Season 1 Episode 9: the coldest night of the year, and I don't appreciate that.

Man what an awesome week! To start, we took a detour at one point because people were finally filling potholes, and we saw a dog chase a deer across a 4 way stop intersection, stop, and then pee on one of the local churches signs. Glorious. 

Then elder Robinson tried to 1v1 Ethan sevey (one of the youth) in basketball in a super toasty gym and he got to taste dinner again .

The  we had an awesome discussion with brother Mahoney once again about the concept of reconciliation, which was a topic of one of the talks the previous Sunday which was super! 

Also here is a little miracle, I've been getting back and forth with a guy over Instagram and long story short, we've become pretty tight and out of the blue he asked if I would like to join him and his friend to Victoria park this week! Let this be a testimony to all who read this that being a friend to someone goes a long way! And you don't have to know them to get to know them! 

Then the most stressful time on my mission so far.

So about a month ago elder Robinson and I as well as the senior couple volunteered to help out with the coldest night of the year, which is a fundraiser for the homeless shelters in Canada. The basic form of it being that people sign up to walk and donate and sell toques. Also on this day brother Moses was going to be in town and wanted to go teaching with us. We were super down to teach with brother moses but we had completely forgot that we had volunteered to help, plus we really didn't have anyone to teach. Now like previously said, brother moses is amazing and he resurrected this branch and all we want to do is show that we are doing our best, and we thought this was great! Until we were told by the Lewis's that the coldest night of the year was occurring in 2 days. Now I'm not complaining or nothing, but I think it might be smart to share what the volunteers would be doing a little earlier then 2 days before the event. But it's all good because it was an awesome event and we got a solid potential person to teach that lives in a town a little ways, but still in our area! Plus I got a toque and a neat button! We were able to to give a blessing to an older LA guy that got to the hospital that day and we invited brother moses to that and that lifted his heart haha. (A little more info if you don't quite understand yet, he is on a higher plane. he is so in tune with the spirit, that he gets anxious when others aren't.) And in that way he has some expectations. Nonetheless, he is a wonderful man and I respect him to much to let him down. So we wanted to be able to teach with him or go to something with him just so we could show our appreciation really. And we were able to do that haha. I wish we could have done more, but we were pretty tied haha. 

Then what makes brother moses that much better, is the way he teaches. He taught priesthood and man he does not take anything from anyone and doesn't accept tangents (which I need to work on haha) he is able to take every question thrown at him, address it, tie it to the lesson and everything that was previously said, and expound on it to really get into the minds and hearts of those present.  Its fantastic!

Then just yesterday we knocked into a very lost daughter of God. And it went something like this:

 *knock* hey how are you? She: *forced smile* your Mormons right? Us: Well, missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints-- I don't appreciate what your doing. Asking personal questions about what I believe, Preaching should not be done at people's homes. Elder Robinson: oh. well, is there a place that we could talk with you? No. I'm catholic and Preaching should be done in the chapel. Please stop what you are doing and goodbye. Us: yeah! Have a great rest if your day! :D

Ok so there are unfortunately several things wrong here...

1) if your catholic, you believe in Jesus Christ and his teachings (I think) then why would you not appreciate us representing Jesus Christ and going about teaching his word like he did when he was on the earth?

2) we didn't ask any personal questions to you yet, so way to jump the gun.

3) if you think preaching should be left in a chapel setting, how selfish can you be? Do you think that salvation and Gods love is reserved to only those who desire to go to church?

4) if we want to grow closer to Christ, what better way to do that then to have a Christ centered home? And praise him even at home?

5) as for stopping what we are doing? NEVER this is the Lords work and if you don't love Jesus Christ enough to worship him every day and not just Sunday when you go to church, you need reevaluate your religion, relationship with God, and your concept on the scriptures he has provided to you. Straight up, read the bible. 

Now this may sound like I'm irritated, I'm really not, this was a wonderful time to gain experience! And a great way to see how many different personalities there are here! As well as views of religion. So it's truly fascinating to me the countless attitudes, perspectives, and excuses that people make it's so hilarious🤣 I truly love it its fantastic.

I'm excited for this week! I love you all! Thanks so much for your prayers! Your all in mine! Keep up the work! The day soon cometh! Ye are the salt of the earth! 

Elder Dahl 2.0
Truro Nova Scotia,
Canada

Driving in the snow: https://youtu.be/V51_hAyaXBY

Season 1: Episode 8: A Shorter Week so Shorter Email?

Yeah so since our last pday was on Wednesday this came up pretty fast. And I'll try to remember what all happened haha.

We started volunteering at the homeless shelter here In Truro and so far we have just been putting old clothes in bags to be either tossed or donated elsewhere (if it were up to me i would toss the they smelled mildly unpleasant) but it was pretty sweet! We serve with a senior could the Lewis's, and they are super awesome! They kinda taught us what they did so in case they are sick or something we can cover for them! Also on this day (friday) we got a call from Elder surette (or DL) to check our email. (This was during our origination of the clothes) and I was not in hearing range, but elder Robinson was like "what that's sick no way! And I was like oh dear what could it be. And so we took the phone to the side and learned about the new communication features from the first presidency! And I checked my email and what did I see? My dads email about pday communication before the official one. Someone must be excited ;). 

So that's going to be so good! 

Just yesterday was a holiday called family day or heritage day (in America presidents day) and I was like hmm that seems like a better holiday not gonna lie. And so we took this as an opportunity to street contact and knock bc people were with their families right? Well as it turns out there really aren't to many families in Truro, lots of either old people or college students (pretty much young couples) and unfortunately no one was interested in finding put how to grow closer as a family unit through a council called family home evening. But that's ok (it's really not) its kind of a struggle haha. Its fascinating to see how people shy away from religion or don't believe in God. It's like how?! But people have their agency . 

I say this because I had my first door slam! (I didn't want this to sound like I'm mad, I'm actually quite humored.) We went up to this mildly large house and knocked a middle aged larger fellow opened the door and kinda sighed, we gave our spiel (hey how are you? That's great, we are missionaries etc.) And he just said I'm atheist and we asked why (politely I might add) and he just said something along the lines of personal preference (I cant remember tbh rip) we told him to have a good day and turned and slam! Now maybe it wasn't on purpose, but I've heard doors close. Needless to say I was somewhat proud. I managed to get a door slam! 

But note to any atheist:

How?

Why?

Note to *Canadian atheists:

How?

Why?

* pertains to all nationalities 

But we did find an older gentleman while street contacting that was invited to leave the Baptist church because he goes to bars to do karaoke (he told us that he drinks water but they didn't know that) and since then we hasn't been to active, but he told us that he had gone to our church and enjoyed it, and knows sister Bruce from the farmers market. We didn't get a name or contact info from him but I really wanted to! He could really benefit from this gospel! And because he gave us a banana. 

In other news the Lewis's were able to get in contact with Matthew! And things seem to be going well, and we are continuing to reach out as well as many of the branch members so Yay! We also got in contact with a member husband and a non wife and kids that were really open to having us over! So that is also super exciting! They kids play hockey, and that takes place on several days including Sunday:( but the season will be over in March? Idk I need to figure out hockey it's crazy popular! 

And then brother Bordan. He really is the best both spiritually and in humor. He is really obsessed with hockey, literally all his stuff has the nova Scotia hockey team logo on it and they lost the last game 3-6 (I think) and he just said "man I better get on the team so that they can start winning every game!" That's just one of the many things that make me and elder Robinson  crack up. Also another thing that I may not have mentioned is he wears a fanny pack all the time I do t know what's in it, but his keys jangle outside of it and its literally the best. Hes so wonderful!

But yeah as for a shorter week, I hope you found enjoyment and spiritual growth or enlightenment as you read this.

The Book of Mormon is true and because of that, I'm doing the Lords will with his power and guidance. 

Love you all!

Elder Dahl 2.0
Truro Nova Scotia,
Canada

https://youtu.be/5-ibCaNEIDE

https://youtu.be/p4qwk0zKHyo

Season 1 Episode 7: Some Solid Education, Whatever the Opposite of Constipation is, and Frustration

It rhymes! :D sort of

Also transfers were this week so that's why this email is a little late pday got moved a day.

This week was a super time to gain experience! Especially because we had exchanges with elder villamizar and surette (the elders in new glasco) and the first day I traveled and had the wonderful time of serving along side elder villamizar (who is as new as me in the mission field but has had some previous missionary experiences so hes a beast) and we did some street contacting were we gave several cards and ran into someone who spoke with the missionaries before and would like to talk again! Then we had a wonderful lesson with a investigator and got her on date for baptism! The first time both elder Villamizar and I got someone to commit! It was was good! Then we went knocking and found another native Indian (from india) and he was really interested in learning more as well! (And it's like why cant we find people like that here in truro lol) While we were getting to know one other, I learned that he can speak 5 languages pretty much fluently! And I'm like what. But hes got a really interesting story! He came to Canada on a scholarship to study but then wanted to serve a mission so he put in his papers but bc he didn't have citizenship in Canada his visa took a while to get ready and he was called to Chile. He left earlier this week and I love his testimony and example! I'll miss him a lot ;-;. But then the next day I went finding with Elder surette and we knocked into a bible study! With like 17 older people they were talking about moses mostly and it was really great! Elder surette is a really awesome elder too, hes our district leader and hes got a lot of insight and persistence! 

Then this is were it goes a little down hill.

So as previously mentioned,  trish and Matthew are expecting and also trying to buy a house and they are trying to get it all settled before it happens. And long story short nothing worked out and the way they cope with stress is they turn inward and don't communicate. So here we are as missionaries and branch members trying to reach them and cant. We stopped by their place (they weren't home but they live with parents) but we gave them cookies and told them to pass along a message that we are here to help. Then Matthew's family seemed to be in some kind of trouble too so things are stacking up on them and it scares me. The last time we saw them we left them a commitment to read the Book of Mormon together so I hope that they will remember to do that. 

Then it goes a little more downhill (in a funny way)

So on Sunday we had a linger longer were we had some lunch and visited with the members and all the food was so good! But something was in one of the soups because one day later, I spent well over 2 hours total in the washroom. Like the soup must have had either bad milk or a few tons of laxatives it wasn't fun waking up every 1.5 hours that night but then it got kinda funny by the 8-9th time and then it just got annoying by the 11-12th and i know it was something at the linger longer because elder Robinson had the same deal and it's a miracle that we didn't over lap each other at night. 

But then we knocked into a lady that was interested in learning more, but she broke her phone so we were able to add her through FB so we await to communicate with her! And it was really cool how we knocked, we discussed, she got interested, and then as we were leaving, her parents drove in! And when we talked to them they weren't interested! So what timing!

Additionally we also talked to a lady who was charging her car and she seemed interested as well! She's a LA jehovah witness and (while finding with elder surette I borrowed one of there Books of Mormon and was going to give it back but forgot) we have her a card to invite her to download it for free and then got into a discussion on how hard copies are better and easier to read from and I reached in my pocket and was like oh! Here you go then! We left her with our number and we got hers and we invited her to read the introduction while her car charges (idk if she did and we've been texting back and forth but no knowledge of if she read anything yet)

Then lastly Matt. We wanted to say in contact with him so every now and then we would text him. (We left him with a challenge that if he read any 10 pages and took moronis promise to heart he would know it's true. Then one of these days he texted us that he read several including alma 42 (which is a excellent chapter especially for him) and he said he though it was true. So we took this as a sign that he was progressing. And he was but we met with him yesterday and yeah he told us that what he read in the  Book of Mormon was true, but hes not doing anything about it. But he needs to read the whole thing! At some point I showed him my priesthood line of authority and told him that I have and hold Gods power to baptize him with proper authority and assist in giving him the Holy Ghost. And he just took that like there's no way. But then elder elder Robinson and I just brought it to the Book of Mormon and asked is the Book of Mormon true? If so then Joseph Smith was a prophet and I do have an unbroken like of priesthood authority. That got him to think. But by that time we had to go (curfew) and i was a little frustrated not gonna lie it's like we have testified of the truth,  you say the Book of Mormon is true, but you are stuck and haven't gained a testimony of it! So unless he texts or calls us telling us that he was wrong, and we are right and he wants to learn more we probably won't meet him again ;-;. But nonetheless I was able to learn a lot and practice. The discussion we had were really fun, but not a great use of the Lords time. 

I love it here! just this morning we got another inch or 2 of snow and during this transfer I will stay in Truro with elder elder Robinson but this time I'm the designated driver. yay.

Thank you for all your prayers and love! And I return those prayers and love to you all!

Until next time!

Elder Dahl
Truro Nova Scotia,
Canada

https://youtu.be/OlmUgkoohjY

https://youtu.be/h_rW1JTvrao

https://youtu.be/OlmUgkoohjY

https://youtu.be/0Gc3F2yq2KA

Season 1 Episode 6: The One with Pestilence, Protection, Slithery Boas and Lack of Taste

Man this week was so fast and so slow it was mind boggling! And so much funny stuff happened so don't skip over anything!

To start, Elder Robinson got sick and I don't really know if it was the flu, or food poisoning but bodily projectiles from the mouth occurred. And if I knew anything about my wonderful mother, get onguard on that boy! And get onguard on you. So I was putting drops on a paper towel and hanging it on the fan, rubbing it on my feet, and taking the mini capsule things, then I did something I regretted but at the same time might be useful in the future. I wouldn't recommend it but hey here it goes! Now I'm not a great reader especially small print. and I didn't see the warning to not ingest the onguard oil but to dilute it with water. But I didn't see that so I just put a drop in my mouth. Now it burned, but I was use to it because I use onguard in my mouth wash. But in this case it was direct contact with my tongue and I'm pretty sure it killed my taste buds because I couldn't taste anything for the next 2 days. I've got my taste back now so don't worry! But I gotta say, eating and experiencing food based only on texture, it's kinda neat, but I like tasting things so I probably won't do that in the near future haha.

But during this time while elder Robinson was recovering, I did a heck of a lot of studying. I finished the pearl of great price, got the first 40+ chapters of the old testament and several of the doctrine and covenants. I think that this was a massive boost to my scriptural knowledge. So blessing right there and I haven't had the privilege of getting sick myself! But it definitely hit here in truro. The senior couple, the Lewis's, got hit pretty hard a while back, but I guess the sickness didn't even want to try with me. Actually I take that back there was a time were if I wanted to taste what I ate again and focus, I could and during this time I had a pretty bad headache, but the oils I had kicked it out, plus I don't get sick. So take that. 

Then after elder Robinson got feeling a little better we went knocking and the 3rd door we knocked an Indian (like India) opened up and we had a really great discussion about faith and feeling the spirit. We talked about the Book of Mormon and the importance of it and gave her one and we invited her to read it and she said she would! We left our phone number in the cover so she could call us if she had any questions. So hopefully we can increase our teaching pool!

As far as our teaching pool, we still are only teaching trish and Matthew which is so amazing, but going around knocking isn't the fun-est thing you know. But Matt is doing so great he said he isn't ready to set a goal for baptism, but he is setting goals to learn certain things by certain times and that is so wonderful! And we invited him to help trish read the Book of Mormon (of which he is ahead of trish) and to read it together and to pray together.  And they said they would! So we are excited to follow up! Also Trish and Matthew have 3 snakes; 2 ball pythons and a boa (they also have 2 geckos and a cat and then a baby due in April) the names of which are really funny but I cant remember them at this moment haha but we got to feed them and I've got a video I'll add but we will see if it actually sends. https://youtu.be/1DRkZSYnF6U  https://youtu.be/JsXwGr77BPI

Also on the while sick business the day after elder Robinson got sick we scheduled to get 2 more of my immunizations which was SO FUN . I've got to get 2 more this week, then I'll have to get a booster or something in 6 months. Yay. And that made me a little sick my arms were really weak for the next few days, but I'm good now and remember I don't get sick ;). 

So our elders quorum president his name is Nathen Bordan. He is so funny! Hes an African American (or what ever canadian equivalent) and his conversion story is so amazing. I'll tell that another time, but he's so humble and doesn't accept compliments becuase every thing he does is because God helped him do it. Which is so true and so (he made this ridiculously good chili) and we were complimenting him on how good it was right? But he was like hey don't praise me praise the lord because he brought it to you! He said a few other things that were so funny but time is of the essence haha.

One other funny story is there is a Brother Putnam who has this really sweet oldsmobile not a model t or anything but of a similar time period and we were meeting and discussing faith and praying with greater faith for personal missionary experiences. Some how we got on the topic of not knowing something and connected that to dating and how you may like this girl but you don't know if she likes you unless you ask her and you could go months to years wondering this or you could go and ask. Then he continued and shared an experience that his uncle had and it was just that. But as it turns out the lady that he liked liked him back and because neither of them spoke up about it... you get it. But then elder Robinson said yeah it's like blissful ignorance. (Before I continue I'll paint little picture in your head about Brother Putnam. Hes on the older side partially bald had white hair and a stan Lee mustache. Hes got small  spectacles like the glasses Elder eyering use to have) and he just was like "yes exactly! there like ostriches with there heads in the freaking ground! And that's what he said word for word and I just started laughing after hearing what this wonderful elderly man just said. He is so wonderful

Also a small answer to a prayer(ish): 

I've got 2 awesome sweaters that are black and burgundy. And it goes well with my slacks but I had the thought, man if I had a blue sweater then it would match the rest of my slacks. Then Elder Lewis had a sweater that he wasn't using (because it's hard to put on and he likes to have a sweater with a zipper that goes all the way down.) And it was blue and hes like "here you go this will keep you as little warmer" so now I've got a nice older blue sweater! I didn't necessarily pray to have another sweater, but it was a thought! So the Lord knows your thoughts! 

This letter was more on the funny side, but know that I'm having a great time and am blessed each and everyday. Thank you for your prayers a know that they are felt and appreciated! If times get hard, read the Book of Mormon! It helps a lot! More then you can even know.

Love you all! Keep moving forward! I'll try to respond to emails! 

Also I forgot to say this last time but exchanges are tomorrow! So that will be a time!

Until next week!

Elder Dahl
Canada, Halifax.
Truro.

https://youtu.be/bDe4X8e1Mqo

https://youtu.be/f8ovhTxElr0

https://youtu.be/rR_uj5DEa0E

https://youtu.be/rztMIU6-PMc