Happy New Year!!!!

Week 5

Happy New Year Everyone!!!

I hope your New Year was as loud and as fun as mine was!!! :) We got to go to bed kind of early for New Year's, but I couldn't because I was helping the senior batch sisters clean their room, because they were leaving the next morning. So I was up till 12 :/.   Pero, I got to see the fireworks! Here in the Philippines the whole city goes into debt by doing an amazing firework show. The pictures that I am sending aren't very good. It. was. amazing. Everywhere I looked I saw fireworks. They went on for HOURS!!! I barely slept that night! My goodness!!! It was a beautiful sight to see! I am really looking forward to next year's New Year!! :)

This week has been pretty tough. I've had to do a lot of soul searching and really having to rely on the Lord. Our investigators, Sister Samantha and Brother Ace, haven't been doing too good. They aren't really sticking to their commitments (especially Sister Samantha) and sometimes fall asleep during our lessons ;), but it has really helped me learn and grow closer to my Savior. I have been really praying about how I can improve and become better, and that Brother Ace and Sister Sam will come to know Christ. Brother Ace has been a struggle. He has had previous missionaries before and wants to know that the church is true, PERO (but) He believes that he doesn't have to pray and ask God anything because God knows what we want and need. So I've been praying about that, but this last week was great :). We read him a scripture of how Christ prayed to the Lord and it made him think and wonder and ponder, and that FINALLY got to him and he is now praying!!!!!! and.......... HE IS COMING TO CHURCH!!!!!!! YAY!!!! the Lord does answer prayers!!!

I also had an opportunity to go proselyting! I finally got to go out of the MTC and teach. All I have to say is ....wow. haha Wow to the smell, the culture and everything. The smell is awful. It smells like a poopy diaper and vomit and like something has died. The way these people live is so so sad. We taught a man who's house was made out of cardboard and a tin roof. I cannot even begin to explain what it was like. All I have to say is that I am NEVER EVER complaining about my living conditions, ever again. BE GRATEFUL FOR WHAT YOU HAVE. haha Oh man, as we were on our way to an appointment we turned a corner and there was a guy standing up, bathing. Yup, in the open. I just have to laugh about it now. There is NO sanitation here. It felt and looked like downtown LA but 10 times worse. It will be very interesting to see what happens within the next 17 months! :) OH!! I also got to ride in a Jeepney for the first time!!!! SOSOSOSOSO much fun!! :D

Well I only have 2 weeks left in the MTC!!!!!!!! AH!!!!!!!!!! I am really freaking out!! I am not very excited to leave! But I am at the same time. I am not looking forward to saying good my to my Kasama (companion) and the Elders in my district. The rest of us are going to the same mission :) YAY!!! There is much that I have to learn still, with the language and teaching, pero I know that I can do it because of the Atonement of Christ and I can have a successful mission.

I am so grateful to be out here and to be a part of this amazing work. It so so worth it to bring the Light of Christ into people's lives and to see them come closer to Christ!!!

I love you all so much and I hope everything is going well! Maraming mahal ko kayo!!!!!!! God speed and HUZZAH FOR ISRAEL!!!!

Love,

Sister Dalley

(P.S. Sent to Lena)

 This last week we had a devotional broadcasted from the Provo MTC and I saw Sara Baker!!! It made me so happy!!! Also I met an elder yesterday who knew Great Grandpa!! He is from his ward!!!!! So we took a picture and he is sending it to his family :) so cool :)