The Best of Times and the Worst of Times

Oh this week. THIS WEEK. So as I've been raving about the past few weeks, the Face to Face finally happened, and it was AH-mazing. Sad to say I haven't actually seen the entire Face to Face yet, my experience laid with the night and morning before. The Palmyra stake had a secret-not-so-secret fireside with President Eyring and Holland. Of course every missionary's first thought is what investigators to bring. We of course invited Aaron and Christina. Aaron was ecstatic to go, Christina not so much, but she agreed to go if Aaron went. As the week went on though it looked like Aaron wouldn't be able to make it, and they told us they wouldn't be coming. We tried hiding our disappointment. So there I sat at the fireside greeting other missionaries and people, and then lingers into the doorway none other than 6'7 Aaron Burns! I cannot explain what a surprise and how happy I
was to see them, and I know they needed to hear those very powerful words of the Apostles.

The fireside itself was fantastic, though I sat pretty far back. What was cool was the next morning. I've been keeping this secret for a few weeks, but now that it's happened I can tell anyone. We had a mission wide meeting with Elder Holland and WOW. Nothing can describe that experience. I was asked to direct the music so I sat in the first row of the first pew. We each were able to shake hands with him and tell him our names and where we were from. Later Elder Holland told us as he shook each of our hands he was interviewing us with his eyes. It felt like he was looking into our souls. Here are some pictures after the Face to Face of some of the sisters and I sitting where the Apostles sat!

For the actual Face to Face we had a shift at the Grandin. We set it up with the Senior couples laptop and watched it all ghetto like. It was the first time we were hoping for tours not to come in, but lo and behold, in comes a tour! But man, how grateful I am they did. It turned out to be a member I knew back in Canandaigua named Sister Johnson. The first day of the mission I had to use the bathroom and we were by her house, so she was the first member I ever met. I love her so much! Sadly her husband just died and so her family was over for his funeral. It was such an inspired tour and it was such an honor for me to give it. Also a girl came in that said she knew Isa in California, so I got a

picture with her!

The girl from California who knew Isa!!!

 

*WARNING: The following passages discuss throwing up. I will only discuss them because they are hilarious. Do not proceed if you have a weak stomach. In other news I got the stomach bug everyone's been getting. It was my first full day with Sister Ewell and her previous companion had just been sick so she was feeling slightly cooped up. We worked out a plan for her to be able to go

out in the day with the other sisters while I stayed at the Hill. In the visitors center of the Hill Cumorah there's a small room near the back with all the kiosks that has a tv with lots of church movies and a small couch, so I brought my blanket and stayed in my pj's and went to the Hill. It was awful. But as I was sitting there harfing my guts into a plastic bag, I realized I was harfing my guts into a plastic bag at the Hill Cumorah. Not many people can say that. Anywhoo, it was much better than the last time I was sick because sweet Sister Nielsen, the senior sister on site, acted as a proxy mother. She supplied me with Gatorade, and check-ups, and lots of love, which is hard to come by when you're sick on a mission. Elder Nielsen gave me a blessing, funny story about that. So he needed a second man with Priesthood and there just so happened to be a man there named Nik Day on business for the Face to Face. Now, who is Nik Day you might ask? I had no idea. You may have no idea, and that is ok. But he brings him in to my dark damp cave where I'm wasting away. I weakly wave at him, then he proceeds to anoint me and Elder Nielsen goes on with the blessing. The entire time I'm trying not to throw up, then when they leave I proceed to throw up. I was feeling better at least to tell the sisters and they ask me, "Do you know who anointed you?" I had no idea. They were like, "That's Nik Day, famous LDS singer Nik Day. Nik Day who sang the 2015 youth theme Embark Nik Day. NIK DAY." And I almost threw up on him. Ah well. Things have been good with Sister Ewell! She's been out eleven months. I know she has lots to teach me about being a missionary, especially about member missionary work. She loves cats and when tracting we found a family with tons of kittens and she didn't hesitate to pick them all up! Here are some pictures of her and I getting ice cream today!

 

I am very excited to see where things are going to go! Tonight we have a lesson with a family we haven't been able to meet with because of the same sickness. Pray for their progression and everyone's progression! I know this gospel brings so much joy, and our purpose really as missionaries is to share with others what has given us so much joy. Pray for the people here in New York, and that we will be able to find those who want that same joy! I love you all! Have a fabulous week!

Hermana Abreu