May 30 2016

Wow there is seriously so much to write this week. I'll just hit the main points yeah?

So Elder Gonzalez called last week and he said he didnt feel good. It was like 8:50 at night. He wanted a blessing. So we went over there and he was just like laying in his bed dying. He felt horrible. We were talking for a while and I somehow knew he was going to ask me to give him the blessing. I went into the other room and asked God to help me know how to help Elder Gonzalez be an instrument in His hands. I gave him the blessing and I dont even remember what I said. The next day we went over to their house to go to lunch because we always eat together. They weren't there when we got there so we just went inside and waited and I was washing their dishes when all the sudden I hear the door burst open and Elder Gonzalez runs in singing and dancing and he was so happy haha. I asked him if he was better and he said he was good as new. Many people will say this is a coincidence, but I know for a fact that we have been blessed with the authority of God to heal the sick, raise the dead, and to work other miracles according to our faith and the will of God. It was such an awesome experience for me.

Yesterday we were walking down the street and we saw this lady that was sitting outside her house just thinking. We went up to her and started to talk to her. We just sat there with her and gave the first lesson about the restoration. She was super attentive and at the end she was like "hey elders can I tell you guys something?" She was like "the other day I was thinking so much about God and what he wants of me." She said she was praying so hard to know the truth and to recieve an answer. That's why we are here as missionaries. To be the answer to someones prayers. This week we seriously went to work haha. We had a zone record of 15 new investigators and we are getting ready to go back to work this week and save souls.

I know that God loves us and that's why he has sent us here as missionaries. so that more people can learn of him and really learn how to follow his will.

The presthood is restored and we have all we need to make promises with God and live with him again.

Love Elder Dahlin

I got hurt playing soccer haha. I have grown to love this sport!

A random Jesus statue. These things are normal here.

My companion ate too much spicy sauce and got sick haha. You can pretty much say he blew chunks everywhere.

This little grandma is so small!!

May 23 2016

Crazy service project we did

Pancakes!! :D

I found an ant in my soup here haha ;)

May 16 2016

Aloha! from San Juan de Lurigancho Lima peru!

This week we were informed that Elder Rasband of the Quorum of the 12 Apostoles is going to be coming to the mission. He will be here el 10 de Junio! So we are all pretty excited about that. It's so different listening to an apostol. You can just feel the power that they have. Power that comes from obedience and doing what's right. So that will be fun :)

So there are some scary things in this sector. One of those things are the dogs! When I was in old sectors there have always been dogs on the street but it's way worse in the hills! Cause when we turn corners there are sometimes crazy dogs right there and we have to pick up rocks and just start throwing them. Or if there is a stick near by then thats good too. This morning when were walking back to our room from playing soccer we walked past a grupo of dogs like we always do. And a few minutes before I felt impressed to pick up a stick haha so I did. And it had some nails driven into it so I thought ah yeah I'll be fine if there are any crazy perros. We got close to the group of dogs and they all woke up and started coming at us! Good thing I was prepared haha. I fought them off with my stick and they couldnt get close to us. I don't know why the dogs are so mad all the time here. I miss Champ and Grizzly!

So for my 20 month anniversary I bought a box of alfajores. They are like little cookies with a vanilla flavored crema inside and tons of powereed sugar on top. Kinda hard to explain but they are soooo good! So that was fun haha.

We had a multi zone this week with like 50 missionaries. It is always so fun to listen to our president and his wife. They are such great examples seriously. I think it would be fun to serve as a mission president but I think it would be even better to serve as a temple president! That would be the best. I plan on going to lots of different temples when I get back for sure. Starting with Sacramento :)

Last week we contacted this guy in the street named Carlos. He said we could come back and talk to him one day so this week we went by his dance studio, cause he teaches dance. And it ws so cool because we were in this big open room with tons of mirrors and we were just talking and you could totally feel peace and feel the spirit. We explained the restoration and the importance of the Book of Mormon. We taught it all and were asking him questions and he was super interested. At the end of the lesson he took the Book of Mormon in his hands and looked me in the eye and asked if this book was seriously written here in the americas by ancient prophets? I looked back at him and said I know it was written here. I asked God. And he has made it sure to me that this book was written by inspired men. I think that 20 months ago I thought that the Book of Mormon was true. I thought that it was written by prophets and I thought that it was an awesome book that can help us to be better people. Now after having experienced so much here in Lima I KNOW with a surity that it is the word of God and that it really is more true than any other book on the face of the earth. Because like I said because, I asked God and he has answered me. He can answer anyone and that's such a blessing in itself. We will see how he progresses because he is living with his girlfriend right now. That always seems to be the hardest part of getting people to progress because everyone here lives with their girlfriend or boy friend haha. But we will see!

It's awesome to see how the Book of Mormon can change the people here and how it has changed me. I love this place and I'm so excited to be able to help the people feel what I feel and to see what I see.

Thanks for all the support and for always writing me and praying for me!

Love Elder Dahlin

These are the 150 stairs that I have to climb up everyday!

Alfajores :)

Here are a few different pictures of the stairs from farther away! 

We decided to climb to the point of our sector and take pictures. Here is Lima for ya! I'm going to miss sights like these for sure.

They don't call me soccer Stanley for nothin!

May 9 2016

Happy Mothers Day to all the mothers out there :)

Wow yesterday we got to talk to our families and it was seriously so great. I am reminded every time about how important the family is and how much of an impact they have on us. I am motivated to continue serving with all my heart, might, mind, and strength. Thanks family for not making me trunky :) haha

So this week we were able to go to the temple for the first time in like 6 months to do sessions. It was seriously awesome. Every time I learn so much and inside the temple we just feel so good. I love that. It's definitely something that I want to do more often when I get home too.

So we are teaching a ton of people right now. Seriously everyday we are running back and forth between lessons. But there is this guy named Moses and he is so awesome seriously. He is progressing towards his baptismal goal on the 28th this month. Whenever we teach him about a new commandment he is so willing. Even to the point to where he is willing to break up with his girlfriend that he has had for like 3 years in order to start living the law of chastity. When we recognize the commandments as protections instead of restrictions, we can really start to understand God's love for each of us and how much He wants us to be successful and happy. 

I have finished Doctrine and Covenants and now I'm reading the Pearl of Great Price. In Moses 8 it talks about Noah and while reading I couldnt help but think of how much God loves us, and also how Noah must have felt when he closed the door of the ark.

And God saw that the wickedness of men had become great in the earth; and every man was lifted up in the imagination of the thoughts of his heart, being only evil continually.

And the Lord said: I will destroy man whom I have created, from the face of the earth, both man and beast, and the creeping things, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth Noah that I have created them, and that I have made them; and he hath called upon me; for they have sought his life.

And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted its way upon the earth.

 And God said unto Noah: The end of all flesh is come before me, for the earth is filled with violence, and behold I will destroy all flesh from off the earth.

These are a few of the verses that really stuck out to me in this chapter. It must have been so sad for God to see that all the people in the earth had become so evil. It makes me think of how he feels when he sees us do something that we know isn't right and it helps me to be a better person and live a better life everyday. I love the scriptures seriously haha. The stories are so sick.

Well I love all you guys. Thanks again for all the support and love you give me.

Love Elder Dahlin

At the beginning of my mission a dog like this bit me and ever since I have ben looking for a friendly kind of this dog to take a picture with it haha.

This week we ate liver!!

Mmm Subway :)

A typical plate of food here.

May 2 2016

Amigos y familia,

A veces hay un monton de cosas que pasan durante la semana pero no siempre tengo tanto tiempo para contarles todo. Lo que si se es que cada dia vemos milagros y sentimos el espiritu, y a veces ni siquiera nos daos cuenta.

This week has been awesome! There are so many people here that are teaching me so much and that are progressing too. It's going to be a few weeks before we have baptisms because they have to prepare more. But I'm confident that there will be baptisms soon. 

My companion and I are getting along too. He's awesome haha I realize I didnt really tell you guys anything about him so here goes nothin.

He's 18 years old and he's from South Chile. He is the oldest of 3 children and he has 3 months in the mission. He's the most sensitive guy I've ever met haha besides Caleb Clement. But that's good because he is so receptive to the spirit and helps me to recognize the spirit everyday too. 

Can I just say how grateful I am for all the mission has taught me so far? While explaining to people I see so many promises fulfilled. Mainly the promises that say that as missionaries we just have to study, be obedient, pray, and love God. And then when we do those things we can open our mouth and we will be full of the spirit and the words that Christ would have us say. A part of our missionary commission says my voice is his voice, my actions are his actions, my words are his words, and my doctrine is his doctrine. I have literally seen how the spirit confuses the `wise and learned`. and how we really truly are the weak of the world thrashing the nations by the power of his spirit. I have seen miracles. I have seen the sick be healed. And the unbelievers open their hearts and see the light of hope that our message carries. I have seen directly and firsthand how the Atonement of Jesus Christ will heal us if we let it. And more than anything I have seen the effects of that in my own life. I love the mission haha. And more importantly I love God and the once in a lifetime chance that he has given me to be here and experience all of this so that maybe someone can learn of him through me and be saved. The mission has helped me to realize what really is true happiness :) And let me tell you, it isn't money, cars, nice houses, cool clothes or watches, cool longboards (sadly haha) or anything of that type. It's our Heavenly Father, His son and our savior Jesucristo, and family. And when we can exercise faith and focus on these things we will find out why they are so important. The prophets help us to focus on these things and thanks to modern day prophets we aren't in darkness. The heavens are opened and I know that for a fact :) I love it here haha.

These hills in my new sector are so awesome haha. It's hard to climb up and down them. Sometimes at 9:15 when we are getting back to the room after a hard day, 200 stairs aren't the prettiest sight. But I love it anyway and I know that one day I will miss sweating my brains out climbing up thousands of stairs everyday just so that someone can know what I know and feel what I feel:the love of Christ.

I'm grateful especially in this time of year for my momma :) and also my papa! And I'm so stoked to be able to talk to my family this Sunday. Les amo bastante. Ustedes son la bendicion mas grande que tengo. Gracias por amarme tanto y por ayudarme a enfocarme en las cosas mas importantes para que podamos estar juntos para siempre.

Happy Mothers Day to all the awesome mothers that have helped me to be where I am right now and for all the mothers that have helped me and supported me. You truly make the world a better place. But most of all happy mothers day to my own mom. I will never be able to express my gratitude for all you have done to help me. But let me just say that I agree with my boy Elder Holland when he says that the only love on earth that can compare to the love of Christ is the love of a mother. And I think the love of a father is right there too. Thank you both :)

Tembien feliz dia de la madre para todas las hermanas que me han tratado como un hijo aqui en la mision. No siempre es tan facil estar tan lejos de la familia especialmente durante dias ferriados, pero son personas como ustedes que hacen que la mision sea tan chevera y que la desfrutemos tanto. Gracias por ser como nuestras madres aqui y por amarnos tanto. Gracias por toda la comida que nos ha compartido tan amorosamente. Se que dios les va a bendecir y se los prometo porque has servido tanto a los siervos suyos. Gracias y que lo pasen bien!

See you on Sunday on skype! :D

Elder Dahlin, Over and out.

Fresh air, blue skys, and Inka Cola for breakfast! (not really mom haha dont worry).

They don't call me chocolate man Dan for nothing! We learned how to make chocolates today haha.