Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Last But Not Least

Posted by Abby Marie at 11:46 PM

Okay, last one. By the way, I'm going to hang these signs up on the team van as I run each leg (my sister was wondering).

Finally, after a lot of internal debating (kind of like internal bleeding, but less fatal) I picked a final contestant for Leg 3. Actually I picked the final contestants-plural- for Leg 3. Last year I spent 3 amazing months in Invercargill, New Zealand. We met a lot of incredible people and I could easily dedicate this last leg to every person I met in New Zealand, but that isn’t specific enough. I chose to dedicate Leg 3 to the faithful members of the Invercargill, New Zealand Branch. The Nau Nau’s, Setu’s, Ngahooro’s, Kawe-Small’s, Waivaru’s, Kerr’s, Bro. Bennett, and many others. A Branch is like a Ward (a geographical grouping of members of the LDS church) only smaller. Never in my life have I met people who had so little and yet were so happy. Some of the members couldn’t even read or speak very well, and yet every week they would diligently fulfill their callings to the best of their ability. I was touched by the faith of these people. My life will never be the same after my interaction with the members of the Invercargill Branch. They have probably already forgotten me, but I will never forget them. As I run my last leg I’ll be thinking of the many ways these people have changed my life.

Leg 3: 3.1 miles, flat, MY FINALE, for the members of the Invercargill, New Zealand Branch.


3 comments:

Hannah said...

Cute! I like your shirt. And your hair. And the poster.
....I still think it would be cooler to run with the poster in your hand. Or tape it on your back. :)

June 18, 2009 at 8:06 AM
Alison Spencer said...

Amen to that Abby. And I can promise you they haven't forgotten you.

June 18, 2009 at 9:28 AM
Stefanie Elyse said...

YAY! That's really all I have to say Abs. YAY :)

June 19, 2009 at 1:11 AM

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I AM PECULIAR (this is a permanent post. If you have already read it, scroll down to see my latest)

Those of you who read my blog could probably make a list of all the reasons that you think I am a bit peculiar. No worries, I would be the first to shout an amen to everything you could think of. I know I’m peculiar; but let me tell you the number one thing on my list that I think makes me a peculiar person.

I know where I come from, why I am here and where I am going. I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Some of you will know me as a “Mormon” although that is just a nickname. The word ‘Saint’ just means ‘member’ in this context. I believe in God the Eternal Father, that I am a daughter of God, and that He loves me and wants me to be happy. I believe in my Savior Jesus Christ who lived a perfect life, atoned for my sins, died and was resurrected all that I might enjoy the blessing of being forgiven of my sins, and having my body and spirit reunited after death. I know that just as God called prophets in the Old and New Testament times that He has in fact called a prophet to lead and guide us today. I believe that families can live together for eternity; death does not have to be the end of our relationships with the ones we love. Some of you may wonder how on earth I can know these things. As I learn more and more from the Bible and other scriptures and actually live what I learn I see the promises the Lord has made being fulfilled in my life, and I feel the Holy Spirit bear witness that these things are true.

I know, I’m peculiar, but thankfully there are over 13 million other peculiar members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and with each year that number grows. I feel so much joy and happiness in my life because of this knowledge. If you want to know more depth about anything I have said that makes me peculiar, visit www.mormon.org. This website explains in detail much of what I have just professed to believe and more.