Abbey's letters October 28, 2013 and November 11, 2013

Not sure how I missed posting the letter from October 28,  thought I had.  Guess life is a little busy. 

October 28,2013

Cryss is getting baptized! President
Haight the second counselor in the mission presidency was able to call
her and talk to her about the baptismal interview, and she has had a
softening of heart and has decided to be baptized. She had her
interview on Saturday and everything is good to go. She will be
baptized this Saturday at 3. Jakai and Jaiden will be baptized the
week after that. And Raquel will be baptized the week after that. We
had a lesson with Raquel on Tuesday and she said that her daughter
Reyni wanted to be baptized. We are teaching her the restoration
tonight and are shooting for her to be baptized on the same day as her
mom. The Hoffman's are doing well! Kristen said that her husband only
had good things to say about church last Sunday. He has not agreed to
be taught the lessons yet but has agreed to continue to come to
church. The primary program was yesterday. The primary presidency
asked all of the children and their parents to invite their neighbors
and friends to watch it. We had 30 non members in church not including
children under the age of 8, it was pretty incredible. It never ceases
to amaze me how missionary minded this ward is. The four of us
missionaries got up and sang with the primary kids. We were pretty
nervous to get up there and sing in front of 300 people but it was a
very spiritual experience. There are over a hundred primary kids and
they all stood up and sang the chorus with us. They were all beaming
as they sang, "we are as the army of helaman, we have been taught in
our youth. and we will be the Lord's missionaries to bring the world
his truth." The spirit was so strong in that room, it was a great
experience. Most of these kids are already so good at sharing the
gospel with their friends in simple ways, they are truly amazing. I
have come to realize that with being a missionary you have an instant
fan club! The primary kids love you no matter who you are. We have
been able to help little Alexa with her Halloween costume and we will
go over on Thursday to help her get ready for Halloween. It is a sad
situation in that home, and it breaks your heart. It sure makes me
grateful for what we have. Everyday it gets harder to imagine leaving
this place. It has become my home away from home. I have come to love
many people as family. The ward is so good to us! We love it here and
we love being missionaries! thank you for everything! have a wonderful
week.
Love sister Rushton

November 11, 2013

Hello Family,
This week has been a crazy but good one with many exciting and
unexpected blessings. Jakai and Jaiden were baptized on Saturday. It
was such a testimony that this gospel is going to be what saves and
determines these little boys lifes. They have had a rough go of it
before this. But, they will never be the same. Their Grandma, and aunt
and uncle came to the baptism, which was such a blessing and an answer
to our prayers. For the musical number about 10 primary children went
up and sang a baptism song. The ward mission leaders daughter who is 2
decided she wanted to go sing because her two older sisters were
singing, so the parents let her go up with them. She knew every word.
She looks like a doll and cant be more than 2 feet tall. The spirit
was so strong in that room. Jakai and Jaiden's grandma was smiling at
her the whole time. After the song Brother Koyle got up and said that
feeling that you feel is the Holy Ghost and the grandma nodded. That
little Koyle girl is a miracle worker!
We had MLC on Wednesday with President Packard and the zone leaders
and sister training leaders. They had a big discussion on whether or
not it is a good idea for elders and sisters who are in the same ward
to team teach investigators. It has really worked for us. They were
thinking that they would make a mission wide rule that investigators
should not be team taught but have decided to leave it up to the
individual missionaries to decide. I did not know this but this is not
a common practice at all. President went to a meeting with other
presidents a while ago and most of them do not put sisters and elders
in a ward together and some of them give their elders and sisters
different p-days. So this is a new thing. And i think that we are
being watched a lot closer than we think, to see the pros and cons of
it. It is definitely not perfect but we have seen the blessing that
have come form it. President said that this is the ideal, so we
continue to figure it out and work our best to correlate well with the
elders.
This Saturday we got a call from Sister Wright. Shawn Hoffman was at
their house until 4 in the morning asking questions about the gospel.
He had read the whole pearl of great price and into second Nephi in
one day. He asked before he left if he could be baptized the next day.
They decided it would be best to wait a week so he will be baptized
this Saturday and 11 in the morning. His wife desires to be baptized
with him, but is still unsure so we are working to figure that out. I
think that she wants a little more time. In a 5 week process he will
have gone from being antagonistic about his wife going to church to
progressing farther than she has and being baptized. What a miracle.
We still can not believe it! He has taught himself just about
everything he needs to know and desires to start this new journey to
come closer to God. He will most likely be able to baptize his two
children and possibly his wife with in the next few weeks.
Raquel and Reyni are still planning on being baptized this Saturday at
five. Reyni will be baptized by one of the priests in our ward. We
were over there this week and we gave Rueben who is 9 and Ricky who is
five their own book of mormons. Ricky wanted his name written in it
and I told him to put it in a safe place. So he put it under his
pillow and then told his mom that he had a surprise for her. So he had
her close here eyes and he walked her over to his pillow. He was so
excited to have his own book of mormon. I love that sweet little boy.
When we got here the bishop did say that Billerica would have 8
individuals and a family join the gospel before the end of the year.
Raquel and Reyni will be 7 and the Hoffman's will be the family. The
Lord has truly worked miracles here in Billerica. The Benders continue
to progress. They came to church on Sunday which is a big step for her
with her anxiety issues. They are also working on prayer right now. We
are going over on Tuesday to teach them another lesson. There are so
many people who have been prepared to hear the gospel and the Lord's
work will not be stopped. There may be a few bumps along the way but
miracles are happening. There is a man who has been investigating for
a long time and knows it is true but lacks the faith to act on it. It
is interesting to see that the only difference between him and the
other individuals, is faith. That is all it takes for us to be
accepted into the Lord's gospel, and he will make up the rest.
This week we have Zone Conference with Elder Nielson from the seventy
which we are looking forward to. This Wednesday we are going to the
temple to do baptisms for the dead with Ann Mare, Cryss, and Marilene!
I hope that I get to stay here in Billerica. I think the thing that I
have learned the most is the kind of relationship that I personally
can have with my Heavenly Father and that others can have! I love you
all! Thank you for everything:) I hope you all have a good week!
Love Sister Rushton