Hola familia!
I hope that everyone at home is great.
Last night, we were able have two baptisms in the branch. Two young mexicans named Jose and Elebit were baptized. Elder Chunn and I had begun teaching them and set a date with them before I left the downtown area. We had felt good about extending a commitment to find someone to recieve the blessing of the gospel in 7-days to an inactive member. We knew that he worked with several spanish speaking people. THe member was able to set up an appointment for us about a month and a half ago and they were baptized last night. It was neat to see how the experience has really helped the member grow in his faith and return to activity. We've really tried to focus on that truth. That this commitment is a way for the members to draw closer to Christ and recieve the blessings of sharing the gospel. Also, to help them experience the joy that comes from sharing the gospel. At first, I really thought the challenge was just a way for us to have someone to teach, but as we've focused more on the blessings and benefits of others, it's been more effective and also has brought a such stronger spirit. The baptism last week was a result of a similar challenge as well. These experiences have really helped both the ward in the north and our branch become even more excited about missionary work.
Elder Davies nad I had a neat experience on exchanges this week. We went by several contacts and while walking, we talked to everyone in our path. It was a small goal that we set when we started walking. We were able to give out a couple cards or pamplets, but didn't really see any immediate results. As we were returning to the apartment for dinner, we were approached by a young lady that asked if we were from Jesus Christ. She said that she needed help to quit smokign because she had recently found out she has asthma and needed God's help to overcome the addiction. We were able to teach her about prayer and the power of the scriptures and we said a prayer with her. She accepted an invitation to teach her in her house as well. Afterwards, Elder Davies pointed out how we had been blessed for being obedient and talkign to everyone. I know that's true and my testimony has been strengthened of obedience and that the Lord puts those prepared in our paths.
Not too much has changed over the past week. We continue to work hard to find some new people to teach.
I ask you to keep my companion Elder Galloway's family in your prayers. His dad has had very serious cancer ever since the time he left for the mission. He got special permission to talk to him this week on the phone because it doesn't look like he'll make it much longer. The doctors have taken him off of pretty much all treatment so he can have a peaceful time in the next while. He continues to stay positive and work hard though. We just try to stay extra busy to not think about it.
Thank you for everything. I love you all!
COn amor,
Elder Dunlap
Monday, August 23, 2010
August 23, 201014
Hola familia!
I hope that everyone at home is great.
Last night, we were able have two baptisms in the branch. Two young mexicans named Jose and Elebit were baptized. Elder Chunn and I had begun teaching them and set a date with them before I left the downtown area. We had felt good about extending a commitment to find someone to recieve the blessing of the gospel in 7-days to an inactive member. We knew that he worked with several spanish speaking people. THe member was able to set up an appointment for us about a month and a half ago and they were baptized last night. It was neat to see how the experience has really helped the member grow in his faith and return to activity. We've really tried to focus on that truth. That this commitment is a way for the members to draw closer to Christ and recieve the blessings of sharing the gospel. Also, to help them experience the joy that comes from sharing the gospel. At first, I really thought the challenge was just a way for us to have someone to teach, but as we've focused more on the blessings and benefits of others, it's been more effective and also has brought a such stronger spirit. The baptism last week was a result of a similar challenge as well. These experiences have really helped both the ward in the north and our branch become even more excited about missionary work.
Elder Davies nad I had a neat experience on exchanges this week. We went by several contacts and while walking, we talked to everyone in our path. It was a small goal that we set when we started walking. We were able to give out a couple cards or pamplets, but didn't really see any immediate results. As we were returning to the apartment for dinner, we were approached by a young lady that asked if we were from Jesus Christ. She said that she needed help to quit smokign because she had recently found out she has asthma and needed God's help to overcome the addiction. We were able to teach her about prayer and the power of the scriptures and we said a prayer with her. She accepted an invitation to teach her in her house as well. Afterwards, Elder Davies pointed out how we had been blessed for being obedient and talkign to everyone. I know that's true and my testimony has been strengthened of obedience and that the Lord puts those prepared in our paths.
Not too much has changed over the past week. We continue to work hard to find some new people to teach.
I ask you to keep my companion Elder Galloway's family in your prayers. His dad has had very serious cancer ever since the time he left for the mission. He got special permission to talk to him this week on the phone because it doesn't look like he'll make it much longer. The doctors have taken him off of pretty much all treatment so he can have a peaceful time in the next while. He continues to stay positive and work hard though. We just try to stay extra busy to not think about it.
Thank you for everything. I love you all!
COn amor,
Elder Dunlap
I hope that everyone at home is great.
Last night, we were able have two baptisms in the branch. Two young mexicans named Jose and Elebit were baptized. Elder Chunn and I had begun teaching them and set a date with them before I left the downtown area. We had felt good about extending a commitment to find someone to recieve the blessing of the gospel in 7-days to an inactive member. We knew that he worked with several spanish speaking people. THe member was able to set up an appointment for us about a month and a half ago and they were baptized last night. It was neat to see how the experience has really helped the member grow in his faith and return to activity. We've really tried to focus on that truth. That this commitment is a way for the members to draw closer to Christ and recieve the blessings of sharing the gospel. Also, to help them experience the joy that comes from sharing the gospel. At first, I really thought the challenge was just a way for us to have someone to teach, but as we've focused more on the blessings and benefits of others, it's been more effective and also has brought a such stronger spirit. The baptism last week was a result of a similar challenge as well. These experiences have really helped both the ward in the north and our branch become even more excited about missionary work.
Elder Davies nad I had a neat experience on exchanges this week. We went by several contacts and while walking, we talked to everyone in our path. It was a small goal that we set when we started walking. We were able to give out a couple cards or pamplets, but didn't really see any immediate results. As we were returning to the apartment for dinner, we were approached by a young lady that asked if we were from Jesus Christ. She said that she needed help to quit smokign because she had recently found out she has asthma and needed God's help to overcome the addiction. We were able to teach her about prayer and the power of the scriptures and we said a prayer with her. She accepted an invitation to teach her in her house as well. Afterwards, Elder Davies pointed out how we had been blessed for being obedient and talkign to everyone. I know that's true and my testimony has been strengthened of obedience and that the Lord puts those prepared in our paths.
Not too much has changed over the past week. We continue to work hard to find some new people to teach.
I ask you to keep my companion Elder Galloway's family in your prayers. His dad has had very serious cancer ever since the time he left for the mission. He got special permission to talk to him this week on the phone because it doesn't look like he'll make it much longer. The doctors have taken him off of pretty much all treatment so he can have a peaceful time in the next while. He continues to stay positive and work hard though. We just try to stay extra busy to not think about it.
Thank you for everything. I love you all!
COn amor,
Elder Dunlap
Monday, August 16, 2010
August 16,2010
Hola!
It was another great week here.
Elder Galloway adn I were able to attend the interview adn baptism yesterday of a lady named penelope from Mexico. We had met her when we served together, but never really had the opportunity to teach her. elder harker and christenson had challenged a member family to find someone to be taught in their home and recieve the blessings of the gospel in the following week. The members invited her and she accepted a date in the 2nd lesson. the baptism was very spiritual. she shared a strong testimony about the changes and blessings that came to her life. she shared with us on saturday nigth at the interview that the missionaries had been inviting her to pray and know if the church was really true so that she could know for herself. she decided to do it that night, but got a super strong headache that stayed with her the rest of the day. that night she prayed, and while listening for an answer, she had the distinct question come to her head: is your headache real? and she thought, well yes. and then the thourght, the church is as real as your headache is right now. it's interesting how everyone comes to the same conclusion, but it always comes in different ways for everyone. she said that she opened her eyes to make sure no one was talking with her because the voice in her head seemed so real. the members were so happy to see her get baptized as well. it was a great experience for the whole ward and should really be great for the missionary work in the ward.
our area is progressing well. it's one of the harder areas really because it covers some of the nicer parts of teh city. we've got soem really great potencial investigators that we're working with member families to begin teaching. Even though teaching investigators has been slow recently, I've found great joy in working with the members recently in an abundance that I've never really felt before. Some members are really grasping the fact that the blessing of the atonement is something that all the children of our Heavenly Father really need. It has brought greater joy into their lives and seeing that happen, it has brought joy into mine as well. We've seen some great miracles meeting new people that live in other areas recently too. I've seen great joy in the work seeing others in the zone exceed. My testimony continues to grow of the happiness and joy we can feel in this work of the Lord.
the mission as a whole continues to focus on the 2 year baptismal goal. we have zone conference comign up next week and the theme is goign to be all about zion's camp. we've been studying in preparation adn there's a lot of great parallels and similarities that apply to missionary work and missionary life.
i was able to see the first family that elder zoltan adn i baptized last nigth at the baptism. i haven't seen them in several months because i've been down here in the branch. they continue to progress and grown. the father recieved the melchezidek priesthood a couple weeks ago and they're preparing for the temple at their year mark in november. we're able to take a temple trip every 6 months and i'm saving mine to hopefully be able to go with them. there is a chance though that they'll have to return to mexico in the beginning of october which will be very sad. the mom is also expecting a baby that should be born in one month. it's great to see them so active and happy.
the weather here has already started to turn chilly in the evenings again. starting september, we're back to suit coats unless it's above 22 degrees. i can't believe that it's already that time again.
thank you for the updates and encouragement. i love and miss you all.
con amor,
elder dunlap
It was another great week here.
Elder Galloway adn I were able to attend the interview adn baptism yesterday of a lady named penelope from Mexico. We had met her when we served together, but never really had the opportunity to teach her. elder harker and christenson had challenged a member family to find someone to be taught in their home and recieve the blessings of the gospel in the following week. The members invited her and she accepted a date in the 2nd lesson. the baptism was very spiritual. she shared a strong testimony about the changes and blessings that came to her life. she shared with us on saturday nigth at the interview that the missionaries had been inviting her to pray and know if the church was really true so that she could know for herself. she decided to do it that night, but got a super strong headache that stayed with her the rest of the day. that night she prayed, and while listening for an answer, she had the distinct question come to her head: is your headache real? and she thought, well yes. and then the thourght, the church is as real as your headache is right now. it's interesting how everyone comes to the same conclusion, but it always comes in different ways for everyone. she said that she opened her eyes to make sure no one was talking with her because the voice in her head seemed so real. the members were so happy to see her get baptized as well. it was a great experience for the whole ward and should really be great for the missionary work in the ward.
our area is progressing well. it's one of the harder areas really because it covers some of the nicer parts of teh city. we've got soem really great potencial investigators that we're working with member families to begin teaching. Even though teaching investigators has been slow recently, I've found great joy in working with the members recently in an abundance that I've never really felt before. Some members are really grasping the fact that the blessing of the atonement is something that all the children of our Heavenly Father really need. It has brought greater joy into their lives and seeing that happen, it has brought joy into mine as well. We've seen some great miracles meeting new people that live in other areas recently too. I've seen great joy in the work seeing others in the zone exceed. My testimony continues to grow of the happiness and joy we can feel in this work of the Lord.
the mission as a whole continues to focus on the 2 year baptismal goal. we have zone conference comign up next week and the theme is goign to be all about zion's camp. we've been studying in preparation adn there's a lot of great parallels and similarities that apply to missionary work and missionary life.
i was able to see the first family that elder zoltan adn i baptized last nigth at the baptism. i haven't seen them in several months because i've been down here in the branch. they continue to progress and grown. the father recieved the melchezidek priesthood a couple weeks ago and they're preparing for the temple at their year mark in november. we're able to take a temple trip every 6 months and i'm saving mine to hopefully be able to go with them. there is a chance though that they'll have to return to mexico in the beginning of october which will be very sad. the mom is also expecting a baby that should be born in one month. it's great to see them so active and happy.
the weather here has already started to turn chilly in the evenings again. starting september, we're back to suit coats unless it's above 22 degrees. i can't believe that it's already that time again.
thank you for the updates and encouragement. i love and miss you all.
con amor,
elder dunlap
Friday, August 6, 2010
August 3, 2010
Hola familia!
This past week has been an exciting and fast one. Elder Galloway and I have been in a companionship with two other missionaries that we're dropping off at the mission home tonight. Elders Krueger and Nelson have been showing us the ropes on some of the new responsibilities and also introducing us to soem of the people in the area. They're both going home, so we've done a lot of picture taking adn eating. It's been a lot of fun though. The members really loved them in this area and we'll have soem big shoes to fill. We've been able to split up some over the past week and really have had some great success. They've both worked really hard which makes coming into this area fun. It's been weird seeing them to prepare to leave. They were our trainers when we arrived, which seems like such a short time ago.
New things are happening in the mission. The MTC has came out with some new trainings and videos that we'll be learning more about soon. We previously had interviews once a transfer as well as zone conference, but they'll both rotate now and only be every other transfer each. We have our first zone leaders council this coming friday. It should really be a great learning experience.
We're excited for some of the missionary activities that are coming up as well. There's a picnic this saturday for the branch and the branch has really been pushing invitations. The members always do a great job of getting friends out. I think it's the hispanic culture that really makes it easy for them to invite. We hope to meet some new people and start some great teaching opportunities. Some members in the ward in the north are also planning a fireside with the mission president. They're making a short video with testimonies and conversion stories of several of the new converts set to music. We're hoping that it'll be a great success and tool in the future.
The mission and the stake presidents in calgary have came out with a new two year goal to baptize a stake- or about 2,500 baptisms before the completion of the temple. Some specific goals have been set and it continues to be an exciting time in the mission. President Archibald continues to have challenging expectations for our spanish program. It's interesting that he never lowers his expectations for us. I"m sure that Elder Galloway and I will be learning a lot and growing a lot as well over the next couple weeks. I couldn't be more excited to be serving with him again.
I'm glad that the babies are both doing very well. You'll have to email me some more pictures sometime soon. I love and miss you all!
Con amor,
Elder Dunlap
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
7/27/2010
Hola familia!
We really had a great week this past week. We were able to set two baptismal dates for August 14th. One is a girl from colombia that we've been working with for a while named natalia. It's been hard to get in contact with her over the past couple weeks, but she seems ready to be baptized. The other is a 20 year old frmo Mexico. He's a friend of a member adn we were able to begin teaching him this past week. He accepted a date in the first lesson for the 14th as well. He too seems ready.
I just got news though that I'm getting tranfered. I'm sad to leave the area and a lot of the people that we've been working with. My companion, Elder Chunn will be training one of the new elders in our area. Elder Rudd will be training the other in the ward in the north of the city. They're both excited to train and will be great for the new elders. It's going to be different having new elders in the mission. Several of the older elders will be leaving in the next week as well.
I'm getting transfered to cover the south stake, or the southeast corner of the city. Elder Galloway is going to be my companion again. I couldn't be happier! I loved serving with him and am really looking forward to it again. They created a new all-spanish zone for us with two districts. Elder Galloway and I are going to be the zone leaders. I'm sure that there's going to be soem new challenges and responsibilibities for us.
I'm glad to hear that all is going well with the babies. I can't believe that life continues to go on without me at home. The weather here continues to be great. THere's been a decent amount of rain recently, but I think that's probably common here in Calgary. I miss and love you all! Next week I'll have more details about the new area and things. It is a holiday here on Monday, and so we will be emailing on tuesday next week.
Com mucho amor,
Elder Dunlap
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
7/21/2010
Hola!
We had another great week this past week. Time continues to fly by.
Yesterday was the baptism of Alicia, a girl who is 22 and from Spain. She has two young kids that are still in Spain, but she came to canada on a 6 month visa to learn english. It's interesting how the Lord works. She came with her younger sister and her sister's boyfriend. They had all recieved permission and worked out plans to go to England to learn English, but for some reason were reassigned to calgary at the last minute. I guess that the governement there has connections with certain cities or countries, i'm not sure how it works. but, she was assigned to calgary. she met a member that was a recent convert over the internet somehow before she came. he started bringing her to our english classes and she began listening to the missionaries. her husband in spain is an atheist and she had developed throughout her life similar views. i was able to perform the baptismal interview and it was a wonderful experience. president archibald conducted part of the interview and i learned a lot from the way he answered some of her questions. i had the opportunity to translate between the two of them. the elders have done an excellent job preparing her and helping her along. it was great to be able to hear her testimony of each question and the different commandments. her family in spain was totally against her decision and her sister here as well. but, she knew what she had felt and that it was true. she asked me to confirm her and that was a spiritual experience as well.
we also received a call from an investigator that we haven't taught for about 5 weeks. we've stayed in contact with her fellowshippers and they've been helping her along although scheduling differences and some things that happened in the single adult ward that she was attending have kept us from having an appointment. we talked to her a couple days ago and she told us that she's been reading the book of mormon recently and has decided that she is going to get baptized. most likely before the end of the month. we have an appointment with her tomorrow and hope to work out all the details.
we also challenged a member to invite one of their freinds to learn about the gospel in 7 days. the member said that they have a friend that is a young mexican that told the member that he'd like to be baptized. the member said that he told him he has to learn a little bit first.
we've been excited about all of the new things that seem to be coming together and the blessings that we're receiving. it seems that things seem to always come together at the end of transfers. we have transfers next week, so preparation day will be on tuesday next week. the elders are all excited because this thursday is when we find out who will be training the 2 new elders that are coming from the mtc. i'm hoping to stay in this area at least one more transfer. we'll see what happens though. we've heard rumors that there's going to be some changes with several of the older elders going home from the spanish.
this past week, i also learned how to put down new sod. a member asked us to help him and through the service, we were able to meet two new spanish people. they're both younger guys that work for the member. they live in other areas of the city, but we were able to find two new references. i've been pretty sore ever since. we had to carry A LOT of dirt and grass to the back of the house where we were putting it down. it was a lot of fun though. most service opportunities here are usually helping people move.
i'm glad to hear that everything with the babies continues to go well. i love and miss you all.
con amor,
elder dunlap
Monday, July 12, 2010
July 12th
Hola familia!
Everything here continues to go well. We have spent a lot of the past week walking but it's been fun to get out and be amongst the people. It definitely makes me have a little more of a missionary spirit to feel like I'm suffering a little bit. I realized how spoiled we are being able to drive the rest of the year. With the stampede, everyone in towns seems to have transformed to cowboys. Everyone has on cowboy hats, flannel, and jeans. We've tried to avoid the stampede area near downtown but there has definitely been more people out in the streets.
We're excited because there's a baptism planned for this Saturday in our branch. It's a girl from Spain that a member brought to the English Classes that we had started. It'll be my first baptismal interview so it should be a neat experience. Hopefully, alot of the other students in the class will come to the baptism and feel the spirit.
We have been teaching a part member couple. The wife is a member adn the husbadn is Harry Krishner- or something like that. It's a unique religion is based on vegetarianism and reincarnation and some other things. We decided to visit a yougn single adult member that speaks spanish this week and through talking to him, he told us that his dad had converted from the same religion and it was the same situation- his mom was a member. It was a neat miracle to be able to find that out and we plan on bringing the couple to the appointment this week. I really hope that it'll help him get over soem of the doubts he has. I've learned to appreciate more during the mission to keep a broader perspective. Little daily miracles like this are what brings the ultimate success in the long run. Sometimes, it is frustrating to look back at a day and only have one lesson or not really see too much success. But looking back over weeks and months, and seeing the changes in the people we work with and how we've personally grown, success can be seen. We've helped to bring people unto Christ and have grown through our trials.
I'm glad to hear that everyone is doing well. I love and miss you all!
Con Amor,
Elder Dunlap
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