Week 11

Man, so many crazinesses have happened in the last few days/weeks. Seriously. This has been awesome.

So Hermana Rajapakse and I were contacting and we were received by a man named Oscar and his wife Maria. Oscar told us right up front that he´s an Atheist. He was really really skeptical and started talking about how he watches the news and we've got all these problems in the world and ¨how could there be a God¨? and stuff like that. So we started asking him some questions about his background and got to know him a bit more, I sang a hymn, and then H. Rajapakse showed him the steps to prayer. After the prayer, we taught him about the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He was skeptical all the way through it, but I felt like he was absorbing the message despite his comments. 

Once the lesson was over, we asked him if he would like to offer the final prayer. We wrote down instructions on how to pray and handed it to him so that it could be simpler. There was a long pause. He said, ¨Heavenly Father...¨ he started crying. Then he said, ¨Please...Bless this home.¨ 

That was all he said, but the feeling that was present was incredible. Hna. Rajapakse and I asked him how he felt, and he said, ¨Good... Very good.¨

I felt the Spirit so strongly that I almost started crying as well. 

We scheduled a return appointment with Oscar and Maria and returned to their house two days ago, but unfortunately Maria told us that they don't want to receive us anymore. It saddens me that we can't keep teaching there, but this happens sometimes. People suddenly drop us even after we have a good lesson. But I know that a seed has been planted. Oscar felt something. It´s possible that other missionaries will be received by them when they're ready.  

In other news, Hermana Rajapakse fell in a hole while we were walking from San Juan de Dios to S.M. (It´s like an hour and fifteen minute walk one way) and messed up her foot pretty good. But she still wanted to work! Talk about diligence. I told her that she should just put her foot up and take it easy until it got better, but she couldn't be budged. So she limped around for the rest of the day on her bad foot and by the end of the day, it had swelled up like a water balloon. 

After lunch the next day, she called the nurse to ask for advice, and the nurse told her to go home. So we went home. I froze a plastic bag full of water and made her put her foot up so that I could ice it. We stayed in the apartment for the rest of the day. I wasn't too terribly bored because I could find plenty of things to do around the house, but I can´t say the same for Hna. Rajapakse. She got so bored that at one point, she was like, ¨I really want to buy some cold water. Can we go, please?¨ There´s a store right next to our house, but I can't go anywhere without my companion, so we went to the store together. H. Rajapakse bought some chocolate and talked to the guy behind the counter for like 10 minutes.

When we returned to the house, she was like, ¨Hermana Darley, I have a confession... I didn't need to get water. I just wanted out of the house.¨

I was like ¨You liar face!!!!!!¨ We had a good laugh about that, then I made her sit for the rest of the day and ice her foot. hahaha

Also! After my time in Chile, I seriously don't think I'll ever eat a hot dog without guacamole on it. Completos are seriously da bomb.com. They´re huge, and they have tomatoes, hot sauce, guacamole, onions, the works!

And the bread in North America is going to taste nasty to me when I return. Sorry, but it´s true. The bread in Chile is dangerous. Ooooh it´s soooooo good!!!!

Today for P-day, we went to the Buin Zoo with our Zone. Oh my goodness they have like a bajillion animals and most of them were out and about today, so I got some pretty cool photos. (Which I am trying to send, but I honestly don't know what kind of luck I'm going to have as long as I´m using these computers...)

Lastly, to finish this week's post, I want to bear my testimony that I know that there is no more important work than missionary work. Jeffrey R. Holland said that the most important thing in the universe is the salvation of the human soul. I really believe that to be true, because it´s God´s work and His glory! It´s amazing, it´s worth it, and it has already changed my perspective so much. I love the work, I know the Gospel of Jesus Christ is on the earth and I am incredibly grateful to have this knowledge in my life. It´s a HUGE blessing.

Until next week, everyone. I LOVE YOU!!!!!

- Hermana Darley