Turning Outward

We got a nice surprise in the mail today.  A real "snail mail" letter from Shelby in the MTC.  I love having more from her that the weekly email, but was moved to tears by what she sent.  Here is her letter explaining the "cool story" that accompanies this poem.

4-12-13
Dear Family,
Hey! Ok so I wanted to type this up and send it to you, but I didn't have any time :(  Cool story though!

So remember how Gerald N. Lund came and spoke about revelation? Well, as he was speaking, I got this feeling that I needed to write something.  So the next day Sister Butler and I ditched gym and I sat down to write...and this was done half an hour later.  Cool story right?

Will you please type it out for me?  Thanks! Enjoy and I love you guys!

Love,
Sister Dana


Written April 10, 2013

TURNING OUTWARD

The day I first came out here,

I sought escape from work, from school, from home

Thought I’d found myself a place

Where I wouldn’t be alone.

I’d grow in all my knowledge,

Use my studies to impress.

While ever being conscious

Of my appearance, of my dress.

Sure, there were people waiting

To hear a message I would share.

But were they really people or

Just numbers, did I care?

I’d come back home in glory,

A new language up my sleeve,

And have endless stories of spiritual strength –

Of course everyone would believe.

I told all my friends and family,

“I have chosen the better part!”

And so I stepped onto the plane

With flawed desires in my heart.

Oh the mercy of our God

To save a soul so weak!

His work is not done by the proud

But is reserved only for the meek.

Why was the first week so very hard?!

I need angels on my side!

Aren’t missionaries special?

Everyone said the Lord would provide!

Why can’t I speak this language?

I trip over all my words!

In the ears of an investigator,

I’m sure I sound absurd.

My bed at home is cozy,

And my closet space is large.

I need not have a companion –

I’m always the one in charge!

I pour these thoughts out in my prayers

In frustration I complain.

But a quiet voice pierces to my soul

And says “Let me take the rein.”

“The desires you have on my errand

Are for glory, nothing more.

Let me do with you what I will.

 There are greater things in store.”

With tears on my cheeks, I bow my head

Humbled, for now I see.

With new found desire in my heart,

I whisper, “Do what you will with me.”

I realize soon that my sacrifice

Is not a service, but a start,

To pay the eternal debt I owe

To One who suffered to heal my heart.

It was my face He saw in the garden

And on the cross that day.

Greater pain could no man know,

For none else could provide a way.

His mission on this earth, I know,

Was greater far than mine.

He gave the Ultimate Sacrifice

But said simply, “The glory be Thine.”

No one could fault Him for showing the prints of his hands

To say, “Look what I’ve done!”

But rather, He gazes with love in His eyes

And says, “Be not afraid, you are won.”

Then His face changes, and He whispers with grief,

“But what of mine other sheep?”

The Savior of the World, Redeemer of All-

I watch my God silently weep.

“These children are Mine, their debt have I paid,

Still they wander, lost and alone.

Their outlook is bleak, because they know not

That I wait to welcome them home.”

My selfish heart breaks as I watch this Man,

Who suffered at so great a cost,

Despair over these He loved, all because

He could not bear to see one that was lost.

The new desire of my soul bursts forth –

I cry, “My Lord, send me, I’ll go!”

I’ll bring thy children home once more

And never deny what I know!”

He looked at me and smiled once more.

“My dear one, now you see.

Go forth, and think not of yourself.

I have work prepared for thee.”

I know now why I am here –

To turn outward rather than in.

Finally worthy of my call –

I’ll bring them back to Him.

By Sister Shelby Dana April 10, 2013 in the Provo MTC

April 12th Email

Minha Familia!

Oi! Como vai? Look at all the Portuguese I know! Ok time is short so I shall get right down to business.  Conference was so so cool here! We watched all the sessions with TONS of elders and sisters and every time someone mentioned missionary work or the massive numbers we have serving or preparing to serve, everyone just looked at each other with this big grin because THAT IS US!! like...that's me they're talking about! I have the badge! It is so sick!  I loved conference.  And singing with over 3000 missionaries is an experience I hope I will never forget.

Oh! On Sunday night we had a devo and guess who came? Vocal Point! They're the a cappella group from BYU and usually I am not such a fan of a cappella stuff (the real talent is in the instruments;) ) but this time it was just so cool.  They sang a bunch of hymns and then talked all about missionary work. I will admit that I  was crying when they had us join in on "Ye Elders of Israel." It's unreal the power that can come from thousands of missionaries singing together with that much conviction. Completely unbelieveable.

Our Tuesday devo was super good too! Gerald N. Lund, you know, the guy who wrote the Work and the Glory books? Yeah he came and spoke to us about how to receive revalation. That was really cool because I'm pretty sure every missionary wonders about that at some point in his or her life. He was very clear and made some awesome points about how we can't mistake our own desires as being from the Spirit and how we can be more in tune when real promptings come. Super helpful! 

Let's see...mostly we are just in class a ton. Like, hours upon hours. And it is not easy to stay focused for so long, but I think that I have an easier time of it than most people.  The language is coming slowly, but it is for sure coming. Our district is really good about helping each other to learn as much as possible and we are all very encouraging. So far I have the purpose, the First Vision, 2 Nephi 31:20, and the baptismal challenge memorized in Portuguese, and I'm working on James 1:5. Sister Butler and I teach all of our lessons without notes or anything in Portuguese and sometimes they don't go very well...but the times that do definitely make up for the bad ones.  Yesterday we taught a guy named Guiliarme about prayer and the power of the Holy Ghost and somehow I was able to figure out all of the things I wanted to say in Portuguese! It was by no means perfect, but the message was clear and I was definitely thrilled at the end! Yeah I definitely believe in miracles.

My district is the best ever. I am so impressed with our elders! Most of them are very young, but they are so eager to serve and do what the Lord asks of them! They treat us with respect and tell us sisters often how glad they are that we are there and...I just love it. Super great.  My sisters are fabulous as well! Sister Butler and I get along really well, mostly because I am very tolerant of her boyfriend/future husband being here and her wanting to talk to him often.  As long as it doesn't interfere with our work, I don't think it's a problem.  I have a lot of practice being third wheel... (thank you Leslie and Chris)...

Speaking of Chris, I see him everywhere! It's so much fun! Today I saw him at the temple and we got a picture together, so I'll have to attach that.  We have gym together too, so that is really cool as well! Like I said, tons of kids from Mountain View are here. We all took a picture by the map last Sunday, so I'll attach that too.

It's weird every Wednesday when all the new missionaries come in...it's like, that was me only two weeks ago?! They all look terrified. I know I was. Funny story! So at dinner on Wednesday, I saw my cuzzy, Elder Chad Flake! I totally  ran up to him and gave him a hug purely because I could and I wanted to see the looks on everyone's faces. Success, all the poor new elders around me freaked out and it was super funny.  Chad didn't know quite what to do either, but it was fine:) I love seeing him around here!

The other companionship of sisters in my district is muito dramatic. It's kind of annoying sometimes. Like...someone cries...every night. I should be more patient, but I just feel like if you really don't want to be here and hate it so much...don't be here. Is that bad? Probably. I think I was sent here to learn patience and how to deal with women.

Mom- Thank you thank you thank you for the package and all the dear elders! I loveee them and I love getting Leslie and Jona's letters! If anyone else wants to forward me letters through dearelder, I would not be opposed! Miracle- I did find my temple recommend:) thank you for your diligent searching...haha my bad. I love you so much and I miss you like you wouldn't believe. I showed my sisters your picture this week and they were like "...uhh, your family is beautiful." I know, right? What the heck happened to me?! ;)

Dad- I don't think they are going to teach us the most useful phrases of Portuguese here in the holy MTC.  But if you want to share some knowledge, I wouldn't be opposed!  I can't wait until I can come home and talk to ya...that will be so cool! Or just when you guys pick me up and then we can party in Recife. It'll be great.

Cooper- I am sending you a letter so watch for it! WRITE ME YOU PUNK.

Oh! there is a sister who is going to Brazil that got reassigned to Mesa because her visa didn't come! I can't remeber her name, but I will write you a snail mail when I remember!  You should take care of her and be very nice, ok?

Eu sei que a Igregia de Jesus Cristo dos Santos dos Ultimos Dias e verdadeiro.  Eu ama voces!  Tudo bem!

Love,

Sister Dana

(then later)

Sorry I can't send any pictures today! I don't have a card reader that works...so I borrowed Sister Orr's and can't figure it out. I will send them next week! I'm so sorry! But I still look the same and I love you. If you want to send another card then I'll trade them out and you can see the pictures I have now.  Also, you got me the wrong kind of socks mom. The ones I was talking about are for flats...remember? The no shows? Thanks though :) Love you! 

April 5th email

Well guess what! I am here and sending you my first email! I don't have much time, so please fix any spelling errors before you send this on mother:)

First off, I love the dear elders! thank you so so much for them! They just make my day whenever my district leader delivers them and i have a nice fat stack,..so keep them coming. Also, thank you so much for the Easter package! I love the necklace and stickers and everything:) Also thanks to John and Kathy for the package as well! My district definitely appreciated the food...it was fabulous!

Ok, so my district! I LOVE THEM. All of us, all 12, are going to Recife. That is super rare and so lucky! I have 4 sisters and 7 elders. Well, now only six because one got his visa likeeee 3 days ago so he is now in Brazil! Lucky sonofagun. Actually I don't really envy him all that much because I really love it here.

This place is amazing. I'm kinda glad I didn't go straight to Sao Paulo because I wouldn't want to trade this experience for anything. We had an amazing Easter. Bishop Causse and his wife, from the Presiding Bishopric, spoke to us during sacrament meeting, and then that night we had a devotional by Sheri Dew. It was way cool. I gained a new appreciation for the Atonement this Easter and a new love for my Savior. I was surprised by how different it was, but it was definitely in a good way.  Also, we had a devo on Tuesday night by Elder Ringwood and I followed your advice and sang in the choir Mom! It was really cool, plus we got fabulous seats! 

Daily life here...it is different, but I really love it. We're in class for a longggg time and I didn't know how much I missed school until I got here and started learning again. I love studying Portuguese. It is coming slowly, and a lot of the sisters in our district are getting frustrated and have little cry sessions every night, but I don't think it's bad at all. I mean, we've been here for a week and a half and I can already bear my testimony, say my prayers, and carry on a semi-interesting conversation in Portuguese.  That ain't half bad! 

We had an "investigator" our third day in...we had to teach him in Portuguese. Talk about scary! His name is Henrique and I thought of Norma's cousin the whole time:) Sister Butler (minha companeira) and I have very different styles of teaching, so it wasn't easy to work together at first, but by the 4th lesson we were pretty cohesive. it is so cool to feel the Spirit working through you as you teach, even though the investigator is just an actor.  I have a veryyyy small vocabulary, but somehow say the right things to convey what I need to, It's just a great experience:)

There have definitely been some mishaps though. So in our 4th lesson, Sis Butler and I challenged Henrique to be baptized and he accepted! I tried to tell him that he would be blessed for the rest of his life for choosing to be baptized.  Apparently the Portuguese word for "blessed" and the word for "abused" are very similar, just ask Dad. He busted up laughing and I was SO embarrassed and had no idea what I said until he explained after. Way to go Sister Dana.

So I see all of my friends here! It's great! I saw Chris Cluff the other day in the cafeteria and caused a real scene.  Good thing I remembered that we aren't allowed to hug, because I almost broke that rule.  I've seen a ton of kids from my highschool and USU too. Oh, and guess who has class a few doors down from me?! Soeur Maddie Hunsaker!! We found each other yesterday and there was much rejoicing in Zion. 

Alright, a few things:

Mom- I love your letters and I love you! It is so good to hear about all of the things that happen at home, and I'm glad my poor car is going to a good home. Thanks for taking care of all my financial stuff and I miss you a ton!

Dad: I'm glad the lesson went well! I think about that video a lot and it has changed my perspective on teaching. When people are complaining about this place being hard and stressful, I always just think that it needs to be because "Salvation is not cheap!"

Cooper: Good luck kicking the asthma, and I highly doubt your closet looks better than mine. I miss you a lot and always think about what it will be like when you come here. I can't wait until you can experience this too! I hope school is going well and if it's not...try harder;) You're a real smart kid! Has baseball started up? How is that going? I love you!

We went to the temple this morning as a district and it was lovely. Problem: I forgot my temple recommend at home. I am so ashamed, what kind of missionary am I?! Mom, will you please go through my nightstand and see if you can find it? Also, it would be lovely if you could send some more footie socks and purple Tresemme hairspray...these are the things I lack.

Well, if I didn't know this was a true church before I came, I surely do now. I love it, and I love being here, and I love working hard. The food is questionable at times, so I eat a lot of salad...maybe I shall come back slender after all;) I know that miracles happen in this place, and the gift of tongues is real! I can feel your prayers, no joke. It's great.

I love you!!

Love-

Sister Shelby Dana

Shelby's camera effects on the elders in her district studying

Shelby and her companion Sister Jordan Butler from Georgia

Elders in her MTC district

Sisters in Shelby's district McCleve, Dana, Remy, Butler and Orr

Dana, McCleve, Butler, Remy, Orr

MTC District

Companions

Sister Dana (with an official name tag and everything)

Study time

1st Letter via Snail Mail

This letter came via Snail Mail.  She started it the first night at the MTC and finished and mailed it the next day.  It came to us on Saturday March, 30th, 2013

Dear Family,
 I made it through the first day!! No email til P-Day next Friday, so this letter will have to do!

Things are completely crazy here.  There are so many people. It's great though, because I find a friend every time I turn a corner!  I saw Sheri King, Ally Taylor, my pals from USU... it's great fun!

I love my companion!  Her name is Sister Jordan Butler and she's from Georgia.  She's 20 & went to BYUI before she came out.  There are 4 other girls in our district and we get along so well.  For now at least, but we are all very focused on learning Portuguese and how to teach, and so I think that if we keep that as our purpose always, we'll be just a dandy bunch!

Our room is small...and there are six of us.  It's about twice the size of my dorm room at USU, with half the storage space.  But my clothes fit quite neatly still!

When I got to our classroom the teacher spoke only Portuguese the whole time! I was able to understand quite a bit, but that's probably because it was super basic.  Please pray for the gift of tongues for me! I want to learn this language so badly and I'm putting all my best efforts into it!  It's definitely going to take more than my own strength though.

After class, we had an orientation thing and then went to dinner.  The food here is atrocious.  Hopefully the poundage will just melt away from my body.  We then went to a Teaching experience, which was basically just a huge group role play.  I'm learning that I am not as ready as I thought!  It's hard to tell people about the gospel in a way that will be meaningful to them.

We went back to our classroom after the Teaching Experience and met our Zone Leaders.  They're pretty cool and I'm excited to get to know them!

I was so tired when we came home! We finished unpacking and I was out! Also I didn't finish my letter last night, so it's Thursday btw.  We've just had class and study and such all day.  We have to teach a discussion to an investigator tomorrow...in Portuguese!  So scary! I'll tell you how it goes!

Sister Butler & I just finished yoga in our room.  Thank heavens I have p90x memorized!

Mom - will you please send my yellow fever card?? I have to have it or I can't go to Brazil!

I love you all so much and I know this church is true! How is Beth? I worry about her a lot.  Write me back and read your scriptures!

Love,
Sister Dana

Heading to the Provo MTC

Shelby didn't get her Visa back in time to go the the MTC in Sao Paulo, Brazil as scheduled, but neither did most of the missionaries she was supposed to go to Brazil with.  We found out a couple of weeks before she was to leave that she would be going to Provo instead.  She was a little disappointed when she got the news, but realized that she would get to spend time in the MTC with lots of her high school and Utah State friends. That perked her up a bit.

Wednesday morning, March 27th we left home early to get to the airport in time for her 7:40 am flight. The airport was a very somber place with small groups of families saying goodbye to their missionaries.  Not at all like the scene at the airport for a homecoming.  These pictures are not flattering, but convey the families feeling of saying goodbye for 18 months.

Shelby's going to be a GREAT missionary!

I know, I look pathetic!

Setting Apart

Shelby spoke in Sacrament meeting on May 24th, 2013.  Her dad, Bishop Dana conducted the meeting and all 3 members of the Stake Presidency were on the stand.  Other speakers were Kallie Schwan, and Ray Clayton (Cooper's teacher's quorum counselor).  The choir sang a special musical number of "Come Unto Christ" by Sally deFord and was directed by her mother and accompanied by Janelle Neil.  The theme of the meeting was Repentance and the Atonement.  Shelby gave a beautiful talk on the Atonement and her testimony of the Savior and testified of the joy that she's felt from the gospel and her desire to share that joy with the people of the Recife Brazil mission.

There was a LARGE gathering of family and friends at the Dana home after Sacrament meeting.  We fed at least 100 people taco salad and lots and lots of cookies and desserts.   Lots of family members and friends helped contribute to the meal.  Unfortunately, mom was so busy with the food, that I didn't take any pictures that afternoon.

For family home evening that Monday night Shelby showed us a beautiful video on Missionary Work and the Atonement.

Beautiful Video on the Atonement and Missionary Work

Shelby was set apart on March 26th, 2013 by her Stake President, Craig M. Ahlstrom.  He came to our family home and gave her a beautiful blessing as he set her apart to be a missionary in the Brazil, Recife mission, teaching in Portuguese and serving for 18 months.  Here are some of the council and promises that Shelby and her family could remember from the blessing.

• Angels would be on her right and on her left
• The gift of tongues
• She would be able to testify in Portuguese
• A love for the Brazilian people
• An Understanding of the culture
• Love and patience for her companions
• A personal relationship with the Savior
• A deeper understanding of the Atonement
• She would be healthy and strong and able to do the work she was called to do
• She would have no major illnesses
• She would have patience in learning the language and would be able to retain what she learned
• She would know what Heavenly Father wants to tell people
• She would be able to call upon knowledge from studies and previous lessons
• Have a desire to teach the gospel with every fiber of her being
• She would always testify
• She would be blessed to have the opportunity to be in the MTC over Easter

There were just a few people in attendance at the setting apart, but it was an amazing night.

Shelby with her "little" brother Cooper.  I'm sure he will dwarf her when she comes home

Shelby and Cooper with Dana grandparents

Shelby and Mom

Shelby with Mima and Papa Dana

Shelby with her "second parents" Keith and Margo Clouse

The Dana family

The Call

Shelby was in Logan Utah when she got her call on Friday, November 14th, 2012.  She had a triple location opening party.  She had her friends gathered with her in the lobby of her dorm at Utah State, she had Grandma Flake on Skype with several cousins there watching in Snowflake, and her family in Mesa had a big gathering to watch her open it via Skype.  

Map with guesses of where she'll go