Warning: Here Comes A Novel

Dear Family and Friends,

This week has gone by pretty quickly. Sister Shaum and I always feel that we don't know where time has gone. We get to Sunday evening and think, "Wow! It is already a new week. What did we do?"

ADAM and NATASHA

This week we didn't meet with a ton of people, but there are two people that we have met with a lot. Those two are Adam and Natasha. As we have been teaching them, they have changed so much.  We are still working on some stumbling blocks as we prepare Adam for baptism, but these two are completely different people than when we first met them.  I love these two.  They are great.  Natasha has read the Book of Mormon twice since we first met her.  Sister Shaum and Sister Klingler had already met with her once or twice before I came out to Wilmington, but she has read it twice in the few months that I have been out here.

Adam taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ to us this week.  It was a wonderful lesson.  We gave him the pamphlet before so he could use it to teach us.  He had many great questions that he asked us.  He has come a long way.  He loves the gospel.  He loves the Book of Mormon.  He has such a great testimony.

BURMESE PEOPLE

The Zone Leaders, or the Elders that are in the same ward as Sister Shaum and me, have been teaching a community of Burmese people.  Sister Shaum and I had the opportunity this week to go read the Book of Mormon with one girl and her family.  Her name is Mue.  Her mother knows no English, and her siblings and she know only a little bit of English.  They speak Corin.  It was rather fun to teach them, but it is difficult to get past just following Jesus.  We read the Book of Mormon, but we had to pause after each verse and summarize in very simple terms.  We started with the very first chapter.

As we were reading, we came to the part of the chapter where Lehi is having a vision.  He saw a pillar of fire on top of a stone.  I just sat there thinking, "How do we tell people that fire on a rock is God?"  I thought about how crazy some things in the Book of Mormon are.  How do we believe these things?  What have I been taught my whole life?  All I know is that the Book of Mormon brings the spirit into my life.  It has led me through rough times.  I know that as I continue to read the Book of Mormon, I will continue to feel the spirit.  Heavenly Father works in mysterious ways.  We will not be able to know all about God in this life.  It is only our job to trust Him and continue to endure to the end.

I love all y'all.  I hope you are doing well.  Continue to listen to the prophet.  It is almost General Conference.  It is almost Christmas.

Go with God,

Sister Turley

Who is Jesus Christ?

Dear Family and Friends,

Last Wednesday, I had an interesting experience.  Our district was having district meeting.  We were role playing. I decided that I would role play as Makenna.  This is a person that I truly love and care for.  I was interested in what the experience would be like as I tried to figure out what was going on in her head.  As I role played, I got to thinking: "Who is Jesus Christ?  And why is He so important to me?"

Who is Jesus Christ?

There is a hymn that is not often sung.  It perfectly describes Jesus Christ.  The title is "A Mighty Fortress is Our God."

A mighty fortress is our God,

A tower of strength ne'er failing.

A helper mighty is our God,

O'er ills of life prevailing.

He overcometh all.

He saveth from the Fall.

His might and pow'r are great.

He all things did create.

And he shall reign for evermore.

     

Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world.  He is the creator of the world.  He suffered and was resurrected for all mankind.  Jesus Christ loves us all.  He went about doing good.  

Who is Jesus Christ?  He is my brother, my friend, my comfort, my hope, and much much more.

Why is He so important to me?

I think about my mother every day. The phrases that provoke me to think about my mother are "O'er ills of life prevailing.  He overcometh all."  This at first seems contradictory that He prevails over ills and overcame them, yet my mother died of leukemia.  I know that He has overcome these illnesses that they will not last forever.  There is a life to come after death.  In THAT life, there is no illness; no one will die again.  But, we must experience sorrow and pain in our mortal life for our immortal life to mean anything to us.

The Savior is real.  He loves me.  He loves my sister, Makenna.  He loves my siblings--Emmett, Cherise, and Griffin.  He loves my father Darren.  He loves my step family.  He loves my extended family.  He loves my spiritual family.  He loves all of my brothers and sisters.  He is a strength to them and to me.

Why is He so important to me? Without Him, I am nothing.

Go with God,

Sister Turley

Quick Thoughts

Dear Family and Friends,

Sister Shaum and I ran out of time today to do everything, so this note will be rather simple.  This Wednesday, I got to teach at Zone Training Meeting.  Sister Shaum and I talked about using Preach My Gospel with members.  My thoughts during preparation and during the lesson were just that I am thankful that I have been using Preach My Gospel since it was printed.  I knew even before my mission that it was for more than just missionaries.  But, I didn't really use it too often.  I am grateful that my parents decided that we should use Preach My Gospel for family home evenings.  The one thought that has stuck with me is "If we treat the members like missionaries, they will act like missionaries."  The General Conference talk that I think of when I think of this statement is the talk from President Thomas S. Monson titled "See Others as They May Become" from October 2012.  I know that as we see others as what they can become, they will be more likely to achieve their potential.  I love all y'all.

Go with God,

Sister Turley