On the 10th day of Christmas.....

Week 55

Hello All!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

and...HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAILEA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The BIG 18!!!! AH!!!!!! have a great day my dear sister!!! Everyone, you should wish Bea a happy birthday!!! ;)

Well, this week has been the most intense week of my mission. That really is the only word I can use to describe my week. Intense. FULL of emotion.

We were reviewing the baptismal questions with Jaylord for his interview for baptism and we felt prompted to ask him how his obedience was with a certain commandment. He completely opened up and confessed a big sin that he committed a year ago. As we were discussing it I could see the hurt in his eyes and his desire to change. It was an intense lesson and the spirit was sooo strong as we talked about repentance and forgiveness. It was amazing. It has been amazing to see him go through the repentance process in just a week. I felt like I was going through it with him. I think I now have a taste of what bishops feel like when they have people confess their sins to them. It was an experience I will never forget as me and my "companion" showed our support for him everyday and prayed with him. It has been amazing to see him change. He is now halfway through the Book of Mormon and now has a HUGE desire to serve a mission, and baptism will mean more to him and me and he will receive a remission of his sins! :D  Also,  because of the seriousness of the sin he had to be interviewed by the district leader and the mission president. He was interviewed yesterday and he is cleared!! He will be baptized this following week!! :D The Atonement is real everyone!!! :D

We had another big miracle this week!! Patrick and MJ got baptized!!!!!! I have never seen any kid as happy as Patrick was. Although he is only 13 he understood the importance of the ordinance. It was a great day! :D

Yesterday, we got to watch the First Presidency Christmas Devotional! I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did! I LOVE this time of year. I LOVED what one of the speakers said, that no wonder people love Christmas! It is centered around Jesus Christ! Let us focus more on Him everyday of our lives and it will be Christmas EVERYDAY!! You know the song that says," I wish it was Christmas all year round." Well it can be! Focus your lives on HIM, experience that "might change of heart" in Alma 5:14-19

14 And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?

and it will be Christmas all year round!!

I LOVE YOU ALL!! Have a great week and stay safe! by this time next week I will have a companion!! WOOHOO!!! :D

Philippines Angeles Mission

"Where only the finest serve!"

My temporary "companion" and I.

Excerpt from family letters:

Dear Mom,

This week has been super intense, but I have truly felt help from the other side. HANDS DOWN. Thank you for your prayers.

 Dana is doing sooo much better ( sorry for leaving you in suspense, I thought I told you about it.)

My housemates:

Sister Norman is from Idaho and this is her first transfer in the mission.

Sister Gerardo is from IloIlo and is 10 months. :) We get along soooo well. :) It is so much fun!!!!

I ate goat this week!! wouldn't recommend it!  Goat, yup, not yummy at all :P I also have eaten dried fish, interesting taste! 

HE is the gift. HE is Christmas!!

Hello my dear family!!! 

Another week come and gone!! halfway through December now!! AH!!!!

again HAPPY BIRTHDAY BEA!! I sent you a bday card! Hope you get it soon!!!

Like I said, it has been a crazy intense week. Loneliness, tired, extreme happiness and joy.....from one extreme to the other. ESPECIALLY with the whole situation with Jaylord.  but all is well!! all is well!!!!

not much time...:(

This whole month I have not been feeling homesick or really the Christmas spirit. Nothing here is like what we have there, except for the trees and lights. So I haven't been homesick or feeling Christmasy at all until last night when I watched the devotional. I cried the WHOLE time. Homesickness, but the Spirit of Christmas finally filled my soul. And I realized, Christmas is not about the things or traditions, it is about a person, a baby. and a story of a family as Elder Maynes talked about in the devo. I finally got it. Yes it is nice to have the tree, cookies, baked yummy goods, presents, lights, snow, hot cocoa, etc, but that is not what matters. What matters is HIM. What HE did for us. And what we will do to follow HIM this year. New Years is coming up and I hope you will be making new resolutions of what you can to do become close to him. ;) and become like HIM. :) GIVE GIVE GIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D Do something nicer than you would usually do at this Christmas time. Withhold anger, or a grudge, be more like HIM and do something to PLEASE HIM. Give him something in return (Mosiah 2:17)

I love you soo much. and I cannot wait to "see"  YOU!!!! :) Have an amazing week my dear family!! Stay strong!!! LOVE YOU TO INFINITY AND BEYOND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LOVE LOVE LOVE

Sister Dalley 

Philippines Angeles Mission

"Where only the finest serve!"

​pix-last week we toured  the PCC, Philippines Carabao Center,​  and at the end they have an amazing ice cream and desert place! so me and Sister Norman caved in and bought Carrot Cake and a BIG thing of Vanilla ICe cream and shared it!! oh it was SOOO GOOD!! I miss cake and homemade goods!!!mmmmm enjoy them for me!! ;) 

oh yes and CHOCOLATE MILK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!