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.  

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​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. 

I forgot the dog bite!!

Snake and Horses and other stuff

Never thought I'd be brave enough to put a snake around my neck. Ah!

The picture is of our apartment lobby with the flowers they put out for Mother's Day. Happy Mother's day again!!

Blog: It had to happen sometime in the mission...

Just guess what happened this week:

A) I spent two hours in the Santiago police station.

B) A boa constrictor almost suffocated me.

C) A dog bit me!!

D) Three investigators dropped us.

E) All of the above.

Would you believe me if I said the answer was "E"?

Two temple trips and a baptism

First, did you watch the "Because of Him" video? Now check out jesuschrist.lds.org if you haven't seen it yet. 

Second, it's story time:

Yasna was baptized!!! 

Yasna stood to share her experience during Gospel Principles class on Sunday. Whereas before her baptism she never could honestly say, "Estoy bien," (I'm good) she said it as part of her testimony yesterday. She really feels like she has been born again, and she immediately recognized the gift of the Holy Ghost after she was confirmed. Everyone in the ward loves her. 

During her baptism, she bore her testimony and she called us angels. I nearly cried because Alma 26: 3 became part of my life. Yasna had been "in darkness, yea, even in the darkest abyss, but behold,(she has been) brought to behold the marvelous light of God!And this is the blessing which hath been bestowed upon us, tat we have been made binstruments in the hands of God to bring about this great work."

 ... At home that night I felt prompted to open my old journal. I found that in April 2013--about the same time that Yasna fell into her depression--I had written, "Bring them hope, Sister Sharp. Be an angel." 

Little did I know that 8 months later, in December, the first week after I was transferred to Macul, I would find Yasna--the one who needed an angel. 

The Lord is in the details, for not only was the scripture fulfilled but my journal entry as well. 

...

This week we went first with Yasna, and later with Betty and Dariela, to tour the temple. What a beautiful and precious opportunity to be close to the Lord's house. Yasna felt peace when we entered the foyer of the temple, and Dariela (8 years old) hugged my arm and whispered "Le quiero," which, being interpreted is "I love you!" 

....

I'm grateful for the free food we receive every day. It's a lot. Tuesday. three different people gave us green apples. Also, Betty (recent convert) makes us eat dinner with her after we teach. She can't stop talking about her growing addiction to reading books related with the gospel. Thanks to Daughter in My Kingdom she decided to start wearing skirts to church:) Nora and Vilma are less-active members from Austria--they fed us lentils with a giant delicious bread-meat-ball in the middle while we helped them with their geneology. Another day,Sonia in the shop where we make photocopies gave us free sandwiches.

Basically the only person who didn't give us something to eat was the Jehova's witness missionary lady who approached us from behind while we studied on a bench outside. She told us that she had thought, "I'm going to talk to these girls about God!..."  but then she saw who we were and found herself in a very uncomfortable position. Hahaha, I've never felt so proud of my nametag before. What a perfect proof that WE  have the authority to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We didn't need to say much and she left rather quickly.

In other news, Pedro, 45, finally came to church, and we found a 14 year old Tamara whom we've now taught two times. Luis accompanied us to teach a 19 year old, Diego, the second lesson, too. And sister Guillermina came to church for the first time in more than 10 years. Yay!!! The Lord is STILL hastening His work. It's miraculous.:) 

I know the Church is true. The Book of Mormon is the word of God. And Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. He loves us, and I love Him.

Love,

Sister Sharp :)

 Two simple acts.

Due to our decreasing number of progressing investigators, I've been tempted many times to fall to the ground in a hopeless heap of skirts and scriptures. And I've done so.

But I didn't give up. I took advantage of the situation to pray harder than I've ever prayed and to immerse myself in the Book of Mormon like it was my only hope. And it worked, because the Savior came along, took my hand, and lifted me up again.

"All He really asks of you is to pray and read the scriptures. That's all He really asks," said Sister Holland last year, and such a phrase has been my saving grace. I know Christ lives and loves me. I love Him, so I'll continue on in His service.

Love, 

Sister Sharp

 "3 Nephi 14:7 Ask and ye shall receive"

This is one of the theme scriptures for my mission. It is so true! For example: I prayed hard for a new investigator, and as we went to visit a less active member, she wasn't home. I felt like we might as well knock on the neighbor's door, so we walked to the doorbell. Before I lifted my hand to ring it a man emerged from the side gate and immediately said, "I'm interested in the church." We have a return appointment tonight, so we'll see how it goes.:)

Also, we were teaching Marcelo late at night and after the lesson we desperately needed a taxi in order to return home on time. I prayed in my heart, and had to wait patiently with faith, but soon the taxi came. The Lord is good and He hears our prayers. 

I know my Savior loves me and I love Him. 

Until Mother's Day,

Sister Sharp