12/24/2012 Merry MerryChristmas

happy happy Christ's birth!!!! i apologize for lack of blog updates but as of late things are going fabulously!! Sister Nielson and I are now together.. still in San Pedro ward and loving it! This ward is so so amazing! They take so much good care of us and my companion is a hoot! We are a match made in heaven.. literally.. we have lots of fun together which has helped make this the best Christmas ever!! I love being a missionary at Christmas time! We have seen wonderful miracles and have been able to go caroling lots and sharemormon.org/christmas with everyone.. As of this week we had an amazing experience.. Friday morning we had a service appointment fall through so as we were changing to our back up plan we headed to a woman's apartment that we had talked to a few weeks ago, she didn't answer so we were walking to another building to go and knock and we see this lady sitting up on her porch.. we start a wonderful conversation with her, she knows a few people in the church and we discussed our various Christmas traditions.. we asked if we could come and visit her again and she said no but as she spoke she started crying and she told us that she needed our visit.. she needed our visit more than we would ever know and she we so kind and gracious.. she is going through a lot in her life right now and so we ran upstairs and gave her a hug and our number and the next day dropped off a wrapped Book of Mormon for her with a scripture to read.. it was such a simple moment in time but it was where God needed us to be and I absolutely love those moments the little things! They are so precious.. her story is still unwritten and I will follow up if I am able to be a part of more of it but it was one of my highlights of the week! I have really been thinking a lot on one of the thoughts that was shared at the First Presidency's Christmas Devotional this month about the importance of receiving.. that sometimes we can get wrapped up.. in a good way but nonetheless, in always being the one to serve or to give like Christ did but something just as important and true that He did was to receive.. He allowed his feet to be washed, he welcomed all that wanted to serve him and in today's world we sometimes have too much of an "independence kick" when we are here to rely on one another.. there are blessings received both for the giver as well as with the receiver.. we were talking with a member this week and she had learned this principle in a difficult way when her youngest daughter died and as people offered to serve her and her family she realized that principle.. that receiving is a way we show our love for God, especially when we take the time and humble ourselves to receiving the most important thing.. HIM! Our Savior! He wants us to receive Him and all His strength and all His comfort and all His help and understanding and hope and peace! Ah! It is such an incredible thing and we get a whole month to celebrate it and rededicate ourselves to receiving Him! Just some of the thoughts I have had this month on the season! We had an epic Christmas conference this week! So so so odd to be one of the few old sisters in the mission and to get to see all my old companions! Esspecially Sister Alfaro, I hadn't seen her since June so it was a great reunion and yes I did actually sing  in front of everyone.. I have finally acknowledged my love of singing and having that as one of my talents so that is one of my new goals to actually learn how to read music so I can sing more.. haha.. no one complained at the conference so i am guessing it is not a bad thing! haha.. we also got to carol at the Alamo again this year! Another fun adventure, so so many people were there and as I was out in the crowd taking pictures everyone was asking me what choir we were with.. I proudly told him that we were simply missionaries spreading the gospel! :) Oh and most exciting news ever ever ever! Remember Fred.. from Uvalde the investigator who in August set a baptismal date for Dec. 22.. well it really happened he was baptized Saturday and I was so so so so excited to hear it!!!!! Jumped for joy a few times that man is incredible! Oh and another thing I wanted to share that i thought was neat.. one of Sister Nielson's siblings shared it with her.. the meaning of fear.. False Expectations Appearing Real.. so profound and so great.. the only expectations we need to think about are God's expectations.. not ours or our friends.. just some of my random thoughts and happenings.. will promise to be better at updating yall with the TSAM epicness.. I love yall so so much and hope that this season has been wonderful! Soak it up and enjoy the snow for me! Keep smiling!!!!!! miss yall

with love 

sister camarella