Abby's New Area

Email from January 5, 2015

Dad,

The transfer was hard and this week has been hard but it's okay. the members here are awesome and I already love them. We haven't found any new investigators yet but we will. I know we will. There is someone here who needs us. I can feel it. I know there is a reason that Sister Russell and I are here together. I don't understand why President Clark decided to double us in. Or, rather, i don't understand why God told him to. But I know there is a reason and I will eventually figure it out.

Yes, I only have 11 months left. At the end of this transfer, I will be about halfway through my mission. It's crazy how time flies! I know it will go by fast, especially since I come home this year. It's crazy. We have church at nine here too and I don't like it. But I did it for five transfers so I can do it more.

On Monday, we had dinner with the Rahns. They feed all the departing missionaries before they leave. They took us to BJ's, which is a pizza place sort of. We had this thing called a pizookie which you would like. We got peanut butter s'mores. It was so good. Sister Isaksen and I shared one so we didn't have to eat one of our own. It was really good! It was probably loaded with calories, but it's okay. We also had a fun time at the stake center. We got a whole bunch of airplanes for Christmas so we made them and then we attacked an elder with them. It was great! It was like a parting gift. I don't like good byes though. That was sad.

Tuesday, we saw a lot of people. Ronda fed us lunch. It was good lunch. I love her so much and I am so grateful that I was able to help her come unto Christ. She told me when we were there that she knew that someone needs me in my new area. She knows it's not good bye and I do too. It's hard to think about though. I don't want her to fall, but I know she's solid. She is a solid convert and I am so grateful for that one solid convert that I have been able to teach and baptize. She is worth every thing that I went through in the last five transfers. I love her. She's so strong. We also met with the Harris family. She was so sweet. I told her I was being transferred and she told me we needed to stop by sometime before I go. It was nice. I didn't realize she liked me that much. So we went by and we ended up playing this game that we made on Monday. It was a memory game and we sort of forced her sons to play but they enjoyed it. I loved it! It was my idea and I won't even get to see how it goes with the people it's meant for. It's okay though. At least they will. We also saw Diane, a recent convert that finally let us in. She had grown attached to us and she was sad I was leaving. That made me feel pretty good. We dropped by and she gave me a mini Bible. It's so cute! She was sweet and told me how much she would miss me. We ate dinner with the Kuhns of course. They are the greatest. I love them so much and I'm sad I won't get to see them as much now. but I know I'll see them again. We also saw Sherry before we left. I am really going to miss her. She's the best. I love her so much. She said a prayer for me. It was sweet. She got a little teary eyed which made me feel a little good. We also saw the Burts. They gave me a CD and they got me a chocolate silk pie from Marie Callendar's. It was so good! I love that pie. I'm going to miss them.

Wednesday was kind of a crazy day. Melanie and Kurt took me to the Fresno East stake center which wasn't far at all. Melanie said a prayer for me before I got out of the car and it was sweet. I had so much stuff though. I need to send some home and I will...eventually. I will miss the Kuhns. We were doubled in, meaning neither of us had been in the area that transfer, so we didn't have a car or a phone. Our car was supposed to get there at one and then two and then three...and it wasn't there until five. So we were stuck at the stake center for a really long time. The zone leaders were super great though and gave us one of their phones to use until they got ours and they brought us lunch. It was really nice to have zone leaders that cared so much. Then around 4:30, we were hungry again so we asked for the zone leaders number since we didn't put it in our phone, from our district leader who is an elder I came out with (Elder Bean)! We told him we were hungry so he called and asked what we wanted for dinner. He wouldn't take no for an answer. It was really nice to have missionaries and leaders who cared enough about us to worry. It was an interesting day. Sister Russell and I got to know each other pretty well.

Thurday we were still trying to figure things out. We had no information on the area, but we were able to get a directory from Brother Olsen, the ward clerk. Crazy thing: his dad knows the Gummersalls! It made me so happy! They are from Idaho. I loved it! We also saw the Wilcoxes. We met them. The assistants, who are also in this ward, took us to meet them since we can't see anyone we don't know after dark. It was an interesting day. We had to figure things out and everything like that. It was stressful. It still sort of is but we're getting the hang of it.

Friday we set a whole bunch of appointments and we met lots of people. We met with the Merrills who just returned from a mission in Salt Lake. She worked in the family history center and he worked in security on Temple Square. He knows Sister Lunddahl! We also met the assistant ward mission leader and his wife, the Echeverria. they are great. I love them. It was nice to be able to meet with so many people. We met with the rest of the Olsen family. It was nice to be able to meet people who already love us. So many people were so happy to have missionaries. We ate with the Saunders. We got lost so it was interesting. but it was great. They are sweet. We saw the Madsens who are super missionary minded. They remind me of someone from home but I can't think of who. I love them a lot.

Saturday we met the Kelloggs. They are so sweet. Nicole is really great and knows people in Alluvial. We ate dinner with the Lukes. They took us out to get steaks! It was really yummy. It reminded me of you :) If you pick me up, we can go to that restaurant. Maybe. If we have time. We also met the bishop and his family. they are hilarious. Their son is dating the daughter of the young women president in Alluvial. Crazy connections here, I guess. We also met the Hutchasons. They are so sweet. They like to talk but they have so many good stories. It was great!

Sunday we had to get up at six to go to ward council :P It was terrible. But church was good. A little overwhelming but good. We met the Jolleys afterward. Brother Jolley served a mission in Switzerland. He had cool stories. We met with the Russells afterward. They have a house way out yonder. Lots of people live in the country. It's beautiful but takes a ton of miles to get there. I like it though. we met the Houlihans too. She's sweet. Her husband is not a member though. We ate dinner with the Olsens. I love them so much. They are great. she is the young women president. We met the Robertsons too. They have a daughter in Alluvial and they know a lot of people there! I love them so much. We walked in and there was this huge shelf that was on the wall of the room when you walk in. He has soooo many books! I was in heaven! I wish I could read them all.

It has been really hard to adjust and to not miss the people from my old area but it has been good to get to know other members. I'm glad you had a good week. Gracie is an innocent little child. She is kind of like me, right? Except I don't think I was that innocent at her age. I'm glad we don't get freezing rain here. But we do get fog. It's terrible.

I love being here even though it's hard to adjust. I'm so grateful for your support. I love you!

Always <3,

Sister Abigail Reese

PS Email me as soon as the baby comes!! I know I won't see it until next week, but let me know anyway!

Dad,

The transfer was hard and this week has been hard but it's okay. the members here are awesome and I already love them. We haven't found any new investigators yet but we will. I now we will. There is someone here who needs us. I can feel it. I know there is a reason that Sister Russell and I are here together. I don't understand why President Clark decided to double us in. Or, rather, i don't understand why God told him to. But I know there is a reason and I will eventually figure it out.

Yes, I only have 11 months left. At the end of this transfer, I will be about halfway through my mission. It's crazy how time flies! I now it will go by fast, especially since I come home this year. It's crazy. We have church at nine here too and I don't like it. But I did it for five transfers so I can do it more.

On Monday, we had dinner with the Rahns. They feed all the departing missionaries before they leave. They took us to BJ's, which is a pizza place sort of. We had this thing called a pizookie which you would like. We got peanut butter s'mores. It was so good. Sister Isaksen and I shared one so we didn't have to eat one of our own. It was really good! It was probably loaded with calories, but it's okay. We also had a fun time at the stake center. We got a whole bunch of airplanes for Christmas so we made them and then we attacked an elder with them. It was great! It was like a parting gift. I don't like good byes though. That was sad.

Tuesday, we saw a lot of people. Ronda fed us lunch. It was good lunch. I love her so much and I am so grateful that I was able to help her come unto Christ. She told me when we were there that she knew that someone needs me in my new area. She knows it's not good bye and I do too. It's hard to think about though. I don't want her to fall, but I know she's solid. She is a solid convert and I am so grateful for that one solid convert that I have been able to teach and baptize. She is worth every thing that I went through in the last five transfers. I love her. She's so strong. We also met with the Harris family. She was so sweet. I told her I was being transferred and she told me we needed to stop by sometime before I go. It was nice. I didn't realize she liked me that much. So we went by and we ended up playing this game that we made on Monday. It was a memory game and we sort of forced her sons to play but they enjoyed it. I loved it! It was my idea and I won't even get to see how it goes with the people it's meant for. It's okay though. At least they will. We also saw Diane, a recent convert that finally let us in. She had grown attached to us and she was sad I was leaving. That made me feel pretty good. We dropped by and she gave me a mini Bible. It's so cute! She was sweet and told me how much she would miss me. We ate dinner with the Kuhns of course. They are the greatest. I love them so much and I'm sad I won't get to see them as much now. but I know I'll see them again. We also saw Sherry before we left. I am really going to miss her. She's the best. I love her so much. She said a prayer for me. It was sweet. She got a little teary eyed which made me feel a little good. We also saw the Burts. They gave me a CD and they got me a chocolate silk pie from Marie Callendar's. It was so good! I love that pie. I'm going to miss them.

Wednesday was kind of a crazy day. Melanie and Kurt took me to the Fresno East stake center which wasn't far at all. Melanie said a prayer for me before I got out of the car and it was sweet. I had so much stuff though. I need to send some home and I will...eventually. I will miss the Kuhns. We were doubled in, meaning neither of us had been in the area that transfer, so we didn't have a car or a phone. Our car was supposed to get there at one and then two and then three...and it wasn't there until five. So we were stuck at the stake center for a really long time. The zone leaders were super great though and gave us one of their phones to use until they got ours and they brought us lunch. It was really nice to have zone leaders that cared so much. Then around 4:30, we were hungry again so we asked for the zone leaders number since we didn't put it in our phone, from our district leader who is an elder I came out with (Elder Bean)! We told him we were hungry so he called and asked what we wanted for dinner. He wouldn't take no for an answer. It was really nice to have missionaries and leaders who cared enough about us to worry. It was an interesting day. Sister Russell and I got to know each other pretty well.

Thurday we were still trying to figure things out. We had no information on the area, but we were able to get a directory from Brother Olsen, the ward clerk. Crazy thing: his dad knows the Gummersalls! It made me so happy! They are from Idaho. I loved it! We also saw the Wilcoxes. We met them. The assistants, who are also in this ward, took us to meet them since we can't see anyone we don't know after dark. It was an interesting day. We had to figure things out and everything like that. It was stressful. It still sort of is but we're getting the hang of it.

Friday we set a whole bunch of appointments and we met lots of people. We met with the Merrills who just returned from a mission in Salt Lake. She worked in the family history center and he worked in security on Temple Square. He knows Sister Lunddahl! We also met the assistant ward mission leader and his wife, the Echeverria. they are great. I love them. It was nice to be able to meet with so many people. We met with the rest of the Olsen family. It was nice to be able to meet people who already love us. So many people were so happy to have missionaries. We ate with the Saunders. We got lost so it was interesting. but it was great. They are sweet. We saw the Madsens who are super missionary minded. They remind me of someone from home but I can't think of who. I love them a lot.

Saturday we met the Kelloggs. They are so sweet. Nicole is really great and knows people in Alluvial. We ate dinner with the Lukes. They took us out to get steaks! It was really yummy. It reminded me of you :) If you pick me up, we can go to that restaurant. Maybe. If we have time. We also met the bishop and his family. they are hilarious. Their son is dating the daughter of the young women president in Alluvial. Crazy connections here, I guess. We also met the Hutchasons. They are so sweet. They like to talk but they have so many good stories. It was great!

Sunday we had to get up at six to go to ward council :P It was terrible. But church was good. A little overwhelming but good. We met the Jolleys afterward. Brother Jolley served a mission in Switzerland. He had cool stories. We met with the Russells afterward. They have a house way out yonder. Lots of people live in the country. It's beautiful but takes a ton of miles to get there. I like it though. we met the Houlihans too. She's sweet. Her husband is not a member though. We ate dinner with the Olsens. I love them so much. They are great. she is the young women president. We met the Robertsons too. They have a daughter in Alluvial and they know a lot of people there! I love them so much. We walked in and there was this huge shelf that was on the wall of the room when you walk in. He has soooo many books! I was in heaven! I wish I could read them all.

It has been really hard to adjust and to not miss the people from my old area but it has been good to get to know other members. I'm glad you had a good week. Gracie is an innocent little child. She is kind of like me, right? Except I don't think I was that innocent at her age. I'm glad we don't get freezing rain here. But we do get fog. It's terrible.

I love being here even though it's hard to adjust. I'm so grateful for your support. I love you!

Always <3,

Sister Abigail Reese

PS Email me as soon as the baby comes!! I know I won't see it until next week, but let me know anyway!

Mom,

This week was kind of hard, but it's only because I had to say good bye to all the members and adjusting to a new area that neither me nor my new companion knows is hard. But it's okay. I'm adjusting now and the members here are awesome. I love them. And the missionaries are great too! This zone is a lot bigger than my last zone so there are a lot of people to get to know. I'm not sure I'll be able to. But I'll try!

On Monday, the Rahns took us to dinner before I left. They took us to BJ's. It was really good. We got pizza and then we got this thing called a pizookie. It was basically a deep dish cookie. We got a peanut butter s'mores cookie. It was really yummy. I loved it. It was sad to have to leave and I didn't like saying good bye but we had to. When Austen and Aaron are baptized, I'll be there to see it...whenever it happens. I also had to say good bye to a lot of missionaries, but I guess that wasn't until Tuesday. But that was sad.

We saw a lot of people on Tuesday, though I don't feel like it was enough. We saw Ronda first and we were able to have lunch with her and her mother in law. I shared my favorite (one of them) scripture with her and Lucy Lee. I was so impressed with Ronda because she looked at me and said, "Sister Reese, remember that there is someone who needs you in your new area." I was really surprised but so glad that she said that because it really helped me to know that she is truly converted to the Gospel and I really don't have to worry about her at all. I'm grateful for that. I'm grateful that she is a solid convert and that she won't fall away from the church because of silly things. And I am so excited for her and Rick to be sealed! It will happen after my release date though so...either we need to stay extra or I will fly back! We also stopped at the Davis's. I love them and I miss them a lot. She is the relief society president in Woodward Park. They are so sweet. When we were there, they told me how much they had seen me grow in the months I was in Woodward Park and it gave me a lot of confidence. Now I just need to apply that growth to this area. We ate dinner with the Kuhns. I am really, really, really going to miss them a lot. I love them so much. They have helped me through a lot on my mission and I am so grateful for them. But I know I'll see them again one day soon. It wasn't good bye, just see you later. We also saw the Burts. I absolutely adore the Burts. They are some of the greatest members. I am going to miss them a lot too but I know God has a purpose for taking me away from all these wonderful members. Other people need me more right now. It was really hard to say good bye to these people but I know I'll see them again.

Wednesday was transfers so Melanie and Kurt met me at the stake center with Sister Isaksen and they took me to my new area. We were doubled in (meaning both of us were new to the area) and so we didn't have a car or a phone. We were stuck at the stake center (Fresno East) for seven hours. It was the longest day ever. But it actually went by really fast. Sister Russell (my new companion) and I got to know each other pretty well. But we still had three hours that night since it was New Year's Eve and we had to stay in. The zone leaders were kind enough to bring us lunch from McDonald's. The car was supposed to be there at three (first, it was one and two) but it wasn't there by like 4:30 so we asked for the zone leaders' number (we finally got a car) from our district leader who happens to be Elder Bean, an elder I came out with. We told him we were still stuck at the stake center and we were hungry and he called and asked us what we wanted for dinner. I told him we would be fine until we got our car, but he was stubborn and asked again. It was sweet. It was really nice to have elders--leaders--who cared enough and worried enough to help us out. So that was a fun day. It was so cold in the stake center too.

Thursday we were trying to figure things out. We were able to get a ward directory from Brother Olsen, the ward clerk. He's super funny. He was in the military and loves guns. he and Dad would get along great. We had dinner with the Kharazis. They are awesome. We are going over again for an FHE tonight and I'm excited. We eat dinner with the assistants a lot so it's a little weird and a little different, but I'm becoming less and less intimidated by them. And Elder Parkin, who was my zone leader my first two transfers, is an assistant now.

Friday we were able to meet a lot of different people. We met the Merrills who just returned from a mission. We met the rest of the Olsens--the senior Brother Olsen knows the Gummersalls! And I actually couldn't remember and I feel terrible about this...is Brother Gummersall still alive or did he pass away not too long ago? I feel terrible that i can't remember! But it made me really happy to know that they knew people from my hometown. They are from Idaho :) We met the Freemans too. They are great. She served a mission in El Salvador and they have the most darling kids. I love them.

Saturday we saw the Kelloggs who live way out in the boonies. But they're great. Nicole knows people from my last area. They have a cute little boy and a little baby girl. We also met with the Bishop and his family. They are hilarious. I love them a lot.

Sunday we met with the Jolleys. he returned from a mission four years ago and he gave us some advice. We also met the Kropfs. They are pretty interesting. I love them though. And we ate dinner with the Olsens--all of them. the whole family was there and then us and the elders. We shared a message with all of them. It was fun!

It was stressful and hard and I'm still trying to adjust to my companion, but I know it will get better. the Lord trusts me.

I have been praying that Hunter goes on a mission. He can leave not long after I come home and I hope the example I've set will touch him somewhat. I will pray for Courtney. Always do. I want her to come home. I want her to be happy. I know that she will be if she takes the steps she needs. She's always in my prayers.

I love you and pray for you all. I know I'm here for a reason even though change is hard.

Always <3,

Sister Abigail Reese