Being a Disciple of Christ

This was my update from last week that just didn't make it to my blog until now.

Hey Missionaries,

Sorry I didn't get a letter out last week.  Monday kind of came and left without me knowing.  I gave my Homecoming talk today, so I thought I would share some notes from it with you.  I never really write down my talks. I just write down some scriptures and some experiences that I might want to mention, so I don't have anything that is specific.

I shared some thoughts from Elder Rasband's talk "The Joyful Burden of Discipleship."  I read Doctrine and Covenants 84:88 (I call it the angel verse).  After reading that, I shared an experience from my first area, Wilmington.  I was teaching a man who had had a friend commit suicide that week.  We got to teach the Plan of Salvation, and I shared that my mom could possibly be an angel teaching his friend.  I know that angels surround us as we do the work of the Lord.

I read parts of Alma 26.  And then I shared some miracles that I had written down from my mission:

1/15/14  We set up a return appointment with Stephanie.

4/4/14  We gave a Book of Mormon to Tadarrius.

7/6/14  We got to talk with Rose Price.

9/15/14  Shykelah called us back.

10/25/14 We invited Jacqueline to church.

 I hope you are all doing well.  Keep up the good work. Thanks for all you do.

Go with God,

Cami Turley

Retaking ALP

Dear Family and Friends,

Well, I am getting transferred. I am being transferred to Arizona. Can you believe it?  18 months has come and gone. 

So, I wanted to share something that I have thought.  In Elementary school, I was in the Accelerated Learning Program (ALP).  I would miss a few hours of my regular class to go learn in a special class with fewer students.  In junior high school and high school, it was known as 'honors.'  But, the kids in the honors classes tended to care more about school and learning.

On my mission, I have found that my gospel learning and loving has been more dense than before.  I drew a graph once that looked like this to describe it.  X is time.  Y is learning and loving.  The red box is my mission.  The acceleration is much greater than the time before it.  (I don't really think my learning is going to level out like the graph shows, but I wanted to show that there is/has been a difference.)  

As I drew this, I realized that a mission is an accelerated learning program.  ALP!  I am in ALP again.  And, I have found that I am kind of in my ALP/honors bubble.  There are more people that care about learning and loving Jesus Christ.  They want to learn.  It has been fun.  I love being around people who also want to do this.  They want to live the gospel.  It is so great to go to missionary meetings because there is such a wonderful spirit.  Everyone loves each other and wants to help each other.  I am truly going to miss this.  I love being a missionary.  I love being a gospel tutor.  I really get to teach people on an individual basis.  It is so fun.

Thanks for all of the help that you have given.  I am thankful that I have such great support.  I am grateful for a such a wonderful gift to give to others.  I am thankful for this Christmas season.  Christmas seriously is the best--people are thinking about Jesus Christ.  I am thankful for my Savior.  I am thankful for his sacrifice, that we may live again, that we can become more than what we currently are.  I love the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  It is the true church.  I am thankful that I get to continue to share my testimony.  I love you.  I hope you are all doing well.

Go with God,

Sister Turley