Week #17 - Belief in God can act as an anchor for our souls!

Hey Mom & Dad,

Well this week was way difficult. But it was probably the most rewarding and satisfying week so far on my mission. I just went home every night exhausted and knowing I gave it my all. And at the end of the week I just felt like I gave the Lord the best week I could give him. We struggled in a few places on stats but we achieved the mission vision of excellence. I love how revelation works and guides our companionship to the places we need to go. We have quite a few really elect investigators who I think my really be ready to accept this message. Things are getting easier as far as email is concerned I just need to get nothing but positive from home because I think that is some of what made this difference this last week. Things here are getting a little more normal for me, I still freak out when I see mice in the apartment running on our eating surface, but so do the older Elders. I love you dad, I hope things are going well at home and I hope your back is getting better. Do me a favor and have family home evening this week and share ether 12:4. I really love what it says about how belief in God can act as an anchor for our souls and how we can hope for a better world. I love you! give referrals to the missionaries at home!! I am going to send some pictures soon that I took this week haha I think you will really like some of them.

The language is coming. Slow but it is coming. I spoke in church yesterday so that was way intense. No talk written. Two of the speakers didnt show up so both my companion and I were asked to speak. My heart just about leaped out of my stomach I was so nervous. The branch president looked like he had some pain behind his eyes. We asked what we needed to speak on. He said "Its up to you, but the faith of the branch is very weak right now, please strengthen them. So immediately I thought of mountains to climb by Henry B. Eyring. I have a lot of it memorized after watching the mormon message so many times in the MTC. Only problem. I only have it memorized in english. So a few min before I had to speak I was up on the stand. I said a short prayer to have a calm collected voice and to speak so they could understand and not be afraid. Then I stood up and it all came out. I translated Mountains to Climb as best I could and bore the most powerful testimony that has ever come out of my mouth. I love you so much mom. Go read Ether 12:4. Mahal kita talaga. Hwuag ka alaala.

Paige: Hey sis,

I got your dear elder the other day and I am going to make it my mission (lol) to answer all your questions over this transfer. Well I forgot to bring it with me so I will answer a question I remember.

How has being reliant on the the language to get around and stuff affected your learning it?

Well I use Tagalog everyday, everywhere. Elder Skinner and I speak it to eachother when talking about the plan or logistics. NOT when talking about anything deep or opinionated. The truth is Tagalog is not nearly as expressive as english... well it is but in a much different way. In english we have synonyms and need a thesaurus and have a lot of words to describe. In tagalog it is just not very descriptive. for example...

important = mahalaga
precious = mahalaga
vital = mahalaga

I could go on. But it reminds me of the word system in 1984 when they get rid of the words like that and just add plus good 3 or whatever (i cant really remember) But I have really struggled to find good was to show emphasis and express myself. Any words in tagalog that are even remotely deep people just dont know the meaning. And worst of all all of my learning and studying resources are USELESS. I repeat USELESS. They are just flat out wrong. So the only real way to learn is by listening while I am out so it has become my main source of learning. For language study I just speak with the Filipino Elders in our apartment for an hour. I still struggle, but I can hold a pretty solid conversation now about almost anything now it is just a matter of vocab. I love you paige!!

Ethan: Hey buddy,

Well I sure miss you. I mean that. Elder Skinner tells me about his little brothers progress in his wrestling tournament and I just think of you every time. I know we had a rough time those few years before I left. But honestly bud I want to come back and be the best of friends. I want to drive around and listen to music and tell you about my mission and stuff. So lets do the stuff we need to do to get that. We both are going to grow a lot these next two years, lets make sure we grow the right way. Read your scriptures. They are the true word of God. Prep for a mission. Only date way cool rad girls that hold the same standards and you that would never expect you to break your standards or even think about it. Become friends with God. Pray every night. That is my biggest regret at home was not ever praying. Pray. I love you bud. Life is a refiners fire. Let god use heat (trials) to shape you into your beautiful potential.

Josh and Sam,
I will write you next week sorry!!!!

Love,
Elder Dahle

 
Clearing a path on the mountain for our investigators to come listen more easily! 



Yes . . . that is my shoe! 2nd pair to need a new sole!

Week #16 - Preaching on a mountain!!!

Hey mom,

I am now sending a whole bunch of letters to everyone so you should expect them in a few weeks.

This week was nuts! We climbed to the top of a mountain and taught like 40 people it was so cool, I felt like Alma or Amuleck and the sons of Mosiah preaching to the masses. We got a return appointment. This week I completed all the goals I set out to do including finishing the Book of Mormon for the second time on my mission. It makes me look forward to personal study every morning and I have really developed a love for the scriptures. Yesterday we killed 5 mice in our apartment hah so thats nasty. The living conditions here are way different than at home. I have been putting off telling you this but I am going to be honest ha, there is no toilet paper here. Use your hand haha. No joke. Im serious. So that has been some intense culture shock. And yesterday we went to a dinner appointment and I was expecting, you know. A dinner appointment. But instead I helped then catch and slaughter a pig and that was dinner. Yeah thats way intense. And I ate Balut! and wayyyyy ripe duck egg (2-3 weeks from hatching) I got a good video of me eating it but it wont send:(! sorry if this all seems jumbled I am just trying to squeeze as much information as possible. I am so so so so sorry about how my emails have been. I feel so much better now that I am writing letters and you can expect an email bigger than this one everyweek now. Plus snail mail. I love you so much mom. Often times I stop and look around at what I am doing and I just wish you could see me. I dont know steves address so I am just sending a letter to our house for him its ssays "dont open, give to steve" on the back I love you, big 5 page letter on the way to ethan too! I LOVE YOU SOOO MUCH!!! \

your son,
Elder Dahle

The mountain we climbed and found a village to teach!

View from the mountain. We really love to hike up here early in the morning and do our personal and companion study.

Week #15 - Baptism this week!

Hey all! I don't have much time this week and I want to send more pictures but It always takes so long! haha

Albert's Baptism happened this week!



Ethan: hey bud I love you, I am wrestling my comp so I can beat you when I get back

Josh: hey bud I met a kid like you here but his name is Badong and he doesnt know anything but Pangasinan hah miss you bud

Samantha: "Let it Go" is unbelievably popular here, makes me think of you every time I hear it :)!

Im pretty much out of time. I love you so much! my legs hurt but I love walking between appointments.

"the trouble with opportunity is it always comes disguised as hard work"

Elder Dahle

Week #14 - Another year older AND a Baptism IS Scheduled!

Hello family and friends!

Wow this week was so intense. Being the last week of the transfer we were working hard to finish some goals that we made at the beginning. And this week has ended as the best teaching week that this area has ever seen since Elder Skinner has been here. Looking back at what this area was at the start of this transfer compared to now is completely different. We are really turning things around.

At the beginning of this week we decided to venture out to an unexplored part of our area, even outside of Lomboy. Its like a 6 mile walk out there, so my shoes are taking a beating. I already got one pair re-soled because there was a hole the size of a quarter in both shoes. We walk sooooo much. But its nice because my companion and I have really deep conversations on the way haha. But in that area we found a small little compound (village/ neighborhood) at the bottom of this big mountain. We have 3 investigators there and all three are really interested and excited in what we have to say.

Later in the week our investigator Albert got his baptismal interview and he passed!! That guy is a stud, I am way excited for him. His baptism will be next week! It is so sweet to see the change in his heart. Like all who hear this message the have questions at first. They are confused and a little scared to turn a new direction and step out on a limb. But when they search for truth with all their hearts and go to church and ask their Heavenly Father sincerely, with real intent and faith that they will receive an answer. They receive that answer. And it starts as just a belief and feeling and grows into much more than that. Even a knowledge. I love you all so much! I would love to hear from all of you, shot me an email!!!

Mahal ko po kayo lahat!

Elder Dahle

Week #13 - Walking my feet off!

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

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

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