Spiritual Growth Spirt!

Holy Cow I love being a missionary!!!!! This was such an awesome week!!!!!!!

First off...I saw that Sam asked how I am doing...Please tell him that I am doing soooooooooooooooooooo good! I love reading his e-mails and I can't wait for the day that we can sit down and hash out old mission stories! Oh, and the other day this awesome family made Hungarian Goulash (sp?)!!!! It was soooooo amazing! I realized that I hadn't had egg noodles since being out here. Can you even imagine almost 13 months without egg noodles...Josh would die! :) Ironically I felt right at home even though I have never even had that dish before. I was able to tell them all about my awesome cousin who is serving in Hungary! Man I'm jealous....but in a righteous-I'm grateful to be serving where I am because that's where the Lord needs me-but I hope you are enjoying your mission because that's where I wanted to go-kind of way! :) I realized that no matter where you are serving, it is just AWESOME to be a missionary!!!! I got a letter this week from Stacie Riddick! And I realized how grateful I am to be serving God with all that I have. She thanked me for bringing the gospel to her and her family. It wasn't me! It was the Spirit! But the Spirit can't do His job unless we do ours!!!! I love the Riddick family! And I know that we have a bond that will never be broken! We will be able to rest together! (D&C 15:6)

How much postage does it take to send letters to Sam? I'd love to send him a letter.
I think I told you about the Speed Stacks that a member bought!? Well, I love playing on P-Day!!! I've gotten down to 16 seconds for the full cycle!!! Woot Woot!

Other than that...our week was soooooooooo grood...I mean great...and good!!! :) Yesterday we taught 2 member referals in the member's home!!!!!! Holy Cow that was sooooo awesome! I love teaching in member's homes! The Spirit is always so strong!

Last Thursday during planning, I was looking through our ward roster with a prayer in my heart trying to see who we should visit to seek referals from. A name stuck out to me and we made plans to contact them the following day. When we went, they were leaving but we set up a time to come back the following day. The son is a member because he was baptized while he lived with dad, but now he's 22 and has a bad taste in his mouth of the church. Well, mom isn't a member but is going through a rough time. So we have been teaching her! She is so open and receptive right now and is reaching out for help! I am so grateful for the Book of Mormon and the Restored gospel! That is truly what she needs and she is starting to see that!!!!
Also, we had interviews with President Millburn this week. That was amazing!!! We started talking about some of the struggles and trials that the area is experiencing and he called it my growth spirt!!! I love it! This really has been the most trying part of my mission, but I didn't sign on for a cake walk, and as President Holland says, "It (missionary work) is not easy because salvation is not a cheap experience!" It is so true! I love the Savior and I am grateful that He has placed us here to be His hands! How great is our calling!!!!

We also had a really great experience the other day working with members. We were eating dinner with a woman who in the middle said, "Sisters, I don't want it to be awkward...I haven't shared the gospel with anyone this week. And I don't know anyone who I could, but I tried." That was a little awkward and we didn't know what to do when it came time to seek referals. But I had the thought to watch a clip from the PMG dvds about how a member invited their neighbor into their home and how that happened. We watched it and said, "We are here to help you do that." She immediately started talking about her neighbor and how she could invite her to meet with the missionaries! She contacted her and invited her to dinner for Sunday... we are still waiting to hear back, but I am soooooooooo grateful for the promptings of the Spirit! I love this work! And I know that as we do it in His way, and by HIS power, MIRACLES will happen! I know that! I've seen it! I've felt it! What a marvelous work!

Love,
Sister Abbott

I'm not apostate...P-day changed!

Holy Cow it has been an amazing week!!!!!!! So much has happened! I suppose I'll start with last Friday! We had Zone Conference and the Tree of Life fireside!!! Zone Conference was AMAZING as usual! I love President Millburn! He is such an inspired man! One of the changes made...as you can tell...is that Preparation Day is now on Wednesday instead of Tuesday. It was funny how it happened. I was talking the car czar before the meeting about getting our oil changed. I told him that we would take care of it on P-day--Tuesday. He made a comment about how it wouldn't be on Tuedsay. I was a little confused but then as part of the Conference they showed a video of bike safety. I started getting sooooooo excited thinking they were going to put us on bikes. I started making a shopping list off all the thinks that I would need in order to be a biking sister (split slips, helmet, etc.). They didn't say anything after the video, but Elder McMurdie (AP) said he had a proclamation to make. He started reading this mumbo jumbo stuff that had been altered from the preamble to the Constitution. And about half way through, I realized as clear as day that P-day was going to be on Wed. I turned to Sister Moss and told her, but she said I was crazy. But sure enough...it was. So now we have P-day on Wednesday...but sadly sisters are still in cars! :(

Zone Conference was amazing! Jessica Millburn shared some great insights that I really needed! It is so fun to see her now! She spoke of how often times we look at the missionaries in Alma and how they baptized thousands and it is easy to get a little discouraged. Especially when we look at our goals to baptize monthly and we didn't do that. But she pointed out that it didn't say that they baptized thousands in one transfer. I don't know why, but that gave me comfort! I love the Millburns!

I loved getting to see all the sisters at conference! There is a special love that we sisters have for each other! It's like how the spanish missionaries describe it--a mission within a mission!

After Zone Conference, we had an appointment that ended up falling through, but their neighbors were sitting outside and we ended up having a lesson with them and setting up a return appointment. We were able to meet with them on Sunday afternoon with a member of the ward. It was sooooooo amazing.

But after that we went to help set up the Tree of LIfe Fireside! It was soooo awesome! President Millburn and Jessica spoke and we had "Lehi" read 1 Nephi 8! The Spirit was sooooo strong and there were about 120 people there. Lots of investigators! Our Bishops mother in law who is not a member had an amazing time! She went home and read 1 Nephi 8-12 and then decided to start from the beginning of the Book of Mormon! We are going on Monday to have a lesson with her before she goes back home! I love being a missionary!!!!

We also had a member of the ward come up to us at the fireside and say that she didn't feel totally comfortable sharing the gospel with those around her but she wanted to...so she is coming out with us for a few days to get in the mode and Spirit of missionary work!!!! I love the Salem ward!!!!!!!

I feel so blessed and loved! I feel like Heavenly Father has blessed me with the 3 greatest areas in the mission field!!!!

Then on Saturday we had a pioneer day picnic that was way rad and awesome! Sis. Saldivar had orded the Speed Stacking cups when I told her about them, so it was fun to see all the kids get into them! We are taking them today to the tri-zone p-day!!!! I'm sooooo excited!

Tuesday we had our District meeting which was really good. We were all pumped up about the work and our district set 4 people for baptism yesterday!!!!! Tonight we are going to invite a young woman named Milagro Sillas (Miracle Chair in spanish!) to be baptized! We are pretty excited. Oh and last night we had an amazing lesson with another investigator! She is praying about her baptism date and when she gets back from Cali next week we are going to sit down and schedule her baptism!!! I love being a missionary!!!! Woot Woot!

Oh, remember the girl who was set and then wouldn't return our calls? We went by last week and there was a note on the door that said, "Sister Abbott, please do not come back or bring others back". I told my companions that we should go on splits so they can go teach her since they didn't kick them out. I find that the majority of people here remember my name, but not my comps. Probably because mine is the easiest to read and pronounce! But the cool part was as we were leaving there was a woman standing in front of her door. Sis. Hopoate went to talk to her. We spoke for a while and set up a return appointment. As we were about ready to go, she looked at my nametag and said, "Abbott...I'm an Abbott!" It turns out that is her mom's maiden name! She is from Jersey and is black, so I doubt that we are very closly related. But that is the 2nd black woman who has claimed relation with me! I thought that would make Meg happy!

In all sincerity, I love being a missionary! I love serving the Lord and I am so sad that I can't serve full time the rest of my life! But that is why there is an urgency in the work! I know this gospel is true! I know taht the fullness of Christ's church is here and that we are a part of it! We truly are his hands here on the earth to prepare the way for His return! How great is our calling!!!

Love,
Sister Abbott

Wow---zers!!!!

What an awesome week!!!!!!!! I love being a missionary!!!!! There was so much craziness this week. We went to this woman's house to follow up with her and had an amazing lesson, and set her for baptism!...But she hasn't returned our calls or answered her door since...talk about ups and downs. We don't know what happened, but I'm sure it will all work out!

The pics are fun ones... The first one is of me and Sis. Saldiver! She is AWESOME!!!!!! We had been having FHE at her house for all the recent converts and investigators, but last night was the last one for a while. Their family needs a break. But they got a cake from Walmart that said Choose the Right (next pic), and at the end of the night there was a cake fight...hence the make up! The 3rd pic is of a fun family in our ward...the Rodriguez'. Sis. Ewing and I sang with their 2 oldest on Sunday in Sacrament meeting. We sang "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing". It was fun and sounded really good. I sang alto, sis E was tenor and the others sang sop. The 4th pic is Elder Winder. He is in our district and they came to help us set some stuff up for the tree of Life fireside this weekend. The other pics were from that day too. My comps and I have a lot of fun! :) I am turning SIs. Hopopate into a Pirate!!! :)

I don't remember if I wrote about this a while ago or not, but I had some really amazing revelation last year in November I think. I thought of it the other day and need to journal about it. But I was in RS in EC and we were in the Spencer W. Kimball book. They talked about how President Kimball gave council to mothers to prepare their children now to serve missions for the Lord. I looked at the date, and was amazed to realize that it was almost 19 years later when the Raising of the Bar happened! How interesting that the Lord was preparing us for that decades before. That is one thing that has amazed me on the mission. The Lord truly does go before us...he prepares the way. I know that as we follow the council of the living prophets, that we will see blessings in our lives. We may not understand it, or even whole-heartedly agree, but obedience is more important than sacrifice! There is POWER in obedience!!!!! I know that with all of my heart! I feel that every day as I strive to be EXACTLY obedient! I love this gospel! I know that it blesses families! I know that it affects generations!!! I have been very grateful lately for the missionaries that tracted into Grandma Szabo. I look forward to the day when I can meet them and express my gratitude for the blessings I've seen in my life because of their service. They truly are saviors on Mount Zion!

I love this work! Sometimes it is harder than I ever could have fathomed...but EVERY second is worth it. EVERY moment is precious!

Love,
Sister Abbott

Woo Hoo!!!

Yay for pictures...I hope it isn't too big for the e-mail. The first pic is of Sis. Ewing and I when I picked her up from Richmond. The second is at the Princess Anne Chapel with my posterity! :) The third is from Paton's baptism. I don't know if I already sent this one. But the 4th is from my 1 year mark. Those are two elders that came out with me. We had zone meeting on our one year mark. The next is Sis. Ewing and I because her one month mark was on my one year mark! How cool is that?! And the last one is of Sis. James and I! (She is my step granddaughter!!!) She is Sis. Moss' new companion.

Anyway, I hope that is fun. We had a great week!!!! It has been a rough past couple of days... We had to drop a couple investigators and a couple dropped us. But we all feel that it is preparing us for something great! We were investing a lot of time into them and maybe the Lord needs us out finding more to find the elect who will recognize us as servants of the Lord!

We are pretty excited about what is about to happen...we don't know what it is, but we feel it.

Things are going well with the trio! I love trios. Training in a trio is interesting and hard, but it is good. I am grateful to have been able to train before so that I can recognize what is harder and make adjustments. This week we are focusing on teaching in greater unity. Sis. H and I had really started to get used to each other and now things are totally different...great, but different!

The ward here is soooooooo amazing!!! I feel so blessed to be able to serve in this ward. I have never seen a ward so willing and open to be a part of the work and not just feed the missionaries! They are concerned about the work and want to be a part of it! I LOVE IT!!!!!! I really hope that I get to finish my mission here!

Well, I don't really know what else is going on here.

I read the first part about Sam's e-mail. I totally know how that feels to question yourself even though you know that you are doing all you can do. It is hard. Does he have the talk Rise to your call from Pres. Eyring? If not, that would be a good one to send him. I find that I read it at least once every 2 weeks if not more often.

I hope that ya'lls missionary experiences are booming! Remember-- members are the full-time finders!!

Love,
Sister Abbott

HAPPY ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY, SISTER ABBOTT!!!!

ugh!

I just wrote a long e-mail and then got kicked off... and I only have a couple minutes left, so I am sorry this is short! I will attach pictures next week.

Last week was awesome!!!! Sis. Moss came and worked here with Sis. Hopoate while sis. Cowley and I went to Richmond to Pick up our greenies. It was soooooooooooooo great to see them. My new companion is Sis. Ewing. She is from Roy, UT. She is 23, has 3 brothers and I am pretty sure she is the most prepared missionary there has ever been. I have to keep reminding myself that she is new because she doesn't seem like it at all! It was fun to introduce her to Sis. moss. Sis. Moss is doing well! I miss her, but I am excited for her new opportunities!!

Well, there was more, but it will have to be next week! I love you all! I'm doing well! I know that this is the Lords work and as we do it in His way, His children are blessed!!!

Love,
Sister Abbott

Chugga, chugga, chugga, chugga...choo choo!!!

Well, if you have an insight into the mind of Sister Abbott, you might be able to figure out the subject line.... But before we get to that...

The pics are from the baptism. One is of Paton, Sis. H, and I. The other is Paton and I with our sassy pic!

This week was awesome!!! We were able to have 8 lessons with a member present and 7 of them were in a member's home!!! On top of that, we had a baptism and confirmation! Man...life doesn't get any better than this! Paton Russell's baptism was beautiful! Rodney Grif. gave the talk on Baptism and I gave the talk on the Holy Ghost! It was awesome! I love that kid! She is crazy!

We also had an awesome lesson with a less active, and she gave us 6 referrals who we are teaching in her home tonight!!! That was pretty awsome!!!

I guess the next bit of info ya'll want is to hear about transfers... :)

Well, transfer calls came last night. There was a lot of shifting around, but Sis. Hopoate and I are staying here in Salem. But we are getting a third companion. President Millburn called me at about 9:20 and called me to be a trainer. (Hence the subject line--get it...train! :) ) His words were very inspiring and he told me that he knew that the Lord really trusted me. This next week will be interesting. I am soooooooooooooooo excited to train again!!! This area needs the greenie fire! I need the greenie fire! I am so excited to feel that again!Sister Moss is being shotgunned up to Gloster (sp?). And she will be steptraining Sister Taylor's greenie! I am soooooooo excited for her! She has only been out 4 months and she's already step training. I remember when I was heading to the mission home fromt he airport, Elder Meecham told us that we were being trained by the best missionaries in the field and that we would be even better than them. I thougth that was an odd statement to make, but now I know what he means...not about me but about Sis. Moss. She is and is going to be a much better missionary than I am. I am soooooo proud of her!

Anyway, Sister Cowley is also training down in Elizabeth City, Sister Nugent is being shotgunned with her greenie to Jamestown, and Sister Sowards is training in Nags Head! Sister Sowards came out with Sister Moss and has been with Sis. Hummel down in OBX her whole mission! She is awesome! I'm excited to see all of them at Meadowbrook on Thursday!!!

I'm not really sure about what happened with all the other sisters...Sister Zwang, Wick, and Meisberger stayed in Yorktown, Sisters Reed Glausser and another sister are still together I think.

Anyway, I am excited about this upcoming transfer! We are teaching some really solid investigators and we are continuing to find prepared people! I love being a missionary! I love this work! I love serving the Lord!!! Sister Moss would always talk about how she loved knowing that what we were doing was pleasing to the Father. I know that he loves us! And I know that we show him our love for him through obedience and diligence!

Love,
Sister Abbott