Banana Brothers

The title of this is "Banana Brothers" because I wanted to report that
Elder Siebers single handedly ate twenty bananas in two days this
week. I promise that isn't the most exciting part of this email, but
it still amazes me.

This week was dedicated to a lot of finding. We talked to a lot of
different people this week, and found a big apartment complex that we
have started to call "Little Persia" that has been fun to explore. One
moment you are in City Heights, and e next you feel you are walking
through a village in the Middle East. I took my picture with these
four super nice little boys that only speak Arabic (luckily I can say
hello in Arabic!). They are refugees from Syria, and it just made me
so thankful for the church and everything it is doing to help
refugees.

We visited Yadira this last week, who had a surgery in Tijuana on
Tuesday and can't really do much right now. We got to show her how to
explore and use all of the different church websites. She is such a
trooper.

On Friday we had to go on splits because we had too many appointments,
and I went by myself with a member while Elders Taunauta and Siebers
went off with another member to visit someone. Both groups had good
lessons, but it was so weird to be apart from my companions! I'm
really glad that God gave me the opportunity to serve here with these
two for my last transfer.

I'm not sure if I've told you about Hermana Quintero, but if I
haven't, let me repent. Hermana Quintero is this super sweet lady in
our ward that invites us over every Sunday for a feast. And I'm not
talking about just any regular Sunday meal, I'm talking about a feast
for a small army! That woman can cook! Her voice is also just really
cool, and we decided that she sounds like royalty, so we have started
to call her the "Mexiqueen." This week was steak kabobs wrapped in
bacon, barbecued chicken, watermelon, rice, corn, rolls, ice cream,
and cheesecake. Bless her heart that woman is an angel. She is living
proof that the fastest way to an Elder's heart is through his stomach
;) haha nah just kidding, that's only partially true.

For July 4th our ward had a picnic at a park, and we had three
nonmembers come- Carlos Gonzalez (Blanca's son), Socorro Maldonado,
and Reynaldo Hernandez, who is a random man that we talked to on the
street last week! We had a great time! There was carne asada, pollo
asado, and hot dogs :) Along with a large variety of fruits and other
good stuff.

The Book of Mormon changes lives! For example, when we talked to
Reynaldo on the street last week he started telling us about how he
could never believe in anything outside of the Bible, or that God
continues to speak to man today. About three minutes into talking to
him, we opened the Book of Mormon to 2 Nephi 28. As we read to him you
could physically see his countenance change, and after we read a few
verses HE asked US if we could come teach him more. If you aren't
actively reading the Book of Mormon right now, sacrifice whatever you
need to in order to read at least a little everyday. If you do so, I
testify and promise that Satan will have no power over you, and your
doubts will be replaced by unshakeable faith.

Elder Dahl

1. Look at this hat that Elder Taunauta has! There is a lot of Tongan
pride in this companionship.
2. I came out of the bathroom and Elder Taunauta was sitting like this
listening to a conference talk. I took over a dozen pictures and he
had no idea. Now that's what I call "pondering the scriptures"
3. Sometimes you just have "one of those days."
4. My last zone conference picture!

1. Poor Ramoncito is so bored while his mom, Yadira, is recovering
from surgery. Haha
2. These are the four Syrian kids! They were so sweet and adorable.
They kept on yelling hello to us in Arabic and giving us high fives.
3. Sometimes when you are just trying to rest on your super comfy
couch, your companion just all of the sudden ends up forgetting that
you were already on the couch, and then this happens.
4. I love this statue outside of Rosa Parks Elementary School.
5. Elder Siebers takes a lot of pictures where he and all of his
friends just make straight faces at the camera just because it's
funny. We are trying to do it, but man it is so hard not to smile when
you are actually thinking about it!