What is Truth?

This week was fun, Thanksgiving made it fast. This transfer is flying by. We're not teaching a ton, but there are a few people willing to meet with us. We're gearing up for Christmas. We have a new message we're sharing with members that focuses on how to participate both in lighting the world and in our mission program called star of the north. Unfortunately, since the last elders to serve here hit a deer, we finally had to turn in our car to get it fixed. It sounds like we will be out of a car for a couple weeks, which is really tough. We have a large area, and even if we want to stay local, it's getting really cold which makes walking difficult. I'm hoping for a ram in the thicket. I had exchanges with Elder Kralick, which was wonderful. We were apparently at BYU at the same time but never knew each other. It's always fun to meet new missionaries. The holidays are a pretty fun time. It's interesting to be in Wisconsin and Minnesota and see people get excited for Christmas and be happier and more outgoing while simultaneously, the arctic chill settles in. I guess it's not that big a deal for them, but I definitely find myself wondering how people can want to do anything outside when it's so cold.

I've been studying the concept of truth this week. Does objective truth exist? Outside of our perceptions? Can we ever really know truth? How do we come to know what we know? Lots of questions for sure. Elder Uchtdorf says, 

Now, never in the history of the world have we had easier access to more information—some of it true, some of it false, and much of it partially true.

Consequently, never in the history of the world has it been more important to learn how to correctly discern between truth and error.

Part of our problem in the quest for truth is that human wisdom has disappointed us so often. We have so many examples of things that mankind once “knew” were true but have since been proven false.

For example, in spite of one-time over­whelming consensus, the earth isn’t flat. The stars don’t revolve around the earth. Eating a tomato will not cause instant death. And, of course, man actually can fly—even break the sound barrier. . . .

Part of the reason for poor judgment comes from the tendency of mankind to blur the line between belief and truth. We too often confuse belief with truth, thinking that because something makes sense or is convenient, it must be true. Conversely, we sometimes don’t believe truth or reject it—because it would require us to change or admit that we were wrong. Often, truth is rejected because it doesn’t appear to be consistent with previous experiences.

When the opinions or “truths” of others contradict our own, instead of considering the possibility that there could be information that might be helpful and augment or complement what we know, we often jump to conclusions or make assumptions that the other person is misinformed, mentally challenged, or even intentionally trying to deceive.

Unfortunately, this tendency can spread to all areas of our lives—from sports to family relationships and from religion to politics.

Profound stuff. Let me know how you come to know truth! I love you guys! 

-Elder Dahl

He First Loved Us

This week I attended the temple. I was pretty humbled by just how unique an experience it is to worship God in his house. To really be removed from the things of this world and seek for a better. I really tried to focus on how I felt. Not what I was experiencing externally but really seeking to know what the Lord would have me do. There was a mirror with a smudge on it and as I looked at this mirror, I found that as soon as I saw the tiny smudge, I was unable to see anything else. No longer was my reflection visible. I think I've often had a quite myopic view of my life, that the smudges mar the rest of my mortal painting. And they do-- my weaknesses and defects are definitely prevalent, yet I'm beginning to understand that in eternity nothing will be left unchanged. That the person I am now or the person I'll be in fifty years will just be iterations along a path of eternal shaping. I believe that. I think one of the most amazing things about mankind is that they seem to resist the entropy of the universe. It seems that human beings have the potential to become better people over the course of their lives. To be more organized, more disciplined, more intelligent. We learn from failure on an individual scale at least. I think the single greatest evidence of the creator is that life somehow is manifest in the mortal plane from nothing. One second there were no living things and then there were. And with all of our discoveries, we still have yet to replicate that. We can preserve life, cultivate it, and multiply it. But we cannot take things that are dead and make them live. That is God's business and requires His power. Keep your covenants, seek truth and recognize that you are a child of God! I love you guys! 

Tender Mercy

Transfers brought me to Menomonie in Wisconsin. To quote a Facebook comment, "Menomonie Wisconsin?😲😲😲😲😲They really put you in the “Belly of the Beast.” The only possible worse place would be either Green Bay or Madison. It’s a hard drinking town. It’s good you have a “alligator hide." You’re going to need it! Good luck"

I love it here though, haha. Elder Rasmussen and I have one of the nicest apartments in the mission, except for the fact that we have no gym or garage parking. I'm driving this transfer and the snow is already coming down. Lots of learning for me. University of Wisconsin-Stout is about a 2 minute drive from where we live, so we have so many opportunities to street contact there. It's been incredible. We cover a branch that's been pretty rough in the past. President wants us to heal member relationships and get results. I'm not sure why he thinks I'm the one for the job; I'm pretty polarizing out here, but I'm giving it my best effort. We're going to the temple tomorrow for zone conference, so I'm super excited for that. I got to speak yesterday in our branch, I spoke about how I came to find faith in Jesus Christ. It went well-- it was pretty great to bear my testimony to all the members on my first Sunday. Elder Rasmussen and I have been having a blast-- it's so much fun to be with a companion who's similar to me. It's been a tender mercy. I don't have a ton of time, but I love you guys!

The Word of the Lord

This week Elder Moos got rear ended while I was gone on exchanges so that was unfortunate. I found the culprit's Facebook, and so hopefully we'll start teaching her soon. She was super interested in finding peace after she totaled her car and messed up our rear. Elder Moos got Covid pretty bad Friday so we've been quarantined since then. It's aight but kinda driving me crazy. Grateful for pday today. He's been too sick to work out so my body has been suffering as well. Disease is kind of the most powerful tool God has. Nobody thinks twice if someone just gets absolutely wiped out. We just chalk it up to something that's "going around." Really it's the ultimate smoke screen for God to punish those who displease Him. If you're feeling sick maybe think about what you can repent for! I'm just kidding... I've had lots of time to study so that's been awesome. The Book of Mormon really is a miracle, I love the Tad Callister quote where he says basically that the Book of Mormon will endure all mortal trials-- that critics can come up with whatever theories they want but they've been trying to disprove it for hundreds of years with zero success. I'm grateful for how firm a foundation it has given me. It's been almost laughable how ridiculous people are willing to become in order to manifest an alternate origin story than what Joseph claimed. I'm in utter awe of that great seer. He had an incomprehensibly massive impact on the world. The reverberations of his footsteps echo across this world in thousands of missionaries and millions of members who choose to lay aside the things of this world and seek for the things of a better. He came from nothing, from destitute poverty and cynical faith to become the conduit by which the fulness of the everlasting gospel was brought back to the earth in power and glory. There's a scripture that references Enoch's ability to overcome his weaknesses, that I often think applies to the prophet Joseph as well. 

Moses 7:13 And so great was the faith of Enoch that he led the people of God, and their enemies came to battle against them; and he spake the word of the Lord, and the earth trembled, and the mountains fled, even according to his command; and the rivers of water were turned out of their course; and the roar of the lions was heard out of the wilderness; and all nations feared greatly, so powerful was the word of Enoch, and so great was the power of the language which God had given him.

That is the prophet Joseph to me. His words and revelations have given 20 year old kids like me the power to make the earth tremble and the rivers turn from their course. At the beginning of my mission I struggled with having to apologize and defend another man's actions to people, but now I love to do so. The magnitude of man Joseph became in his 38 years is incredible. I hope I can become a fraction of what he is in 90. Love you guys! 

Elder Dahl

Choose to Be Chosen

Sorry for not writing last week, I had a reason, but I don't remember what it was haha. We had zone conference this week which was wonderful as always. President discoursed on Elder Bednar's talk on the marriage feast. He talked about the different groups of people in the story. In the parable, the king's son is getting married and the king invites the nobility to attend. They refuse. He sends more messengers and says, I've got a bunch of food and a great jester, please come! A few of them just make light of it, but the rest actually kill the messengers. The king is pretty upset so he sends forth his armies and murders them all. He then says, well I already got all this food ready, go and invite everyone you can find. The people who attend are given a wedding garment to wear but one of these refuses even though he is given the opportunity. Because of this, the ungrateful guest is bound hand and foot and cast into outer darkness. 

President first spoke about those that are bidden but would not come. These are they that are full of pride, that will not submit to authority and miss out on the blessings of the feast. Those that are given much opportunity but do not take advantage of it. They don't believe that the king has anything to offer them that's better than what they could come up themselves. The majority of the world is in this group, largely because of ignorance and lack of faith. 

Then he spoke about those that are called but not chosen. The man who was invited but refused to put on the garment. These people "cover our sins, or to gratify our pride, our vain ambition, or to exercise control or dominion or compulsion upon the souls of the children of men, in any degree of unrighteousness, behold, the heavens withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood or the authority of that man" (Doctrine and Covenants 121:37).

Ultimately, they want to replace God or the king. They know that in order to enter the feast, one must wear the garment, and yet they seek to obtain the blessing without obeying the law. 

The glorious truth of the parable is that we ultimately choose whether or not we will be chosen. 

"To be or to become chosen is not an exclusive status conferred upon us. Rather, you and I ultimately can choose to be chosen through the righteous exercise of our moral agency" (David A. Bednar).

Some people may not be given the opportunity as early as others, but all will receive it. For God is no respecter of persons, yet will always respect our agency. Interestingly, the man is cast into outer darkness where there is weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth. I think this response is not because of the judgment of the king, but because the man recognizes that if he had just submitted, he would have received all that he ever wanted. Knowledge so often brings sorrow. What's most intriguing to me about this parable is that I see myself in all three groups. I've been happier when I choose to be chosen, weeping and wailing is no fun, I promise. Love you guys! Choose to be chosen!

 

Lose Yourself

This week went by fast. I had an exchange with Elder Mitchell, which has led me to be pretty introspective all week. He and I came out together, and I've always had tons of respect for him. He is a different breed of missionary. I've never met anyone like him-- he is an excellent example of "True doctrine, understood, changes attitudes and behavior." I feel like my attitude has changed but not always my behavior. I still have reservations about just losing myself in the work. I've tried my whole mission to balance the mantle I have and the human I am. I'm not sure what the right approach is-- to find a balance or to give up everything that keeps you from the other. 

Luke 9:24-25

24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. 

25 For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?

The Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible adds some interesting commentary:

24 For whosoever will save his life, must be willing to lose it for my sake; and whosoever will be willing to lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

25 For what doth it profit a man if he gain the whole world, and yet he receive him not whom God hath ordained, and he lose his own soul, and he himself be a castaway?

Hence the introspection. Am I willing to lose my life? I feel like that sometimes. But most of the time, there's still a barrier; uncertainty, doubt, I'm not sure what to call it. I've been really focusing on trying to figure out what my offering is supposed to be to the Lord. I don't think it's a cookie cutter thing. I would assume the rich diversity of mankind would require distinct offerings. Elder Mitchell said, "God makes our weaknesses into strengths, mankind has the tendency to make strengths into weaknesses." I think that's true. I know I'm guilty of that. I've often heard the concept that whatever we want, doing God's will will be better, because he can make so much more of us than we can. If I really believed that, my actions would be different. I'm sure of it. So I'm going to experiment upon the word. I like to give God a shot to work miracles in my life;). I love you guys. Do what will bring you happiness this week.

-Elder Dahl

He is the Same

Transfers were this week. My new companion's name is Tytan Moos. Yes. He is everything you would imagine. It's pretty amazing to me how change gives me such a huge burst of spiritual momentum. That, coupled with conference has made things pretty great here. I hope you guys know that I believe and sustain the prophets. I really do. I believe that if we follow the prophet, we won't go astray. In fact, I would say we have never needed a prophet more than we do now. Without the restored gospel, there is nothing but confusion and darkness. We've struggled to get people to church all last transfer but we had a lot of our friends watch at least one session of conference. It was inspiring to me to see people who know next to nothing of our faith be so intrigued with what a modern day prophet would say. One of our friends watched the Sunday morning session and says he took six pages of notes. He also said it was a "pretty heavy dose of Mormonism." I think it's a pretty heavy dose of revelation. Revelation from God today, revelation through past prophets and hopefully a catalyst for revelation straight to you. I know it's always that way for me. I loved the prophet's words about rest. I think I wrote earlier in my mission about how much of a grind I felt it was. As the prophet spoke, I was struck at how restful being a missionary has become. I'm not tired, because I go to sleep on time every night. I'm somewhat extroverted, so interacting with more people gives me greater energy. I no longer desire to just sit and waste time. There are so many things I can learn from people and so many people that need me! It is incredible to be spearheading the great work of gathering Israel. I testify that the promises associated with this work of salvation are real and glorious. This is the work of almighty God. Not kinda mighty, but omnipotent. Nothing has changed-- He is the same. I don't know what more I can say. Life is good. I believe this stuff! Jesus is king. I love you guys! 

-Elder Dahl