April 27 2015

Aloha!

Well my birthday was so awesome. Thanks to all of you and the members in this ward. We ended up having a party with all the leaders from each organization. So that was really cool. It’s awesome to see the support that the people here have for the missionaries.

I heard Logan Stewart got his mission call!! Welcome to the team big guy! 

I remember when I got my mission call and read it. I will never forget that day. Hey can someone scan my mission call and send it to me?

This week we were teaching a hermana that we reactivated this Sunday! And her baby was seriously freaking out. Like full out screaming. We hadn’t started the lesson yet so we were just talking. And it was so hard. The spirit was not there and she couldn’t even hear us. For her to hear us, we yelled, HOW ABOUT WE SAY A PRAYER AND START THE LESSION!!? She was like okay yeah yeah. My companion said the prayer and in the prayer he said something like, please help us to have peace and help the baby to stop crying. Immediately after he said that, the baby stopped crying, and was sound asleep for the rest of the time that we were there. Call it a coincidence but I know that it was an answer. God works miracles, big ones like curing cancer, or even if its something small like helping a baby to not cry. It’s all just according to His will and His timing. 

This week we were walking in the street and there was a group of like 18 and 19 year olds. We went up to them and started talking about Jesus and his example. Right there in the street we invited all of them to baptism this 23 de mayo. We’ll see how they progress. After walking away, I remembered there is a scripture in Alma. I think its Alma 32 verse 1? It talks about them going out into the country and preaching in the churches, homes, and even in the street. The missionary work was the same back then too! I’m so stoked to be a part of this work.

Sometimes it is frustrating though. The people don’t see what we can see because we already have this knowledge and we already have this testimony. That’s when we have to use the spirit to open their eyes. This work is seriously so much fun. The best thing about the mission and my favorite part aside from baptisms, (and all you returned missionaries can agree with me on this) is when someone just gets it. And they say OHHH!!! That’s the spirit confirming to them what we have just said is true. I love testifying of the Book of Mormon. To some people it doesn’t make sense but to me it’s so logical. If God loved the people here in the Americas too, why wouldn’t there be prophets here? Why wouldn’t there be scriptures written here too? Something that I read this week said something about the lost tribes of Israel. They have scriptures too! And there’s a promise that they will be revealed before the second coming of Jesucristo. There will be other scriptures folks! Just something interesting to think about.

Well I love the mission like always. Sometimes it’s hard but like my boy Jeffrey R Holland would say, why would we ever expect it to be easy for us when it was never easy for Jesus Christ? It’s so true. I’m so grateful to be here teaching the people of him. I’m grateful for Him.

Oh yeah! I finished the Book of Mormon a few weeks ago! In total it says the name of Jesus Christ 4,524 times. It truly is ´otro testamento de Jesucristo´.  

Well I love you all and I’m so grateful for all the support you give me here in the field. 

I hope you all have a good week and if you haven’t gained a testimony of the Book of Mormon, I encourage you to read it and pray about it. The book has changed my life. My eternity.

Love Elder Dahlin

PS, don’t forget to send my mission call!

I took a super funny video I’ll send it next week!

Here are some pictures of me trying to make cookies in our apartment

My cake :)

A party with the ward!!

A present from the zone leaders

My companion from the CCM! love the guy

April 20 2015

Buenas tardes familia y amigos!

Wow my first birthday out in the field. Let me start out by first saying thank you!! I opened my email and was overwhelmed by the amount of people that wished me a happy birthday. I didn’t have much time to reply but thank you to all of you! It’s awesome to see how many people care about me and are supporting me back at home and here in the field.

This week we were walking down the street and out of nowhere this little girl comes around the corner sprinting full speed and she yells Elderes!! This little girl is like 4 haha and she runs up to me and gives me a huge hug. Just because I’m a missionary she already loves me haha. This calling is amazing and life changing.

So far I’m having an awesome birthday! We had a little reunion with some elderes in my old zone and un hermano because his birthday is today too. We had cake and they all sang first in Spanish, then English, then in Quechua! I don’t know how to spell it haha. It’s the language they speak here in the mountains in the little tribes haha. Super awesome. But they did not smash it in my face! That’ll probably happen tonight in the family home evening we’re going to hve with the ward council in the bishops house. I’m stoked. The members in this ward are really awesome.

Last night! We were in a less active member’s house teaching them. We finished the leccion and were going to leave but then the hermana was like hey do you want some cake for your birthday! Usually we would have denied and said that we could pass another time, because we were going to be late for the next appointment, but something told me to stay. I don’t know if it was because that cake looked super good, or if it was the spirit, but later found out that it was the spirit. We sat down, prayed, and started eating the cake. 20 seconds later, cop cars storm the street and motorcycles. Probably seriously like 50 cops showed up and stopped right outside the house! We closed all the windows and went incognito haha. We didn’t know what was going on! But later found out that there had been a drunk driver and they had stopped him right outside the house that we were in. We listened to the spirit and ate the cake (which was really good by the way. mmm ) and by doing so, we were taken out of harm’s way. The spirit is real folks. We are so protected as missionaries. Being obedient, sensitive, and receptive to the promptings is the key. And then going and doing what we’re prompted to do. Whether it’s to not go down a certain street, talk to this person, or eat cake in a menos activos house. The guidance is amazing.

Well I don’t have much more time but I want to thank you all for your support and all your prayers. Especially on this day! This birthday has been one of the best and without all of you and your support, it wouldn’t be the same! I greatly appreciate you all.

Thanks for the prayers! Have a good week and be safe!

Love Elder Dahlin

Cake! First birthday out in the field: success :)

Here's an actividad that we had this week with the youth in the ward haha. I was too tall for the bag!

 Can you say oatmeal for days! hello breakfast!

April 13 2015

Hasta luego Magdalena, hola San Martin!

My first transfer in the field! It was really weird and sad saying goodbye to the people that I’ve met in my old ward, but also I was stoked. Because I know that people here need me too and that I also need them. So now here I am in San Martin, and the ward is called Las Americas. If you want to send me letters, my address is the same. Because the letters go to the mission home and then the zone leaders pick them up and bring them to us. So don’t worry about changing the address if you’re going to write me a letter  :)

My new companions name is Elder Avalos. He’s from Ecuador! (lo siento Elder Jenkins, es de la mision norte). He has 18 months in the mission and he’s an awesome guy. I’m excited to get to know him better in the next few months.

The first day I got here, we visited the bishop and I helped read a book in English. He is learning English and was super excited that a gringo had come and that I could help him. He’s really awesome and I think I’ve already gained his confidence. He’s an awesome guy and I’m excited to work with him in these next few months. We ate lunch with him too and at the end of lunch we asked if there is anything we can do to help with the ward or anything and he said sí. He then asked me to give a 15 minute talk on Sunday (yesterday). So I gave a talk! It was my first talk that I’ve given in Spanish or in general on the mission. I gave it on repentance and the atonement. And while preparing to give the talk, I felt inspired to call the ward to repentance.so I did! It was a really spiritual experience and I was able to exercise my authority as a missionary to call the ward to repentance. After the talk, before I even stepped down from the stage, the bishop shook my hand and said thank you. Later he told me that that was exactly what the ward needed. So you could say that my first talk was a success! I hope I can have another opportunity to give another talk soon :)

This week we were walking down the street and this is a new sector, so I’m looking around and all of the sudden a dog turns the corner and starts walking towards us. Don’t worry haha we didn’t get attacked or anything. As the dog got closer I noticed that something was around its neck. I looked closer and it was a monkey!! A little tiny monkey was riding the dog around the town! I’ll try to take a picture of it this week. But it was so funny! hahaa that is the first and maybe the last monkey ill see here. Even though I’m in Peru, the only animals that Lima has are an overabundance of stray dogs and cats.

Also this week my old investigator Carmen got baptized! I was able to go back to my old zone (hace una semana) and see her baptism. Every time we baptize I’m amazed at how lucky we are to have this gospel. And this knowledge of how we can be baptized and enter the kingdom of God. I love this gospel and the opportunity I have to share it!

Well, this week I’ve been reading the book of Mormon. Still counting the names of Christ. I’m in 3 Nephi capítulo 26, and so far, it’s said a name of Christ 3,693 times. That’s right folks. Three thousand six hundred and ninety three times. Crazy. This book really does testify of Christ and his word. While reading in 3rd Nefi, I am so shocked at how powerful the words that Christ spoke are when he came to the Americas. I love the Book of Mormon! And whoever hasn’t had the chance to read it, I invite you to do so. It will change your life. Just talk to a Mormon and ask how you can get a book of Mormon. Or better yet, talk to a missionary. Were super cool :)

Well I gotta go. But I know that this work is of God. That the book of Mormon is true and that it really is the word of God. He has a plan for us, and by reading this book we can find out more of this plan. Joseph smith was a prophet and we can gain a testimony of this by reading the book of Mormon too! It can literally help with anything we need in this life. It’s like a book of instructions that leads to felicidad. I love it. En el nombre de Jesucristo. Amen.

Thanks for all the letters and support! Keep praying for me and for all the other missionaries in the field. Elder Dahlin, over and out.

Love Elder Dahlin

This is my old district. these guys are awesome and I'm excited to see what they do in the rest of their missions.

La familia Zuñiga! I'm going to miss them just like I'll miss all the other families that I've met in the last 6 months.

My new favorite food. lomo a lo pobre. I could probably eat this for the rest of my life. Maybe this is why I'm gaining so much weight ;)

Hasta luego Elder Galindo! Awesome guy

El bautismo de hermana Carmen

My new companion! Elder Avalos!

April 6 2015

Aloha from Lima Peru!

I hope you had a good birthday Ang! Love you :)

Este sera corto por la falta de tiempo. Can I just say how awesome conference was!! I was able to watch it in Spanish. It’s such a blessing to have the guides on this earth that we need today. I know that Thomas S Monson is a prophet of God. 

It was funny when Presidente Monson wiggled his ears haha. And then when Presidente Uchtdorf started talking in Aleman. They’re so awesome. Examples of the people we should try to become for sure.

My favorite talks were probably Holland’s talk about Jonny and Jim. Just like his little brother reached out and grabbed his wrists, Jesus also reaches out and grabs our wrists, but only if we reach for Him first. 

Elder Holland was also talking about this time on the earth. He was talking about how some people think we’re just here to live and have a good time, do whatever we want and have fun. And then he asked, is this what we’re here for? And he said super strongly and firm, NO. Holland is a stud haha. 

Also the talk about Grace by Uchtdorf was really good. It really showed me how much we all need Christ in our lives. No matter how good of a person we are. No matter how pure we are or how much we help other people, if we don’t have Christ in our lives, we can’t enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. I love conference!

Well, I don’t have a ton of time. But here are some pictures! 

Enjoy! Love you all! I’ll let you know if I get transferred. Wherever I go, I know that I’m needed there, and that I also need the people there. Have a good week!

Love Elder Dahlin

There is so much leg room on these buses its crazy.

My zone!! These guys are my best friends here. They're like family.

My new suit :)

Hermana Loayza!! She's the best. Might be the last time I see her in a while if I get transferred.

This is my district! We play basketball in the mornings!