First Week in Los Angeles California!

 I am doing great! So glad that I finally get to write to you! Wow oh wow! First week of the mission and oh what a week it has been. So I arrived on Monday and when we got here we had some orientation things, at one point they let us take a 20 minute nap in the pews of the chapel we were in! (it made sense we were all going off of one or two hours of sleep) it was weird though haha. That day we got to visit the Los Angeles Visitors Center and around the LA temple, which is unbelievable gorgeous. We also contacted people on the streets for the first time for a couple of hours which was an adventure but super fun. That night we had dinner at the mission president's house, President Weidman and Sister Weidman. They are seriously the best. I have been blessed immensely by that. He says and everyone says that "this is the best mission in the world" I believe it. Anyways since then we had transfer meeting and I was paired up with the wonderful Sister Hatch! It is crazy though because Sister Hatch has been out on her mission for 4 months and she's only been in this area for 2 WEEKS! And now she has a brand-spanking new missionary from the MTC to train. We are learning the people and the area, little by little together. I've met a few of our investigators but mostly we've visited a lot of less actives and recent converts. So Los Angeles is no joke. It is a melting pot of culture. I have met all kinds of people from indian, tongan, muslim, korean and hispanic and so many more! Its so cool. My area is the Torrance 1st Ward/area. Its about 30-45 minutes away from the mission office, temple, mission home etc. (it depends because traffic here is unbelievably horrible) but HALLELUJAH we have a car! However to contact more people, we walk a good portion and also when we go to visit and find people most of the time they live close to each other it just depends on the area. A lot of people here live in apartments, most of them aren't too nice, I take it because it is sooo expensive to live anywhere reasonable so they stay where they are. ALSO NO ONE HAS A/C. Thank goodness the air outside is cool or else I would die at night. Every time we visit a house it is muggy and hot and I am like "Am I the only one feeling this?!?!" I guess they are used to it and all they do is open their windows and door and doors and bam. I get my relief from the car that has air conditioning. Hehe The weather here like everyone has said its pretty and really crisp/breezy. My tan line is sooo funny, its like night and day and its only been a week. On Sunday, we had church and someone who was asked to speak dropped last minute so they asked Sister Hatch to speak and I gave a brief testimony. Our ward seriously is so diverse I don't believe it, a member of the bishopric who we had dinner with last night is brazilian, Brother Magalhaes (I think that is how you spell it) (they are awesome), there are polynesian, asian, hispanic and I don't even know. It is sooo cool. They also asked Sister Hatch and I to visit with the Primary and talk about the Holy Ghost and all I could think about was our Spanish Piedmont Branch primary and the crazies there :) (don't worry their primary was just as crazy, or even worse). Also weird thing the area is in English so unless we meet people who are hispanic, I speak English which is weird but apparently things in this mission change as far as languages so who knows next transfer. Anyways I am getting used to mission life, it truly is an adjustment but I am adjusting little by little. I LOVED the graduation pictures. Giselle looks gorgeous. Good luck on her first day at tea!! She'll have to tell me when she meets Dennis hehe :) Genevieve got a haircut and she looks so grown up and gorgeous too!!! And Ryker and Rio look completely different with his hair but they all look wonderful. Tell them I love them SO MUCH and I hope they are enjoying their summer. I am glad Papi had a great Fathers Day!!! Love you so much Pops!! I hope you all enjoy your 4th of July festivities at the pool and such I love you all so much and pray for you all the time (literally) Talk to you soon!!! .

.

Anyways I love you guys so much and even though I miss you every second I think about how this message will bless everyone else. Love you mom. 

Love, 

-Hermana Abreu

 

MTC District!

 

Hermana Abreu with her MTC companion Hermana Balkins

 

Hermana Abreu & Elder Umpierrez
How fun they were in the MTC together!

 

 

 

 

Hermana Abreu with some sisters in the MTC

 

Los Angeles Temple!

Hermana Abreu & Sister Hatch

First week at the MTC!

AHHH! There is so much I want to tell you but so little time, first things first I fly out June 22nd, which is a week from today which is Monday, P-day. We fly out at like 8:30 am and get to LAX like an hour after that so its quick haha. BUT we have to get up at like 3:30 am to drive there and to be at the SLC airport on time!!! I absolutely LOVE my district and all the elders in my district are going the Los Angeles mission, its awesome because I get to stick with them flying there and we've for sure bonded since being here, we call each-other the "CLAM" squad, (California Los Angeles Misison) Haha I also love the sisters in my district we get along so well which is great because we all room together, all 6 of us!!! The food is great! Haha its good because they always have a variety :) It is honestly amazing how much my testimony has grown by being here for only 5 days, going into the MTC I thought that the mission really starts in the field but BOY was I wrong, we teach ALL the time have investigators and it is hard a lot of the times but at the same time if me and my companion go in with the Spirit and teach with the Spirit there is no fear! I love you guys so much and was for sure thinking of the celebrations you were having for Giselle, tell her how much I love her and how proud I am of her. and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!! My companion is la Hermana Balkins and she is honestly the best hermana in the world! We work so well together and basically when I don't have the words to say what I want to say she gets me. I want to tell you more about her but I will in the next e-mail! It is also the best having Elder Umpierrez "Daniel" here as well we see each other all the time, we have class in the same building and we are in the same zone, I feel closer to home whenever I see him BUTTT it has been an adjustment for both of us to call each other by our last name and not our first ahaha. ALSO Hermana Balkins is going to the Raleigh NC MISSION! I'm not sure she will serve in Greensboro but its the coolest that we're companions and also Daniels companion, Elder Nelson is serving in Raleigh NC too so we've all bonded over that. There are times where I think about you guys and get really sad but then I get distracted in learning and the work (the schedule is constant) and know that this is exactly where the Lord needs me to be. I know it. Whoo! We also went to the Provo Temple today and that was awesome to go for the second time after getting my own endowments. Elder Umpierrez was right here when I read about my favorite song "HEY WASSUP HELLO" and we both laughed because we loveee that song. I love you so much mom, I really do. Woo it gets overwhelming sometimes because I think like, "Oh I am at the MTC like some mission camp for 2 weeks or something" It doesn't seem real that I am going to LA and am actually a missionary. Well I don't have too much more time and I want to try to figure out how to get some pictures attached (this computer is stupid and won't attach them) sooo I will talk to you soon! Know that I love the MTC, the mission, the church, the people the EVERYTHING and I am so happy. I am mainly happy that because I know that I am doing the Lord's work and there is no better feeling. AH he loves us sooo much and he really wants us to share this good message to people who need it. You guys should read D&C 31... it talks about blessings to missionary families. Tell the babies I love them and miss them so much and that Isa wants them to finish strong in school. hehe :)  Love you I really do. Hasta Luego!!!!

Con amor, 

-Hermana Abreu

(Because the computer is being stupid, I am going to send pictures in another e-mail)