Rain rain, vayase, venga cuando......pues, no se.

Daniela received the Holy Ghost yesterday! But her mom, Jimena, informed us that she, personally, decided not to get baptized...we need to investigate more and help her gain her own testimony of the Church. We planned to have a new-member lesson with Francisco this Thursday in Cancino's house, and guess who also happened to be there? Daniela! She and Titi Cancino were practicing learning scripture mastery, so they both joined us and we had a large-group-family-plus-two-new-members lesson about enduring to the end and serving in the Church. The joy I felt as we all laughed and shared filled my heart with warmth. We talked about Francisco's experiences with sharing the gospel (Out of the blue he asked his co-workers "Do you beleive in God?" and started a gospel discussion) and Daniela's personal choice to stop swearing although all her friends were doing so. What changes the gospel can make in one's life! 

Diego, a 22 year old inactive 7th Day Adventist, accepted our invitation to eat Once at the Gomez's house. At first he wasn't home at the right time, but we prayed and waited and prayed and prayed, and after the trial of our faith he arrived and eagerly came with us. The Lord hears and answers prayers! He had many questions about our beliefs, and it was a bit overwhelming, but we have faith that tonight in our second lesson he will be able to feel the Spirit testify to him of the truthfulness of the message. And then, one day, he will become a missionary, too.:)

This week has reminded me of Pres. Eyring's April 2012 conference address, where he quoted President Kimball, saying, “There are great challenges ahead of us, giant opportunities to be met. I welcome that exciting prospect and feel to say to the Lord, humbly, ‘Give me this mountain,’ give me these challenges."

I know the Lord hears even our unspoken prayers, because He is giving me the mountains I had only thought about asking for...situations that I only thought I'd have to face in MTC practices: Investigators deciding not to get baptized, others who ask us more questions than we have the language skills to answer, constantly-ill less-active members, recent converts often outside of Santiago, rainy days that yeild zero new investigators, and a bit of friction in our companionship...

Although I know this all sounds like normal missionary life and the Lord has a solution for each difficulty, the patience He is requiring of me is proving to be a great mountain to climb. So it's tough...Yet I have not lost the ability to see good, to see miracles, and to see the divinity of the work. I know He keeps His promises, I know it will all be worth it, and I know that the adversary is no match for the Christ. I've been humbled, taught, and blessed this beyond words this week--and even as I've written this letter.

P.S. We had transfers today, but I'm staying in Ñuñoa 1, finishing up the training of Hermana Hunter.:) I'm glad, because I love this ward and all the people in it. 

Today Hna. Johansson, who's been living with us for the past two months, went home home. It's weird to think that her mission has ended, but I still have a year left:) I'm grateful for the time Heavenly Father has given me, because not only does it take a lot of practice and learning to become a good missionary, but we also have to be patient as the people make big changes in their lives in order to accept the gospel. I often want to teach everything at once so that our investigators can be Mormons in one week! But it's not that easy. (They have to come to church at least 3 sundays before baptism, for example, and even then they don't come three in a row...) I have to have a lot of patience and faith! 

Read Alma 19:23. I know your prayers are keeping me safe, sound, and happy. Thanks:) 

Also, thanks for inviting the missionaries over for dinner! I love eating with the members, and I am so so grateful for all they do for us. Be friends with the missionaries, they need it:)

Love,

Hermana Sharp

Go, Agosto, Go!

I am constantly reminded that God is a god of miracles. This week we met or surpassed many of our goals. Daniela was baptized! She's 15 and reminds me of Lexie (my sister). We found 5 new investigators, a major improvement from the last few weeks. Javier, a less-active member, came back to church. And thanks to Hna. Hunter's inspiration we finally contacted all of our referrals--one of which was absolutely golden, as we say in the mision. We are excited to teach him, Diego, in a family home evening setting tonight with the members that live on his street.He's 22, just finishing vet school and was baptized in the 7th Day Adventist church, but has been inactive for many years. He wants to be close to God again, and we were so excited to testify to him that he can through the Book of Mormon.

 

I love fast Sunday, because the hand of the Lord is made very apparent and our prayers are answered in the best way imaginable.

 

With Daniela, her mom and sister, we watched President Monson's announcement of the age change for missionaries so that they could know who the prophet is. At the end of the video, I was able to bear my testimony that I know that he is the prophet called of God today. Before, I had faith that I was sent here to Chile by inspiration because special people were waiting for me here. In the moment that I testified, I knew Daniela, Jimena, and Valentina were these special people. I'm, here for a reason, at this time, in this area, and I have no doubt that revelation from God is real.

 

To practice her language skills, Hna. Hunter has been teaching the lessons to less-active members and recent converts. In fact, Guillermo was reluctant to meet with us after his baptism (I think he felt he knew the doctrine too well to have it repeated. As missionaries we need to teach even after baptism). Finally we asked him to listen to Hna. Hunter practice teaching the lessons, and he was happy to help.  So with a bit of sneakiness we are finally reveiwing the lessons.:)

 

"Life is hard, but living the gospel is easy."

-Hna. Sharp

 

P.S. Visiting and Home Teaching are extremely important callings. Be sure to fullfill yours this month:) Love you all!

Cumpleanos feliz

Hnas. Johansson and Chaves made a rice-crispie cake for my birthday, threw balloons at me, and wrote "Happy Birthday!" on the windows of our apartment. We also had a ward talent show on Friday, and the ward sang the song to me and to the Bishop. I love all the members in my ward:)

We hoped for, prayed for, worked for, and SAW more miracles this week. Daniela, 15 yrs old, announced before our lesson even started that she is no longer going to work on Sundays because she finally decided to be baptized. The young women in our ward have befriended her so well, and she even performed with them in the talent show!

During the New Missionary Training we had on Thursday, I felt the joy promised in D&C 18:15-16 as I celebrated Francisco's baptism with Hna. Camargo (got to see her at the meeting). Then, "while we were yet in the Spirit" (because we had learned about the importance of talking to everyone) we taught 3 lessons on the street as we made our way home. We strive to talk to as many people as we can, and we've seen results. At first, many of the contacted people lived outside of our area, but after the trial of our faith, we've begun to find people who live here. Victor told us we could visit him the very evening we met him, and 3 hours later was impressed that we actually came back. He was absolutely fascinated by the Book of Mormon, and I expect him to be baptized soon. (Unfortunately, he was only here to visit his sister...we passed on the reference, a little disappointed.) Last week a man began talking to us on the street, but he was in a hurry so he said he'd call us. I wasn't expecting him to actually call. But he did! He asked us to come teach him at his work--first time that's ever happened in my mission! We went, and he beleives a lot of the same things we do, but can't accept that Joseph Smith was a prophet. We left him with the BoM, and if he reads and prays about it, I know he'll accept the prophet. Another day, we had planned to visit an old investigator, and I had a feeling he wouldn't be home but that there would be someone in the street we would need to talk to. We went, and found Nelson, right where I thought he might be, and we talked for quite a while about the prophets, the BoM, and he said, "Maybe you'll see me in your church sooner than later.":) 

With my added responsibilities as trainer, I feel myself becoming more invested in the work as well. I'm truly happy to serve the Lord with all my might, mind, and strength. Sometimes it's tough, but life outside of the mission is tough, too. Only here, the happy times are happier and I never lose the inner peace that comes from knowing that I'm doing what the Lord wants me to do. 

The ward members are willing to help us, we just need to find more people to teach. We're working on asking referrals from everyone. Our first English class resulted in 2 potential investigators, and the ward activity brought 15! Our progressing investigators are few, but we pray daily that the Lord will prepare our new and potential investigators to hear the message.

In Faith,

Hna. Sharp