Letter 21 Mesa, Arizona March 27, 2017

Hi Everyone!

We had the baptism of our 9 year old investigator! Natalia yesterday!

It was so much fun! She was so happy and excited to finally be baptized!

We have been finding a lot of new investigators this past week! Not much to report yet, but this next week is when more action should be happening!

Our district went golfing today for P-day! 

I am sooooooo bad at it,but it was really fun!

We found this chalk drawing outside! Jesus really does love you!

Sister Anderson and I!

Sister Anderson, Natalia and I at Natalia's baptism!

As the Easter season is approaching, please keep in mind the sacrifice of our Lord and Master Jesus Christ. Because of His Atoning sacrifice, all can be made right! Every doubt, every fear, every pain can be taken from us by the healing ointment of His Atonement. I am so thankful for His abiding love, and that He is by my side - always. 

I love this Gospel, I love my Savior, and I love God's Plan of Ultimate Happiness. ❤️ 

I love you all!

-Hermana Abigail Valenta 


Sunday I had a surprise text message with these pictures of Abigail with Susan! Susan's ward meets in the same building as Abigail's ward does and she was able to find Abigail and send these pictures! Abigail and her companion, Sister Anderson, are going to Susan's house in a week or so for dinner! I love the small world that it is within the church! 

Questions From Mom

How was the baptism you had planned?

It was amazing! Natalia was sooooo excited to finally be baptized! It was a really beautiful experience!

What was your favorite talk of the Women’s Broadcast?  

I loved the 'certain women' talk! It just showed me how much divine potential each of us have! It was a beautiful talk!

Tell me something good about Sister Anderson.

She is a very hard worker! She loves getting out and just going to work! She's great at it too!

Tell me something good about President and Sister Christensen.

President and Sister Christensen are very caring. They have the most love out of anyone I have ever met. President has really helped me these past few transfers, and always shows me at I am cared for!

What is exciting about the week ahead?

We have a lot happening! We are preparing another one of our investigators for his baptism on April 8th, we are going to the Temple as a zone, and we just have a lot of new investigators we are working with! Super exciting!

Letter 20 Mesa, Arizona March 20, 2017

Hi Everyone!

This week has been pretty good! Sister Anderson and I have been finding a lot of new people to teach! We have literally had a few people walk up to US and ask us if they can be taught the Gospel! It is a pretty cool thing to experience 

We have a baptism this Saturday! Her name is Natalia, and she is 9 years old! She has been adopted by a family who are LDS, and she has been going to church with them for the past 6 months. We have loved getting to know Natalia as we teach her the lessons of the Gospel. We are so excited for her to grow, learn and understand as time goes on. We also will be having another baptism on April 8th!!! We have been teaching a boy named Mikey for a bit now. He is 11 years old, and the son of a woman who is LDS. He and his mom agreed to having him be baptized!!!!

We have been teaching a Vietnamese man named So for a while now too! He doesn't speak very much English at all. So, our lessons are pretty interesting! But, despite the language barrier, he has a desire to learn more. He has been reading the Book of Mormon every night, and also praying! We are hoping to find someone who can translate into Vietnamese haha! So, if any of you out there know someone, PLEASE LET ME KNOW haha! 

This is us with Mikey after one of our lessons! 

(His little sister didn't want to show her face)

Sister Anderson and I hitting the streets!

The sunsets here in AZ have never been prettier! 

It has been in the 90's these past 2 weeks, and it is only March!!! So crazy! The summer here miiiiiight be the end of me, but I guess we'll just have to wait and see haha. 

I just want you all to know of my love for my Savior, Jesus Christ. Through Him, all wounds - physical, mental, emotional - can be healed. As we lay down our burdens at the feet of the Great Physician, all can and will be made right - but only if we let Him help us. 

I love you all so much. Thanks for all of your support and prayers. 

-Hermana Abigail Valenta

Questions From Mom

What the best thing that happened this week?

We put another person on date for April 8th!

What are you studying and learning about?

I am studying a lot about the Atonement with Easter coming up. I have learned that the Atonement is seriously the most important event in all of the history of the world. Without the Atonement, we wouldn't be able to get back to Heavenly Father, so there would be no reason for this life. The Atonement can heal anything and everything, if you let it.

Do you know that I love you?

I sure do! Love ya mama! :)

Letter 19 Mesa, Arizona March 13, 2017

Hey Everyone!

This has been a pretty good week! Our area has been a pretty dry one for some time now, so we have been in the process of rebuilding and reconstructing the whole area haha! It has actually been pretty fun though! We have been finding a lot of new investigators! We hope to be able to continue finding even more, and helping others to come unto Christ!

It has been heating up here in Arizona! The past 2 days, it has hit above 90! It's only March! Talk about hot! But we have been blessed with a car, so we don't have to be outside as much as others.

We are teaching a young girl who has been living with a very active family. Her name is Natalia! She is 9 years old! So far, the plan is for her to be baptized on April 8th! So exciting! Her older sister, Elisa wants to be a missionary so bad, so we let her borrow our tags during the lesson! She is so awesome!

Only in Arizona would you find this sign haha! Our only question is how did it get away from you so fast to the point you couldn't find it? 🐢 So funny!

Also, the mission had to replace our car..... sooooo, we are now the owners of a new mom van... we're not too sure how to feel about that hahahaha!

I can't wait to report more next week on how our investigators are progressing! 

I love you all! Thanks for your prayers!!!

Hermana Abigail Valenta

Abigail has been out for 6 months today!

Abigail learning to sew! 

This picture was sent to me by someone in Abigail's ward! 

Letter 18 Mesa, Arizona March 6, 2017 TRANSFERS!

Hi Everyone!

Well, this week has brought on a whirlwind of changes! Our mission recently had a lot of English sisters go home from transfers! There were so many sisters lost, that there aren't enough English speaking sisters to cover all the bases. So, they took a lot of Spanish missionaries and moved them to English areas for a while, just until they can rebuild the English areas. So I have actually been moved to an English area.

We cover 2 English speaking wards in Gilbert. It has been really interesting because I have not taught a lesson in English before! So, when speaking in English to the ward members, and investigators, everyone thought I was from another country learning English! Hahaha it was a little embarrassing! But being in English work has been fun! It is definitely different than Spanish, but it is great!

I love you all so much! 

Hermana Abigail Valenta

My last day in Spanish, Sister Irizarry and I got stuck in a downpour! 

It was raining soooo hard!

 Said goodbye to Luis!

This is my new companion, Sister Anderson! She is sooooo sweet! 

This is her last transfer. She is so hard working! 

She is also 4'11" so it's a little funny that we're paired 

together since I am 5'8 1/2" but it's all good!