About Me

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I am so glad you have stumbled upon my little blog :) My name is Sister Jessica Mae Turley, and I am a Missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, serving in Washington D.C., Preaching in American Sign Language! I Love the gospel of Jesus Christ and how it applies to my life every single day in many different ways. Hopefully you gain something from my adventures :) Please feel free to share this blog anywhere you'd like :)

Saturday, August 30, 2014

Everyone Needs a Superhero



I have been delaying writing this post because I tend to lock things
up and keep them away from my thoughts as a coping mechanism but I

have come to discover that it is the least helpful thing I can do. So
here goes nothing. Bear with me as it a bit lengthy but I hope it's
worth it.



I wanted to share my story of a recent trial in my life. This is not a
pity party plea or a fishing for praise, this is my way of testifying
about the atonement. So just remember that.



After a long year of struggle with getting things ready for a mission
I finally was able to submit my mission papers. The day after that, my
dad was admitted into the hospital and shortly thereafter was
diagnosed with leukemia. What a blow that was. I didn't think much of
it at first. It was my dad. He had been in the hospital before and had
come out fine, and I was sure that this was going to be another one of
those times.







With this huge change in my family's life, I was faced with a tough
decision: Do I stay or do I go? So I prayed, that very night, and the
answer was not comforting at all... "Wait for your call and you will
know". You have got to be kidding me!? Wait for my call? My dad is in
the hospital.... My family is hysterical, I feel like I'm the only one
with no emotions because I couldn't cry and Heavenly Father is asking
me to be patient....



So I did. And four slow, long, painful weeks passed, during which I
was in the hospital most of the time, and trying to take care of my family
as much as I could, trying to be more optimistic than I had ever been 
thus far in my life, trying to be brave and strong and supportive. 
And then I finally get my mission call after a mix
up or two.



When I read that call letter and realized that Heavenly Father had
given me exactly what I had asked for (Washington, D.C., ASL) I knew
without a doubt that I had to leave. I had to go. There was no point
in me staying. No good could I do by staying home. I had a
responsibility to come here, to 
The Greatest Mission in the History of Life!



So 28 days later I am on a plane headed to Utah for the Missionary
Training Center and I have never felt more sick in my life. Everything
inside of me wanted to jump out of that plane, wanted to turn around
and run back into my dad's arms. What was I doing leaving him behind?
I knew he wouldn't be there when I got back.







Everyday I waited to hear, every P-day I frantically emailed my
mother begging for an update. I would try and chat with my dad but he
was slipping, fast.



Week 6 in the MTC I finally got the first phone call informing me that
dad was being moved back home, there was nothing more to do, the chemo
didn't work. I tried to put on a brave face for everyone, I didn't
want to be this basket case, I didn't want anyone to know, but when I
knelt down that night to pray, I made sure to let Heavenly Father know
how blatantly pissed off I was.

 I yelled, screamed, cried, kicked,
punch my bed a few times, used an entire tissue box, I kid you not. How
could He do this? How could He take my superhero away from me? The one
person who had never failed me, who had never stopped supporting me,
who had never given up on me, how could He take him from me? From my
family? I was on a mission for heavens sake! I was giving up
everything for God and what does He do in return? He shatters my
world!! I was livid with Him.








A week later I was sitting in class and over the intercom I hear them
ask for me. Sister Phillips grabbed my hand and we walked up to the
front office, knowing what lay ahead. That was the longest walk I can
remember, my legs were like jello, my head was throbbing, heart
pounding. Yet I tried to laugh it off, as my dad would have done. 
I smiled at Sister Phillips, made some stupid corny joke. 
Just like Dad would have :) 



My superhero dad, the one who was supposed to survive an atomic bomb,
passed away on February 12th 2014. That day my life changed forever.
My perspective on the atonement and how it literally can carry us
through anything, completely changed. My understanding of the Plan of Salvation
was so much deeper than it ever had been.


Christ did EVERYTHING for us, suffered through the most extreme pain, 

so that we can be happy. Why? Because He is our savior, redeemer, SUPERHERO and friend.
 He is our eldest Brother who chose to come and save us all, because He loves us. 
It is that simple. 

HE LOVES US





I wish I could describe the overwhelming peace that came from knowing
the plan of salvation. I wish I could instill in everyone's hearts
what it feels like to have unshakable faith in knowing that I will
see my father again.



The Plan of Salvation is real. And it is crucial to our personal
salvation that we study and understand it. There is life after this.
THIS IS NOT THE END!!!



The atonement covers all pains, all trials, all weaknesses. His love
is infinite and boundless. There is nothing that he cannot help us
through.



If you don't know what the Plan of Salvation is, if you don't
understand the atonement, if you don't have a faith in a life after
this please comment or email me. There is strength beyond compare when
you can rely whole heartedly on the savior of the world, who over came
death, overcame the world, so that we can live with our families, and
with god, in His celestial glory forever.



This trial has changed my life and the lives of my family because of
our knowledge of gods great plan of happiness. 





Christ lives, and because he lives, I know my father will live once again with me, and my amazing family. FOREVER! 


In the name of Jesus Christ, I bear my testimony of these truths, amen.



Love, Sister Turley

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

I am a Child of God




My thoughts this week have been focused on how His love allows us to reach heights we never could on our own. There have been many moments this week where I have felt that He is simply asking too much of me,
There is no way I could go through with the task at hand. I just am not strong enough. And I am 100% right about that. I am not strong enough on my own. But as I have taken the time to turn to Him and allow Him to lift me up, I have been humbled and much more aware of what is truly possible with His hand.








As I took this silly picture below, I began to ponder it and I was shocked to find a lot of sadness in it. I was excited to take it and then I analyzed it a little bit more... There is so much emptiness in this picture. It is me. Alone. Being as strong as I can. Doing it alone. As I thought about this a little more I was taken back to that original thought. I cannot do this on my own. I need His help. I need to submit my will to His and become more like the children I cherish so very much in my life. 






Children are so gentle, so easy to love even when they make mistakes. They are humble and realize that they cannot do anything without the help or supervision of an adult, of someone who has "been there and done that." They enjoy the simple things in life and they get over things quickly! (usually). This moment at the temple captured my heart. I was so impressed with how much pure joy was radiating from her face. Bliss in a loving moment. How I so wish I could be more like that. 





Just I love the little children I am so blessed to be around, our Heavenly Father and our savior, Jesus Christ, love us just the same. They were willing to provide the atonement and go through anything so that we could return to live with them again. They are always there, with outstretched arms, waiting for us to humble ourselves enough to reach out as well. 




Luke 18:16-17
16: But Jesus called them unto him and said, suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of sch is the kingdom of God. 
17: Verily I say unto you, whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein. 


I testify that God loves us, and we are His children. There is no simpler truth than that. And none more empowering and hopeful. 

If you don't know this truth for yourself I plead with you to find it. Pray. Read from the scriptures. Look for the blessings and the examples of love in your life. 




He Loves You.
You are a Child of God.