YSA and more JOY!

Hello all my favorite people

(or at least some of them because I have a lot of favorites out here too),

Last Monday after emailing we went to a park with the whole zone and went ice blocking. We also played ultimate frisbee and wiffle ball and volleyball and soccer. One of our members Brennan came and hung out with us. We went to our lesson with Melissa who bailed again. :/

We went to FHE which was a memorial day barbeque with Vista and it was such fun. We were driving home and had like fifteen minutes left on the clock so we went to contact. Talking to people about God.

Tuesday, a beautiful day - I don’t think I can say that enough, or how much I absolutely love being a missionary, or how much l love talking to people about God, or how much love and happiness I feel because of what I do, I don’t know, I don’t think I can say any of that enough! We started out like any other day with exercise and planning. We went to district meeting, love district meeting, love my people! We walked to the ocean. We stopped to talk to a couple of guys who were talking about old cars. We went everywhere in that conversation. We talked about cars and football and getting old and God and work. It was cool. They are now our friends.

We went to dinner at Katie’s house. We walked in her garden and listened to her sing and play her guitar. I love Katie, she is amazing, it is so fun to see her progression.

Wednesday we had president interviews. I love President. He has taken on that father figure for me and Sister Thomas has become my mother figure. They are so awesome. We celebrated with coldstone because we got our money that day and sister Miles had only nine days until her month mark which would never happen again.

Then we did service for a less active older cat lady, Sylvia. We trimmed her plants and spread mulch and did weeding and sweeping. We got ready again and went contacting everyone was at the ocean, smart people. We went to dinner with a couple of members who gave us food from the farmers market. It was delicious and fresh. We walked toward the church and met a guy along the way. We asked him if we could talk to him about Jesus Christ and he answered “If there is anything you can tell me that I don’t know.” He went into bash mode and the spirit was not entirely there and I wanted it back so we opened up the scriptures. I said, “Can I show you what I believe to be true.” We read him Alma 40:11-12 and bore testimony of the love of God and that Heavenly Father wants us all to come back to him so He provides a way. He stopped and listened. We offered this basher a copy of the Book of Mormon and he accepted it. The spirit and the scriptures change people.  It was a good day.

Thursday we cleaned up the yard of the Relief Society building on base. We did weeding and dug a trench. We went home and got ready and visited a member who should be in YSA but isn’t and invited her and her friends to volleyball that night. We went to work contacting. Working hard, planting seeds, having fun, contacting people, and loving life. We went to sports night and played volleyball. There were a whole bunch of people there and it was really fun. Brother Brooks pulled us aside and gave us a huge assignment.

Friday, Happy June! Brother Brooks gave us a huge packet where we went through a whole list of the should be YSA. We had to go through and mark everyone who has married or moved and then prioritized the rest of the list into those who are active, less active, etc. It was a huge project and seemed like it kept us from the work but it will help us to be able to do our work better.

Saturday, I studied the hymn Songs of Praise which sends us to D&C 25:12 which says I was like  “For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads.” This is totally what I think about hymns, they are prayers, they are praises.

We planned what we call operation YSA to try and recruit those who should be coming to this ward to come. We are having three big events, the first one is called “Hello Summer!” which will be a bonfire and volleyball night at the harbor. It is going to be a blast! We made flyers to pass out at seminary graduation and other places to help people know to come to our ward. I love YSA!

Sunday, better yet Fast Sunday, we presented our plan at ward council and what we have been doing for it. They were all impressed with our preparation and drive to do it. Then church, let me tell you I love church! I get asked all the time, “If the gospel is a personal relationship with God, why do we have to go publicly to church?” It is just kind of simple, the sacrament. Yes we go to be spiritually uplifted and edified, yes we love to learn and relearn, I love to feel everyone’s spirit and excitement for the gospel but the sacrament where we repent and renew our covenants. I love it. It is about the sacrament. I love the gospel.

We went to seminary graduation and said “we are not trying to get you married” we passed out tons of flyers. We were so excited about it.

This morning, we woke up at 4:30 and went to the pier. A fisher / chef guy caught a shark so I took a selfie with it.

An asian lady saw us taking pictures with the shark and wanted me to take a picture with her fish. Honesty moment, I did not catch any of these fish.

We are having fun. Thank you for all you do for me. You guys are awesome. I love you all so much! Have a great week! See ya, love ya, bye!

Sister Dalley

josie.dalley@myldsmail.net