December 9, 2024
From Abby: CRAY AND CREM (Sister Ortiz titled this)
Hey.
This week has left me wondering if starting your mission right before the two biggest holidays of the year is somewhat of an interesting undertaking
He talked about COME AND SEE. such a powerful invitation. Here are some examples!
Matthew 28:6, Luke 2:15, John 1:38-39,
John 4:29, 1 Nephi 8:15, Enos 1:8-9,
and I loved this quote from Elder Bednar:
"Our invitations to you are not an attempt to diminish your religious traditions or life experience. Bring all that you know is true, good and praiseworthy-and test our message! Just as Jesus Christ beckoned two of his disciples to "Come and See" so we urge you to come and see if the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ enlarges and enriches that which you already believe to be true."
So much power behind invitation. Inviting someone to participate in something you LOVE Is the highest form of friendship and best expression of love, at least I am of that opinion.
This week I have SOLIDIFIED in my brain that I am just not a sporty person, mostly our entire district of Elders and Sister Ellis love playing basketball SO the push for morning sports is prevalent. Due to my condition of FOMO Sister Heaton and I came both times and BOTH times i curled up in a blanket and journaled
I'm sorry Dad I never was the baller you wanted me to be XD
For I must assume that October-December are the months of the year that are wildly exciting and simultaneously extremely filled. Therefore after december I think my entire idea of what a mission is supposed to be will be ROCKED
Anyways!
I think I'll doublly preface this week by saying that it feels as though its almost parallel to Alma chapters 43-63 (Dramatic? Maybe.)
Last Pday we started the week wonderfully strong. Per the usual early morning laundry was calling my name, after the clothes had been in the dryer for much too long i felt inclined to determine the level of dampness and if they needed more time so help me.
Upon inspection of said laundry i concluded that 30 more minutes would apt. As I pushed the button that typically is associated with "Go" the fan turned on but the dryer would not rotate :D
I beckoned my companion over since I cant solve problems by myself anymore and we discovered to our dismay a dismal odor of smoke, and a friendly hello from some wires that were DEF exposed. We unplugged it with an oven mit and hung my damp clothes here there and everywhere (Its fixed now after comunication with the housing coordinator so its super chill)
Our district went to the mall Pday afternoon-eve to roam about and wreak missionary havock (Mostly realising we have no money to spend)
We found Santa Clause and we got a free professional picture with the guy. I sat beside Saint Nick and he revealed to me that he used to sing in the tabernacle Choir and proceeds to invite us to sing with him. First of all I was crushed that he wasn't actually Santa and second i happily sung an awkward little tune with Santa and the rest of my district. I love being a missionary I feel like I can miss some social expectations and still be alright. Not that I wasn't like this before but that doesn't matter
On tuesday Sister Heaton and I helped clean up a Relief Society activity and i discovered how to hold 4 chairs at one time and felt like a beast.
ZONE CONFERENCE THIS WEEK
some quotes from President Brown:
"You're all modern day monks and nuns"
"No other group is racing toward Jesus Christ quite like this one is"
"Your mission president is a little bit of a fruitcake"
Trust they were much funnier and insightful when you're in front of the man in the flesh and not reading it written in black and white Arial font.
Anyways!
I think I'll doublly preface this week by saying that it feels as though its almost parallel to Alma chapters 43-63 (Dramatic? Maybe.)
Last Pday we started the week wonderfully strong. Per the usual early morning laundry was calling my name, after the clothes had been in the dryer for much too long i felt inclined to determine the level of dampness and if they needed more time so help me.
Upon inspection of said laundry i concluded that 30 more minutes would apt. As I pushed the button that typically is associated with "Go" the fan turned on but the dryer would not rotate :D
I beckoned my companion over since I cant solve problems by myself anymore and we discovered to our dismay a dismal odor of smoke, and a friendly hello from some wires that were DEF exposed. We unplugged it with an oven mit and hung my damp clothes here there and everywhere (Its fixed now after comunication with the housing coordinator so its super chill)
Our district went to the mall Pday afternoon-eve to roam about and wreak missionary havock (Mostly realising we have no money to spend)
We found Santa Clause and we got a free professional picture with the guy. I sat beside Saint Nick and he revealed to me that he used to sing in the tabernacle Choir and proceeds to invite us to sing with him. First of all I was crushed that he wasn't actually Santa and second i happily sung an awkward little tune with Santa and the rest of my district. I love being a missionary I feel like I can miss some social expectations and still be alright. Not that I wasn't like this before but that doesn't matter
On tuesday Sister Heaton and I helped clean up a Relief Society activity and i discovered how to hold 4 chairs at one time and felt like a beast.
ZONE CONFERENCE THIS WEEK
some quotes from President Brown:
"You're all modern day monks and nuns"
"No other group is racing toward Jesus Christ quite like this one is"
"Your mission president is a little bit of a fruitcake"
Trust they were much funnier and insightful when you're in front of the man in the flesh and not reading it written in black and white Arial font.
He talked about COME AND SEE. such a powerful invitation. Here are some examples!
Matthew 28:6, Luke 2:15, John 1:38-39,
John 4:29, 1 Nephi 8:15, Enos 1:8-9,
and I loved this quote from Elder Bednar:
"Our invitations to you are not an attempt to diminish your religious traditions or life experience. Bring all that you know is true, good and praiseworthy-and test our message! Just as Jesus Christ beckoned two of his disciples to "Come and See" so we urge you to come and see if the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ enlarges and enriches that which you already believe to be true."
So much power behind invitation. Inviting someone to participate in something you LOVE Is the highest form of friendship and best expression of love, at least I am of that opinion.
This week I have SOLIDIFIED in my brain that I am just not a sporty person, mostly our entire district of Elders and Sister Ellis love playing basketball SO the push for morning sports is prevalent. Due to my condition of FOMO Sister Heaton and I came both times and BOTH times i curled up in a blanket and journaled
I'm sorry Dad I never was the baller you wanted me to be XD
Still fun though.. Yeah.
Super day was also this week so we saw President TWO DAYS IN A ROW
and now we wont see him until January 22.. #Serperationanxiety. I walked out of my president interview determining that therapy is real because I felt SO good. something about the true principle of talking things out, and of course President is just a super human. Interacting with him feels like I'm paying for a life coach. We did roleplays in the nursery room and sat on tiny chairs it was wonderful.
We also did get to know you questions and one of them is your spirit animal
I think I'm a Chickadee. Deny or confirm.
This week we helped with the GIVING MACHINES. So fun. Genuinely studious wearing a lanyard and pin, restalking and helping and smiling and talking pictures..Also the occasional under the breath " I would never give my money to that church" or "Walk faster don't look at the missionaries" CRAY. CRIM.
What was even more crim was that this old guy walks up and slips $200 cash inter Sister Heatons hand and says "Its not my money, its the fathers money.. the spirit tells me what to do with it" we said "Sir. Thank you." and went to cheesecake factory (SLA-)
Also met a sister who's Brother in law was my Primary sunday school teacher so that was CRAY.
PEOPLE INTERACTIONS:
Sister Ellis and I visited with this older lady and halfway through the visit she tells us she LOVES singing and proceeds to sing us like seven of her favorite songs, we just sat there very demure. I also loved something she said about her grandfather:
"You could be purple with pink polkadots he didn't care. And if you were a kid you had it made, regardless."
Super day was also this week so we saw President TWO DAYS IN A ROW
and now we wont see him until January 22.. #Serperationanxiety. I walked out of my president interview determining that therapy is real because I felt SO good. something about the true principle of talking things out, and of course President is just a super human. Interacting with him feels like I'm paying for a life coach. We did roleplays in the nursery room and sat on tiny chairs it was wonderful.
We also did get to know you questions and one of them is your spirit animal
I think I'm a Chickadee. Deny or confirm.
This week we helped with the GIVING MACHINES. So fun. Genuinely studious wearing a lanyard and pin, restalking and helping and smiling and talking pictures..Also the occasional under the breath " I would never give my money to that church" or "Walk faster don't look at the missionaries" CRAY. CRIM.
What was even more crim was that this old guy walks up and slips $200 cash inter Sister Heatons hand and says "Its not my money, its the fathers money.. the spirit tells me what to do with it" we said "Sir. Thank you." and went to cheesecake factory (SLA-)
Also met a sister who's Brother in law was my Primary sunday school teacher so that was CRAY.
PEOPLE INTERACTIONS:
Sister Ellis and I visited with this older lady and halfway through the visit she tells us she LOVES singing and proceeds to sing us like seven of her favorite songs, we just sat there very demure. I also loved something she said about her grandfather:
"You could be purple with pink polkadots he didn't care. And if you were a kid you had it made, regardless."
Sister Ortiz and I knocked on this one families door and the door opened slowlyyyy revealing a sillouette of a person holding a lliteral WEAPON above their head (I don't know what the exact object was but I know it was raised) and then the light flipped on and it was like a 15 year old boy with a silly shirt. I was like "Bruh" He proceeded to try to BEAT his dog up with said weapon.. and again we just stood there very demure.
Sister Ortiz and I giggle way too much on exchanges
I also ran into the door trying to go to the bathroom late at night and i lost my voice with the amount of LAUGHING.
GUYS THERE ARE TOO MANY AWESOME THINGS I CANT DOCUMENT THEM ALL.
Saturday night we went to the Farmers Market
I'm convinced that my soul is a farmers market because it gets SO happy when I'm in the midst of one.
Sister Ortiz and I giggle way too much on exchanges
I also ran into the door trying to go to the bathroom late at night and i lost my voice with the amount of LAUGHING.
GUYS THERE ARE TOO MANY AWESOME THINGS I CANT DOCUMENT THEM ALL.
Saturday night we went to the Farmers Market
I'm convinced that my soul is a farmers market because it gets SO happy when I'm in the midst of one.
One vendor told me she heard Canadians are recist :D (What do you say to that)
Another Vendor told me about how she can feel the spirits of dragons and then she finds rocks or stones that theyd be comfortable in (Thats what she sells) I was skeptacle until I asked her to tell me which dragons home was the rock I pointed at and she proceeded to tell me my personality. CONVINCED in dragon spirits.
We walked together arm in arm seeing all the christmas lights through our freezing breath and my heart was filled with gratitude for the moments when I feel like I'm in little women :)
I think thats everything
Or at least most
This week has been absolutely packed and I can't say i'm ready to go back into the normal systems of things.
I confess sometimes I feel the happiest I've ever been in my entire life and others I feel like I'm on the verge of a depressive mental break down (Thats dramatic)
I was telling a mission prep class we were told to hype up that its so easy to be able to do anything when you have an eternal perspective
"My son, thine addversity and afflictions shal be but a small moment." If you can capture the attitude of that scripture and GLUE it, STAPLE it. CEMENT, it to your subconcious no one can really touch you
Not even the adversary.
Another Vendor told me about how she can feel the spirits of dragons and then she finds rocks or stones that theyd be comfortable in (Thats what she sells) I was skeptacle until I asked her to tell me which dragons home was the rock I pointed at and she proceeded to tell me my personality. CONVINCED in dragon spirits.
We walked together arm in arm seeing all the christmas lights through our freezing breath and my heart was filled with gratitude for the moments when I feel like I'm in little women :)
I think thats everything
Or at least most
This week has been absolutely packed and I can't say i'm ready to go back into the normal systems of things.
I confess sometimes I feel the happiest I've ever been in my entire life and others I feel like I'm on the verge of a depressive mental break down (Thats dramatic)
I was telling a mission prep class we were told to hype up that its so easy to be able to do anything when you have an eternal perspective
"My son, thine addversity and afflictions shal be but a small moment." If you can capture the attitude of that scripture and GLUE it, STAPLE it. CEMENT, it to your subconcious no one can really touch you
Not even the adversary.
Etc etc etc never ending rants
I'm currently sitting in the midst of basketball and pickleball and music so coming at you from chaos
I love you all
Make this week soo good
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