Dear Family,
I had a really awesome week! I am
just so happy and loving my mission right now. It's the best feeling ever! now
the trick is I need to be able to feel this way for the next five months
because if I don't...well...then it'll make my mission harder than it needs to
be.
I learned a lot about preparation
and patience and change this week. Well, sort of. I did learn a lot though. On
Monday we went to see the R family who are less active. They seem active to me
but they are not active. She's a cub scout master or something like that
and she was doing the day camp all week. So we went on Monday because it was
the only day they had available. We ended up watching Forever Strong with them.
It was good! Our original intention was 17 Miracles. But they chose Forever
Strong. That's a good movie too. I love it. But I don't think it really applied
to the younger kids that were there. They did feed us dinner! They had ribs.
they were actually really good. I wasn't expecting that since I'm not a big fan
of ribs. (Alma 42:23, 30; Abraham 3:25; Moroni 7:19)
On Tuesday we had our first district
meeting since I came back! And I seriously am so glad to be back in Fresno and
in the Fresno East zone. there is a huge part of me that really hopes I get to
serve in Alluvial/Woodward Park again but I wouldn't mind ending my mission
here :) Our district meeting was really good. There is this elder, Elder
Deacon, who is so passionate and loud about everything. He trained on the
doctrine of Christ. It was a really good training. Then our district leader
trained on something else that I can't remember. I do remember it was really
good. OH YEAH! It was faith, hope, and charity. So of course it was really
good. then we went to lunch with some of the sisters in our zone. That was fun
too. We had an appointment with an investigator that fell through unfortunately
but we ended up contacting a member of her family later on and committed him to
be baptized on July 11! I don't think it's super solid so we might have to push
it back but we are definitely going to baptize him at some point if he is
willing to change. We went to see Sister J who is the granddaughter of one of
our progressing investigators. She is super sweet. Then we ate dinner with the
H’s. She served a mission! IN FRESNO! That's how she and her husband met :)
Isn't it so sweet?? We also saw the O family. I love them. She is the young
woman's president and they are just so sweet. I love them a lot. I didn't want
to leave! The spirit is just so strong in their home. We were getting ready to
drive away because they weren't home when the pulled up and the motioned for us
to stay. It was so sweet. She has so many old books that I really want to read!
But I can't. It's okay though! I can look. (Alma 43:4849; D&C 59:23; Alma
37:47)
On Wednesday, we watched 17 Miracles
with Sister E. She's so sweet. She loved it. I think it made her cry. Sister
Putnam was crying through the whole thing too. I love that movie a lot. It
reminds us all to remember the Saints who sacrificed so much to come here. We
ate with the Ph’s. They are super sweet. I love them. We saw a former named M.
She is super cool and super...how do I say it...um...gangster? Haha, she's
great though. Just a little rough around the edges! We taught K too! I really
thought this would be the lesson he FINALLY committed to baptism, but he still
won't commit to baptism. It's frustrating! But I know he's close. We told him
to pray for a date. So...hopefully that will work. I just feel like there have
been SOO many answers placed right in front of him, but he just doesn't
recognize it. It's frustrating. But I really love them. they made us cookies :)
And I think he's going to make homemade mac and cheese when we have dinner with
them! (Alma 44:3-4)
Thursday we saw a less active named
Sister Ji. She is great. When we were praying before we left the apartment I
had this impression to watch 17 Miracles with her so we did and she LOVED it. I
think she really needed it. I'm really glad I followed that prompting. She's
super sweet and I think she really needed it. We saw W P who is really sweet. I
love her. She's this cute old lady who doesn't come to church because she
doesn't have a ride. But she said she would come next week! We saw F. We
actually at first went to her granddaughter's Taekwondo class. that was fun! I
decided I want to kick box when I get home. (can
you imagine ABBY doing this!) Then we went to dinner with the B’s. they are
the best. Super sweet older couple. Then we saw the C's! I love them too. they
are great. He is a convert with a really awesome story. he told us all about
it. They tried to convince me he was Catholic and of course, I believe them
because I'm gullible but he felt bad because apparently I look like I'm a super
humble, sweet person. (Alma 45:78, 20; 46:12-13; 13:28-29)
Friday was weekly planning! Which is
just about the longest day ever. We got a lot done though! We did get to see a
sweet old lady who is in a rehabilitation center. Sister Pitman. I love her.
She used to live in Woodward Park ward! Then we ate dinner with the H’--the
bishop and his family. I love them so much. they served in the same
mission--Thailand. that's how they met! I love their story :) We contacted a
referral who was super open and they are new investigators! The C family. they
are great. I love them a lot. Then we saw Brother H/Elvis/Neal Diamond/security
guard. So to make everyone feel better, we have a security guard in our
apartment complex. He also plays as Neal Diamond and Elvis...He's awesome!
(Alma 46:20; Helaman 14:17)
Saturday was a good day too! We
contacted a former and she is being taught again--K V.. She's really sweet. She
sent jus home with egg rolls...which I don't like...but that's okay! It was a
nice gesture. Then we saw the M family. Well, actually just Sister M. She's so
sweet. I think we answered a lot of her questions. We didn't have a dinner so
we went to Denny's. It was really good! I really want to see the new Fantastic
4 movie when I come home, yeah? We can all go together! Or just watch it on
DVD...we then saw the A family. Their daughter married an elder that served in
this ward recently...yeah...it's actually a really sweet story. I like it. We
saw the H's. They have a daughter who really wants to be baptized and the dad
won't let her :( It's sad. They are less active/part member. I want to help
them. (Alma 48:7, 11-13, 17, 15-16, 25)
On Sunday, we had MCM and then ward
council. It was the best ward council I have been in my whole mission. the
bishop made everyone talk! It was great! Then we had church. Church was really
good. We taught two lessons. We taught Gospel Principles--The Gathering of
Israel. It was a good lesson! And we taught the Miamaids. It was short because
they actually talked for the first little bit about the same-sex marriage
legalization and how to handle it. I am very grateful the church is strong and
will keep its standards. I am wondering how that is going to affect us as
missionaries. We didn't really see anyone on Sunday. Just the Wo’s--our dinner.
they are great. I love them a lot. We got hamburgers! We talked to a crazy lady
named D. She has a lot of out of there beliefs. But she was sweet. (Alma 49:28;
50:19-20)
I really love this area and I wouldn't
mind ending my mission here at all. Maybe I will! Who knows? I am really
grateful to be serving a mission. That was reiterated to me this last week. I
wouldn't be me without my mission. I'm so grateful for this and I wouldn't
trade it for anything.
I LOVE YOU ALL! Thank you for your
support!
Always <3,
Sister Abigail Reese
No comments:
Post a Comment