Thursday, June 11, 2015

Learning Experiences, an Adventure, and Meet the Mormons!



Dear Family,

This week was really long. Like seriously. For real. It was SOOO long. If you remember last year's summer, you'll remember that it got super hot and gross and...well, it's starting again. I got here a year ago and it was hot and I had to suffer for three ish months with the heat...hopefully it will go by fast! I am not a fan of the heat.

On Monday, we went to the Belnaps. They are a great family and he is from Idaho Falls! Also, he is related to Preston. Do you remember my friend Preston? The redhead? Yeah him. They are related! I'm not sure how closely...but they are. We had dinner with them and taught them a little bit of the gospel of Jesus Christ. She is really big on saving water, which I think Dad would appreciate. She has tubs in her sinks to save the water we would waste. It's good. Even though I'm not really sure it makes much of a difference. We then went to see T and H at Sister Sifton's house. T, as you know, was baptized about a month ago and H is her son who isn't baptized. But he doesn't really want to be. The lesson we had was...weird. It wasn't the greatest becasue T was upset for some reason and kept thinking that H was being disrespectful, but really he was just being a kid. It was awkward though. The spirit was really strong at some points and at other points...not so much. Then we saw J and we read part of a talk with her from conference: Is It Still Wonderful to You? by Bishop Causse. It's really good. you should read it. (Alma 14:12-13, 25-26; 15:9; Luke 22:42)

On Tuesday we went to the soup kitchen because we didn't have a district meeting. It was good. I love going there and they really appreciate our help. We get to dry trays and when we do it we hit them against the counter and it's really a stress reliever. I love it! I received a blessing from Elder Feltner and Elder Harrison that day too. I was feeling really overwhelmed and really anxious and I wasn't sure why so I asked for a blessing. Elder Feltner gave me a really incredible blessing that I really needed. What he focused on the most was how much Heavenly Father loves me and how proud He is of the work I've done. He has great things in store for me! It really helped me get through the rest of the week. We then saw Sister Ramirez. She's super great. I love seeing her. We had dinner with Sister Haroldsen. She is a wonderful woman whom I love a lot. She loves us. Then we had MCM and then went to see T. the elders came to help us with her kids but...the lesson went awry. Baptism was pushed too much and I don't think the husband, K, appreciated it all that much. But it was okay! The spirit was still there sometiems. We played simon Says! (Alma 16:16-17; 34:40-41; Mosiah 4:9-12, 24-25; 3 Nephi 12:48 [perfect meaning complete])

On Wednesday we had district meeting and it was a really good one. I was feeling the spirit and I was reminded why I chose to serve a mission and what I am meant to do here. I needed it a lot. We didn't see a ton of people. We ate dinner with Ivy and her family and it was good! It was Italian which was really good. I love Italian food. Then we tried by the F's and she let us in to use the bathroom but we didn't stay. We will call her to set up a time. Then we takled to this woman named He and she was...interesting. She said we could come back though. That was our Wednesday...it was kind of a long day. Well, it went by fast but we didn't see a lot of people. (Alma 17:2, 9-11, 17)

Thursday we went to the Remington. AND OH YEAH I FORGOT. ON Wednesday we met a family that we had received as a referral and we went by and found out that they had just lost a family member. The funeral was Thursday. So they invited us and we went. It was good! I don't why, but at funerals I have this really big urge to make jokes...it was tough. Then we went to take our car in to the shop because we had to get our oil changes. It was interesting. Then we saw Sister Todd and shared Alma 26:27 with her. She really liked it. Then we went to an apartment complex near our dinner to contact a former. Except we got lost in this apartment complex. Now, let me remind you that I have terrible directional instincts. So it didn't help at all. But we met some really nice people that new missionaries from Modesto (can visit?). So that was good. But then as we were trying to find our way back, we got stuck...in a pool area. NOT IN THE POOL. But in the gate that surrounded it. WE were there for fifteen minutes before we were able to flag down a nice Navy man who unlocked it for us. I even tried to climb the fence...but then I got scared. We ate dinner with the Sopps who I love a lot. Then we saw E. They sold their house! Which makes me sad but also I'm glad that they were able to do it finally. We'll help them move when they dio, Then we briefly saw M. She's sweet. But she was really tired. (Alma 18:32, 34)

Friday we TALKED TO 20 PEOPLE! For the first time ever! It was fun! But then we lost it after taht...we need to figure out how to be consistent. We went to the soup kitchen as well and that was fun. We had to leave early though because Elder and Sister Fanning were coming to check our apartment. We had dinner with Sister Ramirez. I love her. She's great. Then we stopped by the J's and L. We saw a woman in our apartment complex whose name is F. She's Pentecostal. But she's sweet! (Alma 18:10, 13,14, 16-17, 23; Enos 1:15-16)

Saturday was a long day. We went to the Remington and then we stopped by H. But she didn't come to the door. We stopped by a few people but not a lot of people answered the door. We had dinner with the Gages who are super great. Then we tried by B because we had an appointment but she wasn't home. We tried a few potentials but then ended up driving back to our apartment to see J. This is where Meet the Mormons comes in. We watched most of it with her and are going to go back maybe tonight to finish it. I love that movie! (Alma 20:24, 26-27; 22:15; 23:7)

Sunday I learned that if I don't follow spiritual promptings, I am preventing someone else from being blessing. I had a feeling that I needed to bear my testimony about God's love during sacrament but I didn't want to. Toward the end of the meeting, the thought came to me, "If you don't, someone's prayers won't be answered." I don't actualy know if someone's prayer was answered because of me but I do know that I did what God wanted me to do. We  taught T whom I love a lot. He's so sweet. It was a really good lesson. We had dinner with Sister Sifton and then had another dinner with the M's and their member daughter. It was fun! Then we saw the S's and M. It was a good day! (Alma 24:6, 10, 13-14, 16, 26-27)

Today I was still in Alma, of course, and I read some of chapter 26. You should all read it because it's one of my favorites. Verses to read are 1, 8, 11-12, and 15-16. 

I LOVE YOU ALL and I'm so grateful for you and all your support. remember God loves you!

Always <3,
Sister Abigail Reese

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