November 2, 2025

From Abby - SUNCREST

Hi all beautiful humans

I feel as though I've lived 5 lifetimes since we last spoke.

Currently my brain is functioning at a criminally low capacity and for some reason adequate words are not coming to my mind for the benefit of this email.

SO much wonderful has happened between last week's email and this current day 

In any given moments my brain will recall something so special and sacred that has happened that is paired with the thought "YOU MUST document this in your email" and in that instance I can't tell you how many times THAT has entered my thoughts. Therefore this will be a plethora of unorganized wonderful thoughts with the hopes that they're all well documented enough for future Abby to be satisfied 

Last Monday I packed a bit and then IGNORED it until Tuesday 
Shocker we played sports as a zone, shocker I forced everyone to sign my transfer journal. 
We went to Chubbys with some Elders of our zone. I LOVE good elders you can't beat them 

We got home to a BIG mess of boxes and such leading to our room where we found our housing coordinators setting up a bunk bed!! We quickly rolled up our sleeves and helped them as we talked. I love the Morris's. 
greatest piece of advice from Elder Morris was the two most important things that you own will be your shoes and your mattress. One you spend at least 8 hours a day in, and the rest you spend in your shoes! Bars. 

Monday night was a tad sad because suddenly we realized that I was leaving the zone and that I hadn't said goodbye to anyone. 
I got to see my precious Anna, I LOVE her and feel beyond blessed to have known her let alone to have taught her. 

Before transfers Siser Lord and I were like "what member would be willing to drive my stuff to the new apartment.. Its YSA" then we were like "Oh, Madi of COURSE"
Madi Ellis... Basically the hardest thing to leave behind in the YSA stake 
This is her being exactly obedient (Members cant enter your apartment) forcefeild door fr

We rearranged the WHOLE living room to fit 5 desks, scraped up the floor moving the couch etc. 
I've learned you can do basically anything if you have the right companion and it'll be FUN. Sister Lord you're someone I love to rearrange furniture with :) 

We got sunflowers for Sister  Rhinehart as a goodbye.. End of an Era FR 

at 12:00 we had to drive all the way to PG to welcome the new greenies FRESH from the MTC!! When we got to the chapel we saw alll the other trainers, and rejoiced that we're missionaries, Sister Lord, Williams, Christiansen and I helped Senior Sister Ellis with the soup (HAPPY BIRTHDAY Sister Ellis) and then with a tad of awkwardness stood in excited anticipation for the new missionaries

The craziest thing about being a trainer is the fact that you can't HELP but recall when you were at that same stage, a little blob of unsurety not knowing anything and anticipating 18 months to 2 years of something you're slightly terrified of. 

We had a delicious lunch and the little trainee Sister Williams the younger sat by me and Sister Williams the Sr! So fun.

After the greenie lunch, we had 2 hours before we had to be BACK in the building for train the trainers. Sister Peterson (Prev comp) invited us to their apartment (Since they actually live in PG.. My old apartment) and it was SOOO fun, I stole Sister Petersons socks and then with our respective companions learned about our new areas (Lord with Christiansen. me with Williams) tell me why there are some POWERHOUSE sister missionaries in this mission and I've been SO blessed to serve with SO many of them. God Winks 

Pretty soon we find ourselves in a big semi circle of trainers being hyped up by President Brown I sat by Elder Cooper and Elder Thorpe and tell me why they're the funniest people on planet earth. 

At one point when Elder Thorpe raised his hand I said the comment "Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved" and he says "I WAS JUST thinking that", President made a joke that the spirit was in that corner of the room and Elder Cooper (Who's sitting between us) goes "It jumped right over me" 
Guys its not that funny but also my stomach hurt laughing.. So 

Guess who Sister Williams and I are training.. Sister Williams!! Brethren XD
Sister Williams squared fr.. and Me :)

We all wander into the chapel to see bread and water on the sacrament table?? We had a discussion about the essential nature of the sacrament, how it points us back to Christ and how the power of godliness is manifest, then the AP's blessed and the ZL's passed and we all took the sacrament as a MISSION. SO COOL.
I love my innovative mission president 
Yes he got permission 

We then had the most HEART wrenching departing testimonies for like 12 missionaries, here are some quotes that changed my life

"Who is the Savior going to rescue through you today?" -Elder Myler

"Concecration is refinement"-Sister Haught

"The Gospel is unfair, and completely in our favor. If life was fair, WE would be on the cross."

"His perfection includes our scars" - Elder Hunter

Then Elder COONS goes up. I'm pretty sure all of us were sobbing. The AP that literally picked me up from the MTC. 

Basically the longer you're on your mission the more your world crumbles :)

We had a miraculous first night with our greenie after we finally escaped the transfer chapel, used google translate to converse with this sweet Spanish speaking lady. Being a missionary is so fun 

WOW Tuesday was long winded 

Wednesday we had a zone weekly planning, Sister Williams senior broke down the math to calculating @Sac average and On Date average (niche parts of being a missionary that I want to remember)

Had a member message with an ADORABLE couple whos little girl was dressed up as Maid Miriam from Robin Hood?? WHAT so cute

Because of transfers I got to crash a SECOND coordinating council this week. The weird thing is that It was at my old Stake center (Orchard) AND there was a ward party going on AGAIN? After we crashed the meeting and are heading out to the car I round the corner and see LOUISE?? MY. HEART. I didn't say anything but gave her a BIG LONG hug. "Louise?? What are you doing here?" Do you know what she says? "I thought you might be here." Hello? 

We had a wonderful conversation of times past. It's crazy I actually met Louise one year ago this November 
we reminisced and caught up, she asked me about "Willow" (Sister Atwood) and when she hugged me she said "White Cloud" 

ahhh I love that woman. 

Of course Sister Ortiz was standing RIGHT there and was like "Please I need a picture of this" 

We then knocked a UBCR with the stake councilor... First of all the mom got home RIGHT when we pulled up, and when we walked up she was like "Do you want to say hi to my son?" and the kid was like "Yeah I want to be baptized" HELLO? God is so good. SO good. 

had a FIRE district council 
roleplays have become something I don't hate as much so thats good 

HALLOWEEN

Started the day with mediocre morning sports where sister Williams was COOKED. (Heart things, fainting things) for the rest of the day she was basically out cold :) The morning was pretty slow, Sister Williams Jr and I took TIME for comp study and second comp study We laid on our bellies in the sun, recitations, memorizing scriptures, reading standards etc.

We went to a strange lesson without Sister Williams (She stayed with sister Hethcote) when we knocked on the door the dad (Josh) opens up and hands us candy and Halloween themed Pokémon cards? Epic. We started the lesson with this individual who is SO smart. is basically a theologian in Niche religious facts and origins. Exclusively wears sunglasses which state "They/Them" and basically told us that they'd never be interested in getting baptized.. They went IN to their religious traumas... It was a wild ride. When we left they gave us ginger bread cookies that were in Halloween shapes XD Life is so weird. 

By the evening Sister Williams Sr mustered enough courage to shakily be well enough for the evening because of our MISSION WIDE TEMPLE TRIP? 

Yes for Halloween night every missionary in the UOM went through the temple. How insane is that. When individuals were invited to stand in the prayer circle (a prayer circle is where we combine our faith and pray together for names that have been written and submitted to the temple) basically the whole ROOM stood up. I stood in awe of all the young missionaries striving to make enough room for everyone and barely fitting :) It was a powerful prayer, a uniting prayer :)

In the Celestial room I tracked down Sister Lord and we debriefed the past couple days of a new transfer and training etc. I miss that girl. 

So many hugs and so much love I can't tell you how joyful it is to be in the temple with people you love.

 SISTER WILLIAMS AND SISTER WILLIAMS 

Our spanish missionaries right now are Elder Temple, and Elder Latiere and for some uncanny reason we have seen them TONS this week. Whether it be bringing them to someone we found that's exclusively Spanish speaking, or seeing them at a training meeting for new missionaries (Elder Latiere is in training) It's been SO. FUN. Elder Temple and I have this running joke where whenever we see each other we say "Hey! Remember when we came out together?" and then we laugh and move on and never see each other again since Spanish and English don't serve together.

Now that we see each other more often someone will RANDOMLY insert it mid conversation and its so funny for absolutely no reason. What's also fun is watching Elder Latiere in training XD

We accidentally met one of the friends we're teaching (Victor) who can speak Spanish, and the whole time we're chatting with him Elder Latiere looks minorly confused.. Victor asked him to share something and Elder Latiere straight up goes "I do not know the context of this situation" and Elder Temple just smiles at him and says "Elder they're teaching him, he's going to be baptized" He was SO confused and we all just laughed. Funny to see how the longer you're out the more you can pick up on situations, you overthink less! I'm so grateful to NOT be green anymore. 

Legends 

Had a baptism this week where the little boy and his fam were FORTY FIVE minutes late. WHAT. Crazy work 

Started a mission wide fast for the gathering of Israel, that was awesome. 

Had a 30 minute visit with this Spanish woman named Pilar.. Bless Sister Williams Sr. Spanish, and google translate. She was SO sweet, and had adorable cats 

Miracle hour:

Sunday we joined a 7:00 AM high council meeting which was SO good. I love sitting around a huge high council table with a bunch of old men in suits. It's actually so epic. Our church is a well oiled machine and its my favorite thing in the whole wide WORLD 

William Bretey is our Stake High Councilor over Missionary Work and that man is a  living legend. He's 23 years old, married with his second little girl on the way, currently on track to be a doctor, and DESTROYING his calling (In a good way) We spontaneously asked him if we could have dinner with him and his wife and tell me why it was the best dinner of my life. He talked up his world famous grilled cheese and I did NOT believe him until I took a bite. I can confidently tell you that was the best grilled cheese I have EVER eaten. As we munched Brother Bretey dropped knowledge. Two great truths: 

1) Your mission doesn't change you, or your life. The Atonement of Jesus Christ does. So never say "My mission changed me" but "Jesus Christ changed me" 

2) Do you want to know what the quality will be of your personal studies will be when you go home? Look at how you study on Preparation day. 

We walked out of the dinner clicking our heels they're so awesome. 

Had a lesson with 4 dogs basically terrorizing us 

Delivered Sour Dough bread with this ADORABLE old couple, the Jacobs. and this wonderful African-American man brother Adcock from Hawaii who bakes his own sourdough and is starting a sourdough business! After we wrapped the bread in adorable tea towels we all piled into a Mini van, speedily concluded that Brother Jacobs is too old to drive, and dropped off 3 loaves of fresh sourdough! 

*SIGH* 
Guys that was TOO much

If you have made it to this point you're better than me. I'm tired of typing this let alone reading it 

also I'm missing like two billion things but I simply don't have the endurance to write them all. 

Love you guys 

another email soon.. maybe. 

From Dad - Catching up - Life at home the past 3 weeks

Dearest Abby,

I think we’ve missed a few weekly letters, so let’s see if we can break that streak today 

Here’s a little update on what’s been happening around here lately:

Columbus, Ohio — A Trip to the Water World

I took a quick business trip to Columbus, Ohio, to meet with some water utility customers. The meetings were held at a water treatment plant, and we had the chance to take a tour. I was amazed at all the technology, planning, and work it takes to provide something we take so much for granted — clean, running water. It really is a modern miracle.

For those of you that think I'm a spy, this is a pic of our actual software running the water plant. I'm legit, I promise :)

Food Drive and a Weekend in Edson
I’ve had the chance to spend a couple of weekends up in Edson and Hinton lately.

The first was for a branch food drive, where we collected 850 lbs of food and enjoyed some great time together. Since Mom was hosting an apple pie–making Relief Society activity that same Saturday, I went up on my own. Beforehand, I prayed to know how I could make the most of my time and maybe make a difference. That kind of prayer is always a bit risky — the Spirit tends to take us out of our comfort zone.

Sure enough, after the food drive, I felt prompted to visit a friend of the Church in an extended care facility, and later to text Christian and Tiffany Wood to see if I could stop by. Christian is exploring both the LDS and Catholic faiths, and we ended up having some wonderful gospel discussions over dinner. Their two little girls were adorable — it happened to be their birthday, and when they found out I might stay the night, they cleaned up the guest room, made the bed, and set a place for me at the table. Out of the mouth of babes! That was the nudge I needed to stay overnight. It turned into a really sweet and spiritual visit.

It’s amazing how serving with and among people brings such a strong sense of connection.

Edson Weekend #2 — Mud, Moving, and Miracles

The following weekend, Mom went down to Sterling to help Auntie Kurri move into her new house. Sounds like it was quite the family event — everyone pitched in, and Kurri’s thrilled with the new place. Even Mia got major FOMO and drove down to join in the fun!

With Mom gone, I made another trip up to Edson to help one of our branch members prepare for a renter to move onto their off-grid property. I’ve mentioned this family before — they have a few half-finished homes on their land and rent them out at low cost to help others. The owners, Robert and Schultenkeper, were exhausted trying to get everything ready.

It had rained all night, and their driveway — mostly clay — turned into a slippery mess. I slid partway down it in the green car and decided that was far enough! Several branch members came to help move the renter in, which meant lots of trucks getting stuck and unstuck before we finally finished. I spent about eight hours helping Robert with interior work before heading to Hinton to stay with the Gorner family. Long day, but very fulfilling.

Halloween - Trunk or Treat

Mom sent me to represent our household at the Devon Trunk or Treat. It was fun to connect with my home ward again. So many fun Halloween costumes in our family this year! We only had 3 tick or treat visits on Halloween night but we gave away 15 full size chocolate bars!

We'll even give Ben kudos for trying :)

Temple Time

Yesterday, Mom and I went to the temple for sealings and an endowment session as part of the Devon Ward Temple Day. It was a beautiful experience. We met someone new from the ward and then went out for lunch at Original Joe’s to begin our fast — not a bad way to spend a Saturday! When we got home, Mia was there, and we had a lovely evening catching up and hearing about her joys and challenges from the week.

So sorry we missed the Orem Mission Fast Zoom call. I somehow got it in my head that the call was Monday night. I remember thinking it didn't make sense to have a fast right after fast Sunday but just shrugged my shoulders and didn't double check the date. Know that our fasting today included you and your mission in it. We pray for your success every day.

Love you always,

Dad.