Elder Dahlin in Lima Peru Central Mission: April 13 2015

Hasta luego Magdalena, hola San Martin!

My first transfer in the field! It was really weird and sad saying goodbye to the people that I’ve met in my old ward, but also I was stoked. Because I know that people here need me too and that I also need them. So now here I am in San Martin, and the ward is called Las Americas. If you want to send me letters, my address is the same. Because the letters go to the mission home and then the zone leaders pick them up and bring them to us. So don’t worry about changing the address if you’re going to write me a letter :)

My new companions name is Elder Avalos. He’s from Ecuador! (lo siento Elder Jenkins, es de la mision norte). He has 18 months in the mission and he’s an awesome guy. I’m excited to get to know him better in the next few months.

The first day I got here, we visited the bishop and I helped read a book in English. He is learning English and was super excited that a gringo had come and that I could help him. He’s really awesome and I think I’ve already gained his confidence. He’s an awesome guy and I’m excited to work with him in these next few months. We ate lunch with him too and at the end of lunch we asked if there is anything we can do to help with the ward or anything and he said sí. He then asked me to give a 15 minute talk on Sunday (yesterday). So I gave a talk! It was my first talk that I’ve given in Spanish or in general on the mission. I gave it on repentance and the atonement. And while preparing to give the talk, I felt inspired to call the ward to repentance.so I did! It was a really spiritual experience and I was able to exercise my authority as a missionary to call the ward to repentance. After the talk, before I even stepped down from the stage, the bishop shook my hand and said thank you. Later he told me that that was exactly what the ward needed. So you could say that my first talk was a success! I hope I can have another opportunity to give another talk soon :)

This week we were walking down the street and this is a new sector, so I’m looking around and all of the sudden a dog turns the corner and starts walking towards us. Don’t worry haha we didn’t get attacked or anything. As the dog got closer I noticed that something was around its neck. I looked closer and it was a monkey!! A little tiny monkey was riding the dog around the town! I’ll try to take a picture of it this week. But it was so funny! hahaa that is the first and maybe the last monkey ill see here. Even though I’m in Peru, the only animals that Lima has are an overabundance of stray dogs and cats.

Also this week my old investigator Carmen got baptized! I was able to go back to my old zone (hace una semana) and see her baptism. Every time we baptize I’m amazed at how lucky we are to have this gospel. And this knowledge of how we can be baptized and enter the kingdom of God. I love this gospel and the opportunity I have to share it!

Well, this week I’ve been reading the book of Mormon. Still counting the names of Christ. I’m in 3 Nephi capítulo 26, and so far, it’s said a name of Christ 3,693 times. That’s right folks. Three thousand six hundred and ninety three times. Crazy. This book really does testify of Christ and his word. While reading in 3rd Nefi, I am so shocked at how powerful the words that Christ spoke are when he came to the Americas. I love the Book of Mormon! And whoever hasn’t had the chance to read it, I invite you to do so. It will change your life. Just talk to a Mormon and ask how you can get a book of Mormon. Or better yet, talk to a missionary. Were super cool :)

Well I gotta go. But I know that this work is of God. That the book of Mormon is true and that it really is the word of God. He has a plan for us, and by reading this book we can find out more of this plan. Joseph smith was a prophet and we can gain a testimony of this by reading the book of Mormon too! It can literally help with anything we need in this life. It’s like a book of instructions that leads to felicidad. I love it. En el nombre de Jesucristo. Amen.

Thanks for all the letters and support! Keep praying for me and for all the other missionaries in the field. Elder Dahlin, over and out.

Love Elder Dahlin