Is this real??

Dear Family..

I don't really know where to begin.. How to start this last email... how to even express what I am feeling right now. I can't! There have been so many emotions running through my mind this week and yet here it is! It's actually coming to an end.. It doesn't feel real. But my heart is so full of gratitude for this opportunity that I have been given to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I know my time, my experiences, the people I have met and everything I have went through happened for a reason and will help me for the rest of my life. 

I am so grateful for the people here.. The Missionaries, the Members, Both my Mission Presidents, the Investigators and people on the street who have been able to touch me in a way I didn't think possible. I think about this a lot.. I never was planning on coming out on a mission.. but I can't even imagine my life without meeting these people! I was called to come here and to teach these people.. but in return they have all taught me something by what they say or what they do. I am forever grateful for that!

I am also so grateful for my family and friends at home! Thank you so much for the prayers, notes, emails, packages, words of encouragement to keep going! YOU! Have helped me in a way that I can't explain! My love for you has grown since I have been gone and I am so excited to be able to get back and see you all! Thank you though for your support and helping me along the way! I can't ever repay you for this.. :)

Last, I want to Thank my Father in Heaven and His Son Jesus Christ! I am so grateful for THEM allowing me to serve. My favorite scripture is Doctrine Covenants 84:88.. I HAVE indeed felt those angels, felt Their power and Their presence near me as I have ventured here in New Jersey. My testimony of Them and this gospel has grown so much and I will be forever grateful for that! I am grateful for the good times, but also the hard times, and for them taking me and shaping me into someone new! I couldn't ask for anything more for Them. I came on a mission to serve Them, to give a little bit back, but they in return have blessed me even more! 

Well Family. The only worldly (okay not the only worldly. I can't wait to sleep in my bed again.) thought that has come to my mind this week is the song..

"I'm going home.. To the place where I belong!" 

I can't wait to see you all! I love you! 4:12 SLC Airport.. Be there! :) 

Love, 

Sister Dahl

(Click on photos to enlarge)

Last trip to NY and the Statue of Liberty! :)

I'm coming Home!!! :)

 

...tricked you guys a little!

Surprise! I am emailing a bit early today... We have a SUPER BUSY WEEK ahead of us so there is not going to be much time soo we decided to email today... But THIS week was a great week to just work! And started off with an exchange to New City to see some old friends, went to our baptismal candidate being baptized, then to me giving a talk in Sacrament meeting! What a great week! :)

Tuesday: We were able to go on exchange early in the morning and I was able to go to New City with Sister Woodland! ahh it was so much fun! They let me see a sister that was baptized while we were there! And her mother was there! We surprised them! It was great! And then we were able to go and teach another girl that was baptized there and her little brother because he is getting baptized soon and she wasn't supposed to be there... but she was and it was super good to see her! :) She started to cry! We were able to make her part of the lesson and it was great because she remembered those feelings when she was baptized! Ah... it was the best day! :) I loved it so much!

Wednesday: We were able to go to district meeting and have a great time there then after that we switched back and Sister Coulam and I went to teach one of our investigators. That was an interesting lesson (more details in a sec) and then we were able to go and teach a less active that has been less active for like 10 years! We had a super good lesson with him and he said he wants to come back to church :) It was a great night!

Thursday: We had a great day of weekly planning! Woot! Then we were able to go and have a member pick us up to go teach another less active. He is a great guy... it was a good lesson because he needed to talk... and we talked a little bit about horses... he said he used to barrel race... haha

Friday: Wonderful day of working!!! YAY! We were able to go and see a new investigator! He is great and we taught the Restoration to him... he said he wants to be baptized as well! He contacted us on the street a couple of days ago it was so cool! After that we actually tried a lot of people with no luck but were able to go to the church and set up for the Baptism! It was such a great service... simple but nice! The Spirit was great! He bore his testimony after and I can just tell he is going to be a really strong member of the church :) It was so great! I am so happy for him and to see him and his wife be sealed soon! :) p.s. 18 months on the mission... weird...

Saturday: Another day of working! We actually were able to see the investigator I said I would tell you about in a sec! He actually dropped us for good. It was a good thing... he had a "vision" or a dream that gave him this thought of reincarnation and was stuck with that. He was happy for the things we have taught him and the relationship he has gained with Heavenly Father! But he doesn't really want to keep learning... :( it was sad but it was a good talk and we ended on good terms. We testified and left him to think about that! After that we just went out to work all night and we found some great potential that we are excited for! :)

Sunday: Great Sabbath day! I was actually asked to talk in Sacrament! Haven’t done that in a while! It was good for me though. It was on the importance of following the living prophets’ words and examples! It was super good to study. I never thought of the example part of things... I read the story of when President Monson went to see his boyhood Sunday school teacher to give him a blessing… and the example he is to me and it was fun to study that.. Hopefully it was an okay talk... I dunno... but also our newly baptized member received the Holy Ghost! OH THAT WAS GREAT! :) He was still beaming today!! I have grown to love him so much! After church we were able to go and see a new investigator. She is a funny Nigerian lady but said if things were true, she would be baptized! :) So hopefully that will be good! And now we are emailing!

Well... Last week huh? All I can say is I am going to make it count! :) And I feel like I should say something super profound about my mission... but I don't really want to think about it ending right now... so I am not... haha but I am grateful to be able to testify of Christ like this for one more week! READY OR NOT… HERE I COME! :)

I love you all and hope you have a wonderful day! :) :*

Sister Dahl

(Click on photos to enlarge)

 My visit to New City!

 Sister Woodland and I

 Sister Coulam and I

A great baptism day!!

Wow... :)

Well it's just getting real. This week it is finally starting to hit me. I am going home in two weeks. All those crazy emotions I had right before I left... well they are back! It's weird to me… this is like my home! This is what I consider comfortable now! I have finally figured out how to be a missionary, and now I have to go face the real world and figure out how to be a real person again? I don't know what to do... Good thing I still have a couple of weeks to figure that out right? :) We had a great week this week! Thank you for all the prayers! Our baptismal candidate is set and good for Friday to be baptized! He feels he is strong and knows that being baptized is the right things :) Keep praying for him though! But here is our week!

Monday: Great P-day! As a zone we had a BBQ by the Hudson River... that was super fun! :) After that we were able to go to dinner with a member and he bought me a present for my birthday! Oh it was funny! He calls me Judy and it is a sweatshirt with Judy and a pic of Jersey on it! Pretty sweet!

Tuesday: We had Zone meeting! That was great! It was all focused on Revelation and qualifying to receive it! Something that I think I need ya know? Revelation as to what in the world to do with my life! haha! jk. I think I have it alllll figured out! :) But after that we were able to do some weekly planning then that night we had an apt with our newish investigator. We had a good lesson with him. He is actually a Doctor! He is super smart so it was more of him asking questions! But we managed to tell him about Joseph Smith and it brought the Spirit in right away! :) It was cool to see the way the Spirit humbled him... :)

Wednesday: We had the chance to go to Leadership Training! It's a whole day were the Leaders give trainings and we role play all day! It is for the new missionaries! It was super good because we didn't have to give a training... we just helped with the role plays! It was fun and the Spirit is always strong when you get a lot of missionaries into a room! After that Sister Coulam and I were able to go and see a former whose son is actually a Less Active and we were able to meet with them both and get to know them and we should be seeing them next week! It was cool that they were both there! After that we went to another Less Active and had a great lesson with him... he is super struggling right now.. :( but hopefully he will let people help him :)

Thursday: We had the same training! So that took up most of the day and after that we all got together and watched the new movie "Meet the Mormons" AHHH! It was so great! Clears up so many misconceptions about the Church! I loved it so much! :) If you can-Watch it!!!!! And then we did some weekly planning! Woot!

Friday: I was actually able to go to Englewood and be on Exchange with Sister Allen! She is a sweet sister and we had some fun going and teaching people in her area... I honestly don't even remember their names but it was a good night!

Saturday: After we exchanged back we were able to have some time and we worked and then we went to the church and our ward put on an International night with the Spanish Branch! :) IT WAS SO FUN! There was at least 10 different countries represented and they cooked food and we ate it and they danced! Wow it was so cool! I love Jersey! :)

Sunday: Well... It was my last fast and testimony meeting as a missionary! Wow! Of course I went up and bore my testimony and started to cry! AND I DON'T CRY!! My emotions just got the best for me as I reflected my time as a missionary! I truly am grateful for this opportunity! After church we were able to see a referral and then stop by some Less Actives that were super nice and wanted to see us again :) So that was a great day!

So that was our week! Today we had an all Sisters p-day (hence why we are late emailing) because the Sister Training Leaders put it on and it was good... I gave hair and make-up tips! I am rusty and have to think about all that stuff again! Weird... but it was fun! :)

I just know that I am so grateful for the opportunity I have had to represent my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! I know and can stand as a witness that He Lives! He Loves us! And that His Atonement is real. I am grateful that I have come to know and feel the power of his Atonement on my mission and know that it is there for me for the rest of my life. I am so grateful for the chance I have had to allow people to feel and use His Atonement as well!

Know I love you all very much! Next week I'll be inside the Statue of Liberty on Monday so I don't know when I’ll email... but know I love you all and hope you have a good week! :)

Sister Dahl

(Click on photos to enlarge)

 Sister Allen, Sister Brown and I

Me and the other gluten geeks in the mission with our special food :)

22 Flippin' years old??

Welll Gooooood morning. Is it getting cold in Utah? Because here comes the coldness here! Man oh Man! What a good week though! :) Exchanges, meetings, birthday (and getting totally spoiled) and conference! :) Just awesome! :) 

Monday: After P-day we were able to go and see our investigator family! Had a great dinner and fun with them! They are great! We were able to talk about how we can best prepare to watch conference! It was exciting to see them so excited about it. 

Tuesday: We had district meeting and after that we were able to go on exchange with the Sisters in Paterson! Sister Robinson, a new sister, and I stayed in Caldwell! We were able to teach an investigator and have a good lesson about the 10 commandments. I have found it interesting that people always think they are living the 10 commandments but when they just read over them... there is always something they can improve on! Even me! I always have something better to do when I read over them! After that we were able to contact some people and meet a new lady! She is super old and funny but wanted to talk to us because she loved Romney! So we got an appt for Wed. Then we went to dinner at a family’s house and that was good and fun and we were able to teach their little kids about Prophets as well! :) 

Wednesday: We exchanged back and went right back onto another one! I stayed in Caldwell again with Sister Stout! That was good and we went to see that old lady! She is a Born Again Christian but a sweet heart and wanted to keep talking so we will see how that goes :) Then we were able to contact some people and go and teach another lady that night! :) That was a good lesson and she really does want to be baptized she just is going to try to start getting off of work! :) 

Thursday: We were able to exchange back from two exchanges! Makes me sure miss Sister Coulam! haha But then we were able to do some paper work then we went to help a new member unpack! Feels so good to do service! :) 

Friday: We had Misison Leader Council allll day then District Leader Council alll night! Long day of sitting but it was good meetings :) We are working on Revelation and working with members :) 

Saturday: My mom’s Birthday :) What a great day! :) haha but really I got spoiled! We got to watch conference! Then get sushi! Teach our investigator, More conference, Then that night we got to teach an investigator and our baptismal candidate! What a day! :) I loved it! Then I came home to loads of flowers on my steps! Thank you for all the presents and everything! Love you alll! :) 

Sunday: More conference and we went to a member’s for dinner! 

That was our week! 

Update on our baptismal candidate: He is good to go to get baptized! He has changed his date a couple times but he wants to be baptized the 17th of October! If you could-pray for him... one of his friends gave him anti-Mormon stuff and he is confused. He should be okay but could use some prayers! The devil is the worst! :(

Conference: WOW! What a conference! I thought the overwhelming theme for me was families staying strong in the gospel together! I loved the focus of trusting in the Prophets and what they say! I love the feeling I get when I listen to them :) I don't really have a favorite talk but one of my top ones had to be the Prophet! I loved is talk about walking as the Savior! I also loved Elder Bednar’s about Missionary work along with Elder Anderson about having a strong Testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith and the restoration! There was just so many and I can't wait to study them again! :) 

Well Thank you again for all you have done for me! Fyi... my pdays from here on out will be weird! So I don't know when I will email... :/ but know I love you so much! Know that I have an even stronger testimony, since this past week, of the reality that Christ’s Church is truly restored to the earth TODAY. And we have the privilege of being a part of it! I love you all and hope you have a good week!

Sister Dahl

(Click on photos to enlarge)

 Sister Robinson and I

 Love my comp :) Sister Coulam and I

Spoiled birthday girl!!

Best News Ever!!

Welll what a great week! We were able to go on some exchanges… Ellis Island... and then hearing that our investigator CAN BE BAPTIZED! :) Soo excited! Plus... I also ran more than a mile this morning… thats always cool right? Meltin’ off the mission weight. WOOT! 

Well I talked to ya'll last on Tuesday... sorry about that bad email I sent... this week will be better.. .promise :) 

Tuesday: Well after our p-day we were able to go and be with the young women that night! We talked with them and did a question and answer about serving missions! It was so fun! The youth here are so strong it is amazing! :) 

Wednesday: GREAT day because we were able to go to Ellis Island! Oh I love that place and being able to serve there and help others find their family members! It's the best! After that we were driving home and we got a call from our mission President that one of our investigators has the clearance to be baptized! Holy Shmoly! We were so excited! :) We weren't expecting that! So that was fun to hear! :) After that we were able to go on exchange with the sisters! I stayed in the area with Sister Page and we went and had some miracles! We stopped by some potentials and we met one guy and he was so excited! So we picked him up as a new investigator! :) Then we went to see a Less Active Brother! He seems super great! It was a good little lesson with him! :)

Thursday: We did our little exchange evals and then we exchanged back and then Sister Coulam and I had a night of weekly planning and so that was good! :) 

Friday: We had a great day here in our area! We were able to teach our baptismal candidate in the morning and that was good! He just had a lot of questions but he is still progressing! Then we met with another Less Active who hasn't been to church in forever but she was super nice so that was fun! :) After we went on exchange and I went to Paterson to be with Sister Ivie! We contacted a lot of people... but it was all in Spanish so I don't really know what was going on haha but it was fun to be with her :) 

Saturday: We played soccer in the morning! I think that should be my new sport... just sayin! Then we were able to go and study then exchange back! So then in our area we were able to go to Lincoln Park days to see if we could contact some people... no luck... :/ but it was good to get out! Then we went to stop by a Less Active and she let us in! That was super good! :) She is a sweetheart! Then we were able to go and see the one who was cleared for baptism! He and his wife took us to a Chinese Buffet! He was so excited to get baptized and he just had so many questions! :) After that we ran to the Womens General Conf and that was soo good! We were a little late but I love the Spirit there! :) My new goal: memorize the Living Christ! :) 

Sunday: Was a great day! The less active we met earlier came to church for the first time in YEARS! It was so cool:)Our baptismal candidate was there and so was the man who is able to be baptized! We had a great Ward Conference! I saw some people that were from my old wards who are in the stake and it is just amazing the amount of love I have for the members here.. I am sure going to miss them all! After church we actually went to a Presbyterian church... haha The man who came back to church this week and his wife and daughter put on a play on there... so we went to watch it! They were so excited we were there and it was pretty interesting... And that was really our day :) 

This morning though... Sister Coulam fell down the stairs and got a black eye... that pretty much made my day! hahahha Love her :) and she laughed about it! :) 

But I am so grateful to be able to serve here… this week I understood the importance of praying for miracles! I have prayed for so long for an amazing miracle to happen with our investigator who wanted to be baptized! That somehow some way I'd be able to witness his baptism and look at this! :) I am so excited for him and to be able to have his family united :) I know that God hears and answers prayers and that miracles do happen! :) I love you all and have a good week!

Sister Dahl!

(Click on photos to enlarge)

 Sister Coulam in New York!

 Sister Page and I

 Sister Coulam and I matched and we didn't plan it!

 The sister's and I on exchanges!

 

hey, hey, hey :)

Welll! Good Afternoon! :) I am sorry but this is a day late and it is going to be a dollar short.. .haha I am just going to tell ya some great things that happened this week! :) It was a pretty good week! Our baptismal candidate called us back! :)

So he called us to ask us a question about the Book of Mormon on Friday and we asked if we could just meet with him and he said yes! So we met and we had a really good lesson and he told us that he got more clarification on his answer and he said he is just not ready to be baptized YET! So he wants to keep learning... he feels like there is commandments he needs to live better! So that was cool! :) So he came to church on Sunday and we had him come to a member’s house last night for dinner and everything went great! :) 

We were also able to have another really great lesson with our investigator this past week... he is the best! One day i want you to meet this family! :) 

Other than that it was a week full of meetings! We were asked to give a training to all the new District Leaders and that was fun! We were able to help out at Preakness again and play bingo with some old folks! hahah :) It was kind of a slow week!

But yesterday was the best! We were able to go and have Zone Conference with Elder Willford Anderson of the 70’s and his wife! It was amazing and the Spirit was soo strong! We were able to meet with him before because he met with all the leaders and man... I wish I could tell you everything I learned… but it was just so amazing! Just to feel this man was sooo called of God was incredible! :) 

Well! I am sorry this is the worst email... forgive me please? :) I love you so much! Have a good week! :) 

Seeeee ya soooon!

Sister Dahl

last 6 weeks...what?

Well... drum roll... where will I be spending my last 6 weeks as a full time missionary?? 

Right in the same place doin’ the same thing! :) haha

I will be staying in Caldwell with Sister Coulam and still asked to be a Sister Training Leader! I am so excited and really couldn't be happier! :) It will be a good transfer... I can feel it! :) 

Monday: Wellll it was a good p-day! We went bowling! And I found a sweet salon that had my name on it... hence the pics! Look at that! :) After that we were able to go try to find some people to teach... we got some good info about some people moving... hah that was good... I guess.. :) 

Tuesday: We had district meeting! Woot! Then we decided to go on a last min exchange with some Sisters! Sister Dorough and Sister Allen! So Sister Dorough came with me and stayed in Caldwell and that was fun! :) We went to teach our baptismal candidate and had a great lesson with him and committed him to pray to know for sure if he should be baptized. Then we went to dinner with a family. They asked me what my favorite gluten free meal was and they would cook it and I never told them but I got there and guess what they had cooked me? Nachos! :) Inspired right? They were sooo good! :) haha then we were able to go to one more investigator! We were able to read from the Book of Mormon with her and it was good... she is seriously going through so much right now it's sad.. :( But that was our night!

Wednesday: We exchanged back and we were able to go and do a service activity at the hospital place! It was super fun! They were having a petting zoo there so we were able to help people in their wheel chairs and move the around! I love doing service and being able to talk to those people! Then we spent the night trying to find people to teach! We found a couple but none that were super interested! But a good night still!

Thursday: We went up to New City to help clean because the Sisters actually had bedbugs... (remind me to tell you that story of me and the bed bugs when I get home...) and so they were moving apartments so we went to help them clean! Good service! :) Then we came home and we were able to do some weekly planning and getting ready for the next transfer! :) 

Friday: A busy day! In the morning we actually were able to go and I cut Sister Zamora’s hair! That was fun! Then we went to see an investigator but he totally juked! :( So we had a member with us and we decided to go to a former investigator and he let us right in! We had a great first lesson with him and that was super fun! He is excited to learn more again! :) Then we went and finished making new planners and such and that night we went to see another investigator, the one in a part member family! He is the best! We had a funny lesson with him... he couldn't stop laughing... haha then it was like 8:30 at night and we had two people to stop by... potentials we had never met before and we went to one and they moved but the guy that was there said we could come back :) then we went to the other one and knocked on the door and the door opened and someone SCREAMED at us!!! (mind you it was super dark outside) and so then we, okay I, screamed really loud and hid behind Sister Coulam because I thought I was going to die and we look at it is this kid who looked just as scared as we did! haha He said he was super sorry he thought we were one of his friends! Hahahah… it was sooo funny!! So then we actually laughed it off and shared a message with him and gave him a BOM :) see if he ever tries to scare anyone again! :)

Saturday: It was kind of a sad day... We went and had a lesson with our baptismal candidate and he told us that he had a dream and inside that dream it told him not to join the church... he looked super confused so he pretty much said he needed a break to take some time and figure things out... so we were sad about that... we testified and invited him to pray again to make sure. :( So pray that he will get an answer! :) After that we went to change the tire on our car because it totally had a nail in it... then we went to stop by and see the 12 year old girl... well we haven't seen her in forever.. :( she has been really hard to get ahold of so we went to stop by and she was home and let us right in and we had a lesson with her and she said we could come back this next week so that was good! :) But other than that-that was our day! :) 

Sunday: We had a good Sabbath day! Our baptismal candidate didn't come to church... but it was still a good Sunday. After church we were able to go and see a member family! They fed us a good dinner :) they even had an artichoke! I told them I haven't had one of those in 18 months! I was so excited :) haha Sister Saunders thought I was crazy... but after that we went to an appt but she wasn't there so we just went and tried to find some people to teach! :) It was fun… pretty sure Sister Coulam makes everything fun! She is hilarious! :) 

But that was the week... kind of sad but I am so excited for this next transfer! It will be good! :) I love what I am doing! I kind of am getting a lil lump in my throat thinking about the fact that it's coming to an end... I told Heavenly Father last night... I can't believe it's gone by so fast!!!!! But at least I have 6 weeks to keep being His full-time servant! And I am going to live it to the best! :) I love you all-always remember-the church is true! :) 

Have a good week! :) 

Sister Dahl

(Click on photos to enlarge)

 District Bowling Day!

 Sister Coulam and I :)

 Me in front of my new salon... ;)

 Our group

 

 

are visions real?

Good morning!!!! Wow... what a week! Once again I say that all the time! I just wish there was times when I could just pick up the phone and call you to tell me about my week because this whole thing to sit down and email sometimes takes some serious patience... not to mention my typing skills have seriously increased over the past little while :) minus all the mistake I make in the letters... sometimes I just don't have time to fix them so sorry :)  ha anyways! On to the week! :) 

Monday: What a great day! We were able to go and play sports with the Zone and President and his girls came and it was pretty fun! Good little bonding time I guess you could say... Pres even went out and played with us! Ha! But we got all pretty into it! After that it was time to get out and go to work! We didn't get to teach anyone that night but we were able to visit some formers and set up some return appts! :) 

Tuesday: We were able to go to Zone meeting in the morning then we were able to come back and teach our baptismal candidate. He is progressing really well! We talked a lot about The Gospel and he is still excited to get baptized! We also took a member that he made pretty good friends with so that is good! :)  Then we were able to go and see our investigator that night and that was really good! She is going through so much and it was good to try to help her see the importance of the gospel... bad thing though... at the end of the lesson she gave us a bowl of watermelon and I ate it… and my throat closed up! Needless to say... Sister Coulam made me take some Benadryl. I don't think I should eat watermelon ever again... right Grandma Stark??? haha I did sleep good that night though :) 

Wednesday: We actually had a normal day and we were able to go and see a Less Active! She is a sweetheart that is Jersey through and through! We had a good lesson with her about finding her purpose! :) After that we were able to contact a man on the street that seemed real excited about the Book of Mormon and wants us to come back and teach him! :) Then we did some more contacting time and finding some less actives and we came across one who is okay without going to the celestial kingdom :( and another who really doesn't agree with the teachings and wanted to argue with us for a while... :( sad.. :( Hopefully they will come around one day! 

Thursday: We were supposed to go to Ellis Island but at the last second it was cancelled for us... :( so we did some weekly planning and some contacting in a park and that was fun! We talked to lots of people! :) 

Friday: President really wants us to do more service so in the morning we went to a health care center for a volunteer orientation and we were able to see what we can to do help there! We contacted lots of workers there and we should be starting next week! :) Then we went on exchange with Sisters Rigby and Collins and Sister Rigby came to Caldwell with me! That was fun! We were able to go and see a great family! They are the best! They fed me gluten free pizza! It was soooooo yummy. Like it was homemade! BEST STUFF EVER!  :) And we had a great lesson with them! They are getting more and more active! :) 

Saturday: We had a lesson with our baptismal candidate in the morning about the Word of Wisdom and not gonna lie... he wasn't too sure... :( he has an occasional beer and he didn't know if he could do that or not... so we invited him to pray about it and tell us the next day so he said he would... then we exchanged back and Sister Coulam and I went contacting and met a couple great people then we were able to go to a Missionaries "farewell" party! He is going to Peru this week... he is in our ward! So they invited us over to have some Filipino food and boy was it good :) I love that family! And that was really our night :) 

Sunday: Mike came to church again and that was good but the best part was... he came in and he told us that he didn't think God would really answer his prayer about the drinking because he didn't think it was a problem… but ya see... Mike has visions sometimes and he was able to have one Sat night and in this vision he saw himself going to an AA meeting in 20 years and he was a mess and he woke up and he realized that was his answer and that he knows he needs to stop drinking and live the Word of Wisdom :) how cool is that??? Sometimes I wonder about his visions but I believe that this one, that is inviting him to do good, like it says in Moroni, that it is of God :) I love that God has his own ways of preparing people! :) That night we were able to go to dinner at a member’s home and that was really our night with some contacting and studies in there too :) 

But that was our week! Pretty great! :) Love seeing God’s hand in this work. I am so lucky to be a part of it! It strengthens my testimony every day to be able to see miracles just happen. To see my prayers answered for others and to see others prayers answered for them. I know that Heavenly Father loves us and is aware of us every day! Know that I love you all as well and hope you have a great week! :) 

Sister Dahl

 

We shared the truth!

Welllll Good morning and happy Labor Day to everyone! It's seriously time to get out of bed now... some of us still have to work ya know? Savin souls! :) Jk. At least today is P-day! But man I am so happy I get to email you and tell you about our week! :)

Monday: Well we had a crazy p-day because we had a mission softball tourney! It was fun... our whole zone wore mustaches! Go look on njmm.org for the good picture of us! :) Well just me and Sister Coulam! But we got knocked out the first round because half our zone didn't show up! Silly! But all is well it was super fun! :) It was good to get back to work that night and contact some people on the street of Caldwell… we talked/almost sort of bible bashed with two men and caught them in their words like 9 times but they didn't admit it... but all is well! :) We shared the truth!

Tuesday: Great day at district meeting! :) We were able to go on exchange with Sister Bair and Sister Cadizal… super fun! I stayed with Sister Bair in Caldwell and we were able to see great miracles! We went to see an investigator and had a great lesson with him and he wants to be baptized so he is on date for Oct 12th! He is super excited for that! :) After that we were able to see former investigator and her friend was there and they are from Nigeria! Had a great lesson with them! It was fun! Then we went to contact and we met a great guy on the street and we invited him to be baptized and he said he wanted to... granted, we haven't been able to see him since... but he really felt the Spirit while we were talking to him! :)

Wednesday: We exchanged back and had lunch with the Sisters! That was fun! Then we went out to do some more work... it was a great day! We were able to see a returning member and talk to him about the Restoration and that was good to try to help his testimony grow! :) After we went to dinner with a member at a fancy little Italian restaurant! It was named Stephanie's And that was really our night.

Thursday: We had a day of weekly planning then we were able to go and contact some people in a park near our house! It was fun and we had the chance to talk to loads of people! One guy was across the street and he actually came up to us and said he knew who we were! And that he loved our church... only thing was... he was a minister for another church... :( but it was a good conversation! :) …and cool to be recognized for good!

Friday: We had Mission Leader Council and that was great... We talked a lot about how to help the mission succeed. :) I am just grateful to be a part of it! :) After that we were able to go and see another investigator that night because that is all we had time for but we had a great lesson with him getting out his concerns. I love that family so much! He has so many questions though so it is so fun to be able to try and help him! :)

Saturday: Awesome day! We had District Leader Council in the morning to tell the District Leaders about the meeting we had and it was good then we were able to go and see our baptismal candidate later that day and that was super fun! We got him all pumped for church :) and we explained what it means to be baptized a little more. After that we didn't have much planned but we went to contact in West Orange and we met THE COOLEST GUY! We literally talked on the road for an hour and a half... one of the first things he said when we brought up the Book of Mormon was hey! That makes sense! He brought up the scripture in Matthew when Christ said... "Other sheep I have which are not of this fold " Before we did! It was amazing! So he wants us to come over next week and we are super excited for that! He knows a lot and loves what we were saying! He has a wife and a couple little kidos too! :)

Sunday: Awesome Sunday! Our baptismal candidate came to church and we had another person randomly come in because she wants to apply to BYU and she wanted to check out what the church was like! She left with our number but hopefully she will call us or something! :) Super great! After church we were able to go to a member’s home for dinner then stop by the investigator we’ve worked with who has trouble with smoking cause we haven't seen her forever and we got to  talk with her and help her to feel the Spirit again! :) Hopefully we can get back with her!

But that was our week! Pretty great! One thing that was really cool this week and I am sure some already know was what Elder Bednar talked about this week at Educational week! He talked a lot about spreading the gospel through Social Media! I loved that! Seeing how the church is so up to date on that and how we can touch so many more people’s lives by that than anything else! :) The work is moving forward and I am so grateful to be a part of it! :) If we only had ipads...

Well I love you all and hope you have a good week!!!!

Sister Dahl!

(Click on photos to enlarge)

 The Zone Softball Game Prep!

The sisters we had exchanges with

Exchange Insane!

Wellll I made it. I am back! And still kickin! This week was the craziest week of my mission.. (I’d love to count how many times I have actually said that.. haha it's probably a lot.. they just keep getting crazier and crazier I'm tellin ya!) But really…this week was nuts! BECAUSE WE WENT ON 4 EXCHANGES! That is like an exchange every day! But it was so good and fun to be with so many of the great Sisters! It's really cool… I think Heavenly Father gave me this calling because He knew I needed to learn from all the other sisters we have around us… because that’s what I did this week! Learn from each of them! :) But hereeee we go! :)

Monday: P-DAY! We had a zone activity and played some games! Then after P-day we were able to go to a family’s house for dinner! :) They are so sweet! It was fun to be with their family and their kids! After that we went to try to visit some Less Actives :)

Tuesday: We had district meeting then I went on exchange to be with Sister Monsen in Paterson! She is Spanish and so there was a lot I didn't understand...haah we had a lesson with an older lady in a hospital... then we had correlation with her ward mission leader... all in Spanish... and then we went to contact people on the street… all in Spanish! haha we found a couple English! It's funny though... I am like a useless missionary when I can't talk to the people! But it was fun to be with her! She is a sweetheart!

Wednesday: We woke up and studied and set some goals, then we were able to find some service opportunities for them to do in their area! That is a big push from President right now so it is fun to be able to go and find something for the Sisters to do! We found some great ones! Then we went back and had lunch all together at our house and then I was able to go on another exchange with Sister Mendoza but I stayed in the area this time! :) Since Sister Mendoza and I BOTH can't drive we got some members to help us out! We did teach one lesson at the church to a returning member and it was really good! It was all about Missionary work! :) Then we had another member come and pick us up and we went to their house and they fed us and then we did service for them! We painted their doors because they are getting ready to sell their house! :) Then she drove us back home and that was that day! :) It was fun to be with Sister Mendoza again! Love that little squirt! :)

Thursday: We woke up and studied then we were able to meet back together as companions and have lunch! We made some Filipino food! mmm :) Miss that! haha but it was good! Then we had a couple seconds to ourselves before we went on another exchange! I left and went with Sister Shiman in Rutherford! It was a good night! Luckily this one was in English so I could understand it :) but we contacted a lot of people... we even contacted a guy who was using his phone and we asked him to watch a video called Because of Him so he did! He loved it so much and said he felt the chills! He was so cool he said the video made him feel like it was just a trailer to something bigger! So we said you are right! Can we come and teach you! :) haha so he gave us his info! It was really cool! Social Media is pretty cool… when it is used for good! :) So yes that was good! Then we taught a lesson with a family that night and that was about it! :) Gooood day! 

Friday: We had a good morning and we were able to talk a lot! :) and set some really good goals then our companions came back and Sister Coulam and I had like 11 min together and we were off to the last one! I went with Sister Haycock in Passaic! Another Spanish speaking one... haha it was really good... I think... haha we taught some lessons and I just tried not to fall asleep I am not going to lie... :( but all is well! :) It was a good day! We had fun!

Saturday: The next morning we woke and went and played soccer with some people in her branch! That was fun! Hispanics are really good at soccer! And I am really not! But it was fun! Then we came back and studied and then went to one appt where of course they fed us! A GIANT PLATE OF RICE AND CHICKEN!!! oh lanta I wanted to die... there is this real thing called a Hispanic tummy. Where you eat sooo much and then it just sits there in your stomach and doesn't digest. It made me want to die! But it was soo good :) But I am glad I am English! :) Then we did exchanges back and finally we were done! :) Sister Coulam and I had to run real fast to an appt to the guy we met a couple of weeks ago! We had a good lesson with him and our Ward Mission Leader came! That was fun! We had a good lesson. A Little unfocused... typical jersey lesson :) But all is well! He said he would want to be baptized and we committed him to continue to pray for an answer! :) Then that night we came back and filled out a million exchanged forms and then we were able to go to the Adult Session of Stake Conference. That was fun! :) And that is that! It was all about missionary work… which we like right? 

Sunday: we were able to go to Stake Conference and that was really good... it was kind of interesting because it was really just a big testimony meeting but some people shared some really good testimonies! And because I am back in the stake I am usually in I saw so many people that I love! :) So that was really fun! :) but then we went back and had to do weekly planning because we didn't get to do that during the week and so that was pretty much our day... it was good though! :) 

Well not too much of an update of our area because I wasn't here! haha so hopefully the next couple weeks I will be here and I will update you more on that :) Today we get to go and play softball with our mission! We are having a tournament! We will see if my softball skills from before the mission are still there... haha yeah right! But I am doing good! :) loving life! Love my comp! And I love the gospel! I was reading in Alma 5 this morning and that is probably one of my favorite chapters in the Book of Mormon. HE JUST THROWS down to the people. Okay he doesn't, but the Spirit does! What came to me this morning is the fact that it never talks about the people’s reaction. Ever. If a guy was asking me those types of questions I would react some way! But what I liked a lot is I kept reading into chapter 6 and it talked immediately about how they built up the church. That was what they did. That was their reaction. It was ACTION. They repented and did what they needed to do! That’s what the gospel is all about. Acting. Not just having faith but acting on it. Not just repenting but Changing! I love that and I am so grateful I get to share that will others and help them ACT on the gospel of Jesus Christ! :) I love you all so much! Hope you have a good week! 

Sister Dahl

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 Sister Monsen and I

 Sister Mendoza and I

 Sister Shiman and I

Sister Haycock and I

What my comp did to my desk while I was getting ready this morning! haha

sick, sick...go away!

Welll gooooood morning! Ya know today is a good morning... because I feel much better. But this past week haven't been good mornings... haha nothing is worse than being sick when you know it is your fault. Sister Coulam and I have this problem where... we like to talk... a lot... so this past couple weeks together that is what we do instead of sleeping... ha! So give it a couple days and that wears on a Sister! Sooo all is well now, but had a little head cold! :( But despite that, we were able to see some amazing miracles and have some really spiritual lessons this week! And we started exchanges! WOO! 

Monday: Great p-day playing sports... then after that we had one of our Sisters call us and needed to do an emergency exchange so we spent the night in their area trying to help them out! All is well now... just a rough little night for them! :) 

Tuesday: This day was a different day... we were able to go to Zone Meeting. Sister Coulam and I were asked to give a training in the meeting and that went well! It was on promising people blessings! It's pretty great to think that US as MISSIONARIES really do have 18 months to 2 years to promise people blessings and watch them come true. No other time will we have the authority to do that in this position and it is amazing to be able to see how we are inspired to promise someone something and then if they follow through, it really happens!! After that we spent the day with Sister Taggart. We were able to go and visit some of the Sisters that we are over and it was really good for them to see her. Then we came back to our area finally and had coordination with our ward mission leader and that went great too and that was really our day... it was weird not working... :( 

Wednesday: We were able to go on exchanges with Sister Webb and Sister Greenall! I went with Sister Greenall (a sister I came to the mission with) in Paterson and so that was really fun! We saw some great miracles! One of their investigators who is getting ready to be baptized wasn't talking to them for a couple days but while I was there he finally called them and we were able to go over and he told us he is suffering with depression and it was so amazing to be able to comfort him and let him know all is well. When we left he said he still wanted to be baptized! :) 

Thursday: We exchanged back and then we spent the day planning and getting ready for the week! Not much was able to happen… planning takes so long! We also made our map and got our area organized. It is so hard going from an awesome area to having it split... but Heavenly Father is still blessing us! :) 

Friday: We were able to go on another exchange and I was able to go with Sister Allen and stay in Caldwell! She is so cute! But we had a pretty great day trying to visit potentials and Less Actives but we did see some cool things! We were at this guy’s house and he wasn't home but as we were walking out we saw this man walking on the street and this guy, from the looks of it, looked a little less accountable so I almost didn't contact him but the Spirit told me I needed to so I did! Turned out to be an amazing guy! His name is Mike and he has been through a lot in his life. His mother died of Breast Cancer, his father has cancer, and a little while ago his house burned down... :( BUT the best part is, when his house burnt down he actually stayed in a Marriott hotel and didn't have anything to do so he saw the Book of Mormon and read it! So he was so excited to see us and wants to know more about the book! :) MIRACLE!! We also were able to go and see this guy who was a former investigator who one day walked into the church and loved it! Well we got in contact with him again and he seems so great! We taught a great lesson with him and he just kept saying "I have been to so many churches and I just haven't found what I am looking for yet..." YOUUU WHOOO!!! IT'S RIGHT HEREEEE!!!!! :) 

Saturday: Another great day… we exchanged back and we were able to come back and go see an investigator again! We taught him and he shared some spiritual experiences with us... he told us that he saw us in a dream a year ago and he recognized us when we talked to him... crazy! But he seems to be great and we will keep working with him! The rest of the day was just contacting and trying to find people to teach! :) Oh we met a guy named Laban! WHAT? Who has that name! We thought it was cool! haha! 

Sunday: Great day at church! Our young investigator came to church and some of the young women got up and bore their testimony about Girls Camp and talked about how she was such a good example to them there... it was cool! I love her and hope to get back to seeing her again this week! After church though was the great part! We were able to see our investigator from a part member family!!! He is so great, they brought me gluten free banana bread... haha love his family but on top of that we had a great lesson with him. He really opened up to us about his past life and how he is feeling so much guilt... :( it made me so sad to see someone suffering so much!!! That is not what Christ wants! That’s why He performed the Atonement. So we talked a lot about that and I can't explain it but it was a powerful lesson... I am so grateful for our Savior! But that was our day.

That was really our week! I love seeing and being a part of the greatest miracles of all. It really is amazing to be able to be a missionary and see people looking at the Book of Mormon for the first time. Letting people hear about Josephs Smiths Vision for the first time. Watching them PRAY! All the things that mean so much to me, yet I get to bring that to others and allow that to make a difference in their lives! I am one lucky duck! Well hope you all have a good week! :) I love ya! 

Sister Dahl

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 Sister Greenall and I

Sister Allen and I

here we go again!!

Wellll Good Morning everyone! Isn't Crazy I have been up for 5 hours already and I bet you haven't even been up for 2?????????????? Not going to lie... I probably will sleep in for the first week when I get back. Just saying! :) But not that we are thinkin about that or anything!!! Because I am so grateful to be a missionary! This week was... boring. Not even going to lie! But I have an AWESOME new companion, Sister Coulam! She is from St. George and she is super great! She is 23 and already graduated school to be a Math teacher... (just what I need) and she has been out for a little over a year! BUT the best part is... she is super sarcastic and funny! Which is just what I need because I lost a little bit of that out here and I needed someone to be able to break me so that I can be ready to come home to my sarcastic family. Heavenly Father knows what He is doing! :) hahaha

Monday: Well we spent the day at a Zone BBQ then the night with Sister Shearer visiting some people she wanted to see one last time before she left... and packing! 

Tuesday: In the morning we were able to go and see two great people and Sister Shearer just said goodbye to them as well! :) After that we got some ice cream and drove on down to transfer conference! It was weird having Pres. Taggart doing the conference and not Pres. Jeppson but that was okay... it was still good! :) Then we got the new comp and everything and drove on home! That night we had to get everything ready because the Elders took over half our area and we had to get everything ready for them!

Wednesday: We were able to have district meeting and then we had the chance to see a bunch of people which was great... just nobody was home so I guess we really didn't see them. Saw a lot of houses. haha but anyways! After that we went to coordination and got everything organized with our Ward Mission Leader! He is incredible! 

Thursday: We had a full day of planning... :( We planned for our week and we also planned for our newish area and then planned for the transfer and how we were going to see all the Sisters! :) so that was a good little day!

Friday: Well Sister Coulam had a meeting on how to be a STL so I went to Short hills with some other Sisters and spent the day with them... We mostly just did studies but we did go and do a service project and we were able to help this thing called Bridges. It’s where they get food and clothes and organize it and take it to people who are homeless in the city and in Newark. It was soo humbling to be a part of that and help them out. After that we came home and we had an appt with an investigator. He is still on our side of the area! But we were able to talk with him about the Priesthood! It was cool because his stepson who is getting ready to go on a mission just received the Melchizedek (please help my spelling) Priesthood so he had lots of questions. But the best part was when we asked his wife, who is a member, what the Priesthood meant to her, she started to tear up and the spirit swept in the room and she testified to her husband the blessing of being able to have her son have the Priesthood in the home. It was so powerful! I was so glad to be a part of it! So that was awesome! :)

Saturday: We had a whole day of meetings. Literally. We spent the day in Morristown at Mission Leader Council and then after that we had to go to District Leader Council and with driving time it took up the whole night!!! 

Sunday: We went to church :) Which was great! Had an awesome Sunday! We were also able to come home and study and then we were able to go to a member’s home for dinner and then go and visit some potentials after that! :) But it was a good Sabbath day! 

So that was our week. Exchanges start this week! For the next 4 weeks of the transfer we have something every day... yay! :) Love being busy! But all is well. Adding my testimony to our member’s... I know that the Priesthood power is real. I know that it really is God’s power on the Earth! I know not much would be able to done without it and I am so grateful to be able to have grown up around the Priesthood my entire life! Well know that I love you all very much! Hope you have a good weeeek!

Sister Dahl

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 Our District!

 Sister Shearer and I

Sister Shearer and Sister Coulam and I

Family, Family! :)

Wow! What a week... full of lots of planning and teaching people! :) But here we goooo! :) 

Monday: After emails we had a zone activity and we were able to go play games and basketball... totally won! :) After that we went and met with a former investigator who we helped move! Luckily she moved to be in our area still because we really made a good impression on her serving her first! It will be good to teach her soon! :) Love service!

Tuesday: We had district meeting then we were able to go after and have another lesson with a couple. They are great... we finished talking about the Articles of Faith and her heart is really softening up! It's amazing! She told us that it makes total sense there is a prophet on the earth! Why would God stop talking to us?? So we are excited for her! After that we were able to have coordination with the bishop then we went to see a recent convert and teach her and her son about the Armor of God! :) 

Wednesday: Busy Day! We were able to go and see a cute lil Fillipino! Then we went to see a LA who let us in and we taught her! Then to do service for a sister in the ward! That was really good… she really opened up to us! p.s. mom she may be emailing you some healthy recipes... Then we went to see another Less Active! That was good. Cute old man that just needs to come back to church! But we taught him about Family History! Then dinner with a member! Busy dayyy!

Thursday: We spent the day getting organized because they told us to split our area book and the area book needed some serious reorganizing! It was a mess... so we got that taken care of finally! :) And then we went with a member to visit another Less Active who hasn't been letting us in so that was really good! :) We were nervous to ask for another appt back but she asked us to come back so yay! :) 

Friday: Another busy day! We were able to go see a member in the morning who just moved here from Reno! She was baptized about a year ago... amazing lady! So that was fun! After we went to see a head quarter referral and had probably the funniest lesson of my life! This lady was nuts and on drugs... (sweet daughter of God I know..) but man... while we were teaching her she would fall asleep! Like straight up fall asleep! It was so crazy... needless to say I couldn't feel the Spirit very much so I am glad we got out of there safe. Then we went to see some potentials and then we went to dinner with a member and that night had a lesson with a part member family! They are so great and we had a goooood lesson with them on the importance of receiving the spirit! They have a lot of potential and they came to church Sunday! :) 

Saturday: Was Juke day (people not being there) so that wasn't fun... we spent a lot of time planning which was good because we needed to finish that! :) Then we were able to see an investigator which was good! Then go to dinner with another investigator and his family! They fed us more Filipino food and oh my lanta it was soo good! I really hope I can make you Filipino food when I get home! :) But I ate so much! After that we talked about temples and family history again and he loved it so much! :) 

Sunday: Great Sabbath day! The 12 year old Brazilian came to church! All by herself… she is actually staying with some members this weekend because her parents are out of town and then she goes to girls camp this week... we are sooooooooo excited for her! We really hope she has a good experience and want to be baptized when she gets home :) she is awesome! But other than that it was a good Sunday! It was all focused on missionary work which was awesome! We loveee that! That night we went on a visit and then we got a call about Sister Shearer getting released from her calling and so that means she is getting transferred and I am staying! 

But that is the news for the week! I am nervous about the next transfer but excited to work hard! :) Know that I love you all and hope you have the best week too! 

Sister Dahll! 

(Click on photo to enlarge)

Our District!