Feliz Navidad & Merry Christmas!

Family!

I can't wait to talk with you again! It has been forever since Mother's Day when I was able to talk with you last. I am so SUPER EXCITED! 

This week has been another week of amazing blessings! On Sunday we had 2 less active members at  church and 9 recent converts! We were also able to have Juan and Lupe at church. It was such a great Sunday!

On Monday to start the week, we had a family home evening with the Jimenez Family. We had dinner with their grand mother last week and found out that they want to be baptized. We talked to them and the Restoration video and were able to feel the spirit so strong. Also, that same night we ran into a former investigator named Virginia. We are going to see her on her only day off this week which is Christmas. She said she is excited to see us again and can't wait for Thursday to come around.

On Tuesday, we had exchanges with the Hollywood sisters. We went and visited Samantha a recent convert who is 9. We told her we wanted to teach her about tithing and at first she said she couldn't remember what tithing was. Then we said it is when we pay one 10th of our income and all she said is okay okay I remember. I want to teach you. Every time we see her she tells us she wants to be a missionary and go knocking on doors with us again! (She went to our Super Saturday Missionary Activity last Saturday). That same night as we were walking down the street I saw a woman walking towards us. I just keep thinking, stop her and give her a hug. As we approached her, I asked her if I could give her a hug and she just started to weep. As she hugged me for what felt like 5 minutes, she just keep saying she would be okay. I just promised her that God loves her and that her Savior knows how she is feeling. She whipped away the tears and told me that she knew that things could get better. I am so thankful that Heavenly Father allowed me to be in her path.

On Wednesday we were able to do a service project again! We went to the same place and this time passed out Christmas Dinner to those in need. It was so special to see some of the same families again and ask them how their holidays were doing. It was such a great moment also to share #THEGIFT with them. So many of them are struggling to have hope but they do. 

On Saturday, we were so uplifted by the Christmas Devotional. Thank you so much President and Sister Weidman for putting that together. I felt so uplifted it was exactly what I needed to overcome the disappointment I sometimes feel when people reject us. I know though that one day they will. We ended up using the same Christmas program that night at our Ward Christmas party as the people who were going to come didn't make it. So the ward didn't have anyone that could do it. Luckily they asked us missionaries to do it. 

On Sunday we went to the temple with the Flores family. It was so great to have Gus and Jocelyn go. They have wanted to be baptized for awhile now. We are working with their family to help them get prepared.

I am so GRATEFUL to be a missionary again this Christmas. I couldn't ask for a better way to celebrate the Birth of Christ.

Thank you so much for everything you do and MERRY CHRISTMAS.

Sister Weller

Also, here is part of a letter from one of my old companions who just went home last transfer. She shared this with me...

"As many of you know this past week I had the opportunity to come back to LA and visit the mission! It was the BEST :) I had the opportunity to do baptisms for the dead with a recent convert and just see a lot of people that I love, including many of you! And it was so clear when I came back to visit that the missionaries (aka YOU) are so loved!! You make more of a difference than you think you do :) In fact, you are impacting THOUSANDS of people, whether you realize it or not.  Think of those 20 people you talk to every day and how that adds up, think of those members of your ward who love you, think of the investigators you are teaching and helping to change their lives!! You are truly doing the Lord's work, and you are His hands! "And the Lord said unto them also: Go forth among the Lamanites, thy brethren, and establish my word; yet ye shall be patient in long-suffering and afflictions, that ye may show forth good examples unto them in me, and I will make an instrument of thee in my hands unto the salvation of many souls" (Alma 17:11). 

Basically, you are amazing. The Lord trusts each of you so much to be out in LA serving Him, and EVERYTHING you do makes a difference.  I love you so much and I hope you have a fantastic week! And I hope you have the best Christmas ever :)"

She is such an amazing person!