New Liberia Mission (Where's Waldo?)

Ate it brains and all ...

First Chicken Head

Hello!!

it sounds like so much is going on at home!! I forgot about Ashley getting married!! you have to send me pictures of that :( Well thank you for telling me everything. Even if I forget to reply to a few things I love hearing about them. 

Its funny that you say I shouldn't forget to really listen. That was all my district meeting was about this week and ive been focusing on that with my companion. He is really bad at English so President told us to do an extra hour of language study! so that means almost 3 hours of companion study every day!! crazy but it will be so good for us. 

So nothing too exciting this week but just a lot of contacting. We are baptizing all our investigators soon so we have been finding more people. I love teaching a first lesson and inviting to baptism, it really shows the power of the Holy Ghost. That is part of the culture of this mission to invite every time on the first visit. So this saturday we are baptizing this family which is awesome! First real family! 

So Elder Anderson and I started working out together which will be sweet. Its because this lady makes muffins every day and we eat too many... SO we are making a muffin challenge, where if you dont do the workout you cant have a muffin.. hahaha so fat. Its fun to get age on mission because I already have a grandson!

 Ive been meaning to ask a question, Is it good to have a coconut everyday? I have a coconut every day and sometimes I eat avocados.. I am getting better at budgeting my money so that I can be healthier.. anyway its all fun. Everything at home seems crazy and awesome. Dont get sick! I love you all!

Elder Dahlin

Mom and Dad,

I always think about you both and what you have shown me over the years. You raised me to be the person to lift others up. To be self reliant and to be able to know the way because thats how it is. For me now as a person I can see a new situation and make a judgment call that is good and hopefully righteous. Ive learned there is not much you need in life, actually there is not a need in the world besides your family. What makes it fun is when I was reading my scriptures last night I started to pass out. Elder Anderson said "you look like my dad" and I said this is exactly what my dad does too! without thinking haha So what im trying to say is that have taken in the things I have been taught my whole life and now ive been able to apply them. Thank you for teaching me in the right way, so that im not a 2 peter 2:16. I see it how it is and I am proud to become like my parents. I want a lot in life and now I can see how to overcome some trials. 

What was great was teaching yesterday. I was teaching (because my son cant speak or understand at all) and sister rose asked us to pray for her while she was traveling. I gave her a scripture that told her that I am always praying for her. I realize that is very true, I care about these people and I care about everyone at home. Even though Im far away nothing has changed in that aspect. Maybe it has changed in the sense that ive realized I care but I always have. Its just fun to learn and grow. The missionaries in my district might not think I care right now since ive had to chastise so much but I guess thats the way I am telling them I love them. The day always is better when you serve another. 

So this week we did have a service project and it was awesome. We helped wheel dirt onto an island so he could have a garden. After the project the wife cooked some breadfruit and there was a yellow substance next to it. I asked "whats thats??"... It was margarine!!!! I forgot what that looked like!!! ohh mann Im going to be weird when I come home haha im so glad to have some Americans in the apartment... So another weird thing is that I learned how to solve a rubiks cube this week and now I can solve it within 5 minutes every time haha so I would love a rubiks cube.... :) And I want to have crazy workouts on mondays!   Alright well I love you both and I am happy to work hard for my salvation and for others. I know that the blessing that come from this work does not only affect me but those that are around me and those that are making a sacrifice for it too. 

Love,

Elder Dahlin (Your son)

We all fit

Potato greens with MONKEY

So it sounds like you are having a lot of fun lately!! :) that is awesome! The new missionaries are complaining about the heat right now and im enjoying it so much. Its cold compared to dry season!

 I love seeing new missionaries come in because that means im getting some dirt on my tag hehe Soo I got me new companion/son on friday! He is from Samoa and I am learning Samoan for sure. His name is Elder Falemai. English is kind of hard for him so it will be great for him to be teaching and learning. So we got them and we didnt have time to go into our area so we went to an FM.. their first meal in Liberia was potato greens with monkey in it! It was the first time I ate monkey too haha it wasnt bad.

 It has been crazy the past few days. I feel like the role of district leader has really come into play now. I am training a brand new guy and saturday I organized the baptismal service for 4 other sets of Elders and now I have 4 sets of missionaries in my district who are all new so they dont know the schedule well enough haha teaching class at church on the spot isnt a big deal anymore because it always happens haha and now preparing for district meeting tomorrow. Its all fun stuff and I am beginning to really like talking in front of large groups of people. Its just been packed with things to do which makes the days go by really fast but always a little more tired.

So my glasses are with the kirkhams but they havent unpacked them yet :) thank you!! I will have to send a few pictures when I get them

I love you all and I hope you are all staying safe and having fun. Until monday

Love, 

Elder Dahlin

Hey Dad!

Well im really jealous of paddle boarding. I cant imagine getting in water... Even though right now its raining like crazy and its kind of cold. 

That will be awesome to see Lanette!! I got a letter from her a while ago that was pretty great. 

A sling shot would be a lot of fun, there are always lizards I want to kill but I dont have any weapons!

Lately the mission has been crazy, on wednesday we had conference with president Kirkham which was great. He will make the work move along so fast. The transfer news I got yesterday really shows how much he will make this mission grow. So we got transfer news and I will be training another missionary just coming on mission! (My second son) My first son will be training also and he will split a new area which means there will be two more missionaries in my district. So my district is almost the size of the last zone I was in haha 

The sad news is that Elder Skouson is leaving my district, he is an awesome guy that I will for sure want to stay in contact with my whole life. He lives in Vegas so he will have to come to california. This was a very short transfer, only a month, but you can really get to know someone in a month. 

I will send some pictures to show you what I did on the fourth of july. Not once did I get called china man which is a change up. 

This week has really made me learn those things I need to work on as a person and as a leader and father. They are definitely things that I am happy to work on and grateful for this chance to do it. The hardest two years but the best two years for life. I know that I have changed in a few ways. I know that I am a stronger advocate of the gospel and a more confident person in the things I need and want in life. It will be great to continue to apply the things ive learned so that when I get back I can be a more effective and productive person. I feel like if you go on a mission to just doing the things required it wont benefit you in any way. There is a set of scriptures in D&C 58 but I forgot the verse that are great to help me to understand to work hard for myself. If I lead I have to work to be that example. 

Anyway... Its been great to learn, I love president Kirkham and im excited for my new district. Everyone will be training so there will be a lot of greenies. I wonder if my companion will be black or white! I get him on friday! love you and I hope you have another great week! 

Love,

Elder Dahlin

Fanta fanta ...

July 1st 2013

Hey Mom!

Im glad you got the letter :) Yeah I think you are right about the obedience and serving haha because whenever theres extra time its not fun to think. well im sorry you guys are enduring the heat... its been pretty nice lately here.

 I got grandmas package by the way!!! it was everything that I wanted and was in need of. Grandma has inspired packages. Well you can be happy to think about the heat your in compared to this one, all our pillows grow mold and we sleep under nets every night! brushing your teeth with no sink is easy! haha thats how its done... It will be weird to go back to having a sink.

So I will for sure eat rice when I come home because I have to cook some Liberian food for you all to eat. Maybe some palm butter or potatoe greens. 

This mission is pretty crazy and so is being district leader. I love directing the work that we do as a district though. We had baptisms saturday and after we did a service project at papa isaacs house. When he came up out of the water he paused with his eyes closed for about three seconds, opened his eyes and uttered the words "thank God". It was great and I definitely wrote that one down. I will also have to send you a video of us doing the service project. We cut down a palm tree :) Lots and lots of red ants and spiders the size of your hand. A few of us went to a birthday party yesterday for an fm and it was awesome. Its weird to have good music playing and seeing people have a lot of fun... Kind of cool to see. We have so many people that are ready for baptism its awesome. I wont tell you the number but we have a lot of baptisms this month haha

 I miss you guys and hope the heat isnt too crazy! We have a conference with president Kirkham wednesday with all of Liberia which will be awesome. I get to see all the Elders I left in my last zone. Alright I will talk to you next week!

Love

Elder Dahlin

From Elder Nabende

our mission is one the best missions in the world, am glad that am
serving in this mission and we are doing great things are happening
seeing also the mission is coming as i speak now and am very happy
that your son is part of this great mission. he will come when he has
many  stories to share with you just keep encouraging us will do our
best here in the mission the missionaries here shines like stars in
heaven so that everyone will see them,.... ha ha ha...
waiting to hear from you again .....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!