Have Miracles Ceased?

This week I had exchanges with Elder Downey and Elder Rupert. Grateful for both of them-- they both have such good desires, which is literally all that matters out here. If your desires are pure, then you are willing to improve always and your actions will naturally fall into place. This week is the last one before transfers, so that's always exciting.I think I'll probably stay for another with elder Fifita but who knows. 

We invited our friend Jacob to prepare for baptism, and then he dropped off the map. Then we went to Culver's where he works and found out he is moving his schedule around so he can come to church! The first one he'll be able to attend is stake conference, so hopefully that's good. He's been going to institute with his girlfriend a few times, so I'm excited for him. It's weird to see people actually progress. Finishing the discussions gives me a lot of leeway and a lot of chances to seek personal revelation. One of the coolest experiences about being a missionary is in Doctrine and Covenants 100:

Therefore, verily I say unto you, lift up your voices unto this people; speak the thoughts that I shall put into your hearts, and you shall not be confounded before men; For it shall be given you in the very hour, yea, in the very moment, what ye shall say.

I've experienced this. Probably because I go into too many lessons not quite as prepared as I should haha. But sometimes my mental plan is not what I'm supposed to teach. I have tangible thoughts that I should teach something else, and then I try and rationalize them away. Then eventually I'll say, "alright fine," and my best teaching occurs. Not because it's more coherent or logical, but because I've connected our friend to the master teacher Jesus Christ. It's a pretty humbling experience. I love this quote from CS Lewis:

There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, 'Thy will be done,' and those to whom God says, in the end, 'Thy will be done.' All that are in Hell, choose it. Without that self-choice there could be no Hell. No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it. Those who seek find. To those who knock it is opened.

I'm learning line upon line how to let my will be swallowed up in His. It's a sometimes painful process. It's always a faith promoting one. Choose the right because it is right even when it is hard. if you don't, you never open yourself to the opportunity to experience God. I'm so grateful for the clarity my mission has brought me. I really feel like I can do anything. I have access to incredible supernatural strength all the time. Lately, I've been getting memory flashes from my life-- I feel like I've already lived forever yet I have so much more to go. I think about you guys all the time-- I hope you're doing well and making sure you're becoming who you want to become. Pray for charity-- the world needs it. 

Also, we had testimony meeting this week and my ward seems to have a lot of people who have some sort of deep connection to Ukraine? It was very odd. Maybe they served their missions there or something. Love you guys! 

-Elder Dahl

Stand Forever

This week was good. It's weird that this transfer is almost over, it's kind of a crazy one because a lot of people in our zone have been here for a while, so it will be interesting how everything turns out. It also has given us a sense of urgency. We have people that are progressing but very few are on date to be baptized. We would like them to have a goal to accelerate their growth and commitment. 

Our people ebb and flow like crazy though. Our friend Arouna drops off the map, then randomly shows up at church and meets with the bishop. A family we've been trying to get in touch with forever asks to be baptized but then doesn't come to church. Super interesting. I love seeing people really exercising their agency-- it's inspiring. 

I'm grateful for the opportunity to study the gospel-- it's the one thing I can keep constant through my whole mission. My foundation if you will. One of the commandments we teach people is to study the scriptures. I had a member tell me that the Book of Mormon as well as the temple are not just to be taken at face value. The Book of Mormon and scripture as a whole is like a piece of art. When I look at the Mona Lisa, I don't really understand the hype. It's a nice picture, I guess. But artists herald it as a masterpiece. The Book of Mormon is similar. The Book of Mormon's true merit is found in its ability to put us in a frame of mind where we can be close enough to God to renew our faith that He exists as well as allow us to receive communication from Him. That's why it's a commandment. Not because when we die there's going to be some huge scripture trivia contest, but because without it we will never develop our faith and our foundation to the degree that is necessary to survive spiritually. President Nelson spoke about this same principle. I would encourage you guys to study the scriptures-- use them as your seer stone or Urim and Thummim to allow yourself a brief respite from the natural man-- it's a wonderful experience. 

It is only when we build our foundation on the rock of our Redeemer that we will be able to withstand the mighty winds and storms that will beat upon us. That is the purpose of mortality! Don't let anything temporal overcome things of eternal value. Life is hard-- unbearably so. It's designed to be. We will be hammered and hammered until we break. The only way we survive is by choosing to draft the star player, Jesus Christ. With Him, the game changes. All of a sudden, our yoke becomes easier; our burden is lighter. When I was a younger man, I would play a digital basketball simulation called NBA 2k. I would always pick the Chicago bulls with Michael Jordan. Even when I was playing against my cousin, Gengar, who was really good, it didn't matter, because Michael Jordan's stats were so high that I could just run in and dunk it every possession with him. That's why the Savior exists. So when we get tired of losing all the time, we can find peace in the one who has overcome the world. He is the healer! Of all pains and afflictions. Choose to slam dunk through mortality. It has very few drawbacks, I promise you. I love you guys! Shoot me an email if you think I should run for president! 

-Elder Dahl 

1-2. Exchanges with Elder Sherbert

3-4 The Amway speakers, they are both owners of their own businesses and creating an incredible lifestyle for themselves as well as empowering other leaders to develop their skillsets. Our friend in Princeton said he learned more from the Amway corporation than he did at church. (He's RLDS). If you want to change your life, I would highly recommend getting in touch with a local business owner. 

5. Our friends Andrew and Esther. They're super short haha.

The Balm of Gilead

This week I've been trying to focus on improving my teaching. Teaching in English is nice because I can communicate clearly but it's easy to let your skills stagnate. Our friend Mai is deaf, so I've had to learn how to explain very very simply and clearly. We also ran into an Amway guy who is trying to recruit my companion. My companion thinks he's getting help with his future career and that this guy is interested in the gospel. It's super funny. He even asked president for approval to leave our area to go to a business meeting. I'm super excited for that haha. 

It's so important to learn the needs of the people we teach. Someone said that the "gospel answers the questions of the soul." Unfortunately most people are not very forthcoming about what the questions of their souls are. I think the ultimate question is "how do I find joy in this life?" My ward is a powerful testimony that it is only through the gospel of Jesus Christ. There's a family in our ward whose son committed suicide 2 years ago, yet they have joy. There's a couple who were engaged but the week before the wedding, the fiance got kicked in the head by a horse, and he was in a coma for 6 months and then was paralyzed from the neck down. They are married have two kids and have joy. There's a family whose mom refused to get the vaccine and died from Covid. Joy is a choice. It's sometimes excruciatingly difficult, but it's possible. Life is a fiery crucible where happiness can be forged. In studying the character of Christ, we learn that He always looks to reach out to others even when he is himself suffering. After Jesus fasted for forty days and was tempted by Satan we read:

"Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him" (Matthew 4:11.)

It's logical that He would need a little pick me up after such a trying experience, but we learn in the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible that that was not what happened. 

"And now Jesus knew that John was cast into prison, and he sent angels, and, behold, they came and ministered unto him (John)" (JST, Matthew 4:11)

Jesus was tired. He was hungry. Probably spiritually drained. Yet he still has the ability to turn his focus outward and receive that strength that only comes from knowing someone is even more tired than you. Our ward gets this. They are amazing and an incredible example to me of the whole point of church. They serve and minister and love. I'm so grateful I get to learn from them! I love the gospel, and Joseph Smith for restoring it! Happy Valentine's Day you guys!

-Elder Dahl

What Manner of Men Ought Ye to Be

So I'm pretty excited about our friend Jacob; he fasted on Sunday and has been reading and is excited to meet with us. It's refreshing to see someone who understands the merit of the gospel and the claims we're making. Sharing the gospel is way easier than sales-- I feel like the restoration if understood is so thought provoking, and the Book of Mormon is such compelling evidence. 

This week I was thinking about home a little, which was kinda weird. I'm excited for my next stage, but I'm not ready at all. I love being a missionary and teaching. I wish people had questions more. I feel like a lot of people that the average missionary spends time with are people who are acted upon, instead of those who act. They just kind of go with the flow-- they're willing to chat and do what the missionary says because they don't want to disappoint them. It's very disheartening to me-- it's so important to stand for something. Choose what you want, and stick to it! If you have no foundation, it's so easy to be blown about by every wind of doctrine. 

There's a Pokémon called ditto that just shifts into whoever it's with at the time. I feel like a lot of people are like that. They'll meet with us and be all happy and willing to learn but then go home and not keep their commitments. Not even think, "Oh that's against the commandments I was just taught about." The problem is the people that are committed to something and are bound by their word are often closed minded. They've already found a belief system or a moral code, and so they are unwilling to entertain new ideas. This makes my role somewhat difficult and has caused me to think more and more about why the Lord calls missionaries. 

In this day and age the internet allows every earnest seeker to really discover what our message is. I'm becoming more and more convinced that my mission is just for me-- to help me become an eternal disciple of Jesus Christ. God can do his own work. He knows who's prepared for the gospel, but he calls me because He knows that by my service, my testimony will be strengthened. My capacity to serve has increased. My willingness to obey and my desire to keep covenants are the primary goal. The Church is just a vehicle to deliver the gospel of Jesus Christ and help people live it. I think the mission is a vehicle to help young adults become steadfast and immovable in keeping the commandments of God. There are other fruits for sure, but having a people that are "armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory" is the primary focus of these latter days. 

I hope you guys will quit being wishy washy and choose to have faith in something. Faith is a principle of action! Don't be acted upon! Only by developing consistency can the Lord trust you. Quantum physics reveals that depending on how its observed, light can act as either a particle or a wave. Don't be like light! I don't mind if you're a particle or a wave but if you're going to be a particle be a particle always-- even when it's hard. Even when it seems like being a wave would make you happier. This world will make something of you if you do not choose to make something of it. I testify that God will make more of you than you can of yourself. All that's left is to choose to do so. That's the whole point of this life, to just choose what you want. It's a giant buffet, and God will let you get whatever you want. Find out what you want and then eat it! I want to be happy, I want a family that loves and serves each other. I want to be free from the pain and misery breaking God's laws brings. I love you guys! 

-Elder Dahl

1. Bowling

2. Funny picture

3. Goliath working out

4. Canes