Note to Dad on July 28, 2014

Dear Dad,

It is great to hear from you! I am glad everyone is well. I am happy for Shane, Kirstan looks like a really cool girl. I just pray if things go well he can wait at least 6 months to "seal" the deal, I at least want to be there for that! haha Just a simple request from his favorite and ONLY sister. I am praying for Matt. I worry about him more than he knows. I really want to be able to go to the temple with him when I get back. I want to go every week before I go to school in the fall. I'll pray for mom's job and also for your work. You are awesome dad and I know you are working hard! Just pray like it all depends on the Lord and work like it all depends on you! 

   
Thank you so much for your note this week. I really appreciate the time YOU put into your emails. It is a blessing to me. I especially enjoyed your comments about the athletes who necessarily don't have the greatest talent but work hard and then they can see success. And often times more success than those who are naturally gifted. It reminds of a talk I read this week after I received our transfer news. So we all anticipated transfer calls to come Monday night, it came Tuesday morning during studies...Sister Galbraith was being transferred and I would stay in PoMo with a new companion who had never been a sister training leader and I would be senior companion, even though she's been out 15 months. I was a little stressed. I was feeling like my talent was not going to be good enough. 

   
So to try and ponder my new situation, I turned to the April 2014 General Conference Ensign. I read the talk, "Bear Up Their Burdens with Ease" by Elder Bednar. He starts out the talk describing a pick up truck that gets stuck in the snow. The driver is flooring it and the truck won;t move. He had been out to chop some firewood so he decided that instead of sitting there hopeless, he'd do what he had intended to do. SO he chops all this wood and puts it in the back of his pickup and due to the extra weight, he had the traction necessary to pull himself out of the snow. I started to ponder this. The Lord gave me this assignment because I just need a little more wood in my pickup truck. I need a little more weight to produce the spiritual traction necessary to propel me forward. I knew this is exactly what I needed. He also talked about how when this extra weight and traction comes we have the choice of letting the weight hold us down OR we can become equally yoked with Christ and be able to bear our burden's with Him. It is in that moment that we can start to spiritually progress. It is through Jesus Christ and accepting His Atonement in our lives that we can accomplish the task we've been given.

I am pretty overwhelmed because I cover 9 companionships of sisters that are in 3 zones and have to work with 3 very different sets of zone leaders. It's not an easy task and right now I have to help my companion learn what our assignment is all about. I have to be equally yoked with Christ so that I can do all He requires of me. And Just like the athlete, we have a choice! We choose to work hard! we choose to see success and it's all about being agents who ACT not agents who are acted upon! 

   
I love you! I miss you! I love being a missionary! And I hope you have a great birthday on Saturday!!!!

Love, Sister Emily Dahl

Birthday Breakfast at IHOP with Sister Galbraith

Note from July 28, 2014

Hey mom! 

Sounds like you're life is about to get crazy again. Dad told me about you going back to work at the school. I will pray for you. I know this will be a good thing and you will be able to bless those you work with. You have the spirit with you and it will help you know what to do. Also, thank you so much for the shoes! I loved them :) I wore a pair to transfer meeting and looked great! :) THANK YOU!!! Seriously, you're the best! I am not sure where you found that red and orange skirt but i am glad you sent it. It's actually a great missionary skirt! I will have to wear it and send pics. I LOVED all the announcements! That was so great to see them all. Meagan and Jensen's was so cute. I am happy they are finally getting married. and that it is in the temple. Also, what is madelyn's plan? Is she going up to utah too? take pictures at all these weddings! I want to see meagan's dress! I am not too worried about Shane. I just hope he is happy. I just dont want him to get married with in the next 6 months... i'd be pretty bummed if I wasn't there. I eat when we have time haha we eat chinese every now and then but usually what ever is available and fast. My cooking skills have gotten a little better in the last year though haha

How are you really? I miss you so much. It blows my mind that it has been a whole year since I last saw you in person or gave you a hug. This next 6 months will go quick though. I am excited to work as hard a as I can this next 6 but when it's over I can;t wait to get a pedicure with you and go to carolina's :) I love you so much! Hang in there! :)

Love, Em

Email from July 21, 2014

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!

Email from July 14, 2014

Dear Dad,

Oh my goodness!  I can't even believe you went and saw the Tilleman's speak yesterday.  I am so excited that you got to see just a glimpse of what I experienced nearly every week!  They are incredible!!!  They have both changed my life for the better and I am truly so blessed for all that I am have been given.  The Tilleman's and the Burt's will forever be close to my heart. Tell me what you said to him and what he said to you! I want a play by play!

So this past week was crazy!  I don't think I have ever been so busy my whole mission and then so exhausted either!  On Tuesday we had a zone conference with the Burt's!  I fall in love with them more and more each time we meet! and then an exchange with the Port Coquitlam (Poco) sisters.  That exchange was definitely an answer to my prayers.  I had been feeling like I was inadequate to be in the position I am and that I wasn't helping any of the sisters. I was pretty down. But after this exchange was such a tender mercy.

The Poco sisters are in a trio and sister Galbraith pulled one into our area and I was with the other 2.  I was able to get them both to open up and start talking about their feelings and what's been tough lately.  And then the next morning I studied for them.  I plead with Heavenly Father to help me know what these sisters need.  And in companionship study it all came together.  It was such a miracle! I just started talking and then the spirit filled my mouth with exactly what those sisters needed.  It all just made sense. It was an amazing exchange and helped me know that I am here for a reason.  I am here to help these sisters at this time and everything I have gone through or am going through is to bless them somehow. It's incredible!

On Wednesday we had our first of 3 zone meetings.  We were training at all of them. So Wednesday when quick and we had one of the most spiritual lessons of my mission with a Young Single Adult Chinese kid named Tim.  We met him last Sunday and he had been seeking direction in his life. In the lesson he felt the spirit so strong and he knew it was the spirit!   He set a baptismal date and went to the YSA branch yesterday. They elders will meet with him tomorrow! It's such a miracle!

Thursday was our interviews with President and Sister Burt.  As we waited we got a personal training by 2 of the assistants.  It was pretty intense but they are helping me increase my faith.  I have been struggling with that a lot lately, but I am working on it!  but since they were pretty backed up we had our interview together, Sister Galbraith and I.  Good thing we like each other :)  He asked about our family and I showed the picture from Shane's homecoming.  It was so fun to be with them.

But our week picked up again when we had back to back zone meetings and a different set of assistants was at each.  Talk about nerve racking!  I get so nervous to train and feel like they go horrible but it turned out okay haha we then had another exchange with some sisters who are struggling a lot!  But to say the least, after that whole week, I am tired!  I crashed on Saturday night.  I could not believe our week had been so draining!  But non the less, I loved it all!  This work is so incredible and I can;t wait to work my hardest for the next 7 months!  It'll go quick but it is all worth it!

I love you! I miss the fam but this is exactly where I need to be!  Please keep praying for me!  Thanks for all the support you give to me!

Love, Sister Emily Dahl

President ans Sister Tilleman - July 13th email.

Dear Dad,

   Oh my goodness! I can;t even believe you went ad saw the Tilleman's speak yesterday. I am so excited that you got to see just a glimpse of what I experienced nearly every week! They are incredible!!! They have both changed my life for the better and I am truly so blessed for all that I am have been given. The Tilleman's and the Burt's will forever be close to my heart. Tell me what you said to him and what he said to you! I want a play by play!

   So this past week was crazy! I don;t think I have ever been so busy my whole mission and then so exhausted either! On Tuesday we had a zone conference with the Burt's! I fall in love with them more and more each time we meet! and then an exchange with the port coquitlam (poco) sisters. That exchange was defintely an answer to my prayers. I had been feeling like I was inadequate to be in the position I am and that I wasn't helping any of the sisters. I was pretty down. But after this exchange was such a tender mercy. 

   The poco sisters are in a trio and sister Galbraith pulled one into our area and I was with the other 2. I was able to get them both to open up and start talking about their feelings and what's been tough lately. And then the next morning I studied for them. I plead with Heavenly Father to help me know what these sisters need. And in companionship study it all came together. It was such a miracle! I just started talking and then the spirit filled my mouth with exactly what those sisters needed. It all just made sense. It was an amazing exchange and helped me know that i am here for a reason. I am here to help these sisters at this time and everything I have gone through or am going through is to bless them somehow. It's incredible!

   On wednesday we had our first of 3 zone meetings. We were training at all of them. So wednesday when quick and we had one of the most spiritual lessons of my mission with a ysa chinese kid named Tim. We met him last Sunday and he had been seeking direction in his life. In the lesson he felt the spirit so strong and he knew it was the spirit! He set a baptismal date and went tot he ysa branch yesterday. They elders will meet with him tomorrow! It's such a miracle! 

   Thursday was our interviews with President and Sister Burt. As we waited we got a personal training by 2 of the assistants. It was pretty intense but they are helping me increase my faith. I have been struggling with that a lot lately, but I am working on it! but since they were pretty backed up we had our interview together, Sister Galbraith and I. Good thing we like each other :) He asked about our family and I showed the picture from Shane's homecoming. It was so fun to be with them.

 But our week picked up again when we had back to back zone meetings and a different set of assistants was at each. Talk about nerve racking! I get so nervous to train and feel like they go horrible but it turned out okay haha we then had another exchange with some sisters who are struggling a lot! But to say the least, after that whole week, I am tired! I crashed on Saturday night. I could not believe our week had been so draining! But non the less, I loved it all! This work is so incredible and I can;t wait to work my hardest for the next 7 months! It'll go quick but it is all worth it! 

   I love you! I miss the fam but this is exactly where I need to be! Please keep praying for me! Thanks for all the support you give to me!

Love, Sister Emily Dahl

With a friend.