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