Let the Holy Spirit Guide

This week I remembered the importance of letting the Spirit guide, whether it be in studying, teaching, or deciding where to go. If I were to describe all of the experiences I had this week, you would be reading this letter until next week's letter arrives.

 For example, a young man who's family members are members of the Church would listen to us on his doorstep, but never seemed interested in what we had to say. This week, I felt prompted to ask him if he'd ever wondered where we go after death. His face immediately lit up and he said, "Yeah! Actually, I asked myself that yesterday when I found old pictures of my father on Facebook. My dad passed away two years ago and I cry when I remember him. What happens after death?" Right then and there we layed out the Plan of Salvation for him and he soaked it all up. Often, people don´t take quite so much interest in the Plan when we mention it--or they say that they already know the answers--but I know that in this moment with Elvis the Spirit was testifying to him of the truthfulness of our words. He WILL see his father again. :) The Gospel, the Plan, is REAL, not just a good theory. It's true, and there are so many people who need to know about it!

I went to Trinidad with Hna. Taylor. I love going on exchanges with her because her postive attitude and enthusiasm for the work always inspire me. Her motto is: "We're going to see miracles!" There, their work with the members is impressive--in just one day we accomplished three of the four lessons that were planned! Their area is an example for ME. In my sector we've gone way down in lessons with members, due to my own doubts or forgetfulness I'm sure....I know we need to lengthen our stride. I'm doing my best, despite apparent opposition and afflictions, and I'm trying not to be too hard on myself. This week Alma 34:40-41 helped me get through:

"40 And now my beloved brethren, I would exhort you to have patience, and that ye bear with all manner of afflictions; that ye do not revile against those who do cast you out because of your exceeding poverty, lest ye become sinners like unto them;

 41 But that ye have apatience, and bear with those afflictions, with a firm hope that ye shall one day rest from all your afflictions."

...The beauty of this week's challenges was what I learned from them. There's not a fix-it-all-immediately solution to our struggles. (Though reading the scriptures and praying help a ton!). Although I felt great reading Alma 34, it didn't completely wipe away the difficulties, I'm certain that it gave me strength to push on. Despite doubts, frustrations, impatience, and stomachaches, something kept me going. And that something is the enabling power of Christ's Atonement (Mosiah 24). Thus, the sorrow of my tribulation was swallowed up in the joy of the Son.:)

Keep on keepin on!

Sister Sharp

We are Christians

Blog: We are Christians

During Zone Class, President appeared (we were grateful to have arrived on time!) and participated in the class. I felt like his teachings of the plan of salvation were just for me: many of my questions were answered and my testimony of the plan increased ten fold. I know the Plan is true! And real! And perfect. Christ made it possible.

On the street, a man accused us of not being Christians, and refused to hear our testimonies. I felt awful, but remembered 3 Nephi 12:11 and 12, which says that we are blessed because the prophets, too, were persecuted and rejected. How hard it must be to be a prophet...

We carried out our first English class in the chapel. I was nervous and felt unprepared, but Heavenly Father helped me to go forward with faith and teach what I know. I love teaching! Two investigators came, and Hnas. Allred and Alvarez also accompanied us. At first we thought both of the investigators were ours, but it turns out that one, Leonardo, actually lives in Hna. Alvarez's sector. Sad for us, happy for Hna. Alvarez. I felt a special spirit when we helped the investigators read from the Book of Mormon. Leonardo (who originally said he was only interested in learning English, not religion) was fascinated by the chapel and came to church the next day!

We're finding that many of the less-active members in our ward have joined other churches (adventists or jehova's witnesses, to be exact), but we're trying to have lunch with them in order to at least bring the Spirit back into their home.

Many of our investigators have chronic illnesses. The first counselor gave one of them a priesthood blessing, and she felt the Spirit warmly embracing her. Balbina's never-ending tears were evidence that she had been awstruck (as Elder Holland explained) by the feeling that God really does know her. The only difficulty is getting her to church because she can hardly move...

Another investigator takes care of a woman with dimensia. During our second visit to sing to the old woman, Tulia, the caretaker, Olga, asked to see our "bible." She was fascinated and excited to read it.

Betty, who has come to church with her granddaughter, told us that she realizes she needs to choose between The Church of Jesus Christ and the Jehova's Witnesses (she's listening to both missionaries.) I have faith in Moroni's promise that God will answer and guide her to the true church!

I went to Lo Canas with Hna. Araujo for an exchange and was impressed by her courage and boldness. She knows the doctrine, is not ashamed of it, and teaches it 'al tiro'. She knows how to do her job. It's amazing how just one year working as a missionary transforms us into messangers of the Lord. I still don't believe it sometimes.

Finally, to avoid any signs of trunkiness, Hna. Urzagaste and I set the goal to not speak of things that have to do with before or after the mission. We just barely started, so I don't know how effective it will be, but I hope it helps us to focus on the work more and more.

I know that this is the only true Church of Jesus Christ. 2 Nephi 31:21. The scriptures are my best friends. (And as Hermana Urzagaste said, the Bible and the Book of Mormon are the perfect marriage, ha.) Christ is my strength, and Heavenly Father is my Guardian. I love them, and my goal this year is to serve Them, and thus come to know Them better than ever before. I only hope that I can help others to come to know Them, too. 

Nos vemos! ("Si no nos vemos, vamos al oculista," dijo un investigador)
Hermana Sharp

P.S. My companion, from Argentina, had never tasted tacos (how that can be, I don't know) so we made them for lunch today. Yum

Happy New Year in Chile

Blog: New Be-grinnings in Chile

More and more I am recognizing the Lord's fidelity to Ether 12:6--"no recibis ningun testimonio sino hasta despues de la prueba de vuestra fe." (ye shall receive no witness until after the trial of your faith" or something similar.) The first half of our week was dry--few lessons, zero new investigators, and January 1st topped it all for the trial. It was the lonnnnnnnggggggest day of my entire mission. We were tired, hot, appointment-less, and the very few people in the street all told us "no." The rest were sleeping or out of town. I can't describe how discouraging it was. We prayed all day for strength and guidance, but it felt like we were sinking into the abyss. Night mercifully fell and we had ten minutes left before curfew. The temptation to return early was great, but I knew it would do us no good. So we did what we could and started knocking doors. From the second house emerged a widow, smiling! She recognized us immediately and told us that she is a member, unable to attend church because she takes care of a bed-ridden man. Her records are not in our list, and we never would have found her if we had given up the faith. I counted this tender mercy of the Lord as the witness that came after my faith.

But that wasn't all. The next day, Heavenly Father poured out his blessings upon us without restraint. We received five new investigators by finding and teaching 3 different families (as opposed to individuals)! No one told us "no." The two following days, two Sisters overcame their fear and accompanied us to lessons. These same Sisters brought our investigators to church, and each said they'd be happy to go out with us again! It truly is powerful to teach with members. We plan on involving them more and more in the work.:)

Reviewing the week, I cannot deny the Lord's infinite mercies and blessings. He is in control of His vineyard; I just have to trust Him and do what He has asks of me--walk in the heat, pray in the difficulties, and testify in the streets and homes. 

We lost two of our main investigators, Monica and Luis, because of month-long visitors that they have, but on the bright side we found out another investigator, Betty, really IS married and so we won't have problems with the law of chastity. :) She fell asleep during her first time in church yesterday, but she's still so excited to be baptized. Her granddaughter, Dariela, made friends right away in Primary. How grateful I am that she is 8 years old...there would be no way to tell her that she isn't old enough  to be baptized if she were only 7. :)

Returning to Ether 12. If you find yourself in a rough spot, remember that trials are part of the Father's Plan of Happiness. Keep the faith and I promise you'll be blessed eventually. The Lord won't let us suffer more than we can bear--He will comfort us in the perfect moment, and that way our faith will be strengthened to withstand the next trial. This verse for me describes the roller-coaster of life:) Trial, comfort, trial, blessings, trial, strength, trial, blessings. In the end it's always blessings.:)

Love and light, looking forward to a great year,

Hermana Sharp

P.S. The photo is the view from our apartment. With the construction outside, plus the busy streets, it's always noisy. But the Spirit is still there inside. ...Can you see Las Vegas?