Dear Family and Friend,
This week I am entirely grateful for
the spirit--for multiple reasons of which I will get into in this email. It was
a truly great week! And for the first time this transfer, I am entirely content
:)
On Monday, we saw T who is
doing awesome and is getting baptized on May 2. We taught her at Sister
Sifton's home and they bonded before we got there. She has so many friends.
It's great! Then we went to Sister Couch's house for FHE. It was only us and
Sister Couch but it was really good! We did this activity with her that Brother
Valencia taught me once: we read the white part of the pages. Each of us
thought of a question that we had regarding anything. Then we said a little
prayer individually and just flipped open the scriptures. It was really
incredible because I was half afraid it wouldn't work...but it did! for all of
us! We all got he answers to our question in the most random scriptures. It was
really cool to see. I challenge all of you to try it out this week and let me
know the results! After that we saw the H family. Z is so sweet. He's
easily distracted and we're trying to come up with ways to help him but we
haven't quite been able to do it. We're working hard on it though!
Tuesday we had district meeting and
we trained--on companionship unity. It was actually really good. Sister Arruda
and I have been working on teaching in unity for a while and that training I
think helped us a lot. It went really well. We were able to see I S, a
recent convert, and it has been so incredible to see her change the last few
weeks. I don't know when it happened, but she really has changed a lot and I'm
grateful I got to see it. Tuesday was also the day that marked my eleven months
in the field. Crazy right? I honestly cannot believe I have been a missionary
for that long. It seems like yesterday that I entered the MTC. Time has flown
by so fast! I can't believe it! We were able to see E this night too. I
love her so much. She is so great. We just wanted to keep her excited and
upbeat about her baptism and it worked! She was so excited leading up to it.
Wednesday was a good day too. We saw
T and she is the best. We went over the baptismal interview questions and
she is so ready to be baptized! It's awesome to see. I have seen her change so
much. I love her with all my heart. We went to dinner with the bishop's wife,
Sister Hill. She took us to Panera. I love Panera. You should look it up and
see if we have any in Idaho...because it's the best restaurant ever! They have
really good mac and cheese. Then we saw a less active named B G. She
has been coming back to church recently and she loves it. She is so much
happier now and I love seeing it. It's incredible. We were able to see a couple
that live near us--B and K. they just had the cutest baby girl ever
named E. she is so sweet. They aren't married yet...but they are getting
married next month! I sort of invited myself to the wedding...oops! Haha, but
they are sweet. K is a member and B is sort of learning but I'm not
sure how interested she is. She's great though!
Thursday, I got to see Melanie Kuhn!
She came to Hanford and took Sister Arruda and me out for lunch. I missed her!
We went to Superior Dairy which is a really good restaurant in Hanford. When I
came here, people told me two things: Go to Superior and don't drink the water.
It's really yummy! And I was so glad to see her. I miss Melanie so much and I'm
so grateful for all she did for me. We ate dinner with the Haroldsons. They are
the best. I love them so much. They know members from my last area so it was
really great to talk about that! Then we saw an investigator that the elders
asked us to go see. They are teaching her but they want our help. She actually
lives in our area now but they aren't giving her up. her name is M. She is
super sweet. She has a three month old and we went over and just...followed the
spirit. And she loved it! She texted the elders and said it was the first time
she has felt the spirit in a long time. It was really awesome to know I was
working for the Lord.
Friday was a crazy busy day and this
is where my scary experience comes into play. We had appointments all day after
we served at the soup kitchen. We went to see the L family and they are so
awesome! B is such a solid recent convert and J is loving it too. We
got a lecture on what isn't healthy (apparently sugar is more addictive that
cocaine?). AND I FOUND OUT THAT J HAS FAMILY IN MIDDLETON!!! Isn't that
crazy? She actually went there this weekend. I don't know what ward they are in
and I am not quite sure of their last name but I thought it was pretty crazy.
she offered to take me with her but unfortunately, I'm pretty sure that isn't
allowed. It made me happy though. We saw E at Sister Sopp's house too. It
was our last meeting before her baptism. She was so excited! We found three new
investigators that night--the H family! Sister H is less active but
the kids are so sweet and well-behaved. We saw T with Sister Robison. I
warned her that Satan would attack this week and she has already seen it. But
she can make it to her baptism! After T we were both feeling anxious and
we were trying to figure out where to go. Sister Arruda thought of J so
we went there. However, we were still feeling anxious and we thought it was
maybe because of T so we said a prayer. We still couldn't figure out what
was wrong but we got out of the car and went to see J. the first house
was the wrong one which was odd since we actually do know where she lives.
So we found the right house and rang the doorbell..but the moment we did, I had
the strongest urge to just get out of there, that we shouldn't be there. I told
Sister Arruda but then she opened the door. She let us in and was really
sweet but there was something...off about her. I think. We sat down and the
feeling to get out was stronger. So after we said a prayer I wrote Sister
Arruda a note and told her we needed to leave. Not too long after she got up
and said we needed to leave but we were just checking on her. There was
something different and it was really scary. It was the strongest I have ever
really felt the spirit telling me to leave a place. It was the first time as a
missionary I was afraid. But we got out of there and ran back to the car. Then
we drove to the church and took a breather before calling the elders. We dont'
know why we needed to get out of there but we did. We followed the prompting and
I know there is a reason for it. We went to the Greens after we called the
elders and they let us in and listened to our experience. They are awesome. I
love them.
Saturday was a good day! We served
and then we did the halftime show at the elders' baptism before our baptism.
Then E WAS BAPTIZED!!! It was the best thing ever. I loved being able to
witness someone I had come to love so much enter the waters of baptism and take
that first step to enter the gate. I am so happy she was baptized and I am so
grateful I was here to witness her change. We saw J and S, M's
parents. They gave us pizza. It was good. They are so sweet. Saturday was a
really great day.
Sunday E was confirmed! It was
really great. Her mom, who has been inactive for years, came! And so many
people knew her. It was way awesome! We had to weekly plan and we had a
complete bonding moment as companions. We talked and I told Sister Arruda how
much she had helped me. She has helped me love being a missionary again. I didn't
realize I had lost sight of it until we were talking about it. We also decided
that whatever happens at transfers (which are next week) we know we were
successful and that is what matters. We ate dinner with Sister Sifton and she
made mac and cheese which was really good! Then we got a really awesome call
from Sister Oberst. Her sister in law wants to be baptized! She is ten. I
think. So...we schedule all the lessons and the baptism is
happening on May 24!!! I'm so excited to teach her! It'll be a great
experience. I have always wanted to teach someone so prepared. We saw M
again on Sunday too. She is the best. We shared the story of the stripling
warriors and how their mothers taught them (Alma 56:47-48, 57:21). She loved
it! I love her so much...I hope we can continue to help her.
I love you all and I'm grateful for
you and your support. I love this gospel and I love being a missionary!
Always <3,
Sister Abigail Reese
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