Well, this week certainly proved to be as busy as anticipated. Just got back from Dagupan after performing on TV!! We sang on the morning show at like 6:30 so we had to get up at 3:00 am (yeah singing at that hour of the morning was hard). Evidently, I am EXHAUSTED right now, but it will forever be a memory of my mission that I hold dear. There will be a video soon posted to the blog which I have recently started for the mission! here is the link. You can give it to all the other parents so they can see pictures of their kids up there when I post them!
here is the link- http://urdanetamission.blogspot.com/
The most recent post is a video that Pres. Deyro's son-in-law made with his super nice DSLR camera. There is a lot of footage of me with my last companion Elder Ansuban, and with Elder Dromey (the red haired one that I have been doing music with). Hopefully it works on your computer because I am having a hard time getting it to load on my computer.
Another thing that happened this week was our Christmas Conference that we in the office have been working so hard to prepare for. It is both sad and relieving that my 1st and last Christmas Con. is now finished (my batched didn't get here in time for last December's). The messages shared by President Deyro and his wife were inspiring and motivating. I think overall we as a mission feel close to them and trust them a lot.
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| 2015 Christmas Conference |
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| Urdaneta Mission Office Staff |
John Michael and Imelda have now been interviewed and passed AND came to church!! They will be baptized on Saturday Dec. 19th at the Urdaneta Stake Baptism where all the units in Urdaneta Stake (including San Manuel, my 1st area) will have their baptisms all in one meeting! Its going to be really exciting to see all those baptisms, and see the San Manuel Saints.
The whole idea of baptism has honestly changed a lot in my mind since I have been on my mission. There is a fairly wide range of views and opinions concerning the act of baptism in churches throughout the world. Some people may believe it is what we do simply to increase our members. Others may believe that is the end all be all purpose of missionary work. But I have learned that it is much much much more than that. We do not baptize to make us bigger or better or more populated than anyone else, nor are those that are baptized simply left by missionaries saying "well, the job is done". We dont do it for any other reason other than the fact that in order for people to prepare for that "outward and visible sign of inward and spiritual, divine grace" (definition of ordinance), they all undergo a change of their hearts. A change that gives them hope for their eternal existence. It formally introduces them to God and establishes their relationship with Him as His son or daughter. It is symbolic of a new life. Not a new life where you dont make mistakes. But a new life where you don't have to be where or who you have been before, and you can change.
In the comedy As You Like It, written by Shakespeare, the story depicts a dramatic change in a character’s life. An older brother attempts to have his younger brother killed. Even knowing this, the younger brother saves his wicked brother from certain death. When the older brother learns of this undeserved compassion, he is totally and forever changed and has what he calls a “conversion.” Later several women approach the older brother and ask, “Was’t you that did so oft contrive to kill?” The older brother answers, “’Twas I; but ’tis not I: I do not shame to tell you what I was, since my conversion so sweetly tastes, being the thing I am.”
As stated by Jeffery R. Holland "These people are not lifeless objects disguised as a baptismal statistic. They are children of God, our brothers and sisters, and they need what we have." They too, like Shakespeare's character feel and learn of that "undeserved compassion" wrought by the Son of God in the Garden of Gethsemane, and they too felt that conversion. I know with every fiber of my body and with all the energy of my soul that God loves us. And we don't ever need to or should doubt that. The evidence of his love is around us everywhere and manifests itself in the feeling we get when we take sincere steps to know him and show our reciprocal love. He rejoices in the smallest steps we take to follow the example of his son.
So to all those who read this, especially to those dear friends of mine who do not share the same beliefs or faith as me and are maybe unsure about the existence of a God. I give you my testimony of personal experience, spiritual, logical, and heartfelt searching that you are loved by a Father in Heaven who has given his only Son for you. It may at times appear to you that he isn't "there" or that he remains quiet despite your fervent attempts to make that contact. The answer to such a dilemma is so simple and I sum it up in this small three word sermon.
He Trusts You.
He knows he does not need to come down in a lightning bolt or send a heavenly being to you to for you to figure it out. And if you follow your gut and doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith, he will slowly overtime manifest himself to you in a way that will sink in deeper to your heart than any vision, or revelation that he could give you. Be sensitive to yourself and spiritual things. You will find that naturally we as human beings have a craving for such things as real and tangible and hunger or thirst. I love you all so dearly and I pray for you daily by name. Just keep on keepin' on.
Your dear friend,
Elder Alexander Lynn Dahle
The whole idea of baptism has honestly changed a lot in my mind since I have been on my mission. There is a fairly wide range of views and opinions concerning the act of baptism in churches throughout the world. Some people may believe it is what we do simply to increase our members. Others may believe that is the end all be all purpose of missionary work. But I have learned that it is much much much more than that. We do not baptize to make us bigger or better or more populated than anyone else, nor are those that are baptized simply left by missionaries saying "well, the job is done". We dont do it for any other reason other than the fact that in order for people to prepare for that "outward and visible sign of inward and spiritual, divine grace" (definition of ordinance), they all undergo a change of their hearts. A change that gives them hope for their eternal existence. It formally introduces them to God and establishes their relationship with Him as His son or daughter. It is symbolic of a new life. Not a new life where you dont make mistakes. But a new life where you don't have to be where or who you have been before, and you can change.
In the comedy As You Like It, written by Shakespeare, the story depicts a dramatic change in a character’s life. An older brother attempts to have his younger brother killed. Even knowing this, the younger brother saves his wicked brother from certain death. When the older brother learns of this undeserved compassion, he is totally and forever changed and has what he calls a “conversion.” Later several women approach the older brother and ask, “Was’t you that did so oft contrive to kill?” The older brother answers, “’Twas I; but ’tis not I: I do not shame to tell you what I was, since my conversion so sweetly tastes, being the thing I am.”
As stated by Jeffery R. Holland "These people are not lifeless objects disguised as a baptismal statistic. They are children of God, our brothers and sisters, and they need what we have." They too, like Shakespeare's character feel and learn of that "undeserved compassion" wrought by the Son of God in the Garden of Gethsemane, and they too felt that conversion. I know with every fiber of my body and with all the energy of my soul that God loves us. And we don't ever need to or should doubt that. The evidence of his love is around us everywhere and manifests itself in the feeling we get when we take sincere steps to know him and show our reciprocal love. He rejoices in the smallest steps we take to follow the example of his son.
So to all those who read this, especially to those dear friends of mine who do not share the same beliefs or faith as me and are maybe unsure about the existence of a God. I give you my testimony of personal experience, spiritual, logical, and heartfelt searching that you are loved by a Father in Heaven who has given his only Son for you. It may at times appear to you that he isn't "there" or that he remains quiet despite your fervent attempts to make that contact. The answer to such a dilemma is so simple and I sum it up in this small three word sermon.
He Trusts You.
He knows he does not need to come down in a lightning bolt or send a heavenly being to you to for you to figure it out. And if you follow your gut and doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith, he will slowly overtime manifest himself to you in a way that will sink in deeper to your heart than any vision, or revelation that he could give you. Be sensitive to yourself and spiritual things. You will find that naturally we as human beings have a craving for such things as real and tangible and hunger or thirst. I love you all so dearly and I pray for you daily by name. Just keep on keepin' on.
Your dear friend,
Elder Alexander Lynn Dahle
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