He is HERE.

Okay first of all, family, QUIT GROWING UP. 

Holy cow I am dying at how much older you all look. (Mom, Dad you are the exception) you don't look older. haha. 

McCall! You are going to prom and I shed a tear that I don't get to be there to help pick out a dress. WAIT I'm in NYC. Send me some money and I will pick out a dress. I will go to 5th ave. and pick the BEST dress. ;) TEASIN. 

But woah. I love you guys so much. I cannot believe you went boating last week. Can you get a sun tan for me? Thx love you.

the real life cinderella dress!!

What a good fabulous wonderful week! 

How. can I even explain the miracles. I really can't because you had to be there but I will do my best!! I can't even write them all. (One day in heaven you can watch my mission like a movie with me) :) 

Some quick random moments from the week

*One investigator confessed his love for me. Things got PRETTY awkward and we quickly gave his information to some other missionaries. Hahaha. I was DYING. 

*Found the CUTEST 20 year old girl to teach #tractingreallydoeswork

*LOVED seeing dads cousin at church on Sunday. Tender.

*Dropped a few investigators because they just would NOT keep commitments and ain't nobody got time for no real intent. 

*Mom the Starbucks giftcard you sent me has been HEAVEN. Because sad news: it's still cold. BUT hot chocolate can cheer Sister Dunford up.  

*Lots of good things happened but I'm overwhelmed.. so moving on. 

Ores got BAPTIZED!!! On Saturday. It was SO good. Ores said "There is no word in the dictionary to describe the feeling I have right now!!" That made me smile so big and my heart fluttered. Ores had tears in his eyes and was the happiest I have ever seen him. Such a good man. 

-Mega love for my Savior- 

HE LIVES. Jesus Christ lives. You. Guys. The new church initiative. AMAZING. I tear up every time I watch the video. Jesus Christ LIVES. HE IS HERE. Everyone please watch the video. And cry. Let your eyes tear up. And let your heart be full of LOVE for your savior!!! Because my heart is over flowing with love for MY Savior Jesus Christ. I know he is HERE. I just need to reach out. call out. cry out. HE IS HERE. Then. Now. ALWAYS. He lives. I love him. My heart is so full. 

I love Easters.

-Miracle- 

IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME. 

Sister Spencer and I were headed to go to an investigators apartment for a lesson. We go knock on the door and she wasn't home. Bummed. So then we were like okay let's go pick up mail at the 15th street chapel. And then we're like wait.. pinkberry is right there and I

wouldn't even be mad if we made a stop there... So we decided we needed to go to pinkberry for some frozen yogurt. YUM. But then I was like wait lets go stop by the temple so I can fill up my water bottle. Sister Spencer was like "it's half full?? Why do you need to fill it up?" and then I was like "I don't know.... But I want it full." (It was literally so weird) I had this random desire to fill up my water bottle at the church. So we walked over. Then we get there and the security guard was like "Sisters!!!!! There is a man HERE who wants to know more about the church!!" We looked at each other with THE BIGGEST SMILES. We walk over and there sitting on the couch was this very NORMAL nicely dressed man. Around age 30 ish. We introduced ourselves and got talking. He explained why he was there and that he wanted to know more about the church. He asked a few questions and we answered. We then took him into the chapel on the 3rd floor. And this is where the story gets REAL man. So we slowly taught him the Restoration. And if you only knew how QUIET the chapel was in this busy loud city. It was PERFECTION. My words will not do this experience justice. But I can tell you that this moment was BY FAR the most spiritual experience I have ever had in my life. Never has the spirit ever been SO clear. We showed Him a picture of Joseph Smith in the Sacred Grove with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appearing to him. And I quoted Joseph Smiths first vision. When I finished quoting Joseph, we all paused. Pure SILENCE. Not a sound was being made. And then my eyes filled with tears. We asked him how he felt. And he was SPEECHLESS. It took him a long moment to gather his thoughts and words. He then described his feelings. I can remember his exact words. He said "I feel so much love inside of my heart right now. It's like this serenity that is indescribable." He said how did you know to ask me how I felt? And we told him we were feeling the EXACT same feeling!!!! He told us that he felt so much CLARITY. He told us that before, things were confusing. And didn't feel quite right. He had a catholic background and he said it never REALLY made him feel good.  He kept saying woah. Wow! Woah! HE FELT THE SPIRIT SO STRONGLY. The story gets better. We then finished teaching him the Restoration and invited him to follow Jesus Christ's example by being BAPTIZED by someone holding the priesthood authority. HE LAUGHED AND SMILED AND SAID YES. He said I have no idea what I'm getting myself in to but YES. We set his baptismal date for May 2nd!! (Holla dads birth!!) so we showed him the baptismal font and explained a few more things to him. But WOAH OH MAN. I literally cannot deny that Jesus Christ's church HAS indeed been restored to the earth. All three of us witnessed the powerful spirit testifying of its truthfulness. Joseph Smith was a TRUE prophet. Can't deny it. 

I also am ALWAYS shocked at the fact that my companion and I can deliver such a powerful message SO CLEARLY. After that lesson, it could have been too easy for me to BOAST of myself saying "go me, go us, woo woo I'm so good blah blah.." .... But there was NO WAY and I mean NO POSSIBLE way that I. Me. Abbey. SISTER DUNFORD. 19 year old Utahn. Could have taught him and made him feel that peaceful wonderful feeling he felt. 

"Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever."

Alma 26:12

I KNOW that because my companion and I were in the right place at the right time doing the right thing, we were able to be instruments in Gods hands. We were SO not planning on that lesson to happen. We had not practiced anything, we didn't even know it was going to happen!!! (That's how YOU KNOW it was the spirit teaching him. Not us.) But because we were doing what we were supposed to, (personal studies, praying, obeying) doin our thang, God used us to help this man. 

"Neither take ye thought beforehand what ye shall say; but treasure up in your minds continually the words of life, and it shall be given you in the very hour that portion that shall be meted unto every man."

D&C 84:85

OH HOW GRATEFUL I AM to be here. Exactly where I am supposed to be. Man it feels good. THE GOSPEL BRINGS PURE JOY AND HAPPINESS. I AM SO HAPPY I AM SO HAPPY I AM SO HAPPY I AM SO HAPPY. You guys. If you want to know HOW to be happy, live the gospel of Jesus Christ. I feel so much happiness. And I know that THIS is true happiness. I love my mission. The spirit is real. 

Heavenly Father LOVES YOU. And You have a Savior. Jesus Christ. And HE KNOWS AND LOVES YOU SO MUCH. 

Love you so much.

Love,

Sista Abbey Dunford