Sept 24 2014

Hola!

This week in the CCM has been amazing. I feel the spirit so much here. It's almost overwhelming haha. You know how after Joseph Smith would have really spiritual experiences he would be exhausted and just sleep? I think it was Joseph Smith.. anyway, that is what happens to me everyday haha. I'm learning SO much. My Spanish is improving so fast. I'm already forgetting how to use proper grammar in English haha. I'm so grateful that I'm able to learn this language so easily. 

Every Sunday, we have a live broadcast from Salt Lake. It's usually an apostle. Sunday we had a broadcast and it was David A Bednar. These broadcasts are specifically for the missionaries. He said that the gifts we are looking for, and the miracles that we are striving to experience, will never come if that's all we think about. The only way we will ever receive a miracle is if there is someone out there that needs you to receive it. For example, the only way I will truly and fully receive the gift of tongues is if there is a family out there that needs me to be able to communicate with them. And that's so true! I'm studying so hard everyday. I'm reading the Book of Mormon. In 11 days I've made it to the end of Alma. The scriptures are so amazing. I love reading the stories in the scriptures. There are so many scriptures that talk specifically to missionaries. I love those ones haha.

So every Saturday we get to leave the CCM and we get to go out on to the streets of Lima and proselyte! It's so much fun haha. I was with an elder that is from the Dominican Republic. On the way home we were sitting next to the other Latino elders in his district and they all start saying whats up my n? haha and they were all saying the n word hecka loud! and my companion for proselyting is black! so I was like oh my gosh this is horrible. They didn't know what that word meant. So in Spanish they asked me what it meant and I had to explain to all of them that we should never say that word because it's bad and I explained to them about slavery in Spanish. haha and they all felt way bad for saying it haha. It was scary though, I thought he would be offended, but everyone here is so loving. There's just this bond between missionaries. we're all automatically friends. It's because of the spirit here in the CCM. There is no way that anyone would be able to successfully learn the language and learn the whole gospel in Spanish without the spirit that is here. It's so powerful. I love my mission! and I've only been here for 2 weeks haha.

This week we graduated from being the Greenies. We're now the intermediates. It's funny to see all of the new missionaries coming in. My compañion has this HECKA good Russian accent that he can do and we're convincing the other elders in my room that he is from Russia. They believe it so far. haha the mission is a blast.

This morning we went to the temple. Every week we have the opportunity to go to the temple. I love going. I learn so much every time. So I was the last one to get to the celestial room. and when I got in there the rest of my district had already left because we were running late. So I was in there alone and I was going to just leave right away because we were running late but i decided to stay for a while and just pray and think about things in there. It was unlike anything I've ever felt before. So peaceful. I just sat in there praying for like 5 minutes balling my eyes out. Our Heavenly Father truly loves each and every one of us so much. His love is incomprehensible.
The church is true. Joseph Smith was a true prophet. Thomas S Monson is a true and living prophet today. I'm grateful that we have a prophet today to guide us through these latter days. I know that through faith, all things are possible. Mountains can be moved. I love the church. I know my savior loves me. I love my family and all my friends. Thank you all for the support! It means the world to me. I love you all so much. Choose the right! Scripture study is so important. Never forget how much he loves each and every one of us. If you ever are feeling down, you can always pray and talk to Heavenly Father. He will always be there. I know this is true with all of my heart.

Elder Dahlin

ps. this week i had the opportunity to stand in on my first priesthood blessing. An elder in our district is sick and so me and my companion and his companion gave him a blessing. That was last night and this morning he woke up feeling good as new. It's amazing the things that the priesthood can do. Like I said before, faith is everything. I love you all!