Elder Drew Dahlberg Missionary Blog: Baptisms!!!! Yay!!

This is the elders in our district.

This past Saturday we attended their baptisms.

They had 2!

Elders Dahlberg, Lund, Dally, and Swalberg

This week in the mission, I reached my 3 month mark on my mission. I feel like that number is significant because it now means i am no longer considered a "New Missionary" but it also means that i have over 10% of my mission done already. Its crazy to think about time and how fast and slow it moves. But mostly fast. Its only slow when your walking over a bridge at -5 degrees outside with 25 mph winds blowing -30 degree wind at you and you have to walk backwards so your face doesn't freeze off.

Anyways this week in the mission On Tuesday we were asked by a member of the ward to come over and talk about the sacrifices we are making on the mission so that he could influence the kid that we were normal people. The member, Brother C*** H****, is a legal guardian of a 13 year old boy named C*** (nonmember). So we were over there and we talked about the mission, our purpose, what we do everyday, and our budget, where we live, etc. We started talking about service and little C*** really enjoyed that aspect of missionary work. He liked that we are out here to do good and expect nothing in return. So this next Tuesday we are going back to talk to him about the restoration of the Gospel and the service that Joseph Smith did for the church.

Alex, our Louisiannian, didn't come to church on Sunday... On Wednesday we met with him and reaffirmed our baptismal date with him for Feb 2nd and he was very committed to it. He told us whenever he goes to "Da Shelter" he has a smile on his face and people mob him because he looks so happy. He told us that he gets selfish of us because we are his missionaries and we are to help him. we told him to share the gospel because that's what Jesus Christ would do so we will see if he actually does it or not. But atm Alex cannot get baptized on Feb 2 because he needs to come to church 3 weeks in a row and it could still happen but we aren't going to force the baptism on him.

We met with P*** B*** ( the man with the dog) this week and we talked to him about the restoration of the gospel and Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. P*** cannot read or write and he isn't super smart so we are taking baby steps with him. He came to church this Sunday which was awesome because he hadn't been to church in over 20 years. Cool fact: P*** was baptized in the Topsham chapel (This is the building they meet in...) by Bro. Rona, a member who still attends the Topsham ward. On Sunday they met up and talked so that was very good for P*** to see him.

On Saturday we walked down to the ship yard where Jay (the soup kitchen guy) volunteers to help build a wooden ship called the Virginia. We talked with him and than the conversations shifted towards Jay talking about "how he is hoping he is doing God's work by helping volunteer and stuff." I than shared Mosiah 2:17 with him. (MOM THOSE SCRIPTURE MASTERY CARDS WORKED) As i talked with him about that scripture he wanted to know where it came from so elder lund pulled out his book of Mormon and showed him. Jay than asked for a copy. So this morning, Monday morning we walked down to the soup kitchen and gave him a hard covered Book of Mormon with Elder Lund's testimony in it. It was awesome giving it to him because he was speechless and he had a tear starting to build up in his eye. That also was the Last time elder lund was ever going to see him because both of us are going down to Manchester NH tomorrow for transfer meeting.

Jay with the ship "Virginia". "The most humble man I know."

Elder Lund and I's last final day together is today. By tomorrow around 11 am i will have a completely new companion because Elder Lund is now a zone leader and we are guessing he is going somewhere in Vermont or New Hampshire. I hope my new companion and I get along. That is what i hope for. So we will see.

Elder Swalberg and his companion had 2 baptisms on Saturday. I was one of the witnesses for both of them. That was cool being that. One was one of the ladies elder Swalberg and i taught while I was on an exchange and i take some pride in knowing i helped get her baptized and change her life to follow Our Savior Jesus Christ. Her name is K***. We taught her the restoration and about Joseph smith and the first vision. (AKA-The first lesson) And the baptism at the rec was a man named N***. He is 83 years old and he is a big feller. 300+pounds and he cant walk without either a wheel chair by his side or a walker. Norm had been investigating the church for about 6 years. Consistently. Not on and off. So this was a big baptism. (literally and figuratively)

I joke around a lot here on the mission and i like to keep everyone on their toes, but i know that this work is serious and that we need to be examples of Christ. I love being able to put on this black name tag that says ELDER DAHLBERG and then right under it, it says JESUS CHRIST. I love being a representative of Him and His gospel. I am 3 months in and i am ready to bring the best that I've got for these next 21 months. Here I go!

One of the baptisms was at a rec center and we couldn't wear shoes on the pool deck so that explains the no shoes. and then elder lund had to hold me back because I was going to jump in.

Looks like fun!

Now we're talkin'!

Ok, then how about YOU go in!

No Elder! You can't go in!

More interesting Maine stuff...
these are pictures of the edges of the rivers here in Maine. its all cracked ice from the extreme tides. Some days the tides are crazy high and then it goes super low which results in ice chunks laying all over the place.