Elder Henry Dahl-Canada Halifax Mission: Season 1: Episode 12: :D

Yeah this week was a little nuts.

Also sorry for the last email being late and not that good haha.

On Wednesday we had a collaboration lunch/meeting with the senior couple, and the presidents of the quorums, bro Moses and the branch president where we discussed that this branch needs a change of culture. (And it does this branch as around 30 active members, and 200 people on record) and it's the duty of primarily the members to bring back the lost sheep. We as missionaries can help, but we aren't going to be here for the rest of our lives, and our purpose is to teach repentance and baptize converts. Nonetheless, we will help. And as the meeting occurred (right after lunch at this super nice Thai restaurant where I had some bomb cashew chicken) and the meeting revolved around love. Like we need to love the members and we can look at it like a number. And the purpose is to bring them back to church, because that's not it! It's to love them so they will want to come back to church. Or at least be a friend for them to turn to, and further down the line, they may returned to activity. That's the prime goal. And it's the same for missionary work! We can have the point of knocking on doors to get someone to teach and baptize. It's nice if that ends up being the case, but the the point is to love them and teach them about Gods love for them. Another point of missionary work is to help people exercise their agency, to accept or reject, but it makes it easier for them to accept if we love them.

So I'm going to ask a favor of you all.

When you retire for the day and are on your knees in prayer, will you pray that I can love the people here even more? Its something that I need to work on.

And it's not that I don't love the people, or the work, because I freaking love this place and everything we do! But I find myself hesitant at times. And its difficult for me to understand people, especially if they abuse drugs, or are inactive. Because I don't know what that is like. But I do know that Heavenly Father can help them with anything! And through Christ's atonement, we can better ourselves! And be forgiven and free. And this doesn't just have to be for me, but for you all as well! A thought that was brought to me by brother Moses, was if I had 20-25 people praying they I can love more, what kind of difference would that make in the work I do? Maybe its selfish. But if it's to love other people? Maybe not right?

Anyway haha we also had Exchanges this week! And district council in Sydney! (Thursday and Friday) a And that's like 3 hours away, so there was quite a bit of driving, but I got to read a heck'n lot of the saints book and its way good! And also during the drive create a story. So we were all driving to district council and there was this object that was getting bigger and bigger as we got close to it. Elder Surette: that's because we were getting closer that's how it works. (Bless his literal heart) and as we got to this huge object we found it was a huge rubber duck that was on fire and can fly. So we called the mission president for action and we were told to convert it! And we did because we are great missionaries and ended up riding on it's back to Newfoundland where we had to kill it with a magic sword, of which as we swung, missed and cut his hair. But his hair was like unto Samson and the rubber duck shrunk and lost its flaming brilliance.

Quite a story we created haha.

So that was 2 days of not classic work, but then it gets better (not really tho) when we got home, elder Robinson pulled a Mr. Stark I don't feel so good. And got to taste dinner again, but when he came out he said there was a little blood. And that freaked me out like crap what am I gonna do? So I was like call sister low (she is the stand in nurse for now) and he was like, well let me sleep it off, and I was like but would if she gets upset for not calling her yesterday and whips us with a noodle? And he was like ight let's do it. Called her and tried to move our previous appointment up, which we couldn't get in contact with the mission doctor, so we headed for the Canadian hospital and spent a total of 7 hours. About 6 waiting, and then 1 to actually see the doctor and assume that (based on elder Robinson's experiences) that he might have a stomach ulcer. So the doctor he gave him a prescription and we went and picked it up and by then it was 6:30. (Side note, the hospital is a beautiful well maintained building but there is no staff what so ever. So if you want to be a doctor and need a place to work that is pretty clean and well equipped, Canada is a pretty neat place to come to. There are so few doctors here its unfortunate) Went home had a little dinner, and headed to brother Putnam's! Were we learned quite a bit of his family history! (Saturday)

Then we had church which is always good and we help give the sacrament to the home bound members. Then in the afternoon Trish (Matthew's) reach out to both us, the Lewis's and brother Moses! And wants to come to church and meet with us again! Prayers have been answered and we will do are best to support her as she goes through these painful times here in the next week or 2.

Thanks so much for your prayers, support, and memories! It truly means a lot!

Elder Dahl 2.0
Truro Nova Scotia,
Canada

https://youtu.be/80ENpstET1w (Brother Putnam's refurbished record player)

https://youtu.be/V3GprbOcUe8 (Elder Robinson)