Hermana in Houston: Week 52: Feliz Navidad!

December 29, 2014

This week I realized I decided to serve a mission two years ago, and that my farewell was a year ago... how did that happen?

First Christmas away from home! So not Christmas, but still so fun. haha

Christmas Eve we helped the A family move and then we watched fireworks with Carol and Francisco. Then we had dinner #1 with the Melendez family {her food is to die for}. Then we had dinner #2 with the Rosales. They got us all gag gifts- mine being an old phone of theirs in case my companion loses ours again.

Then we went caroling with the other missionaries {we sounded pretty good, if I do say so myself}.

Christmas morning we opened our presents, made muffins, and curled up on the couch to watch the Testament. Then we caroled and delivered cookies to the bishopric. Then we had dinner with Betty {pasole y tamales, a tradition!} and got to SKYPE. Ahh! It was so comforting to see your faces and hear your voices! Best present I could have received!

Then it was Hermana Provost's birthday so the Barreras took us to Olive Garden. It was so nice to see them again! Best family ever!

CHRISTMAS MIRACLE #1: We finally saw E--- after a month of him being MIA!! He and I both almost cried and he tried to hug me. hahah

CHRISTMAS MIRACLE #2: We finally met R---! WOW. She is darling and I love her so much already! She is the epitome of prepared- cried during the entire lesson! Her closing prayer was the sweetest thing I've ever heard.

CHRISTMAS MIRACLE #3: There is a man that we wave to every morning as he is on his way to work. I've been able to talk to him a couple times in the mornings {should've seen his face when I spoke Spanish}. On Christmas day we were walking back from our car and ran into him. We were able to talk to him and he is SO PREPARED.

I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY <3

Funnies of the Week:

I have bed bugs to go along with my cockroaches, Merry Christmas to me. Turns out when Hermana Miller got them weeks ago we were supposed to have an EXTENSIVE fumigation and wash every possible article of fabric in our entire apartment... good thing NO ONE said a word! The office called and said, "Brace yourself for a pretty miserable process." Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeat.

When we were helping the A--- family move their little boys were throwing NINJA STARS... with frightening accuracy. and Brother A kept distracting us and trying to show us how to disarm a shooter and choke an Elder with his own tie {have the feeling it will be come in handy at the next district meeting}.

Hermano Melendez told me a story:

"There were two elders walking down the street when a guy across the street shoots one of them. The elder falls to the ground from the impact but gets back up. The assailant asked him how he survived and the elder replied that he always keeps his Book of Mormon close to his heart and that "nothing gets passed 2 Nephi."

Hermana McOmber