Ohhhhhh myyyyyyy gossshhhhhh this week has been AWESOME!!!!! I can feel the power of your prayers already, guys! Keep ém coming strong!
On Thursday our mission zone in Buin combined with a couple of other zones in this region and had a Christmas activity. Hermanas Boully, Cortez, Williams and I sang "Mary, Did You Know?" in Spanish. It was a little clunky, but it came out alright. We were all so nervous! hahahaha!
The mission President and the assistants organized a Christmas video with a bunch of photos from the mission and gave us lots of food. We played sports and we all got yearbooks and t-shirts as Christmas gifts! So that was fun.
In case there are those out there who do not know what a Coordinadora is, I shall explain. It's basically a female zone leader. But just for the sisters. So I'm going to be able to do divisions with the other sisters in Paine and visit one of my converts and the members that I came to know and love. AAAAAHHHHHHHHH! I am so excited. You don't even know.
And Heavenly Father was definitely being merciful when He inspired President Warne to put me with Hermana Chapman during this time. If I have to learn how to be a Coordinadora, I want it to be fun. And there is absolutely nothing un-fun about Hermana Chapman.
So after our last investigator dropped us, yes, it was a crushing moment, but the Lord always ALWAYS has people prepared. We've just got to find them.
So two days after our letdown, I finally stopped my bike and said to Hermana Williams, "You know what? I'm sick and tired of being sad. Because when we're sad, Satan is winning. And I'm not going to let him win like this. Let's go find somebody!"
So. This last week Hermana Williams and I went to visit Andres with the Catalans. They're married with two kids. Andres didn't end up letting us go into his house because I think he forgot that we were going to bring a friend to have a lesson, and he might not have had time to clean up a little for visitors. But it was okay. Ricardo and Andres hit it off right away and Ricardo talked all about how he feels knowing the true Gospel and what it's done for his family, the activities that the members plan, family history, and many other things. In the end, Hermana Catalan ended up saying goodbye and taking her little daughter home because she didn't get a word in edgewise. hahahaha!
Then we invited Andres to church and he said, "I can't. I work late and get home early in the morning Sunday morning. So I just need to sleep." But Ricardo said, "But church starts at 11. What could it hurt? Take a nap after work and come to church with us." Andres said that he would.
Then, Hermana Williams and I were contacting near the train station and we found a guy named Alberto. He's a 25-year-old from Columbia and he currently lives with a host family (that also happens to be Colombian). When we found him, he was with friends, but he told us that we could come back and visit his family one day. He didn't know when, though, because his work hours aren't consistent. So we invited him to come to English class on Saturday and he came. We do them in the church building, so Alberto took interest and was taking a look around.
He participated in English class, then afterwards we invited him to come to church the next day.
I said, "It's at 11 in the morning."
"Until what time?"
"Until 2:00. But don't worry! We have three separate hours. Different classes. So we won't be in the same room for three hours."
He said, "That doesn't matter anyways. I'll come. And I'll stay." Yeeeeaaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!!!!!! :D
So Hermana Williams and I were waiting outside until 10:59 for our investigators to show up, but neither of them did. We were both a little bummed, but I kept watching the door. Right after the sacrament was passed, I saw a figure appear at the end of the hall.
It was Alberto.
Oh my goodness. I can not even describe the happy explosion that happened within me. Hermana
Williams went out to greet him, then we all sat down. After sacrament meeting, Alberto received the best welcome I have ever seen in my entire mission. People were so warm and friendly with him and they all seemed to want to get to know him. And he loved it!!!! He liked the talks, too!!!!
Williams went out to greet him, then we all sat down. After sacrament meeting, Alberto received the best welcome I have ever seen in my entire mission. People were so warm and friendly with him and they all seemed to want to get to know him. And he loved it!!!! He liked the talks, too!!!!
During classes in the second hour, Andres showed up!!!! He came power-walking in with his leather jacket and a motorcycle helmet cradled under one arm. He's like, "Sorry I'm late." No importa, Andres!!!!! WOOOOOOO!!!!! He also received a warm reception.
Alberto stayed all three hours and Andres was there for Sunday School and Priesthood Session.
Andres had to go right afterwards, but Alberto stayed and chatted a while with the members. We asked him what he thought, and he said that he learned a lot of things that he had never heard before, but they weren't strange to him. And he loved the reception that he received. He was talking to the branch president and told him that it makes him want to keep coming back. We said, "And you will always be very welcome to!"
Oh my goodness. Miracles, guys. Hermana Williams and I are the happiest little campers you ever did see.
We also have a bunch of teaching appointments with some REALLY good people. There's a kid named Luis whose mom is a less-active, but I don't think he knows it. He's Catholic, but he says that he doesn't really understand much about faith or about how the Spirit works.
Anyways, we went to this less-active's house to visit her, but Luis came out the front door, so we talked to him. We explained who we were, what we're here for, and how Luis can benefit from our message. He expressed a lot of interest and asked questions. Then we asked if we could come back another day and share something with him and his mom, and he said, "Claro! I don't know why, but I just met you and me caen muy bien. Seriously. Me caen muy bien."
I have no idea how that translates to English, but it basically means that he doesn't feel uncomfortable around us. He told us that there's something about us that makes him feel like he knows us. Like we just reached him right away. He asked how we do it, and I said, "It's called the Spirit." hehehe
So Hermana Chapman and I are going to have a lot of work to do. I'm a little nervous about having to direct my sector because Buin (pronounced "Bween" for those of you who have been asking) is HUGE. And the comesarios are coming to take our bikes to another sector that needs them more right now. Sooooo we're going to be on foot. ADVENTURE!
The bikes were a huge blessing because I only have one good pair of shoes left and they have to last me the rest of my mission. And it's impossible for a missionary to find size 11 shoes for women here in Chile. Shoes that are mission-appropriate anyways. All of my other shoes are shredded or give me bad blisters. They're not meant for walking around so much.
So that's it for this week! I'll let you all know about my Christmas celebration here in Buin next week!
CHAOOOOOO!!!!!!
-Hermana Darley
Here's a pic of the Hermanas I live with. Hermanas Boully, Cortez, Williams and I. Hermana Boully is from Utah, Hermana Cortez from Guatemala and Hermana Williams from Colorado.
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