#camels

This is probs going to be a RUSHED email. 

We've been busy this P day. Busy busy. 

We are going to ride camels. Yes you read that correctly. We are going to ride a camel. 

HAHA. That's why this is rushed. 

But anyways. It was a great week!! Still STLing and training an busying it up. Here are the randoms!

We had interviews with President Smith and a little training from him. That was great you know. I like President Smith. He and I get along great. 

A cool moment for me!!

I received a text from President Smith on Sunday and he told me that he went to church at the Darien ward. Which was my first area! Well he said that a woman that I had taught when I was there had been baptized and was giving a talk that day in sacrament meeting! She brought up my name in her talk and that's why president knew to text me. But to make the story shorter. President told me that not only SHE had been baptized but her HUSBAND, and her little 8 year old is getting baptized on Saturday!! And she has two younger kids that are eagerly waiting for their turn to be baptized!!! HOW COOL. Sometimes you just never know the good that comes from your efforts :) 

It's been a HOTTT time here in NYC. Hot. And so we use pamphlets to fan our faces whenever we are waiting for public transportation or something. Well let me tell you somethin. We be PASSIN OUT PAMPHLETS LIKE FREE FANS. Everyone loves them hahaha!! They see us fanning ourselves and they instantly get jealous. So we then share the love AND the gospel at the same time. People are just a walkin around with LDS pamphlets all over NYC. Haha good stuff.

Sister Sam and I basically planned and put on a wedding in 10 minutes for a girl in the YSA ward. HAHA. Bishop married them and Sister Sam played the piano, and I said both of the prayers. It is a longer story but to keep this brief that's all there is to say about it. Haha. Wedding planning sister missionaries. 

This transfer is FLYING by. It's not cool. Haha.

Our African investigator literally is the best thing that ever happened in NY. Haha. He LOVES church and is so excited for his baptism. He is learning so much. He texted us one night and said "hello miss I have 20 question for you" HAHA. We got to our lesson with him and he literally had a notebook full of questions. He is fun. Haha! Hopefully I will still be here when it happens. September 6th is the date. We invited him to a baptism last week just so he could see what it's like and feel the spirit there. He loved it. He kept smiling. Ah good. 

Haha there was a crazy man in sacrament meeting on Sunday. You would DIE if you could see the crazy people in NY. These New Yorkers take the "visitors welcome" sign seriously!! They are visiting right and left. Haha. (No but really they just love the air conditioning) haha. This man in particular had a freak out in sacrament meeting. Tipping chairs over, yelling, throwing his drink on the ground. Haha he was bleeding on his head. Yikes. Then bishop went to help this fine fellow out and the man picked up his crutch and began to pretend it was a gun. Sad right? People need help. Pray for this man ... Bless his heart hahaha. I was dying laughing tho. Probably not very mature of me.. Oh well. Sometimes all you can do is laugh. Especially at these harlemites...

Awh man! This isn't my best email I've written so forgive me... Next weeks will hopefully be better :)

I LOVE YOU ALL! 

Love abbbbbba

Ps don't forget about our lovely pioneers that went through all they did for us. :) 

nynynynynynynyny

Heeelllooooooo!

So it was quite the week. Busy. Lots of stuff happened. 

Soooo Natasha's baptism HAPPENED. It was probably the best baptism I've ever been to. Oh my goodness. President Smith and his wife came. That was neat! Natasha is literally one of the strongest girls I know. If only you could all hear her testimony!! It was amazing to see her standing in the waters of baptism and to be moving forward in faith despite the fact that her parents do not support her at all in this. Ah I love her. We will be good friends forever. I got to speak at her baptism too. It was just such a spiritual high if you know what I'm sayin. LOVE HER. Honestly we were both supposed to be in this area at this time. 

Sunday was quite the day again! Haha. Sunday's are THE most tiring days as a missionary. On Sunday we were at the church at 8:30 am and then went to the family ward and to ward council then to YSA ward at 1:00 and I had to speak in YSA ward. That made me tired. Haha then we had a linger longer after church and then Natasha's baptism was at 5pm and then we were there till like 6:40 cleaning up and then we headed to our dinner appointment at 7:00. Ate food and then took the good old subway home. You wouldn't think it's tiring because you just sit down at church the whole time, but when you feel the spirit and when your brain is thinking about 201 different things, you're EXHAUSTED. Haha. Like Lehi in 1st Nephi 1.. (I was thus overcome with the spirit!!)

7 "And it came to pass that he returned to his own house at Jerusalem; and he cast himself upon his bed, being overcome with the Spirit and the things which he had seen."

Okay I feel ya Lehi. Being over come with the spirit is draining. But. Nevertheless I say unto you it is SO GOOD :) haha. I always just want to cast myself on my bed man. 

So on Monday my companion and I got to eat dinner with some members at the EMPIRE STATE Building! #blessed. that was fun. Good golley I love New York City. We went down to shake shack after and got the lovely famous "concrete jungle ice cream" oh heaven. So fun and cute and tasty and good and life is good. New York wins. Best mission in THE WORLD. If only everyone could have this experience that I'm having! Ugh the world would be a better place. :) because I'm happy.

We got to go to Scarsdale again for Sister Sam's new missionary training meeting. Always good to see President Smith. Always good to go upstate. It's very refreshing to go up there and see houses and lots of trees and neighborhoods!!! Living in the city is a different world. I do love the city though. 

Haha!!! A funny question we were asked this week by an investigator: 

If Moroni is the son of Mormon, who is his mother? HAHAHA. You should have seen our faces. We were like uhhh... Does it matter? Oh man. Just a random funny moment. 

The story of... The man who confessed his love to Sister Dunford. 

HAHA. Funniest moment. This might have been a "you had to be there" moment but here it is anyways. Sister Sam and I had given a referral to the elders last week. (A man that we talked to on the street one day) well the elders tried to call him and couldn't get ahold of him. So we were all together one time and they were like "okay you try calling him and see if you can set up an appointment with him." So I did. I call and he answers and then he got excited and happy when he remembered who we were. And then I asked him if he had read The Book of Mormon at all. He's all "yeaaah... It's interesting!!" I laughed a little and said what part did you read? And then his next response was "actually I have something to say but it's a little off topic" (you should have seen all of our faces at this point) (because he was on speaker) well. I was like okay... And then the man goes "so when you came up to me I fell in love with you. I love you and I want to marry you. Are you single?" Okay. Now you can only imagine the amount of laughter in the room. We were all DYING. Haha the elders faces were so funny. And I was just trying so hard to hold it together. But Obviously couldn't and I was just dying. The man was like "you sound interested." And I quickly said "You're SO WRONG." And then hung up. And that was that. And it was hilarious. That was about as entertained as missionaries can get hahaha. Ah. It happens one too many times you guys!!! I feel like sister missionaries should wear wedding rings or something haha. Blaaahhh!!!!!! But you know what it is..? These men are attracted to the spirit!! They see the light and they can't help but be attracted to it. It's not me, it's the spirit hahahah. Dead serious. Woowweeee 

Okay our African investigator is the coolest. The one I told you about before. The one that had the dream that God sent us to him. He is SO COOL. The more we meet with him the more love I have for him. He is so great. Just the sweetest African French speaking man. He is so ready for the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. God prepares his people. I feel so blessed to be a part of this work. Ah. Love love love love it. 

My fingers hurt from typing so I think I'm gonna quit here! Haha can't wait till I can share these stories with you via mouth!!! Hahaha. Via face to face. Oh that'll be a good day. 

Before I quit here's a thought.

D&C 6 says:

33. Fear not to do good, my sons, for whatsoever ye sow, that shall ye also reap; therefore, if ye sow good ye shall also reap good for your reward.

34. Therefore, fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail.

NOW GO AND BE GOOD. :) don't be afraid to be a good person. Good people are the best.

Ta-ta for now. I LOVE YOU ALL. 

Love abbbb :)

Oh ps! I guess I hit my year mark! Weirdest. 

Miracles happen once in awhile...

HEYYY. 

A very good week. Let's jump right in!!

We had MLC on Friday. We left at like 9 am, hopped on the Metro North train and got off in Scarsdale! It was President Smiths first MLC! He and his wife are boss's. I LOVE THEM. Their kids are fantastic as well. (Speaking of his kids I'm with Savannah and Lauren right now!) P day buddies :) anyways. At MLC each zone was asked to prepare a presentation about our zone! So we are the Central Manhattan Zone. We shared lots of goodies about our zone. Our zone wins. Our zone is ALL of Manhattan. We also the have American Sign Language Elders in our zone. WHICH IS SO FUN. Haha I'm learning sign language. I love my zone. It's been so fun to be STL here. So MLC was just dandy. We ate lunch together it was good. Ha more pizza! Then MLC ended at like 3 ish and all of us just straight headed for the...

YANKEES GAME!!!

There we were! All of the NYNYN missionaries. So cool. We all got free Yankees hats. We were on the big camera! We listened to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sing! We cheered loud. It was so fun. Haha (all of us haven't had that much fun in a loooong time) so we were all just so smiley and happy. Hahah I love missionaries. Missionaries are SO funny. It was a GOOD time. And the YANKEES WON. Ha we of course had to leave early to be home on time. But they ended up winning and it was a good game. (Ask me if I even understood what was going on..) because I totally don't understand baseball. But hey. GO NEW YORK YANKEES. I can tell you I am a Yankees fan. Yes.

The FOURTH OF JULY!!

It was a good day. Haha definitely weird to proselyte on a day like that. Everyone is doin their own thing. We ate dinner with the funniest awesomest couple in the ward. They had us over at their apartment and they went all out. Made such a fun meal. Hot dogs, HUGE yummy pickles, potato salad, and a lot of other unhealthy things. We made paper hats and we laughed our heads off at each other. We looked hilarious. They also played this YouTube video on their projector called 10 hours of fireworks. HAHAH. We sat there and watched them the whole time while Mormon tabernacle choir played in the background. WHAT KIND MEMBERS to have the missionaries over on the Fourth of July!! It was a good time and I'm grateful for the kind members who care for us. I love people. 

I totally just have to be excited for a second k? WE HAVE SIX BAPTISMAL DATES. That is SO HAPPY!!! You guys. It makes me smile so big. I'm so happy for the six people that we've been meeting with and for their desire to come closer to Christ. Their lives will FOREVER be changed for the better. I love the gospel and what it does for us. 

Cool story. Im going to try to make this detailed story a lot shorter.. 

So like two weeks ago Sister Sam and I were headed home for the night. And it was pouring rain. It was like 9:00 and I was tired and just wanted to go to sleep. Well we were standing at the bus stop and there was a man standing next to us with an umbrella just minding his own business. I wanted to mind my own business too because I was so tired and I was soaking wet. I felt gross hahah. Well we had been standing there for like 10 minutes and I had the biggest impression to walk over to this man and talk to him. In my head I was like "mmm nooo... this is so awkward... We've been standing here for 10 minutes now and it will be so weird if I walk up to him and talk to him!!" So I just kept standing there. And the impression would not go away. So I finally just swallowed my pride and walked up to him and said "Hi, how has your day been?" I introduced myself as a missionary and just invited him to come to church. I gave him a card and then got on the bus and didn't think much about it at all. He didn't speak much English. Basically all he said was okay thanks. 

Well two days later we received a text and it was from him!! He asked what time church was and we gave him the info. (I didn't think he would actually show up just because that's how things roll here in missionary world) well to my surprise he showed up!! And he brought a friend!! And sat by us. But he doesn't speak English hardly at all!!! Like I would say something and he would just blankly stare at me hahah. So funny. (This is the FRENCH investigator I was telling you about.) he's from Africa. Well they had to go and we just didn't really know where to go from there. 

Okay fast forward a little. He and his friend came AGAIN the next Sunday. And we were like wow! They come even though they don't understand a word!? Cool. They must feel the spirit. Well luckily we found a member in the ward who is from France and is here on a short intern. So we set up an appointment to meet all together. The French member explained a little more to these two to clear up their confusion. Well something SUPER cool. So we were in our lesson after church and our French member was talking to these two and they were just having a conversation in French while Sister Sam and I sat there confused haha. Well then our French member turned to us and told us a story that this man told him. He explained that this man came to America about a month ago. And he lived in Burkina Faso. He said that before he came here to America he had a dream that God sent two girls to him to help him change his life. (He had no idea what missionaries were at that time.) There were more details but that's the shortened version. When our French member explained this dream to us he had tears in his eyes!! I was like woah. Woah. This man from Africa said he knows that God is in his life and he knows that this is the start of something. WHAT!! How cool. So we then taught them more and we then extended a baptismal invitation and boom. Two baptismal dates. Pure happy. You guys, can you imagine if I hadn't of OPENED MY MOUTH on that rainy rainy tired night??? It was SO important for me to follow that prompting because now this African mans life is going to change!!! And I have been able to be an instrument in Gods hand in this mans journey. HOW COOL AND SPECIAL. I have the strongest testimony of the spirit. I know that's it's real. And I know how important it is that we listen and we obey that spirit. 

I. Love. This. Work. I love it so much!! 

Go share the gospel everyone!! It's the most important thing you could do.

 

Love you alllll!!!

Love abb. 

Forgive my scattered emails. Love you!

happiest

Bonjour famille je parle français maintenant

(This week we are learning French due to the new French investigators we have!) haha!

Today is a good humid day. A good P day. We goin to the Brooklyn Bridge and to a museum. Yesterday day I invited President Smith's two daughters to come hang out with us! They are 15 and 13 years old. Savannah and Lauren. :) so it will be way fun!! Excited. 

FRIDAY is the Yankees game!! We are excited. I love my mission.

I know I say this all the time but NO WAY is it July 1st. No way no way no way. Sometimes I feel that time isn't moving at all and sometimes I want to cry at how fast it's going. Right now it's goin fast. But tomorrow afternoon will probably be going slow. Hahaha. THE MISSION. 

WE ARE SO BUSY. We are slammed. Planning like psycho's. Hahaha. This transfer is insane busy with SO much to think about. I knew I would have a lot on my plate but now it's like "oh yeah.. I have a lot on my plate." There are like 101 things to think about and myself NOT one of them. On Thursday we started the lovely weekly planning sesh and Holy. Cow. My brains were seriously mush by the end. Answering questions for Sister Sam, explaining who people are, calling investigators, setting up interviews with sisters, planning exchanges, setting goals, planning our lesson for Sunday, meeting with the zone leaders, planning MLC stuff, planning mikes baptism, and more endless little "to do's." That list doesn't even do it justice. I'm like sitting under a pile of things to do and trying to make sure I'm meeting sister sams needs as well. Haha I love her. We are so similar. Luckily we BOTH don't get stressed out very easily. I'm just takin it as it comes. But I will say SUNDAY was a stresssssssssss day. Sunday's are so not "rest days" as missionaries. Especially when you're in two busy Harlem wards. 

Something CRAZY and SO GOOD:

PRESIDENT & SISTER SMITH ARE HERE!!! And their 3 adorable kids. (Two of them I mentioned earlier) Savannah (15), Lauren (13), and William (11). We met the Smith's on Tuesday! Yesterday! And to be honest I've been a little slightly nervous about how the change would be! Only because President and Sister Morgan were literally the best ever. But when the Smiths walked in the chapel and sat on the stand I was so overwhelmed with love. You know those little baby tears that tend to come when you feel something so strong? I felt SO much love for them. As I stared at them sitting on the stand I KNEW that Heavenly Father called them to be HERE in NY. For US. For ME. I was just dying inside at how much love I felt for them. I love the Smiths. I would be okay if they adopted me into their family. Hahaha (mom & dad, I love you too. And you know I'm teasin.) but holy cow. President Smith told me we will have to plan a Lake Powell trip when they're home ;) I love him. 

We had Mike's BAPTISM. Woooweee! It was great. Mike is such an awesome person. He and his family are golden. They are obedient and faithful and becoming so Christlike. It's AMAZING what the gospel of Jesus Christ can do to people when they're open and humble. I have loved teaching their family. I love them and I'm pretty sure I will forever keep in touch with them. Good people. 

We have Natasha's baptism coming up on July 12th! We are SO excited about her. I love Natasha. We have become SUCH good friends. We have a plan to move into an apartment in NY together once I'm done with the mish. :) She's darling. I'm grateful for her example to me. I'm grateful that I've had the opportunity to teach her. She is so strong. Her parents have fought against her getting baptized for years and now she has finally decided to move forward on her own. Ah love her. She's beautiful and so talented. I was for sure meant to serve here. 

We got a NEW baptismal date with another YSA investigator. Deshawn. He's the coolest. He's on Broadway and he is a wedding singer, a cruise ship performer and a dancer. We taught him for the first time yesterday and extended a baptismal invitation and he said YES. We set a date in August and we are SO excited about him. We got talking about dance and he takes at some of the same studios that I've taken at here in NY from when I came with dance company! When I told him I used to dance he lit up and we just had this little connection. Haha I love him. 

We got ANOTHER new investigator named Marie. She is also AMAZING. She's a 40 year old mother. So great. We taught her the restoration on Friday and it was one of those amazing "oh my gosh that lesson couldn't have gone any better" lessons. Haha she is so sassy and I LOVE it. She asks perfect questions and she is sincere and really wants truth. We hope to set a bap date with her this next week :)

ran into this cute girl. #twoabbeys

We had such a good week. I wish I could tell everything. 

Here were some highlights--

*Making those homemade Oreo delightful cookies for an elder's birthday and spilling powdered sugar ALL over the kitchen floor. Ha. Ha. Ha!!!! I was a mess.

*Finding possibly the biggest cockroach I've ever seen in the baptismal font before mikes baptism. Straight screams coming from inside the church. Ahhhhh. Death.

*The pouring rain coming down on us as we happily walked around Harlem. 

*Watching cute Sister Sam's shocked face at all the crazies we talk to!! Funniest ever.

*Waking up one night after the loudest thunder storm to Sister Sam thinking NYC was being bombed Hahahaha okay that was hilarious. (Those half asleep confusing moments you know?)

*Realizing that my morning prayers are possibly the funniest tiredest most mumble jumbled nonsense and Heavenly Father probably laughs as he listens to those 6 am prayers. (I need to work on those hahaha)

*Finding a new exercise route along the east side of Manhattan with the prettiest view of the city. (Running along the river) it's nice :)

*Translating our iPads into French so we could explain who we were as missionaries for our french investigators hahaha. So. Funny. 

Anyways. It was quite a good week. I am so content. So happy. The mission is hard and so good. I love the gospel of Jesus Christ. It's pure happiness. 

I love you!!

Love Sister Dunford :)

another transfer.... quit it

June 24th? Slooooow down... AH. 

It was a very good last week of the cycle! Very happy with this transfer. It was hard indeed. But I feel that I have been able to change and come closer to my Heavenly Father because of it! Its because of the hard things that I love my mission so much. If this weren't helping me to grow and become stronger, I wouldn't love my mission the way I do.

Transfer NEWS: 

SASSTER Checketts is going upstate to New Rochelle! And I will be training a brand new missionary named SISTA SAM. (Cutest name right) I love new missionaries. I feel like they teach me more than I could ever teach them. Sister Sam is coming into a BUSY area. Which makes me happy. She will get some super great teaching and finding opportunities. As well as some Harlem shock.. Haha Harlem is SO different from Utah. So I hope and pray that Sister Sam can see the good here like I have been able to. Sister Sam and I will have such a good time. Sister Sam is from Vernal Utah. She has a full ride scholarship to BYU. For MUSIC. She is like an amazing piano player. She's SHORT JUST LIKE ME YES YES!! I love her.

Some random moments:

*Okay this was funny. So Sister Checketts and I are walkin down the sidewalk, and this man comes up to Sister Checketts and points to me and goes "is this your daughter? Because she's beautiful." HAHAHA you can just picture me bustin up laughing as Sister Checketts explains that she is not my mother. As we walked away she was like "wow either you look like a baby or I look like a 40 year old." Hahah. Oh my gosh. The laughter. 

*Sister Checketts and I rescued a baby rat. Poor thing was like brand new, just born!! And it was gross. But it was sad. And my tender heart just HAD to move it away from the path that people were walking! So we did. We moved it. We are heroes. 

*I got to go to the "train the trainers" meeting again in Scarsdale on Friday. That was so good. President Morgan was fabulous as always. I felt lucky to have gotten that good training from him. One of his last as our mission president. He loves to tease me in front of other missionaries hahahah. He will like straight call me out in front of everyone and laugh. Happens all the time and I just laugh with him. We are good friends. I truly love him. Ah he has changed my life forever!

*It rained a lot. And it's SO HOT. Oh. My. Disgusting. 

*We had Anaiya's BAPTISM!!! It was great. (Except for the green baptismal font water) HA HA HA. I was dying. Poor girl had to be "cleansed" in muck. Haha

*Here in Harlem there are fights happening right and left!!! I've seen some crazy things. Things that are like movie status crazy

I just wanted to share some thoughts I had this week! 

After feeling very condescended to, I was discouraged. Just that feeling of death and "oh my gosh I know nothing and why am I here and holy cow this is forever hard the mission never gets easy even after being out for 1 year." Anyways. (Those struggle thoughts in your head that you have as a missionary) well I know this is the most common scripture like in the world but this one is one of my favorites right now:

"Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise."

Alma 37:6

That scripture gives me confidence and HOPE. Hope that even though I am small and simple, I can bring about great things. And because of that hope it gives me, I am able to act in FAITH. I have faith that if I do my part here, (follow Christ's example, open my mouth, serve others, love others, study, do the small and simple things,) that great things can and WILL happen. Which brings me to CHARITY. 

Elder M Russel Ballard said this:

"Hope helps faith develop. Likewise, true faith gives birth to hope. When we begin to lose hope, we are faltering also in our measure of faith. The principles of faith and hope working together MUST be accompanied by charity, which is the greatest of all. According to Mormon, ‘charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever’ (Moroni 7:47). It is the perfect manifestation of our faith and hope." 

So if I just pray for charity and am filled with that love, then it doesn't matter if somebody is condescending to me. It doesn't matter if people judge me, it doesn't matter if people say rude things, doesn't matter if they are wrong. Because I would be filled with Christlike love and know that they are imperfect. And I would love everyone and everything. Elder Ballard also said this:

"Real faith fosters hope for the future; it allows us to look beyond ourselves and our present cares. Fortified by hope, we are moved to demonstrate the pure love of Christ through daily acts of obedience and Christian service” 

So I don't really know if my thoughts are making sense to you. But I do know that they make sense to me. I know that faith hope and charity are what I want to build the structure of my life around. I know that these 3 principles give me the eternal perspective that I need to get through life's toughest challenges. I'm grateful for the pure love that Christ had. Because of that pure love, I can do all things. With out Christ's love for US, we would literally be nothing and nobody and going nowhere. Thank heavens Christ has charity. I love him. So, pray for charity ;)

our investigator 

I love my mission and I'm so eternally grateful for this experience. 

Love you!!

Love Sister Abb Dunford 

Ps forgive me for how scattered my emails are. I'm losin it today hahah.

little house on the prairie girl

HEY. where to begin....   

I was just thinking, how can I make my emails better? and then I just got lazy. I just really need a video camera recording every week. Because it's just impossible to explain. But here goes randomness. Wish there was something amazing to write about.. Sorry :)

I'm still here in New York Citaaaay. 

Loving it. Still very much out of my comfort zone but very much growing and stretching. In many ways. If I could explain better I would, but I can't! I'm just growing! 

Today's P day is going to be good. We are taking it slow today. We are calling it our pampering spa day. That means we are painting nails, going to get a pedicure, doing face masks, hair masks, doing my hair color, eating cucumbers and putting them on our eyes. Etc. all the goods. Missionary work goes like this: Forget yourself and go to work. (but, on P day remember yourself) hahaha. it actually is the best because then you don't have to worry about yourself the rest of the week. I love it. 

It's SO BLASTED HOT here. humid. Hot. Yucky. Sweaty. Red face. Subways=disgusting. Hahah New York is so extreme. Freeeezin winters and sweating hot summers. 

rain rain rain 

HAHA. The other day, we were walking down the sidewalk and lovely gangsta brother of ours making his way toward us goes "hey little house on the prairie." Hahahaha. I was dying. Like WHA hahahaha. In my head I was like "I feel it too Brotha. I feel it too." But it's FINE. Whatever.

So transfers are in ONE week. Um woah? That's definitely weird. 

Next transfer will be busy. Thinking about the responsibilities I will be taking on... I will need Heavenly Fathers help!! Solo Sister Training Leader. Training. New mission president coming in. Being over two wards. It's going to be a busy cycle. Bring. It. On. Because I love this work.

We are back on Facebook did you see did you see?? It's crazy!! Bien.

Book Of Mormon goodies:

So something super interesting and fascinating and cool was this fireside that we went to at the temple/church. There was a man, (a member of our church,) who came to talk to us about his life living in Saudi Arabia. This man was sooo smart. And coolest ever, he basically re-traced LEHI and his family's journey through the wilderness. He made it clear at the beginning that this evidence that he has found shouldn't make up one's testimony but that it could help strengthen or support. Our testimonies are spiritual. And no SIGN will make us believe. 

"..signs shall follow them that believe in my name." Ether 4:18 (I mean obviously) like Laman and Lemuel had like one million signs. Did they believe? Not really. You guys. WOAH. We read verses together from 1st nephi and paid very close attention to the wording in the directions of where they were traveling and what they were bringing, etc. He showed us maps of where they left Jerusalem from and where their journey took place. He showed us where (they assumed) the river of Laman and the valley of Lemuel were. All these locations that they found fit the exact things that the Book of Mormon says. It was so fascinating. I wish you all could have been there. But it's alright. You can read the Book of Mormon and know that it's true. The stories are real, they happened. Lehi and his family were so courageous and righteous and obedient and amazing. Joseph Smith did not stinking write the Book of Mormon himself. There's just no way he could have. I'm grateful that I have received my very own PERSONAL revelation of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. Because of that single testimony I have of the Book of Mormon, I will forever be faithful to this gospel. A testimony of the Book of Mormon can get you FAAAAR. So I invite you to read it and pray about it. But for reals do it. 

I gotta go. But I love you all!! 

Love Abb. 

another week mannnnn

Hello!! 

P DAY man. Today we are riding bikes with our whole zone in Central Park. FUN. (This is my VERY first time putting jeans on in 11 months.) #kindofhateit  weeeirdest feeling ever. And then to do my favorite ever... Window shopping down on fifth and like 18th street. BEST STORES. (Remember it helps me feel normal.) and then we might go stop by FIT the fashion institute because my dream will come true of going there after the mission. So anyways.. 

It was a good week. Highs and lows as always!! I feel like so much happened. How do I even get this out.. I'll just jump right in. (This email is random sorry)

Friday we went to MLC upstate in Scarsdale with all the leaders in the mission! It was President Morgan's very last MLC!! SAD. Awh I just die at how much I love President Morgan. He's taught me so much. For reals President Morgan is an amazing human. I can't explain the impact that he has had on me and my life. I LOVE The Morgan's.  At MLC we had Cafe Rio salad!!!! Sister Morgan made it for all of us and I was in heaven. (You don't understand the cravings I've had for that food.) man. YUM. MLC was just way good. President gets us all pumped to be leaders in the mission and we all just want to DO WORK. Straight up motivation. Loved it. 

Friday night we got to go to a museum at Columbia University for our relief society activity. That was grand. Every time I walk on Columbia University's campus I decide I want to be a smart human and go to school there. HAHA. (realistically never gonna happen.) but.. You guys it's dreamy. I feel like I'm walking in a movie. I have actually felt like I'm walking in a movie majority of my mission. I LOVE MY MISSION. The museum was way cool. I wish I took more pictures. But I will send the ones I have. OH and then after the museum we were on our way home and we talked to a man who had a giant white bird that he let me hold!!! I have always wanted a talking bird. It was a really good Friday filled with fun things. 

Oh this was HILARIOUS. 

Hahahahahahah. So. Thursday night I was going down the stairs of our apartment building. (In my pajamas, hair on top of my head, no makeup, slippers, etc.) well I start hauling down the stairs when I suddenly took a wrong step and bam bam bam bam bam. HA HA HA. On my bottom side down down down. The amount of laughter is indescribable. If only you could have seen. Hahaha you guys I'm like crying laughing as I'm typing this haha. And the BRUISE. Oh. My. Gosh. I am wounded. The biggest darkest bruise I've ever seen in my life. And I'm still laughing about it. If anyone even cares to know. It was a highlight hilarious moment. So there! Lesson: don't haul down the stairs in your slippers. 

Monday night Sister Checketts and I had a miniature spa night. We did nightly planning with my new green Glymed face mask!!! Mwaaaahhhhahah. Heaven. Who says missionaries can't be beautiful. Nonstop laughter again. 

Let's see what else. Our investigators are moving right along!! We may need to scoot some bap dates back a tiny bit...  But it's all good!! Just need a little more time. I get overwhelmed when I think about how much information I could tell you about all of them.. That's why I lack in letting you know more details about our investigators. But just know that we are busy busy.

Unhappy moment when:

We had a dinner appointment scheduled last night. For 7:00. Well we went to teach one of our investigators at 6:00 just before. Well. She (being the nicest human) decided to feed us dinner. And she dished up our plates for us. (I'm standing there like screaming in my head nooooooooooooooooooooooo) but out of the love in my heart I kindly shovel the food in my mouth, knowing that in less than 30 minutes I get to go eat ANOTHER dinner at a members.) 

To say I was full is a complete understatement. You guys. I was compacted with food and I wanted to cry. There was also desert involved in both appointments. HAHA. Who knew charity involved being full SO MANY TIMES. Daaahhh. 

A simple short thought to close!

Haha. For my little "spiritual thought" I decided I would quote Elder Perry's closing testimony from conference!! I love him. And I loved his last talk. What a great man. I miss him already! He said:

"Let me close by bearing witness (and my nine decades on this earth fully qualify me to say this) that the older I get, the more I realize that family is the center of life and is the key to eternal happiness."

SUCH a cute little quote and testimony from him. He is so right. I LOVE MY FAMILY!!! Dunford's I miss you more than you could ever imagine!!! You make me happy. Keep being the funnest bestest coolest dunfuns that you are. Love you so much. I'm grateful Heavenly Father put me in the family he did :)

LOVE YOU ALL. 

Love abb