Season 2 Episode 26: Zone conference and on date

This week was super fun! Not so much the travel, but the experience! So aside from Thursday and Friday, we were super busy!

So on Wednesday we taught Nestor again and talked with him about the gospel of Jesus Christ and applying that and rebuking a little more, hes now on date for baptism! His obstacle is a ride to church, his younger kiddos, and letting go of past anger. But he knows that God wants him to get baptized and it's his Goal and he'll work for it. As of now it's in mid November after transfers so hes got all the time he needs! Hes so fun! 

But maybe not quite as fun as Dale. Dale is trying so hard to stop smoking and after today, he'll be out of tobacco and hes not going to buy any more. He is a champion and is well on his way

And since we are on the topic of on dates,  Brandon is also on date and his Baptismal date will be the day he stops smoking (as of now its Oct. 19th) and hes a solid guy to. We've been teaching him since I've been here. 

But yeah!! Then zone conference and interviews came around and president Low made the comment that I've been in presque isle for a while, then at that comment I said oh no that means I'm leaving. And he said well not really it's where God needs you. And so the interview continued and then in elder Atkins interview president Low told him that if you kept up the good work, you and elder dahl may stay 2 transfers together! 

So 8 months here?? Hype zone!!!

Then zone conference was also blast and president Low went on a spirit directed path and talked about visions rather then spirit led invitations. And that was way good. I wrote notes but in short have a vision! It leads to goals and a positive outlook to the work we do! It's way fun!

Then the service we did throughout this week was finishing up the plastic walls of one of the greenhouses, food pantry stuffs, unfortunately missed the animal shelter service, but we also stacked even more wood!! I'm like super ripped now honestly.

 Lol jk.

Then Sunday rolled around and we had stake conference! And it was so good!! And this is the thing I learned!

The holy Ghost is the one that forgives the sins because he is the one that burns the sins away! So people cant repent until they are baptized and receive the holy Ghost to burn them away! 

Love you all!! Keep up the prayer and scripture study it's the most important thing you can do everyday. So do it pls.

But yeah! That's the just of the things we have been up to in the most blessed part of America.

Elder Dahl
Presque Isle, Maine
United States of America 

Season 2 Episode 25: stop smoking and rebuke

This week was so great lots of service and helping others and talking gospel!

Wednesday we started with our district council in edmundston which is always fun I'm not sure if I have told yall who's in our district  but its sisters Allen and tomas in edmundston and then elders Johnson and Gutierrez and then us! They are all super fun and we learn a lot haha. But then we came back and did our studies and had dinner with the Dean's again (so brother dean is so fun he always pokes fun and the new elders that come in and with elder atkins somewhat sassy personality with brother Dean's sarcasm. It's so funny. Like I would serve mission just to see elder atkins and brother dean talk it's that good.) And then got invited to a soccer game and counted that as part member family work. And not gonna lie that was probably the first soccer game I've ever watched all the way through.  It was pretty good as far as a high school game. Elder atkins told me he would give me 20$ to go and kick the ball I was sorely tempted, but didnt haha. 

Then Thursday came around and we went to the animal shelter again the nice smell of animal waste and cat hair always wakes me up! Then we went to study with brother alliose and teach dale and we finished talking about the plan of salvation and lead how spirits cant use or bring earthy substances to the spirit world and taught about the word of wisdom.  We then introduced the stop smoking program and moved his date back a little to October 5th! And hes hyped for it. Hes so golden in love dale hes the best.

Then Friday we did a lot of work in fort Fairfield and got to see Robert again and he met elder Atkins and they talked basketball for a good 45 minutes and he got tight so after Robert moves we balling it up with him! And then flexing truth and how the jws arent truth. But yeet. We also got Brandon on date for baptism as well as his date to stop smoking (being the same day) and it's the same method with dale! Slow reduction in smoking and accountability. No veggies for fruits if you dont want. But brush your teeth ever morning night and after each meal!

Then since we missed the bible study on Wednesday we asked Ryan if we could study it with him Saturday and he accepted! We studied matt 10 which is a way fun chapter especially for missionaries and I put a Book of Mormon verse in there and he really liked what it said. So we'll just keep slipping in the word of God until he sees it. I love Ryan hes so cool haha. We also tried to see a few others but no luck. We did see some fun stuff though and watch the YSA broadcast. If you havent seen it it's good! It's by elder sores and Christensen it's a face 2 face. 

Then Sunday came around and unfortunately  no one came. We meet with Brandon the day before and said he come but no :( and then dale got super sick. But hes doing good now and is really sorry for being sick. (And it wasn't even his fault. Dale is so good) and the rest of the Sunday was super great we watched the face to face and also had dinner with the markers! They are super awesome. 

Then yesterday. The highlight was Nestor. Not sure if you remember him. But we where in his general area and thought it might be good to see him. I was a little skeptical tbh. But I wanted elder atkins to meet him and man that was a beast mode lesson. So Nestor got a few kids so I helped them quite down and entertain them a little while we taught, but eventually the kiddos had to have my full attention so I just built blocks with them while sitting with my comp, while elder Atkins straight rebukes him (his utopia idea and wanting to meet the prophet to tell him what to do) and told him that the prophet is on a wall and we are on one side of the wall and God is on the other and the prophet, being on top, can see what's coming and what we need to know, so Nestor can be calling up to the prophet to tell him what's coming. He need to listen to the prophet and obey and that means getting his faith back and not waiting for God, repenting and changing his ways, getting baptized, come into church getting the holy ghost to help him and his kids and enduring to the end. In short hes on his way to baptism now. 

Elder atkins is a bold baller. (I'm still working on it haha)

Anyways lots of amazing things happening in presque isle and I'm glad I have been here for the time I am. 

Thanks so much for your prayers and thoughts! 

Remember to pray specifically and read your scriptures! If you pray specifically you'll get specific answers and blessings. 

Again. Love you all. Remember that. And God loves you too. Hes counting on all of you and needs you all the way on his side.

Elder Dahl 2.0
Presque Isle, Maine
United States of America

Season 2 Episode 24: wood, service, a shooting, and miracles

This week was so fun and spooky and here's why.  

So yesterday in between 5:50 and 6:30 there was a shooting in out neighborhood.  Now we didn't know this bc missionaries dont listen to the news, but that's what members are for! We got a call from quite a few members asking if we were alive and safe and we were like what??  And they told us that there was an active gunman where we live. So we called the district leader and president low and he had us stay in our basement. They have yet found the people so it's a little tense here, but we are good! Got some extra studying. We also taught and studied with brother alliose, and talked with Paul again! (Its really funny because he meets with missionaries like every month or so, I'm the only missionary that's hes seen that's been the same because first it was elder Pierson on exchanges, then elder scott 2 times, then elder hatch once, then now with elder atkins.) So we talked with him and hes still doing good and likes meeting with us! Then after that we helped Ryan move all his wood into his basement and that took like 3.5 hrs. It was solid and I'm way sore. Got to get those gainz. But Ryan is so fun! Hes the guy that runs the bible study and is way cool so we got to talk with him a little an bamboozle him hehehe.

So there is a really fun thinking process I like to do on people and here it is!

So what did Jesus say to the thief while he was on the cross? 

Uhhhhh today you'll rest with me in paradise? 

Yes! And what did he say to Mary magdalene after he was resurrected?

Uh... touch me not for I have not yet ascended to my father?

Yes! Exactly so that means that the place that jesus went with the thief isnt were God is and thus not heaven right?

Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Yup! So that means paradise is something else and not heaven...yet. thus plan of salvation gets introduced. 

So I tried that on him and he liked the thought! And got him thinking. 

So even though yesterday didnt seem productive because of the morning, it still felt like we did a lot haha.

But continuing backwards,  on Sunday Dale came again!! Plus elder Atkins and I talked in sacrament meeting about prayer! And we both did great I thought, and i talked specifically about how to pray,  (address heavenly father have the Holy Ghost help you out and try not to repeat or have rote prayers and then close in the name of Jesus Christ.  Because if they aren't like that, they dont get answered because Christ is the mediator between us and God. And have to be said in his name. And it was a great talk! But apparently not great enough because the closing prayer wasn't 100% right started with lord instead of Heavenly Father. But closed in Jesus Christ so I'm sure she got 66.66667% of the prayer right haha. We also had dinner with the himes and they are a really fun family just busy a lot haha

Then in the course of the previous days we had a lot of service! 

But the other highlights were with Dale

So dale has come to church 3 times now and during one of our lessons he had a burning question. And he was like, ok make or break. How does your church fund itself to build all those buildings?? I've been waiting for a gold bowl to be passed around to donate funds but it hasn't happened and looking for that Catch! We explained tithing and he was totally chill with that and he lives on welfare and I learned that if your on welfare you dont pay tithing on that only the stuff you work for and earn so he liked that but was more then willing to pay tithing on that. And that was a stellar lesson

Then the next time we met with him we were talking about church and he was like, I feel good in your church it's different but I like it and I dont know why. And elder Atkins was like "you want to know why?

And dale was like yeah.

And elder Atkins was like "because it's TRUE"

And dale was like. I'm starting to believe it. We talked a little more and he was like man there is no catch is there? And we were like nope not really. And he was like, ok you got me, what day and time? And we were like 21st September 11 am and he was like ok cool *writes on calendar 

Do I need to wear anything? And we talked about the jumpsuit and the program a little and he was for it!

This week was so fun! So spirit filled and just fantastic.  A lot more happens then what I write promise! But these where the highlights and fun things. 

I love you all and thank you so much for your prayers they are answered because your probably doing them right haha. 

Remember to pray and read your scriptures they are fantastic for you.

Elder Dahl 2.0
Presque Isle, Maine
United States of America

Learned to solve a rubix cube

Season 2 Episode 23: same area, different comp!

So yeah! Transfers! We dropped off elder hatch in fredricton and then gave the keys to elder Atkins and we drove back! 

That was Thursday and the days before that elder hatch wanted to get pictures with the people we taught so we had some lessons with them to haha

But at the end of Thursday we had the last Thursdays on Sweden which wasn't as good as the last one but it was good nonetheless and it was elder atkins first one! So now we got some family pedigrees to get out there and talk about families with them!

Then the next few days where like a blur we taught dale again and Joshua and Amanda and found that there relationship with God is either nonexistent or super weak. So we got to get back to the basics. They are on there way hopefully.  The power of prayer is intense and that's what we taught them. 

Sunday came around and unfortunately none came, but we taught dale again and hes sorry for missing it and really wants to come next week and hes even more open to the idea of baptism! It's so great and humbling to see people change especially when they have a lot of tattoos haha. 

It's also fun having a new comp that loves members as much as I do and telling him that the whites and I are super tight enough that we can walk into their house and borrow some food and use the bathroom etc. He was shook at that it was so fun. 

We also had a really fun fast Sunday dinner at the gerhausers. Hot dogs and stove smores. It's more funny that it sounds. We had a great time. 

We also met the coolest less active guy and that's only because he didn't know the church was so close to him! So we started doing a Book of Mormon and bible study with him. Hes on the older side and his name is grant. Hes so cool! Hes so enthusiastic about learning about the Book of Mormon and he is so elect really Haha.

And then Dan. Hes a champ but hes just a wee bit confused.  

Stacy and Dallas are doing great! And I finally got to see Alex again! Hes doing great and elder atkins destroyed him in basketball so that was a legit game to watch haha

I'm super pumped for this transfer especially because its 8 weeks and I'm with elder Atkins! Hes super fun and we hit it off! 

Lots more happens but I got to get going!

Love you all and your prayers are powerful and answered in time and effort on your part.

Keep being real!

Elder Dahl
Presque Isle, Maine
United States of America

https://youtu.be/0Vo_QSts7tY Lot of birds and train tracks

https://youtu.be/LPBmoRD6LkY suit shopping