called to serve

hello!

welcome to my little corner of the internet.

my name is brooke dahlberg (sister dahlberg coming september 24th)

a little something you should know before we continue.

i always knew i loved the gospel and my savior, jesus christ, but i never pictured myself serving a full time mission, that was until the age changed. i remember president monson saying the words and feeling so overwhelmed with so many emotions as i sat on the couch in my polka dot jammie's watching conference. i remember hearing the words and the spirit hitting me strong, like super duper strong. wait a minute, did that mean that heavenly father had a mission in brooke dahlberg's plan?

the next monday i remember sitting in the senior hall with my closest friends, talking about the exciting news we had heard that weekend, turning and asking one another, "are you going to serve a mission?" every girls response was different, but when the question was turned to me, it really hit me. WAS I GOING TO SERVE A MISSION?

i couldn't act on anything because i had just turned 18 years old, so after i graduated high school i headed to dixie state university for fall and spring semester. always having the thought of me walking around with a black name tag on, sharing a message of jesus christ to complete strangers in the back of my head. and to be quite honest, the thought made me giddy and so, so, so happy.

with me being so young for my grade, throughout the year i watched some of my closest friends receive mission calls from everywhere to new zealand, to hungary, to canada, to maryland, to nashville tennessee. they paved the way for me. always being the best examples. (heavenly father blessed me with the best friends in the whole wide world) i so badly wanted to tear open a big white envelope, anxiously waiting to read where heavenly father needed me for 18 months, just like i had watched them do. i wanted to badly for my name to be sister dahlberg and i wanted to so badly serve my heavenly father and bring others the truth and happiness that everyone badly needs and deserves.

....but why would i turn in my papers when my missionary i had been writing was to be coming home in two months?

 after praying about serving a mission starting in november and when april rolled around, i was frustrated and angry that my answer hadn't come. (i think i lost glimpse that it wasn't my timeline, but it was the mans upstairs for his plan was better than mine. his way was the ONLY way)

one monday morning in april, my whole world changed. i woke up knowing what my answer was and what i needed to do, so i texted my bishop asking him if i could start my papers ASAP, he responded very quickly and said, "i'll see you tomorrow at 7:00 P.M.

EEEEKKK! wait. was this really happening? i couldn't even believe it.

i will keep this brief, but my missionary's p-day was on tuesday (the day after i texted my bishop and the day i was supposed to my papers, are you still with me? i hope i didn't loose you) anyhow, i didn't mention anything about me starting my papers that night or even so serving a mission. i kept it to the basics telling him about my week and such, just my typical weekly email.

for when he responded back telling me there was something he needed to tell me and it was going to be really hard, i knew what was coming............. he didn't even have to say it, but he did. he had explained to me that he had met a girl and had started to have feelings for her. i would be lying to you all if i didn't say i was completely heartbroken because i was. my whole world seemed to be crumbling and crashing to the floor. i had wrote him for 22 months and everything i had pictured and dreamed was being thrown away right in front of me.

but wait a minute, there was no coincidence that i decided to serve a mission the day before my missionary had told me what he had. for let me remind you all, we need to put our trust in heavenly father because his plan is greater than our own. put your life into his hands and follow the lead.

so that is exactly what i did. i started my papers that night in st. george and finished them within two days. (can i get an amen hallelujah? i believe that could go into the guinness book of world records, don't ya think?)

the school year wrapped up, i packed my car up to the tip top and moved back to south ogden. after being home a couple weeks, i got word on a monday night that my call had been assigned and my call was at my house THE NEXT MORNING at 8:00 AM. (yes, you read that right. IT CAME THE NEXT DAY. it is okay if you don't believe it because i didn't, not for one second)

i waited until that night to open it because my brother serving a full time mission in mexico was expected to skype us so he could be apart of the special day. (talk about the longest and most nerve racking day of my life so far)

i was convinced i was going argentina, england, or chile. like CONVINCED people. ( but that is kind of besides the point.....)

it was finally my turn to open up that big white envelope.

before i even read it out loud, i grabbed the paper from out of the envelope and it was like the location had flashers around it in big bold letters because my eyes went to it INSTANTLY. i gathered myself the best i could and read.

"dear sister dahlberg, you are herby called to serve in the.................................

(photos and video done by the lovely, allie schroder)


MISSOURI, ST. LOUIS MISSION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

for those of who have received a mission call before... you will know exactly where i am coming from. there is no greater feeling in the world than reading where the lord needs you to serve him for the next 1.5-2 years, truly no better feeling. when you read the place where you will be serving for the very first time, it is like, DUHHHHH WHY DIDN'T I GUESS THAT FOR MYSELF?

i didn't know much about missouri, but i soon found out so many wonderful things.

the oh so famous arch
the church history and the significance it has in our church
the big city
main population: blacks
the weather
the humidity (bring it on, frizzy hair)
the HOTTTTTTT summers
the bitter COLDDDD winters
the cardinals (don't worry i already started studying up on my baseball lingo)
the people

st. louis missouri, the perfect spot for me.

i wanted to badly to get there, meet the people and get to work, but i had 4 in a half months before i was to leave, that meant for me, 4 in a half months that satan had to try and convince me not to go.

and that is exactly what he did. for those of you who know me, already know this, but i went back and forth with going and not going. i would wake up everyday with a different feeling.

I AM GOING.
I AM NOT GOING.
I AM GOING.
I AM NOT GOING.

it was an on going battle between my head and my heart. and let me tell you something, i have never felt so miserable in my life.

satan will do anything to stop the lords work.

fact of the day. satan stinks. no fact of life.

for awhile he had me convinced that a mission was no longer for me, that i had better things to be doing back at home.

it got to the point to where i almost called the church offices, cancelled my call and signed up for classes at UVU.

everyone had their own opinions about me staying and going, but ultimately i knew it was my decision.

one night when i didn't think i could take it one more second, i went and talked to an older man, whom i look up to and adore so much. a man that was once in the "70". a man that has a lot of knowledge. a man who's opinion matters to me. a man who is very close to the spirit and a man who knows president monson on a personal level. (when he told me he had his number memorized.......... he wasn't kidding you guys)

after a wonderful conversation he said something that hit me.

"brooke you have had your answer all along, you just aren't willing to accept what it is."

HE WAS RIGHT. COMPLETELY RIGHT.

why had i forgotten the way i felt when i heard president monson change the age? or when i woke up that monday morning knowing what my answer was? why had i lost sight of what heavenly father had wanted me to do?

i look back and when i was debating between going and staying. heavenly father placed me in countless situations where i now can recognize that he was trying to kindly and gently remind me of the answer he had already once given me. and that answer was to serve him.

i am so grateful for a loving, kind, merciful, and PATIENT heavenly father, for i am nothing without him.

about a week ago, i decided to push satan aside, for he was the one putting negative thoughts in my head, making me unsure about my mission service and to go with i had known all along. and let me tell you something, i have never been so happy in my life.

i can feel and see the blessings already. i have already watched miracles occur in my family and i have seen gods hand in many ways.

after all heavenly father has given me, the least i can do is serve him for 18 months. i am happy and i am ready to leave, although i am scared and nervous of what lies ahead of me, i know that if i put full trust in the lord, everything will be okay.

"i promise that because of your faithful response to the call to spread the gospel, he will bind up your broken hearts, dry your tears, and set you and your families free. that is my missionary promise to you and your missionary message to the world." - elder holland

i already have a special love for the people of missouri and i haven't even met them yet. i can't wait to wear that black name tag around, sharing a message of jesus christ to complete strangers, teaching them about the gospel of true and everlasting happiness, and how to return back to our loving, kind, merciful, and PATIENT heavenly father.

for will there be anything better? i believe not.

i can't wait for my name to be sister dahlberg and serve my heavenly father for the next 18 months.

i love this gospel and would be nothing without it. for it is now my turn to give back and let others feel of the happiness that comes from being a member of the church of jesus christ of latter day saints.

THE CHURCH IS TRUE.

thank you all for the love and support you have shown me. always sticking by my side no matter what.

i love you all.

love, brooke, the girl who has already started packing her suitcases
or lets just pretend it is september 24th for just a second. k?

love, SISTER DAHLBERG