MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Merry Christmas!!! LOVE YOUUUU!

I can't even believe that I get to talk to you all this Friday, it doesn't seem real!! But I am so excited, we have plans to Skype at the Osorio's house on Christmas Day, and we can Skype at whatever time we want, we just have to decide so we can let Hermana Osorio know so she can get the Skype stuff all set up :) Whatever time is good for you all! She said, if we want, they can set up their TV so that I can see you all, big screen! I cannot contain my excitement, talk to you SOON!!!!!!!!!!!

I got my Christmas box, THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!

Sister Morrison got hers too, so we took them all out and put it underneath our little tree:)

My early Christmas present from home!  I have been listening to David everyday, as long as Sister Morrison doesn't get sick of it....hahaha!!!

Our little Christmas tree!!

I know I say that every week is a week of miracles, but this one has been a Christmas miracle-kind of week! This week we had our mission Christmas Devotional, where the mission gathered together and had a day full of training's and we celebrated together, the birth of the Savior. There were many beautiful musical numbers from missionaries, and narrations from the scriptures of Christ and his birth and we also had a spirit filled testimony meeting with a delicious, Christmas lunch to finish! It was so beautiful, it definitely helped me feel the Christmas spirit, but most importantly the Spirit of Christ. Something that President Weidman shared that really has helped me understand the importance of my first Christmas on the mission, is that before our missions, we remember Christ but as missionaries we represent Him. It is such a precious time to serve the Lord, and this time of year is so special because people's hearts are opened to that spirit of Christ! There are so many prepared people here, we have seen the fruits of that this week!!!

 

Christmas miracle of the week #1 -- Our investigator, Norma wasn't progressing too well, when we talked to her about her baptism she said she wasn't ready, due to certain things/concerns. We then went back a few days later and she told us about this bad feeling that she had been having, she had felt as though there was a bad presence around her, she couldn't even sleep all that week. We then talked to her about a priesthood blessing and she said she would love one and so the next day the Elders came over and gave her the most beautiful blessing of comfort. She had tears in her eyes, and right after the blessing we had a lesson with her and her heart was changed. The spirit was so strong and she committed to pray about baptism for January! It is so amazing to know that this power of God was restored through the prophet, Joseph Smith, and that we have it today to bless the lives of God's children. I know that priesthood power is real and it enables us to feel and experience the powers of heaven on earth.

 

Christmas miracles #2-- Yesterday we received a member referral through the phone of a woman in the English ward who wanted the missionaries to go visit her nephew and his newlywed wife. She called us and explained to us the situation and apparently the wife, Jennifer, had gone to a baptism of a nine year old girl the week prior and said that she felt the spirit so strong and wanted to feel that same thing for herself, baptism. She had also gone to the Tijuana, Mexico temple open house a month back and commented and said "how and when can I get married in here?!??" Basically, she wants to get baptized. Sure enough, Sister Morrison and I go over that night right after the phone call with the member who gave us the referral and we have the most amazing lesson with her and her husband. We set a baptism date with her for January 17th!!!!!!!! Her only question for us was how soon after I am baptized, can I go and get sealed in the temple!!!!!! She is amazing!!! She is so sensitive to the spirit and is so willing and ready to know more and to follow Christ fully. Sister Morrison and I could hardly contain our excitement we jumped for joy!!! Knowing that God prepares people and they are put in our path is just so AMAZING! I know that missionary work is joy. It is pure joy, I felt it last night and I feel it every single day that I am here. Our brothers and sisters that are seeking this joy need to be found, I like to think of it as the JOY CYCLE :) People who are looking for the gospel are seeking joy, we as members of the church and missionaries, bring this joy of the gospel and share it with them and when we do that we feel a new joy that comes from sharing something we cherish and seeing another cherish it! I love it! I love the gospel and I just love being a missionary!!!!

I love my Savior, Jesus Christ and I know that he lives. I know that he was born to live and set that example for us, and to die and suffer for every single one of us so that we might have joy. The joy I feel when I think of His birth and his Resurrection are indescribable. I want to invite all of you to share that joy of Christ and of the gospel with someone who needs it, this Christmas season. 

"Adam fell that men might be; and men are that they might have JOY." 2 Nephi 2:25

Merry Christmas to all of you!!! Xoxoxoxo I hope that you spend it well and with loved ones <3 

I will talk to you in 4 days!!! WOOOOOO :) LOVE YOU!

-Hermana Abreu

President and Sister Weidman and I at the Christmas devotional :) 

Sister Morrison and I celebrating my 6-month with churros from Lucero's Bakery

My new companion--Sister Morrison!

My old companion Sis. Evans and I
 

 

It's because of Christ!

Happy Holidays Mom! So happy to hear about all that's happening! I seriously can't even believe that Riley is coming home! Send him my love at the airport on Wednesday :) 

My week has been another busy one! My new companion is Sister Morrison, she's from Springville, Utah with a family of 6 as well, you can tell she loves them a lot!!! She is fresh from the MTC and is green as it gets hehehe it's weird not being the new one. She is so sweet! She struggles a bit with Spanish but is working hard to get it down! I wish I could say I know how that feels, the blessing of growing up speaking Spanish! I admire all the missionaries that have to go out and learn a completely foreign language, I have witnessed the gift of tongues with my companions! 

Bell Gardens is doing well, Christmas is everywhere with lights all around! We haven't tried it yet, but we want to try the caroling tactic for proselyting and just start caroling for people and then having lessons on the spot. I think it will open people's hearts a bit :) We've been losing contact with a good amount of our investigators due to the holidays and things but we shall hopefully get in touch with them all soon! Praying for a white Christmas this year! ;) (baptism jumpsuits)

 I don't have too much time today but I just wanted to let you know that I love you all so much! I am just so filled with gratitude to my Heavenly Father for being able to be on a mission, as different as it is from any normal Christmas, it's cool to be able to take a step back from the gifts, and the decorations etc. and remember why we celebrate. Our Savior was born! And oh what a sad sad world it would be if we couldn't repent, or have a second chance, or say I'm sorry or feel any type of joy! It's because of Christ that we can be joyous and celebrate this time of year!!! 

   "10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."

(Luke 2)

I hope that your week is extra joyful!!!!! Love you times a million! Have a wonderful week <3

-Hermana Abreu

Prayer Works!

Happy Monday! Love you! How are you doing?? It looks like Genevieve's baptism and her Skateland birthday party was a success! Everyone looked so beautiful, especially Genevieve in her beautiful baptism dress!!! I am so happy for her, that is the cutest thing "I did it, I'm baptized" man she is the purest, most sincere, wonderful girl in the world! My heart aches for not being there but everything looks like it turned out so well.

Another great week in Bell Gardens, a lot of changes, for sure! Mid-way through the week we got a call from the assistants to the president notifying us that our bebecita missionary, Sister Flake got her visa for Brazil and that she would be flying out on Monday. So this morning our little birdy, flew away to Brazil! But its okay because I will be training a new little birdy!! :) We got transfer calls last night and Sister Evans is leaving, while I am staying and training a brand new missionary! I am anxious for the next transfer but excited all at the same time. I still feel new at missionary work although I have been doing it for 6 months now. I have complete trust in the Lord and his plans for this area.

Us and Hermana Reyna at the Relief Society Christmas dinner :)

I am so excited for the amazing things that are happening in this area, Norma, is getting closer and closer to baptism on December 20th! On Saturday night, we had a Christmas Relief Society dinner  and she went and loved it! It was so beautiful! The hermanas made like all different kinds of soups, with bread and salad for dinner and at the end they had a beautiful spiritual thought where they took us into the RS room, where the lights were turned off except for some Christmas lights they had lit around the room and they had different Hnas dressed as women who lived during Christ's time on the earth and they all gave testimonies of Christ as if they were the women who witnessed Christ, like Mary, Martha, the mother of Joseph, Elizabeth and the inn keepers wife. It was so cool! Norma really enjoyed it and she met a lot of new people!

Sister Flake and I matched, completely on accident!
 

Picture of some of the Christmas lights at the LA temple, when we went to drop Sister Flake at the mission office

 

I have gained a stronger testimony of prayer this week!! I know that God really does answer prayers, whether they are small and simple things, or bigger issues in our lives. On Friday we were walking when I realized I had misplaced my planner somewhere along the way. I lost my other planner the transfer before so I wasn't going to let this one be lost forever! So as soon as I realized it was missing, we retraced our steps, (which is hard as a missionary, because you walk everywhere) and stopped by the members who we ate dinner with, our apartment, we looked all along the street with no luck. I went home that night pretty bummed, especially because it was nearing the end of the transfer and the planner had all the information of potentials, investigators, and basically the record of my whole entire transfer here. I prayed hard that night for my planner to be found by some chance/miracle. The next morning we decided to try one other place where we had been the day before to look for it, so before we left the car we said a simple prayer, asking for my planner to be found, still in tact. We get out of the car and start looking, and not even 10 seconds later, Sister Flake gasps and runs to the sidewalk and there is my planner, in a corner of the sidewalk, perfectly in tact and whole. What a great tender mercy! I know that Heavenly Father knows how much that meant to me, although it was small, I know for a fact that He led us to that place to find it at that time, completely fine. Its has been amazing to see how prayer has blessed the lives of our investigators, when they pray they feel the difference, their faith in God and His influence in our life grows and their love and relationship with Him is strengthened. I also know that no one can receive spiritual truths without prayer. All truth comes from God and he gives us that witness of what is true through feelings and impressions from the Holy Ghost. I know that God is so aware of every single one of us and what we need. "And whatsoever thing ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is right, believing that ye shall receive, behold it shall be given you." 3 Nephi 18:20

I do know that it does take effort on our part, and answers to prayers do not always come right away. "As soon as we learn the true relationship in which we stand toward God, then at once prayer becomes natural and instinctive on our part. Many of the so-called difficulties about prayer arise from forgetting this relationship." (Prayer-Bible Dictionary)

Prayer works! If you haven't tried it, I invite you to! I promise that you will more peace, more direction and more joy in your daily life. 

I love you fam! I will update you on my trainee this week, once I meet her! :) I hope you all have a wonderful week and I will talk to you soon!

Can't wait to skype on Christmas! Xoxoxoxo

Love, 

Hermana Abreu