Kumusta!
Wow. This week was another way hard week. Emotionally, spiritually, and definitely physically. We walked so much this week. The tryke drivers see that we are Americans and they jack the price of a short 20 peso tryke ride to 60+ pesos, thinking that we are stupid and dont know better. So we pretty much just walk everywhere. So like 10 miles a day. My legs and feet hurt so bad. Its worth it though. I am seeing the fruits of my labor every day and seeing this message change peoples lives everyday. And I would walk 20 miles to see that. I love you all so much. Sorry I havent got to email some of you very often, just know that I love you and I pray for you guys at home.
Elder Dahle
Monday, January 26, 2015
Monday, January 19, 2015
Week #12 - Smile In the Face of Adversity - it shows FAITH!
Hey all,
Well this week has been way hard. We just got punted the whole entire week and people were hiding from us, and yelling at us, insulting us, we got chased by dogs. It was just a very depressing and discouraging week. I really spent the whole week forcing myself to smile regardless of circumstances. Because that is in its own way, a way for us to show faith. Faith that no matter what, God is going to put the people in our path who need us now and are ready for what we have to say. Its hard to watch people struggle. Its hard to watch their families in shambles. Its hard to not really be able to communicate as well as I want to. But sometimes me not knowing the language that well makes me a better teacher. It forces me to only say what I have to. To give this message through short and powerful statements. It doesn't leave me room to over elaborate or to say too much. Because I am not the real teacher. Its the Spirit of God. It is the feeling we get when something really speaks to us. Not just to our ears, but to our hearts too. Its like it hits us right in the center of our being. It changes the feeling in a room. Its like its all around you, increasing the pressure in the room. And it doesn't matter that I just walked 4 miles to get to that appointment, or that its a billion degrees outside. Its almost exhausting to have the power of God work through me like that. And as soon as the words leave my mouth, no matter how broken or terrible my Tagalog sounds, I can feel it impact them. I can feel when it means something to them. Its like all the hair on my arms and the back of my neck stands up. Like an audience in some kind of applause, moved by the words I say. And I never know what to say, not walking up to the door, not when I sit down, not when my companion looks at me to give the time to me to speak, not even right when I open my mouth. Its like I just open my mouth and it all just falls out. That it is real. That is the most real thing I have ever felt. Its scary too. For me and the person I am talking to. Its scary for them to. Its scary for them to hear that they might have to change or make sacrifices to keep Gods commandments. But the promised blessings are what make it worth it. I want everyone to go read Mosiah 2:41. Because that is the promised blessing when we do what we need to do. I love you all so much! Stay strong!
Elder Dahle
Well this week has been way hard. We just got punted the whole entire week and people were hiding from us, and yelling at us, insulting us, we got chased by dogs. It was just a very depressing and discouraging week. I really spent the whole week forcing myself to smile regardless of circumstances. Because that is in its own way, a way for us to show faith. Faith that no matter what, God is going to put the people in our path who need us now and are ready for what we have to say. Its hard to watch people struggle. Its hard to watch their families in shambles. Its hard to not really be able to communicate as well as I want to. But sometimes me not knowing the language that well makes me a better teacher. It forces me to only say what I have to. To give this message through short and powerful statements. It doesn't leave me room to over elaborate or to say too much. Because I am not the real teacher. Its the Spirit of God. It is the feeling we get when something really speaks to us. Not just to our ears, but to our hearts too. Its like it hits us right in the center of our being. It changes the feeling in a room. Its like its all around you, increasing the pressure in the room. And it doesn't matter that I just walked 4 miles to get to that appointment, or that its a billion degrees outside. Its almost exhausting to have the power of God work through me like that. And as soon as the words leave my mouth, no matter how broken or terrible my Tagalog sounds, I can feel it impact them. I can feel when it means something to them. Its like all the hair on my arms and the back of my neck stands up. Like an audience in some kind of applause, moved by the words I say. And I never know what to say, not walking up to the door, not when I sit down, not when my companion looks at me to give the time to me to speak, not even right when I open my mouth. Its like I just open my mouth and it all just falls out. That it is real. That is the most real thing I have ever felt. Its scary too. For me and the person I am talking to. Its scary for them to. Its scary for them to hear that they might have to change or make sacrifices to keep Gods commandments. But the promised blessings are what make it worth it. I want everyone to go read Mosiah 2:41. Because that is the promised blessing when we do what we need to do. I love you all so much! Stay strong!
Elder Dahle
Monday, January 12, 2015
Week #11 - Translating on the Fly is dangerous:-) When it gets hard to Stand - Kneel!
Hello family and friends!
Well I dont have much time but I am going to start this with a very embarrassing experience haha. So we went to go teach this Nanay which is just a word for a woman who is a mother or grandmother. In this case it was an older woman. She has just been way sad and down and no one can find out why. We usually go and just sing to her or talk to her about life. So on tuesday we were talking to her and I had a spiritual thought prepared for her about the power of prayer. We shared a story and I wanted to share a quote from our last district workshop that said "when it gets too hard to stand, kneel" or in Tagalog "Kapag ang hirap Tumayo, Lumuhod kayo" So I translated it on the spot and then we went on with the lesson. When we walked out My companion put his arm around me and just started busting out laughing. Apparently I accidentally said "Tumae" which is poop. So when it gets hard to poop kneel haha. Anyway I love you all so much!!
Elder Dahle!!
Hi family!
Well, this week has been intense. Make sure you read my other letter home to all friends and what not cuz I will include some details there that I wont put here to save some time haha. But the theme of this week has been that the Lord works in mysterious ways. Its like all week he was busy making sure that my companion and I were in the right place at the right time. As if every single appointment we had was a specific scheduled event in the grand scheme, because it is! We now have two investigators on date and they are both so great. One is an old Nanay (kinda like a grandma) and she cant remember how to pray!! haha poor lady. So the Zone leaders say if we can get her to pray, we can baptize her haha. The other is Albert and he is just the most wonderful glowing, humble person I have ever taught haha, He is very close and will probably be my first baptism!! Also we found 2 families, and I really feel good about them. They have a ways to go, but I have faith that God brought us to them to at least plant the seed.
Paige: You would laugh so hard at all the English mistakes on signs here!! hah we ate at a place yesterday called "This is eat" haha because everyone here tries to speak and do their advertisements in English, but no one is really that good at it haha. Anyway I love you! I think about you often haha, I wish you could here my English right now. Its bad! I have a hard time saying stuff in the right order, and my journal is a mess! Maybe I will just start writing in Tagalog from now on. Also I am learning a little Pangasinan and Illocano along the way! Stay strong God loves you!!!
Ethan: Ha well bud you would be proud of me, I have been working out hard every morning here. I do a deck of cards every morning, so I just take the deck and flip a card, then do its worth in push-ups until the deck is gone ha. Im getting jacked. Anyway, I love you bud, stay tough, stay worthy Mahalna-mahal kita, kayo ay aking pinakamamahal na kapatid tinawag )(I love you, you are my beloved brother) Ethan haha.
Josh: Hey bud I miss you so much!!! I want you to know that. I really do. I miss your inventive mind and sometimes I have to try to think like you do to solve problems. And that is what life is about! Solving problems, so always work smarter, not harder, okay!? I love you bud! Work on your eagle scout!
Samantha: Thank you so much for your letter! It was so nice to hear from you!! I love you Sam, and I got something way cool for you here from the Philippines. I saw it and knew I had to get it for you! I love you Samantha! Read your scriptures!!
I love you all!!
Elder Dahle
Well I dont have much time but I am going to start this with a very embarrassing experience haha. So we went to go teach this Nanay which is just a word for a woman who is a mother or grandmother. In this case it was an older woman. She has just been way sad and down and no one can find out why. We usually go and just sing to her or talk to her about life. So on tuesday we were talking to her and I had a spiritual thought prepared for her about the power of prayer. We shared a story and I wanted to share a quote from our last district workshop that said "when it gets too hard to stand, kneel" or in Tagalog "Kapag ang hirap Tumayo, Lumuhod kayo" So I translated it on the spot and then we went on with the lesson. When we walked out My companion put his arm around me and just started busting out laughing. Apparently I accidentally said "Tumae" which is poop. So when it gets hard to poop kneel haha. Anyway I love you all so much!!
Elder Dahle!!
Well, this week has been intense. Make sure you read my other letter home to all friends and what not cuz I will include some details there that I wont put here to save some time haha. But the theme of this week has been that the Lord works in mysterious ways. Its like all week he was busy making sure that my companion and I were in the right place at the right time. As if every single appointment we had was a specific scheduled event in the grand scheme, because it is! We now have two investigators on date and they are both so great. One is an old Nanay (kinda like a grandma) and she cant remember how to pray!! haha poor lady. So the Zone leaders say if we can get her to pray, we can baptize her haha. The other is Albert and he is just the most wonderful glowing, humble person I have ever taught haha, He is very close and will probably be my first baptism!! Also we found 2 families, and I really feel good about them. They have a ways to go, but I have faith that God brought us to them to at least plant the seed.
Paige: You would laugh so hard at all the English mistakes on signs here!! hah we ate at a place yesterday called "This is eat" haha because everyone here tries to speak and do their advertisements in English, but no one is really that good at it haha. Anyway I love you! I think about you often haha, I wish you could here my English right now. Its bad! I have a hard time saying stuff in the right order, and my journal is a mess! Maybe I will just start writing in Tagalog from now on. Also I am learning a little Pangasinan and Illocano along the way! Stay strong God loves you!!!
Ethan: Ha well bud you would be proud of me, I have been working out hard every morning here. I do a deck of cards every morning, so I just take the deck and flip a card, then do its worth in push-ups until the deck is gone ha. Im getting jacked. Anyway, I love you bud, stay tough, stay worthy Mahalna-mahal kita, kayo ay aking pinakamamahal na kapatid tinawag )(I love you, you are my beloved brother) Ethan haha.
Josh: Hey bud I miss you so much!!! I want you to know that. I really do. I miss your inventive mind and sometimes I have to try to think like you do to solve problems. And that is what life is about! Solving problems, so always work smarter, not harder, okay!? I love you bud! Work on your eagle scout!
Samantha: Thank you so much for your letter! It was so nice to hear from you!! I love you Sam, and I got something way cool for you here from the Philippines. I saw it and knew I had to get it for you! I love you Samantha! Read your scriptures!!
I love you all!!
Elder Dahle
Monday, January 5, 2015
Week #10 - Lomboy, San Manuel
Hello all,
This week has been a roller coaster of up and down. I started the week by waking up with three lizards on my bed haha. And we don't use an alarm, slowly with all the roosters and noise of kids playing basketball, we just naturally wake up. So I woke up and felt something run across my bed and sure enough I looked down and there were three of them haha. Some of the members tell me they taste good but I haven't managed to catch one yet. Anyway I spent a lot of this week walking. We taught in an area called Lomboy on the outskirts of San Manuel, and it is so cool over there. All the families live in these adobe huts with wood and straw roofs, and there is just always something going on down there. We walk down this dirt road to get to a little village, and as we get down the road a little ways, about 6 or 7 dogs run at us and they are barking and growling, but then you get close and they cool off and just let you be. Then all the children come and they beg us to play "planet" with them, which is kind of a weird patty cake game. Then a Nanay comes out with a merienda or snack and feeds us. Everytime. I love going down there because it is more peaceful. It is surrounded by rice fields and there is a huge mountain range behind it. On the way down the road it just seems to come out of nowhere. Its like one second you are still in the city, and then you walk a little further and you get to this opening next to the road, and you just stop. A huge breeze hits you from the clearing and you look out and see the huge open space or rice fields with a few banana and coconut trees spotted throughout. And then in the back ground is this huge mountain range, and behind that you look in the sky and there are huge rolling clouds. And the whole scene is alive too. You see kids running and rice farmers fertilizing, and there are exotic birds chirping and flying. Its way cool.
As far as the work is concerned we actually made most of our goals this week. And we are teaching this guy who is married to a member in our branch. It was so cool, we just stopped by her house and she told us she had been praying that we would show up to teach her husband but he wasnt there. So we taught a short message and got up to leave slightly discouraged and then he came down the road so we got teach him!! Thank you for all your support! I am probably going to be a little slower at replying to some emails because I am going to take some more email time for my family!! I love you all so much!!!
Elder Dahle
This week has been a roller coaster of up and down. I started the week by waking up with three lizards on my bed haha. And we don't use an alarm, slowly with all the roosters and noise of kids playing basketball, we just naturally wake up. So I woke up and felt something run across my bed and sure enough I looked down and there were three of them haha. Some of the members tell me they taste good but I haven't managed to catch one yet. Anyway I spent a lot of this week walking. We taught in an area called Lomboy on the outskirts of San Manuel, and it is so cool over there. All the families live in these adobe huts with wood and straw roofs, and there is just always something going on down there. We walk down this dirt road to get to a little village, and as we get down the road a little ways, about 6 or 7 dogs run at us and they are barking and growling, but then you get close and they cool off and just let you be. Then all the children come and they beg us to play "planet" with them, which is kind of a weird patty cake game. Then a Nanay comes out with a merienda or snack and feeds us. Everytime. I love going down there because it is more peaceful. It is surrounded by rice fields and there is a huge mountain range behind it. On the way down the road it just seems to come out of nowhere. Its like one second you are still in the city, and then you walk a little further and you get to this opening next to the road, and you just stop. A huge breeze hits you from the clearing and you look out and see the huge open space or rice fields with a few banana and coconut trees spotted throughout. And then in the back ground is this huge mountain range, and behind that you look in the sky and there are huge rolling clouds. And the whole scene is alive too. You see kids running and rice farmers fertilizing, and there are exotic birds chirping and flying. Its way cool.
As far as the work is concerned we actually made most of our goals this week. And we are teaching this guy who is married to a member in our branch. It was so cool, we just stopped by her house and she told us she had been praying that we would show up to teach her husband but he wasnt there. So we taught a short message and got up to leave slightly discouraged and then he came down the road so we got teach him!! Thank you for all your support! I am probably going to be a little slower at replying to some emails because I am going to take some more email time for my family!! I love you all so much!!!
Elder Dahle
Monday, December 29, 2014
Week #9 - Minsan mahirap ang misyon - Hard Week
Hello all!
Wow, this has been a tough week. I am going through a lot of adjustment as far as my health is concerned. When a Filipino family offers you dinner it is extremely rude to say no, so sometimes we get like three dinners and at each one they just keep giving you food and don't stop until they don't have any more prepared. And somehow I am still losing weight due to all the physical activity and fatigue. My companion and I get back at 9 every night and the two of us plan for about an hour, and discuss the needs of the people in San Manuel. Then we finally get to sleep and get back up at 6 and go work out for 30-45 min, and then we prepare for the day. We do personal study from 8-9 then companionship study from 9-10, then language study from 10-11, then we go out and talk to people.
The language is way tough, but I am working hard trying to be patient with myself. but seriously sometimes they walk up and say stuff to me and I have no idea what they are saying. And I want to understand and respond to them so bad I just don't know how. I send most of my time talking to kids because they are a little easier to understand and a little more patient with me haha. But its wierd walking around here. Americans are like famous. Its insane haha.
We have about 15 investigators, and none are progressing at all. We are getting punted (lessons falling through) all the time, and our investigators are not keeping their commitments. One we are teaching has a baptismal date but he keeps skipping church so we have to push it back. anyway ha out of time! I love you all so much!!!
Elder Dahle
Wow, this has been a tough week. I am going through a lot of adjustment as far as my health is concerned. When a Filipino family offers you dinner it is extremely rude to say no, so sometimes we get like three dinners and at each one they just keep giving you food and don't stop until they don't have any more prepared. And somehow I am still losing weight due to all the physical activity and fatigue. My companion and I get back at 9 every night and the two of us plan for about an hour, and discuss the needs of the people in San Manuel. Then we finally get to sleep and get back up at 6 and go work out for 30-45 min, and then we prepare for the day. We do personal study from 8-9 then companionship study from 9-10, then language study from 10-11, then we go out and talk to people.
The language is way tough, but I am working hard trying to be patient with myself. but seriously sometimes they walk up and say stuff to me and I have no idea what they are saying. And I want to understand and respond to them so bad I just don't know how. I send most of my time talking to kids because they are a little easier to understand and a little more patient with me haha. But its wierd walking around here. Americans are like famous. Its insane haha.
We have about 15 investigators, and none are progressing at all. We are getting punted (lessons falling through) all the time, and our investigators are not keeping their commitments. One we are teaching has a baptismal date but he keeps skipping church so we have to push it back. anyway ha out of time! I love you all so much!!!
Elder Dahle
Thursday, December 25, 2014
Monday, December 22, 2014
Week #8 - "Hello po 'der!" - Merry Christmas
Hello!!!!
This has been just absolutely incredible, this place is different than I had ever imagined. My trainer is Elder Skinner, and he is soooo great! I am his 3rd trainee so he definitely knows what he is doing hahaha. My area is San Manuel just north of Urdaneta if you want to look it up haha. The people here are great, I spoke in church this sunday, I bore my testimony and talked about why I decided to serve a mission all in Tagalog! But then I sat down all smug and maybe a little too proud of myself because then the real speakers got up and each gave 20 minute talks in rapid Pangasinan, which is the strangest language ever. Most everyone here speaks tagalog so I can at least kind of communicate. But there is a little village place in the middle of the rice fields in the outskirts of my area, and that is my favorite place to go. All the children there see us walking down the dirt road to their house and they all run out and scream hah "HELLO PO 'DER" because its hard for them to say Elder so most kids call us " 'der" haha or they scream "AMERICANAS" and sometimes they say "hey joe" haha. But I got the Christmas package from my family and in it I got a Plano ng Kaligtasan (plan of happiness) display and I took it to the lesson and we taught them, and whenever the kids would get rowdy and we would lose their attention I would just look and them and wiggle my ears and they would get real quiet and giggle.
I have so much more I want to tell you all but so little time! I will send pictures next week! I love you all!!!! Mahal kita! maligayan pasko!!
Elder Dahle
Mom, I will be able to skype the 26th of Dec. 9:00 am. that will be the time here so you will need to adjust for time difference haha, make sure tori and joey show up, while we are skyping I will have you use your phone to record a couple short 2 min messages for colby and steve etc. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH FAMILY!! MALIGAYAN PASKO! (merry Christmas)
mahal kita,
Elder Dahle
This has been just absolutely incredible, this place is different than I had ever imagined. My trainer is Elder Skinner, and he is soooo great! I am his 3rd trainee so he definitely knows what he is doing hahaha. My area is San Manuel just north of Urdaneta if you want to look it up haha. The people here are great, I spoke in church this sunday, I bore my testimony and talked about why I decided to serve a mission all in Tagalog! But then I sat down all smug and maybe a little too proud of myself because then the real speakers got up and each gave 20 minute talks in rapid Pangasinan, which is the strangest language ever. Most everyone here speaks tagalog so I can at least kind of communicate. But there is a little village place in the middle of the rice fields in the outskirts of my area, and that is my favorite place to go. All the children there see us walking down the dirt road to their house and they all run out and scream hah "HELLO PO 'DER" because its hard for them to say Elder so most kids call us " 'der" haha or they scream "AMERICANAS" and sometimes they say "hey joe" haha. But I got the Christmas package from my family and in it I got a Plano ng Kaligtasan (plan of happiness) display and I took it to the lesson and we taught them, and whenever the kids would get rowdy and we would lose their attention I would just look and them and wiggle my ears and they would get real quiet and giggle.
I have so much more I want to tell you all but so little time! I will send pictures next week! I love you all!!!! Mahal kita! maligayan pasko!!
Elder Dahle
Mom, I will be able to skype the 26th of Dec. 9:00 am. that will be the time here so you will need to adjust for time difference haha, make sure tori and joey show up, while we are skyping I will have you use your phone to record a couple short 2 min messages for colby and steve etc. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH FAMILY!! MALIGAYAN PASKO! (merry Christmas)
mahal kita,
Elder Dahle
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Elder Dahle with President & Sister Monahan            |
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