Hey Family,
Wow, I have been ALL OVER the mission this week. Even today, and because of that this one is not going to be long or spectacular or have a tear jerking testimony at the end.
No more storm. Its gone, and luckily the other one went somewhere else. However I still had to get up and some ridiculous hour in the middle of the night and go evacuate the sisters in my district because the government opened the dam and that causes some crazy flooding. But all is well. The mission is just doing A LOT of service right now.
This week was good considering. Earlier during P-Day my companion and I negotiated a contract with a landlord for some sisters in Rosales Zone and then we went bowling with a lot of other missionaries I havent seen in a while. I didnt really notice how many friends I had made until we were all in one place and I was able to hang out with all of them.
Because no one went to church the sunday of the typhoon all of the Confirmations for investigators who were baptized on Saturday got moved the yesterday. Which now means that there are about a bajillion records coming to the office for me to take care of. UHG. Anyway mom, I will write answers to you questions on my lunch breaks this week and send them all to you on monday. But for now. I am happy. I am dry. I am tired. And I am now one year old in the mission. YIKES!
love
Elder Dahle
Monday, October 26, 2015
Monday, October 19, 2015
Week #52 - Typhoon Lando (Koppu) - Pray for the people of the Philippines!
Letter # 1 (A short update so Mom and Dad can breathe a little easier:0))
I am safe.
I am happy.
But those are the only two questions I have time to answer. The whole mission is on lock down, we have to go take kits to missionaries and check on everyone. The winds were brutal. You will see in the picture I am sending. Now it is raining like none other. Dad said they measured it in millimeters on the news there, but there is a meter of water covering some places of Urdaneta and even whole areas in other zones. I have to go help. I love you and might get to email more later today. If there are any other parents freaking out assure them there is nothing to be worried about if their kid doesn't email. They have no power and it isnt safe outside the apartment. All apartments are cement structures and they are all safe. I love you.
Elder Dahle
Letter #2
You can see the wind sheared the bark off the tree behind me. all aside, I am safe. Love you all.
I am safe.
I am happy.
But those are the only two questions I have time to answer. The whole mission is on lock down, we have to go take kits to missionaries and check on everyone. The winds were brutal. You will see in the picture I am sending. Now it is raining like none other. Dad said they measured it in millimeters on the news there, but there is a meter of water covering some places of Urdaneta and even whole areas in other zones. I have to go help. I love you and might get to email more later today. If there are any other parents freaking out assure them there is nothing to be worried about if their kid doesn't email. They have no power and it isnt safe outside the apartment. All apartments are cement structures and they are all safe. I love you.
Elder Dahle
Letter #2
Hello all,
Well I don't have time to write a bunch, but they say a picture is worth a thousand words. I am safe, everyone in my district is safe and I am checking on them often. Typhoon Lando (Koppu) is strong. We are at a signal 3, and it just doesn't seem like it wants to leave the mission boundaries. No missionaries are hurt. Just a lot of damage to the weaker structures and most trees have been thoroughly amputated. Saw a flying banana tree. Here in the office the phones are off the hook. Many other areas are pretty flooded and it seems like its going to be this way for a while. Its raining really hard here in Urdaneta right now. The winds are pretty strong too but they are stronger in other places as the eye of the storm has left us. From the radar it looks like another slightly stronger Typhoon is just behind this one. Not sure if it will go south or come to us. Anyway, I love you all, pray for the people here please.
You can see the wind sheared the bark off the tree behind me. all aside, I am safe. Love you all.
Elder Dahle
Monday, October 12, 2015
Week #50 - The Book of Mormon is True . . . Try It!
Hello Everyone,
It has really been a long time since I sent a large email to everyone in my list. (Sooooo if you hear that anyone is upset that they didn't get an email, it because I don't have it and they should send it to me.)
So I spent 3 months in Sta. Maria and my last companion there was Elder Sta. Maria (awesome, right?). There I started using music to do missionary work and preformed in front of a college while my sweet companion contacted over 200 people (incredible, right?) while I sang and played guitar. And now am in Urdaneta serving in a new calling (Mission Recorder and District Leader) and my new companion is Elder Ansuban (The Finance Secretary, I give him a hard time because my phone auto-corrects his name as Suburban) He is a Filipino from Mindanao, and he is easily the best, most inspired teacher in the whole mission. I am so very blessed to be his companion to learn from him.
My schedule has changed an awful lot, but it is still focused on my purpose. And we actually get to work way more effectively considering the fact that I have a car assigned to me. My new responsibilities as Recorder include creating the Urdaneta Newsletter, Recording all Baptismal records of convert baptisms, reporting the statistics of the mission to Salt Lake, editing all pictures and photos of new missionaries or activities and such. As a passing comment the records are a complete DISASTER. It is safe to say that I am never bored or without anything to do.
The music is going well and me and the supply manager, Elder Dromey (who was also just assigned a guitar) are preparing for a performance at the church for a church tour activity for investigators.
Honestly I have so much more I want to say but I am out of time.
I just want to close with my testimony of this work, this belief, and the undeniable blessing it has been to come here to the Philippines and meet these wonderful beautiful people, in this beautiful country. I have undoubtedly gone through changes as I have worked shoulder to shoulder with incredible people and worked with them to bring smiles to discouraged faces, and hope to broken hearts. This past week I saw the power of this message bring a grown man to tears as he read promised blessings from the Book of Mormon. I know that book is true. To who don't know anything about or have doubts concerning the 6 words in the previous sentence; I boldly yet lovingly invite you to read it (get a copy;its free and you all know a Mormon). With sincerity. Not just curiosity. With an open heart and mind. Then I invite you to pray and ask your Father in Heaven if it is true. It took time for me to TRULY know. But I will never regret the patience with which I took the steps to find that truth. I love you all so much and I wish you all happiness.
With Love,
Elder Dahle
It has really been a long time since I sent a large email to everyone in my list. (Sooooo if you hear that anyone is upset that they didn't get an email, it because I don't have it and they should send it to me.)
So I spent 3 months in Sta. Maria and my last companion there was Elder Sta. Maria (awesome, right?). There I started using music to do missionary work and preformed in front of a college while my sweet companion contacted over 200 people (incredible, right?) while I sang and played guitar. And now am in Urdaneta serving in a new calling (Mission Recorder and District Leader) and my new companion is Elder Ansuban (The Finance Secretary, I give him a hard time because my phone auto-corrects his name as Suburban) He is a Filipino from Mindanao, and he is easily the best, most inspired teacher in the whole mission. I am so very blessed to be his companion to learn from him.
My schedule has changed an awful lot, but it is still focused on my purpose. And we actually get to work way more effectively considering the fact that I have a car assigned to me. My new responsibilities as Recorder include creating the Urdaneta Newsletter, Recording all Baptismal records of convert baptisms, reporting the statistics of the mission to Salt Lake, editing all pictures and photos of new missionaries or activities and such. As a passing comment the records are a complete DISASTER. It is safe to say that I am never bored or without anything to do.
The music is going well and me and the supply manager, Elder Dromey (who was also just assigned a guitar) are preparing for a performance at the church for a church tour activity for investigators.
Honestly I have so much more I want to say but I am out of time.
I just want to close with my testimony of this work, this belief, and the undeniable blessing it has been to come here to the Philippines and meet these wonderful beautiful people, in this beautiful country. I have undoubtedly gone through changes as I have worked shoulder to shoulder with incredible people and worked with them to bring smiles to discouraged faces, and hope to broken hearts. This past week I saw the power of this message bring a grown man to tears as he read promised blessings from the Book of Mormon. I know that book is true. To who don't know anything about or have doubts concerning the 6 words in the previous sentence; I boldly yet lovingly invite you to read it (get a copy;its free and you all know a Mormon). With sincerity. Not just curiosity. With an open heart and mind. Then I invite you to pray and ask your Father in Heaven if it is true. It took time for me to TRULY know. But I will never regret the patience with which I took the steps to find that truth. I love you all so much and I wish you all happiness.
With Love,
Elder Dahle
Thursday, October 8, 2015
A brush with Home . . . The Dahle Elders finally meet in the Field
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| Elder Derek Dahle, Emma (cousin), Uncle Marc, Elder Alex Dahle & Aunt Tammy |
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| Elder Derek Dahle on his way home & Elder Alex Dahle at the half way mark! |
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| And the 2 cousins meet in the Philippines! Don't you know their conversations were fun! |
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| Elder Dahle with his new companion, Elder Ansuban |
Monday, October 5, 2015
Week #49 - Early Transfer, New area, New Companion, New Responsibility!
Hey Family!
Well SURPRISE!!!!! I got early transferred haha.
I am now in the Mission Office and I have been called as a District Leader. So my new area is Urdaneta 1B (I think? I am still not sure where I am) and my new companion is Elder Ansuban, the Mission Finance (once again I have been blessed with a really wonderful companion' he is such a good missionary).
This time President didnt even wait till transfer day (*its still this next thursday haha), he just had his Assistant call me and have me pack my bags and get ready to be picked up by the mission Supply Manager because I was given a new assignment.
I now have a Philippines Licence, and a mission car (yeah its a new Toyota Corolla, imagine that haha). My new companion is Elder Ansuban the mission Finance Officer (he is so great). My calling involves a lot of new responsibility and I will have to tell you more about it next week (because I honestly dont know all of it) but I will just list a few things that I do as Mission Recorder.
> I receive all BCR's or Baptism and Confirmation Records and I check them and input them into the Church Records System
> I photoshop and edit all incoming photos of new missionaries and batch pictures
> I photoshop and create the mission Newsletter "Urdaneta.net"
> I create programs for Baptisms and other activities
> I help prepare the transfer list for the rest of the office Elders
> And about 5 other things I havent been taught yet
As a District Leader
> I interview all the missionaries of my District to check on their areas, their relationship with their companions, and their overall well being (those under my stewardship are actually ALL the Mission Leaders; AP's, Zone Leaders, and the Sister Training Leaders). So actually that means I am under the direction of all those in my district but they are under my responsibility, weird right? The Prophet has a home teacher, so its kind of the same principle.
> I give an instructional workshop to the district every tuesday.
> I join the Zone Leaders in a meeting after District Meeting to discuss and find solutions to specific problems of missionaries in my District
> I receive the stats of my district and send them the Zone Leaders (who then send them back to me as mission Recorder haha)
So basically there is a lot of new change in my life as a missionary. Some, really relieving (Air-conditioning office, Car, the big house, washing machine, The mission Secretary is a Culinary Arts student haha so he cooks all the time) And then also some really stressful new responsibilities. But President interviewed me when I got to Urdaneta and told me that he trusted me to have "little to no problems adjusting to the new calling" YIKES!
Anyway, I love you so very much, I will be anxiously awaiting the package :)
Love,
Well SURPRISE!!!!! I got early transferred haha.
I am now in the Mission Office and I have been called as a District Leader. So my new area is Urdaneta 1B (I think? I am still not sure where I am) and my new companion is Elder Ansuban, the Mission Finance (once again I have been blessed with a really wonderful companion' he is such a good missionary).
This time President didnt even wait till transfer day (*its still this next thursday haha), he just had his Assistant call me and have me pack my bags and get ready to be picked up by the mission Supply Manager because I was given a new assignment.
I now have a Philippines Licence, and a mission car (yeah its a new Toyota Corolla, imagine that haha). My new companion is Elder Ansuban the mission Finance Officer (he is so great). My calling involves a lot of new responsibility and I will have to tell you more about it next week (because I honestly dont know all of it) but I will just list a few things that I do as Mission Recorder.
> I receive all BCR's or Baptism and Confirmation Records and I check them and input them into the Church Records System
> I photoshop and edit all incoming photos of new missionaries and batch pictures
> I photoshop and create the mission Newsletter "Urdaneta.net"
> I create programs for Baptisms and other activities
> I help prepare the transfer list for the rest of the office Elders
> And about 5 other things I havent been taught yet
As a District Leader
> I interview all the missionaries of my District to check on their areas, their relationship with their companions, and their overall well being (those under my stewardship are actually ALL the Mission Leaders; AP's, Zone Leaders, and the Sister Training Leaders). So actually that means I am under the direction of all those in my district but they are under my responsibility, weird right? The Prophet has a home teacher, so its kind of the same principle.
> I give an instructional workshop to the district every tuesday.
> I join the Zone Leaders in a meeting after District Meeting to discuss and find solutions to specific problems of missionaries in my District
> I receive the stats of my district and send them the Zone Leaders (who then send them back to me as mission Recorder haha)
So basically there is a lot of new change in my life as a missionary. Some, really relieving (Air-conditioning office, Car, the big house, washing machine, The mission Secretary is a Culinary Arts student haha so he cooks all the time) And then also some really stressful new responsibilities. But President interviewed me when I got to Urdaneta and told me that he trusted me to have "little to no problems adjusting to the new calling" YIKES!
Anyway, I love you so very much, I will be anxiously awaiting the package :)
Love,
Elder Dahle
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