Sunday, August 2, 2015

Interviews, A Fallen Through Baptism and Sending a Sister Home



July 20, 2015

Dear Family,

This week was alright. It had its ups and downs--a lot more downs than I've had all transfer! But it's okay. I vented and got my frustration out with my companion and now I'm okay. I just needed to take a moment.

So you'll know based on the subject line what is happening here, but I won't spill the beans until I get there.

On Monday we went to the O after we were done writing letters and emailing and everything for dinner. They made us alfredo! It was SOOO good. She made it with whipping cream, which was different but good. I still love the recipe we have at home, but I loved Sister O's too. We played ping pong and chess with them too. They are the best. I absolutely love their family. I'm actually pretty good at ping pong...when I get home, we should get a ping pong table! Haha, or just use Grandma and Grandpa Light's. We then went to see F and J (she doesn't actually like being called J...but it feels weird calling her that <--- too). I don't really remember what we taught them but we talked about baptism and talked about how we are baptized. S, her seven year old granddaughter, is nervous for when she can be baptized, but she's excited too. It was a good visit :) (3 Nephi 4:10, 33; 5:13)

Tuesday, we had President Interviews! I absolutely love these because President is always so encouraging and helpful. It makes me happy to be able to meet with him and talk with him. I think for the first time my whole mission, I wasn't really struggling with anything. We had this training on pamphlets while people were being interviewed. Our zone leaders, Elder Harrison and Elder Guereca, gave the training. It was really good. It was on a pamphlet I don't know that well, but I was doing pretty good, I think. When it was finally my turn to be interviewed, I was super excited! I went in there and President asked me how I was doing and I was completely honest and told him I was doing great. Because I was! He could tell which was great. I'm glad. We talked about my area and my companion and how I could help both. Then he reminded me how much time I had left--to help me see what I could do in that time. And then I talked to him about something that had been bothering me and he was really great about it and told me not to worry about it. It was relatively short but very needed. After our interviews I found out something really sad though. Sister B went home on Friday. She told me she was probably going to go home this week and I was so sad. She has some medical stuff she has to work through which is understandable but I really miss her so much. She's the best. It was really sad to have to say good-bye. We saw the P’s! We found three new investigators--the rest of the family. They were sweet and they said they would be baptized when they knew what they were doing. Sister P wants them to know for sure. So we aren't pushing a date right now. We had dinner with the H’s. They are great. They have two sons named J and H. Isn't that cute?? Then we saw the U’s. F is sick :( Still. I think she contracted something in Mexico. We then saw Sister F. She opened up to us a ton about some of her struggles. She wants to know how to help her husband. He wasn't there so she could be open. It was great! I'm glad she trusts us :) (3 Nephi 6:14; 7:21)

Wednesday, we saw Sister J. We taught her about hope. It was good! She needed it I think. And her husband came halfway through and so we met him. We've never met him before. We've heard he's anti, but he seemed really nice. I think he just doesn't like her going to church...which means she doesn't come to church. But we're working on that! We talked to this nice man on the street named R. It was awkward because he gave us a hug afterward...and we weren't sure what to do. We saw Sister D and taught her about patience which she really enjoyed I think. Then we saw Sister P. She's the sweetest old lady ever. She loves us coming by. We ate with the H WHO ARE COMING TO IDAHO THIS WEEKEND! They will be at the temple on Saturday if ya wanna just show up and see if you find them :) They have eastern accents so you can't miss them. They will be staying in Caldwell, going to the Boise temple for the sealing, and the couple is from Payette. It's crazy! We saw M and she is so sweet. She really does want to be baptized. She's really smart. We did service with the youth for mutual which was a lot of fun. I love the youth a lot. I think I connect really well with them--better than I did when I was actually one of them. I wore my Camp Half-Blood T-shirt and so many of them loved it. I think I became cool to some of them because of it, haha. (3 Nephi 9:13-14, 18)

On Thursday, we said good bye to Sister B. We went to Panera for lunch. It was fun! I was so sad though. Actually, I was really surprised because I didn't cry! I was proud of myself. I think God is really helping me accept change and saying good bye to people. (I think this is His way of preparing me to come home, because we all know how hard it is going to be for me to say good bye to these people whom I've come to love.) We did Mormon.org time which was fun! I love Mormon.org. Then we ate dinner with the Ps'. They are so sweet. We saw M again and she is super great. I love her. We also saw Sister O. Her son wanted us to write our testimonies for him so we had written them and gave them to her. I love her so much. She's the best. (3 Nephi 11:27, 39-40; 12:4-12)

Friday I got sick. I had a really bad migraine when I woke up but I ran anyway. To top it off, the night before my knee was swollen so it hurt really bad too. I ended up sleeping for most of the day. It was good. I was completely out of energy for some reason. I would get up and wouldn't be able to stay up for long. I had literally like no energy. It was kind of weird and I didn't like it. We did work that night though. We went to the H's for dinner. They have some crazy kids. They had an English woman staying with them. She was there for a soccer camp. She didn't stay long but she was there for our lesson! Then we saw F and J. It was fun! Except F said, "If I have to give up coffee to get baptized then I'm sorry." It was really depressing. We are just going to help her be more converted and then she'll be willing :) (I have no scriptures for today since I was sleeping during studies...)

Saturday, we helped someone move! It was so fun! I love the F. They are awesome. We helped Sister F put together a crib. It was fun! They are so cool :) I didn't feel like I helped at all. They had a lot of heavy stuff and we all know how good I am at heavy....that is, not good at all. We did weekly planning after that and then we did Mormon.org time. It was good. We saw the O’s because it was Sister O's birthday! It was fun! We had a card for her and a gift :) Brother O gave us blessings too. It was good. We then saw M again and taught her some commandments. Apparently, she drinks coffee which is why her baptism will be postponed. She drank some on Sunday morning which really means we can't baptize her this week. Two weeks. She needs to be without it for two weeks. But she will be baptized. I know it. (3 Nephi 13:6--8, 21, 28-30; 14:7-8)

On Sunday, we had MCM and ward council. Bishop Haroldsen is so funny in ward council, especially this one. It was the best! I wish I remembered exactly what he said, but it's probably best I don't since it's a private meeting. I love how we're focusing on the sacrament. It is so spiritual to think of that. I love that. This is when we found out that we couldn't baptize M. It made me really mad at first because President has been stressing reaching the power of one, but then I realized that we can't baptize someone who's not ready. If we are supposed to baptize this month, we will. I am giving it all to the Lord and I am just going to work hard and have faith. That's the answer. We almost got locked in the church parking lot but Bishop came around to the back before he closed the gate and found us. We ate dinner with the M’s. They are great. Sister M reminds me of you, Mom :) We saw Brother H and his family. They gave us blackberry pie which I choked down. For some reason I really don't like fruit desserts. We then saw Fr and J. It was good! We talked about fasting which is what the talks were about in sacrament meeting. And elder who came home a week ago spoke. He served in the Boise mission! I didn't get a chance to talk to him though. (3 Nephi 16:1; 17:11-12, 21, 24-25)

I LOVE YOU ALL!! Thanks for your support. And for all reading this, I have a request: PLEASE WRITE ME LETTERS! My companion has gotten EIGHT this week and I've gotten ONE--from the only person who writes me! So please, please, PLEASE write me...I like letters :) I LOVE YOU!

Always <3,
Sister Abigail Reese

No comments:

Post a Comment