You may be wondering about my subject line, but I am pretty sure I have found Zion! The Salem ward is AMAZING!!!!!!!! The members are soooooooooo missionary minded! I told President Millburn in my letter this week that sending me to this ward was like sending a kid into a candy shop!
I know that I claimed Harrisonburg and Elizabeth City to be Zion, but this is really true!!! I would be sooooo happy to end my mission in Salem! It seems half of the ward are recent converts who are just soooo excited to share the gospel that they can hardly contain themselves! I love it!
This week was very interesting... Wednesday was mostly spent saying goodbye to everyone. Thursday morning we didn't have to be to VA Beach until 1:30, so we tracted in the morning and found 2 awesome families and set up appointments for that night. It was strange to write someone else's names on the pamphlets. Then Sis. moore drove us up to VA Beach. I tried my very hardest, but it didn't help...I cried quite a bit leaving EC. It broke my heart to have to say goodbye! I was even pretty homesick for EC for the first few days here, but the more we work here, the less I feel that. I think the hardest part was saying goodbye to Sis. Moss. I'm grateful that I'll get to see her at Zone Conference, I don't know if I could take it going to the other side of the mission. I HATE saying goodbye to companions!!!!!! I LOVE being a missionary, but I hate that! You don't realize how much you depend on them until they are gone. I am very grateful for Sis. Moss and all that we learned together. She was very patient with me. I am so grateful for the friendship we built. I just hope that we serve around each other again. But that's what President said about Sis. Moldenhauer, and that didn't happen. I am very grateful for Sis. Moss. And I know that EC will continue to rock the house with Sis. Moss and Sis. Cowley!!!
Ok, enough boo hooing as Stacy would say... My new address is:
------- (If you want her address, leave a comment, and we will send it to you)----
Virginia Beach, VA 23464
We live with the Stake President and his family. It is really fun and I am glad to be back in a member's home. It truly is sooooo nice! We live in the FROG--Finnished Room over Garage. It's a nice space.
Well, I better go...the library here is funny. After you have been on for 30 Min. it kicks you off and you have to sign in again. So if sometime in the next few months e-mails don't get sent, that is probably why.
I love you,
Sister Abbott
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Hasta Luego Harbor of Hospitality!
This week was soooooooo great!!! Stacy and Gabe's baptism was amazing!!! The spirit was so strong and her sister that came is being taught by the missionaries tonight up in Suffolk! I am so excited! I attached a picture. We are going to send that picture to the referral center at the MTC to thank them. We are also having Stacy write up her conversion story to send with it.
Well...I know that ya'll have been waiting with anticipation all week to know about transfers, right? Well, we did get transfer calls last night. And Sister Moss is staying and Sis. Cowley is coming from Bayside to take my place. I am excited to see what happens here. Sis. Moss is an amazing missionary and I am excited for her to see that. Something amazing happens when your trainer leaves an area and you stay...you realize that you aren't as stupid as you thought you were. I remember when Sis. Thomas abandoned me in Harrisonburg. I thought that I knew nothing about the area or missionary work. But I did...I just didn't know that. So I am so excited for Sis. Moss to feel that way.
I am obviously not staying...I'm being transfered up to Virginia Beach. I am being shotgunned into Salem. There were a set of sisters there this past transfer, but they are being pulled out and my new comp and I are going to be brand new to the area! I am a little scared, but excited. I suppose I am just not destined to have a normal transfer on the mission. I have only been transfered once before this and that was an ET. Now I'm being shotgunned. My new companion is from Tonga...I don't know how to spell her name. I'm pretty stoked! I met her last week at Zone Conference...little did I realize that she would be my new comp.
I don't have my address yet because my District Leader didn't have it and my Zone Leaders haven't given it to me yet. I'm sorry, but I will have it by next week. Until then, you can just send mail through the mission office...
9327 Midlothian Tpke Ste 1-B
Richmond, VA 23235
Well, I have to run. I hope ya'll are doing well!
Love,
Sister Abbott
Well...I know that ya'll have been waiting with anticipation all week to know about transfers, right? Well, we did get transfer calls last night. And Sister Moss is staying and Sis. Cowley is coming from Bayside to take my place. I am excited to see what happens here. Sis. Moss is an amazing missionary and I am excited for her to see that. Something amazing happens when your trainer leaves an area and you stay...you realize that you aren't as stupid as you thought you were. I remember when Sis. Thomas abandoned me in Harrisonburg. I thought that I knew nothing about the area or missionary work. But I did...I just didn't know that. So I am so excited for Sis. Moss to feel that way.
I am obviously not staying...I'm being transfered up to Virginia Beach. I am being shotgunned into Salem. There were a set of sisters there this past transfer, but they are being pulled out and my new comp and I are going to be brand new to the area! I am a little scared, but excited. I suppose I am just not destined to have a normal transfer on the mission. I have only been transfered once before this and that was an ET. Now I'm being shotgunned. My new companion is from Tonga...I don't know how to spell her name. I'm pretty stoked! I met her last week at Zone Conference...little did I realize that she would be my new comp.
I don't have my address yet because my District Leader didn't have it and my Zone Leaders haven't given it to me yet. I'm sorry, but I will have it by next week. Until then, you can just send mail through the mission office...
9327 Midlothian Tpke Ste 1-B
Richmond, VA 23235
Well, I have to run. I hope ya'll are doing well!
Love,
Sister Abbott
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Go cut and onion...you'll cry more.
Hey Ya'll!!!
The subject was what Gabe (10 year old getting baptized this week) said to his mom when she was fake crying the other day. It sounds very rude when typed, but it was the funniest thing I have heard in a long time! Sis. Riddick is always full of crazy comebacks, and that was the first zinger that I have heard from him. Actually tonight we are having a lesson with them about what they can do to bring peace in their home to prepare to have the gift of the Holy Ghost.
They were supposed to be baptized last Saturday, but she had to order her own dress and it didn't get here until Monday. So we moved it to this Saturday. I love them and am so excited to get to be here for their baptism. Sister Moss and I are excited to send that picture to the referral center in Provo!
We love media referrals!!! It seems that most of the miracles that have happened lately have been from referrals and tracting around the referrals!
Mother's Day was fun. Sister Moss got a call from a woman in the ward last week. I laughed when she asked for Sis. Moss because I knew she was going to ask her to play the piano on Sunday. Then I heard Sis. Moss say, "Sis. Abbott sings alto!" Long story short, the woman ended up getting and accompanist and an alto to sing a song with her in Sacrament meeting on Sunday. Then late Saturday, I got a call asking me to teach Relief Society as well. Sunday was interesting! Then after a long day of tracting--which wasn't very effective because it was mother's day--we had to go in because the storms were too bad. There were tornadoes which hit about 30 min. west of us. But it was good because it was only about 5 min before we were planning on going in to plan and then call our families.
The call home was so great! I can't believe it's my last one! I am glad that my last call was so far away from when I go home though. I still have 7 1/2 months left!!! Plenty of time!!! It was so good to hear from all the family! I was especially excited to talk to Josh and Dyan since they didn't get to be there at Christmas. Cam--I still haven't looked up the scripture you were talking about yet, but thank you!!!
I love my family so much! I'm pretty sure I have the greatest family in the whole world! Oh, guess what?! While Sis. Moss was talking to her family, I made us dinner. I made chicken parmigiana. It was sooooo good!
Next monday we get transfer calls, so next week's e-mail will have the results! I am so excited for transfers. I get excited every time. It is like God is giving you a redirecting course every 6 weeks.
Oh, on Thursday is Zone Conference! We are sooooo excited! Elder Marriott--the area authority--is going to be there. And Sis. Sowards and I are singing. (Sister Moldy would be proud!) Sis. Moss is accompanying us.
Well, I suppose that is all for this week!
Love,Sister Abbott
Sara--I thought you were going to write me this week?! I am expecting pictures and full details from the last 3 months! Has this boy ever gotten you home after curfew? I still have my pocket knife!
Cam--I am sorry it isn't working out to go to mission prep every week. What are you doing to prepare on your own?
The subject was what Gabe (10 year old getting baptized this week) said to his mom when she was fake crying the other day. It sounds very rude when typed, but it was the funniest thing I have heard in a long time! Sis. Riddick is always full of crazy comebacks, and that was the first zinger that I have heard from him. Actually tonight we are having a lesson with them about what they can do to bring peace in their home to prepare to have the gift of the Holy Ghost.
They were supposed to be baptized last Saturday, but she had to order her own dress and it didn't get here until Monday. So we moved it to this Saturday. I love them and am so excited to get to be here for their baptism. Sister Moss and I are excited to send that picture to the referral center in Provo!
We love media referrals!!! It seems that most of the miracles that have happened lately have been from referrals and tracting around the referrals!
Mother's Day was fun. Sister Moss got a call from a woman in the ward last week. I laughed when she asked for Sis. Moss because I knew she was going to ask her to play the piano on Sunday. Then I heard Sis. Moss say, "Sis. Abbott sings alto!" Long story short, the woman ended up getting and accompanist and an alto to sing a song with her in Sacrament meeting on Sunday. Then late Saturday, I got a call asking me to teach Relief Society as well. Sunday was interesting! Then after a long day of tracting--which wasn't very effective because it was mother's day--we had to go in because the storms were too bad. There were tornadoes which hit about 30 min. west of us. But it was good because it was only about 5 min before we were planning on going in to plan and then call our families.
The call home was so great! I can't believe it's my last one! I am glad that my last call was so far away from when I go home though. I still have 7 1/2 months left!!! Plenty of time!!! It was so good to hear from all the family! I was especially excited to talk to Josh and Dyan since they didn't get to be there at Christmas. Cam--I still haven't looked up the scripture you were talking about yet, but thank you!!!
I love my family so much! I'm pretty sure I have the greatest family in the whole world! Oh, guess what?! While Sis. Moss was talking to her family, I made us dinner. I made chicken parmigiana. It was sooooo good!
Next monday we get transfer calls, so next week's e-mail will have the results! I am so excited for transfers. I get excited every time. It is like God is giving you a redirecting course every 6 weeks.
Oh, on Thursday is Zone Conference! We are sooooo excited! Elder Marriott--the area authority--is going to be there. And Sis. Sowards and I are singing. (Sister Moldy would be proud!) Sis. Moss is accompanying us.
Well, I suppose that is all for this week!
Love,Sister Abbott
Sara--I thought you were going to write me this week?! I am expecting pictures and full details from the last 3 months! Has this boy ever gotten you home after curfew? I still have my pocket knife!
Cam--I am sorry it isn't working out to go to mission prep every week. What are you doing to prepare on your own?
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Q: Why did the chicken cross the road?
A: To show the possum it could be done!
Hey Ya'll,
Last night I was driving and sure enough, I saw a baby possum run across the road. It was the funniest thing I have ever seen! It is only the 3 live possum I have seen on the mission...the rest are road kill!
On a slightly more spiritual note... We had a great week! We went finding at this trailer park where every single person warned us about the "evil people" who lived there. But we had a TON of great conversations, met 4 new investigators and gave away 6 copies of the Book of Mormon. As we were leaving, Sister Moss and I laughed and asked, "Where are all the evil people?" There was even one trailer that we were told that the lady punched the last set of missionaries that went there. We thought about not going to the door, but we didn't feel like we were in any danger so we went. It turned out that she saw us tracting the other side in the morning and was waiting for us to come to her door because she had some questions. What a miracle!
This weekend Gabe and Stacy Riddick are getting baptized and confirmed! They are SOOOOOOO excited! This is the first baptism I have seen on the mission from a media referral! We are excited to send the picture to the Referral Center at the MTC! Oh...but I just realized that we don't really have the address...hmmm....
I will include pictures next week, plus I will try to send the ones that apparently didn't go through from a couple weeks ago.
We had interviews with President Millburn on Saturday and that was marvelous! We had a MA meeting (Missionaries Anonymous) and talked about our problems with tracting. Then we spend the next hour or so discussing how we can be better at finding. It was really great and helped me to realize that I need to get out of my comfort zone. We are working on that this week.
Sis. Moss just reminded me that I need to confess something to my family...I now love MEXICAN food! I know, I know... let the shock wear off.... I keep saying that my family wouldn't believe how much we eat mexican food, so I needed to tell you. Don't get too excited...I might be sick of it by the time I get home.
I love you all and will talk to my immediate family Sunday night!!
Love,
Sister Abbott!
Hey Ya'll,
Last night I was driving and sure enough, I saw a baby possum run across the road. It was the funniest thing I have ever seen! It is only the 3 live possum I have seen on the mission...the rest are road kill!
On a slightly more spiritual note... We had a great week! We went finding at this trailer park where every single person warned us about the "evil people" who lived there. But we had a TON of great conversations, met 4 new investigators and gave away 6 copies of the Book of Mormon. As we were leaving, Sister Moss and I laughed and asked, "Where are all the evil people?" There was even one trailer that we were told that the lady punched the last set of missionaries that went there. We thought about not going to the door, but we didn't feel like we were in any danger so we went. It turned out that she saw us tracting the other side in the morning and was waiting for us to come to her door because she had some questions. What a miracle!
This weekend Gabe and Stacy Riddick are getting baptized and confirmed! They are SOOOOOOO excited! This is the first baptism I have seen on the mission from a media referral! We are excited to send the picture to the Referral Center at the MTC! Oh...but I just realized that we don't really have the address...hmmm....
I will include pictures next week, plus I will try to send the ones that apparently didn't go through from a couple weeks ago.
We had interviews with President Millburn on Saturday and that was marvelous! We had a MA meeting (Missionaries Anonymous) and talked about our problems with tracting. Then we spend the next hour or so discussing how we can be better at finding. It was really great and helped me to realize that I need to get out of my comfort zone. We are working on that this week.
Sis. Moss just reminded me that I need to confess something to my family...I now love MEXICAN food! I know, I know... let the shock wear off.... I keep saying that my family wouldn't believe how much we eat mexican food, so I needed to tell you. Don't get too excited...I might be sick of it by the time I get home.
I love you all and will talk to my immediate family Sunday night!!
Love,
Sister Abbott!
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