Fireflies in the Grove!

Hello everyone!

Full site life is always providing miracles, and it's been another

wonderful week serving here. I've given a fair amount of tours to

returned missionaries and in one instance there were two missionaries

who had served in the Philipines. With the door open to the log home

they both recited the First Vision in Tagalog, and then I recited it

in Spanish and English. My whole point was this: the Restoration of

the gospel is something that touches people EVERYWHERE, and it will

continue to touch people in even FARTHER stretches of the Earth.

One morning last week at the Smith farm there was a super intense

rainstorm. We live close enough to the Smith farm to walk, but it's a

good little trek on the way over there. Judging from the clouds and

the mist we didn't think it would be awful, but about halfway through

it starts POURING. New York does that sometimes. Our measly umbrellas

were not enough to shield us. and our shoes were soaked, literally

walking in puddles. So this week we have taken lots of tours in the

rain with sturdy shoes and umbrellas!

So if you've noticed, we've served a ton at the Smith farm this past

week (ironically expect for the days when Sister Holmes came to the

sites and dropped off a package for me. I was at the Whitmer. Quick

shoutout for the package, it was very sweet!!) If anyone has ever been

to the Smith farm in the evening time, they probably know about the

legendary fireflies in the grove. I took the last tour of the day, a

single woman who simply wanted a spiritual experience. At the end the

woman mentioned how she hadn't seen the fireflies before, so we walked

back together through the grove. When President Uchtdorf was here he

made a comment about how we are like fireflies, that we "are flashes

of goodness and light" to those we come in contact with. This not only

applies to missionaries, but members, and those with the light of

Christ in their lives.

In the grove, the fireflies are fairly spread out, but they make a

path so even despite the darkness we can make our way out. As I was

walking back I was thinking about that metaphor and what it meant if

we were the fireflies; it would mean that with our collective efforts

we make a path for Heavenly Father's children, to eventually lead and

guide them. We never know how we can be a light for someone else, but

if we are striving to live the gospel continually, our Father in

heaven will NEVER lead us astray. And the light eventually grows

brighter and brighter until the perfect day.

I know this is a shorter group email, but I really have loved every

last minute of my time serving here. I love all of you and hope you

have a great week!

Sincerely,

Hermana Abreu

1. Rainbow after storm at Smith Farm

2. Getting a package from the family dropped off by Sister Holmes

3. Taking fancy pictures with Sister Nielsen's camera again

4. Another fancy picture

5. Fancy picture with Sister Dickey!