Dear Family,
We had a zone conference this week. President Tilleman is a fire ball! haha He has an excitement and energy about missionary work that is contagious. He is pushing all of us and it's working! The missions numbers have doubled and tripled and we just keep going. It's exciting to be in the midst of the hastening of God's work. At zone conference I realized that I need to have more faith. I often feel like I lack the faith and trust in God that I will learn this language, that I will find prepared children, that I will really grow to love the mission. It's slowly coming but I know that I need to put more trust in Him. I have realized this week that I am in the middle of the refinery furnace and God is working on me so I can become the servant He needs.
I read a talk this week that really had a huge impact on me. It's called "More Than Conquerors through Him That Loved Us" by Paul V. Johnson. Please look it up and share it with those you feel impressed. It talks all about how trials in this life are there to help us really grow and gain experience that helps us become like Jesus Christ. We are constantly being pushed and pulled and sometimes we wonder why bad things are happening to us but it's a part of life. We gotta go through the hard things so that God can polish us. We're good people but "being good is not enough. We want to become like the Savior" I know that it's hard right now but I know God loves me and that if I endure this pain and hardship with faith and with patience then I will become something much greater than before.
The Lord is changing me. I can feel it. I hardly feel like myself and I think God is molding me into the woman He needs me to be long after my 18 months is over. It hurts. A lot. But I know that my pain and suffering is not wasted. As He shapes me I will be changed. And as I change I will be helping others to Christ and showing them how He can change them too. We're all here on earth to become stronger. We're here to prepare our selves to return to God's presence and in order to do that we have to be pushed, we have to overcome and fall down. But it's the times we fall down and get back up again and finally push over the peak of a mountain, that we can see the view God had intended us to see all along. A lot of growing is happening and I know that I will be better because of it.
Alicia Wu got baptized yesterday! Her 1st lesson was my second day in Canada. She is awesome. She has so much desire to follow Christ and doesn't have a super strong testimony but was willing to do all she needed to in order to enter the waters of baptism. It was exciting to see her take that step.
We get a car this week! I am the designated driver so we'll see how rusty I am for not having driven in like 3 months. haha I think it'll be a good stress reliever and I'll feel like I'm contributing to the work. Our area is huge so it'll be useful. There are Chinese people everywhere. There are different shops and such that are all Chinese. I have not been to China Town yet but they do have one.
I hope everyone is well at home. I pray for all of you everyday. I am praying for the Stumps. I really do love him and his family. He's one of the best wildcats around. Make sure he's knows that.
Love, Sister Emily Dahl
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