Final Mission Letter from Elder Dahl...Written 11-9-2015

Another week has flown by out here. It's amazing how fast time seems to just fly. I can't quite determine if you are counting hours, minutes, or seconds before you see me. From my oldest brother's email you [Mom] sound a bit more than ecstatic.

This week was really great. I'll probably keep this email pretty short because I have to start packing and getting everything ready for transfers. 

As you know I will be leaving my area and heading to the DC South Mission in Arlington for a week. I'm excited for my new area.

Monday I attended a baptism in the ward of an investigator I taught. She was still baptized into the ward but we ended up passing her to the sister missionaries to finish teaching her for a couple of reasons. It was a great baptism and she was confirmed yesterday in church. You should be meeting her on Friday. We also brought one of the recent converts in our area to the baptismal service and he really liked it. It was a great experience for him to see someone else's baptism.

On Wednesday we had our temple trip and it was wonderful. I always love going to the temple and it is so beautiful being able to enjoy the lovely DC Temple and the spirit of the Lord there.

Thursday we met a new investigator that was out working on his car. He was a really cool guy and had a lot of questions for us. We also were able to teach a member that is going through a really hard divorce and a recent convert that has been having a hard time getting to church. The best part was that this recent convert made it to church this Sunday and stayed all 3 hours! 

Thursday evening was the departing interview and dinner for the missionaries leaving this transfer. We had a lot of fun together and shared stories and had a great time. We made a scrapbook page and it was a wonderful evening.
Friday I headed up to the farm one last time where I planted garlic in their garden. We ended up finishing about 2.5 long rows of garlic the time we were there. It was fun and a nice day.

We also met this really cool guy when knocking the door of a former investigator. He let us talk to him outside and we shared with him. Message of the restoration. It really hit him hard and he started tearing up when we spoke about the Book of Mormon. He was really touched and said it was an answer he had been seeking. We are excited to begin working with him.

Sunday we had church and it was great as always. They had me go up and share my testimony as I am finishing my missionary service. It was weird to think that my first Sunday on my mission I spoke from the same pulpit as my last Sunday. After church I had a goodbye party (despedida) for myself and another elder going home in the ward at O's house. It was fun and we shared a great time with everyone. Afterwords, my companion and I went out and looked for some of our investigators and tracted a bit.

So about the bike... [Mom wrote him about disassembling his bike and shipping it home.] So I have my bike here at the apartment locked up in the parking garage with one of my U-locks. The problem is the key I had for the lock is missing and I have no idea where it is. I have looked for it everywhere in the apartment to no avail. If you know how to cut locks it might work but I am at a loss what to do with it. [Dad's solution-we'll hire a locksmith...Mom says, let's pray to find the key until then.]

On Sunday I was thinking of going to all three congregations but just staying for Sacrament Meeting. We'll talk more about the details when you are here or you can shoot me an email.
Love,
Elder Braden Dahl

A Really Good Week 6-2-2014

Mom,

Thanks for all the letters from the boys and thank you for your letter as well. This week has been really good. My companion and I met with C, our recent convert this week and had a really good lesson with him on Family History. He really wants to get into it and wants to get his membership number so that he can get on as a member on FamilySearch. We also met with R, our investigator this week and he is doing really well and is accepting the gospel really easily.

Last Thursday a big thunderstorm came through in the evening and it down poured and there was a ton of lightning. All the Elders in our district were going to go to a taco truck for dinner with Hno D but the rain stopped us, so then we were going to go to Roy Rodger's but the power all went out in that area. So we ended up going to Old Country Buffet in Gaithersburg.







On the way we saw a huge tree that had fallen over onto some power lines, the tree took up two full lanes and was causing some traffic. When we got home the power was out but it came back on about 10 minutes later.

Multiple lightning exposures over the Jefferson Memorial combined into a single image
from May 27, 2014 (Photo Credit: Kevin Ambrose)

On Friday I had exchanges and went to Montgomery Village South on bike. It was a beautiful day and it wasn't bad bike riding weather. They had a lot of appointments and we visited with some of the areas investigators and less-actives. That night, one of the Gaithersburg 1st ward members, who is moving to Mexico for work, invited us to Five Guys and Krispy Kreme so we had a nice big dinner. I was with Elder C, who is in his 2nd transfer. It was fun to work with him and different being the person to take the lead in lessons for a day. It was good and I enjoyed it.

Saturday the Elders in our District moved one of our members in Germantown to Dickerson (still in my area). It's far out there and according to a resident of that area there are more horses and more cows than people there; I believe him. I'd never been out there but it was nice to see on the drive out. 

On Sunday we went to the Mission President's home for Spanish FHE and it was really fun and a lot of people came out for it. The lesson was very spiritual and everyone there enjoyed it. Today my companion and I, along with our roommates, and the DC French elders went to Smithsonian Zoo for a while and hung out. It was fun to go see again. 

Love,

Elder Braden Dahl

It's Snowing Today

Mom,

Between the two SD cards there should be 531 pictures. Regarding the funny pictures, my companion and I had nothing better to do some P-days in the CCM. So we did the Beatles walk and the Buddy the Elf jump in the crosswalk, etc. I try to take a lot of pictures because I know you're obsessed with pictures and probably disappointed it was only 531 you received.

I don't take that many here unless we go to DC, usually I'm too busy. Plus, Germantown and the surrounding area is no Manhattan Island.

Every once in a while you can send me a SD card and I will send you back my SD card with some more pictures. As long as I have the means to send it, I will.  Just remember I don't use my camera terribly often here. Since I went to DC last Monday I have 110 more pictures on the new SD card you gave me. But that is far from the normal as you can probably see from the pictures I sent you that are in DC. I also forgot that I have another 32GB SD card that I brought with me that doesn't have anything on it yet.

You are welcome to do whatever you want in regards to distributing the pictures I've taken. I am fine with them going out and I am equally ok if you don't want to send them out. You are more than welcome to do what you feel appropriate with the pictures. I think that it's great that you want to send them to my companion's Mom.

I forgot to thank you for the solar elephant in your last package. It is funny to see but it's a great gift and a great conversation piece in my apartment. Also I have been pulling the scriptures out of a jar everyday to try and improve myself.

The snow is not that hard to live in. We can drive in the snow but it's when the snow isn't sticking or when it is going to be very little (probably around an inch). When you're driving in snow (which I don't because newbies aren't allowed to drive until their third transfer), slow down, brake sooner and don't stop (you can get stuck). When there is ice, slow down, brake sooner. Snow here is some of the warmest days and it feels great. Layer if necessary, don't wear too much cotton. Don't let yourself get cold or numb. After the snow, walk in the footsteps of others to avoid getting really wet or snow in your shoes if at all possible. The snow melts fast here so be aware that the roads are really wet and it can sometimes refreeze. Maryland salts the ground more than I salt french fries or my younger brother salts chips. You will have a salty car. Try not to bump into things or brush by them because you will be very salty as well with salt stains. They're very easy to get off, often with just brushing with you hand a bit or use a little water.

My companion is very easy to get along with and he gets along with almost everyone. There are some moments of "What do you want to do?" "I don't know what do you want to do?” He does get things done and is on top of things most of the time. He tries to please everyone, there was someone that used to be in our district that didn't eats sweets, so he'd bring mixed nuts and dried fruit. He is also willing to share just about everything he has. Everyone in the ward loves him and he is a great person.

I have a list I made in Mexico with a very brief explanation of some of the photos I took. I'm going to send it to you and just write me back if that works well with you, it is matching up right, any way you'd like it done differently so that I can make changes appropriately before doing all of them. It will be snail mailed and I'm not sure when I'll exactly get it out, plus there is a snow storm today and maybe tomorrow so it could take things a while.

I hope everyone is doing well and that you have a great week.

Love,

Elder Braden Dahl

Mom,

This week has been great. My companion and I have been doing a lot. We practiced with another Elder who is our pianist for our musical number this coming Sunday and I'm excited to sing it for "Night of Music and Inspiration." The Elder is an awesome pianist and my companion is an excellent singer. We will be singing the first and last few verses of "A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief." But with some changes to the tunes (you'll see). 

Our ward also had a Primary Activity on Saturday at the Visitors' Center. All of the missionaries in our ward brought the kids down to the temple and we went to the main entrance and one of the side doors. Most of the kids touched the temple too. Yesterday (Sunday), my companion and I taught the Family Home Evening lesson, in Spanish of course. It was on Family History and we used something in our lesson you might recognize; hopefully it will make it into the Mission blog.

I'm happy for the uncle, aunt & family to be moving somewhere bigger and with a backyard. I would like their new address as well when they get it. Which also reminds me that I have none of the extended Winkler Family's addresses with the exception of one uncle & aunt.

Missionaries are allowed to wear non-proselyting clothing if the activity we are doing cannot be done in our proselyting clothing (P-day activity, working out, or service). You still have to wear your nametag. My companion and I had to drop off our roommate who wanted to go to DC to play some missionary football happening that day. He didn't want to be the only one on the way to DC without a shirt and tie, so we changed and stayed for the game a few minutes so we could be in non-proselyting clothes as well for that day. I was in a hoody because it wasn't cold that day; it was nice and a little windy.

I guess we were at the Thomas Jefferson Building. It's the building you think of when you say Library of Congress (grand reading room). It was 3 floors; a ground floor, a 1st, and 2nd floor. Yes I saw the Gutenberg Bible along with another super old bible. I also saw the Exploring the Early Americas exhibit, and Thomas Jefferson's Library. I believe that there was only one exhibit we didn't see; on the ground floor. It was some rock star’s exhibit or something, I'm not really sure. We saw the one that was extended to be on display longer with some cartoon drawings (I don't remember the subject matter).

Anyways, Elder Anderson and I are basically trapped today. There is a snowstorm and we aren't allowed to drive, but we can leave the apartment. It has been coming down since 7:00am here; there was about 2 inches of snow on the ground. The storm might stay tomorrow as well, but who knows.

Love,
Elder Braden Dahl

Dear Father,

I'm glad to hear you are doing well and that you had an opportunity to share the gospel last week as well. I heard that you went and saw some movies at the theater last week; I hope you and the family enjoyed them.

It has been a really good week and fairly busy. My companion and I have practiced a bit for our song for "Night of Music and Inspiration" next week. We also taught Family Home Evening in Spanish at the President Cooke's home. We taught about family history. Some Sisters were in charge of the game and we played gospel related charades. We had some cake at the end and it was just a great night with a great turn out.

We have a snowstorm today so we can't drive anywhere and it is supposed to be rather cold today and tomorrow. I'm starting to get used to the snow and I'm fairly used to the cold now. The snow is a great opportunity for service for the people here. We've found some potentials [potential investigators] from shoveling snow.

I hope you have fun finishing up watching the Olympics. I heard that despite the many problems that it was a good Olympics. I'm very glad to hear that California is getting some water now, and some rain. I love you a ton.

Love,

Elder Braden Dahl

PS check out mom's emails. She sent me one earlier in the week so I've been able to write a lot, little by little. Enjoy your day. Good luck with the little boys. Tell them it's snowing here. Oh and also tell them tomorrow is National Pancake Day, so free short stack at IHOP.