The Book of Mormon is True

Hello, it is Sister Dalley. I have been good. My week was really stellar. I had an awesome week. I love missionary work. I love being a missionary. I also love Pday, taking a little time chillin’ and taking a little bit of time for me. I wasn’t really good at emailing last week but I was excited to go play soccer.

Monday night, we made and delivered cookies to older ladies in other wards for FHE. I loved it. I love old people. I miss my old people at work. While we were waiting for it to start our investigator Carolyn just walked in. The ward has been reaching out to her and inviting her to things and  texting so they had invited her to come. She loved it. She loved socializing and serving. I loved this ward.

While contacting we met an amazing lady, Katie, who was really open and loving to us. She has a friend who is a member. She took the Book of Mormon and said, “Ya I will read this.”

We had a new member lesson with Shay. We talked with her about prayer. I shared the song “A Child’s Prayer.” I just love it so much.  We pray He is there and He is listening and His love always surrounds us.

We had another new member lesson with Jocelyn and now she is graduated from us. We talked about the priesthood and patriarchal blessings. I just love her, she is so great.

I am just living the life! I love it. If the whole mission goes as fast as this month has gone, I am gonna die!

We had president interviews. The spiritual goal I set is to make things more personal with everyone, to do the whole teach people not lessons. I want to be better at asking inspired questions, to focus more on that person and their needs. I want to listen more. I want to leave everyone I meet knowing I believe in Christ. That I love them and that He loves me and them.

We met a woman named Sarah who is christian. She wouldn’t listen to our message but asked us to pray with her. A little tender mercy I had was she kind shook me and made me wonder a lot. She asked very challenging questions. She kept asking but wouldn’t listen to what we had to say. She asked why we need the Book of Mormon which she called the “extra scripture.” I have learned that some people ask questions not to understand but to test what we know. I started doubting myself and wondering about the Book of Mormon which is stupid I know. I started to pray in my heart and say, “I know she doesn’t know this and doesn’t want to hear this but “do I know this?” I kept praying and saying, “I need help. I need to know this to be able to teach this. I don’t know why I am doubting this but I need to believe this.”

I got in the car and flipped open my scriptures and landed on Alma 33. I didn’t know what was there but started reading in vs 5 and it was awesome. It says:

5 Yea, O God, and thou wast merciful unto me when I did cry unto thee in my field; when I did cry unto thee in my prayer, and thou didst hear me.

6 And again, O God, when I did turn to my house thou didst hear me in my prayer.

7 And when I did turn unto my closet, O Lord, and prayed unto thee, thou didst hear me.

8 Yea, thou art merciful unto thy children when they cry unto thee, to be heard of thee and not of men, and thou wilt hear them.

9 Yea, O God, thou hast been merciful unto me, and heard my cries in the midst of thy congregations.

I was like, “OK, I get it. Thanks, Heavenly Father. I know you heard my prayer and I am definitely being answered right now. Totally for me” I was sitting in the car knowing these scriptures were for me.

10 Yea, and thou hast also heard me when I have been cast out and have been despised by mine enemies;

As missionaries we have a lot of the “cast out” and “despised.” I have truly come to understand a lot about people and about what they believe and what they DO NOT believe.

11 And thou didst hear me because of mine afflictions and my sincerity; and it is because of thy Son that thou hast been thus merciful unto me, therefore I will cry unto thee in all mine afflictions, for in thee is my joy; for thou hast turned thy judgments away from me, because of thy Son.

He hears us and he answers our prayers. I saw these scriptures as He first answered my prayer and then Alma asks a few questions.

12 And now Alma said unto them: Do ye believe those scriptures which have been written by them of old?

I just went ok, why was I doubting? I do believe, I believe all of this.

14 Now behold, my brethren, I would ask if ye have read the scriptures? If ye have, how can ye disbelieve on the Son of God?

I love these verses because it 1st helped me understand that God had heard my prayer and then it teaches me that if I have read the scriptures how could I disbelieve on the son of God. The Book of Mormon is the keystone. This book is truth. Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon through the power of God.

I know. I knew before. But now I know for myself the Book of Mormon is the word of God and yes it is needed. I know this church is true, it is the true church. It was so needed and I loved it.

Later in the week, we ate dinner with Shay and taught her another new member lesson. Her friends joined us for dinner and our discussion. One of her friends, Chris, asked a whole bunch of questions and our sweet new convert Shay bore powerful testimony to him about what she knows now. I just love her. Chris was really open and accepted a Book of Mormon and committed to read it.

The hymns I studied this week were Redeemer of Israel and The Morning Breaks. They are scripture to me. They are like beautiful poetry backed by scripture. They are so powerful.

They are rude! We do not like daylight savings as missionaries. We did not know if our phone times changed automatically so we set our alarms an hour early so we woke up at like 5:30. We sorely missed that hour of sleep. The perk of fast Sunday in a YSA ward is break the fast right after church. But that is super fun!

We got to teach by the ocean this week. I draw strength from its beauty. I love it. I just love all of you. I love the emails and the letters and pictures. My Ema sent me three books of pictures. I love them.

I love you all!

Bye