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!!

Oct 27 2k14

Family and friends,

This was my first week out of the CCM! HOLY COW. Lima Peru really is a special place. different. but special. I’m definitely not used to the big city haha but I’m sure I will be soon.

The thing that I’ve thought of the most since being here is to never take for granted what we’ve been blessed with. We are so lucky. If you guys could see some of the things I’ve seen here I think you would appreciate what you have a bit more haha. That’s something we should all try to work on. 

This week I’ve been learning so much Spanish and getting used to how the people speak here. They speak so so so fast!! But I’m getting used to it. Every day I understand more and more. The spirit is key with the language though. And I can tell when I have the spirit and when I don’t. Last night we were teaching a lesson and I was testifying of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. I could just feel that I was the instrument that Heavenly Father was working through to teach this lady. Doctrina y convenios 100 talks a ton about missionary work. It’s only a few verses long and you can read it in less than 2 minutes so I encourage all of you to work with it. Sometimes I’m afraid to talk to someone because I don’t know what I’m going to say, but after reading this chapter, I’m less afraid. Because I know that `it will be given to me in the very hour, yea in the very moment what I should say`.

So I was testifying of the Book of Mormon and after I spoke I was just like what the heck. I don’t know how to speak Spanish!! The spirit really is something special.

I have some fun facts about Lima.

1. Peruvian Dogs don’t have hair. Gross I know. I’ll try to get a picture of one this week. They’re just bald. So nasty. One of the members we visit has one and I try not to touch it.. ugh.

2. There isn’t 5 seconds that goes by where I don’t hear a car honk. Everybody always honks always. No matter what.

     - However on Sunday, they don’t honk. It’s interesting.

3. The sun almost never comes out here. At least right now. I’ve seen the sky during the day like 3 times., today was one of those times. And I’ve seen the stars twice. Both in the CCM.

4. Everybody is Catholic. Literally EVERYBODY. 

Well those are all the facts I have so far haha. I’ll come up with some more for next week. I’ve also seen the miracle of tender mercies in my mission. Some days are really hard. And we don’t always have people that want to listen to us. But at the end of every day, we always have an amazing family that invites us in and feeds us and we have a lesson.

Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are real. They live. I know this for a fact. They love each and every one of us. No matter what we’ve done we can always be forgiven and we will always be loved. How great is that? The Book of Mormon is true. More true than any other book in the world. The testimony of Joseph Smith is so powerful. I encourage you to read it. It will change you. The Book of Mormon has changed my life and the reason I am here is to share this knowledge with others. So that their lives can be changed too through this amazing gospel. Families can be together forever, through heavenly fathers plan. How much more would we want? I know this church is true. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t true. God lives. If you don’t have a knowledge for yourself that God lives, kneel and ask in prayer. You will receive an answer. I say these things in the name of My Savior, the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ. Amen. I’ll try to speak more Spanish in my email next week. This week I just didn’t have much time. 

The yellow building is my apartment. And the Latino in the picture is my companion. Elder Flores.

I love you all!! Life is good in Lima Peru.

Elder Dahlin

Picture from MTC teacher

This picture was posted by Miluska Loayza Malvaceda, Daniel's MTC teacher with this caption:

Mis amados angelitos..  !!! Es una bendicion conocerles y haber aprendido tanto de ustedes. Se que son misioneros que aman esta maravillosa obra, son del ejercito de Dios. Les amo muchisimo mis pequeños....!!! Gracias por su amor y amistad !!! Hna. Hall, Hna. Weight, E.Foote, Hna. Frame, Hna. Jesperson, E. Mann, E. Arns, E. Dixon, E. Van Uitert, E. Burgoyne, E. Dahlin y E. Christensen

Oct 22 2k14

Friends and Family,

What a crazy time I’ve had here. Even just being out of the CCM for 2 days. I have some cool stories to share that happened while in the CCM so I’ll share those first.

So since I was a zone leader in the CCM I was in charge of organizing sacrament meeting. I took advantage of that for my last Sunday in the CCM and I asked the elders in my district if they wanted to bless and pass the sacrament. They all wanted to. I blessed the bread. It was so cool to have that experience. I can’t believe I’m in Peru blessing the sacrament in Spanish haha. I love it. So yeah blessing the sacrament was really cool. An experience que no voy a olvidar.

We watched a video and I think it was by Elder Holland in one of his conference talks a few years ago. He said, when we are going through something that’s really hard, and we want to know if there’s an easier way, we just need to remember that someone much greater than us asked that same exact question a long time ago. He’s talking about Christ when he was on the cross and asked if there was another way. If Christ could endure the pains of the world, we can endure the trial that we’re going through.

We watched Meet the Mormons!! I think it’s in theaters right now. But we had it broadcasted to the CCM in English. So that was cool to watch that haha. It’s so funny and it really shows who we are. I encourage all of you to watch it. 

so a few nights before we left the CCM, we were eating dinner and I sat down with my food with my district and they were all being super noisy because they’re excited to get out into the field. So I sit down and I’ve made a habit of saying prayers on my food whenever we eat. And as I’m praying I can hear the noise start to get quieter and quieter around me. Until all at once it’s just completely quiet around me and I can’t hear any of the elders in my district talking anymore. I finish my prayer and I look up and every single one of the elders in my district were praying blessing their food. It showed me that no matter where we are, even when we don’t know if anyone is watching, we need to be examples.

My district was so hard to say goodbye to! They’re like my family. I know that they’ll all do so good on their missions. I’ll include a picture if I have time. 

So I had the opportunity to do an anointing! One of the hermanas in my district was having a hard time. So the night before we left, I anointed and my companion gave her a blessing. It’s amazing to feel the peace when the spirit is present. I’m so grateful for the power of the priesthood and I know that through it we can see miracles. I’m glad I was able to exercise my priesthood power.

So I think there’s like rioting going on right now in Lima. Don’t worry mom it’s not too bad :) 

But the other day my companion and I were walking down the street and a bus pulls up. One of the guys gets off the bus and picks up a rock and starts running towards me and my companion. We step aside and when he had run like 5 feet past us, he throws the rock as hard as he can towards a cop. the cop had a riot shield and blocked the rock but after that happened me and my companion just walked away to a different place. It’s just crazy because if someone did something like that in the United States they would get shot by the cop haha. Which reminds me! Some of the police here carry around huge machine guns!! Haha it’s kinda scary. But yeah the story with the guy throwing a rock, I know I was being watched over. If he had thrown the rock even a second before it probably could have hit me or my companion.

My English continues to go down the drain and I find myself forgetting how to say more and more words. The gift of tongues is real :) I can’t wait to call home at Christmas and speak in Spanish to you guys!

People told me that Peru would be different but I think it impossible to know or even imagine until you’re here. Everything is different. The food, people, cars, showers. So on the shower in our apartamiento, there is this little electric thing right at the end of the shower head. And right before the water touches you, it touches the electrical thing and it heats the water. So this morning we turn on the water and I think the electric shower head messed up the power because the lights all turned off. I’ll probably have to get used to taking cold showers but that’s alright. I’ll live. 

Mom and Dad. So can I select multiple photos at a time and add them to drop box? I’m not sure how that works haha so I just sent a few. Can you print the one of me standing in front of the temple and put it on my missionary plaque? That would be chevere. Cool. 

Alright well I’m out of time! My new P day is Monday so that’s when I’ll be on again. Thanks for all the prayers! Please continue to pray for me. If there’s one time where I need it, it’s now. 

I love you guys all so much! Never forget how lucky we all are. Some of the things I see here make me realize how blessed I’ve been in my life. I will talk to you soon! Todo bien en Lima Peru.

 Elder Dahlin

Ps. mi zona es magdelena