It's Transfer Time

Mom,

I can't believe it has been almost three months. It's crazy how time has flown by. I love being here even though it's hard. Transfers are coming up to. This week is transfer boards so we'll find out who leaves and who stays on Saturday night to give us time to prepare and pack and clean and everything. So we'll know if I'm being transferred or not on Saturday. There is a really big part of me that wants to stay here in Alluvial. I love the members and I feel like I haven't helped as much as I could. But there is another part of me that wants to experience another area. I know that's crazy. I've never been a fan of change. But I like it here. Change is good. It's what keeps us as missionaries growing. Plus, I'm fairly certain that a lot of the members still think of me as a new missionary. I am no longer a new missionary. I've been through almost two transfers. We get new missionaries every transfer. It's great!

What kind of blessings are you receiving? I always pray that you will see the blessings that come from me being on a mission because I know that you are being blessed. That sometimes is what keeps me strong. Knowing that you are being blessed is a huge blessing for me. And I know that I am being blessed. I am growing and changing. It's hard but it's worth it. I love seeing how I've changed and grown and become the woman God wants me to be. It's amazing to see how much I've changed. I feel like a different person already. Even though it's only been three months.

How is your class going? That's awesome that he used it as an example! I'm glad you seem to be doing well. Okay, I wasn't sure when Hunter was starting school. I figured it was this week. In Fresno, they don't start until next week or later and they think that's early. I told them that it was late for me, but then we did get out earlier because we started earlier. Who is Hunter playing on Friday? Did he make Varsity?? I'm sure he did, but he hasn't emailed me for a while so I don't know what's going on in his life. Oh yay! New table! That's really awesome. I'm so glad you finally got one. I bet it's beautiful too. I know how much you wanted one. Um...you should write it down somewhere. Then you might remember.(I promised to bring my primary kids a special treat and I keep forgetting)  New families?? Cool. Oh my goodness! A new bishopric? Meaning a new bishop too?? That's so crazy! Are you getting a new one this week? I feel like Bishop Black hasn't been in that long at all. That's going to be weird to have a new bishop when I come home...hope he's someone I know! Just kidding. Whoever it is, God called them for a reason. How many new families do you have now?

This week was hard. Well, not hard really. Just...I didn't feel like we were really being productive. We were supposed to have an appointment with a potential investigator named Rachel on Wednesday but it fell through. I was so sure that she was prepared to hear the restored Gospel, but then she didn't come to the door. Her sister did. It was really disappointing and a little discouraging. But I know that someday she'll hear it for herself. We also had a movie night this week! We watched Forever Strong--which the missionaries could watch because it's in our culture since Coach/President Gelwix was our mission president--and it was a lot of fun! There were lots of people there, lots of ward members and there were a few nonmembers so hopefully we planted seeds. It's important that we remember we plant seeds everyday.

We went to visit a member yesterday. The Hill family. He is in the bishopric and his wife is the sweetest. They have five kids--two girls and three boys. Their oldest is on a mission in Peru and she left right after I got here. I met her a couple times and then she was off. I connected pretty well with the family because I was new and they had a new missionary going. Anyway, we went to their house yesterday and Sister Hill shared with us a part of a talk given by Elder Wirthlin. It was about trials and afflictions. Her daughter is going through some rough times right now and she was looking for something to share. She shared with us a story. It was basically about how a caterpillar has to go through hard things in order to become a butterfly. Just as butterflies aren't butterflies right away, we aren't who God needs or wants us to be right away. It really helped me. I love these members. They are so great and they love missionaries. They let us stay longer this time than they ever have before. They were great. Their children are opening up more to us and they gave us a referral! It's really incredible to see the progress that we've made with the members since I've been here.

Chuck is...not progressing (the ankle bitter dog's owner). We haven't been able to meet with him in the last couple weeks and he isn't returning our phone calls. We want to meet with him at least one last time to share the Restoration with him. It will teach him about priesthood authority and how it was restored to the Earth when Joseph Smith restored the Gospel. But I'm not sure if we are going to be able to keep him as an investigator, which is really sad. I wish he was progressing and I wish we were touching him in more ways than we have. But hopefully one day when other missionaries come to his door, he'll let them in and want more.

I love Sister Ard. She's awesome. It makes me sad that one of us will be leaving next week, but it's okay. It's time to move on. And I know that I will grow a ton more when I am done with training. She has taught me so much already but there is always more to learn. I know she has helped me in many more ways than she realizes. I hope that I'll see her again. She's going to come to my homecoming because her best friend lives in Middleton now so I'll see her.

I hope all is well! I pray for you every night and I hope you can feel those prayers. I love you and miss you! Have a good week!

Always <3,

Sister Abigail Reese

PS Sister Clark wanted us to tell you to make sure that you are stating on my blog that you are posting my emails so people or incoming missionaries don't think I am posting them. Thanks!

Dad,

It's crazy how time flies! I can't believe that I have been out for almost three months. It has been some of the longest and shortest three months of my life. I look back and think how fast that went by but in the moment it seems like it goes on forever. It's crazy. The weeks feel like days and the days feel like weeks. I think it's so crazy! We ate breakfast with a recent convert this morning and she asked my companion had left and then she said that I had like sixteen months left, but I corrected her. Not that I'm counting. I just know because I've been out for three months. Did Mom pick corn without telling you about it? Hunter probably is super excited! It's good for him to work and get used to it. I wish I had done more of that at home. I do it all the time here! I love doing stuff like that. We've helped people move and pack and wash windows and paint and it's all so much fun here because we get to do service and wear pants (or basketball shorts).

I wasn't sure when Hunter was supposed to start school. I thought it was this week though. I can't believe he's going to be a junior! he's growing up so fast! He's going to be halfway done with senior year when I come home! It has been a fast summer. I came out right at the beginning of summer which also meant right at the beginning of the hot season here in Fresno. But it's cooling down sort of. I love it here. I can't believe school starts so soon though! It'll be weird to do missionary work with school in session...or maybe I'm over thinking it...Who does Hunter play first? Did he make varsity? You need to tell him to tell me these things. I haven't gotten an email from him for a while. October next year will be when your travel slows down? That's a long ways away.

Mom told me Grandma and Grandpa are coming but she didn't tell me Brittany and Ty are. Is she showing yet? You'll have to let me know. I'm so excited for the baby! I've been telling everyone. I can't wait to see the baby and hold him/her. Hopefully they will get to state. I'll pray for it. I'm sure they will. Oh, I just realized that I asked if he was on varsity and then you said that you wanted them to get to state...oops. I know now! Who else is on the team??

Duke's a stinker. He chews a lot of things (Duke chewed up the seat on Bill's four wheeler and the foam is all over the back yard). At least it wasn't the new one. That would have been worse. Can you replace the seat? I don't know. Well, now that you put a fence up around the garden he has nowhere else to dig holes. Maybe you should make him a pen. He'd really love that....not.

Mom said we were getting a new bishopric! That will be so weird when I come home to have a new bishop! You'll have to tell me who it is and who's in the bishopric. I can't believe it's already been long enough for Bishop Black to be done with his time as bishop. How long has he been in now? I thought it hadn't been five years yet. I'm going to be anticipating it now....If they didn't announce it, it would take everyone by surprise when they change it on Sunday.

Transfer boards are this week, which means President Clark, the assistants, and the coordinating sisters will be prayerfully deciding where everyone needs to be. I will either be staying or leaving. Sister Ard and I will be split up. We just don't know if she's staying or I'm staying. Part of me wants to stay because I love this area and the ward and I feel like there is so much more I could do here. There's another part of me that wants to leave and experience other areas. Also, a lot of the ward members still think of me as a new missionary which I am not.

We had zone conference this week. It was so great to hear all the trainings. Sister Clark gave this training on which part of the brain we think in. It was a great training and I want to take the test now. But I was in two different ones that were complete opposites--the mathematical part and the emotional/creative part. Isn't that crazy? Sounds like me though right? President gave a training on the Godhead. It was really amazing. The assistants both gave trainings too. One of them was about how sometimes we will be given a tool to use but then God will expect us to strive to develop more tools and strengths. We learn something new everyday. I grow and change everyday. I am becoming a different person and I'm so grateful for the opportunity that I have to become who God wants me to be. I know that I can do so much good out here in Fresno, California. I know there is so much more I can do and I'm so grateful for that.

We had a movie night this week! We watched Forever Strong. So...crazy thing...our old mission president, President Gelwix, is in that movie. And the movie is based on him and his coaching. He was the coach for Highland. I did not know that until about a week into the MTC. And then we got to watch the movie! It was a ward activity but it was so much fun. I miss movies so it helped me to not miss them so much. We also had these amazing desserts called Hawaiian Shaved Ice. Did you have them when you were in Hawaii? You put a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the bottom, the shaved ice, the flavoring and then a little bit of cream on top! It's really yummy! I also just love shaved ice so that helped a lot.

A member thanked us yesterday for coming over and just talking with them. This particular member has been having a hard time and every time we go over, she told us, it helps give them strength. I am grateful for the opportunity I have to help the members here.

I love you and I hope you all are doing great! Tell Mom I will look for your boss's friend who lives in Visalia if I ever serve there. I love you and I'm praying for you!

Always <3,

Sister Abigail Reese

PS Remind Mom to send my CDs please? Thanks!  (These are one the way!)