Inviting Minneapolis: Families Can Be Together Forever!

This week was amazing! I had a wonderful time in Virginia with the quad, it was pretty sad to say goodbye to them. They are pretty chill dudes even if they got on my nerves sometimes haha. I was pretty certain I was getting transferred so I was packing and looking forward to new adventures. Elder Hutchens and I really got along so I was nervous that I would have a tough comp or at least one that I didn't have anything in common with. Transfer news brought me Elder Fifita! He is awesome! I didn't realize that there are missionaries who are outgoing and actually enjoy talking and teaching. It's nice to have someone who has things to say in lessons. I got transferred to Elk River which was exactly what I needed. I forgot that church normally has families in it! Having the primary kids sing a song and filling up the whole stand almost brought tears to my eyes. I have such a strong testimony of the joy of families. I remember I went to EFY one year and the theme was What Matters Most. The session director talked about all the trials he had in his life and then each time he would put up his family picture and say I chose to keep the commandments because I was not going to give up this (in reference to the family picture). What mattered most to him was his family. Ever since then I've always tried to think about my own family picture, and kind of where I want to be when I'm there. What qualities skills and habits does the husband and father I want to be need to have? As a missionary, I get to develop a lot of those things. Believe it or not, my apartment is clean. I hang up my clothes and use my hamper. I make my bed. All very adultish things. I've been thinking a lot about covenants lately. Ultimately, our goal is to find people who are willing to make and keep covenants with God. A big indicator of this capability is if they are able to keep commitments with us. If they can't find the time to read a chapter after they committed to, how can we expect them to keep a covenant with God to obey all his commandments? Covenants are one of the distinctive tenets of our church. They allow us to truly build a relationship with God and become a disciple of him. Before my mission, I had the opportunity to break a promise I had made. It seemed like I would be a fool to spend my time in the way that I had committed to. I told my friend that there was no way it would work and I would have to break my promise. He taught me a powerful lesson that day. Honor and keeping covenants is worth more than any amount of money, any amount of worldly success. I love this scripture in Luke,

And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God (Luke 9:62.)

The context of this story is that Jesus is calling his disciples. One of them says, I will come, but let me bury my father first. One says, let me just say goodbye to my family. Jesus teaches the powerful principle of commitment. Heaven doesn't need people who are willing to do the right thing some of the time. Or people who keep their word most of the time. Heaven needs people who understand that without covenants, there can be no progression. Obedience is the first law of heaven. I'm forever grateful I chose to keep my word. This world is full of oath breakers, and the natural man is a selfish, greedy beast. Learn from the little children in your lives. Become more like them: submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father (Mosiah 3:19.) I testify that this is where joy is found. I love you guys! I love my Savior Jesus Christ!

-Elder Dahl