January 18 2016

Hey everyone!

It has been too long since I’ve wrote a big email to you all. Time on the internet disappears faster than any Peruvian plate of food that you put in front of me. I’m sure you can imagine :) haha wow where to begin! These last few weeks have been crazy. Summer is up and running here. Which means that we literally sweat all day long everyday haha. It’s alright though cause there are these things here called marcianos. They’re like long plastic bags of frozen fruit and they’re SO good. Seriously they save me every day. I’ll try to take a picture and send it. Sometimes it’s hard to send pictures because I don’t really carry my camera with me anymore. When its summer here, people get thrown into those little plastic doboy pools. There are seriously little plastic pools everywhere! And if you aren’t careful in the summertime you get thrown in haha. 

In Matthew chapter 10 it explains that Jesus gave his disciples authority to cast out demons and heal the sick. In Ether in the book of Mormon it says that we receive no testimonio until after the test of our faith. Well in these last few weeks my faith has been tried and I now know for a fact that by the power of the priesthood, as missionaries we have the authority to cast out demons and heal the sick. I probably shouldn’t go into detail but we have seen miracles.

Last week Elder Uceda from the Seventy came to talk to us and it was seriously the coolest thing EVER! He explained that the church has grown in Peru faster than in any other country (including the United States). And that they have reached 100 stakes faster than any other country in the world. He explained that the people here in South America are decedents of Lehi the prophet in the book of Mormon. And they’re a chosen people. He then went on to explain the importance of this time here in the mission. And it really made me think of the importance of what I’m doing here. Sometimes I can’t imagine what the people must think when they see us. We are like 19 years old but we have the most important message that they will ever receive. He explained that as missionaries and members we should always be making sure that we are on the bus that leads to heaven. And if we aren’t, we need to get off the bus and get on the bus that does go to heaven. And how it’s all possible through Jesus Christ. I seriously don’t know who I would be without my faith in Jesus Christ. Faith that he really did come here and pay the price for our sins. The hymn ‘How Great Thou Art’ in Spanish is super cool too. On one part it says, “I remember Gods love, and that he sent the Savior from heaven. And that Savior came here to save me. And to suffer and die on the cross for me”. Not gonna lie haha in Spanish it flows better. But it got me thinking that he must love us so much. Even though sometimes we are so ignorant or we do things that we shouldn’t do. He loves us anyway. He loves us enough to pay the price for those imperfectiones and mistakes. All so that we can be happy and not have to suffer like he did in a state of never ending unhappiness. It made me feel happy :)

Well I’m still in love with Peru. More than ever actually. And even more in love with the work that we are doing here. There is nothing that has ever made me happier or given me a better sense of who I am and why I’m here on earth, thanks for all the letters and all the support! I love you all!

Love Elder Dahlin

Ps. I’ll try to send pictures next week.