Temple Square, anyone? Tour guide for a day

My vision of the mission has been hightened thanks to the three training meetings this week and my first CVC. There are only 6 missions in the world with CVC, a new program of tours of the chapel. It's not a common thing that we get to do, but this Sunday we were assigned to go to another ward and help guide tours during all of Sunday evening. We had a cardboard cutout of the Christus, posters with info about the chuch, Elders dressed in white near the baptismal font, members to present the auxiliary organizations, and refreshments. Our first group was of 20 people!! Hna. Hunter and I literally felt the gift of tongues guiding us even as we guided the group. It was a powerful experience. I felt like a Temple Square Sister, ha.

As Elder Potter said, "The Lord knows how to run His Church and do His work." It's easy to see that He is pressuring the spreading of the gospel, and I am excited by the endless tools we have to carry it out. We have begun focusing our efforts on completing part-member families and introducing genealogy to our converts, less-actives, and investigators. These have proven to be difficult tasks, but surely the Lord will help us accomplish what He has asked of us. 

I'm happy to report that my personal determination and courage to contact people on the bus or metro has improved. Especially on preparation day. We went to Puente Alto to bowl (groovy) and Hna. Hunter reminded me to act on opportunities to contact. The Spirit repeatedly poked me to talk to the young girl with headphones, Constanza, on the metro. I took up my courage and sat by her. She was happy to have someone to talk to, and we gave her a Book of Mormon. I love it when people are so grateful for the gift of a special book. We had to change trains, and there talked to a young mom who teaches English. I think she was tickled pink to be speaking with real live Americans. These experiences reminded me that I really am surrounded by my brothers and sisters. I need not fear, only love. 

I felt an overwhelming love for the Chilean members here when we attended the stake activity this Saturday. The 18th of September is Chilean Independence, so at the activity we ate all sorts of Chilean food. Google: churipan, mote, empanadas, anticucho, and sopaipillas. It's all delicious. My favorite, though, was watching the traditional dancing--La Cueca. YouTube it:) And Pascuense from the Easter Islands. 

Finally, top off all those miracles which we witnessed this week...Rodrigo was baptized last Sunday. We did all we could to contact him to ensure that he would be in church this Sunday to receive the Holy Ghost, but he was no where to be found. Wasn't home, didn't answer his phone. The sacrament was blessed, passed, and he still had not arrived. We prayed silently, and eventually had to place Rodrigo in the hands of the Lord. The doors opened at the end of the sacrament, three families entered...and what do you know Rodrigo was following the end of the parade. No greater relief has ever swept over my soul as in that moment. He was immediately confirmed and returned to the pews with an eternal smile.

Pues, "no puedo escribir ni la centésima parte de las cosas" de la semana, pero me fue "preciosa,"

Hna. Sharp

The Hardest and Best Week Happy September! Chilean Independence day is coming soon. Fiestas are on the rise...and I dreamt that I had returned to the States and was depressed because a Chilean flag was nowhere to be seen:P ---Wednesday was tough. No one wanted to listen. We were rejected quite rudely by a man because we had not returned a couple weeks ago on the day that we said we would. We had meant to return, but Violetta, the member who we had asked to come with us, had receieved a strong impression that it was dangerous for us to go. So we didn't. When we stopped by again this week, he called us liers and "cast us out" of his front yard. Another former investigator did the same because Sisters before hadn't answered his emails and he was offended. And to top it all off, we knocked on a door and a man emerged, immediately begining to demand signs and answers and "why is the mormon church different than the Catholic church" and telling us that there is no way we can believe what we believe. He was a modern day Korihor (Alma 30). ---Rodrigo González, a 52 year old man who was almost baptized 30 years ago in Canada, finally received the saving ordinance this Sunday. In a desperate search for more water, we turned to the leaky firehose to finish filling the font on time. It was a fiasco, but also an answer to our prayers. That's him in the picture with Bishop Rodriguez. ---Our temple tour with 22 year old Diego, an inactive 7th Day Adventist, turned out to be on Saturday morning instead of Thursday as President had advised. The Spirit was burning like a fire in our hearts. We think Diego is scared to abandon his old beliefs and accept the fulness of the gospel. I was praying with all my heart, might, mind, and strength that he would come and feel the Spirit testify to him. Like Lehi, I was overcome by the Spirit (1 Nefi 1:6-7) because my desire for Diego to accept the gospel was so great. I know this desire is evidence of my personal spiritual growth. ---Following Hna. Hunter's inspiration, we fasted to find a family to teach. Sunday afternoon, after ending our fast, we went to Carolina and David, investigators who weren't there for our first return appointment. Miraculously, this time they were both home, listened to our message with the light of Christ apparent in their eyes, and introduced us to their 3 year old twins, Consuelo and Santiago:) For this and many other experiences, I know that Moroni 7:33 is true: "Es por la fe que se obran milagros." The Lord grants our righteous desires. ---Elder Jackson taught us in District Class how to plan better in order to have more lessons with members. Thus, we worked on overcoming laziness and shortsightedness this week, and were able to achieve 6 lessons with members present! Many are thanks to Javier, a reactivating less-active member who wants to be a ward missionary. He neither works nor studies, so he happily accompanied us to many lessons with Rodrigo. Also, as we pushed ourselves in this area, the Lord blessed us with two opportunities to meet and teach non-members during lunch this week. ---John 1:39-42 taught me a beautifully simple lesson: Bring others to Christ, using His words. So that's what I'll do:) Much Love, Hermana Sharp

Happy September! Chilean Independence day is coming soon. Fiestas are on the rise...and I dreamt that I had returned to the States and was depressed because a Chilean flag was nowhere to be seen:P

---Wednesday was tough. No one wanted to listen. We were rejected quite rudely by a man because we had not returned a couple weeks ago on the day that we said we would. We had meant to return, but Violetta, the member who we had asked to come with us, had receieved a strong impression that it was dangerous for us to go. So we didn't. When we stopped by again this week, he called us liers and "cast us out" of his front yard. Another former investigator did the same because Sisters before hadn't answered his emails and he was offended. And to top it all off, we knocked on a door and a man emerged, immediately begining to demand signs and answers and "why is the mormon church different than the Catholic church" and telling us that there is no way we can believe what we believe. He was a modern day Korihor (Alma 30). 

---Rodrigo González, a 52 year old man who was almost baptized 30 years ago in Canada, finally received the saving ordinance this Sunday. In a desperate search for more water, we turned to the leaky firehose to finish filling the font on time. It was a fiasco, but also an answer to our prayers. That's him in the picture with Bishop Rodriguez.

---Our temple tour with 22 year old Diego, an inactive 7th Day Adventist, turned out to be on Saturday morning instead of Thursday as President had advised. The Spirit was burning like a fire in our hearts. We think Diego is scared to abandon his old beliefs and accept the fulness of the gospel. I was praying with all my heart, might, mind, and strength that he would come and feel the Spirit testify to him. Like Lehi, I was overcome by the Spirit (1 Nefi 1:6-7) because my desire for Diego to accept the gospel was so great. I know this desire is evidence of my personal spiritual growth.

---Following Hna. Hunter's inspiration, we fasted to find a family to teach. Sunday afternoon, after ending our fast, we went to Carolina and David, investigators who weren't there for our first return appointment. Miraculously, this time they were both home, listened to our message with the light of Christ apparent in their eyes, and introduced us to their 3 year old twins, Consuelo and Santiago:) For this and many other experiences, I know that Moroni 7:33 is true: "Es por la fe que se obran milagros." The Lord grants our righteous desires. 

---Elder Jackson taught us in District Class how to plan better in order to have more lessons with members. Thus, we worked on overcoming laziness and shortsightedness this week, and were able to achieve 6 lessons with members present! Many are thanks to Javier, a reactivating less-active member who wants to be a ward missionary. He neither works nor studies, so he happily accompanied us to many lessons with Rodrigo. Also, as we pushed ourselves in this area, the Lord blessed us with two opportunities to meet and teach non-members during lunch this week. 

---John 1:39-42 taught me a beautifully simple lesson: Bring others to Christ, using His words. So that's what I'll do:)

Much Love,

Hermana Sharp

 Rodrigo's baptism and I am cutting my  companion's hair and it turned out really good.

My Companion

My companion from Boise, Idaho.  People ask is we are sisters.

We are on a look out point over the city, don't mind the smog.

Sleep-preaching

I eat, dream, and breathe the mission. Hna. Adams told me that one night I talked in my sleep saying (in Spanish) "Do you have a referral for us?!" And another night: "Hola, buenas tardes:)" 

Miracles in 3 sentences or less:

-Rodrigo (who will be baptized this Sunday) called us in his broken English: "I am upset with you...becuase you are not here. Come teach me the word of God."

-Jimena's blinding eye operation did not keep her from coming to church! 

-President helped me see how much I have grown in our one-on-one interview. 

-The Lord qualified who He called: I went on my first exchange as a leader, but learned more from Hna. Braun than I think she learned from me. 

-It was inevitable--I was asked to speak in sacrament. The most powerful message I could have given was that of the Restoration, so I taught that which I teach everyday and halfway through I realized it was flowing so easily that I didn't know if I was speaking in Spanish or in English. 

-Diego was astounded by the Plan of Salvation, and has a hard time giving up his 15 years of 7th Day Adventist beliefs. But he wants to know the truth. And visit the Salt Lake Temple:) 

-Tomorrow I will have officially completed 6 months in my mission. That's a miracle in and of itself! 

The weather here feels like spring, although we technically have another month of winter. 

Hna Hunter and I thought we had allergies at the begining of the week, but it was a 24 hr cold for me and it's a little worse for her. So our energy has been low-ish, but we're still doing our best! I finally got my camera working so I'll spend more time loading pictures. Pictures are more fun than words, right? Best of all you'll be able to see how much the members love us, because they feed us really (too) well. 

I know the Church is true. The Book of Mormon contains the word of God, as does the Bible. And Joseph Smith was a prophet.There is no doubt in my heart or mind. :) Love you all!

Chaoi for now!

Hermana Sharp