Dear Dad,
Thanks for the amazing email! You really nailed it this time. I love reading about everyone and still feeling like I'm in the loop, even though I am in a whole different country! (if Canada really counts...). Anyways, I bet camping was great. I really missed not being there. I know where the rain was that you didn't have, it was here all day Saturday and Sunday! I love that memory of us putting up the trailer in a full down pour! We were SO cold and completely drenched! I am glad we got it up though :). We were tracting Saturday night and I saw a little fly fishing raft in someone's yard and I couldn't help my mind just miss being there. I really miss you all! I can't even believe it's already been about a whole year! It's all going to end so fast.
SO amazing about the Tilleman's (Emily's former mission President). I love the small world with Tina and Sister Tilleman's sister being friends and with the Dave Campbell being a friend as well. I am glad you got to meet them and hear them speak. They are amazing people! We'll definitely have to have them over for dinner or something when I get home. I'd love to have everyone together. Also, thanks for expressing gratitude to him for all he did for me, I wanted him to hear that. It meant a lot coming from you and mom too.
This past week was a little rough. I got the opportunity to speak a ton of Chinese which was a blessing and I am finding I have more desire to do language study as I learn characters. That's a blessing! I learned a lot about the Atonement this week, well this morning. I didn't work my hardest this week. I wasn't hastening and wasn't the example I need to be. We made a mistake too with some sisters, no details necessary, but I was struggling a bit after the assistants to the president called. The sisters asked for permission to do something and the Spirit told me no, but we then told them yes. I voiced the prompting, but after talking about it, I ignored it. Bad idea. Anyways, I couldn't let it go. I had prayed long and hard and recommitted myself to do better, but I held on. This morning I read the story of Alma the Younger, in Mosiah 27 in The Book of Mormon and also his own personal account he gives to his son, Helaman in Alma 36. I recognized that as soon as Alma knew he was forgiven of his sins, he moved on. He got up off the bed he was paralyzed to and got to work! He forgot the torment and pain he felt and let light and joy fill his heart because Jesus Christ had already paid the price.
Christ has already born the cross. He did it so I don;t have to and I realized I kept saying I had accepted His atonement this time but if I don't move forward and continue then I haven't fully allowed the Lord to enter my heart. I have to let Him bear it. He is just asking me to stop being so hard on myself and let Him walk with me. It was a humbling personal study this morning.
I love this gospel. I love being a missionary and how the Atonement of Jesus Christ can change us and how it has changed me! I have become such a better person and I am so blessed for who the Lord is shaping me into. I know this is true and I wouldn't trade the last year for anything. I know that this is the Lord's true church and I love that we're apart of it. It's not always easy but it's worth it. We can all be pioneers for those who follow after us if we accept the trials and bear them with Christ and become equally yoked with Him.
I love you,
Sister Emily Dahl
P.S. I am so happy for Rob (her cousin) and Jess Dahl! I was thinking about them the other day and are so excited they had a baby!
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