Bryant was Baptized!

Hello beautiful people of the world. How are you doing. As you can guess I am doing fantastic. I am having the time of my life out here. I don’t mean that as fun but life is beautiful out here life is amazing out here.

Last Mon - pday- It was a really good day. After our laundry and emailing we went to a member’s house who has sand volleyball courts, basketball, tennis, pickleball and golf. It was our zone activity and it was a blast. We then went to out ward FHE. We got to know a bunch of our members more and share a message about Thanksgiving.

Tues Nov 13, nine months until I go home, I am on the tipity top part of a roller coaster, I am up at the top but now comes the most amazing part that you are just giddy for. We had president interviews. I love president and he is just amazing. He really is inspired. He and I have so many good laughs and so many spiritual moments in our interviews. We laugh and cry. I sustain that man.

We rode up to our lesson with Bryant. It was his last one, laws and ordinances. He was so excited to follow Jesus.

The next day we helped Vida and talked with her. She has decided to substitute juicing for her coffee. She is excited for Bryant and we could tell she wished she could get baptized on Saturday too but she didn’t want to hold him back anymore. Please keep praying for her. She just needs to get past this addiction so she can come into the fold because that is where she wants to be.

Bryant had his baptismal interview and he passed with flying colors. He gave us high fives.

Thursday after exercise we went to do government commodities at the food pantry. We love that place and those people. It was really great to help people for Thanksgiving. Everybody deserves to have a happy holiday.

We came home and studied. We are so busy that sometimes our studies get pushed but I love it when we can sit and have a good study. We are usually just running. God does not have a time boundary but we do so we just have to keep up with him and his work.

We worked a complex to find some of our less active people. One, Pia said she was baptized many years ago but does not have much knowledge about the gospel. She has been having many challenges and trials. She said she was angry and crying and praying and right then we knocked. She thought, “that must be the missionaries.” She didn’t want to answer. We knocked on the door three times while she watched us talk and laugh with each other through the peep hole. We usually walk away but just had stayed and chatted with each other. She finally opened the door. We said, “You must be Pia, what can we do for you?” and she just broke down and started crying. She told us that she wants to take the discussions again so she can learn about it again. She wants to learn and wants her nonmember boyfriend to join us. So woot woot for that. I know that we needed to go there and I love it. I will go where you want me to go dear Lord.

We also knocked on a door. He immediately started laugh because he is an inactive return missionary with a daughter who just turned nine and is not baptized. He had just moved into the area and had just said, “I wonder how long it will take for the missionaries to find us” and there we were. He was kind but not super open but I know we needed to find him. I just love how God puts us in places where we are need and where god wants us. We know we are on His errand and are sent to his lost sheep. I love it. I wish I could put you in my pocket to experience this with me.

Friday - tennis and studies and then we helped a pregnant sister clean her house. She was having cravings so she took us to a sushi house. It was amazing! It was so good! I love sushi. We rode home, made cookies and planned for the baptism.

Nov 17 Saturday - oh my heart! It will always have a special place in my heart because one of my best friends became a brother in the gospel. We finished the cookies then rode to the stake center where we set everything up for the baptism. His less active dad came and his best friends came to support him. He was so nervous but he was so excited. When he came up out of the water he was just smiling. The spirit was so strong. I am so happy. He is just so sweet!

After the baptism we went to work with a new vigor. Baptisms are truly energizing.

We went to a fiesta with the hermanas and I saw mi bella! My 91 year old grandma her wanted pictures so we took them. She pats my cheeks while I try to speak spanish saying te amo hermana, te amo!

Sunday, Bryant was confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Vida, loved it all and many came up to her asking if she was next. She just answered “Yes, yes I am!”

For RS sister Crisp gave a lesson on President Eyring’s talk “Try, try, try” I cried and Brittany my disabled friend who sat by me held my hand and cried with me. I love the hymn he talked about “I am trying to be like Jesus.” Hymns are powerful.

We went to work for the rest of the day. I just love my life as a missionary and I never want it to end. It all goes by so fast. It is killing me. I know all my missionary friends are laughing at me especially my brotha Jake. I feel like a greenie but feel like I have been her forever. Thank you for being so supportive of me. I love you and pray for you all. I hope you are happy and are truly seeking the joy that comes from being obedient to God. Something I have found out here is true joy. In the bible dictionary, joy is linked to obedience. Truly seeking to be obedient and trying to be like jesus brings that joy. I love this church and this gospel. I love people and love to spend my life talking to people and bringing people closer to Christ. Seeing bryant baptized and confirmed just made me so happy and grateful to part of his journey. I have already witnessed how much it has and will affect his life.

Have an amazing Thanksgiving. I am so thankful for Jesus Christ my savior and his atonement. I am thankful for this gospel. Have a fantastic week.

Love you, love you, Bye

Sister Dalley

josie.dalley@myldsmail.net

Bryant is getting Baptized!

Sister Walters basically in Winter Clothes and I am still feeling like it is Summer

Bryant drew a picture of me

This dude just returned from serving with Elder Matthew Cordner

Hello friends and family. Happy Veterans day. Thank you to all who sacrificed so much for our amazing country. You are loved.

Happy November!

Mon - Pday - busy ok day. Laundry, emailing, shopping, volleyball at the church and I tumbled with Hermana McCrae - I got my roundoff back handspring and aerial back. We practiced our song for zone conference. We decided we hadn’t seen Leslie for a while so we went to visit with her and she told us why she is so busy. We were like ok we realize you have a life outside of meeting with us. We were able to chat with her and set up a return appointment which is great. Working made me so happy.

Tues - One month until I am twenty. I do not feel old enough to be 20. We went to help Wendy clean, she had surgery six weeks ago, her house had not been cleaned since so we spent most the day with her. She is also going through a rough time so we were just there for her. She shared her mission stories with us as we swept and mopped, scrubbed sinks and toilets, washed mirrors and windows. Then when we were finished she took us to dinner. Then we went to practice our song again with the sisters. While we were practicing I sat on the wall beside the podium and fell off backward and hooked my legs just in time but my whole body was dangling down so the sisters had to pull me up before I fell on my head. They were laughing so hard they had a rough time pulling me up. It was so scary! I had a hard time singing after that. Respect the chapel and don’t sit on the walls by the microphone.

Wed - was beautiful. It was simple and straightforward. WE got to go to the food pantry and work with the amazing people there. we did our studies. Nothing makes me happier than studying the gospel. We went to  work finding the less actives and new people to teach.

Thurs - Happy Birthday to Sarah and James Louder. Happy Birthday guys, I love you. We went to the building early and practiced our song one more time before singing for zone conference. I looked down when I got there and realized I didn’t have my nametag on. Sister Welker had a spare nametag so I was sister Welker for a day. I felt better with a nametag on instead of being a normal civilian. I learned so much at zone conference. All growing up  I heard about missionaries and zone conference but I never understood the power of zone conference until I have sat in them. It is truly amazing. We receive revelation, we grow and learn and get spiritually charged to go out and teach and save souls.

President Thomas stressed how the spirit is directing this work and how we should DO missionary work. D&C 9:7 - we did not meet our mission goal so he asked us to think what we could have and should have DONE better - her reminded us that instead of just asking we need to DO more. D7C 98:3 - he giveth this promise … all things shall work together for thy good - look for the positive and ask what can we learn. I love President Thomas.

Sister Thomas talked about shepherding souls. She had us turn to Luke 15:7 and 10 - joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth - we are so loved by our Father in Heaven and even by the angels - she challenged us to go after those souls. We are finding lost sheep. They are lost because they already followed Jesus Christ and accepted this plan, but down here they are lost. We get to help them find their way back. We turned to John 21 when Jesus asked Peter to feed his lambs and sheep. I have heard this story countless times. I have always taken it as oh I need to do this but we were asked by sister Thomas, “Do you love your life at home more than his sheep?” When we are distracted we hinder His work. We left our nets, we have this calling to be missionaries, not just for two years or 18 months, our calling as a missionary is for life. We can’t go back to our previous lives. We should continue in his work.

We went to work and found less active members.

Friday - a good day, we went on a walk, so great, I love nature.

We went to a lesson with Vida. On our way, sister Walter’s chain fell off so she fell off. So we showed up with Sister Walter’s banged up and me covered with bike grease. We did not set her back on date because she wants to get off coffee before we put her back on date.

We went to more less active homes and potentials and set up return appointments. We went to dinner with Desi. I love her, she is one of my favorites.

Sat - crazy busy and crazy fun day. We went to breakfast with the first counselor in the mission presidency’s and his wife at his home. We went to a lesson with Bryant. Remember he is 12. His cousin Angie was there and he said, “Angie, come listen, come learn, you’ll love it.” That is Bryant. Angie asked us tons of questions about baptism. Vida said she is ok if he gets baptized first and without her because he is ready. His date is the 17th of November.

The Rebar’s fed us salmon for dinner, are you jealous Elder Jake? I actually loved it.

We went to the church and watched the light the world video. Sister Seipert, you are in the Light the World video. I saw you and I freaked out.

Sunday, Nov 11, happy birthday Jaxon! Bryant came to church and looked so great in his suit jacket. We have very many people who are having a hard time accepting that we cannot eat with members anymore.

We went to a lesson with Bryant again and he invited Angie again. They are so special. Bryant does an amazing job - we introduce topics and he will listen to what we say and he repeats it in a way that he understands it. Angie said her first vocal prayer, it was more of a whisper, she whispered it in my ear. This kid is twelve, he is amazing and I learn so much each time we meet with him. Angie is so sweet and participates and reads the scriptures. After our lesson Bryant came with us to a fireside about patriarchal blessings. It was so great! The patriarch said the common thing about all blessings is love, it is all about love, they are filled with love.

I love you all. I am praying for all of you. Welcome home to Elder Britsch. Returned with honor. You are awesome.

Have an amazing week.

Love you, love you, bye.

Sister Dalley

josie.dalley@myldsmail.net

sisterjosiedalley.blogspot.com

Happy November!

Hello, it is Sister Dalley. This is going to be quick because my last one was way too long.

Monday - We did our morning pday stuff and then went to play volleyball and basketball at the church and email.

Thank you Julie Britsch for sending me leaves. I love fall and the pretty fall colors. We went to the Phillip’s house for dinner and said goodbye to Abraham who is going to the Spain Madrid mission. He had a bunch of friends over, some members and some non members and us.

Tuesday - We did a bunch of phone work with less active members and then went out to talk to them. If they weren’t there we talked to people who were. We went to dinner at the Hyatts and then to ward correlation. It was super good and we got a lot done.

Wednesday - Happy Halloween everyone. Guess what I was this year, I was a sister missionary. To start off that day, we went to the food pantry. I love it so so so much. There is a less active couple that works at the food pantry. We have made a little friendship there so maybe someday they will come back. We visited another less active member, Cynthia, and we just chatted. She is so sweet but works on the weekends. She still wants to be part of the church.

We had to be off the streets by 5. So we went to the church and had dinner as a zone. We had a devotional and then played games.

Thursday, Nov 1 - Happy Birthday Tay Tay, my brother in law. I hope you were spoiled. To everyone else, Happy November. I got to celebrate too, but in a different way. We got to go to the temple. It was so amazing. On our way there, I got a phone call from my long lost cousin and assistant to the president Elder Dalley. He asked me to do a musical number for zone conference. I have no idea where it says I have musical abilities because I don’t but this will be my third time singing at zone conference.

It was about a two hour drive with traffic to the temple. Then we were there! I love that beautiful place. One of the sisters brought names so we did initiatories. That was the first time doing initiatories since my own. It was so beautiful, I love it so much. It was a great reminder of my blessings and the promises given to me. I loved it so so much! There is an atrium in the celestial room so we spent an hour in there. We also were shown sealing rooms and the brides room because we became good friends with the lady there. So much love and beauty, it makes me feel energized. I feel light and joy and beauty and love, so great. While I was there, someone said, the temple is the university for eternity. I was given advice by a friend once to never go to the temple without a question. So I brought questions and my goodness it works. I felt so close. I love feeling God’s love through the spirit. I believe Jesus Christ walks the halls of the temple. It is his house isn’t it? Light love peace joy promises - TEMPLE! I love it.

We took pics with the district and my sistas and went to Deseret Book and then I got a num vegan salad at whole foods. I can just see my brother Jake cringing. We chose a song to sing for Zone conference and started practicing it.

Friday - It was great! We went and sang and practiced with the sisters. It is my favorite thing to do… not really but I am happy they are willing to ask me to do things.

We had a lesson with Julie Austin Charlie and Ethan. We read 2 Nephi 31 and talked about baptism. We were like “oh, there is a baptism tomorrow, do you want to come?” and they said yes.

Saturday - We had zone breakfast with our stake presidency. The Elders were having a baptism so Julie, Austin, Ethan and Charlie came and loved it and asked questions. Julie said she is so interested in the church because her son and her brother in law is a member. She lived in Utah and everyone was kind to her. She is so interested in learning more.

We are going to be watching general conference with them. She said, “If I know it is true, I potentially want to join.” We were like “Ya, that is why we are here. “ They loved the baptism and we gave them a little church tour.

We went out and worked after the baptism. We were following navigation and walking to a less active members house. We were walking and following the navigation. The navigation said, “You are here.” We looked up and we were at Baked Bear, the ice cream store. So instead of teaching a lesson, we had ice cream.

Sunday - Church was great! Then we went to visit sister Darlene. She is so cute, we just love her. We like to stop by because she is our friend at the assisted living center. We Went to dinner at the Tullis’s and then went to YW in Excellence to support the YW. Afterward we went and practiced our song.

I have been doing the challenge to read the Book of Mormon by the end of the year. It has been good. I love the speed of the reading. It helps me connect things. Everything flows together and makes sense. It is super cool. If you aren’t doing it, I encourage you to do it.

That is my week. I love you and I hope you all are doing great. You are all amazing and I am so grateful for all of you. See you.

Love you, love you, bye.

Sister Dalley