Abbey's letter May 27, 2014

Elder Holland has changed my life!

This week has been a good one. We had 21 people at church on Sunday, which is a record!!! Two of them were from the stake, but still! Lacy brought her husband and also her friend Celeste. After Church we had lunch at tim and Lorraines with the two men from the stake. They talked about possible ways that we can make our group into a branch. They said that we could entice members to move in here or just baptize more people or have more babies. So we will see what we can do:) 

Lacy is still on to be baptized. We had a lesson with her on Thursday and talked about tithing and the Law of Chastity. She had already researched a lot on tithing and had decided that she would do it. She agrees with the Law of Chastity and we talked about how she will get to teach that to her girls and they can grow up knowing that they are daughters of God and should be treated so. Lacy is still going strong with no smoking alcohol or tabacco. On Wednesday at FHE she said that she had already given up alchohol she hadn't had a cigarette since last Thursday and had no coffee in two days. She just gave it all up like that and said that it felt good. She is incredible:) She was really nervous for her baptismal interview but she did good and said that she felt better. She will need to be interviewed by a member of the mission presidency but she took it well and said that she feels like this is a trial of her faith and she is just ready to get baptized. She said with tears in her eyes that she is so ready to be baptized. Lacy and Alex came to church this Sunday with their kids. We taught Primary so we werent in Sunday School but we were told that he asked a lot of questions and a lot of things were cleared up for him. And that a lot of his doubts were adressed. We were really excited. But a lot has changed since then. We were told yesterday that Lacy and Alex are getting a divorce and that he is no longer allowed to be around her or the children and has to move out. So things are a little rocky but she is still going strong. Chelsea said that yesterday at the police station she said that even though things are crazy she needs baptism and is ready for a new life. That her and her kids need it. She was even inviting everyone at the police station to her baptism:) What a lady. We sure love her. She has been dealt a lot in life and will now probably be a single mom but the gospel is such a blessing in her life. 

We saw Alex today on our way to the library. He is pretty shaken up. I just had this really strong feeling that he is still a child of God. We gave him his own copy of the book of mormon and told him to read it and that it would bring him peace. He said that he really enjoyed church. I think we needed to run into him today so that we could give him that. Reminds me that God is aware of all of his children and is always there to love us and help us and bring us closer to him no matter our circumstances. 

Katherine came to church who is another investigator. She asked if her and her fiancee had to be married inorder to get baptized and we said yes. She said that they weren't willling to get married because they would lose to much if they did. So that is a little bit of a hold up. But we keep praying for them and hope that their hearts will be softened. They have testimonies of the gospel so hopefully they can work through this. Her and Patrick have been investigating for about a year and a half now. 

Our experience with Elder Holland was different than anything I have ever experienced. And I will probably not experience anything quite like it again. I was so excited to see Elder Holland and knew that it was going to be probably really spiritually uplifting but I didn't quite expect to feel that way that I did being in the same room as an apostle. You can tell that he is a really nice man but you also can tell that he doesn't mess around and he has this presence of someone very important and very close to the Savior. I don't know how you could be in the same room as him and not know that he is an apostle of the Lord. Because his presence alone pretty much says that more powerful than anything. 

I think that all of us left that room a little different than when we came in. He definitley inspired me and motivated me more in that meeting than I think that I have ever felt before. They had us all sit down and study quietly about 30 minutes before Elder Holland got there. There was over 300 of us missionaries in that little chapel so we were packed in there pretty tight. We all kept looking back at the door waiting, cause we were so excited. You could already feel the spirit really strong in that room. And then He came in with President and Sister Packard, his wife, and Elder Hollstrom from the 70. And we all stood up as he walked in. He wanted to shake all of our hands so we filled out of the isles to go meet him. It was really fast but we all got to shake his hand, his wives, and Elder Hollstrom's. Later Elder Holland said that because he doesn't have time to interview all of us that was our interview. He could tell just by looking into our eyes whether we got it or not. Ah scary!!! lol just a little intimidating. He said that there were a few us who are still getting there but for the most part most of us get it. Elder Hollstrom spoke, and then Sister Holland, and then Elder Holland spoke for about 2 hours. He was very real and very blunt about our roles as missionaries. He didn't hold anything back. But he was also very impowering and motivating. He said that he has a lot of trust in us and helped us to know how we can get to where we need to be. He is very indearing and very personal. He said that they don't very often meet with large groups of missionaries. So we are very lucky to have had him come. He reminded us of what a wonderful mission president we had, and how devoted he is to this mission. Elder Holland said he is probably one of the best out there, and has given up everything to see the work progress here in New England. After Elder Holland was done speaking we sang the spirit of God as the closing hymn. President Packard said to sing it like we mean it. We all stood up and sang that hymn really loud. Over 300 hundred of us in this little room. The spirit was so strong. During the closing prayer all you could hear were people sniffling. After the prayer Elder and Sister Holland and Elder Hollstrom got up and left with President and Sister Packard. We all stood up as he left and we just kept standing there for about 5 minutes. All of us completley silent. Then President Christensen who is the 1st counselor in the mission presidency got up and said that they were probably not coming back and that we could all sit down and take this time to ponder and have some reflection time. So we all sat there and pondered and then slowly people started to file out. I am really glad they did that because it kept the spirit there. Our mission is always really loud before meeting because we are all really excited to see eachother and they have to yell over the pulpit to get us to sit down so they can start a meeting. So it is a miracle in itself that we were all quiet before and after the meeting. I think that our mission will forever be different now. At the end of Elder Holland's talk he said that he leaves an apostolic blessing on this mission and that we are surrounded and being built up angels. Here are some of my notes from their talks. 

Elder Hollstrom:

Elder Hollstrom talked about how this is the only time in our life where we will really be able to set a pattern for a relationship with our Heavenly Father. He said that during our missions we are able to better connect with him than any other time and this will set a pattern for the rest of our lives. He also talked about teaching towards faith and not baptism. Baptism is the end goal but if we do not teach towards faith then they are not being spiritually changed. That was a good reminder. He said that they trust us. The general authourities trust us as missionaries to bring forth the gospel to the world. He also said that when we believe it and feel it that is when the power of the Holy Ghost can work through us to convert the investiagor. 

He said that the Lord is always Proud of what we are doing but he is never satisfied. 

He said that he hoped we will always remember this day as one that changed our life. 

Sister Holland:

She is such a sweet lady. She talked about how there are two things we need to do to be successful missionaries. 1. We need to love the Lord with all our heart 2. Love those that the Lord has put in our lives today. Love them immediatley and Love them more than anything. 

She reminded us that we can not love others if we do not love our selves. How can we see the divine in others if we do not yet see it in ourselves. 

She said that all of us already have the ability in us to develop all of God's attributes. We already have them in us we just need to develop them. We are more his children and more like him than we know. 

She said that the Lord loves us for who we are right not. He loves us for what we have to offer and who we are becoming. 

She said that the Heavens are more opened then they have ever been and they will continue to open and open even more. 

She said that her and Elder Holland have a divine relationship but that he has an even better relationsip with someone and that is the Lord. 

Elder Holland:

His whole talk was about us being converted as the missionary. He said that he is for the most part a pretty easy to get along with guy but the one thing he can not stand is when a returned missionary leaves the gospel. He said it doesn't make sence to him. He pounded his hand on the podium and said don't you ever ever even think about it. He said that we have alreday made our decision and we shouldn't even ever think about turning back. He talked about how 20 years ago he was a new apostle and over the missionary department. They were in a board meeting and President Hinckley got up and said there is something dirasticley wrong with the current missionary program. President Hinckley then desribed a story where two missionaries the the chex republic in the 30's were knocking on doors. They came to this door and the woman would not listen to them so they kept pounding on the door and then one elder stuck his foot in the door when she opened it again and yelled at them and tried to slam it in their face. This woman said that she hated ministers and they asked why. She explained that a few years ago her daughter had died as a little girl and a minister told her that her daughter was in hell becaue she had not been baptized and that she also woul d be in hell. These missionaries opened up to Moroni chapter 8 and asked her if they could tell her where her little girl was and how the Lord really feels about babies being baptized. She agreed and then later became a member and the reason the church survived in that country during world war 2. He said that the old missionary lessons didn't allow you to meet the needs of the investigator. It didnt allow you to answer their questions. You would teach these memorized lessons and would teach them the same to everyone. It didn't matter if there husband just died or they had lost a job. President Hinckley said that too many returned missionaries were leaving the church. So Preach My Gospel was created to convert the missionary. Elder Holland talked a lot about how we are expected to be led my the spirit to meet the needs of these individuals. We have to know the Book of Mormon so that we can flip to a chapter that answers there questions right there. 

He talked alot about going where the investigator is. He had us read in John of the story of the woman at the well and also the man who came to him at night who was a Rabbi and was asking what you have to do to recieve eternal life. Elder Holland talked about how the Savior explained to them gospel principles but they werent getting it. So he had to simplify it to where they were. He said that we have to go to where they are and help them to have a spiritual expierience right then so that they have something pulling them to the gospel. He said that we are still live in an apostate world and the restoration is still happening. So we have to help these people understand spiritual things. 

He said that if we think our mission is hard, the truth is that they are all hard. Life is hard. The Saviors life was hard. Reminds us to be grateful for was we have and to not complain. 

I could tell from this experience that Elder Holland trusts us but also expects a lot out of us which means that the Lord does also. Sorry I feel like I just went on a rampage but hope that explains what an amazing experience it was with Elder Holland. He left us with many ways to be better and many things to change but also empowered us to be able to do so. He told us that this is a good mission. But where there is a lot given there is a lot expected. I am very grateful to him and for everything I learned. I had a lot of questions going in, and all of them were answered. I am very grateful that I got to be there for that. It is something that I will never forget. 

I sure love my family. Thank you for everything that you do. I don't know how I got so blessed with such an amazing family. I love my mission but I look forward to the day when we will all be together agian:) It will be a great day. I can't believe that I am halfway done. I still got a lot of work to do, and i hope that I can make the most of these next 9 months. I hope that you all have a wonderful week and get to take lots of wonderful family vacations this summer. Hope that you all have a safe week. I love you. 

Love Sister Abbey Lou Rushton  

Many, many miracles Abbey's letter May 20, 2014

Lacey has set a baptismal date for June 7th!!!!!!! We had our lesson with her on Thursday and we taught the Word of Wisdom, and we talked about those things that she would need to give up. Without hesitation she said that she would do it. We extended the invitation for her to be baptized on June 7th or June 14th and she wants to do it as soon as possible. So June 7th is the day!!!!!!! Her husband has not been supportive of her joining the church at all. And a few days before our meeting with her. They got in a really big fight and she threw down the ultimatum. She told him that he doesn't have to like the church, investigate it or join it, but that he will come to church with her and the kids and he will spend the day with them as a family. She also informed him that she was going to give up alcohol so that he needed to as well. lol She didn't leave him any choice. She is quite the girl. So needless to say he will not be drinking anymore, which will solve a lot of the problems in their home, and they will be coming to church as a family. That was a tender mercy and an answer to our prayers. It makes me so happy to imagine them all coming to church as a family. They will be our first family coming to the branch, with both parents and kids. She has come a long way and such a light has come into her. She said that she used to be really liberal when it came to religion and when she first started to look into the church it all seemed a little hokey. But she told us with tears in her eyes on Thursday, that when they say that we can all be forgiven of our sins that its real. The atonement is real. We really are spirit children of God and its not just a nice story, its real. As missionaries we can try and try to explain our feelings and beliefs and try to help them be as real for them as they are for us. But, it won't mean anything to them until they allow themselves to be taught by the spirit. This work really is not ours but the Lord's. She said that she is so excited and so ready to start a new life. Sweet Lacy:) We had FHE that night after our meeting. And the whole group was talking about her baptism. And Tim looked and her and said that we were all really proud of her. And that Satan might pick on her a little more before her baptism. He looker her straight in the eye and said he didn't have to worry about you before, because he had you. But now you are a follower of the Lord and he is very aware of that. He promised her that we were all here for her and to come to him if she ever had any doubts. He said consider me your Dad. I love our little group!!!!!!!!!! There was such a peace in that room. And everything is going to be just fine:) There are many great things about to happen here. Chelsie told Lacy that she was the first one to be baptized on the island and it was fun to watch her reaction. Chelsie said, "yea your a pretty big deal." Lacy has agreed to let all of the members invite friends to the Baptism, which will be a big step for people here to get to see and lds baptism. So we will have the whole service on the beach and then she will receive the Holy Ghost the next day in church. The elders are coming this weekend to do her baptismal interview! 

Lacy and Chelsie are working with their friend Celeste to share the gospel with her. Chelsie called us on Tuesday and told us that Celeste asked if she could come to church with them. And she is planning to come next week. Sweet Chelsie has such a strong testimony. She told us that on Sunday she was fasting for her husband and felt really strongly that as long as she was a good member missionary and helped bring her friends to the gospel that it would all work out. Her husband, Ozni has been giving her a lot of rap lately about her activity in the church. It makes it hard on her but she is strong. I feel like the more he can see a little light in the church the more he pushes away. So we just keep praying for them. 

Yesterday we dropped by Tim and Lorraine's and she told us about her son on a mission. And how him and his new companion promised the Lord that they would be exactly obedient. And every day that week they had miracles and were able to find new people to teach. So Sister Malolo Vaai and I decided last night that we would do our best to be exactly obedient in everything. And just this morning we were walking to the Library and this girl passes us on her bike. We had met her in the library last week but hadn't gotten her information. She has been here on the island for a few months and we had talked about religion and what we believe and had invited her to church. But unfortunately neither one of us had known the address to the church. So we had been praying that we would see her again. And we saw her this morning right by our house. She was looking for her now job that she just got yesterday. We exchanged numbers and she wants to meet with us. It was a tender mercy. 

This weekend was Stake Conference. They had asked all of the missionaries to be there, so we were off island from Saturday afternoon until Sunday night. It was a little weird to be there without any of the members of our group. We were excited to be back with them. This morning our mission had a video conference with President Packard. He wanted to prep us for our mission conference with Elder Holland on Friday. He reminded us what a blessing it is that he is going to spend 3 hours with just us missionaries. He told us to come with questions and a prayer that they will be answered. 

I love the island, and our little group. It is starting to get busier with tourists. Yesterday we were walking around a lot of the wealthier homes, and they are huge. Its nuts. Rosie lives at one of those houses because she is the housekeeper. She lives quite a ways away from us but we had some time yesterday and decided to go see her. So we left our house an 3 o clock and started to walk. We took a wrong turn and didn't realize it until we hit a dead end. So we turned around and kept going. We got to her home at our 5:30 and visited for a while. When we got to her home we were so tired. My companion tripped up the front step to her house, lol. So we visited and let me tell ya she was worth the walk. She is such a sweet lady and is so lonely. Then we walked home and arrived at about 8:45. We were really tired when we got home but walking home I was the happiest that I have been in a while. We are a little sore today but it was a good walk. It reminds me to be grateful that I am not a pioneer:) 

I had a realization this week that I felt like I should share. This last transfer President Packard asked us to the study the atonement in the BOM, so it was on my mind. And I was thinking about my experience with Sister Klecker. Ever since I was her companion I have had this sad feeling that I was not able to help her. She was really sick the last week we were together, and she had some low moments. I have never seen anyone that low before. She was in so much pain physically and emotionally. It was really early one morning and she hadn't been able to fall asleep yet. She was crying and was pouring her soul out to me, about everything she felt. And I was crying. And she looked at me and she said that my life had been so easy and I had no idea what she was going through. And my life has been really easy for the most part. And at that moment I wanted nothing more than to know what she was going through and to be able to console her. But nothing I said or did helped. And at a low moment I remember asking the Lord, why my life had been so easy and why I wasn't able to help her or to console her. I was angry and sad and confused and blamed myself. And wanted nothing more that for her to not be in so much pain emotionally. I remember feeling so unhelpful and powerless as her companion. Because I wasn't able to fix her problems or make them any better. It was the next night that President decided she needed to be emergency transferred so she could get away from all of the things that she was allergic to, and within a few days she was gone. I have done a lot of reflecting on that since then. And on Friday night I feel like I came to understand the atonement in a whole different way. We all experience different trials in this life and there is no way that we can ever know exactly what someone is feeling. We will never know their pain or their sorry or their fears. The only one who will ever know that is our Savior Jesus Christ. It is foolish of us to think that we can fix all of the problems in this world. That is for the Savior. He knows exactly what Sister Klecker was going through, and I had no idea. And that is ok. That is why we have our Savior and that is why we need him so much. We can have empathy and love for others but our Savior Jesus Christ is the only one who can heal. At that point in her life Sister Klecker didn't need me she needed the Savior. I feel like part of my nature is I want to fix people problems. But the best thing that we can do for someone is to turn them to the Savior. I am coming to understand my Savior in a more personal way as I use the atonement in my own life. It is through Him that we triumph over our struggles and are changed. 

Thank you so much for all that you do for me. Life sure is wonderful! And the church is true. I hope you are all enjoying this beautiful summer. I love you

Love Sister Abbey Lou Rushton 

Life on the island; Abbey's letter May 13, 2014

Hey Family:) 

It was so good to get to talk to you all:) It is really rejuvenating as a missionary when you get to talk to your family and hear their voices. I am so grateful for modern technology!! I don't really have much updates since we were able to talk on the phone on Sunday. But, my companions name is Sister Malola Vaai. The first thing I ever said to her when I met her was, "How do you say your name." lol poor girl. She is from Samoa. This is her fourth transfer on the mission and her second transfer on the Island. She has a twin sister who served a mission in Australia. She is an incredible missionary and has such a sweet testimony. 

Nantucket is so different from Ellington, but I love it. I met some amazing people in Ellington. I grew a lot in that area. And I am going to miss all of those wonderful people that I was blessed to meet. There is such a spirit of missionary work there and the ward is so unified. All of them give up so much of their time for their kids to grow up in the gospel. 

It is a blessing to get to see the church at very beginning stages here in Nantucket. Sometimes it feels like I am serving a foreign mission. It is so different here from anywhere else that I have ever been. Lacy is doing really well. We are hoping to set her date for either the end of May or the beginning of June. She has three little kids. She has gone through a lot in life. The twig members have said that her countenance has completely changed since she has started to come to church. With our lesson with her on Thursday we taught about keeping the Sabbath Day Holy and the blessings of baptism. She was so excited to get to keep the Sabbath day holy when we told her how much it would mean to her girls and how much it would bless their lives. She kept saying that she didn't feel ready for baptism yet and wanted to make sure that it was right. She came to church on Sunday and pulled my companion and I aside and said that she felt really strongly during the Sunday School lesson that she needed to be baptized and she wanted to tell us right then so that she could always remember that it was on Mother's day that she decided to be baptized. She had such a light about her and was so happy. Since there are only 5 other people at church they all over heard and pretty soon we were all hugging and crying:) It was a really sweet moment. Chelsea is the one who met her and introduced her to the gospel. Lacy just kept looking at Chelsea and saying, "What if I had never met you." Chelsea grew up in Rigby, Idaho and came here after high school because it was the farthest away she could get away from Idaho with still being in the US. She met her husband here who is from the Dominican Republic, and now they have Emeron who is 5 and Grayson who is 5 months old. They moved back to Nantucket about a year and a half ago. Her husband is not a member but he comes to FHE every Wednesday night. And they have us over for dinner every Monday night. We share a lesson in the car when she takes us home and last night we talked about how the Lord has answered her prayers through Lacy joining the church and that her and Ozni will be blessed because of it. Even though she has been praying for her husband her prayer was answered in different ways. 

The Millsteads are the family that we live with. They moved here from Texas 5 years ago when he got a job offer here. They were the only members here as far as they knew so they got permission to hold sacrament meeting in their living room every Sunday. And that is how our little twig got started. Sister Millstead said that she felt like they were crazy to leave a ward where their son could go to Seminary to go somewhere where they were the only members and they wouldn't be able to attend a ward or branch. But she knew that they needed to come. 

From there they found Michael who is an excommunicated member and they have been meeting in his home up until a month ago when we started renting a building out. Rosie called two months ago when she heard the church was finally on the island. She is from the Philippines and came here to work as a house keeper and left her family who she was sealed to in the Philippines. She has been looking for the church here for 14 years. Xandra is also from the Philippines and served her mission there. She has been here working for 3 years and also just recently found that the church was here a few months ago. 

President put sister missionaries here last Summer. And about a week later the Millsteads son who is now on a mission invited his friend Grace to church. Grace, and her mom and her fiancee started to investigate the church and have been investigators ever since. It is a good reminder that the Lord is mindful of every living soul that lives on the earth. No one goes unnoticed, not even on an island that is in the middle of no where. And we also have Geoff who is investigating. He is a single dad with a little girl who is 8 months old. And then we have 8 less actives on the island. One of them lets us come to her home once a week to teach them primary. Zach is 10 and Aubrey is 8. They know so much about God and Jesus Christ already. It never ceases to amaze me how fast kids pick up the truths of the gospel even if it wasn't always talked about in their home. 

That is our little twig here on the island. We have FHE together every week. It is humbling to see how much every one hear sacrifices for the gospel to be here on the island. The Millsteads sacrifice many hours a week to host the church for all of the other members here. They are the pioneers here for the gospel on Nantucket. This is the first time that there has even been public services for the church here on the island. It may take quite a few years but we hope that one day it will be its own branch. We just got to get some more priesthood holders so poor Brother Millstead doesn't have to be the only one:) 

We are really excited for Lacy's baptism. I don't think she realizes that she is a pioneer here:) She will be the first one to ever be baptized on the island. She is such an incredible women and is going to be such a blessing to the members here. There is such a spirit here on the island. In church on Sunday me and my companion and I were teaching the Sunday School lesson and we had 5 people in our class, since Sister Millstead was teaching primary to Emeron. But there was such a spirit of unity in that room. We meet in a hall that is used for meetings for the island and the church rents it out on Sundays. You could hear people through the room banging around and getting things ready for an event. But the spirit was still there and it still felt like church. I really know that the church is the same where ever you go. It was fun to see Brother Millstead up there conducting the meeting all by himself. And when Chelsea was leading the music he would hold her baby for her. We really are a family here:) 

I know that the Lord is mindful of each and every one of us, the worth of every soul really is great in the sight of God. Even though it was hard to leave Ellington I wouldn't want to be anywhere else right now. This is where I need to be. I love you family and hope that you have a fantastic week. 

Love Sister Abbey Lou Rushton 

Abbey's letter May 5, 2014

This week has been a good week! Don is set to be baptized this Saturday! His is getting really excited:) We just have to work on stopping coffee this week:) We had stake conference this week and it was all about hastening the work of salvation:) It was a really good stake conference. President Packard got to come and speak. We had four sister missionaries go home this week because of health reasons. Sister Klecker will likely be going home in a little bit if they can' t get her allergies under control. She went to the doctors and found out that she is allergic to 70 different things:( Poor girl. I am grateful for good health. Out of my 5 companions I have only had 1 companion who has not had health issues. My MTC companion also is not doing well but hopefully she will get to stay out. Really sad that so many missionaries are struggling.
We had transfer texts on Friday. This whole transfer I have really felt like I would stay since Sister Watts will have only been in the area for 4 and a half weeks when transfers happen on Wednesday. But a few days before I was pretty sure I was leaving. I think that was the Lord preparing me. A few days before I found out I was leaving I had a realization. We watched a video the other day and there was a quote from Elder Holland where he said, "I have every confidence that the Lord is fully capable of doing his own work." We are literally HIS hands helping him with HIS work. On Wednesday of this last week I was talking to my companion and kind of broke down a little. I was thinking about James and Gary and how the only think I wanted was for them to accept the gospel of Jesus Christ and agree to be baptized before I left. Just to know that they will accept the gospel. I have had the opportunity to teach James, Gary, and Halie in this area all of who I know felt the spirit. And Gary has looked me and my companion in the eye and told us that he has known that this church is true since the day he picked up the Book of Mormon. It is hard to see him push away from us and the gospel. I can' t imagine what Heavenly Father must feel like. It is hard to understand and recognize that this may not be there time. It's hard to see how much it could bless their lives and to see them turn away from it. This area has been very different in that way from my first area. It has taught me a lot. I think I appreciate this gospel a lot more now than I did before. And I know that God is very capable of doing his work. And he will not forget about James or Gary or Halie. Even though I think that I love them and want them to accept the gospel more than anything I know that Heavenly Father loves them more than I could comprehend. Maybe two new missionaries who both don't know the area very well is what this area needs.

Even though those three have not chosen to accept the gospel I have seen so many miracles. So many people have come back into the fold of God. I have seen how much youth sacrifice just to live their standards in a world that teaches very different things. I have gotten to see Don transition into accepting the gospel. He sure is quite the guy. He had is baptismal interview with President on Sunday. President pulled Sister Watts and I in for a few minutes and asked Don what his process of joining the gospel was? Don said that it started when the Jehovah witnesses knocked on his door and he couldn't turn them away and not listen to them but their message didn't seem complete. When he married Audrey who was a Mormon he started bringing his grandson to church so that he could grow up going to church. He then through 8 months realized that there was nothing about the church that didn't feet write. President Packard talked to Don about covenants and promises to God and Don is so excited and ready to make this step. I sure love that man!!! I wont get to go to his baptism, but just that he is getting baptized is all that matters.

I am sure going to miss Ellington but am excited for my new area. Remember when i said that I really wanted to serve a service mission? Well I have been transferred to Nantucket which is an Island off of the coast of Massachusetts. It is about a 2 and a half ferry ride to get there from the coast of Cape Cod. Their have been sisters there for about a year now. It is a service mission and they do about 43 hours of organized service a week. There are 7000 people who live there and we aren't allowed to proselyte to them. But there are normally 77000 people in the summer since it is a tourist island so hopefully we will get to do some contacting during the summer. Their is a twig on the island. They are part of the Brewster Branch which is on Cape Cod. Their are thirteen members on the island and we will meet in someone's home for sacrament meeting. President said that there are more nonmembers than members attending sacrament meeting right now which is really exciting!!!!! I was shocked when I found out that I was going there. It is going to be really different. I can't remember what my new companions name will be. I don't know my new address yet but I will let you know when I get there. Just warning you I have heard that mail takes about two weeks extra to get to the island. I guess we will see when I get there. It will be an adventure! I am really excited to get to talk to everyone on Mother's Day. I love you all and hope that you have a fantastic week:)

Love Sister Rushton