July 26, 2014

So this week has been so busy and crazy! Are branch is getting bigger and bigger so it is great! Wednesday specifically was so so busy. we had to host and teach and then help welcome and show around the new sisters. Yay! we have new sisters!! Oh and my companion had an audition for a musical number at the devotional. She made it, so that was really exciting! The highlight of the day was when we were teaching Lalanie, because she committed to baptism!! The gift of tongues was there during that lesson because words were just flowing in my mind that I thought I didn't remember! it was great! We got out flight plans on friday! I can't believe my time here in the MTC is coming to an end! 

This week we did a lot of studying about faith. Faith is power. Faith leads to action. When we let faith lead us to action Heavenly Father will bless us. The biggest thing I am learning while here is how to let the spirit guide me and how to act on those inspirations. If I am not willing to apply principle like faith and listening to the spirit, then how do I expect the people I will teach to do the same. I have to always be the first investigator. 

I am so thankful for my savior Jesus Christ and I know that he lives, He is always there to comfort and help us, always. No matter how little or small our problems may seem, he cares. Hope all is going well. 

Mahal kita

Sister Dahl

July 19 2014

Wow Wow Wow! This place is unreal! Well actually it is very real, but so amazing! So I want to talk about 3 experiences that I had this week. 

So first off on my district is amazing! I love them so much. We have decided that on every sunday we are going to do priesthood blessings. This was one of the most powerful experiences that I have had with the priesthood. The spirit was so strong in that classroom as these young men, who are barley out of highschool and most of them havent even given blessings gave the most beautiful blessings. There was no denying that these Elders spoke through the power of the Holy Ghost and were speaking for our Heavenly Father. They used words and phrases that I am sure they have never heard themselves speak, it was so amazing!  As they put there hands on my head, I could feel the power of God and his love for me so strongly. It was such a powerful testiment of priesthood power and that the priesthood really is Gods power. 

Second on wednesday our district got to have the privilage of hosting the incoming missionaries. That was also such a great experience. Saying goodbye to family was alot harder then I thought it was going to be and gettting to be there witnessing that special moment for those new missionaries was so great. Mostly because they really dont know what they are getting themselves into, I know I didn't. The MTC is so special. As I would stand there and greet their family and watch there mothers cry as they had to let go of their sons and daughters I couldnt help but think about our Heavenly Father and how hard that was for him to say goodby to all of his children. Luckily we will return to our families after the mission, but our Heavenly Father doesnt really have that confort and assurance. I can't wait to help bring Heavenly Fathers children back to him. I know that Heavenly Father loves each and every one of his beloved children and wants to be with them again. 

Third, probably one of my favorite experiences this week. So Sister McClatchy our teacher was givning us a lesson in class. She had Elder Garate play the role of the investigator and we all took turns teaching him according to his needs for two min. One of his needs was that he didnt know if God excisted because his wife had died recently. When one person was done the next person would start off were they left off. It was really awesome, then we ended with Sister McClatchy. She asked him if he would pray and he accepted. Elder Garate was like "right now" and sister Mc being her sweet self was like "yes please." Elder Garate (Javenboy that was his name. yeah we are super mature) begane to pray. He said "Diyos" almost like he was askind if he was there. He immidiatly began to cry. And the spirit filled the room. We were all crying. I didnt even know what the rest of the prayer was like. It was like God was answering back to him and telling him that he was there and he was listening. It was such a spiritual experience. It just made me think about how if God will answer a fake investigators prayer then what is it going to feel like when we are with the people in the philipines who really dont know if God is there. 

I just love this Gospel of Jesus Christ so much. Christ is everthing. Through christ we can do anything! I know that to be so true. 

Mahal kita

Sister Dahl

July 12 2014

Kamusta Family and Friends!!

The MTC is amazing! The food, the people, the teachers, the branch presidents, the plants(I threw that in there for you mom). As good as the MTC is I know that the philippines is going to be even better!! Whenever our teachers show pictures from their missions in the philippines, I feel so much love for those people that I don't even know yet. 

Where to begin...so this last week our district was just so worn out. Everyday they throw something new at us about the language. We are learning about sentence structure and conjecations right now. Holy crap! I wish I knew what a verb, voul, and adjective where before I got here. Learning a new language makes me think of little Dallas and how she is learning to talk. That is exactly how I feel. I feel like a little toddler trying to put sounds together and make words. It is a very humbling experience. My teachers are amazing! I love them! The other day I was meeting with one of my teachers and was asking her if she went through this stage of learning the language on her mission. She said a quote that I really liked, "there is no growth in the comfort zone and no comfort in the growth zone." It is one of the most uncomfortable things to talk to investigators and have to pause every 2 seconds trying to remember words and sounds. But that is the only way that I am going to be able to grow. Just like shawn always told us, you can't be afraid to look dumb. 

So anyway like I said our district was so worn out and mentally so exhausted and having a rough day, but then that night we had a devotional. Elder Anderson came and talked to us. The spirit there was so unreal, well actually REAL! From the moment that he walked in the door and all the missionaries stood up, you could feel the spirit. He talked to us about the Spirit and its power! Just writing this gives me chills. He testified that the spirit is real and tangible thing. Realer then the podium that he stood out realer then the chairs that we sat in. He said, "the things that are seen are temporal and the things that are unseen are eternal". That really hit me. He also said that spiritual experiences come when we don't really expect them, but they come if we have prepared ourselves for them. Spiritual matter is still matter even though we can't see it. about halfway through his talk I was thinking to myself how I wish I could stay in that moment forever because you could feel gods spirit so strongly. Lots of times when we are having spiritual experiences we don't want to leave, thats exactly how I felt when Elder Anderson left, I didn't want him to leave. 

I know that God lives and is real. Even though we can't see him with our eyes, he is there and is more real then anything we can see. I know this gospel is the gospel of Jesus Christ and that he is the head of this gospel. I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God and is the tool god has given us to gather Israel in these last days. I know the prophet is directed by god and leads this church and lastly I know these things through the power of the HOLY GHOST!  

Mahal Kita!!! 

Love, Sister Dahl

the tree smells like cream soda!

we have the best zone here! really though! Its a party! 

July 5 2014

This week has been so amazing!!! Learning the language is so mentally exhausting but so rewarding when things start to click! The teachers here are so amazing! They teach with the spirit so It is amazing! I love everything about the MTC and serving a mission! The gospel is true! truer then anything else! I am so grateful for it and the knowledge and comfort that it gives me. When we have the lord on our side and working with us we can do anything! I know it! 

Love love love love love!!! Love is what God loves!!
Love sister Dahl
sorry this email is short, I will be better next week