Sister Dalley's LDS Mission Adventures: Real Growth and Mount Mordor

January 12, 2015

Week 59

Hello my wonderful friends!!! :)

This week has been great! Not a lot to report though. This time of year is rice planting season, and since my area is a farming community, no one was home :)

I made fried chicken and took a kind of orange sauce!! yummy!!! :)

We were able to teach Fharren De Guzman though! She is doing great! Every lesson with her is so spiritual. I cry in every one of them. :) She could go to church yesterday so we keep having to move her baptism date. But hopefully it will be soon! She is an amazing soul!

As I said earlier, we were very punted this week. We walked and walked. My feet would get so sore, and we were walking in the hot sun, very little water(we have to bring our own since the water here isn't clean.) At first I started complaining, but then it hit me, the Lord was testing me to see what I would do. It was a test of faith. :) It made me think, when things get hard, what is my attitude? This year our theme for the mission is Real Growth. Very inspired. :)

It is amazing to focus on yourself and how you can change through the Atonement. Its like a tree, at first a seedling, very small and frail, but little by little with the help of water, sun and oxygen, it can become and amazing great, strong and beautiful oak. :) I am very excited for this new year! I hope and pray that this year, we all will experience Real Growth in our lives. Because of the Atonement. ;)

Speaking of the Atonement, we went hiking today! and me and 4 others got separated from the group. We called them and asked where they were and they said that they were halfway up the mountain (more like a hill ;)). So we just started going up. Up and up. It was sooo steep. I felt like Sam and Frodo hiking up Mount Mordor, no joke. It was soo steep. I was on my hands and knees crawling up the mountain side. At one part, I slipped on a rock and it caused a big rock slide. A big rock from the top slide down and hit me right in the face. have a good gash on my lips now! Anyway, this hike was sooo intense. After I had slipped, been hit in my face, I just wanted to sit down and cry. I didn't know how I could go any further. I was tired, bleeding, sweating and thirsty. I had to stop and say a prayer. I prayed for the enabling power of the Atonement, to finish this climb. I finished it and didn't receive the strength right away. It came little by little. and not only did I receive the strength, but the Lord gave me a happy attitude!

When we reached the top, no one was there. So we examined our scratched legs, face, and hands to see if anything was serious and then went back down toward our jeepney. It was a rough way down. I think I slid most of the way down. :) When we finally got to the bottom, we realized that we had to walk 1-2 miles back to the jeepney. I didn't know how. I was out ofwater, it was sooo hot, but I was able to keep going. I was able to finish what I started. When we finally got back to our group, I sat and cried. I was in pain of course, sore, bleeding, tired, dehydrated, but mostly because I was so grateful. I could NOT have done what I did today without HIM. He helped me. And I know he can help you through anything.

This experience taught me many great truths, like: stay with your companion at all times, even when it seems harmless and you have another sister with you; trials make you stronger; trials are climbing a mountain step by step you conquer it, "climb every mountain." But the reason I told this was because I want you all to know the power of the Atonement! It is REAL!! We cannot do ANYTHING without HIM!!! We can receive the enabling power and redemptive power because of HIM!! Partake of His goodness! Don't rely on ourselves so much. He is there! I testify that He Lives! He is MINE and YOUR Savior! Because of HIM we can do anything!!! I know that that is true, with all my heart and soul!!! and I LOVE HIM!!!

Love,

Sister Dalley