My Final Email: August 8 2016

Hey guys! Elder Dahlin here. Well this is it. Next week I will be home! Is this as unreal to you all as it is to me? Sometimes I feel like I'm going to wake up any second and I'm still going to be in the MTC getting ready to hit the field haha. 

I wanted to thank all the amazing people that have supported me during these 2 years of my life that were so important. Thank you for writing me, praying for me, encouraging me, making me laugh, brightening my day, and helping me along the way in this mission. I really am grateful.

There are so many things that we experience on the mission haha. We laugh, we cry, we see peoples lives change, we feel sorry for the people who don't let this message into their lives, we get sick! (like last week), we get cussed at, threatened, and spit on (sorry I didn't tell you about that one mom haha), we try new food, see new culture, and we LOVE. I can't even begin to express how much I am absolutely in love with the Peruvian people. I know that God has sent me here to recognize and to meet some of the people that I knew in the premortal existence, because I can feel it and I have seen it so clearly.

I always grew up listening to my dad's cool mission stories and I thought Wow one day I'm going to have stories like that too! haha I didn't know why I wanted to go on a mission when I was a little kid. I guess I just supposed it was where we see cool things happen and people love us and give us food haha. When I decided to fill out my papers and actually go I thought I knew why I was doing it. I knew that the church was true and that God loves us. Little did I know how utterly mind blown I was about to be for the next two years. Now as I approach the end of my mission I think back and realize why I have done all of this. I LOVE JESUS CHRIST. I love him. And I now know with a surety that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the one and only true church upon the face of the earth, the only true and perfect church that Christ established when He was here.

The mission definitely hasn't been easy. Sure it has it's ups and downs but it definitely isn't play haha. It is fun and we do laugh till we cry haha. But there are times when we suffer, or get so discouraged, or sad because our brothers and sisters don't accept a message that they once knew so well. I've shed tears for this people and have prayed and fasted so that I might be a tool in God's hands in bringing them back to the true happiness. The mission has been 2 of the funnest and best years of my life, but also 2 of the hardest. It makes me think of Peter and John when they were taken before the court and accused. There was no fault found in them so they were whipped and let go, being told to not preach of Christ anymore. They left the court `rejoicing` because they were counted worthy to suffer in the name on Jesus Christ (Acts 5:40-41). I am so infinitely grateful that I have also been counted worthy to suffer for this great work and also for the Lord Jesus Christ. 

More than anything I am so happy! And grateful! That I have been able to serve here! God really did put prepared people in Magdalena, San Martin de Porres, La Libertad, Las Flores, and in Maranga. And it's been so important for me to be in each and every one of those sectors. I have made so many sacred memories and made so many friends in each ward. Friends that will be a part of me forever. I have seen people find happiness and see the look on their face as they emerge from the waters of baptism, clean and worthy. That's the best feeling :)

I have gained a real testimony. I know that this is Christ's church and that He directs it through a living prophet, Thomas S Monson. Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. As a 14 year old boy he was visited by God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ and was told of a heavenly mission that he was to undertake. A mission that would eventually end with his death (Hebrews 9:16,19). He decided to go to his grave testifying that he has seen a pillar of light exactly over his head and that he really did see Two Personages whose brightness and glory defy all description. I have learned for myself, independant of any other person, and only through the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. And if God needed me to, I would also go to my grave testifying that this is His church, and I would die for this gospel (phillipians 1:24). I testify as a representative of Jesus Christ that Christ is on our side and that in this work as a missionary He has been on my left and on my right, and that his angels have been round about me to bear me up and protect me. I have SEEN this promise fulfilled (Doctrine and Covenants 84:88).  I know with all my heart that Jesus Christ suffered and died for my imperfections. I know that as He fell on his face and cried out to His father in the garden of Gethsemane He thought deeply and personally of me and who I really am and what I would come to the earth to do. I know because I have felt His love, and I understand how much He cares about me a little bit more after having served a mission. I have gained a testimony of the importance of an eternal family. And the greatest blessing that I have ever received is knowing that I am sealed to my family in the temple and by the authority of the only true and real priesthood upon the face of the earth. The only true priesthood that was restored to Joseph Smith by 3 heavenly messengers, Peter, James and John. I know that through my faith and obedience, I can return home to my Heavenly King and there live with my family forever in a state of never ending happiness (Mosiah 2:41). It would take a while to testify because the church is perfect haha. But these are some of the things that I have found out for myself. I KNOW that they're true because I have tried their fruits, meditated, and then asked the source of all truth is these things are true (3 Nephi 14:20) and I have felt love, peace, and joy. Not to mention complete happiness and hope (Galations 5:22). I know this is his church and I am so grateful for this time that I have had to see other's lives change and to help them along their way back to our Heavenly Father. I testify of these things in the name of my Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

I will be home on Monday August 15! I'm excited to see you all when I get home. I have missed you all especially my family :) Mom and Dad you guys made me cry today with your letters haha. I miss you family! and friends! This is the most important thing I have ever done and I am so grateful to have been able to serve in God's Army for 2 years :)

See you all next week!

Love Elder Daniel Dahlin

August 1 2016

Aloha!

Wow this is the second to last time I'll be writing you all. 

This week I almost didn't write anyone so sorry about that! It's just that I've been kinda sick today and so I'm feeling really out of it. I'm not exactly sure what I ate but I have a super super funny story haha.

So today we had a multi zone conference. So we went there and we were all participating and everything and it was awesome. We were learning a ton about humility and how important it is to be humble like Christ in this work. Anyway so we go and eat lunch. We ate pollo a la brasa. Which is like a rotisary chicken with french fries and some super good sauces. I think that's the thing that messed me up.. cause we ate and about 2 hours later I started to feel horrible sick. There were like 60 misioneros there and me and my companion got up in the middle of the presidents wifes message and ran out the door. Ummmm.. lets just say the pollo a la brasa ended up in the bathroom trash can. Haha I threw everything up and was feeling much better after. We went back in to the reunion and everything was normal and the reunion ended. Yeah so we took the bus back and here is the funny part haha... and kinda gross so if this type of thing grosses you out lo siento! We were on the bus and if you haven't been to Lima you have no idea what a crazy driver is.. the bus driver was swerving all over the place as usual and I began to feel nauseous again.. haha I was trying soooo hard to not throw up on the bus cause we were going to get off in like 10 minutes when all the sudden and almost like instinctively I just stood up and threw up EVERYWHERE! The good part is that I was like in the back next to where the door opens up to let people off. so I was about to aim for the door haha but it was so horrible seriously. There I was on a crazy Lima bus sitting on the floor puking haha. I looked up and like 30 people that heard or saw me throw up had gone to the front and were getting off the bus haha. Wow I will never forget this experience. So funny :D but yeah I've been kinda sick all day and even right now I'm sitting at this computer with a trash can. It's been pretty rough. So yeah if you're wondering why I didn't write you today it's because I'm utterly exhausted and I have like no energy and every 30 minutes I'm making good use of the trash can at my side. But I read all the emails and thanks everyone for supporting me still and for keeping me so excited about this work. I love you all.

So this week the zone leaders called us freaking out saying that they had a referral for us that is such a miracle from God. We were like what? haha we called the guy and set up an appointment with him. We get there and WOW. It honestly was the most prepared person that I have seen in my whole mission. We start to talk and he tells us that he wants to put his faith into play and repent and be a better person. He said that he has seen how we baptize in the church and he can understand that it's how Christ was baptized and he said that as part of his repentance he would like to be baptized. And then he expressed how he would love to always have the constant guidance from the Holy Ghost in his life to be able to endure to the end and live a good worthy life.... I WAS LIKE WHAT!!!

I was so surprised because it honestly really is a miracle from God. And the best part is that he has already gone to church 3 times in a different ward and he recently has moved here. The missionaries never taught him in his old house so we are taking care of that now :) It would honestly be such a great blessing to see Misael be baptized before I go home. But either way this whole experience has strengthened my testimony so much that there are SO many people out there that need us. People like Misael. People that would be so willing to accept this gospel in an instant if they could just have the chance to hear it. That's why we are here as missionaries and Misael is part of the reason why I am specifically here for my last transfer. I know that God prepares people and I know that angels are helping people to prepare themselves to accept this gospel.. I seriously love this work so much :)

Well I will home in 2 weeks. I'm excited but also I feel sad and nervous and happy and just a mix of emotions. I'm sure any returned missionary knows exactly how this feels haha. But more than anything I am still in love with this work and with the Peruvian people and I will be forever :) 

I love Jesus Christ and all that He has done for me. I know that He suffered for me so that I can be perfected in Him and and have a celestial family with him. That's the greatest blessing that I can imagine :) En el nombre de Jesucristo. Amen.

Sincerely Elder Daniel Spencer Dahlin

Ps. Please pray for me so that I can get better soon and serve with all my heart might, mind, and strength! :) Gracias

We had a cool ward party too and it was really cool to see their traditions again before leaving this beautiful country and people.

This week we did a service project and moved all of this from the 3rd story to the first story! I love service :)

Independence Day!! On the 28th and 29th there are just tons of parties haha

Hermana Loayza has yet AGAIN proved to be my favorite teacher from the CCM. She took us and 2 other companionships out to dinner :)