July in Danville Illinois 2015

July 13, 2015

What a week, we picked up 5 new people to teach and the work seems to be going great, we are seeing God's miracles. 

On Monday night we went to visit a potential named, James, but met a boy named Tacal and we had a lesson with him on his front steps. (every single mosquito bite was worth it)  It is amazing how the Lord prepares people.

The focus of this email will be on following the spirit. As you know, I went to Springfield to serve with Sister Montgomery.  The first apartment we were going to meet with was a lady named Alnora.  Sister Montgomery told me that we were going to read 2 Nephi chapter 31 with her, about faith. I agreed and we started into the lesson.  Background to the story.  Mom, when I left in the morning, I slipped on the little bracelet you just sent me.  I wasn't going to wear it that day, but something made me put it on. Anyway, in the lesson the spirit told us both (Sister Montgomery and I) that Elnora didn’t need 2 Nephi 31 at the moment.  She needed to know that God loved her and that we loved her. She began to open up to us and tell us how she could not read or write.  She said the church she went to before used that against her.  They called her names, and totally and completely broke her heart. It broke my heart to hear her story.  I thought, “Heavenly Father I am only 19 years old, how do I help her?  Why do you trust me to do this?”  In some kind of panic, I looked down at my bracelet and I didn't even think twice.  I took my bracelet off and I gave it to her.  (It fit her perfectly)  She looked at me with tears in her eyes and said, “I will keep it forever.”  I told her that every time she saw it that she needed to remember that she is a beautiful daughter of God and   that He loves her.  Please tell yourself what my mom tells me: you is kind, you is smart, you is important. (Mom, thanks for telling me that quote when I was down, because it helped me know how to help her just as you help me) We told her that the sisters would be happy to come over and help her read, taking just one verse from the Book of Mormon.  I texted my companion and Sister Montgomery's companion who was serving in Danville and told them to bring the, “Book of Mormon Made Easier” that I found in the apartment. By the end of this spiritual lesson, I felt of God's love for her SOOOOOOOOOO STRONGLY. She had the courage to know that she was reading for baptism and she had cheerleaders leading her on, She told us that she needed to set a date for her baptism.  She picked her birthday in December.  I went and grabbed the calendar and Sister Montgomery helped her write on the calendar the date she had chosen. MY BAPTISM DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sister Montgomery and I left that lesson feeling the spirit so strongly. 

We walked out and Sister Montgomery just gave me a big hug. Man, do I miss seeing her. We text President Morgan that we were hoping to be on a 9 week exchange.  And if he would allow us to stay together, I would be willing to throw away my Nikes.  It was a hilarious text..... He responded #can'tstoplaughing #youcrackmeup LOLING     Sister Montgomery and I had a blast, we laughed and laughed. 

If any one of you is down, please look in the mirror and remind yourself of your individual worth and value….YOU IS KIND. YOU IS SMART. YOU IS IMPORTANT.  

Oh and guess what?????????? I am going to the temple this week, on Thursday, with all the missionaries who have reached half way and the sisters that are going home this transfer.  Because I am so far away from St. Louis, we got permission to spend the night in Springfield.  That way we don't have to drive so far so early Thursday morning! Another sleepover with Sister Montgomery. YAY! I am going to the temple on Thursday !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so happy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Do you remember the man that told us he wanted a Book of Mormon last week?  Well, we walked with him to the church.  We met some members and the elders and we had a lesson with him in the sacrament room.  No joke, it was one of the most spiritual lessons ever. He had tears in his eyes and he wants to change his life. All 6 of us sat there and I told everyone it needed to be a discussion, as we all testified to him, he felt the spirit, I know he did. THE SPIRIT IN THE ROOM WAS SO STRONG. He is seriously golden.

I had to take Sister Law to the urgent care this week before district meeting..........................STILL LAUGHING ABOUT THAT ONE. She had something in her eye and I couldn't get it out, so we had Sister Morgan on the phone and we were trying to figure it out and I made a joke.............”Dr. Morgan and Dr. Dahlberg here...............YIKES!” LOL All is well now with Sister Law. 

A less active invited us over to a BBQ and we talked to her nieces and their friend that was an atheist. Remember how love changes people?  I just showed them that I was a person who cared about them.  And by the end of our conversation, they took our Restoration and Plan of Salvation pamphlets.  Sister Booth called us later to tell us how grateful she was when she saw us talking to them and that they were actually receptive!

Super cool story:  We were going to visit a potential and they did not answer the door.  We were just leaving and we heard a lot of commotion coming from another area.  The spirit hit me SO STRONG that we should go to that door.  So we did just that, we knocked and we met a wonderful person named Briana.  We set a time to meet with her the next day and we had a lesson with her. We were not just teaching lessons to teach lessons, we were teaching her.  We told her how we were not planning on coming to her door, but God sent us to her door. She cried and cried and cried. She knew that it was an answer, her answer, because she has been struggling deeply, oh so deeply wondering if God answers prayers. She knew that this was from God.  When we did begin teaching her,  THE SPIRIT WAS THE STRONGEST I HAVE EVER FELT. I had tears in my eyes as I testified to her.  She looked at us and said, “What do I need to do?” SHE LIVES RIGHT NEXT TO THE CHURCH BUILDING AND SHE SAID SHE HAS BEEN DEBATING ABOUT WHICH CHURCH TO GO TO, THE ONE ON THE LEFT OR THE ONE ON THE RIGHT?  We invited her to church; she came with her little 4-year-old Bryasia. She turned to me in sacrament and said, “I want to go to the temple.” (the temple in Indiana is having an Open House.  It is super close to us and we have been talking a lot about temples!!!!!!!!!!!!!)  Anyway, we went to the gospel principles class and the lesson was supposed to be on the Sabbath Day, but the teacher felt strongly that we needed to talk about fasting and fast offerings. I looked at her during the lesson and she had tears in her eyes.  She turned and whispered to me, “I have a question about baptism.” You guys, I about died. I just gave her a huge hug and I felt God's love so strongly. After the lesson she said she was going to bare her testimony about what happened right before we knocked on her door.  But she is shy, so she bore her testimony to Sister Law and I. 

God is not a God of coincidences. God knows us each perfectly, oh how I can testify of that. She kept saying, “I know this is from God. I know this is an answer from God.” I am speechless and I am so grateful to be here, I am forever changed and I mean it with all of my heart.

Yesterday, we taught the Relief Society lesson about temples. By the end of the lesson, I was crying and a sister pulled out a few tissues and walked them up to me. We all were crying. This week you guys, wowza. GOD IS REAL. THIS CHURCH IS TRUE, I PROMISE YOU.

Okay, so we got church records last week from the bishop about a new sister that moved in our area.  We tried to visit her but were told by the neighbors that she didn't live in the trailer and that an old man lived there.   He didn't answer the door so we left.   We called the Bishop and told him that we would try again to see if we could find her. Well, that address was on my mind a lot yesterday.  We were driving somewhere and the spirit hit me very strongly that we needed to go back to that trailer again.  So we did.  We walked up to the trailer, and an old man was sitting outside. His name is Roger.  H e told us that the lady did not live there and he did not know who she was. We were getting ready to leave and I thought, "talk to everyone." So, I told him we were missionaries and asked if there was a time we could come back and share a message. With tears in his eyes he looked at me and said, “Well, I won't be here much longer.” He went on to tell us that he was dying of cancer and it was bad.  My heart broke. Oh it broke, my eyes filled with tears. I wanted to do something for him, but what could I do for a man that was dying? Once again, I thought, “Heavenly Father, I am only 19 years old, why and how do you trust me?”  I looked down at my bag and quickly pulled out a Plan of Salvation pamphlet.  He asked me what I believed would happen to him after this life.  As I bore testimony, I just couldn't help but cry. I told him that we were here for him and he could call us if he needed a visit or if he wanted to talk. I looked him right in the eyes and said, "We will keep you in our prayers and I mean it.”  He got emotional and said, “I know you will and my kids and grandkids will appreciate it.”  He gave me a hug and I felt like I was saying goodbye to my friend, my grandpa, whom I felt so much love for. I felt God's love. Roger told us he appreciated what we did and we left him with our phone number and pamphlet. I cried the whole way home.  My testimony grew so much stronger about the plan of salvation. I know there is life after this. We are just here for a short time. God’s plan is for us to be mortal, so that we can become immortal.  God knew that the lady we were looking for did not live there; He knew it all too well.   He sent us there to find Roger before he passes away. I know it with all of my heart.

We got a call about a son and mom that went into the woman's shelter. We went there and left the lady a Book of Mormon, Restoration pamphlets, and Plan of Salvation Pamphlet. We gave them the missionary’s phone number.  Just as we were leaving, I turned back around and gave another lady a Book or Mormon and one to a man sitting down.  He told us that he had family members who were LDS and he was going to the temple open house in 2 weeks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

To the people I love.

I STAND ALL AMAZED.

This is HIS work.

Have a wonderful week. I love you all. 

Xo Sister dahlberg

July 20, 2015

Hi, 

Sorry I don't have a lot of time today.  We are going bowling for a sister’s p day, so we are leaving pretty soon. 

Remember Luke, our investigator?  Well we watched the Joseph Smith movie and he made his 2 sisters watch it with us. THE SPIRIT WAS SO STRONG. The sister said they felt a calm and peaceful feeling. THE CHURCH IS TRUE PEOPLE. I can't wait to see how they progress.

Wait, where did this transfer go? Transfer calls are in 5 days.  I feel like I just got here and what is this talk about me being at ten months this week?

So the drive to the temple was so long.  I am soooooooooooooooooo far from St. Louis, but it was the best day. We pulled up and there I saw SISTER PETRIE, SISTER FURNISS, AND SISTER SHONTELL, my MTC girls and I wanted to cry. We took pictures in front of the temple and it felt like the first day we arrived in the mission all over again.  We all have grown so much.  The temple was amazing, just amazing amazing amazing!  I was so happy to be there after 10 months.  I love the temple. Man, do I love the temple.  During our session, I looked over at President Morgan and just smiled and he smiled back.  Then I looked at Sister Morgan and smiled and she smiled back. BEST DAY.  When we all went into the celestial room, President and Sister Morgan greeted us and he said, "Sister Dahlberg, you have made it half way.............well over half way now. Can you believe it?” with a huge grin on his face.  I replied, “I can't, isn't that crazy.” It was like.................................. a moment on my mission, like many others that I won't forget. President Morgan believed in me from day one, and to be in the temple with so many missionaries and President and Sister Morgan, I can't even put it into words. I LOVE THE SPIRIT OF THE TEMPLE.

We went to teach Briana and she had already read the pamphlets and the some of the Book of Mormon, she is about 20 steps ahead of us. She joked about her teaching us. I love her.

So tender mercy- someone left us the sweetest note on our door, with money to get ice cream. GOD IS GOOD, especially after a long and somewhat hard day!

Christie is a miracle, she has met with missionaries and was a referral to us, and she is so prepared. Her old boyfriend was holding her back from learning.  He also made her throw her Book of Mormon away months ago.  But wow, she is prepared and will be the best member someday! She is the cutest. She and that boyfriend split, so we have finally been able to meet with her again.  The first time we met her, was the first week of my transfer here. I LOVE HER.

We met a lady named Mary Jo.  She reminds me of my own sweet little grandma, here in Danville. I promised her that I would stop itching my mosquito bites and she promised me she would stop working so hard in her yard in the heat.  She is hilarious.

FUNNIEST STORY- we asked the Fultons to pick up our investigator and her twins.  We went to their door and Briana answers the door totally not ready for church.  Her 1-year-old twins are running around. We pitched in and started trying to help get them ready to go. I run out to get the car seats and am trying to grab the twins and the Fultons are trying to get them in their car seats that they don't fit in.  Briana isn't ready.  The whole scene totally could have been on Funniest Home Videos people. Oh my gosh, I am still laughing.  All through church, we were trying to keep the twins quiet and we aren't allowed to hold children, but they were being so loud, and oh my gosh.....................I was so tired yesterday they wore me out, but they are the cutest things in the world, just wait until you see the pictures.

Remember the lady that I met and felt that I needed write her a letter, well I have been thinking about it for weeks.  I knew I needed to give her a Book of Mormon and the letter.  But I felt that I needed to leave something else on her doorstep.  I asked Brother Fulton if he had a particular Ensign, and he did!  Last night we left it all on her porch. I wrote the letter and tried so hard to say the things that Heavenly Father wanted me to say. I am praying that someday that sweet family will see of the blessings and happiness Jesus Christ's true church can provide. 

Well, I love you all. I love you all so much!!! 

love, sister dahlberg (I am sorry if this email doesn't make sense) 

Oh and yes, Sister Montgomery and I saw each other again when I stayed in Springfield to go to the temple the next day, and it was a blast.  We laughed and laughed and laughed and yes, I made that cake for the birthday girl.