East Coast meets West Coast-- California Los Angeles Mission: A wedding, a baptism and "We're Training!!!"

Hello! How are you doing? I loved seeing everyone at Renfest! That looked like so much fun! I'm sure Ringa and the MADS sounded beautiful! I also love seeing her in my dress ;)

Welp this week has been wonderful! Filled with a wedding, baptism, Sister Evans and I are expecting!!!

Hahaha let me explain. So this week, the other companionship of sisters in the ward had a couple that they have been teaching and had committed them to baptism but in order to be baptized, they had to get married! So, Sister Evans and I helped them plan and set up for the wedding!! Surprisingly, my O'Henry tea skills, folding napkins, came in handy. Everyone got so excited when I told them I knew how to fold linens, when really it's pretty simple haha but I was glad to be able to contribute! It was so amazing what the ward put together, it was a small and simple reception but perfect for them, they loved it. It was so amazing to see them take the decision to be married, to be obedient to God's commandments and be baptized! Sister Evans had actually taught them when she was in that area before :) The Lord definitely worked miracles in order for the wedding to happen in a week!

Us at the wedding (the computer at the church wouldn't download my pics this week so I took pictures of my camera with my ipad...not the best, but oh well!)

Besides that, it has been a tougher week, our baptismal dates and a lot of our investigators have kind of gone off the radar and there was one day this week where everyone we talked to were just horribly mean! It just made me think about how it's times and days like those where Satan wants us to get down and lose faith but it's those days where we have to fight off Satan! We know that we will continue to find more people who are committed to learning more about the gospel and who really do desire it in their lives. We also got transfer calls last night and Sister Evans and I found out we are having a baby....Hahaha we are training! It's a little crazy to think I'll be training a brand new missionary, on bike, but Sister Evans and I are excited!

This week I have also been pondering a lot about the Atonement. Before my mission, I knew that we needed a Savior but I never really understood why. I am understanding more and more Christ's role in our plan and purpose here on earth. That because of Adam and Eve we sin and because of Adam and Eve we can't return to live with God again, which is our purpose here in life, to prepare to meet God. Christ is essential in our eternal progression, we needed Him and we need Him everyday to repent, to progress and not be in a fallen state forever. It is the greatest blessing we could ever have to be able to know that no matter how far we have gone, or we will go astray that we can never go far enough where Christ can't save us. I've never relied more on Him so much than right now on my mission. I know that we all can rely on Him and look to Him for love, help, peace when we are seeking it. I love the simplicity of the gospel of Jesus Christ and like President Uchdorf said in his talk about the gospel a month ago, " It is beautifully simple, and it works beautifully. Brothers and sisters, if you ever think that the gospel isn’t working so well for you, I invite you to step back, look at your life from a higher plane, and simplify your approach to discipleship. Focus on the basic doctrines, principles, and applications of the gospel. I promise that God will guide and bless you on your path to a fulfilling life, and the gospel will definitely work better for you." I know it's true!!! I'm loving being on the front row seat of the Atonement working in people's lives. :)

I hope everyone at home is getting excited for Halloween!!! Over here we have to be home by 6pm that night, when we'll do our planning for the week but we and our new missionary have plans to carve our pumpkin that we got today! I'm excited to see Halloween pictures next week :) I love you all so much! Especially my Abreu family! Have a great week, talk to you soon! (Only another couple months and then we can Skype :) :) :))

Love,

Hermana Abreu