December 1, 2025

From Abby: Goomba

Hi all dearest readers

It's currently very early in the morning since we're going to the TEMPLE today and I wanted to get an early start to my email. 

Last week we played Jeprody as a dictrict and we discovered that there are some competative people in our distric (*Coughs* Elder Drysdale) but it actually turned out to be so fun and we had an elaborate discussion about Baby names after so it was worth it. 
Mine were flamed but its fine 

something else that's absolutely terrifying is the fact that I sat down at a cumputer and LOCKED in on school application. Best believe I called up my Dad and made him sit on the phone for emotional support as I navigated the maze that is school application. 
I feel a sense of peace about it but its also wildly strange that post secondary education is already on the Horizen.

Also catch me begging on my hands and knees to Heavenly Father that my FSY application will be accepted. 

Sister Williams Jr told me that my outfit gave swedish which I think is one of the greatest compliments out there

Visted with this RSP that owned 30 tubs of icecream..She doesn't have the vision of the gathering in her ward yet but she did text president asking us to stay in the area so points for her. 

The air is beginning to be CRISP and whispers of winter are floating through the air, little promises of cold things to come 

therefore I WHIPPED out my super long coat that I snagged from the mission office and I feel like a whole new person, I never though I would rock a long coat but here we are, missions really do change people 

Sister Ortiz joined us for weekly planning :) 
She called Louise to set up a time to come and AH I love Louise with my whole soul. I still can't believe she's getting baptized. 

Something fun that's been happening since we're in a trio is whenever theres a need that must be filled (If someones comp is sick basically) We can FLING one of us from the Trio over into that area and still get work done in ours, its a super power. When we send our greenie we call it baby sitting :) 
We sent Sister Williams Jr to be baby sat since Sister Ortiz's comp was going to the temple with her fam! 
Sister Williams is the sweetest soul ever, shes like a lil fairy who's also a BOSS at missionary work. 
We knocked this old lady's house and invited her to join us knocking one of her neighbors who is someone we used to teach but he's CRIM and ghosts us. She said "Well sure!! Let me get my coat :)" AH I love old people 

the conversation with Orlando went like this:

Us:"*Explanation about the gospel* when can we come by and share with you more? "
"I'm just really busy so i'll let you know"

Us:"Are you busy? Or not interested, because if you're not interested that would be nice to know." 
"Yeahh I'm just really busy, I'll let you know." 

BROTHER. 
shocker he hasn't let us know But hey we got to unite with a sweet old lady so I'm not mad 

Tuesday night Sister Williams Sr got a prompting that we needed to go check on some sisters in our zone, we picked up Sister Williams Jr, Got icecream and fries, and zoomed to their apartment :) 
Can you ever go wrong with icecream and fries? I don't think so. We ended up having a SUPER needed conversation. I LOVE these Sisters we get to minister to. 
Def got home past curfew and Elder Abrams (New Vehichle coordinator) gave me a call... Awkward. Guys not me being on the bad list one week into Elder Abrams being here :( 

Sister Willaims and I have learned that we're both OBSESSED with writing with Expo markers and basically on the daily are jotting random things down. 
We have two lil white boards that can't escape, they're always covered :) 

Also I think Sister Williams laugh is one of my favorite things in the whole world 

along with calling non member dots :) 

We deep cleaned our spice cupboard 

AMERICAIN THANKSGIVING 
One of the most joyous days I've had as a missionary FR 
We started the day with a super inspired district council where Elder Drysdale asked EACH and every one of us to train on some small aspect of baptism, from when to bring it up, how to involve your senior couple, to building a program, to putting it into the preach my gospel app. Our district is actually so fun and I appreciate kind elders.

Right after DC Sister Williams, Williams, and I JUMPED into jeans and T-Shirts to go do service for this SUPER innactive lady who just moved in. We find out pretty quick that shes a DOLL and that her RM son is trying to get her back into the church XD. We raked and loaded up HUGE piles of leaves while chatting about missionary work. 
Sister Williams Jr and I's hands were casualties to hidden dog poop..

in the end Wendy (Innactive lady) Said she was planning on coming BACK to church, and told us about her non member neighbor. Hello?
The sun was streaming down and I marvel again at the fact that it's November and this warm. 

Thanksgiving dinner was INSANE. Theres a recently reactivated lady in one of our wards named Ketley whos a Hatian Creole grandmother, we didn't know WHAT we were expecting going to her house for dinner but it's NOT what we found. 
In her itty bitty lil home was crammed probably FORTY people. Mostly from Haiti. 
She welcomed us in, filled our plates and directed us to sit at the dining room table.. Seated at the table were FIVE individuals who are were on RADICALLY different walks of life.. I'll describe each from left to right
1)Middle aged guy who kind of gave Miles Morales uncle in Spider Man into the Spider Verse.. He just had that chill vibe, Dad of 2, halfway through the dinner pulled out weed and started smoking RIGHT THERE. CRIM 
2) Happy go lucky RM who gave Kevin Heart.. He was throwing around all types of post mission advice, we learned he was innactive 2/3rd's into the convo XD he was literally testifying and sharing scriptures with guy number 1 though so that's awesome

3)Innactive lady who married a baptist, has testimony of the MELCHIZEDEK PRIESTHOOD, and the TEMPLE but not Joseph Smith.. HELLO? Girl he restored those. Lowkey I think she'll come back :)
4) Baptist husband, going off on how he wished missionaries would preach more from the bible, and how he doesn't understand testimony meeting. We got into a whole conversation with him about how missionary work isn't sales although it kind of is, it was wild. 
5)SUPER chill guy with a big old dog beside him, mid 20's, was a convert at 12.. Chatted with Sister Williams for like 3 hours probably about the secrets of the universe 

IT was a WILD night. And in the midst of all these conversations all these little kids are running around screaming, some people are talking about how their wedding dress will work with the new garments, and some people are smoking weed... It was a plethora of EVERYTHING, plus really good Hatian thanksgiving food :) 

Called the fam who were semi confused since there NO holiday in Canada, but hey its fine. Had a great convo 

MLC on friday where I got to see all of my LOVELY missionary friends. Here are some quotes from Prez
"Brain Knowledge can't equate to conversion"
"The most important battle ground for the adversary is Utah."
"Not only do you have to change culture, you have to change Utah Culture." 
"Only Sin and a lack of desire will hold people back from serving a mission in Gods church"- Referring to service missionaries. 

After MLC we did a speedy Mcdonalds run for our greenies :) Here we are: 

I forgot how much I love Chicken nuggets. 

Started teaching TWO new young women, Jupiter, and Lexi. AH I love young women, both of their first lessons was oh so sweet and filled with light. 

Friday night we're out to pros and in attempt to hang up with someone from the car screen I accidentally called Kauge!! Our friend who's on date for christmas eve. 
He picks up and after about 7 minutes I KNOW he's drunk. Just LAUGHING at the least funny things ever, swearing.. Etc. FORTY minutes later, we somehow got a lesson set up for the next day, got him to put it into his calender, and got him to send a screenshot of it in our calender. XD 
Then we walked into Brother and Sister Jacobs for a lesson with Leah :) 
Our sweet Leah who knows the book of mormon is alive  

The Jacobs home was built in 1978, often smells of old wood, and baked bread <3
On old arm chairs, and in warm lighting we read Mosiah 18 with Leah, and talked about the restoration of the Gospel through Joseph Smith, I got to see Sister Williams Jr recite the first vision for the first time in a lesson. 
At the end Leah said "I'm ready. I want to be baptized before the end of the year" 
BOOM. Baptismal date of December 27. 

JOY

Saturday (Nov 29) We had our lesson with Kauge. We invited the MAN MYTH and LEGEND Mitch Snow (The one who baptized victor) We called him last minute to join and he said "Send me the address, I'll long board over" As we're sitting in the parking lot waiting a couple minutes before we head into the lesson we notice through our rearview mirror behind us crouched down on the curb is Mitch, his surfboard trainer longboard leaning beside him, his hood up obscuring his face. Perched as if he's in the assasins creed or something. 
Guys we're actually convinced he's one of the three nephites. 
In the lesson with Kauge I got the MOST intense Deja vu I've ever experienced, in a moment of recalling I remember a VIVID dream I had of that exact teaching appointment, I knew that was exactly where I was supposed to be. 

SO COOL. 

On sunday we were convinced that our HCOM Brother William Bretey WILL be an apostle. If not a member of the 12. MARK MY WORDS. 
They invited us over for lunch since Sister Williams wasn't feeling good. 
God told Sister Williams Sr to STAY home (It's actually crazy witnessing someone pass out.. Limp body fr) 

We GRINDED out bapi prep for the 3 people on date for December since we do NOT want to do bap planning last minute again. 

Also it snowed 

THAT IS EVERYTHING. 
Pray for my Sanity

-Sister Smith