Site Sisters—A.K.A The Neffites

March 13, 2018

What a week of discoveries! Transfers have come around one last time and I'm training! I have been released as a Visitors' Center Trainer and will be welcoming in a brand new missionary to the Macedon area! Very exciting times indeed are ahead of us, and for the area. Today has been filled with packing (I'm moving back to the New White House, across the street from the Old White House, and will be living with Sister Dickey who is also training!) We'll pick up our trainees tomorrow and then we'll find out who gets to be the lucky sister paired with me :)

It's been a transfer, that's for sure. I've had many fond memories of being a Visitors' Center Trainer and the people I've been able to interact with and serve. Amidst all the schedule making and meetings and new site director craziness, it's been an incredible privilege to serve the sisters in this capacity. I've loved every minute. And I’ve also loved Sister Hallows. Her baking and stories will always be remembered.
So lots is happening. In terms of the week things are still going well! We are still working with the Castellanos and the Novicks, and Tim and Ashley, and all are doing well, each progressing in their own ways! We had a very special site meeting this past week at the Grandin building in preparation for March 26th (the anniversary of the publication of the Book of Mormon) where we walked through and basically took a tour from everyone. Different sisters were assigned different spots at the sites and were asked to tell what they told there. Hearing everyone's testimonies of the special events that took place here was very special, and I was again struck with gratitude for the ability to serve here.

The Neffs, being the founders of Neff beanies, later gave out Neff beanies, which all of the sisters now own. What a site we are (pictures featured below).

So there are still six weeks of journeying that await and I couldn't be more excited! I love you all!!

Hermana Abreu 

1. The sisters with Elder Neff

2. In the stairwell with everyone (we thought there’d be better lighting) 

3. All the sisters and senior couples 

New Sisters and Lots of Spanish

 March 7, 2018

Hello everyone! Many apologies for the late Pday! This past month we have been low on sisters at the sites since it’s been so slow, and so we’ve only assigned them at the Hill Cumorah, but since it’s switched over to March this week we’ve needed to schedule them back at the Smith Farm, but since it’s the last week of the transfer, don’t have the new sisters needed to supply those shifts. So we’ve all been working double and we last minute switched our Pday so we could make it work. It somehow always works out in the end. But again, many apologies for the last notice!

This week has been great! We continue to see the Novicks and Damian is coming to know it’s true more and more. He’s never been on date for baptism before, but this week we extended an official date, which he accepted! It was the most intense thing ever. But oh so wonderful! 

Also, the Castellanos came to church again! Also, plot twist! They’re not all Castellanos, and they’re not all from El Salvador, one is from Guatemala. Anyway, the more the merrier! We did the translating for them again, this time being fast and testimony meeting. It’s a rather intense thing, but I love it so much. We’re talking about possibly getting a Spanish Gospel principles class set up. Many thing are ahead! 

Sister Braunberger and I have also spent a good amount of time in meetings preparing for the new sisters coming. There is a lot in the works, and lots of trainings to come, which we’re excited for. We’re just excited for them to arrive!

Things continue to move along well here, I love you all!

Hermana Abreu

1. The temple in the distance

2. For exercise one morning we ran along the rock wall by the temple which the Smiths built 

3. Sister Hallows bike riding last Pday 

3. We send the Castellanos videos and they’ve started to send us some back, one of them being a clip from a Bible Site in Spanish that completely was taken from the Bible videos on LDS.org. It made us chuckle.

 

The Return of Elder Bennett

 Feb. 26, 2018

What a week of miracles! Those who’ve been reading these emails may have remembered a few months ago back in October emailing about a mission tour with Elder Bennett. In it our mission was rebuked, but in the process, spiritually strengthened and we’ve come out better for it. I’ve seen so much progress in the mission and in the individual missionaries these last few months since Elder Bennett came, and then the impossible happened. He returned! Members of the seventy are normally very busy and so coming back to a mission just doesn’t happen, but it did! 

In preparation we were asked to study the Sons of Mosiah like we never had before and boy, did we study them. After coming prepared and ready we gave an account to Elder Bennett about what had changed. What a special experience, to see real repentance in the lives of all of the missionaries. But in his return he also taught us so much more. The Sons of Mosiah were consecrated missionaries, and not just missionaries, consecrated people. They gave everything to the Lord because they loved the Lord. That’s the important part and where everything stems from. If we love God, everything else falls into place. 

So we went out and worked! Macedon is doing great and we’ve seen many miracles (including having the cops called on us again, this time the cop accepted a Book of Mormon). But if anything I’ve noticed after Elder Bennett’s Return our work ethic hasn’t changed, but my heart has. I feel more for those we work with and their situations. I love it here, and I love these people. 

I love you all very much as well and am always praying for you!

Sincerely, 

Hermana Abreu

1. The other day we were carrying in groceries and Sister Hallows leaned over our van Lucy and looks like a model for our car, so we took a picture. 

2. Skyping district Meeting. Being split Visitors Center Trainer, Sister Braunberger and I were on exchanges at the Hill Cumorah with Sister Moberly while Sister Hallows was with Sister Dickey. Very fun times.

3. It was super warm the other day so we took out the bikes!

 

Mission Goal Accomplished

 (Feb. 13, 2018)

Another week gone by! You would think now that I'm the one making the schedule I would be better about letting everyone know when my next pday is, but alas, it has been an eternal struggle of a Visitors Center mission. So I'm sorry this is coming a day later than usual!

We're still trying to get the hang of the split Visitors Center Trainer thing, but it will work out, I'm sure. Evenings in the area though are always guaranteed, so we've spent the past few days knocking in the dark! We even got the police called on us! We pulled up to house and parked on the other side of the road, but hadn't finished evaluating a lesson we'd just had. When we finished that up we got, knocked on the door, and testified to the man on the other side, then he shook his head and said, "You really shouldn't be lurking outside on these country roads. I've already called the cops." Sister Hallows and I both looked at each other and I said, "Oh...should we come park in your driveway instead?" "No, just sit in your car and wait for them to come." *Closes door* Dang it. But then we testified to the cop! So all in all I figured it was a pretty good night. Mission goal accomplished!

In terms how people are doing, the Castellanos have been out of town lately so we haven't been able to see them. Tim and Ashley are still doing well! The ward put on a Hawaiin Luau which they came to and loved! They are just the sweetest to watch, and may be shy at first, but are the best as soon as they open up. The Novicks are also doing well and continue to gain an understanding of things bit by bit.

We are also working with the boyfriend of a less active named Mike. He lived in the same household as Brother Tilly who I may have mentioned a few letters back as being the man who brought a goldfish back to life after his baptism. Mike is the one who Sister Murdock and I helped quit smoking and are keeping his pipe until his baptism. His baptism is coming up pretty soon, though we've found out he's been vaping, and so we're helping him overcome that. Addiction is a very hard thing, is all I can say, but the Savior is vital in the work of recovery.

All in all it's been a good week! The Neffs are doing great and the work moves forward! I really do love you all and hope you have a great Valentine's Day!!

Hermana Abreu

1. Sister Hallows and I visiting the Erie Canal this past Pday
2. I was freezing
3. The Lock is also freezing 

Temples and Cross Creek Bible Study!

Hello!! (Feb. 5, 2018)

Ok, so what a week. It's been pretty hectic, but nonetheless exhilarating! We had Mission Leadership Council this past week and a few other meetings, and so it's just been moving from place to place basically. It's been so much fun though, I've loved every minute. The Neffs are slowly getting more of the hang of things, and we're working now a lot more on how to schedule sisters to be online more, but still have enough area time. And despite it being slow

I'm not sure I've mentioned before about Cross Creek Bible Study. Cross Creek is a huge Christian church in Wayne County all us missionaries are very familiar with. Many people who've been members have closed doors on us. A few months ago Sister Packard and Sister Murdock were here in Macedon tracting when they knocked on a door and just so happened to stumble upon a Bible study happening for Cross Creek girls all in their 20's. They invited them in and asked if they would like to be a part of their Bible Study. So they did, and kept going since. As they talked with President Evans and Elder Bradford, they counseled that it was a good thing to soften the hearts of some of the people here in Palmyra to their view of Mormons. So when I came in we kept attending! It's been an incredible experience to get to know them, and helped me more fully understand that there are good Christian people out there who truly want to share the word of God.

Another miracle of the week! I may have mentioned the Novick family before. Damian and Dmitri are the sons of Wendy. We've been having lessons at the Hill Cumorah and this week we introduced Sister Hallows to them! They enjoyed her, and man, it was powerful to hear Sister Hallows (who is a convert) share her conversion story to them. She's an on fire missionary!!

Miracle of miracles was able to happen this week! Fernando came to the temple for the first time!! Because I'm here in Palmyra and the temple is just across the street from where we live President allowed us to go during our dinner hour. It was such a special experience, and very sweet to watch Fernando perform that work for others. Before we started the baptisms one of the temple workers addressed us and more specifically, addressed Fernando, and told him "in the house of the Lord, all of His promises are fulfilled." And in that moment I knew all the promises the Lord had given me were fulfilled.

I love you all very much! I hope you have a great week!

1. Sister Hallows and I
2. Fernando going to the temple
3. A missionary we gave a tour to one of our last days at the Smith Farm (we no longer assign sisters to the Smith Farm during February because it’s not busy enough, so lately we’ve been having some Smith Farm withdrawals)

The Return of the Translation Headsets! (Jan. 29, 2018)

Hello everyone! (Jan. 29, 2018)

So big news!! I'm not being transferred!! But many other people are!! With Sister Murdock leaving I of course have a new companion whose name is Sister Hallows! If any of you recall, she was being trained by Sister Packard in Newark last year and I lived with her. She is one of the sweetest and funniest sister ever and so I'm pumped to be her companion. However, she will not be VCT. President is switching things up, and we will now be having split VCT's. The other VCT will be in Farmington, the area right beside ours, and her name is Sister Braunberger. It will be interesting figuring how it will all work out, but I'm excited nonetheless!

This week was filled with lots of goodbyes for Sister Murdock. She had been here nine months, and so saying goodbye was all pretty hard, but good. Change is good, and I've especially seen that in the people we've taught recently. Tim and Ashley are doing well! Just a funny side note: we were reading the Book of Mormon with them and at one point Tim reads out Alma as "A llama." It's just the sweetest thing to watch people adapt and try so hard. They love the Book of Mormon, and praying together. They are just the best!

The El Salvadorians came to church!! We brought out the good old headsets and translated for them. Oh, I love speaking Spanish!! It is seriously such a blessing to teach them, even if not in a Spanish area. And they loved church!! We'll be seeing them again very soon :)

Also, last week I realized I hadn't finished my sentence about the Neffs. To finish what I was going to say, "Planning site meeting with them is like catching popcorn out an overflowing popcorn maker." They just have so many good ideas, just thrown out all at once. So we do a lot of the organizing, but it works :)

Things continue to go well here in the Cradle of the Restoration! Have a great rest of the week!!

1. A picture Tim sent us of him and his daughter Gaby
2. The El Salvadorians at church!!
3. Near the Erie Canal
4. Love Palmyra
5. Us with the Neffs outside the Grandin

It’s Raining, Not Snowing!!

Hello everyone! (Jan. 22, 2018)

What a week. Since the Bradfords have left the Neffs have arrived, and what a difference. For anyone who doesn't know, Elder Neff is the owner of Neff beanies. Very fancy, very accredited. He is also very charismatic and knows exactly what to say to work a crowd. Planning site meeting with them is like

In other news, Tim and Ashley have still been doing well. They consistently come to church and are praying together as a couple. Miracle of the week! We found a family of three cousins from El Salvador. We had a powerful first lesson with them and they are excited to learn about what's found in the Book of Mormon and how it can help them. Another miracle of the week! We are teaching a family named the Novicks, who I may have mentioned before. They fight with each other a lot, but have a desire to have a changed life. We retaught the Plan of Salvation to Damian, the older brother of the family, and you could slowly start to see things click in his eyes. We invited him to baptism and slowly he slowly committed, sputtering out, "yes..." AAAAHHH!!

Today we had a lesson with a man named George Rimel and the Evans family. George Rimel is a man with a seven year old daughter named Feliciti who is wanting to start his own church because he believes Christ's true church has been lost from the earth. No fear George Rimel because Christ's true church has already been restored!! Sister Evans came out with us the other day on a day we were seeing George and loved him and asked President Evans to come out as well. Oh MAN. It was the most intense thing ever. George is of the belief that you are saved when you accept Jesus Christ in your heart, and there isn't a need to be baptized, but we read 2 Nephi 31 with him and boldly taught about the authority that's been restored and the need for baptism. Hearts were POUNDING. We were testifying, Sister Evans with all her sweetness, was testifying, President, in all his wisdom, was testifying. THE INTENSITY WAS TOO MUCH TO HANDLE. He walked away with the agreement that he would read the Book of Mormon, and if he knew it were true he would be baptized. CRAZINESS.

Anyway, on to less intense themes. The snow from this past snow fall is slowly starting to melt and as we've enjoyed the "warmth" these past few days I have just been extremely grateful for the small little tender mercies the Lord has provided. I know they are abundant. This week be on the lookout for them, and the Lord will direct you to them.

I love you all!!

1. Sister Evans coming out with us
2. Fernando came to visit me at the sites!!! It was very sweet of him!
3. Elder Rowley, one of the senior elders, gave us a pop tart
4. The video that happened when we wanted to take a second picture 😂