As Always, Perseverance Paid Off

Family.
I'm so happy I got to see you on Friday! I might be coming home in 5 weeks, but it was still so fun to get to talk to you from the mission field one last time. I hope all your Christmases were good. Christmas in the mission is super fun, but really stressful as far as the work goes. The goals remain the same even though we had 3 half-days of work. Fun fact for ya: "home for Christmas" doesn't exist in Mexico. It's vacation time, and everyone leaves! I've never seen the streets so deserted! That, plus the many investigators and recent converts and members who randomly left made for a few frustrating days. But, as always, perseverance paid off and we were shown some miracles. After a fairly disappointing sacrament meeting showing, we left to look for the people who didn't come to see if they could make it to the 12 o clock ward. We didn't have any luck until we were walking away from Maria Fernanda's house and we heard a quiet voice say "do you have a pamphlet?" We turned around and this little old lady was standing about 10 steps behind us. .She repeated herself and of course we sprung into action introducing ourselves and inviting her to the 12 o clock church. She was like, idk I have to wait for my nephew slash I' a little busy and we're like HE CAN COME TOO and in that moment I flagged down a taxi, we waited for her 50-year-old nephew, and the four of us went to the Elder's ward (where the Elders made us sing a spur-of-the-moment musical number in Sacrament meeting). Anyway, the lady's name is Carmen and her nephew is Jesus and she asked us for a Book of Mormon after the meeting. I don't know if I mentioned that this is pretty much the same thing that happened with Reina last week? Anyway, despite the relatively slow week we actually do have a great investigator pool going! I don't know if I talked about Jazmin, but she came to church for the first time yesterday and loved it and is getting baptized the 24th, aka a week before I finish my mission... can't remember if I talked about Rosaura either, but she's a mom of 3 and is awesome and agreed to get baptized and her daughter Dulce is also interested. Reina and her daughter Danaris are golden but Reina's sister-in-law who lived with them randomly died on Saturday and they've obviously been unavailable since then. Maria Fernanda is supposed to get baptized this Sunday, but her aunt is stil not allowing it. But Marfer is so cute and was telling us all about how she prayed and got her answer about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon... did I already tell you about that too? Anywho, she prayed and book fell open to a scripture that really touched her heart. That's the gist of it :) Please please pray that the heart of her aunt Blanca will be softened so her niece can get baptized on the 3rd!
We had a fun zone conference this week, and then a zone activity. The zone activity was way funny because the zone leaders didn't go to get the food early enough and we ended up not eating, and one of the hermana's locked an elder's shoe in the sacrament closet so trying to open that took us about 2 hours. But it was fun and I taught the Latinas how to play 4 Square, and it was funny because I started getting all competitive but no one else did... haha but it was one of my favorite Christmases of my life, I can say that truly. Thank you all for your Christmas wishes and for supporting me so much in the last year. Christ lives, He saved us from death. I love you guys.
Beeeeeeg keeeeeees Leeeeeeetle keeeeees
Hermana LeSueur

Emma's companion, Sis Dagua, from Columbia

What can I give Him? I will give Him my Heart

Hey sweet spirits!
Another year, another FELIZ NAVIDAD! I honestly feel like it's such a blessing to have had a Christmas at the beginning of my mission and at the end. I feel like last year Jesus came in and said "Okay, you have a whole year to walk in my shoes. Let's see what you can learn." And now He's back to check in, haha. I can truly say that - I HOPE that - Christmas will never be the same for me again. Since I was little, I've loved Christmas more than anything in the world. I would put black paper on my windows to make it dark in my room and plug in Christmas lights and listen to Christmas music - when it was nowhere near Christmastime! I am the strict tradition-follower, and I would pretty much lose it if we didn't do one little tiny family Christmas tradition one year. I love the fact that this Christmas and the last, Christmas have been so very very different but I've loved them so much. There's no snow, temple square, family parties... rather it's been a time to truly, really reflect on Christ. I've been thinking a lot about the line of the song "What can I give him? I will give my heart." I LOVE that so much more these days, because as I've explained time and time again, one great thing I've learned in my mission is what a Christ-centered life is actually, what it ACTUALLY feels like to give Him your heart. It means He affects everything you do, every decision you make. I won't go into all the details. But I do know that this Christmas the love I feel for Him is greater, I feel as if I know Him a lot more personally, and I'm so grateful for the year I've had to walk in His shoes. Thanks to all of you that have sent me sweet Christmas notes, and special shout-out to MOMMA LESUEUR for the awesome package! I've been giving things away, as you requested, and it's been super super fun. Thanks momma, thanks dadda, thank you all. I love you so, so much.
It was a good week, we had some great miracles as far as finding new people - a few examples, turns out Ulysses' son, Irvin, is super great and is going to get baptized. We had a lady contact us in the street after church and she came to the next service, that was cool. Lots of other stuff like that but my favorite part of the week has been watching the Familia de Leon grow in the church. With only a week as members, they are already so integrated and I'm pretty positive they'll be getting callings super soon. 9-year-old Armando is already talking about his mission, and literally that's his only motivation to do his homework right now haha...we told him you have to finish high school to go on your mission!
My companion is really cute, Hermana Dagua from Colombia, she's finishing her mission with me here. She's a convert of 4 years and the only member in her family, so brave and so cool that she's here and has had such an awesome mission. She's a great example and I'm learning a ton from her. We work well together and we're both content to be finishing out these last 6 weeks here in Claveria 2. Sadly, a lot of the people I've baptized here are out of town for the holidays right now, but in January we're going to focus on getting them all super integrated and good to go. 1 month and a half left. Can hardly believe it, it is so super surreal. But it has to happen sometime, doesn't it? I love you all, I love this church and the fact that here we have the ability to know and do the will of the Lord. Merry Christmas, from Mexico City!
Beeeeeeg keeeeees, leeeeeetle keeeeees
Hermana LeSueur

The Spirit of God like a Fire is Burning

Today's letter: Short and sweet, just like Emma!!
She is sprinting to the finish line, no time to waste

Familia de Leon Baptism- don't you just love all their faces?!

hey.
TO START:
The best Christmas present of my whole entire life: the Familia de Leon got baptized on Saturday, confirmed right after, got their temple recommends after that, and entered the temple re-dedication on Sunday! They were so very very happy. One thing I've been loving lately: the song The Spirit of God like a Fire is Burning. It's been the favorite of the Familia de Leon since the beginning - we sang it at almost every lesson, at their baptism, and then at the end of the dedication as always. Such a cool moment. They're more pumped than ever to go through the temple in a year.
ALSO:
The LeSwericksons are no mo. I am staying in Claveria to finish my misión as sister training leader with Hermana Dagua from Colombia, super excited, but super sad that my sweet cousin is going to Lerma (by Toluca). We had an awesome last week, though, and I'm really happy I get to finish here. There's still a lot to do!
I feel like I have no time today, sorry, but just know I love you all so much and I'm so excited that Christmas is just around the corner! Share the new Christmas video all you can, I'll be doing it all day every day over here! I know the Church is true, I love It with all my heart.
I love you guys!
Beeeeeg Keeeeees Leeeeeetle Keeeeeeees
Hermana LeSueur

Without Hesitation

Hey ooootaw heeeeey!


As always, it's been a week of pure living, laughing, loving, and trying to give a mano to my fellow sistas of Zion. It's the most juanderful time of the yearcito: bird poop / wet paint is falling, the street mechanics are singing their Julion Alvarez "carols" just a little bit louder, and the spirit of giving (your nearest white/blonde girl an awkward shout-out slash whistle in the street) is in the air. It's Christmas time in Mehi Co(TM), and most of the time I look out my window and sing "do they know it's Christmas time at all?" But don't you worry your pretty little minds, the ErickSwerve apartment is as kozy Christmas as can be, the Jen/Trace decor is going strong, and our continuous singing of the Mariah Carey version of O Holy Night is slowly preparing us for a LeSwerickson family talent show in December 2016. And now the news you've all been waiting for - we DO get to go to the ward Christmas dinner tomorrow since we're bring my fave family of investigators: Joel, Norma, and Armando (celebrity couple Christmas-themed nickname: Noel). We went to the temple to see the temple square-esque lights there on Saturday because President Whitewonderland gave us the green light: we went with our mission leader and investigators and we didn't stay long. But it was the BEeeeesT. If you haven't watched the 2 new Christmas vids of the choich, stop reading this email STAT and go watch. We have new "Ha Nacido Un Salvador" cards and they're already working miracles. A lot happened this week, but my favorite miracle was one of those "last door of the night" stories. On Sunday we had finished working and were just getting home, literally outside the door, when I realized we needed 2 more street contacts. We had just a few minutes left, of course we want to just say "we'll do 2 more tomorrow and all will be okay" but we left to go find two more people. We half-heartedly went to go look for someone to contact, found a few old ladies, decided to walk down a sketchier street near our house and honestly it's not a great idea to contact the men, especially at night, but there was a guy walking towards us and my companion is like "are you going to contact him?" and I'm like, without hesitation, "yes." I did, he accepted an appointment, we have been back with him twice now and he's one of the most golden investigators I've ever had. He accepted a baptismal date (Jan 3) in about two seconds and always says with tears in his eyes that he just feels such a huge change in his life since we met him a few days ago, that he can't stop thinking about the things we've taught him - he basically invited HIMSELF to baptism. I can't even explain it, but just to show you how incredible his situation is, he lives with his brother, they both went to church a long time ago, and when we walked into their house there were two pictures from the Restoration pamphlet plastered onto a board hung up on their wall. We're like "are you members?" and they're like, no a long time ago the missionaries gave us this pamphlet and we loved it and so we cut out the pictures and have had them hung up here. Their names are Ulysses (the one in the street) and his brother Victor. I always feel the Spirit so strong in lessons with them, it's so cool how prepared Ulysses is. He's so sensitive to the Spirit. Anywho, the baptism of Familia de Leon is Saturday at 12, we're so excited and are handing out invitations to their baptism currently. It'll be so awesome. Joel says he keeps dreaming about the church, he wants to be baptized the soonest possible so they can go to church as official members. They're planning another family trip to the temple on Saturday. I've seen such a great change in this family in the last 5 weeks. They're so much kinder and gentler and I now feel the Spirit walking into their house. Please pray that all goes well!
I know that Jesus Christ came with the intention of saving me. If I accept Him, if I do all in my power, I will be saved - that is, live with Him and God forever. I know it. I love this season. I love you all. And I like you a loooooot.
Beeeeg keeeees leeeetle keeeees
Hermana LeSueur

16 month Ding-Dong Celebration

She seriously never doubted

HEY FAMILY HOW ARE YA
So hi. Hoppy Thanksgiving last week! Literally did not do anything out of the ordinary to celebrate Thanksgiving, but we did happen to eat some of the best enchiladas of my mission. PS, enchiladas here are literally just some chicken wrapped in tortillas with salsa poured on top. Super easy. I asked the lady who made them if she could make some turkey juans but she wasn't feelin it. But super happy that you all had such a gr8 Thanksgiving and even though the shrine to me was semi against the first few commandments it did make me grin/giggle. Man I love you guys.
HIGHLIGHTS OF WEEK 37527 IN MEHEEECO:
Joel already considers himself to be a member. He's the biggest macho guy, but told us that he for some reason wanted to cry when he came to church last week. We explained that the Holy Ghost testifies of truth.
Armando, his 9-year-old son, had a little confrontation at school when he told his friends he was going to get baptized. They started attacking him about it, but Armando remembered what we had taught about the Book of Mormon, testified, and basically taught the whole first lesson to all of them. So cool. That kid is so smart, he remembers EVERYTHING. Can't believe we just met this family three weeks ago. We're going to the Visitor's Center at the temple on Saturday with them.
Maria Leonor had a hard week resisting some old habits, but she stayed super strong and got baptized yesterday! I love her so much. She was just so ready to accept the Gospel, she seriously never doubted and I'm happy to see her starting to integrate herself into the Relief Society. We had a really cool violin musical number and some really good talks planned, and everything went super well. Baptisms in this ward are almost always awesome.
We did companion exchanges with Hermana Alvarez and her mission "daughter" this week, Hermana Alvarez goes home in 2 weeks and is going pretty crazy. I got to be with her "daughter" though and it was fun- but it made me miss training a lot.
We had to drop that lady Irma, but her son Jared still came to church and wants to learn more. The problem is, what's stopping him from getting baptized is his Catholic girlfriend who he wants to marry. Sad. We'll keep working on it.
I can't remember if I mentioned Guillermo and Magdalena. Magdalena is super interested in the Book of Mormon and has already had some spiritual experiences with it. They're going to have to get married if they're going to get baptized, though.
Bummer of the week: Maria Fernanda didn't show up. We went by for her, and her cousins were over and she said she couldn't leave. We're going to have to postpone her baptism 'til the 12th, but that's okay. We still have some miracles waiting for us for this Sunday. Just gotta find them.
I started writing my own Living Christ this week. I have to get down something in words to describe how my mission has changed my perception of Him. I was thinking a lot this week about how I've changed. As much as I've changed in some little things and habits, as much as I've learned, the biggest change has been my relationship with Jesus Christ, my understanding of the Gospel and how I can and need to apply it every day of my life. I'm so grateful for the Christmas season that's starting and for the fact that everyone will be thinking about Christ just a bit more. I have absolutely no words to describe how differently I think about the babe in the manger this year. I know I was a missionary last year, but this year is even more different and even more special. I know it is meant to be that I'm here 'til the very very end. I need this Christmas.
I love you guys. So, so, so much. See ya in a bit.
Beeeeeeg keeeeeees leeeeeetle keeeeeees,
Hermana LeSueur

Maria's baptism

Decorating with the same tree that my brothers and I took on our missions

The Atonement gives me hope everyday

Guys.
How are you?
Life in Claveria is still good, the LeSwericksons are still going strong...we're about to the halfway point of this transfer, a little closer to knowing where I'll be slash who I'll be with as I go through my last transfer. The promise that if we work hard to help the other Hermanas in the zones we're in charge of our area will be okay is definitely real. That family I told you about last week, La Familia de Leon, has accepted the 13th of December as their baptismal date and they are so excited. We've been going to all of our lessons with them with different families of members and they've made so many friends in the ward. During relief society, the mom Norma volunteered to bring food to the ward Christmas dinner and she's all pumped. The dad, Joel, has said multiple times that we knocked on their door right in the moment of their lives when they as a family had been talking about finding a church so they could unite themselves as a family. Every doctrinal point we cover coincides with what he has always believed to be truth, but couldn't find it in his other church. The 9 year old son Armando is the cutest and told me as we walked hand-in-hand to the English class on Wednesday that he'd done what we asked him to do: pray to know if Joseph Smith restored Christ's church. He said he felt "yes" in his heart. Plus, as a bonus he said he found 20 pesos right after that, so that just confirmed everything haha. We will be baptizing Maria Leonor on Sunday the 29th, Maria Fernanda on the 16th, and the Familial de Leon on the 13th. Please keep these people in your prayers. They're all so prepared and I have no doubt that they're converting to Christ and it's their time to join the perfect church He's placed here for our earthly progression and as a source of His holy power. We had a few more miracles as well. There is a guy named Fermanado who has a baptismal record in our area book, but he never got confirmed. We'd been looking for him for the last few months and had actually given up on him because we were told he'd moved. Well, he found US last week in the street and was like "hey, I need to get confirmed" and we're like "who are you?" and he's like "Fernando, last name last name".Anywho, the thing is that after a year of being baptized and not getting confirmed you have to get baptized. So we're going to baptize him soon if all goes well! I think I already talked about the 9-year-old daughter of the less active that we randomly found named Mia Abril. We taught her the Gospel this week but we're taking it slow. She's a sensitive soul and her aunt has her going to the catholic church right now. All in all, we're working a lot better with the members these days and I feel like they'ore getting a lot more excited to share the Gospel. We actually planned a ward missionary activity that we had on Thursday where we taught the members how to share a Book of Mormon, start conversations about the gospel with random people, teach the restoration, and how to introduce the gospel to close family members and friends. The ward got way into it and they loved especially how we have them a list of basic question that the book ofMormon answers and where.
We had companion exchanges this week, really fun, and my last official zone conference with president! Whooooooooo can't believe this stuff. Also, definitely forgot thanksgiving haha! No one talks about it here.
It's too hard to even explain, but here goes: I am more grateful than ever this thanksgiving for Jesus Christ. I just can't even start to tell you all how much knowing about how to utilize the atonement gives me hope every day. Every day I realize more imperfections and bad habits and things I need to change, and little by little he is helping me make them better. I know that the awful guilt we have when we sin can be squashed by living the Gospel. I'm so grateful for His love, and I love Him so very much. I love you all more than anything!
Beeeeeeg KEeeeees Leeeeeetle KEeeees
Hermana LeSueur


P.S. Emma was in a small earthquake in Mexico City today, she saw and felt things moving but luckily no one was hurt and nothing damaged that she saw...!

We are in the Truth

Hey guys!
Weeeeeeeeell twas a good week. We found a new family and their names are Joel, Norma, and Armando. They liked church and we have a Hamily Fome Evening (how Sam used to say "Family Home Evening" when he was little) with them tonight with the mission leader! We had the baptismal interview with Maria Leonor and she's ready...it's just that she last-minute had to go to some party in Toluca and we're going to have to push her date back because she didn't come to church yesterday. Way bummer. But, total miracle, that cute 16-year-old we're teaching, Maria Fernanda, showed up alone to church. She loves it, and she'll be baptized with the permission of her aunt (who came to church once with us) on the 6th of December. We had fun doing companion exchanges this week, and my companion went to the area of Roma with one of my "step-daughters" of this mission Hermana Garber! We get to talk to her every night, and also to my MTC companion Hermana Heinz! She's going home after this transfer. Crazy. Oh, also Tania was confirmed and we're having a FHE with her on Tuesday. She's so cute and is opening up to us a lot more.
The situation of Maria Fernanda is so sad. Her parents abandoned her with her aunt, and her aunt gets so angry at every little thing she does. She keeps asking us how she can make it so her aunt loves her and is happy with her. She made friends with some other Young Women at church, and I think a little LDS friend group is just what she needs. She is so sweet, and she loves the church already. We're so excited for her, please pray that everything goes well with her and Maria Leonor and this new family!
I love you all. I had so many confirmations this week that we are in the truth. There is this family of recent converts that we talked to this week and they were saying how they just feel so lucky to have found the complete truth and how it makes them so sad to see so many people who have no idea that the perfect Church of Jesus Christ exists. The two teenagers of the family are leaving on missions soon. So cool. I couldn't help but cry a little bit thinking that my second-to-last transfer has started and I'm going to be leaving this incredible time of my life soon. I love the church. I love my Father. I'm so grateful for all He's given me.
Beeeeg Keeeeees Leeeeetle Keeeeees
Hermana LeSueur