August 10, 2015

The Work Continues In Danville/Training A New Missionary In Danville

Danville Area Missionaries

Sister D loves hugs.

Sister D is going to miss Sister Law

Sister D to train Sister Erickson

Sister D, Sister Erickson, and "Mini-Missionary"

4 Sisters from the St. Louis Mission

We love to teach children.

M
Danville, IL

10 months




July 27, 2015


Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii,

What a week. 

I look back on this week, a lot has happened. Yesterday we had to call 911 for our investigator's neighbor. OH MY. MOST AWKWARD THING. (A story for when I am home) HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA we missed part of sacrament meeting because of it and our investigator Jimmy came to church, but couldn't find us and wouldn't go in alone, so he left.................... 

We had a lesson with Jimmy with sister Tillman and after we left the lesson, she told us to look for bugs on our clothes and shoes. #sisterlawwasconvincedshehasbedbugs #iaboutdied #ifitisn'tonethingitisanother...right?

One of the days this week, sister Law didn't feel well and then I felt not so hot. I thought we were coming down with the flu, but it passed. I drew the White family a picture of the temple and made them a sign that said, “next step” and I sent them a little temple book.  Just trying to do the best missionary work I could think of while we were down sick! 

Let’s talk about this, just for a second. 10 months. What? 8 to go. What? 

Did I ever tell you how much I love sister Law? She was just what I needed this transfer. My ability to learn patience and practice it has been such a blessing to me.  I have grown a lot these past 6 weeks.  I love that Heavenly Father is aware of each of us. Oh man, I absolutely love and adore her and her laugh is the cutest thing in the world.  She has difficulty seeing, but she is a warrior.  She loves to talk in different accents and she loves to tell me every night- GOODNIGHT SLEEP TIGHT. DON"T LET THE BED BUGS BITE AND IF THEY DO, LET THEM CHEW, BECAUSE BED BUGS NEED TO EAT TOO."

I told people at church yesterday we were going to hide and that I just was not going to let Sister Law be transferred.  She was a big focus for me this transfer. I have absolutely come to love the person she is and wonderful representative of Jesus Christ that she is. We were driving and I turned down our motab music.   I asked her, “Would you say that I at least was one of your favorite companions?” She looked at me with a grin on her face (her glasses were slipping down because they do that when she smiles or laughs) she said, “Sister Dahlberg, you were my favorite companion.” Oh my goodness, I love her to pieces.  She does not want to leave Danville.  You guys, she just steals everyone's hearts. What a blessing she has been to this area and me. 

Transfer calls were on Saturday. I will be training here in Danville!  I will get a new, fresh out of the MTC sister! On top of that all- we in the ZL's words “have been chosen to have a mini missionary”, the first day of the new sisters day on the mission... we will be picking up a mini missionary to come and serve for 3 days with us. (President Morgan likes to keep me on my toes) hahahahahahahahahahaha PRAY FOR ME? I know that this transfer has prepared me greatly. 

I know that Heavenly Father is my support. I know that he leads us and helps us every single day. Something that I learned this week that hit my strongly. Isn’t it amazing how the spirit teaches us through other people?  Everyone that reads this, please remember that.

1. Miracles are real, they happen. Sometime miracles don't solve problems, but they help us gain greater faith.

2. Not always do miracles happen, but we can listen to the still small voice, that assures us that God's love is real.

3. God is a God of love. He loves you. Please never forget that. 

May we all trust in Jesus Christ, HE LIVES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

My testimony is growing each and every day. I look forward to what this transfer has to bring. Hopefully I can help this new sister just as much as sweet sister Montgomery helped me. (Mission terms) my mom is now a granny!! lol

Love you all.

Be happy.

LOVE
SISTER DAHLBERG




August 3, 2015


Family and Friends,

First off- my green bean is adorable!!!

Never have I been so busy on my mission, but I am not complaining at all. 

A story I would like to share--- when you talk to everyone you see miracles. On Monday we were visiting someone at an apartment and this young girl was smiling at us and she asked if we were moving in.  I told her what we were doing and the spirit hit me…..go meet her mom. I asked the girl if we could meet her mom and she took us to her apartment and we met her mom, NATALIE.  The sweetest girl. She has the purest heart. They lost everything to mold in their last apartment and they had just moved.  They were sleeping on the floor. She is a single mom with 3 kids. Victoria, Vernon, and Vanity. THEY STOLE MY HEART.

Story will continue on..... be patient.

For transfers we woke up at 3:30 a.m. and we had to be in St. Louis at 9:00. Sister Law was not too happy to leave. At transfer meeting, we had a meeting with the trainers and we talked about what we had been taught that would help the new missionaries. President and I have an inside joke about me walking home, so we just looked at each other and giggled. I was not afraid to share the story with the new group. LOL

Anyway, we got to meet the new missionaries before the meeting started. I CALLED IT. I SAW SISTER ERICKSON AND I GUESSED I WOULD TRAIN HER.  I PICKED HER OUT OF THE GROUP OF 10 NEW SISTERS. We were walking into transfer meeting, and I told Sister Erickson, “I am going to train you.”   

President Morgan asked me if I knew or could guess whom I was training.  I told him, “the sister in the pink shirt.” He walked into the chapel to see what color she was wearing.  I wanted to be surprised. He pulled me aside and told me that he can tell what a good girl she is and she is dynamite. He gave me one hint- she is from Cache Valley and she is a rodeo girl. 

When she stood up I was smiling.  She said that she was from Paradise, Utah, and that threw me off.... then she said, “serving in Danville with Sister Dahlberg.  Everyone started cheering and I was....................................in shock. I jumped up and ran up to her, I looked at President Morgan and pointed at her pink shirt.

I left my training book inside and President was coming to bring it to me outside and he looks at both of us and said, “You are going to love her, and you are going to love her.”  He smiled at me and said, “REVELATION” (: 

Sister Erickson reminds me of a mix of Lexie S. and Ivy.  She is down to earth, willing to learn, and so sweet! We are already best friends.  It is funny----------- people at church told us we were a good pair.

She is a little homesick. She isn't used to the bugs, the heat, and the missionary schedule, but that is normal and I am trying my best to help her. I know exactly how she felt and I feel like this was just me not too long ago.  I want to be a good mom! We got her settled in as best as we could but our schedule was crazy busy............... so so so so crazy. She has met a lot of our investigators already. We are going to help her see her potential and build up her confidence. SHE IS SO GREAT. I LOVE HER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We picked up our mini- missionary on Thursday and she stayed with us for 4 days and so many things happened. So many good things. Some of the most spiritual lessons I have had on my mission thus far. Alysee was from France and moved to the United States 7 years ago. SHE IS A POWER HOUSE.  She will be the best missionary ever.  She is headed to BYU in a few weeks! I loved hearing their sweet and pure testimonies in our lessons.

We picked up 7 new investigators in one day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So many miracles. I wish you could all be here to meet these people.

We had a lesson with Natalie and her kids Saturday and we sat on the floor in the dark because they don’t have much of anything. THE SPIRIT WAS SO STRONG. I felt of God's love for each of them so strongly. We taught them about what we do as missionaries and about the Book of Mormon and I just wanted to cry. We left and I knew we needed to help them, so with the help with some members we were able to deliver some furniture this morning. My heart.... my mission has changed me forever. 

Natalie was called into work on Sunday.  We went to check on them before church and Vanity wanted to come with us so bad, she was crying.  So we all walked together to church and she loved it.  We walked her back and she told us she learned all about miracles and she made some new friends. I can't wait for her family to come next Sunday. Pray that Natalie does not have to work.  Seriously this family is so amazing. I wish you could feel how pure their hearts are.

I love everyone we are teaching. I love being a missionary right here, right now. I love teaching Sister Erickson.  I am trying to show her how important the work is that we are doing, how quickly time goes by, and what a privilege it is. 

Picture:  There she is, in the pink shirt. YOU GUYS I LOVE HER. Woke up at 3:30 a.m.............. how tired do I look? Yikes.

Picture: Danville missionaries that have served with Brother Fulton. 














August 10, 2015

Hello dear people whom I love,

UPDATE ON THE WHITE FAMILY FROM MARCELINE!!!!!!!!!

1. The day they plan to be sealed in the temple is in the works.
2.Taylor is preparing for a mission.
3. Sister White is a relief society teacher
4 DON IS THE SECOND COUNSELOR IN ELDERS QUORUM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(People just like Whites keep me doing what I do everyday for my Savior Jesus Christ.  I mean it when I say this is a precious work.) 


Sister Erickson is doing pretty well.  I wish so badly that I could put all that I have realized and learned in the past 10 1/2 months into her brain right now from the start of her mission.  But I have to remember that   the struggles I experienced in the beginning helped me develop into who I am today.  I love my mission.  I love this work, this very precious work. 

We took Natalie and her sweet family pillows on Tuesday----------- never have I witnessed people so excited to receive pillows.  My companion and I were leaving and we stood outside the door for a moment and we could hear how grateful they were.  I just about burst into tears; it really put things into perspective for me.  

We had a lesson with Chiquita and Stan (I can see Stan being a bishop someday.............his heart just needs to soften a little more.  He is as golden as they come. I giggled and told him that I thought that.  He said, “What does that mean?”  Brother Fulton came to the lesson with us and answered a lot of his questions. I keep telling Brother Fulton he is going to be the next stake president and later a mission president.  Every time that man talks, I feel the spirit so strong. I can't even begin to convey how much I have learned from him just in my short 8 weeks here.

President Morgan wrote today and said he predicts this will be one of my favorite areas.  I am so grateful for the priesthood and the direction that is given from our Heavenly Father. 

We had ZLT this week and the zone leaders gave a training lesson.  Right in the middle of it, they looked at some missionaries and asked questions about some of the people they had taught. They looked at me and said, “Sister Dahlberg, do you remember the white family???????????????”   Sister Montgomery was on my right and Sister Erickson on my left and my heart began racing. They said something and I wish I could remember exactly what they said.  I was just in shock.  Somehow, the elders had contacted the White family and had written down their thoughts about the missionaries that taught them.  I just sat there in awe. I couldn't believe it.  The message they sent to me warmed my heart and it will be something I treasure forever.  I thought--- Heavenly Father why have you blessed me so much? I really think about that so often.

I STAND ALL AMAZED AT THE LOVES JESUS OFFERS ME. The people I have met and the things I have been able to witness, none of them are because of Sister Dahlberg.  They are indeed because Jesus Christ lives, he leads this church and it is true! I am reminded more and more of that every single day as I labor here.

We had a lesson with Natalie and her kids, Vernon (12), Victoria (12), and Vanity. (10).  I can see them entering the waters of baptism very soon. A member came with us and it was amazing. The kids are on board and they have been reading a BOM and Ensign we left with them.  They are the smartest kids in the world. THEY TEACH ME! Natalie is the sweetest person ever and I know her prayers will be answered about Joseph Smith and she will enter into this wonderful fold. I feel it. 

We had a lesson with an older lady in our ward and her great- granddaughter and we all wrote our testimonies in the Book of Mormons.  Before we left the granddaughter gave us a referral of her 14-year-old friend who is struggling.  We went a couple days later to teach her and it was great. I felt very strongly that we could really really help her!

Christie was the referral we received my first day here.  She met with the missionaries before BUT WE HAD NO IDEA. Her boyfriend made her throw away her learning materials. We have been trying to get in contact with her; we tried a lot last transfer.  She split with her boyfriend and we have had a few lessons. You guys she is READY. We watched the long restoration DVD and afterward we talked, the spirit was so strong in the room. She told us that she had prayed about what God wanted her to do and we showed up that day.  She realized immediately that was an answer to her prayers. She looked at us and said - I KNOW THIS IS TRUE. I NOW HAVE THE INFORMATION I NEED TO DECIDE WHAT I AM GOING TO DOTO ACT ON THAT. I about fell over on my chair. We take to her about a baptism date and she told us she wants to be ready ready ready and she would really think about it.  We left the DVD of Joseph Smith to watch again. We invited her to church and told her I was speaking. 

On Sunday, I was sitting up on the stand and I saw her walk in with 2 of her 5 kids and I literally gasped. It took my breath away. I wish someone could have recorded it. We made eye contact and I smiled so big and she just smiled back and I thought again to myself. Heavenly Father why are you so merciful to me, yet I make so many mistakes? Brothers and Sisters, I really do stand all amazed everyday. This is nothing I am doing alone; this is the work of The Lord.

When I woke up Sunday morning, I was nervous, even more than I was to speak at my farewell.  I knew that Heavenly Father needed me to be an instrument, answering one of his precious children’s pleas and prayers.  I wanted to do what he asked of me, so I was nervous. I spoke about why we are here on earth.  I am so grateful for the spirit in helping me know what to say.  Heavenly Father knows each one of his children perfectly.  What a blessing to have Him working along your side everyday.

Natalie, Victoria, and Vanity came to church. (Vernon was at his friend’s house) Sweet Natalie is a CNA and works a ton, so she was SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOo tired, but they came and stayed all three hours and they just amaze me. 

The more I serve, the bigger my heart gets. I love these people. I love this work. And I am not just saying that to say it because I have to, I am saying it because I mean it with everything I have. Because I serve, I will never be the same, I am changed.

Sincerely, 

Sister Dahlberg

p.s.s what happened to my faithful writers? Did you forget about me? jk. Mail is gold!











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