Transfers!

This week we went to Mall of America as a district to say goodbye. Transfers brought me a new companion, Elder Christensen! He's from Murray, Utah and a wrestling state champ. We actually came out together and it's just been a blast so far. I'm super excited for this transfer. Apple Valley is a great ward, I just wish we had more people to teach. Missionary work is so important! Hopefully our ward invites some friends to our Memorial Day picnic. It's so important to set aside time to think and ponder and remember. We have so many holidays that serve that purpose. Easter and Christmas are 2 of my favorites. I think in like manner, we take the sacrament every week-- to renew our covenants and remember Him. Someone showed up to our building on stake conference and they were from out of town and said that this was the third building they'd been to. They were trying to find anywhere they could to take the sacrament. They understood how important it was! In the ordinances of the priesthood, the power of God is manifest (Doctrine and Covenants 84:20.) As I've been on my mission, I've realized that the mission itself is mostly a medium to give you some time to always remember Him! You make much better decisions the more time you think, "if the Savior stood beside me, would I do the things I do?" I love the gospel, and I love this church! Happy Memorial Day! 

Mission Tour

This week was really cool. We had zone conference with Elder Nielson of the 70. President Richardson talked about how we should all desire to be in proximity to prophets/ general authorities and by extension God. Elder Nielson talked about his personal experiences with the prophet. He said there is not a more spiritual more intelligent more qualified man on earth. He talked a lot about becoming equally yoked. The importance of being bound so we can push together and lift greater burdens. Yoked with the members, our companions and the mission. He talked about the powerful truth of knowing you are a child of God. If your capacity and potential is to become like Him, your decisions change. They become befitting a deity (hopefully). He talked about how important is to make sure those you are teaching are willing to open their minds. Only talk to those who will listen. He says to never teach a lesson before you know what they know. It was a lot of really good counsel and very conversational. He's an incredible man and it was my privilege to meet him. Transfers are this week, it's been crazy how fast time goes. I've come to realize that as I learn to love the people I'm not concerned about external factors like transfers or companions or time. The ward here is awesome, I'm so grateful for the sacrifice and consecration of the saints here in MN they are wonderful examples to me! 

Careful not Casual

This week was pretty sparse lesson wise. We kinda dropped everyone and just focused on finding. It was fun for about 2 days and then we realized its really hard to find people. Per President Richardson's advice, we shifted our focus to working with members. This ward has some really cool people, I'm pretty grateful to serve here and be blessed by their examples. Had the opportunity to give a blessing yesterday, and it was pretty cool to see my ability to recognize spiritual impressions improve. I've been feeling so much peace lately-- it's pretty tangible. It's interesting because I don't feel like I've been super struggling or in need. Hopefully I'm not getting prepped for some big trial. There are things I wish were better, but I'm happy with my current spot. We've been focusing on teaching in unity, and it's been powerful to see the difference. "If ye are not one ye are not mine" (D&C 38:27.) 

Elder S. Gifford Nielson is visiting our mission this next week, so I'm super excited to hear from him. He played in the NFL apparently-- I'll see if I can subtly drop my college chess experience to impress him. We had stake conference this week and got to hear from President Richardson. He spoke about the law of common consent. He wrote the gospel topics essay on it. It's hard for me to understand exactly how I've been so blessed to learn from him. One of the members of our ward took his class at BYU and said he is the best teacher she's ever had. "He knows everything about the gospel." Crazy stuff. Our stake president spoke about how the majority of the Savior's ministry as we have it recorded is interactions with the downtrodden and marginalized. The woman at the well was the first to learn he was the Savior even though she had five husbands and was not married to the man she was currently living with. Matthew was the scum of Jewish society as a publican. Our stake president talked about how our stake should be a refuge-- a community for those who have no place. I hope that as our church continues to increase in prosperity and size, we don't deviate too far from the Savior's intent. It's hard to watch the 5 foolish virgins becoming easier to recognize. Living the gospel is not hard. It's so so important that we are all in, otherwise we will never be armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory. God is the source of that glory-- only by increasing our proximity and likeness to Him do we obtain it. Maybe I'm a little bit jaded because it seems so easy as a missionary when you have nothing else to do, but I would encourage you to make your spiritual efforts a priority and not an afterthought-- to be careful and not casual. Whatever your burden or trial, it will become easier as you choose to increase your bond with the Savior because His yoke is easy and His burden is light. He's real. I love you guys! 

-Elder Dahl 

Pour Out a Blessing

This week was good! The transfers are actually going quick these days. I wish we had more progressing people, but I don't regret how I've spent my time here. Growth is on discount out here and I'm picking up as much as I can. Mothers day was awesome! I forgot to fast last week so I fasted this week and it was a wonderful experience. Fasting is an interesting commandment, a modern day law of physical sacrifice. In choosing to be weak we gain greater access to God's strength. The principle here is fascinating. On my mission I give up a lot of things-- things that the world might consider give you greater strength. Google, books, entertainment and communication are some examples. As I've been cut off from these, my thoughts and my ability to change have been magnified. 

And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them (Ether 12:27.)

Giving up my phone and my time and my entertainment has been a humbling experience. I will testify that His grace is sufficient for those that humble themselves before him, and that He wants to bless you! God doesn't sit on his hands when you are following His teachings. He immediately blesses you! If you want to experience specific blessings, increase your consecration to the law upon which those blessings are predicated. If you want to feel greater love, bridle your passions more. If you want less financial misery pay your tithing. I love you guys! So excited for my friends who are just starting their missions, Blake and Herc:) go crush it! 

-Elder Dahl

Children of the Most High

This week went by faster than any other in my current recollection. I'm starting to get what it means to submit. To be wholly and utterly not in control. It's frightening yet freeing. After coming to some realizations, I deleted Facebook, we do all our finding on computers here, so there's no need to have the app on my phone, and it's a time waster.

 

And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell (Matthew 5:29).

Consecration is always a growth process and often a painful one. I'm still struggling with just the actual utility of the work I provide. I love the experience of the mission, but I'm still not super connected to the tangible results. Mormon writes about the sons of Mosiah and Alma that they were desirous that salvation should be declared to every creature, for they could not bear that any human soul should perish; yea, even the very thoughts that any soul should endure endless torment did cause them to quake and tremble.

I love my fellow men and desire their happiness in mortality and in eternity, but I'm also pretty accepting of rejection-- probably from my sales days. The people we're teaching have made some poor decisions and ultimately neither of our date sets are going to be baptized on their dates, if at all. Because I have come into the picture later, I don't feel a strong sense of sadness or heartbreak. My only goal these days is to make sure they are making an informed decision. What I love about being a missionary is that the gospel I preach applies to every single human soul. So anyone that is willing to engage and listen and act is elect in my mind, because the understanding of the doctrine transforms people from whatever state I find them in, to the earnest seeker. Seeking to be partakers of the divine nature, to be joint heirs with Christ and to ultimately be a child of the most High. God loves effort, and as is consistent with his character, he rewards it generously. I love the gospel, I love my Savior, I love you guys!

-Elder Dahl

He Is Risen

This week was good! We've been trying some more creative street contacting approaches. Nobody is really outside because the temperature is in the high 30s still. So we've been asking businesses if it's OK for us to proselytize on the premises or leave some literature. Most people aren't OK with the preaching, but they'll take a pamphlet, which is cool. I want to start holding street meetings where we stand on a box and preach but my companion isn't quite comfortable with that yet ;). We've been meeting with a few inactive or part member families. It's pretty tough for me. Sometimes they'll sign up to feed us, and I have no clue what they are wanting from us. I want to just ask people point blank why they're not coming to church or why they aren't baptized. It's hard to be a missionary covering a whole ward because I only have maybe 2 or 3 interactions with families. My first visit I'm just trying to build trust enough to get them to open up. It's a hard balance-- let me know if you have any advice. One of the most amazing things about being a member of the restored church is how high our knowledge of the Gospel is because of restored truths. I remember growing up and just assuming everyone understood the role of Gethsemane in the atonement. I realized pretty quickly that my understanding of the atonement was predicated mostly on teachings and not on the scriptures. It is so critical to close the gap from what we know and where it comes from. Not only do we share the good news that Jesus lives, but we understand what that enables us to do. The greatest truth restored is that God is our father! The purpose of this mortal sphere is to become like Him. I love you guys! 

-Elder Dahl

The Road Less Traveled

I got transferred this week to Apple Valley, it's pretty famous as being the only area in the mission with a Costa Vida. The ward is chill but not quite as amazing as Elk River. I'm still meeting people though. My new companion is Elder Blanco from Hawaii. He is a living testimony that everyone should go on a mission. It doesn't matter what you've done, get worthy and go! I always thought that growing up in Hawaii would be a dream, but we've talked a lot about how hard it is to make it there. All the wealthy people are mainlanders who have come and started businesses, usually in tourism. Because of so much outside money, it's almost impossible to change social classes if you stay on the island. 

I feel like that same principle applies to your testimony. It is very difficult to create significant change in either direction when you are stuck in the same environment. You may start out in middle class, but when your environment changes, it is likely you will either become spiritually stronger or weaker. The opportunity of a mission is the opportunity to develop your testimony into something strong enough to withstand the strongest winds. I think that is one of the reasons why we have transfers and new companions-- to keep putting yourself in new situations that give you the chance to grow. The mission is special because there is hopefully an expectation to grow. You can go to college and have the desire to grow, but you don't have nearly as much support or structure. It's like having a personal trainer vs a gym membership. The hardest part of being a missionary is going home. Going back to that old environment and testing your growth. Elder Blanco told me about when he went home after being at college. His friends were still doing the exact same things. They work at their jobs, and then go fishing and surfing. It's so tempting to fall into familiarity and cease progressing. I'm grateful I've had such formative experiences here. I love the gospel and the covenants I've made. I love you guys! Keep progressing!

-Elder Dahl