Merry Christmas!!

Hola amigos!!!! I hope you all had a merry Christmas! 

This week was super amazing. I was reminded why I am here. One of my old investigators in Villa Graciela got baptized her name is Ayleen and she is a really strong convert. She was always helping our investigators at church even though she was an investigator herself. It was amazing because her aunt gave her testimony at the baptism and said thank you to all the missionaries because we sacrificed being with our families on Christmas so that her family could be eternal.

Also another miracle that happened a while ago was a man named Wilmer, we walked by him and talked to him. He told us he wanted the best for his family and to come back. I was sick so we couldnt go back, but we have been thinking a lot about him. We went back and he wasnt there and we cant reach his phone or anything. So the other day we were walking by his house and saw his car. We were knocking on the door and this lady drove up and said hermanas! And she let us in her house its an apartment building. She is less active and we are going to start teaching her husband, but they didnt have a lot of time. So she said go knock on Wilmers door he lives on the top floor. So we didnt, but he wasnt there. So, we were about to leave but all I could think of was FOURTH FLOOR LAST DOOR so we knocked on all the doors in the building, which wasnt a lot. And no one was interested. We knocked on one last door and this lady named Janet opened, she looked at us and said you guys shouldnt be knocking in here this is a private apartment and she asked who let us in and we told her we were teaching about Jesus Christ looking for Wilmer and she was like yeah he doesnt live with me or something. She was a little mad, so we decided to leave. My companion said here is a card wth our phone number we do all types of service like washing clothes, dishes, anything you need. She took the card and said really? Why do you guys do that?

And we explained we are representives of Christ, we are always trying to follow his example. Then she said you guys are from that church she lives right behind the church and we were like yeah yeah. And she started asking a ton of questions about the church and then she told us to come back on Thursday. It was a little weird and we left. 

Then on Sunday no one had showed up to church and I was a little disappointed, I thought a lot of people were going to go but no one had showed up. Then I felt the phone ringing it was an unknown number, but I answered and it was Janet she said I am outside can you come pick me up? IT was a miraaccllee.. She brought her 8 year old son and after sacrament he said when can I get baptized

Seriously soooo cool. I love being a missionary and having the opportunity to be a literal representative of Christ. 

--Hermana Lopez 

My district!!

My pensionista

It is all about love

Helloooo!!!  

This week was super good! I am learning a lot about love. The mission is all about love. Loving Christ, loving the people, loving the country, loving your companion, and loving yourself. I don't think I could magnify my calling without love. 

This morning for my personal study I read some of the recent conference talks from priesthood session. Elder Holland talked about home visiting teachers and about love. I thought about the way the church is organized and its all so we can take care of one another!!!

Also I read the talk about Alma and Amulek. I love Alma and Amulek because they were incredible companions. But I love how Elder Uchtdorf talked about finding Amuleks. I thought a lot a lot a lot about who I was before the mission. I was Amulek and I can't believe that Heavenly Father, my church leaders, friends, family saw something in me. I am just so grateful to be serving the Lord, it is a privelege.  

My companion and I have been pushing out faith beyond the limit. We are teaching an investigator who is sick with an illnes that paralyzed his body. He is recovering very slowly and he doesnt have much faith anymore. So we read Ether 12 with him and we are trying to get him to push his faith to the limit by acting. Hermana Beltran and I want to meet a family of four that want to be sealed in the temple. In every prayer we said we asked for that family, but we didnt just ask we acted. We contacted every single person that looked like the had a family and right now we have six potential families of 4. Faith is real, but we have to act! 

Washing clothes

Merry Christmas I love you all! Yesterday for Christmas some of the missionaries in our zone stood outside of a fair and gave away free Liahonas and phamplets of the church. People will take anything when its free. 

--

Hermana Lopez 

My new area Alalay

Hey!! Transfers were this week and I love my new area. It was extremely hard to leave Villa Graciela, but someone I was teaching told me I was needed elsewhere and I know that is true. I am glad I left Villa Graciela progressing and now I am in Alalay. It is a lot a lot bigger and everything looks the same again. 

But this morning I was reading in Ether 12 and reading all the examples of faith and how we will never see miracles without a trial of faith first. Seriously so true!! I am putting all my faith into this area and I know there will be tons of miracles. 

Also, we had a christmas fireside with President Hansen this week and Hermana Hansen said she felt extremely privellaged to be serving as a missionary during Christmas and then she said why me? I think I am starting to feel the same way. Christmas is about our savior Jesus Christ and there is no place I would rather be than serving my savior in Boliva so other people can have eternal happiness. I invite you guys to find ways you can truly serve your Savior Jesus Christ before Christmas.

Love you all 

Hermana Lopez-- 

Saying good bye to Sister Braathen

Saying good bye to Sister Gonzalez

In my new area Alalay!!

Getting ready fro the Christmas talent show

With President and Sister Hansen at the Christmas fireside 

My new companion Sister Beltran from Colombia.

Transfers ... leaving Villa Graciela

Nayra and Armando were baptized this week!!! It was so beautiful because the members really baptized them. We received the reference from two members in the ward who are amazing missionaries. And Armando is going to be an amazing amazing leader in the church.

This week was the last week of the transfer which is always the hardest week. I felt super tired and all of our appointments fell through. But we prayed constantly in our hearts and as companions and we prayed for miracles. And we found a family that is less active, but each son has a wife that wants to be baptized and they all came to church. It was amazing and the classes were so full. Yes!! on Sunday we had 9 people at church even though it was a day where there is no transportation "dia del peaton"  seriously it is awesome!!!!  Heavenly Father provides when we are at our limit and we give it our all because that is when we learn to trust Him. I am not patient at all but I need these trials to grow and I know Heavenly Father loves me and wants me to grow, too.

Christmas is soon! I love the new videos the church is coming out with and the message that we must light the world like Christ! Seriously this month I have a goal to talk to mostly families about the gospel because it blesses families more than anything else. 

I found out I am leaving my area which is extremely disappointing because the members here are like my family. But I know The Lord needs me elsewhere now and I will work where I am called. I am learning to trust in Him more and more each day. 

Love you all!

-- 

Hermana Lopez 

Last night the ward set up the Christmas tree