Sister Dunkley the 15 year old missionary

This week was pretty awesome! We had a lot of lessons and even got 5
new investigators which was so cool! Hopefully they will continue use
to want to meet with us and progress cause that would be way cool. I
went on exchanges with my sister training leader sister Gold Saturday
in Roosevelt Utah which fun fact is smaller than vernal and I didn't
even know that was possible haha. Anyways it was super cool cause
she's actually from Glendora 5th ward and we know a lot of the same
people it was so fun talking to her and about our mutual friends from
back home. We had a good time contacting referrals and doing service
for a member family in her area it was so cool. Other than that not a
whole lot happened just another great week in Dinosaur land serving
the Lord. A funny story from this week would be when my companion
dared me to fit into a tractor tire and didn't think I could do it but
boy did I prove her wrong haha. Oh I also got asked if I was on a
temporary youth mission because I guess they thought I was 15 and on a
mini mission and I was like nope I'm actually 19 and they laughed for
a long time so that was fun haha. A cool thought I found this week in
the September ensign was "If you are trying to pay for your sins,
understand that you are missing the very essence of God’s plan for
you. The Savior has paid the price already. Only Satan wants you to
think you can’t be forgiven and that you have to pay for your own
sins. Let them go, and do it today. Your daily happiness comes as you
free yourself from thinking and worrying about your past sins.You may
ask, “But what if I sin again?” Then you repent again. Let the
redeeming power of the Savior’s Atonement work for you as you make
repentance a daily part of your life." -elder Brent H. Nielson of the
seventy 'Can we live "after the Manner of Happiness"?' I loved it
because when we feel guilt after repenting it's not from Heavenly
Father. He has forgotten our sin and now we have to also. Faith in
Jesus Christ and his atonement will help us through anything that
comes our way and I am so grateful for that! I hope everyone has a
great week!

Love from Vernal,
Sister Dunkley

Baptism!

Holy cow this week was pretty awesome! I had my first baptism on
Saturday it was Trulee Hales a 9 year old little girl who's parents
have been inactive and recently started coming back to church so my
trainer and her previous companion got to teach her and commit her to
baptism and I got to come in and help with the last few lessons and
witness the baptism it was so cool! She is the sweetest thing and has
such a strong testimony it's awesome. Other than that things are super
busy here in vernal! Me and my companion cover 7 wards ( a whole
stake) and have about 4-5 lessons a day and our slowest days are
Friday and Saturday so we catch up on contacting referrals mostly with
that time. Other than that this week was just full of lessons and
contacting less active members in the area. I was also asked to speak
in sacrament meeting yesterday in one of our wards and it was really
cool! I spoke on the conference talk "The healing ointment of
forgiveness" by elder Duncan April 2016 and afterwards someone asked
for a copy of my talk to I said oh sure it's in the ensign and she was
like no your talk like with your notes and stuff and I was so shocked
cause I never feel like I give good talks but apparently she really
liked it so I emailed it to her even though I felt like it wasn't all
that great haha. My favorite quote from that though was when he said
"When we apply the healing ointment of the Savior’s Atonement, He will
soften our heart and help us to change. He can heal the wounded soul"
I love the fact that through the atonement we can be healed from
anything that has happened no matter how deep the hurt. Jesus Christ
felt it all and knows how to comfort us perfectly if we will ask for
his help and have faith that we can be comforted and forgiven. I am so
grateful for the opportunity I have to be serving a mission here in
Vernal and helping bring others unto Christ there is really nothing I
would rather be doing at this time in my life. A funny story to end my
email would be that when we walked into our second church meeting
yesterday the bishop came up to me and said "The little people are
here!" all excited which was the weirdest thing ever but pretty
hilarious my companion was trying not to cry she was laughing so hard
haha. I hope everyone has a great week!

Love from Vernal,
Sister

Dinosaur land

Hey everyone! Looks like I'll be getting to know Eastern Utah pretty
well because I got assigned to Vernal aka dinosaur country. Apparently
I'm only like 30 minutes from the Colorado border so that's pretty
cool. To be quite honest I wasn't entirely thrilled to hear this
Wednesday morning because I've only heard not so great things about
vernal but everyday I grow to like it more here. The people are so
kind and welcoming and we get to eat free at like half of the
restaurants here so that's nice haha. Me and my companion cover a
whole stake (8 wards) all by ourselves so we get to have a car cause
our area is huge. My trainer is Sister Brown from San Fransisco and
she is pretty cool! Sometimes I feel like she's going to kill me while
we are driving but then I remember that I'm not that much better of a
driver so I just keep quiet haha. President Hodgeman is seriously the
coolest guy ever mostly because he owns a tesla and a Porsche but
that's besides the fact. He really wants us to be agents for ourselves
in this mission so he doesn't really give us too many rules he just
turns us to the handbook and tells us to find out for ourselves what
the answer is. I really like that about him because it teaches us to
follow the spirit more. I was honestly surprised at how many people
there are to teach and help here because it seems like everyone is
Mormon but that's far from the truth. My first day was kind of a
mess/hectic because we had a 2 1/2 hour drive from Provo and had 4
lessons to teach that night so that was crazy but a great learning
experience. I know that Heavenly Father has sent me here for a reason
and that I need the people here more than they need me. I know with a
surety that Heavenly Father loves all of us and that Jesus Christ is
our savior who can help us through any trial we face and for that I
will forever be grateful. There is nothing I'd rather be doing at this
time in my life than serving a mission and I am so grateful that I can
do that. Thanks for all the support and prayers know that I love all
of you and pray for you daily!

Love from Vernal,
Sister Dunkley

Utah Provo Mission

Last week in the MTC

Honestly, this week went a lot smoother than the last which was nice! We do these things called TRC's where we teach 2 investigators (or a member playing and investigator) about 4 times a week 25 minutes each then the next week you get 2 new ones. Its been the coolest experience ever to develop a love and understanding for someone so quickly! I love teaching with my companion we have gotten into a groove and work so well together. My teachers here are just so great and I've loved learning from them and feeling of their love for me. I honestly feel like I'm learning something new every day and growing spiritually. Some highlights of this week were getting creamery ice cream and subway it was the bomb cause the food here sucks so getting real life food outside of the MTC walls is such a blessing haha. Also the millers and Piper Alkonis both sent me cookies and it was heaven sent because I got them at just the right time it was a huge blessing so thank you!! Something funny that happened this week was at lunch time one day all the provo missionaries in my district ( there are 6 of us) got called to the information desk and so our friends going to montana were all joking that we are getting reassigned to a different mission so when we went to the desk they just gave us a letter from our mission president saying when we are getting picked up next tuesday but we decided to prank them and tell them we all got reassigned like they thought and it was hilarious because they bought it and got so excited for us their reactions were just priceless it was a good time haha. Other than that I am just so happy to be entering the mission field next tuesday even though I'm going down the street I'm still just super pumped to get my mission started and get to work. A scripture that I really like in the Book of Mormon that I've seen happen to me countless times since I've been here in the MTC is in 1st Nephi 1:20 the end of the verse says " But behold I nephi will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen because of their faith to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance." I have seen this blessing become real in my life and I know that all of you can too if you will keep the commandments and ask Heavenly Father sincerely for his help! I hope all is well back at home I love you all! Have a great week! 

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Love, Sister Dunkley

Week one!

Hi everyone! I don't even know where to begin! This past week has been so crazy and wonderful but I love it! I have the best companion whose name is also Riley so that's pretty cool haha. A lot of what we do here is plan, study, teach, eat and repeat. I am out of my dorm by 7:30 ( most times earlier) and don't get back until 9:30 its non stop but I love it. I've really learned to rely on the spirit and Heavenly Father to help guide me and give me strength. I've never been happier in my life and that is the greatest blessing I could ever receive! Some fun things that have happened this week was I got to see my friend Kaden Walker on my first morning here and it was SO nice to see someone from home! I've also met people going to the Arcadia mission and I love talking to them. We were able to go the temple grounds on Sunday and of course I run into my best friend Piper Alkonis and her roomates it was the best! I loved it and it gave me such a great boost of happiness to carry through the rest of my week. My district is full of missionaries going to Provo and Montana and its a very interesting bunch for sure haha. We all get along and feel the spirit so that's good! I cant fully express how I feel here but all I can say is that I wouldn't be happier doing anything else or being somewhere other than the MTC and being a missionary. I know for a fact that I am here for a reason and I am honored to serve our loving heavenly father for the next 18 months as a missionary and the rest of my life as his disciple. Have a great week and do something good for someone! don't be shy to shoot me a message!  

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Love, Sister Dunkley

I made it!

Hi everyone! I have been honestly having the best first couple days here at the MTC! I love the people and the teachers its all so great! I have the best companion ever and her name is Riley too so thats pretty cool. We are the branch music coordinators and have the biggest branch in the MTC (70 missionaries) so it will be so fun. My branch president is letting us email today so that we can let you know we are ok and that our p-days here are on wednesdays so I'll be able to talk to you more then. I just want to say that I love you all and have never been happier in my life. I know this is the place i should be and that I will do amazing things in Provo with the help of the spirit and Heavenly Father. I love you all and wish you the best! I know my family is happy cause their living it up at Powell so have fun and be safe! The church is true but ya'll know that already so just remember it:)

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Love, Sister Dunkley