Week #95 - Last transfer & Last Companion!

Mom & Dad,

Glad to hear that our family is so happy and doing so well:) I am so excited to see you all! Here is an update on the week

Monday, Fun P-Day, we spent most of the day cleaning our apartment and getting ready to move apartments on tuesday ha:) taught a little girl named Bridgette, she will be baptised on September 10:)

Tuesday. Spent the WHOLE DAY packing, cleaning, loading, unpacking, unloading, cleaning some more and organising all our furniture into our new apartment. When we were finally done and I had unpacked all my stuff and it was all set out on my desk and all my clothes were hung up all nice in the closet, my body was sore, I was tired and laid down to finally get some rest at about 10:00 pm. Then the phone rang...

It was the Assistants to the President...

EARLY TRANSFER!!!

Haha I was so mad! I had to spend the next three hours until 1:00 am packing everything up again to get picked up at 7:00am. I only got to stay in the new apartment for a night, and it was a short one at that.

My new area is ALAMINOS! My new companion is Elder Sabiano (which literally means Elder "SAY WHAT?!" in tagalog. Im for real. Search in Google translate "sabi ano". He was the AP while I was in the office and is probably the most diligent missionaries in the whole mission.

He is my batch so we go home on the same day! Not sure what president was thinking there. The AP's said that this area just really needed two weathered experienced Zone Leaders to bring it back to life and I cannot think of a better way to finish my mission. This is officially my last area and my last companion and it is such a great way to finish off strong. We are already seeing so many miracles. Here are a few.

Tatay Romeo went from 18 cigarettes a day to only 1 or 2 and he is in Helaman in the Book of Mormon after only 2 weeks of teaching.

Sister Lyn was invited to drink alcohol with some friends but instead of giving in, she said no and explained to her friends her new endeavour to be a better follower of Jesus Christ; this had an impact on her friends and they support her.

I met a member who prays for the whole quorum of the Twelve by name every single night and also prays for the missionaries in the ward by name. She made and effort to know my name and pray for me the night I arrive and I hadnt even met her yet.

Alaminos is really great. I was impressed on Sunday with how spiritual their church services are. Sacrament was incredibly reverent, in class everyone read a previously assigned scripture passage, everyone participated, the teacher asked inspired questions and involved everyone. I love it here:)

I love you so much! I hope you are all happy and doing well:) See you in a couple months!!!!!

Elder Dahle

Week #94 - SIXTY-FIVE DAYS LEFT . . . and probably ALL WET ONES!

Hey Mom & Dad,

Sorry this one is going to be short, I wrote a huge one to Joey and I had to write a lot to President too. Ill send pictures

Here are the answers to questions.

1). I am trying but I just cant seem to find time to get them done. I will try to have it by next week.

2). I cant think of anything specific but there are things I want you to fill the fridge with haha. here are some of them- pizza rolls and bagel bites, and Whole Milk.

Okay here is the short update on the week. Our area was flooded for the whole week and we couldnt get out of our apartment for two days, we got creative and tried to tape plastic around our boots so the water didnt get in.

We gave a workshop on praying with faith at zone conference, it was great haha I guess Ill just show you the notes in 65 days.

We went to the beach early in the morning on exchanges, it was pretty cool haha:)

I LOVE YOU

Elder Dahle

Week #93 - Dedicated investigators who came to church in a Monsoon!!!

Mom & Dad,

THAT IS SOOOO COOL! You should find out what her maiden name is so then I can find her ka-maganak and teach them haha.

The flooding here is so bad right now. We got rained on every day this week. Literally I have not seen the sun all week. Not even once.

Also I do not have any dry clothing haha. I hand-washed my clothes on Thursday and hung them out on the clothes line and they just keep getting rained on. The forecast says we should get some sun later today so maybe I can get some dry clothing finally:)

Anyway. This week we found so many new investigators. We were given a referral from a bishop in another ward in Dagupan. It is a whole family!! They are all listening to the discussions and all came to church yesterday despite the monsoon rains. They have committed to be baptized on September 10! They are so elect:) (Sanchez is their Family name)

Also we are teaching another family, the Sison Family. The husband of this family is so elect and ready, but his wife really doesnt want to let go of Catholicism, so we have some work left to do to help her, but I believe that she is close. Brother Sison came to church yesterday:)

The recent converts are doing great! Both Patty and Lester are attending institute and both might go on a mission. Edgar's school schedule makes institute difficult but last week he finished the book of mormon and started again and is in 1 Nephi 14. He bore such a strong testimony of the divinity of the Book of Mormon.

I LOVE YOU SO MUCH AND I WILL SEE YOU ALL SOON

Elder Dahle

Week #92 A Baptism and OFFICIAL FLIGHT PLANS HOME!

Hey Mom & Dad,

Yes go ahead and schedule the ACT for December 10.

ITS OFFICIAL! I got my flight plans. I go from Manila to Detroit, then to Dayton and I land at 4:45pm on October 26th:). I am so excited to see you:)

This week was so good:) Virgie got baptized!! Heres the picture 

She gave the funniest, shortest testimony ever after her baptism she just got up and said "well this is pretty much an accident that I met the Elders and got baptized, but I have a really warm feeling right now so I guess its good.... in the name of Jesus Christ Amen" hahaha. She has overcome so much, and she is excited to move on to the next steps towards salvation.

Albert and Diana will be sealed sometime in November because the temple is closed until November:) I wont be able to make it but I am really happy and excited for them.

Sorry I didnt write this much this week:( I will write more next week. 

I love you:)

Elder Dahle

Week #91 - A New Companion & Blessed with lots of teaching opportunities!

Dear Family,

Well, Elder DaBell is gone and on to his next adventure. I am grateful for being able to be companions with him for so long because I really learned a lot. I am actually in Dagupan 2, I have been here for 5 months now going on 6:) I am staying here in Dagupan 2 for one more transfer then I will probably transfer for my last cycle. My new companion is Elder Blasabas! He is way cool, he is from the same place that Manny Pacquiao (that famous Filipino Boxer) is from haha.

We have a baptism this Saturday!!! And should have another one in two weeks:). She is this little old woman named Virginia- her faith is so strong and she is fighting the challenges and persecution so well. Her family has pretty much abandoned her and they force her to sleep on a wooden board on the bottom floor of their home. They refuse to give her money so she can take a taxi tryke to church every sunday, so on days that no members can take her; she just walks like a mile and a half to church. She has had a rough past and has encountered missionaries before and been taught, but she is really ready this time:) Ill send pictures next week.

The Lord is really rewarding us for our efforts now and giving us lots of success. Thats not to say that the trials and challenges of the work have been taken away, but we are being inspired and helped to know how to overcome them.

Our investigator Fred is experiencing lots of persecution in his family but we are helping him through it. Satan is working hard in our area. But thats okay because so are we:)

Elder Baldove is doing better... I think. It seems like hes happy but it also seems like he is kind of apathetic and doesnt care what happens to him. Please continue to pray for him.

I am happy and working hard. I am however honestly getting a little apprehensive about going home and a little stressed about the future. I know as long as I follow the spirit with faith I have no reason to worry, but its still kind of nerve wracking, especially watching DaBell go home and seeing how hard that was. Its been an emotional couple weeks. But I still have time left here in the Vineyard:) Not nearly enough, but I still have time.

I love you:)

Elder Dahle

P.S. So maybe to clear things up about the transfer this is what I can tell you. I have exactly 12 weeks left today. On October 25th I go to the mission home. The 25th I go to Manila. The 26th I should be home. :) Not sure about flight plans or time yet so just hang in there:)