Abby is doing Awesome!

Mom,

Sorry this is so late. It has been kind of a crazy day. The Library is closed today because it's Labor Day so we almost weren't going to email today. But then some stuff happened and we decided to come to the family history center. The elders have a key. So that's why it's so late. I hope you all are having a good day though!

My week was kind of hard. It was transfer week so we were helping with that. There was a sister who was leaving and had to be at the mission home on Tuesday morning so we picked up her companion and then ended up with another sister too. We had two sisters for half the day on Tuesday and one stayed the night. But we were able to go to the farewell which was a lot of fun! I saw Elder Mo'O and Sister Hamilton and it was so great to see them! Sister Hamilton is still North, but she is even further North in Salida (Medesto). But one of the other elders I came out with is now in Clovis so I'll get to see him at zone conference! I was so excited! It was really awesome to hear that.

We had to drop Chuck. We taught him the Restoration on Wednesday and he was totally unreceptive to it. He stopped us a million times to ask us some ridiculous question that didn't pertain to anything we were talking about. He kept asking about the Catholic Church. Sister Ard and I both bore really powerful testimonies about it. He was not receptive to the spirit we both know was there at all. It was really heartbreaking to see that. But hopefully one day he will come to accept it. He has a Book of Mormon and he knows how to pray. He can go to God. If only he trusts in the Lord, he will be able to know the truth.

We heard on Wednesday that we are now covering both Alluvial and Woodward Park. The two richest areas in the mission. Yay for us! I am actually really excited but that made our week a little bit harder and more stressful. However, that day I did pray that God would give me something to keep me focused that day. So he gave us two areas instead of one. But thankfully we still have Alluvial to fall back on. And we have been told to put more focus on Alluvial than on Woodward Park because they are so missionary minded. It is so awesome! The members are awesome and they love missionaries. It's great! I am excited to work with both ward. Hopefully this will help Alluvial become more missionary minded too. I am crossing my fingers.

I got two packages this week--one from you and one from Brittany. I did get all those CDs. You didn't need to send me Brittany's CDs. I feel bad that I have them. Maybe I'll see if I can burn them and send them back. I'm sorry! I totally thought you knew how to burn CDs. But that's okay. I love them all! And Brittany's package made me so happy! I am so excited! A baby boy! (I'm going to assume she told you all because I can't contain myself.) I love it so much! I can't wait to see my new nephew. Whenever he'll be here. It's going to be so exciting! Elder Linekar (my zone leader) told me on Wednesday that he had a package for me but I haven't seen him since then so I don't have it yet. We went to the mission office that day and that's when I got the other two packages so I wasn't sure if he had the package or if it was at the mission office. I think he has one for me, but I am not totally sure.

Ooh a new fridge? Of course, after I leave. But that's okay. It'll be there when I get back!

Oh sad. But that's okay. That's only one game lost. (Hunter's soccer team lost one of their games this week) They are doing so much better this year than last year. I'm sad I'm missing it, but I'm there in spirit! But that really stinks that they only lost by one and they were winning at half time. Those are always disappointing games to watch.

I've been praying for you and your English class. I hope you can feel them! I pray for all of you everyday.

Oh! we have an investigator that we inherited from Woodward Park! His name is Alan. He is technically in the Fresno West Stake so I am not sure if we will be able to baptize him, but the fellowship he has in Woodward Park is so amazing. Everyone loves him and everyone wants him to be baptized. And he wants to be baptized so bad! We will have to see if we can get permission to baptize him in Woodward Park. But I think we have to get permission from an Apostle or possible President Monson. We'll see what happens! I'm praying that it will happen!

I hope everything is going well at home. I miss you all and I hope you know I pray for you everyday. I love you lots!

Always <3,

Sister Abigail Reese

Dad,

This week has been one of the longest weeks ever but one of the shortest too. The days seemed to take forever, but the week itself went by pretty fast. It's weird to think about that. Part of the reason it seemed so long was because it was such a crazy week. We were given another area to cover--Woodward Park. We are now covering the two richest wards in the mission. It's great! I actually love the members so much. They are so amazing and I really am excited to get to know them. They love missionaries and they are so excited about missionary work. Hopefully it will help our other ward get excited too. Especially since I think both the ward mission leaders are working together now. We are hoping we will have more people to teach now. We'll see how it works out. I think this is one big reason that Sister Ard and I are still together.

We had to drop Chuck this week. It was really heartbreaking, especially since I know the spirit was so strong in the lesson we had with him this week. We taught him the Restoration and we both bore our testimonies and it was so powerful. Yet, he didn't feel it. It was so sad and I really wish we could have helped him, but he just wasn't opened to it. It was one of the most powerful lessons I had ever been in, even though he wasn't receptive to the spirit. I know one day he will be. One day missionaries will look through the area book and see him as a former investigator and they will go by and he will be more open since we taught him. He respects us and what we do but he doesn't want to believe what we've taught him and it's really sad.

On a happier note, we do have another investigator that Woodward Park was teaching. His name is Alan. He has been to church seven times and he wants to be baptized so bad. He's maybe fifty. He has such a strong desire to come unto Christ and he wants to eventually get to the temple too. I don't know if we will be able to baptize him in Woodward Park though because he lives in another stake and so we have to get permission from an Apostle or President Monson. I'm not sure which. I'm hoping and praying we will get to baptize him though because I already love him.

Mom told me about the fridge. I'm jealous. I bet it's super nice and I won't get to see it until I come home. But that's okay. We have a fridge too that is perfectly functional.

At least they are doing a lot better than they were. (Abby is referring to Hunter's soccer team)I read the final score against Meridian and I was shocked. What happened to them?? Why couldn't they score last season? It makes me kind of sad that I can't see it but I am glad I am where I am. I know they will continue to do awesome and I am there in spirit cheering them on. But that's sad that they lost by one point against Centennial. I really dislike fans who are nasty. That always irritated me. But hopefully next time we will be able to show them that we are a great team!

Duke is funny. He loves being in your room at night. Probably because he has more space there. What are you using my room for? Just out of curiosity.

How did your talk go yesterday? Didn't you say that you had to speak for ten to fifteen minutes? I'm sure you did great. You can wing stuff like that easily.

I wish it would start cooling off here. It has. But "cooling off" means it's not in the high nineties instead of the low hundreds. They say they sometimes get another heat wave in September...I'm not looking forward to it. But at least we have a car and don't have to ride bikes. I wish it would rain here too. Fresno is in a terrible drought. It hasn't rained here forever. I mean, it has sprinkled and tried to rain a couple times since I have gotten here but not a lot. You probably got more rain this summer than Fresno did.

Though this week was hard, I know that God gave me several reasons to remind me that I am here for a reason. It is really amazing to know that He has a plan for me that He may not reveal to me for a while. I just need to always remind myself that I haven't done all I need to do here yet. I pray for everyone at home all the time. I hope that one day everyone will understand my love for this Gospel and will want to learn more of it. I love you and I pray for you everyday! I hope you have a great week!

Always <3,

Sister Abigail Reese

 

Picking Grapes in the Vineyard, Getting Dirty and Loving It!

Dad,

When I was told that there would be a new bishopric this week, my immediate thought was how great you would be in the bishopric. I was right! I'm so happy and proud to be your daughter. I know that you'll do great. I know it is probably overwhelming. I never realized how much the bishopric did until I came out here and seen the many things that the bishopric do in this ward. It'll be busy for you, but you'll be more immersed in the Gospel than you have ever been before. I wish I could have been there, but I know that I am doing important work here. And when I come home, you'll be sitting on the stand with me when I speak! I'm glad everyone else was able to be there. We were all with you in spirit. I am always praying for you, but I will continue to pray for you in your new calling. I am grateful and humbled to hear of President Quenzer's blessing for me that was in your blessing. It really helps me to know that I am being blessed even when things are hard. I am glad to be here and I know I am doing good work. I also know that everyone is being blessed because of this experience.

That's how I feel as a missionary. I don't know so many of the members but that is why we are trying to go see all of them. Even and especially the less-active members. They are really important and you should always strive to fellowship them and visit them.

I'm so excited that they won!!! (Hunter's soccer team had their first games last week) It sounds like they are already playing better. I do remember that their first game was against Skyview last year and they won that one...but they are still doing better! I'm glad that he is doing well in soccer. It makes me happy!

This week was the last week of transfers. As I waited for the transfer call--which seemed to take forever, probably because I kept looking at the clock--I was jittery and tired and excited and nervous. And then it came. And I waited to hear either Sister Ard's or my name in the outgoing missionaries...and neither of us were called. What a surprise that was to me. We are staying together for this next transfer, here in Alluvial. I am not entirely sure how that will go. I love her to death, but she is my trainer so I'm afraid that it will be hard to take my mindset from her as a trainer to her as my companion. But hopefully it will come easily. And I'm hoping that we will be able to work in unity and to find those who are prepared for us. There is a reason that we are still together in Alluvial and I know that we will find out if we work together to do our best. We have gained so much member trust here that I know it will help us in the next six weeks. We have had members tell us that they are going to invite people to their homes when we're over and invited people to church and so many things! It's so great!

One thing that's weird about this transfer though is that Sister Ard and I are now the only sisters in the zone. And one of the areas in the zone is now closed. Missionaries are being taken out of it. It's weird because they've baptized twice this transfer and we haven't baptized at all, so if any area should be closed, it would be ours, but I'm glad they didn't because there is still so much work we can do in this area!

On Saturday, we had the opportunity to help in the vineyard. Let me tell you something: That is hard work. It's kind of like working at the orchard but different. It was hot and dirty and I LOVED IT! I took pictures so I have proof. Remember that picture of Marisa and I at Copper Basin when we're, like, three? That's how I looked on Saturday after the grape harvest. We picked grapes and we dumped them, laid them out on paper. They are making raisins out of them. It'll be really cool to see the fruits of that even though I don't like raisins. It was so fun though! I'll attach some pictures.

This week we had Sister Buenaventura for a day. We thought we'd have her to the end of the transfer, but we didn't. She was transferred to Turlock. She was in our zone but then she was with us and now she's in Turlock. I know she's doing well there.

I love you and I'm praying for you! I hope all is well, and I know you will do great in the bishopric. I love you!

Always <3,

Sister Abigail Reese

Mom,

I did get Dad's email. It makes me happy to know that the Lord is aware of all of our family. I am not sure if y'all see it this way but for me this is a blessing that has happened for our family. I know it is. It's God's way of showing us what blessings come from having a missionary in the field. And now we have a family member in the bishopric. More blessings will come because of it. I'm glad I was "with you" on Sunday because I had this feeling that something was going to happen that included you and Dad and our family yesterday. I just knew. I could feel it. Heavenly Father is blessing us and I know a big part of that is because I am here. It is humbling and comforting that President Quenzer mentioned me in the blessing he gave Dad. It will help me remember that I am not only being blessed for being here but I am being blessed because Dad is serving in the bishopric. You'll figure out how you can help Dad and you'll be great for it. I know that this is a huge blessing for us, and you will start to see that soon. Even though it will probably be overwhelming at first. Dad will get to work with missionaries more!

I hope everyone had fun. I hope they are proud of me, because it helps me to know that they are. It gives me strength. I'm glad Brody blessed me. The prayers of children are strong because they have so much faith.

That's so cool! I'm so happy that they are finally starting to build that temple. How long ago did they announce it? At least a year and half ago, because we talked about it my senior year. Dad told me Hunter's team won their games. I'm so proud of them! I hope they continue to do well! It makes me happy to think that they are already doing well.

This week was transfers. Obviously you know that. I was waiting for the transfer call on Saturday, all jittery and exhausted and excited and nervous. When it finally came, I waited for the assistant who was saying it (I'm not sure which one it was) to call either my name or Sister Ard's name in the list of out going missionaries...and he didn't. So...my trainer and I are staying together in Alluvial. I'm happy, I guess. I just hope that we can work together and that we can continue to help the ward and the members. I also hope that God will lead us to the people He has prepared in this area. I know there are many.

We got to work at the vineyard on Saturday! It was so much fun! I loved it! You should be proud of me. I worked hard, and you can tell by the pictures I sent to you! We had to get in the vines and find the grapes. I got so dirty. I didn't even worry about the bugs and spiders...well, not really. I just got up in there and tried to find all that I could. It was hard work and it was exhausting work, but I did it! I loved it too. I will have one more chance to do it next summer since I will be here two summers. Hopefully I'll be able to do it again.

We met with a part member family this week. It's a mom and daughter. The mom is the member. Her daughter is almost twelve and she is an...interesting character. She's sweet if you can connect with her. We watched 17 Miracles with them. You could feel the spirit so strongly in certain parts. Then Sister Ard and I both bore our testimonies at the end of the movie and it was so powerful. That same night we had to take Sister Buenaventura, a sister who was serving in our zone but was being transferred to Turlock, to the mission home. We were able to see Sister Clark and President Clark. It was so great and I love them both so much. Speaking of them, Sister Clark has a blog for the mission: fresnomission.BlogSpot.com. Also her Facebook is Bonnie Campbell Clark if you want to add her. That would be okay!

I love you and I am continually praying for you all! I hope all is well. Tell Adam I said happy birthday! I love you!

Always <3,

Sister Abigail Reese

Also, I forgot to mention in the letter I got from President this week, he told me that I had learned a lot from a great trainer and that I would be a "great trainer...soon." So...I'll be training at some point in the future....Pray for me...please!