Week 27 - The one where we are LIVE

Friends!!
It's been a good week and I am grateful!

Nothing big happened this week but I had a lot of cool learning experiences. One thing that we have done to get creative with sharing the Gospel is to go LIVE on Facebook! You can check out our Facebook Lives every Sunday(3pm) & Wednesday(5 or 6pm) PST! We love doing them and we would love your comments and questions so hop on and join us! 

Funny & random stuff: 
* When we go outside for a walk we have to be 6ft apart- it's so weird!
* We love putting together puzzles and coloring in coloring books while we listen to conference talks. (Even we feel like little school girls but we are happy as can be!)
*We now get 1 hour to workout and and 1 1/2 hours of personal study...especially happy about that! 
*Our little page "Milk and Honey Daily" Facebook page has been a huge success! If you haven't seen it go and take a look! We post every day and it ranges from inspirational stories, talks, videos, quotes and insights. It's been so fun and such a beautiful way Sister Hair and I have been able to share our testimonies and share the things that inspire us each week. Don't worry - we will continue to post daily even after we are transferred!

Finding new people to teach has been hard but teaching those we already were in contact with has been good. It's been slow but hey it's still going and we are sure happy about that! We are still teaching Alanna and that's been awesome. We invited her to watch General Conference and she was totally excited for that! She told us that her mom Lynn, said the next time we are on a call with Alanna that she would like to join. We were BEYOND happy about that! Even though we aren't meeting with her any more I feel like we all still need a message if peace and hope so it makes sense that she would want to join in. We were so so excited and grateful!

Dave has been so awesome! It's been a while since I have talked about him in my email but he is the one where we were walking down the street and we stopped to talk and he said "you are sent from God. I just got done filling out my divorce papers..." he had moved and he has said it's all because of us.....its actually because of God ;) but we are grateful anyway! It has taken him the whole time of us meeting and the deadline to get out of his house to finally find a house to live in. He gave us a call last night and said he would like to continue to talk and when he gets settled he would like the missionaries over where he lives to contact him. He is definitely Golden and a blessing. He is someone who is completely humble and wants to hear from his Father in Heaven. He his open to reading in the Book of Mormon and we are excited for him! 

We have been doing a lot of member lesson and that has been a huge blessing. The lessons have been amazing and we have great discussions with them! 

We will be getting transfer calls this Thursday and if we have to leave it will be on Friday morning. That's not much time, we will see what happens. We have at least 60 missionaries that have either gone home or will be soon. Each week we will start to see reassigned missionaries coming in....so we will see what happens. Our mission president is under alot of stress so all the prayers to him and his family would be much appreciated!!

Like I have said before I have been able to learn a lot of wonderful things during all my new study time. I have seen my self improve so much and that has been a blessing in of its self. 
I have said this multiple times in our FB live but I have been studying the topic of, Grace, because that has been a topic I have never understood really well before. To be honest it's a hard concept to grasp. My parents gave me the called "Changed through His Grace" by Brad Wilcox. I highly recommend it! 
  • I have learned that God wants us to come as we are but to not expect to stay there. 
  • It's the divine help to get us to the divine being he knows we can become. 
  • We are all weak, it's our human nature but because of Gods grace we are able to become stronger through him. It's a covenant relationship! 
One part of the book that I would like to share helped me understand it so well. 
"Brent Fillmore (not related - I don't think) teaches at the institute of religion at USU. When he speaks to his classes of the covenant relationship, he talks about a stalactite hanging from the top of a cave dripping water on the floor below. In the water are minerals that soon start building up until they create a stalagmite reaching up towards the stalactite above. In time the two join and create a column or pillar...The receiver reaches up as the giver reaches down. The stalagmite is not self-sufficient.  Without the stalactite, no growth is possible. Brother Fillmore says, 'The droplets from above contain within them the elements and minerals of the stalactite through which they have passed. Those minerals fall on the stalagmite-drop by drop, line upon time-and help it grow like what is above in until they become one.' He asked his students to stop running around just be still like a stalagmite. Just let yourselves get dropped on from above!'"

Isn't that awesome?! That totally helped me understand how Grace works because we see stalagmite and stalactites when we hike Minnetonka Cave up in the Bear Lake area and so visually this is the perfect example to help me understand. We have the time right now to stand still and let heaven drop grace on us to become better!

I Love this work, I Love being a missionary. My heart is humbled being able to still be out when so many are being sent home. I love my Savior and my Heavenly Father! They help and edify me in everything I do!

I love you guys!
Love,
Sister Fillmore 

We didn't take many pics because....we are inside but here are some of my FAVORITE pictures/paintings of Christ to brighten your day :)  ENJOY!
We are LIVE on Facebook!
The following are some of my favorite pictures of Christ. 







Week 26- The one where I am just glad there was sunshine!

Friends!
Man, it's been a CRAZY WEEK! My heart aches for those missionaries being sent home due to this virus. But I know God is mindful of everyone. We have to trust in his plan for each of us no matter what it is.

Our first week in quarantine was sort of crazy. We could only be outside for 5 minutes then back then we had to go back in. Yeah that was pretty hard since it was sunny all this week and we really wanted to be out tracting. BUT we got a call Thursday from the Zone leaders again, they pulled the rudest joke and said that we have to stay in another week. Then they said "Just Kidding! You're out of isolated quarantine." We both started crying when they told us we could go outside again for some fresh air! Instantly we got on our shoes and went for a walk before our FB live! However, we got the official news from the area presidency Thursday night that we can only go outside for walks but we can't talk to people. All lessons and contacts will be online. It's hard but I am glad we get to still go outside for walks and we still have people we are teaching. Counting my blessings for sure! 

FACEBOOK LIVE!
GUYS! I am so grateful for being able to be with you all on Facebook Live! Have you seen us yet? It's been a huge blessing for Sister Hair and I. We love going on and answering your questions so please keep them coming. We love sharing stories, baring testimonies (etc...) it's been a cool experience. They will be every Wednesday and Sundays at 4 pm MST so hop on! We'd love to have you!

Life hasn't been too eventful but at the same time it has. I am so grateful being able to have the companion I have, the place I live in and the Ward we have to help take care of us. 

There have been many spiritual moments for me during this time and I think for all of us. We  are very fortunate to have a living Prophet who leads and guides us as a church but also as God's children as a whole. Many people all around the world are looking to President Nelson for comfort and peace. I know I have personally felt it.

There was this story that Sister Hair shared on our live yesterday but I want to reshare it again because I think it's so important. This story is from the Facebook account "Come Follow Me Daily" I would encourage all of you to check this account out, its amazing!

"One day, a distraught girl came to her mother with a problem heavy on her mind.

The mother let her daughter finish telling all about her hardship, then went to the kitchen. She got out a potato, egg, and coffee beans.

Without saying a word, she put each in separate pots of boiling water, waited for five minutes, and took them out.  She asked the daughter what she saw. The potato, which had gone in strong, came out mushy and soft. The egg started fragile and came out hardened. The coffee beans changed the water into something completely new.

Each one faced the same adversity, but their response was unique.

She asked the daughter, “Which one are you?

The potato, which starts strong but in the heat becomes weak?

The egg which starts out malleable but afterwards hardens?

Or the coffee bean, which releases fragrance and flavor with the heat, changing the water around it. At the worst, it gets better. (Original source unknown)

The moral of this potato, egg, coffee bean story is typically “life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react” (Charles Swindoll) I’d like to add, how you react can be 100% aided by our Savior. I was struck by these words by Isaiah this week: “And Christ shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling” (2 Nephi 18:14)
.
The very rock that can provide us refuge in life’s “boiling water” can also be a stumbling stone. What is the difference? Us and what direction we are facing.

In moments of adversity..what do we become? And what do we allow Christ to be in our lives?When Christ is our refuge, He allows trials to not DEFINE us, but REFINE us into the people He wants us to be. In the fire of adversity, He helps us to not lose strength like a potato, or become hardened like an egg, but to become like a coffee bean. He helps us change ourselves in our circumstance, becoming better instead of bitter in the heat.  Allow Christ to be your sanctuary today."

It's all in the way we look at it and see the opportunities that are open because of this virus. Please look at the positive during this time. Pray for family members, others around the world, church leaders and political leaders that they may be guided to what they should do to help us. 

This time has been bittersweet for me on my mission but something I will treasure for forever! Keep on moving forward. The Lord is laboring with us in his vineyard. He hasn't stopped so we shouldn't either.
I love you all!! 
Would love to hear from you ;) abigail.fillmore@missionary.org

Love,
Sister Fillmore 
So excited for our first FB Live!

We love our ward members!!

We may have taken the last of the toilet paper. 

Thanks mom & dad for sending us things to help fill the extra time indoors! 

First walk after quarantine...soaking up the rays!

Twinning with our buns!

So good to see our District missionaries for a little while!

We love Sister Maynes!



Week 25- The one where viruses ruin everything!

Friends!!
This week has been awesome and crazy!
We have been able to have some awesome street contacts and spreading the good news of Christ church.

We had an awesome lesson with Sarah about the restoration of Christ church and man I have never felt the spirit so strong while teaching and discussing the lesson. It was amazing in every way. The lesson before we were kind of confused on what she felt and if she wanted to continue but after THIS lesson we could tell she felt something. Sister Hair and I both testified of the Book of Mormon and it took everything in me to hold back the tears because the Spirit was testifying to me and teaching her. Seriously amazing and she is totally fine with us coming back. 
Thursday was kind of the start of the whole craziness of the virus and man it was one thing after another. Since Washington has been pretty bad, it's coming down here in Oregon so we have been doing alot of things differently but the work keeps going! :)

You're probably wondering how the Coronavirus is affecting us missionaries in Oregon. Our Mission President and his wife and our ward are making sure we are taken care of and are kept out of harms way! We feel very blessed! Unfortunately, a lot of our missionary events have been canceled, including mission tour (where a general authority comes) Elder Pearson was suppose to come, I am so bummed!! Hopefully we can get him to come back after this whole virus quarantine is over.

Speaking of quarantine....We can go outside and talk to people (with a 6 feet distance) but we can't go inside peoples homes even member's homes. BUT we can have porch discussions and lessons. Luckily this week is suppose to be sunny so it will be nice to get out of the house. Friday was kind of the same thing, a lot of door knocking and video chatting with ward council and members :) 

Saturday was NO fun! I got sick with the stomach flu. :(  BUT Sunday and today I feel a lot better so don't worry - no virus for me! Homesickness is a real thing when your sick people!  

I was able to post something on my Facebook and I just want to invite people to go and watch President Nelson last video the church just posted. This is a living Prophet of God! He has been preparing us as God's children for a very long time. Just like the Prophets in the past! I think this is a time where God needs us to focus on him and Hear his words through is prophets and apostles and the teachings in the Book of Mormon. While I have been sick this weekend I have been able to hear amazing council from the apostles from a podcast on the church website. These men are amazing in every way and are trying each day to live the Gospel and help us back on the strait and narrow. I am so grateful for them and their diligence for serving Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. 

I have also started studying the topic of FAITH. Growing up we always talk, sing and pray for and about faith. But I have always had a hard time understanding what faith is for me. God has helped me on the path of understanding faith in his son Jesus Christ. 
I highly recommend the following talks:

 From Elder Bednar, "Seek Learning by Faith"  You can find it on the church website. 

Spiritual Preparedness: Start early and be ready, by Elder Eyring 

Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, by Elder Pearson

All are amazing and have helped me understand faith! 
One thing that I love from Elder Pearson's talk is "If we desire more faith, then we must be more obedient." 
"To have faith is to have confidence in something or someone." 

"Learning by faith and from experience are two of the central features or the Father's plan of happiness." -Elder Bednar

Anyways they are amazing and I encourage all of you to listen and read those talks. 

Anyway I love you all! 

Abby
Sister Fillmore 

All is good mom & dad! (What Abby added to Google Photos on Thursday when asked her if they were ok!)
My favorite picture of the Savior.



Week 24- The one where there is good things to come

Friends!!

It's been quite a week and I am glad it's over. It was a rough week as some of our most wonderful investigators won't meet with us anymore. Despite all that we had some awesome lessons and a fun service day!!

We sadly are no longer teaching Florana. She didn't want to make the commitment to stop smoking and the influence of her daughter made it so she doesn't want to stop and doesn't want to be taught. It was hard, especially when we saw the spirit work with her. We still love her, though.

We had 2 lessons with Lynn and Alanna. The first was on the Plan of Salvation which was super special! The spirit was so strong it was almost tangible. We got to tell them that there daughter and sister is doing fine and she is being taught on the other side. Both were extremely happy and at peace. We asked them to pray to see if what we taught them was true. The next day Lynn said that she prayed and she knows it's true and it brings her much peace. I was able to sing "Families Can Be Together Forever" and it helped me share my testimony even more.
On Thursday we had another lesson with them on the Gospel of Jesus Christ and when we were about to ask if they wanted to be baptized, Lynn beat us to it. She said "I want to be baptized, can I be baptized?!" We were so happy! Alanna said no but Lynn was so excited. She set it for March 27th!!!!She came to the Book of Mormon study with us and it was an amazing lesson filled with the spirit. Gosh it was amazing!The next day she said she said she wanted to wait until September for her husband to get baptized and also her daughter.

On Sunday she texted us and said that she will no longer be getting baptized and listening to the discussions because her husband said he will leave her. Wow, what punch in the gut for us. We got the text right before the Relief Society lesson so both of us tried hard not to cry. I was so sad! To see the spirit work with her and testify to her that all of these things are true. That the Book of Mormon is true and then nothing...so hard.

BUT God loves all of his children and sent us a tender mercy. We have been helping this women name Tiffany come back to the gospel and she came TO CHURCH!! She has a lot of anxiety and the adversary was definitely working on her but SHE CAME! At the end I heard her say she was very glad she came! It made me smile through all the hard events that just happened!

WE PLANTES TREES!
On Saturday we went up to Vernonia and planted some trees next to the lake. It was a blast! We had a youth from our ward drive us up and stayed to do the service project.  Something we definitely needed after this week.

Spiritual Thought (Hang in there this one is a goodie!)
Missions are hard but every time I feel like I can't do anything and I am so down, I turn to God! That's the KEY! When life gets tough, that is not the time when you turn away. In that moment it is essential that we turn to him and ask for help! We need to trust in him and his teachings (with faith) to go forward, knowing he has a plan! 

“Don’t you quit. You keep walking. You keep trying. There is help and happiness ahead.” Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don’t come until heaven. But for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come. It will be all right in the end. Trust God and believe in good things to come."
-Jeffret R. Holland

I love you all! Have a wonderful week!
Love,
Sister Fillmore

Bless you little tree!
I get to serve in such a beautiful place!




Planting trees!



Serving in style!

Our mission leader's wife threw us a birthday party complete with baby pictures our mom's sent.

Week 23: The one where I got kissed....

Friends!
Don't worry I will explain the title soon ;)

This week was good and full of sweet tender mercies!
We have been able to have great lessons with Alanna and we have heard that Lynn (her mom) is really enjoying the Book of Mormon and praying. She also was talking with Alanna the other day and said "Why do people stay on one side and not try the other? Who's to say that Joseph Smith can't be a prophet for the church?" THANK YOU LYNN!!!
     Alanna is doing very well! We had a lesson with her yesterday! She has been busy and sick so we haven't been able to teach her much.  She said our teachings felt like we were reminding her the promise that she made before she came down to earth, it just made sense!! She said that she has been getting really bad night terrors and is going to try to read the BofM before she goes to bed!

We will be starting the 15-step stop smoking program with Floranna this week.  So please pray for us  and Floranna. We all need your prayers! She really wants to stop smoking but I think the realization of having to give it up is starting to sink in and its scaring her. 

20 years old, BABY!!
Shout out to my cute cousin Lily! We have the same birthday and she is now 10 years old!! I love you!!
My birthday was this Thursday and it was such an amazing day! We were able to give a Book to Mormon away that morning and have a lesson on the Plan of Salvation! I can't think of a better lesson to share on my birthday?  The Watsons who live upstairs know how much I love Chick-fil-a and drove 30 minutes to get Sister Hair and I some for lunch. My heart was bursting with gratitude for them and their kindness!!! We were able to make cake and get weekly planning done! Also a ward member came by and gave both of us little baby Yoda's! How cute is that! Later that day her daughter gave me a knitted bini! That whole day my heart was so full. We had dinner with the Watsons at FG sushi (thank you dad for introducing me a year ago to the best food EVER). It was so yummy! We watched a family history training the church had live and then our BofM study with some people from the stake! Safe to say it was an amazing Birthday.
When I was saying my prayers that night all I could say was thank you, thank you, thank you! Thank you for my Heavenly Father's love and for the love of the members and people here in Forest Grove. Thank you for all the emails and gifts so many of you sent!  It truly made my day! 

Title of my email:
Ok I know I know, you all have either been waiting to hear the story or just skipped to this part of my email to see what happened ;)
We had dinner with the Thieme Family Sunday and they have the SWEETEST little boy name James. We were wrapped around his little finger the whole night. He was teasing Sister Hair and having me feed him his dinner (heck he's cute, I will definitely feed him his dinner)
We were heading out the door and James put his arms in the air for a hug. After he gave us a hug he then pointed to his cheek and Sister Thieme said that he wanted to give us a kiss. So we bent down and he gave both of us a kiss on the cheek! Seriously the cutest thing in the world! Sister Hair and I definitely have a crush out here on the Mish ;)

We had a good lesson with Dave. We finally got to teach him in person and had the Turners (members in the ward) came with us. God knew they needed to be there that night. Brother Turner and Dave have a lot in common with events that have happened in their life. It was amazing to see the love that Heavenly Father had for both of them while we were teaching and sharing. 

Spiritual Thought:
Brothers and Sisters this week was awesome but also hard! But something that my President told me is that God needs us how we are, where ever we are in life right at this moment for a reason. Bad days will come and go. My favorite quote that I found recently is this "I testify that bad days come to an end. That faith always triumphs, and that Heavenly Promises are always kept" -Jeffrey R. Holland. God loves us and wants us to succeed but that also means getting out of our comfort zone and failing sometimes. He will never leave us though! He will be on the side lines cheering you on, and helping you when you really need it! He has never abandoned us and he never will. If you feel like he has then have a humble heart, have faith and pray to your Heavenly Father and in his time he will answer! Because he knows what you really need. At the end of the day the only thing that matters is your relationship with Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father! 

I love you guys so so much! Have a wonderful week!

Love,
Sister Fillmore 
Happy Birthday to me!!
The Watson's took us out for Sushi!!

Lot's of partying with the Elders too! We had to share the cake with someone!
Look who knitted me a beenie!

With Sister Hair. We nearly share birthdays! Just 2 weeks apart!

This is Eriss! We are teaching her and her family!

This sweet sister in the ward knitted me a baby YODA holding scriptures for my birthday!



President & Sister Wilde