Abbey's letter December 2, 2013

It is good to hear that everyone had such a good thanksgiving! Ours
was very good! We were able to work at the food shelf this week. There
are a lot of good people there who volunteer their time. A member of
our ward took us to the Manchester Road race to watch their daughter
in law and grandson run. It is a five mile race that has been on
thanksgiving for the last 75 years. It is the second oldest race in
the new england area. There was about 15000 people who ran in it. Alot
of people wear costumes and there was some very interesting ones:) We
had a dinner at 1 and then another at 5. It was a good day. Derek, one
of our investigators decided to remain catholic this week. Gary was
not answering our texts or calls and we were getting worried, so we
decided to intervene:) He has a baptismal date for December 28th and
is having a lot of doubts. His family is very catholic and he has
decided to not tell his family about his decision to be baptized. We
dropped by his house on Friday and gave him a talk called "Cast not
away therefore thy Confidence." By elder Holland. So we continue to
pray for him that he will have sufficent faith to go through with his
baptism. He came to church on sunday and someone bore their testimony
on their ancestor who joined the church during Joseph Smith's time. A
boy who was a member of the church came to stay with them and taught
them about the gospel. This woman's family warned her that it would
kill her mother if she joined the church and she said well that is a
price I will have to pay because I know that it is true. So she joined
and her mother did get sick but did not die. Her mother investigated
the church so she could prove her daughter wrong and ended up joining.
It was such a tender mercy that Gary was able to hear that story. He
found out about the church through mormom.org and called the
missionaries a few months ago and said that he was ready to talk
"mormonism". He has read just about everything there is on lds.org and
half of the book of mormon. He knows that it is true. But the
adversary sure is working hard on him. It is however comforting to
know that the light of christ is much stronger than the power of the
devil. I have been thinking a lot lately about my journey to come on
my mission. It is crazy how something that now makes so much sence
could have been so confusing just 5 months ago. I was so confused at
what i was to do and was not completley sure I needed to be on a
mission until I got here. But I have no doubt that I was meant to come
here. I was meant to go to Billerica when they opened the area for
sisters and it has forever changed my life and the way I look at the
gospel. It makes so much sence now but just a few short months ago I
was so confused. It is such a testament to me of the hand that our
Heavenly Father has in our lives. And I am very grateful that the Lord
and my family helped me through that crazy confusing time. Thank you
for that. It is crazy that now I can look back on that and smile
because it makes so much sence now. Shawn received the priesthood
yesterday and will baptize Grantlee this Saturday. They asked me to go
but it is too far to drive and we have the nativity this weekend that
we need to help out with. More little miracles that happened this
week. Two women who are converts and very timid to bear there
testimony in church got up this sunday and bore simple beautiful
testimonies. Also there is a man in our ward who says he has lost his
faith and comes to church with his family but shops on his kindel
during sacrament meeting. His 7 year old daughter got up and bore her
testimony and he didn't look up. I was so mad and wanted to chuck his
kindel out the window. Which is not a christ like thing to do but I
just did not understand why he would not look up. But then two other
children bore their testimonies and he started to look up. So he was
listening. I was very humbled and know that this was a small and
simple step for him. And if the savior were here he would love him
back into the gospel through small and simple things. It was a good
reminder that I need to be more christ like:) I love Ellington and
Sister Barney. My Heavenly Father has been very good to me this week.
I know that he is watching over us. Thanks for all the love from home.
I sure do love you all! And feel so blessed to be apart of this
family.
Have a great week!
Love Sister Rushton