iPads for Each Missionary

It's been a crazy week with the big change of having iPad minis. Last Tuesday was Zone Conference. We had a lot of classes and learned a lot of things and learned how we can be better. At the end we all received our 16GB iPad minis and we set it up and got trained on it. They are very strictly limited (for obvious reasons) but they are really nice. We have the gospel library, LDS Music, Skype, email, Facebook, Safari (with around 6 unblocked sites), and an area book/planner app, along with some of the standard apps installed. We have a few others but we don't really use them. We no longer have the daily planner book since there is an app for that. It is amazing how the work is being hastened. It is
taking some getting used to, but it is really nice to just pull up a Mormon Message you want to show and have sow many gospel tools at your fingertips.

From the Mission Blog: iPads for All of our Missionaries

We're Making History!

Elders Hatch, Guerrero, Hartzog, Dahl, Anderson, Sisters Chappell and Marambio

We are one of the few missions worldwide chosen to pilot the revolutionary approach to missionary work of giving each missionary a specially-designed iPad.

At this week's zone conferences, our missionaries were instructed on the importance of staying focused on their purpose and were trained on the use of this amazing device.

So you can tell the Bishop that the church is Pro-Apple Products. And joke with my oldest brother that the Church chose Apple over Droids. They are restricted; they don't have the App Store but we have this thing called air-walk which is the program that kind of controls the restrictions and it has a small App Store so we can update the few apps we have if something new comes out.

Last night my companion and I went to the Night of Music and Inspiration at the Visitors' Center. We were supposed to have a Recent Convert and a Potential Investigator there but the PI was a no show and the RC called us last minute and said her ride fell through so she couldn't come but wanted to. It was a great performance with music, short talks, and a few short clips.

I am doing great. I love my mission here and the ward I'm in. Things are going pretty well. My companion  and I are getting a lot done with the less-actives in our area and we are finding a lot of
potential investigators. The hard thing is almost everyone works all the time it's hard to get appointments with everyone and have people progress. We've been having fun as well, we fed some horses last week, sing a lot, and just stay happy. We work a ton and try to stay busy. I feel like I'm going to gain 3,000 pounds because the members feed you a lot and they give you a portion for 5 people.

One example is once we had a quarter rack of ribs, a full chicken breast, half a plate of heaping rice, two large chicken tenders, some beans, and a salad. You can tell the people only a small, small portion and that means basically nothing [they still give you a lot]. However, the cooking ability of these people is amazing. The people here cook some delicious food, it's just you can't always eat it all. The standard meal here is 1. Rice 2. Chicken and 3. Beans. The rice is usually white rice but I've seen it prepared differently and it's very good. The beans are always black beans. But the chicken is almost always prepared some way different than I've seen. Since the people are from all over the world everyone has their own little spin on things.

When you are here you have to know the nationality of everyone. Most people here have a strong sense of national pride and hang out with people from their country. It's important to know people's history and someone who can relate to them. The major two groups in our ward are the Salvadorians and the Peruvians. But still there are people from all over here so you basically have to know every Spanish speaking country because I'm getting close to meeting someone from all of them. I have met people from Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Chile, Argentina, Peru, Ecuador, Spain, Bolivia, Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico. The countries I haven't met people from include Paraguay, Uruguay, Columbia, Panama, Belize, Cuba, and the African Country that speaks Spanish. I only haven't met people from 7 of the (I believe) 21 countries that speak Spanish (22 if you count Puerto Rico).

The man who texted you our picture was a man in our ward.  He is a convert from 2 years ago and he is one of the strongest members in the ward. He is from México and he is super nice and just awesome.

I've been doing great! I've been working hard and having fun as well. We had exchanges last Friday and I stayed in my Area and Elder Alca joined me. I had to drive since he doesn't have a license and it's just straight up weird to drive a small vehicle. It really was an eye opener on all the things I still need to work on and how much I still need to learn.

Love, Elder Braden Dahl (written 2/3/2014)

4th Week - Day after Christmas

Dad,
It sounds like Christmas was a blast. Thank you for getting my bike all worked out and sent. I'm glad to hear that work has been less stressful and that you've been able to relax a little bit more.

I've got to say that it's so cool that you and the family will get to see Grandma and Grandpa Winkler on their mission next summer. I know it will be very fun for all of you. It will be so cool for all of you to see the great Church History sites out in Nauvoo, IL and hang out with some great missionaries.

Christmas was amazing here. We had a fairly simple breakfast and lunch served by the senior couples and branch presidents. We then did a service activity making baby infant kits and finished a couple hours early and then shared the scriptures and sang like I said before. We had a devotional by President and Sister Johnson, the area president (of the 70 as well).

Then we watched a live broadcast from Elder Bednar in Provo. He had the Provo MTC get 200 phones that could text his iPad for Q and A. The international MTCs could email his iPad. We sent in our questions and he answered some of the thousands of questions that came in. It was very cool and interesting to see what questions were asked that he answered. (See more...)

President and Sister Johnson gave all the missionaries a gift that had to do with their talks, M & M's for Members & Missionaries (we got regular, peanut, a bag of cookie M & M's and trail mix). We also got a Mrs. Field's cookie for lunch, which reminded me of home. We did a festival of choirs where every zone got paired with another zone a couple weeks ago and we sang 2 assigned Christmas songs- we sang Angels we have heard on high and Oh little town of Bethlehem (in Spanish of course). It was very fun to sing and the Spirit was strong when everyone sang.

We had a nativity quiz where we were shown 48 different illustrations of the Nativity scene and we tried to guess which was Presidente and Hermana Pratt's favorite (they chose different ones), I got Hermana Pratt's favorite right and because of that I got a small bag of some of Hermana Pratt's homemade Peanut Brittle; it is really good.

Nativity at the CCM Mexico City near the cafeteria

Our Hermanas in my district made us a paper Christmas tree with a note and a small bag of candy as well. On Christmas we also wrote something nice about everyone in our District on their own piece of paper and gave it to them. It was something that helped unite our district and made us feel the Spirit of Christ. 

Love, Elder Braden Dahl (written 12/26/2013)

Mom, It's nice to hear you had a great Christmas and got to do some really fun activities this Christmas Season. I'm glad to hear that the Christmas Program went well. And I'm glad to hear the family is doing some missionary work of their own. 

Tell everyone back home I say ‘Hello’ and ‘Send my Regards.’ I'm doing great here at the CCM and am so excited to be a missionary. 

Thank you very much for the Christmas present, I can't wait to use it in DC and I will do everything in my power not to have it stolen. [Mom & Dad sent a brand new bike to Washington DC so it will be there when he arrives.] Also thank you for the camera you sent with me, I've been using it. 

Venid a Mi means come follow me- I might have spelled it wrong, which is why you couldn't find the translation. The “Come Follow Me” video was about Christ's life. 

Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. ~ Matthew 4:18-20

The only people I know that are going to Washington DC North are [my companion], Elder M and myself. When I was at the Phoenix Airport a few weeks ago, I might remember that there might possibly be a Hermana (Sister) going there as well, but I'm not sure.

In my district Elder M² and N are from Arizona and M² is heading to Georgia and N is heading to Florida. Hermana D is from Virginia (southwest) and Hermana DC is from Ohio, Wisconsin and Tennessee. Both [of the Sisters are] heading to Las Vegas, Nevada. Elder T is from Fresno, California and he is going to Arizona. Elder W is from Georgia and Elder G is from Bountiful, Utah and they are going to the Irvine, California Mission.

Just so I'm not a liar I did not answer all of KMG's questions; I failed to answer what my favorite quote is and I'm going to take a rain check on that one right now. 

I think I'm up to 220 pictures but there's not a whole lot of new stuff around so new pictures are getting fewer and father between. I know pictures are probably killing you. Don't worry you'll get them. Also, I did get the picture you sent of the boys [on Christmas morning] and I can see pictures on my email.

Being one of the zone leaders doesn't really entail too much in the day-to-day things, district leader gets to handle most of that. I am just one of the guys that conducts the priesthood meeting on Sundays, assigns which district passes the sacrament, conducts some of the few and far between zone meetings, and attends leadership training every Sunday in our branch (rama).

Love, Elder Braden Dahl (written 12/26/2013)

Dear Brother #1, #2, #3 & #4;

I hope you all had a great Christmas yesterday and I'm sure you got some pretty cool stuff from everyone. You guys look great in your PJs. It looks like you have a fun video game you'll probably play nonstop for a while.

I hope you all are having a great Christmas break and are enjoying yourselves. I hope you all are getting along well. Have a great time and enjoy all the fun things you do. I hope you are all doing well in your busy lives. I hope you guys get to have a fun New Years Eve on Tuesday. You might be able to convince Mom to buy you some party poppers to shoot off at midnight, since I know you're probably not going to bed at least until then right now anyways. I miss you all and I hope you are all doing well. I love you lots.

Love, Elder Braden Dahl (written 12/26/2013)

Glossary of Terms (by Stacie Dahl (Mom)):
Presidente & Hermana Pratt – Mission President of the Mexico Missionary Training Center (Centro de Capacitación Misional México)
CCM – Centro de Capacitación Misional México which means Mexico Missionary Training Center (MTC)
First Quorum of the Seventy - Seventies are called to proclaim the gospel and build up the Church. They work under the direction of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and the Presidency of the Seventy
District – typically encompasses four to eight missionaries

Companion/Elder/Hermana/Sister - A missionary companionship consists of two (or occasionally, three) missionaries to protect each other spiritually and physically. Why do missionaries travel in pairs - The Lord has commanded missionaries, in D&C 42:6, “Ye shall go forth in the power of my Spirit, preaching my gospel, two by two.”  2 Corinthians 13:1 “In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.”

Zone Leaders - Zone and district leaders are responsible for gathering weekly statistics, assisting missionaries in their areas of responsibility, and general accountability to the mission president for the well-being and progress of the missionaries under their stewardship.

Rama – Spanish for ‘branch’

2nd Week-Zone Leaders

It has been another great week at the CCM. We only go to the temple every other week and I believe the temple closes on January 5th so we should be able to go all three times. I am no longer in the dormitories.  With our dwindling numbers we all have moved into the Casas, or homes, they have here at the CCM.  They are generally used for the sister missionaries.  There are four of us in a room and there are four or five rooms in a casa. 

My companion and I were made Zone Leaders this Sunday, we only have two Districts right now, but we might get another this week or next. I already have pictures in front of the CCM sign, one with poinsettias and one without. 

We are only allowed to use our cameras on Preparation Day; and Preparation Day is so busy it gets hard. I have around 135 pictures on my camera right now. Just letting you know ahead of time: Christmas (Wednesday) will NOT be my Preparation Day.  It will be Thursday, the 26^th. It is getting hard to write in English because I try my best to write in Spanish. 

Can you give Grandma Dahl the address to the CCM?  Grandpa said she wants to write but it HAS TO BE before next Wednesday or I will not receive it because they do not forward mail and it takes three weeks to get here. Also, please don't forget to send my bike and mission papers to Washington DC.

Elder Dahl Apartment DA 202-3

Jan 1st, 2014; Branch 16 - District A

Carretera Tenayuca-Chalmita #828

Colonia Zona Escolar, Gustavo A. Madero

07230 Mexico, Distrito Federal

Mexico

Oh, and just so you know we have a weather widget on our computers when we do TALL (online language study - [Technology Assisted Language Learning]), and DC has been warmer than Roseville all week. I saw the moon for the first time here on the 5^th.  It is so pretty and was very skinny and reminded me of Grandma Winkler. Venus has been really bright down here. I also love the constellation Orion here because it is right above this large mountain with large radio towers on it so the red lights from the tower with the stars looks just awesome.

I hope you had the opportunity to watch the Christmas Devotional by the First Presidency this last Sunday.  It was really beautiful and I really felt the Holy Ghost present. We also watched an old devotional from Elder [Jeffrey R.] Holland this week about serving and it was very powerful. We watched Elder [Quentin L.] Cook and his wife [Mary] do a live devotional yesterday about Christmas and missionary service. Let me just say the devotionals here are just awesome, you feel the Holy Ghost so strong every time someone speaks.

Most of the main areas are now decorated with Christmas things. 

Nativity in front of the Comedor at the CCM Mexico (Mexico MTC)

And all over the city there are houses with Christmas lights blinking so fast you’d think you’d get seizures. We constantly hear what sounds like cannon fire, but it is just religious ceremonies praising their saints.  We probably hear several hundred a day. I have been missing you and all of the family. It is different being away from home, but the days go by so fast here.

Love you lots! (written 12/11/13)

Glossary of Terms (by Stacie Dahl (Mom)):

CCM – Centro de Capacitación Misional México which means Mexico Missionary Training Center (MTC)

Temple Closure - the México City México Temple will be closed for approximately 18 months beginning Monday, January 6, 2014, to accommodate an extensive renovation project. The temple will be rededicated following construction. 

Casa - Spanish for home

Zone Leaders - Zone and district leaders are responsible for gathering weekly statistics, assisting missionaries in their areas of responsibility, and general accountability to the mission president for the well-being and progress of the missionaries under their stewardship.

Preparation Day - Preparation day (or P Day as it is often referred to) is a missionary’s once a week chance to do big shopping trips, play sports, do laundry and write letters home to family and friends.

First Presidency - The man who has been an apostle the longest is the President of the Church, and by inspiration he selects two other apostles as counselors. These three function as the First Presidency, which is the highest governing body of the Church.
Apostle - special witnesses of Jesus Christ, called to teach and testify of Him throughout the world.