Sister Sharp in Santiago

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Alma 26: My Last Week Here

I can't believe this is my last week. Ah!!!! I'm excited to give you all huge hugs! I'm a huggy person now, because when you greet people in Chile you give them a hug and a kiss on the cheeck (kind of, it's more like an air-kiss). Except, sister missionaries only hug women, haha.

Could I ever summarize my mission? Could I ever explain what I've learned over 18 months? Could I ever express my deepest feelings fo my Heavenly Father and His Perfect Son?

Probably not.

But I suppose I have to start somewhere.

The grand total of two wards and three companions has changed my life forever; not to mention the hundreds of people I've met along the road. More than learning another language and another culture, I've learned another way of life. I've immersed myself in the scriptures like never before. I've served with all my heart, might, mind, and strength... I'm not perfect, nor will I ever pretend to be so, but I can truly say that I've given Him all I've got. I've become converted beyond that which I ever imagined.

I'm eternally grateful that my Heavenly Father gave me a mission; He always knew I would serve. :)

I've come to know my Savior, which is all I really wanted from this trip to the end of the world. He lives, and I love Him!

I share my testimony of this and all truths in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

See you soon,

Hermana Sharp

Happy Birthday to Mindee

Our convert, Yasna, invited us to Once (dinner) and had balloons and a gift for me:) Aww. My companion also gave me a scarf and a cute note, and the other sisters in our apartment put streamers up and wrote Happy Birthday on the bathroom mirror. :)

At night we had Ward Mission correlation and everyone surprised me by pulling out snacks and a brownie-cake. The tiny dog is named "chica" which means "small."

President and Hermana Wright called me to sing happpy birthday over the phone. It was a good birthday:)

I'm doing good:) My body is exhausted but my mind and my spirit wants to keep working. I've learned a lot of patience and charity with my companion, plus teamwork. Even though we have rough patches, we do have good times together and I know everything that's happened in the mission will prepare me for the future.

Monday, June 16, 2014

Chi-Chi-Chi Le-le-le Viva Chile!!!!

It rained for three days, so cold that it snowed in some parts of Santiago. Rainboots were necessary. The streets are dangerous when they turn into rivers and there's nowhere to hide from the gigantic splashes of the passing city busses.

A miracle happened: We passed by a less-active family's house, and their non-member, 22 year old daughter, Karrent, was outside, crying. At first she didn't want to talk to us, but we stayed at the gate and she eventually let us in and told us all about her heartbreak. We gave her the Book of Mormon and set a return appointment. When we returned, it was raining and no one answered the door. Then we called and Karrent let us in. She had read the Book of Mormon (Mosiah 4 and Alma 40), and had felt the positive effects it had on her. The words (and the Spirit) calmed her aching heart and helped her be more positive, she said. She told us she had wanted a new and interesting book for her birthday a month ago, but no one gave her a book. Until we did. We taught her how to pray about the Book, and she accepted a baptismal invitation! I'm excited to see her life change.:)

My last Zone Conference was awesome. I had studied the great apostasy the day before, and President just happened to teach a lot about the same topic during the conference! I learned that the great apostasy actually was caused by corruption within the Church instead of outside ridicule. We have to follow the current prophets and leaders if we are to avoid personal apostasy.

Also, President chose our table of six Sisters to go up on stage and demonstrate how to teach converts to study the scriptures. In a unprepared panic, we each drew sticks and it was our luck that my companion and I were to be the missionaries and the other four were the converts. Ok. The Spirit helped us even in this practice lesson...so I said to my companion at the end, "If we can teach a lesson in front of 60 missionaries and President Wright then we can teach any lesson that comes our way!!"

The World Cup is huge here, so much so that when Chile plays everyone gets off work to watch it. We've been told to not even try to proselyte during those hours, but to study instead.

Wednesday we gathered as East and North Santiago missions to meet with Elder Lyn G. Robbins of the 70. He answered our questions and told us that the mission is the best University in the world. We can learn things here that no school could ever teach us. It's true.

As we took the crowded bus home, it was great to see ourselves and 4 other companionships all talking with people on the bus and sharing the gospel as the rain began to fall.

The highlight of the week was my yearly trip to the temple! What a surprise it was to hear that the Paez Castro family was going to be sealed on Saturday!!!!! Alicia was a less-active member in Ñuñoa, my first ward. While I was there last year she came back to church and her husband, Luis, was baptized (with the other Sister missionaries in the ward, but I saw him be baptized!) Later, we began to visit him so I got to know them better (long story.) In the end, I left Ñuñoa to come here to Macul, and this week I got a phone call inviting me to their sealing! Definitely. I went with other Sisters who had served or who are serving in Ñuñoa, and felt at home in the temple again:)

I felt the power of the priesthood as I witnessed a sealing for the first time, and my testimony of eternal families was strengthened.

For all who read this, please go to the temple this week!

Love,

Sister Sharp

15 Months

Transfers came and went and... I'm staying in Macul 1st ward with Hna. Urzagaste! We're happy. We've been here together since December, and we've grown to love it. :)

Good news!!! A less active family (Nora, Vilma, and Nicole--three generations) came to church for the first time in two years!! The whole ward was abuzz with the desire to greet them. They were the first family I visited here in Macul, in December, and we've been reading the BoM with them and trying to do their family history. This past month they've fallen into a depression of sorts and realized that they needed divine help. Finally Vilma committed to go to church. When she told her family of her decision, they agreed to go, too.

Our investigator, Fabian, is attending church every week but has a hard time stopping smoking and leaving his philosophic ideas behind in order to accept and understand the truths of the gospel.

Maria, another investigator, is learning and changing every week that we teach her in a member's home, but her husband doesn't let her attend church. Pray that Maria can come to church, please!

It was interesting contacting a referral of the stake president: His wife's hairdresser. We entered her salon and pretended like we wanted to know how much a haircut costs. Luckily, she began asking us about the Church. She wasn't interested in listening to the lessons, but it was a blessing that she allowed herself to be contacted,ha.

In my studies about desire, good works, and fruits, I learned principles of truth. As I pondered my studies, I came to the conclusion that our desires are most often born when we see an example of something. If I see my companion eat ice cream then I'm going to desire to eat ice cream, too. If investigators see members living a gospel principle then they will desire to live it, too. If we learn that Jesus Christ lived a perfect life, then we will desire to live a perfect life, too. Overall, it's almost impossible to desire something that we've never seen or heard of before. So the examples we see are of utmost importance, because they form our desires which turn into works which earn us the fruit of our labors.

Also in my studies, I've began to draw pictures that tell the stories of the Bible in order to help me understand and remember better what I read. That's fun.:) I'll take pictures next week. Gotta go!

Love,

Sister Sharp

Wonderous Weather

This week the weather was in our favor.

It rained. All day Wednesday. And many of our appointments fell through. Hna. Godfrey came to Macul with me on an exchange that day, and she was a trooper even despite her soaking boots and our lack of an umbrella. Luckily the people had compassion on us. Eliana, Eduardo Donoso`s wife, blow dried our wet hair when we went to visit Eduardo.

Betty, a new investigator who hasn-t had time to receive us, also felt bad making us stand out in the rain, so she let us in and gave us herbal tea. The whole situation with her was a miracle; one of those typical yet beautiful mission stories. She answered the door in her pijamas, ready to go to bed. But we talked to her for a moment, and soon she broke out in tears and told us that the following day was the one year anniversary of her late husbands death. I gave her a hug and she invited us in. We were instruments in the Lords hands as we taught her of the plan of salvation. Her 13 year old son, Alejandro, also listened with open ears and wide eyes. Alejandro and his father had actually listened to the Elders a few years ago. Their family is really close with a less-active part-member family across the street, so we-re hopeful for their progress. Betty was so touched by Alma 40:12 that she said, "I want to post this on Facebook."

Have YOU posted your favorite scripture on Facebook??

If the picture turns out good, that-s me, Hna. Millet and Hna. Godfrey here on exchanges, and Hna. Allred. It was a once-in-a-mission-time occurrence that we were all gringas. We spoke broken English just because there was no one there that didnt understand.

Saturday night we finally had another ward mission activity. Mauricio, our 24 year old leader, put together a few Mormon Messages that we showed and discussed as the basis of the actiivity. At first only 4 of Hna. Allred-s investigators showed up, but in the knick of time, Betty Alvarez and Dariela, recent converts, arrived along with Bettys daughter, grandson, niece, and her niece-s daughter. The activity room filled right up! What a miralcle. The Spirit was energizing, and the bishop was impressed that people actually came to the activity. Next time we just need a few members to come as well.

Insert: This is a typical personal pizza that might be served at a party or ward activity. Pizzeta, its called.

What a joy it is to see Sister Guillermina Castro return to the Church. No one knew she was in our ward! She hadnt had contact with the Church for 6 years, despite the fact that she is a member since her youth and she has a strong testimony and understanding of the Gospel. She was a teacher in the school the Church funded here in Santiago years and years ago. Edna Valenzuela, with the white hair, was Guillermina`s student!! We brought them together, and they were overwhelmed with joy to see each other again after so many years. Guillermina returned to Church and found that at least four other members of our ward had been her students! What a happy reunion.

This is Olga, the maid who we visit once a week. She lives in the center of Santiago on the weekends so she cant be baptized in our ward, but her roommate doesn-t let the missionaries visit her there, so we teach her here in Macul. Shes from Peru and is going to have a baby in June.

Final miracle to tell today: We thought we would pass by a young man we had contacted months ago. He wasn`t home, but his drunk brother was and I enjoyed calling him to repentance. Ha, he won`t remember anything I said, most likely. But the point is that as we walked away, the nieghbor`s puppy followed us! He followed us so far that I knew we needed to turn around a return him to his home. The young owner thanked us and said we could come back the next week to teach her the Gospel! God works in mysterious ways. He`s answering our prayers for more new investigators.

Overall, this week I`ve learned that I need to have patience in all things and be Christlike. That`s basically the answer for every problem. Be like Christ.

I know He lives, and I love him. So why wouldn`t I try to follow His example?

I love you all. Have a wonderful week. Look for a little joy and you will find a great deal of it in unexpected places.

Love,

Hermana Sharp

P.S. I saw this giant porcelain potter in someones yard and asked to take a picture. Its about four feet high, and I thought Dad might like it as an idea for something to make and sell. Its hollow in the center.