Joy To The World; He Came For US

I love that Christmas is this week! I can´t even control my excitement! We have been making some different cookies and have been caroling with the elders in our district these past few days! So fun, and I can´t believe I will be able to Skype my family on Christmas!

This past week I had the opportunity to go to a leadership devotional with Elder Kearon (a member of the Seventy, and Area Presidency in Europe) in the mission home in Barcelona. It was incredible! He and his wife spoke with such power and I learned so much from them. He said, "As leaders helping your fellow missionaries, you must serve them, commend them, heal them, help them, love them, invite them and challenge them. But most importantly, you must SHOW them. You are to set the standard of excellence by your example."

President Pace also said, "Leaders are ALWAYS teaching. You don´t get down time. You need to raise the bar and be the ones that lift the mission. The Lord is not pleased with the status quo. Leaders are to LEAD."

Elder Kearon also had so much energy and just got us all pumped! He said (in his awesome British accent) "You have to ATTACK each and every day. You are to come to your knees in vigor! FLY out of bed! Wake yourself up and get a good start! If you aren´t sweating in the morning, you aren´t exercising! Even when you shower, do it with excitement! Give yourself a few cold blasts of water! Eat a good breakfast! And when you are getting ready to leave, you have to be like a racehorse waiting in the starting gate in the morning! You will make and break your mission depending on each and every day! Make it glorious!" Haha, he is so great. I know he is a man of God. I am so thankful for that experience! I also had the chance to say goodbye to two of my companions, Hermana Marti Gillette and Hermana Kassi Reid, who will be finishing their missions next week. I love them both so much, am so proud of them and thankful for all they have done for me. They are incredible and I know they are going to go on to do amazing things!

On our Pday, we went on a long hike with the other elders and hermanas in Bilbao! It was so fun! Spain is absolutely gorgeous! We saw this neat waterfall and went to a "painted forest"! What a great time!

Last week I was telling you about Mayra, the 19 year old Columbian, who we have been teaching … well, she is planning for her baptism this Saturday! I have been waiting for this moment for the past two months with her! Her mother, Josefina, is a member of the church, but rarely comes. So when I first met Mayra and talked about teaching her and maybe one day getting baptized, her mother was very against it, saying that she didn´t really know what she actually wanted. After that, we lost her for about two weeks … she was never home, we couldn´t get in touch with her, and apparently she started hanging out with the wrong crowd. Josefina became very worried, and finally asked for our help again. So over the past month or so, we have really worked a lot with Mayra, and also this family. Mayra has finally been coming to church and all sorts of fun activities! She has actually talked about serving a mission and how she would love to go to the temple someday soon. We are preparing for her baptism and her family and extended family are all coming, and are so happy for her! I love her so much … it´s going to be beautiful! Josefina actually told us last night that this has been in her prayers and she has fasted for this to happen time and time again. That she was so happy.

I just wanted to share these passages with all of you! Throughout The Book of Mormon, it is constantly testfiying and prophesing of Jesus Christ through his prophets. His birth, life, example, mission, ultimate sacrifice and Atonement, and ressurection. The people in the Book of Mormon who are living in the Ancient Americas while all of this is happening, are staring to recieve different signs of his birth, but there are many wicked people who do not believe, or who are angry and confused about the fact that he will be born in Bethelehem. For example right before his birth.....

In Helaman 16:13-20 it says:

 "But it came to pass in the ninetieth year of the reign of the judges, there were great signs given unto the people, and wonders; and the words of the prophets began to be fulfilled.

 And angels did appear unto men, wise men, and did declare unto them glad tidings of great joy; thus in this year the scriptures began to be fulfilled.

 Nevertheless, the people began to harden their hearts, all save it were the most believing part of them, both of the Nephites and also of the Lamanites, and began to depend upon their own strength and upon their own wisdom, saying:

 Some things they may have guessed right, among so many; but behold, we know that all these great and marvelous works cannot come to pass, of which has been spoken.

 And they began to reason and to contend among themselves, saying:

 That it is not reasonable that such a being as a Christ shall come; if so, and he be the Son of God, the Father of heaven and of earth, as it has been spoken, why will he not show himself unto us as well as unto them who shall be at Jerusalem?

 Yea, why will he not show himself in this land as well as in the land of Jerusalem?

 But behold, we know that this is a wicked tradition, which has been handed down unto us by our fathers, to cause us that we should believe in some great and marvelous thing which should come to pass, but not among us, but in a land which is far distant, a land which we know not; therefore they can keep us in ignorance, for we cannot witness with our own eyes that they are true."

 And later we read in 3 Nephi 1:12-13

"And it came to pass that he (the prophet at the time) cried mightily unto the Lord all that day; and behold, the voice of the Lord came unto him, saying:

 Lift up your head and be of good cheer; for behold, the time is at hand, and on this night shall the sign be given, and on the morrow come I into the world, to show unto the world that I will fulfil all that which I have caused to be spoken by the mouth of my holy prophets.

 Behold, I come unto my own, to fulfil all things which I have made known unto the children of men from the foundation of the world, and to do the will, both of the Father and of the Son—of the Father because of me, and of the Son because of my flesh. And behold, the time is at hand, and this night shall the sign be given."

I know that Christ came into the world to save mankind; that all of the teachings, testaments and prophesies of His coming were fulfilled. I know that He is the Living Son of the Living God; that He rose from the tomb and that He lives. What joy fills my heart as I ponder and reflect upon my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ and ALL that He has done and continues to do for ME; and for ALL of US. How I love Him! I could never repay him, but I will try my very best to be His true disciple and share this message with the world!

REMEMBER HIS BIRTH AND PRAISE HIM THIS WEEK.

Over A Thousand People Came Together To Break a Record And Bring A Moving Christmas Hymn To Life:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrLoWt2tfqg (I just LOVE this!!!)

Love,

Hermana Vance

1."Angels we have heard on high

Sweetly singing o'er the plains,

And the mountains in reply

Echoing their joyous strains.

(Chorus)

Gloria in excelsis Deo.

Gloria in excelsis Deo.

2. Shepherds, why this jubilee?

Why your joyous strains prolong?

What the gladsome tidings be

Which inspire your heav'nly song?

3. Come to Bethlehem and see

Him whose birth the angels sing;

Come, adore on bended knee

Christ the Lord, the newborn King."

1." Oh, come, all ye faithful,

Joyful and triumphant!

Oh, come ye, oh come ye to Bethlehem.

Come and behold him,

Born the King of angels;

2.(Chorus)

Oh, come, let us adore him;

Oh, come, let us adore him;

Oh, come, let us adore him,

Christ, the Lord.

3.Sing, choirs of angels,

Sing in exultation;

Sing, all ye citizens of heav'n above!

Glory to God,

Glory in the highest;

4.Yea, Lord, we greet thee,

Born this happy morning;

Jesus, to thee be all glory giv'n.

Son of the Father,

Now in flesh appearing;"

1."Joy to the world, the Lord is come;

Let earth receive her King!

Let ev'ry heart prepare him room,

And Saints and angels sing,

And Saints and angels sing,

And Saints, and Saints and angels sing.

2.Rejoice! Rejoice when Jesus reigns,

And Saints their songs employ,

While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains

Repeat the sounding joy,

Repeat the sounding joy,

Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

3.No more will sin and sorrow grow,

Nor thorns infest the ground;

He'll come and make the blessings flow

Far as the curse was found,

Far as the curse was found,

Far as, far as the curse was found.

4.Rejoice! Rejoice in the Most High,

While Israel spreads abroad

Like stars that glitter in the sky,

And ever worship God,

And ever worship God,

And ever, and ever worship God."

"Silent night! Holy night!

1.All is calm, all is bright

Round yon virgin mother and Child.

Holy Infant, so tender and mild,

Sleep in heavenly peace;

Sleep in heavenly peace.

2. Silent night! Holy night!

Shepherds quake at the sight!

Glories stream from heaven afar;

Heav'nly hosts sing Alleluia!

Christ, the Savior, is born!

Christ, the Savior, is born!

3. Silent night! Holy night!

Son of God, love's pure light

Radiant beams from thy holy face,

With the dawn of redeeming grace,

Jesus, Lord, at thy birth;

Jesus, Lord, at thy birth."

 

The Best Thing I Could Be Doing

Can I just say HOW excited I am that Christmas is nearly here!?!?! Most of you are about to have your Christmas break, with time to spend with your family and friends! So fun! This week we want to do all sorts of things as a district … go caroling, bake Christmas cookies for our friends and members here, little acts of extra special and spontaneous service and, of course … tell everyone about why we celebrate Christmas while we teach them even more about Christ. I CANNOT WAIT!

I truly love and admire my new companion Hermana Worthington. She is adjusting so well and is just on fire and incredible. She has such a bright light about her and is always smiling! Even though at this time she is struggling with the language, she keeps pressing forward. She is a breath of fresh air to the Bilbao Zone! I love new missionaries (even though I still feel like I just got here myself after 7 months). She works so hard and is just a little ball of fun! I´m excited to see what these next 11 weeks have in store!

Some of the people we are working with are progressing so well, especially Mayra and Alex! They BOTH were in church on Sunday! Mayra is 19 and is from Columbia and Alex is 20 from Bolivia. It´s fun working with them because I feel like we are able to relate to them, and we have all become great friends. Everyone in the ward is so loving and supportive. They have taken these two in under their wing, and have been there for them, in the good times and the harder ones.

The Victoria and Bilbao Zones had Zone Conference with President and Hermana Pace this past Friday. I love them so much and I could never thank them enough for all they are doing. They work so hard and they are exhausted at times. They have the gas pedal ALL the way down, and they inspire me as they continue to give their all for US and for the LORD. On Saturday, there was a beautiful baptismal service of a 19 year old girl within our zone. We were able to go, and Alex came with us and loved it! After the service, President Pace talked with Alex and us for about 45 minutes. The Spirit was so strong, and I know Alex felt it. President Pace talked about the importance of prayer and scripture study and going to church. He told him that these seem like simple, basic things that we can brush off, especially when we are busy, and put them into the "if I have time" pile, when instead many of the other things we do should be in that pile. That really hit Alex, and I think he is really starting to realize how important it is and that, when he prays, God WILL answer his prayers. Alex is stressed out with college exams this week, so please keep him in your prayers! I know that when we put God first, everything falls into place, and it´s no coincidence.

We talk to many people here, all day every day, but last week I realized once again, why I am here. Throughout Saturday evening, we talked with a woman who was shocked and touched to believe that God really did love her and know her personally as His precious daughter. Then we talked with a different woman who we found crying on a bench, who just needed a hug and to know that God is aware of her and is there for her; and later we talked with a man who was happy to hear about our message of Christmas!

We had a conversation with one man named Rafael, however, that I will never forget. We were on our way home, it was cold and wet, and we were about to turn in for the night when a man stopped and stared at us. He began reading our chapas (nametags) and asked if we are students studying abroad. We began to explain to him that we are actually missionaries for our church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He took a step back, confused, and asked. "Really? If you don´t mind me asking, how old are you two?" We told him that we were 19 and 20 years old. At this, he chuckled and asked, "Then what are you doing? You are two very young, pretty and smart girls … why aren´t you out living your life, dating, studying, and preparing for and starting your careers and lives? You are losing and wasting your time!!" I simply smiled and said, "This is the best thing I could be doing right now. This experience is only a short one, and it is preparing me more and better than anything else could. I wouldn´t trade these moments for anything." He still didn´t seem convinced. He began asking who made us come here, and how much they were paying us to spread our message. Once again I smiled and said, "You want to know the truth?" At this his face changed, hoping to hear something of that sort. I went on to say "This is voluntary. I chose to come here, because I wanted to come; because I know it´s true. I KNOW it is true. This gospel, the gospel of Jesus Christ, has been the GREATEST blessing in my entire life, and ALL I want to do at this moment in my life is to share it with others … to show people hope and TRUE joy, and how they are sons and daughter of an Almighty God that loves them so much. This experience is preparing me for the rest of my life and is training for me as I strive to learn and become the best daughter, sister, wife, mother, friend, student, etc. I could ever be. I am living my life like this now, so that I can have this same happiness throughout the eternities. Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior and through Him we can be made strong and be happy forever." He was completely caught off guard, and didn´t really have anything else to say. He took our card and walked away. I don´t know if I will ever see Rafael again, but it was in that moment, like many others before, that I knew why I am here. I love this gospel, and I invite you ALL to discover this Christmas, what is the best thing you could be doing? What are the most important things to you, and what goals have you set or should you set to change your priorities? This is the perfect time to start fresh with a clean slate. The New Year is also coming up … what are you going to REALLY change? Make goals, and reach for them and achieve them. With God, ALL things are possible.

I love you, and just want you to be everything you were BORN to be. I believe in you, and so does your Father in Heaven. GO FOR IT! No regrets!

Les quiero,

Hermana Lydia Pamela Vance

LOVE THESE:

Over A Thousand People Came Together To Break a Record And Bring A Moving Christmas Hymn To Life:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrLoWt2tfqg

Piano Guys: Christmas Video:

http://www.mormonchannel.org/christmas-videos?v=2008190983001&cid=HPWE120414539

The REAL Reason Behind Christmas:

http://www.mormonchannel.org/christmas-videos?v=2874125972001&cid=HPWE120414539

The Christmas Spirit:

http://www.mormonchannel.org/christmas-videos?v=911161814001&cid=HPWE120414539