January 27, 2025

From Abby - 2.0

Heyyy
I'm currently approaching this email post reading the VERY first one I sent out titled "Ye Cannot Go Amiss" and wondering who that version of myself was, she certainly had no clue exactly what she was getting herself into thats for sure :) 
Also i think that she was much more poetic.. my brain has so much less room nowadays to contemplate abstract ideas.. Or maybe ideas I thought to be abstract actually are not and I was just naive before this point. All that nonsense being said lets plunge into this week and as we do bless journaling since my memory is more and more spotty as we go.

I think I've shared this quote before but I must share it again (takeaways from last weeks sunday school)
"Happy in the prospect of a restoration of primitive christianity, I must leave younger athletes to encounter and lop off the false branches which have been engrafted onto it by the mythologists of the middle and modern ages"
-Thomas Jefferson, a letter to Benjaman Waterhouse in July 1822
Its SO awesome to me that he in fact WAS leaving it to a much younger athlete: That athlete being 16 year old Joseph Smith!
We don't know if Joseph was aware of the fact that many people had felt the need for a restoration of primitive christianity in the early 1800's but god knew!

yknow the Church that Jesus Christ HIMSELF established when he was on the earth? 

Why would we not continue to believe in that church? Bamboozling. 
More on that later

Last Pday we played Kickball as a zone and I think the day that I love playing group sports is the day all my close friends look at me with complete shock and say "Who are you and what have you done with Abby?" > I caught the ball once and everyone was proud so I think thats a win! 
Although I do love rejoicing in the Victories of others. Everytime our team would do something awesome I couldn't help but jump up and down with giddy excitement for them and their success.

Elder Bye without fail everytime the Sisters go to leave he says "Make today a great day, remember who you are and who you represent!" theres something about repetitive mantras because now it comes to mind more frequently than you would suspect.

Much appreciated Elder Bye!

The first part of this week our bathroom light was absolutely done for, the morning showers were giving mood lighting darkness but it was honestly a vibe (Bless the housing coordinatores the Heslingtons they left light bulbs on our table...) Which was also a fun installation adventure. For some reason I thought it was going to be more complicated than simply unscrewing and rescrewing! It was a pleasant suprise I appreciated it. 

WHO didn't tell me about Zupa's. This week my life was changed. Soup Salads and Sandwhiches? Where can you go wrong. news flash you CAN'T
We went on exchanges post Zupa's lunch and Sister Bowser and I went on a solid 24 hour adventure. 
highlights of which include running across a main road because we didn't want to bike 1 minute, its SO fun to run when you have adrenalin and your laughing and its so breathless and adventurous (I hope you catch my drift) 
We also went to this young womens activity and were asked to share a spiritual thought: We shared Luke 14 (Gathering everyone no matter what walk of life they're in or who they are.. the one I ranted about last week) 
literally FIVE minutes after sharing this spiritual thought thats essentially about inclusivity the young women start absolutely HATING on this one girl (Who isn't there) calling her names and commenting on her looks and pretty much all of the above. Sister Bowser and I were SHOCKED. Being mean is the worst. Please just choose to be kind. 
I miss young womens so much... Or at least my young womens.

On Thursday I hit FOUR MONTHS OF BEING A MISSIONARY. So many member visits its so fun (Lots of rejection too) Its insane how little fear I have knocking on strangers doors...
Sister Atwood and I have loved having shorter meal times so we can be out as much as possible its nice to have an hour if you need it but 15 minutes works too ;)

This week we had Zone Super Day!!!
We love when president comes to the zone.. Its probably bad but I'm pretty sure our zone is the best zone..I'm also brainwashed because this is all I know but its fine.  President shared this quote by Joseph Smith:
"When we joined this church, we commited to serve God. When we did that, we left Neutral ground. And we can never go back to neautral ground" 

You can never go back to ignorance once you've discovered something! It was an interesting thought. 

The zone also sang for me and Sister Ortiz exploded a confetti Canon and we  all munched gluten free brownies it was amazing. 

We had our first Lesson with Alex this week and WOW. Once you're actually able to teach someone you unlock that Joy that comes from sharing the Gospel and the sacred feelings that come when you actually consider the TRUE worth of a soul. I think about Alma 19:14
"Now Ammon seeing the Spirit of the Lord poured out according to his prayers upon the Lamanites, his brethren...He fell upon his knees, and began to pour out his soul in prayer and thanksgiving to God for what he had done for his brethren; and he was also overpowered with joy.."

The worth of souls is great in the sight of God and it's so joyful that we can help people come closer to him! 
Alex was awesome. I felt the spirit in the lesson and am as always completly grateful for the spirit.

Saturday (Birthday Eve!!) We were able to have dinner with the Oakey family. I love that ever pleasent feeling of walking in from the cold and passing through that wall of warmth that comes from the miracle of insolated, heated homes. Sister Oakey had the table all ready and she pulls out from the oven SHEPHERDS PIE (My favorite) as i'm filling my stomach with this warm wonderful meal she said that she texted my mom and asked her what my favorite food was and in that moment I could only think "Wow my mother knows me so well" and THEN she proceeded to whip out the strawberry shortcake with whipped cream and Srawberries. They all sang to me and I felt so seen and loved :) I think Birthdays are so wonderful.
Yesterday I turned TWENTY which was also filled with wonderful things. 
-Sister Atwood made me pancakes for breakfast  (My Dads recipe) 
-The Orem Group chat the MOMENT 6:30 hit Elder Bye goes "HAPPY BIRTHDAY SISTER SMITH" and from that a stream of Happy birthdays followed which was so sweet.

- at the Cascade Stake correlation meeting one of the Ward mission leaders WIFE baked a TRES LECHES CAKE?!! I felt so loved :) The chorus of 10 older men singing happy birthday was wonderful :)
- The sun was shining and the mountains were sooo pretty

-We were able to go to "Great to be 8!" and see all the little 8 year olds getting baptized this year (Literally over 50) and I was able to reflect on my baptism and when I was Baptized ON MY BIRTHDAY literally exactly 12 years ago. How wondful and strange :)

I feel like there is so much missed.
I've been thinking about Ephesians 4:11-15 which tells us about prophets apostles etc take a look!

11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 

12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 

13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 

15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

How wonderful is that? Joseph must have read this hand in hand with James 1:5 in his search for what was right and which church to join 

 I cannot see how a church could actually truly follow Jesus Christ and God's teachings without understanding that we can recieve revelation THROUGH GOD. God trusts us but not enough to interprate the ONE scriptural Canon (assembled by man; the bible) without ANY help from him. 

And truly we love our apostles and prophets. For the perfecting of the saints, work, and ministry, speaking in truth and in love but most importantly turning us toward Jesus Christ, in all things. 

I bear you my Testimony that The Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is THE true church on the earth. No other gospel will bring you TRUE joy, no other Gospel has living prophets and apostles that have Priesthood power! God's power on earth! No other Gospel shows us how we can be with our families FOREVER. God promises us Joy and peace and direction in this life AND in the next life, for eternity when we follow him. 

I promise you that if you turn towards Jesus Christ you will find the direction, joy, peace, knowledge, and comfort that you are seeking 

I exhort you to come and see.

And if you're already converted come and see MORE, for God gives more to those who seek more..Line upon line!!! 

I love you all so very much

Make this week a great week ;) 

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

Love love love 

Sister Smith 

Sister Teenager no more 

From Dad - Happy Birthday!

Dear Abby,

Happy Birthday to you, darling girl. So thankful you came to us 20 years ago. 

It's been a good week on the home front. 

Mom enjoyed a spa date with Kurri in Calgary. They spent 5 hours in a spa getting scrubbed and massaged and they both came away with new aches and pains! 

While they were gone, I picked up Mia on Friday night and went out to Olive Garden to eat. Sam joined us and we enjoyed catching up.

We said goodbye to the Coopers this week as they are moving to Calgary. Bro. Cooper dropped off their tent trailer to store here for now. It was so icy on the driveway that as we were unhooking it I looked over but couldn't see Gareth anywhere until I realized he'd flat out biffed it on the other side of the trailer and was flat on the ice. Thankfully he wasn't injured. I just about got stuck taking it to the back of the land with all the drifting. Go 4x4! 

We're going to miss them.

On Sunday I drove up to Hinton with Brother Ron Patrick. We enjoyed some great conversations. He gave a wonderful talk as usual and connected with the Hinton Saints in his wonderful way. We had 2 new priesthood holders blessing the sacrament and I enjoyed meeting with many of the saints there either in interviews, visits to their home or for a quick lunch before heading home. I always come away tired but fulfilled and blessed from being with my branch. 

I've been really focusing on my knee health lately. After Christmas and all that sugar, my knees rebelled and really started aching and causing me pain when I used them. After some research I learned this acronym:

P - Prevention (includes wearing braces, not being crazy diving for pickle balls etc.)

R - Rest ( especially after pickleball)

I - Ice (looking at buying amazon freezable knee wraps)

C - Compression (Amazon to the rescue again with compression knee sleeves

E - Elevation 

I've also added to the E to include Exercise, specifically Elliptical Exercise. I've noticed a real difference when I use the Elliptical for 20 - 25 minutes a day. Strengthening the muscles around the knee is important. 

After Mom's spa treatment with Kurri, she started experiencing lower back pain and after a few visits to the Chiropractor, massage and acupuncture the main diagnosis was to strengthen the core and back muscles. Looks like Mom and I are going to be embracing some better exercise routines!

Sister Rae Shockey died this week. It was merciful and we're thankful to have known her. Mom is talking at the funeral tomorrow. She was a good friend especially to Mom.

Thank you for your testimony in your email. You are doing so great.Here's my quote of the week from Stake Priesthood meeting:

"Never let a problem to be solved come before a person to be loved". 

Hope you feel our love across the miles!

Love Dad.