Put Your Dang Umbrella Down!

You have maybe heard the saying that when it rains blessings and you have your umbrella up you won't see them! True Fact. You know what else happens when you are holding your umbrella? Your hands are full! You can't reach out to others when you're holding a giant umbrella. So you're being deprived of both blessings and helping someone when you're holding that dang umbrella.....put it down and don't overthink the whole process of it.

Sometimes things happen in our life that we don't want to happen. In Elder Oak's recent conference talk he talked about how opposition gives us choices. We have agency to choose the right or wrong. When opposition comes our way we can either be sad or happy, right or wrong...IT'S YOUR CHOICE. Knowing myself, I overthink everything and get myself all worked up for no reason! This talk helped a ton! I've been faced with a small struggle recently and I just wanted to tell everyone about it and fix it somehow. Some things can't be fixed and really my life was just dandy before I started worrying so.....I chose to be happy and because of that I don't even think about the problem:) 

Another story, one of my brother's friend passed away. I only knew him from my childhood, but gosh dang it I have been blessed with the gift of compassion so it hit home. At this time I was reading the book "Covenant Keepers" by Wendy Nelson. There is a part in there that I love, it explains how before we came to earth and had already made the choice to come down to earth it may have been something like a mission call. "Dear Sister Spencer, you are hereby called to serve in the Sandy, Utah mission you will report January 24, 1997." CRAZY. Up there i would have been like, what why utah!? There are SO many crazy mormons there, i want to live in Europe! Then I look back at my 19 years in Utah and I wouldn't change a thing. Same goes for my call to California Anaheim, what why Anaheim?! Who really needs me there!? I know at the end of my mission I will look back and think, I wouldn't have changed a thing:)

Going back to my brothers friend, I decided to turn to the temple for comfort! I sat and waited to go in for about an hour. As I was sitting there with two mid twenties girls, a cute old woman standing about 4'5 came in and said, "You are all here for me, aren't you?" and sat in between us. She exclaimed, "I feel like a rose between two thorns!" Came to find out she was from Rigby, Idaho and regularly attended the Idaho Falls temple, but it was closed so she came to Logan. She went on to tell us that when she got married her husband wanted 2 kids, she wanted 14 so her and Lord had 10! She has 70 grandchildren and 150 great grandchildren! She said Christmas is quite the sacrifice, because she gives them $10 each and she spends about $3000 a Christmas. I want that grandma... She showed us her painted nails that her granddaughters painted bright pink and said overtime she raised her hand she thought OH MY LANTA those are bright haha. By this time we had quite the group gathered around and another woman came up to wait, the old woman looked up and her and said, "Are you sure you wan to do this to yourself?" The woman looked at us all and turned around and left ahah. Then another woman came over and started talking to us, I could tell the old woman sitting next to me wasn't fond of her. So she asked a temple worker to take her to another room. When she left the old woman yelled, "Yes, i got rid of her!" Sassy woman hahah. Then the time came when her name was called and she grabbed our hands and said, "Oh goodness, they are taking me away!" Thats the last we saw of her... oh I hope I'm that funny when I'm older.

A great life lesson I've learned these past months is forget yourself and reach out to others. Don't give a flying caboodle if you go to swing dancing night and the person you usually dance with is taken for a while. This is THEE perfect opportunity to swing/ speed date;) Every song I was able to dance with someone new, I got to talk about my mission, ragnar, and riding horses with so many different people! It was great! It makes you so much happier to just get out of your comfort zone and do things that scare you!

Fun updates:
Ash wen through the temple this week. The Wiscombs are the cutest family ever.
Caitie turned in her papers so the countdown begins!
58 days till I'm Anaheim/ Mexico bound!!!!! :)

The earth is beautiful ^^^ Thats all.

Temples + Friends = HUGE blessing in my life

April Fools. Parking Ticket on Austin's truck and my milk jugs spread out everywhere. I pranked my best and thats all that matters.

Weekend Visits with the Best Friend:)

ROOMIES.

Moved some sticks. It really built character.

Fun Fact: Nicole's care horse Cecil got cut up into little pieces for our necropsy, we didn't know it was him till a week later. Last time we saw him, we REALLY saw him...on the inside.....

COLOR FEST

Coming soon....May 2016

I love my Eleanor

Blessed with the best opportunities, like being able to work other people's horses for them!

General Conference with THEE Nicole Neeley, soon to be Sister Neeley in Reno, Nevada

Preach my Gospel. Nuff said

Roomie bonding

TEMPLE ON POINT. NO FILTER NEEDED

Bonfires in the canyon with my pals.

Austin took us shooting, I actually shot something so it was successful. I managed to bring together 5 friends, so i count that as successful too:) 

58 Days.

Change is a Good Thang.

I've learned a ton these past two months, its ridiculous.

So up here at Utah State I have great friends and usually have a normal daily schedule that I've become really comfortable with. Those are all great things, but one of my friends told me its not enough. Isn't this life a chance for us to improve ourselves? Of course we need to take care of our needs, but you never know when you're going to help someone else. Someone else needs you, but if you're sticking to your daily routine or talking to your same friends how on earth are ya going to find those people?! I know from personal experiences that when you focus on others your own worries will seem so small. As a missionary you are required to talk to EVERYONE. Even if you aren't a missionary or even apart of any faith, talking to random people will make you SO happy! It's great just learning about people and most of the time you will leave them wanting to be better. The most important thing this person has taught me is that no matter what situation rely on the Lord and its going to make my mission and life the best 18 months. I know Christ sends angels in our lives at the perfect time without us even knowing it until later.

DO SOMETHING EVERYDAY THAT SCARES YOU. I believe that you will be so blessed and have so many opportunities if you follow that advice. (Don't do anything dangerous though. Please.) Don't settle for comfortable. Always challenge yourself to try new things. Talk to that "cliquey" friend group, ask for help when struggling in a class, and don't be afraid to be yourself. The only person who can truly hold you back is yourself. Although I gave up a big part of my life, by changing my lifestyle a bit I have seen so many opportunities open up. Sometimes you have to give up a good thing for a great thing. Everyone has a different plan and sometimes your plans don't line up so you have to adjust and find out why you're here and who you need to help. God has a bigger plan for you than you think.

THE TEMPLE. It's amazing. I can't say a lot about it, since there are sacred things that happen inside but when you get the chance to go inside whether it be baptisms, endowments, marriage, or just walking around the outside REMEMBER the FEELING. I truly know it's the Lord's house and in there we can talk to him directly. If we have friend who are sick or afflicted we can go to the temple to give them extra support. It has also brought my family closer together in the strangest way, but in the end its going to be oh so sweet:)

This scripture has helped me a ton, reassuring me that my family will be safe while I'm gone:)

1 Thomas (Abbey) , my son (daughter), blessed are you because of your faith in my work.

 2 Behold, you have had many afflictions because of your family; nevertheless, I will bless you and your family, yea, your little ones; and the day cometh that they will believe and know the truth and be one with you in my church.

 3 Lift up your heart and rejoice, for the hour of your mission is come; and your tongue shall be loosed, and you shall declare glad tidings of great joy unto this generation.

 4 You shall declare the things which have been revealed to my servant, Joseph Smith, Jun. You shall begin to preach from this time forth, yea, to reap in the field which is white already to be burned.

 5 Therefore, thrust in your sickle with all your soul, and your sins are forgiven you, and you shall be laden with sheaves upon your back, for the laborer is worthy of his hire. Wherefore, your family shall live.

 6 Behold, verily I say unto you, go from them only for a little time, and declare my word, and I will prepare a place for them.

 7 Yea, I will open the hearts of the people, and they will receive you. And I will establish a church by your hand;

 8 And you shall strengthen them and prepare them against the time when they shall be gathered.

 9 Be patient in afflictions, revile not against those that revile. Govern your house in meekness, and be steadfast.

 10 Behold, I say unto you that you shall be a physician unto the church, but not unto the world, for they will not receive you.

 11 Go your way whithersoever I will, and it shall be given you by the Comforter what you shall do and whither you shall go.

 12 Pray always, lest you enter into temptation and lose your reward.

13 Be faithful unto the end, and lo, I am with you. These words are not of man nor of men, but of me, even Jesus Christ, your Redeemer, by the will of the Father. Amen

Also, STATESIDE MISSION ARE AMAZING. Honestly its been little downer to see everyone going foreign, but my favorite quote is

You aren't called to a place, you are called to walk in place of the Savior.

I love the people of Anaheim California. I love the gospel. I know this will be the "Happiest Mission on Earth" :)

Another thing that has helped me is this blog post.....

http://segullah.org/daily-special/mission-calls-its-about-bringing-people-to-christ-not-the-geography/

Stay swaggy! 

Lots of Love,

Abbey Spencer:)

131 days.....but who's counting? :)

For those who didn't know I recently put my papers in to serve an LDS mission! On Sunday I was informed that my call had been assigned, so it should be coming anytime this week..... Monday came around and I went to classes and went to the gym for a nice calm run. I casually texted my dad to check the mailbox......I got a text with a picture of my call..... I ran around the track once more and then continued to run down the stairs, through the doors and 0.5 miles to my dorm without stopping!!! On my way I scrambled to grab my phone and call Austin (who was thinking about buying a snowmobile in Heber that same day and served his mission in Anaheim, California, which is just a fun fact.) I called him and asked if he was still going to buy it and I just got to point and asked if he could drive me 2 hours back home to open my call. Of course he said yes, I'm too cute to say no to;) We all piled into Clifford (his red truck) along with my friends Maren and  Nicole and roomie Allie:) We headed to Heber as we sang in the truck....more like just Austin and I cause the rest were party poopers. We got the snowmobile and since we were in Heber we HAD to stop at Dairy Keen to get some ice cream. As we sat in the driveway, we all laughed at the thought that my call was sitting unopened at my house and we were sitting at a drive thru in Heber for ice cream..... then we kept driving to good ole Sandy. Took a bathroom break at my house and then headed to my Spencer Grandparents! It was so good to see all my families and friends I hadn't seen since the holidays!!! I was shaking like a wet dog the entire time I was there. I jumped atop my Grandpa's saddle and pulled that paper out........ my eyes immediately turned to the place I would be preaching the gospel.....oh shoot is what I thought....... I began to read "Dear Sister Spencer, you are hereby called to serve as a missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You have been assigned to labor in the CALIFORNIA ANAHEIM MISSION. You should report to the MEXICO MTC June 14th and prepare to preach the gospel in the Spanish Language....... FYI the man who drove me all the way to my house (and buys me excessive amounts of pizza) went to the exact same mission! The church is true. After reading my call and yelled "I'm going to Disneyland." The happiest mission on earth..... I can't wait to bring the happiness of the gospel to the people of Anaheim. I think the Lord places people in your life without you knowing it, I now have the best mission twin I can go to for anything! It still seems very unreal that al of this is happening and you randomly get really stressed, but I know if I keep myself busy and rely on the power of prayer I can get through it:) 131 days till I'm gone......but who's counting?:)