December 23, 2024

From Abby - Hybrid Christmas

Heyyy 

So all these holidays are absolutely criminal, we're doing the same thing we did at Thanksgiving! 

This email will include dates December 16th through 22nd and then the email I send on Monday will be the 23rd through the 30th!

I hope that is an apt description and that it will make sense 

From Abby - Christ is Born

HI 

Aight.. Not me sending out the weekly much too EARLY. If you get another half sent email in the next hour (This one) Please forgive and forget!
We'll say that you understand the gist of the last email.. This covers December 16-23rd

December 16 marks TWO MONTHS since arriving in the field as a scared little mouse of a missionary I admit the hour to hour waivers between it feeling like an eternity and also at the same time a time-lapse version of my life.

We went to the mostly constructed Lindon Temple for a Pday Picnic which I preface with the fact that its absolutely vial for it to be warm enough to lounge about on semi wet grass and wear nothing but a crewneck and there be a lack of numb fingers and toes and shivering.      It was nice to wear jeans and Marvel at the crazy fact that I almost always exist around a majority of boys XD Pretty much the entire time some ball was flying around and also a fight over this wolf hat sister Ortiz bought spontaneously from Walgreens (Must have been revelation because It was very well loved)

This week we got invited to carol with the youth where we rode on this hay wagon and drove around so that people outside could hear us 
I love nothing more than feeling rosy cheeked and windblown while exclaiming glad tidings of great Joy :)

Wednesday our zone was able to go to the temple. I feel as though the next life will be very similar to the temple. All of us, brothers and sisters in white with a work to be done, always conversing with each other with reverence and in the midst of the spirit, standing in holy places and feeling the love of god and Jesus Christ always :)
 I love the peace that the temple brings me.
after we went to Apollo burger (Semi sketch and very yum) We sat in a booth with the streaming sunlight and just listened to the radio that was playing in the restaurant. As I'm leaning my head on my arms on the table and feeling the sun on my face I hear BIRDS OF A FEATHER BY BILLIE EILISH COME ON! Immediately I'm singing every lyrics and I could feel my soul start dancinggg 
"I knew you in another life, you had that same look in your eyes, I LOVE YOU don't act so surprised" Ah! I love it.

The mission had the CRAZY opportunity to have an Alex Boye Concert?! apparently he called president brown up and stated in his sick accent "President? I wanna do something nice for the missionaries ;)" KING. I remember listening to Alex Boye growing up or at least watching my brothers :) He laid down some sick African beats and his vocals were beautiful. He bore a powerful testimony of the Book of Mormon paired with his conversion story. I felt the spirit and was filled with gratitude for The Book of Mormon in my own life:)
We got a crim picture with him where a bunch of completely random people hopped in :D (Done for) 

on Thursday the Zone BRAINSTORMED ideas for the talent show portion of the mission Christmas party. Not gonna lie there may have been a bit of contention between different parties and ideas to the point of much too much tension. For the FIRST time since arriving in the mission field I was very much prone to tears after the contention settled and the terrifying question was asked by Sister Ellis "Are you okay?" Criminal question because it always invokes in a human the most vulnerable and sensitive parts. 

The moment I started to explain the tears came and we went to the mothers lounge to talk it out (BLESS the mothers lounge) Sister Ellis sat on the floor with me and just hugged me as a cried (It was like a 2 minute cry don't stress) I felt so much gratitude for Sister Ellis, she reassured me that all my irrational thoughts weren't true, acknowledged the stupidity of the moment and validated the feelings I was having. She emotionally wiped away my tears if that makes sense :) 

I normally wouldn't document emotional moments but I felt cared for and loved in the end.
Its impossible to be truly happy all the time, I'm grateful for the moments I feel overwhelmed and not enough so that I can feel so much better and uplifted once those moments are over. TRUE PRINCIPALS BOOM ... more on the talent show later 

Nearing the end of the week sister Heaton and I are in the midst of comp study and she says "What if we snowflake the Elders?" (Deja vu to heart attacking the sisters) This time I trusted in her construction paper and scissors and we got snipping. BEST believe we got the other sisters involved which became an entire DAY project. our floor was absolutely riddled with tiny slivers of paper and questionable snowflakes but also filled with love and laughter. We wrote each and every Elder a note (So 13 letters x 4 Sisters = 52 paragraphs :D) Did it take forever? Yes. Was it worth it? ABSOLUTELY. Nothing gives more giddy excitement than leaving something for someone else to discover later :) 

CHRISTMAS PARTY
First of all Sister Ellis and Sister Ortiz called one of their members up so we could SNAG some ugly sweaters for the party, she picked up the phone and answered saying "Hi Sweeties how ya doin" *Proceeds to provide 9 christmas sweaters* (Legend) 

We arrived with the buzz of excitement that must be present at a mission wide event. Everywhere you look missionaries are hugging and President Brown is taking selfies with everyone and the laughter and chatter is amazing. 

The talent show commenced and our zone was second to go! We did a greenie tree since we literally have SEVEN people in training in our zone (6 Elders and me) so the elders assembled themselves all stacked up like a tree and I held up a star on the tippy top (So its like a Christmas tree because we're all green :))

Sister Ellis and Sister Ortiz wrote a greenie version of Oh Christmas tree. Yes I will write out the extensive lyrics :D
Oh greenie tree Oh greenie tree 
fresh out of the MTC
Oh greenie tree Oh greenie tree
You have no clue what to do 

So here we go you got your dad 
You stress him out his hair falls out 
Oh Trainers Oh trainers 
There are cheap wigs at walmart

Oh greenie tree Oh greenie tree
Just messed up your first lesson 
New red dot New red dot 
You're crying in the bathroom 
SO much to do mistakes to make
You'll see your growth with steps you take 
Oh greenie tree Oh greenie tree 
It only goes up from here
Oh 12 week Oh 12 week 
You're almost out of training 
Your spirits strong your light is bright 
Your green is fading every night
Oh greenies Oh greenies 
OH HOW THE MISSION LOVES YOU 

It was Oh so chaotic and OH SO FUN.

After the talent show was the ugly sweater contest

The ugly sweater King in the Orem Zone is Elder Bye XD On November 4th he thrifted from DI the most ugliest sweater and joked about wearing it to the Christmas party (It was not a joke) It was so fun watching him interact with EVERYONE for anyone who is brave enough to ACTUALLY wear an ugly sweater immediately achieves celebrity status. The back pats and handshakes were elaborate as he attempted to make his way through the crowd. 

When it was finally time to pick the official contestants Elder Bye was IMMEDIATLY grabbed by the AP's and thrown onto the stage. The winner was decided by audience volume and I don't think I've EVER screamed louder as well as the rest of our district. it was SO funny and so awesome that we were there when he bought it. 

Voice was gone when we sang hymns as a mission but it was worth it.

This last Monday (Half P-day) we planned for ZONE CAROLING which was absolutely so fun. we split the zone up into two groups (8 and 9) and in the space of one hour we caroled 20 houses. Its always semi awkward to sing at someone's door but you do it for the elect few whos countenances light up and lead you or join you in the joyful song of the savior. we also chased down people getting out of their cars in their driveways and shared scriptures. I love bearing my testimony through word and song :) Also its so good to carol to families with missionaries out to let them know that their missionary is out and doing a good work.

This week I had the chance to study in 3rd Nephi. Jesus Christs ministry to the Nephites is truly the crowning event of the Book Of Mormon. I can't believe I didn't understand that fully before my mission
This week I specifically loved 3rd Nephi 17: 21-25, When Christ ministers unto the children. I love that it emphasizes that EVERYONE did bear witness to that sacred moment, I wrote the lyrics to "I feel my
Saviors Love" in the margins of my Book of Mormon

"He blessed and taught as they felt of his love, Each saw the tears on his face
The love that he feels for his little ones
I know he feels for me 
I did not touch him or sit on his knee
But Jesus is real to me" 

Jesus Christ is truly real to me. He's not a concept or comforting fictional thought or story. He's my advocate shepherd and friend and I can feel him walk with me, how joyful is that message that Christ is BORN.

3rd Nephi 1:13 is a gem too :)

I'm sure I'm missing a ton but the important aspects of this week are embedded in my testimony and in my solemn effort of transferring my journal to my email :)

Stay tuned for monday, hopefully we won't have too many more hybrid pdays 

I love you all dearly 
Thank you for humoring me and my never ending rants 
And for your forgiveness in me sending an email out much too early :D

You're a child of god, he knows you and loves you and understands what you're going through :)

Photos photos photos 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/XUXT8gMVvExvkJbJ9

-Sister Smith