A Busy Week for Abby

 Email from January 12, 2015

Mom,

I got the pictures! They were the first thing I looked at! i'm so excited that he's finally here! I wish I could hold him, but I know God has a reason for me not being there for Brittany's first. I already love him and I'm so grateful that I have a new nephew to tell everyone about. You want to know something crazy? My companion's sister had her first baby on Friday too! Isn't that weird?? We both had sisters pregnant at the same time and they gave birth on the same day! Reese is a few hours older though. I just think it's weird. But i'm glad that you are telling him about me! He should have a picture of me, special made, to hang in his room so he knows who I am when I come home

My area is wonderful and me and my companion love each other a lot! I love her so much. At first, I struggled with her. our personalities clashed and it was hard to get along, but this week has been all about change for the both of us. I don't think I've had a week that I've changed so much in my whole mission. It's crazy how much i've seen myself change this last week. I have grown to love her so much. I didn't realize how much until President called us on Thursday. So...yeah, President called us on Thursday twice before we answered the third time. It was because our phone was on silent and we didn't realize it until later. We were waiting all day to hear from him and he finally called right before our dinner appointment! He said he had a new assignment for us and we both thought he was going to transfer us. For that split second we thought that, my only thought was how much I actually didn't want it to happen. It was really neat. But he didn't transfer either of us. He called us as sister training leaders!!! I'm so excited! It just means we are leaders in the mission now and we have two companionship's under our stewardship and one of them is the sisters in my old area! Isn't that crazy?? I may get to go back since we got on exchanges with them! I'm excited and nervous and humbled all at the same time. I'm so grateful that the Lord and President have trusted us with this.

Monday, we met the Saunders. They are great. They have triplets so they have a crazy household. they have another baby on the way too.

Tuesday we met with the Debenedettis. Crazy name right? she is the relief society president and she is super great. She loves us. her husband is not a member, surprisingly. He's nice but very quiet, apparently until you get to know him. I'm hoping we may be able to help him in some way.

Wednesday we had dinner with the McCauley's a four elders. Two of them were the assistants and the assistants were on exchanges. The way they do it, there are six missionaries in our area when they are on exchanges. So we were eating with four missionaries and a big family. We didn't really say much. Elders kind of...dominate usually. but it was good! They made really good soup. We went to the relief society activity after that. Soemone gave a really good powerpoint presentation on goal setting. It was awesome! We got the email sent to us. I loved it. We also did Zumba and Pilates. That was fun. It stretched me though. I was sore for a little while.

We saw the Echeverrias on Thursday after dinner. They are great. She just had surgery so we try to go over to cheer her up and see how she is doing. We had a really awesome companionship bonding time too. We've gotten really close this week.

Friday we saw the Whites. they are great. Sister White is so strong. i love her so much. She's feeding us dinner this week! They have geckos and a bearded dragon that they brought us....I just about peed my pants when i saw them! I jumped so high. I looked but I didn't get near them. I did have the courage to touch the dragon...even though it was terrifying! We also met with Sister Robinson. She wants us to move in with her but her granddaughter is living there with her daughter and we don't know if we want to be kept up by a baby. But she's super great and her granddaughter has a similar story to Courtney. her granddaughter is not a member and I really want to help her.

Saturday we saw the Robertsons. They are so sweet. i love them so much. he has a whole bunch of books. I just want to spend hours in his house because of the bookshelves but i can't read most of them so it would be strange if I did that.

Sunday we ate with the Alvarez family. they are sweet. They are converts of twoish years. They love missionaries. they took a picture of us and the assistants (we eat with the assistants a lot...I'm finally becoming comfortable with them!) and they told us to get closer because I guess there was a gap between Elder Cook and me...it was interesting. We can't touch them so how close can we get?

We don't have any investigators yet but we are going to get some soon! When God decides to bless us with them. I have faith that we will find those who need us soon. I know there are people that need us here and I know we have so much to give.

I love you and I'm grateful for your support and love.

always <3,

Sister Abigail Reese

PS I want Jenni James books--the Jane Austen Diaries. Also, if you're wondering, I would like a CD case for my birthday to put my bajillion CDs in. Love you!

Dad,

I'M SO EXCITED THAT BRITTANY HAD HER BABY! I was praying for it all week! I'm glad it wasn't too much sooner than Friday...then I would have had to wait longer than three days to know he was born! He's so precious. I can't wait until I can hold him...when he's a little bigger and almost a year old. But that's okay! I'll still get to hold him. He's so sweet. I love him and I am so glad all went okay, even though she was in labor for thirty plus hours. I can't imagine Mom not sleeping for 35 hours. that's crazy! Did she get there before the baby was born? Did Brittany have to be induced or was it a natural labor? Is he a crier then? Or is he a good baby? Or both?

This week was a lot better than last week. Sister Russell and I have gotten a lot closer this week than we were when we first became companions. We just got to know each other. It was pretty great! We had a total change of heart toward one another in the space of like three days. I learned to love my companion with all my heart and i'm so glad I get to spend this next transfer with her. And the best part is...WE WERE CALLED AS SISTER TRAINING LEADERS. Which means that we have two sets of companionship's under our stewardship and we are supposed to help them in any way we can. Under our stewardship are the Shepherd/Dry Creek sisters and the Alluvial/Woodward Park sisters, which means I may get to go back to my old area! I'm so excited! And I may get to be with my previous companion. It'll be great! But I need to remember that it is not my area anymore.

We saw the Kharazi's this week and Julie Laizure, a friend of theirs and a recent convert from Woodward Park, was there. We had an FHE with them and it was great. We also ate dinner with them. I didn't get to say good bye to Julie before i left so it was nice to be able to see her. And she said i'd probably see her again.

We ate dinner with this awesome family on Tuesday, the Kelloggs. they are so sweet and they have the cutest kids. She fed us sweet potatoes topped with...a lot of stuff that I don't know. I wasn't sure I wanted to know due to my pickiness so I didn't ask. they are really sweet too. I love them.

On Wednesday, we saw the Roziers. They are really sweet old people. He is in a wheelchair and they didn't used to stay for church longer than the first hour, but now they can since the time changed. We also went to the relief society activity. It was fun! There was a woman who gave a really awesome powerpoint presentation on goals and how to set them. I took lots of notes...and then lost them so I was sad, especially since I wrote some revelation down on there, but it's okay. whoever took it must have needed it more than I did. We also did zumba and pilates. It was fun! I wish I was more flexible and more...in shape. But we run very morning so that helps!

We ate dinner with the Hutchasons. They are the sweetest couple ever. I love them. they love us too. And i'm grateful for them. The members are so incredible here and I love them so much. It was hard to leave the members in my last area but when I came here I decided I was going to love all the members unconditionally. i had no preconceived notions about them so I loved them all so much and I still do.

Friday we ate with the Humanns. They have cute kids. Their sons are all so smart! We also saw the Zambranas. They are feeding us this week and she is in the relief society presidency. She is great. they gave us two referrals. Hopefully we will be able to contact them and help them in some way.

Saturday we helped at a baptism. We did a musical number. Sister Russell sang Joseph Smith's First Prayer to the tune of Come Thou Fount. It sounded great. I played the melody of Come Thou Fount. It was pretty great. We at dinner with the assistants at the Wilcox home. they have the biggest house ever! And the sister used to live there! We missed out when they lived there. I wish we lived there now. they have like jacuzzi tubs and they have a home theater and they have...lots of other cool things. I got lots of ideas about my house when I get married.

Yesterday we saw the Heasley family. they are super great. their son reminds me of someone and I can't think of who it is. He looks really familiar. We also saw the Olsens who know the Gummersalls but I don't think they know that Steve passed away...I didn't know how to tell them. What would you do?

On Thursday, we got a call from President. Three times. The first two we missed because our phone was on silent so we were waiting all day to hear from him and when he finally called, we found out he had a new assignment for us...he called us as sister training leaders as I already mentioned above. I'm excited! I'm also really nervous and humbled that the Lord is trusting us with this task. Hopefully all will go well.

Hunter is one of the strongest people I know but he acts like he doesn't care. Sometimes. I don't know if you know how supportive he is when he actually does email me but it gives me a lot of strength and I'm grateful for that. I know he has a strong testimony and I know it gets tested because everyone's does. But I'm proud of who he is becoming.

I love you, Dad. thank you for being supportive of me and praying for me. I know that your prayers and Hunter's prayers and mom's and everyone's gives me strength. I love you and pray for you!

Always <3,
Sister Abigail Reese

PS I thought of books I want you to get for me! Jenni James books...the last two I think. they are the Jane Austen diaries. You could get them for my birthday and keep them until I come home!