Rain, Elvis and Angels in Temecula

Hello everybody. I am so happy to be here right now.

M - We did our cleaning exercising and shopping.

We went to Everbowl for Acai. I don’t think I have ever had as many acai bowls as I have out here but they are amazing. We emailed and played volleyball at the church. I also taught Elder Borgess how to do a breakdancing windmill, he almost has it but it was really funny.

Later we had a lesson with Josh. We taught him the plan of salvation and it was kind of weird. It didn’t seem like he believed any of it. He thought it was interesting. We have another lesson planned we will see how that goes but it will take a lot of faith on his part. We practiced our song for zone conference.

T - Went to zone conference. I love zone conference. We talked about Joseph Smith, revelation, the spirit. It was so good. It was so fun. I absolutely loved it. We kind of took the time to get to know who Joseph Smith was and what he did. Even though we have heard these things countless times before and we teach it every day. I love learning more. We also sang our song. I got to see a bunch of my friends.It was just a spiritual day.

We went to dinner with brother Johnson (former bishop) and his daughters and had a lesson with his daughters. Then we went to work going by houses of people with interest. I love what I do.

W - such a great day. We went to service at the food pantry. Right as we were about to leave the guy who runs it found a dead rat. He asked us to stay and help him. We had to go through tons of crates and determine what was good and what was bad. It was nasty!

We came home and got ready and then went to a park with Alejandra and painted. We had these papers out and painted and were in a comfortable environment for her to just talk and ask questions and express her concerns. It was really good.

We went to the area where we were going to have dinner and began tracting and door after door was NO. Finally we knocked on the door of the house next to the house we were supposed to have dinner and the lady came out of her back yard. We ended up talking with her and gave her a copy of the Book of Mormon. She decided she could ask sister Baker her next door neighbor more about the church. It made me happy that sister Baker is a friend she trusts and now can be a missionary to her neighbor.

We were contacting. We were about to head home and decided to contact one more guy.  He asked “What are you guys doing?” and “What is the difference between your church and others?” These are two golden questions. We were able to talk to him about eternal families and revelation and the plan of salvation and mostly the Book of Mormon. He took a Book of Mormon and information and told us we can come teach him. Woot!

Th - another amazing day! I feel liek that could basically be my heading for every single day of my mission. I feel so redundant. During studies I was reminded of the instance with the basher and the Book of Mormon a while ago.  So I turned to Alma 33:5-14 and remembered it being an answer to my prayers. That is what studies do, they remind me what I know and the tender mercy that scripture was.

WE went to BOM studies with Alejandra. We studied Alma 32 which talks a lot about faith. We talked about faith. She said “your enthusiasm and excitement for the scriptures just makes me want to learn more and makes me excited to read.” Keep praying for Alejandra. She said our meeting with her is helping her testimony. We talked to her about Patriarchal blessings and temples. While we were meeting with her it started raining … like WHAT? It never rains in Temecula. WE were so happy we went out and danced in the rain.

We went out and worked and ran out into an older Filipino man who was a corpsman for the Navy so he tried to recruit us for almost 45 minutes. That was a good day! We have way to much fun! I love it!

F- Friday was great! I love the missionary life.  We got picked up by the other sisters to go do service out of an older non member crazy lady's house. She is super fit. My grandma and her could have a wrestling match. Sheis something. We did tons of stuff there - we broke up concrete with a sledge hammer and trimmed hedges and raked leaves. Then we went to get icees as a district because that is who was there.

After dinner we went to a lesson with Guy and I got a picture. All I can tell you is I TOLD YOU - he looks like Elvis, he tries hard to look like Elvis and he talks about Elvis all the time. He is so funny.

Saturday - What a day! We rode our bikes up many hills to get to a golf course to help set up for a member’s son’s wedding reception. She had us stay there as greeters. She is the most missionary minded person I know. She said, “I need you to stay because I want you introduce yourselves to all the non-members who will be coming in.” That was dinner too. It was a beautiful reception. It was all approved, don’t fret, we asked.

Congrats to my cousin Josh Dalley! I am so happy for you and am excited to meet my new cousin Annee. Welcome to the family! Congrats you two.

Su - Church is always the best! We studied and then went and tracted. We like to drop off our bikes and then tract around their neighbor’s houses until dinner time. At dinner, they have a daughter with a disability named Brittany. I am not sure what it is but she is perfectly able to talk although it is a little hard to understand her. Her mom was telling me of many stories where Brittany is able to see angels. It was so sweet - during dinner Brittany looked at me and said, “You had a friend die.” I answered that yes I did because Cole passed away recently. She then said ”It is good you were here. It would have been much harder for you if you were there. He loves you. Do you need a tissue?” I answered that I did because tears were streaming down my face. It was a really sweet experience.

Today the 20th it is my dear friend Nickmo’s birthday. Happy birthday! You are a role model for me!

I hope you have a fantastic week this week because I know that I will (ya Jake). I love you. I know God loves you.

Love you love you bye!

Sister Dalley

josie.dalley@myldsmail.net

sisterjosiedalley.blogspot.com

God is Real

Hello Family,

I am coming at you live from Temecula California. I am so happy up here. It is crazy hot but is crazy fun.

For P-day after we got our laundry and everything else done we went bowling as a district. I creamed everyone in the first round but in the second I got beat bad. We played games at the church for the rest of the day and went to dinner as a district. It was a party. We went to work going by PIs and meeting members.

T - We went to district council. I love district council. We focused on the difference between salvation and exaltation and why temples and family history are so important. This part was recently added into Preach My Gospel and that is new into the plan of salvation lesson. We went to have our studies and practice a song. Guess who is singing at zone conference again? Yep, me, we are singing Joseph Smith’s first prayer to Israel Israel God is Calling. We then went to work. Always working hard. Always having fun. I love being a missionary. Biking is awesome, I am getting toned again.

W - I studied the hymn Come ye Thankful People. It led me to a couple of scriptures. It led me to D&C 86:5 and it says,

5 Behold, verily I say unto you, the angels are crying unto the Lord day and night, who are ready and waiting to be sent forth to reap down the fields;

It reminded me of us, the missionaries. We pray a lot, we cry unto the Lord day and night and we are ready. We are going forth and reaping down the fields. It just made me happy. Angels .. I love it. We stand ready to to be sent forth.

Then we went to service at a food pantry thing. It kind of reminded me of Five 12, the set up was similar, but these bags were families. We had buckets of food and put them into a crate and then bagged them. We practiced our song. Sister Baker picked us up and took us to Olive Garden and Dough Creamery, she is our favorite. We then went to work. I love working, it makes me so happy.

Th - We went to service again at the same place except this time we were doing government commodities. There was a lot of food so there were a lot of us working. It was super fun.

After service we did studies and got ready and then we rode to Vida’s house where we had our lesson and the spirit was so strong. Vida has been taught one lesson before. Her husband is a less active member. He is super supportive of her going to church and taking the lessons. Last week she went to church. She has MS so she is in a wheelchair a lot or has a hard time walking. She is amazing, she is elect! I have said that before for other people but they were nothing like Vida. WE had our plan of salvation lesson with Vida. The spirit was so strong. She knows the church is true and she loves the plan of happiness. We asked her to be baptized and she said ‘Yes’ so she is on date for September 1st. When we asked her to be baptized she said, “Well that is the whole point of us meeting, right?” We are so excited for her. Please pray for her, she is amazing.

F- We had two lessons cancel on us but we still went to work and had fun. My good news that I found out is Tiffany, from my last area is aiming to be baptized August 24th! I am so happy! I am so happy for her, I love Tiffany so much! I will actually get to go back for her baptism. Woot, woot!

S - We starting out with studies and exercising as usual and then we went to work.

We went to a new member lesson with Alejandra. She is kind of struggling because her dad fed her some anti. She is so sweet so pray for her. We are trying to get her progressing and to get her patriarchal blessing and go to the temple. Sister Baker, a member came to help teach the lesson and the spirit was so strong.

We then went to a lesson with a recent convert that just moved into our ward. She is married and has six kids, the oldest is 21 and her youngest is 4. She and her 14 and 10 year olds were baptized. The rest didn’t. We will be working her for her new member lessons. We will be working with her husband and hopefully help him to get into the same covenant path because this is a gospel of families. It was awesome!

S - I love Sundays! They are so awesome. We went to ward council. I talked about Peter and the Savior when Peter feared because of the storm and the Savior immediately stretched out

We had a great sacrament meeting. Vida was there again. She actively participated in class and in relief society. I love it!

We rode to the Rebars house and had an awesome conversation about joy and hope with them over dinner.

While we were biking there a man rolled down his window and yelled “God isn’t real.” It made me so sad for him. I made me wonder “what happened in your life that led you to hate on God?” Not just to the extent of ruining his own faith or relationship with God but so much that he thinks it is ok to try diminish others’ faith. So much that he would yell at two sisters who are doing their best to share joy, light, peace, love and truth. We talked about the type of people who God expects us to be.

It made us sad for that man. He thinks he won but no he is wrong. He thinks he is so cool doing that to us and then fleeing the scene. I wanted to talk to him. I wanted to tell him what I know and love. I hope someone finds him someday.

Mom, Dad, Kiddos and whoever else reads this. I testify God lives. He loves us. He provides his way home. I know that. It is something I hold so dear to my heart. I walk outside and know he is there. I see the amazing creations he has given us, I see the amazing bodies he has created for us, everything testifies of God. He is so real and he loves us and it is amazing!  

I want you to know how much I truly love standing for Christ. I truly love being a representative of him. I truly love the opportunity I have to share his love and his joy and his peace. I just love it! I love working and being a missionary. I love being out here in California, in Temecula, even though it is hot and the hills are killing my legs. I love it! I can’t imagine being anywhere else or doing anything different. I thank you all for everything you do for me and being with me while I do this. I rely on the strength of you praying for me back home. I thank you so much for those prayers because I truly feel them every day.  I love you all so much! I hope you have a fantastic week. God is real and God loves you.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen

Love you, love you, bye

Sister Dalley

josie.dalley@myldsmail.net

sisterjosiedalley.blogspot.com

Temecula is Hot!

Hello everyone! How are you all doing? I am doing great! Holy cow, has it been a whole week already? This week went by very fast. Hello from Temecula, California. It is definitely different from Carlsbad but it is another great day in paradise, it is another place of paradise, it is the best!

This area is just so hot! I got here on Tuesday. I stepped out of the member’s car and literally walked into an oven. They say in the last couple of weeks it has gotten up to 120 which is hot especially when I am used to 75 at Carlsbad.This week it got up to 106. It is just very hot but I love it here.

M - Pday laundry and transfer book signing.  It is like yearbook signing. Just saying goodbye to everybody. It is pretty sad actually.   I said goodbye at FHE which was also sad.

I went to say goodbye to Andi, one of our members and she made me creme brulee. I said goodbye to the Gundersons. I am going to miss that ward and that area.

T - I said goodbye to Sister Miles :(  

The, I met Sister Stoddard, I love her already and I am so excited to work with her in this area and get started.

W - Happy August, holy cow. Zone greet. Tons of fun and tons of great people. I am so excited to be working with them. Our Zone theme is in Nehemia v 10, the end says “the joy of the Lord is your strength.” I love it for it is about joy. Finding joy in the work and being happy while we do the work. It was hot that day, so hot, it is going to be fun. It is super cool, amazing people, I am so excited to be working here.

Th - We live about 2 miles outside of our area so we decided to walk into our church. On our way we contacted and passed out a Book of Mormon to a guy named Tay. Hoy cow! I can’t say it enough, Temecula is hot! I feel like I might say this for the whole time I am here. It is hecka-hot! We cleaned up our area book. I am excited! It is going to be great! We went by a few people with interest and members. It is hard to learn a new area - I feel like a greenie again.

F - We went to do service. We have a blast!

We did our weekly planning. I am trying to learn about everyone who I will be working with and for. It will be good. YSAs are so different than the family ward but I am loving the family ward. It is so much fun! We had a lesson at the church with a recent convert, Guy, he literally looks, talks and acts like Elvis. We talked about God’s commandments especially about the Word of Wisdom. Every sentence he adds, “Let me tell you, my friends …” He is so funny. He is so cool! He has a super strong testimony. We walked the two miles back to our apartment. I loved it!

Sister Stoddard and I are already super good friends already. We learned so much about each other. Which is so much fun!

S - It was awesome! The 4th was my mission grandma, Sister Sweetwood’s birthday. I love my mission grandma, she is so cute! Congrats to Keeley and Nelson for getting married. I am so happy for them!

Also, Happy Birthday to my family! It was my parents’ anniversary so therefore my family’s birthday. It was a great great day! A lot of landmarks, a lot of awesomeness!

That day was awesome. We went to a zone breakfast at the stake president's house. It was super fun! Here, the members are super duper missionary work driven.  They love us missionaries and help us in any way they can.

We then, as a whole zone sang Called to Serve, and man, have you ever heard a whole bunch of missionaries sing Called to Serve together? Chills!

I finally got my bike. After our studies, we went different people with interest houses and members.  Sister Stoddard’s back brake broke. So I finally got a bike and then her bike broke. We had to have a member come pick us up but while we were waiting we were tracting which is fun. We get to meet a bunch of really cool people that way.

Su - We walked to church because sister Stoddard’s bike was broken. I got to meet a lot people and it was testimony meeting so I got to see a lot of people that way. I love this ward, they are so great! We went to a meeting with the Ward Mission Leader. It was really good. I love that we all get to work together to do missionary work. It is so great!

One of our members fixed Sister Stoddard’s bike while we were at our meeting. He is the best. We rode our bikes to dinner at the RS presidents home where I met a little girl whose first name is Merry and middle name is Christmas. She is the cutest thing ever with strawberry red hair. She gave me a little bahama penny and told me she loved me.

We stopped in at a potential persons home, Josh and Ayu. He invited us in and we taught him the gospel of Jesus Christ and pick him up as a new person to teach.

While I have been here in the last week we have picked up three people to teach which is so great. You know how hard it was to find people to teach in my last area. It is so much fun! He is super interested. He has a daughter who is 7 months old who he wants to raise in a religion with good moral standards.

The rest of the day was full of contacting and tracting - working hard and having fun!

That was my week. It just went by so fast!

I just love you all so much!

Sister Dalley

josie.dalley@myldsmail.net

sisterjosiedalley.blogspot.com