold again. Coincidence? Heck no. God really does answer our prayers even if it’s just with small things. He has blessings that he is waiting to give to us, all we have to do is ask. Prayer is powerful.

So before I forget! If anyone is thinking about sending me a letter, don’t do it!! It will never get here because the mail people are on strike right now. So it will just get lost. I’ll let you all know when the strike is over.

So this week I’ve been learning a lot of Spanish. My companion is Bolivian and so I’m kind of forced to speak Spanish all day everyday haha. It’s nice though because we live with two Americans. So we speak English sometimes but mostly Spanish. The mission is awesome. I’m so grateful for this opportunity that I have to serve my Heavenly Father and help people all day every day for 2 years. It’s such a blessing. And I know that I’m helping people here too! It’s such a great feeling.

This week I ate some weird new things!! I ate chicken liver and chicken heart!! Haha it actually wasn’t bad. Maybe when I get home I’ll slaughter a chicken and cook up some chicken innards. mmmm :)

So some other cool things happened too. We prayed as a companionship that our investigators would be able to go to church last Sunday. We got there and there were 9 investigators there!! So awesome!! Prayer is so real. I can’t stress that enough. 

I was thinking about it the other day, there are 7 investigators that we are probably going to baptize by the end of the year. It’s so exciting that I can be the instrument in God’s hands. I love this. I don’t have much time but thank you all for the prayers and for all of the support. I know that I have an army behind me supporting me. And I love that. I love you all. 

Angela make sure you correct this haha I’m typing as fast as I can. 

Have a good week!!

Ps. Mom, can you send me a recipe for cookies and for brownies, I’m craving America. 

Pss. Halloween exists in Peru!! The kids run around getting candy and instead of saying trick or treat they say Halloween please!

I love it.

Elder Dahlin

These pictures are of me roaming the streets of Lima, eating some new food, my scriptures that I've marked, and the wife of my mission president. Enjoy!!