Letter from Grandma Dayley for Christmas 2022

Dear Annie,

 

I wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas during this special Christmas season.  We are enjoying your letters and experiences that you are writing about.  It sounds like you love your mission  I know the members and the people you are meeting and teaching love the time you spend with them.

 

I want to thank you for choosing to go on a mission and serve Heavenly Father and Jesus.  I think back and appreciate the missionaries that taught Dad about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  I was raised in a part member family so I know what it is like to not have the Gospel taught in my home and to not go to Church as a family.  When I was 12 years old, I remember riding the bus with other Lovell kids to Idaho Falls to the temple to do baptisms for the dead.  That was my first exposure to a temple.  When we were in the chapel, we had a testimony meeting.  I had never bore my testimony before but the wonderful feeling in the temple seemed like the world was on the outside of the temple doors and I liked that feeling.  It was there I decided that I wanted a temple marriage someday.  I also remember bearing my testimony (for the first time) and saying that I wished my family could come to the temple and be a forever family.  I had to wait 10 years before my prayer was answered.

 

I was 22 years old when Dad was baptized  (on May 31, 1967)  One day Dad’s friend came in the store and asked, “Bill, what made you decide to join the Church?”  Dad answered, “Almie, for many years before I joined the Church, my family went to Church each Sunday without me and I stayed home puttering around.  I could see they had something I didn’t have  Then I got two good home teachers, Keith Allred and Paul Clark (they happened to be Stake missionaries) and they asked me if I would like to take the missionary lessons and I was ready.

 

After Dad was baptized, I said, “Dad, it isn’t bad being baptized at 44 years of age and having your sins forgiven.”  Dad replied, “No, it is real nice but you are better off, Linda, because you have had the influence of the Church all of your life.”

 

I just wanted you to know how I love missionaries.  They have blessed my life.

 

I love you,

 

Grandma Dayley