The One With the Bike, Helmet, Vest, and Child

Right before the Christmas performance with Hermana Christensen

           

                 Tuesday was one of the most spiritual days in the mission. Our zone went up to Rancagua for a special Christmas devotional. We practiced this musical program with narrators reading scriptures from Luke 2 and musical numbers. Then we went to an assisted living center to perform for them. It was so humbling. The building was nothing compared to the Ashford (The Ashford is where Aimee worked as a CNA) – it was so humbling. We were able to talk to them for a few minutes and then we started the program. We sang some Christmas hymns with the different singing parts and it was beautiful! They told the story of the birth of Christ. A few small groups had musical numbers. Then near the end I sang “He Sent His Son.” For the last song, we sang “Savior Redeemer of My Soul.” Hermana Harris (Mission President’s wife)  played her violin. As we sang, the Spirit was undeniably strong. It was hard to keep it together, but on the last verse it was impossible to not cry. Elder Conger was leading the hymn and he was crying and then even President had tears in his eyes. It was a moment that I never wanted to end. Words cannot describe the power that was in that room. I can’t even begin to explain the feelings in my heart. All I can say is that I think that will be what the Celestial Kingdom feels like. I will do anything to feel like that for eternity. I just wish that more people were willing to give up the temporary “okay” feelings that this world gives and come and enjoy the fullness of joy that God has to offer every single one of us.

                Yesterday was so crazy! We gave away 5 copies of the Book of Mormon with appointments to return. It was amazing to see what God is willing to do when we ask and are willing to do what He requires. We prayed so many times throughout the day to find more and more people.

Splits with Hermana Zuniga

                We contacted this house and a lady named Mary came out. She had the door ½ opened but 4 dogs inside were all trying to escape, so she got rid of the noise and distraction to talk to us by shutting the door. We talked for a little, gave her a BoM and said goodbye. Then she turned around and realized what she had done. The keys were inside. The thing about the front doors in Chile is that they don’t have door handles. If it is shut, you have to put the key in and use the key as a door handle. But the keys were inside. AND she hadn’t opened the gate outside so she was stuck in the tiny space between her front door and the gate where we were standing. She had just got done telling us that her daughter lives here but she doesn’t get home from work until midnight… It was 5:00 in the afternoon… so even though we already said bye – we couldn’t just leave her. As we looked around for a solution, it took 2 seconds to tell my companion that the window on the upstairs floor was open. It took less than 1 second for Hermana Christensen to climb the gate, get onto the roof, climb across a burning hot roof, jump through the window, run downstairs, open the door, and save the day. Mary was so happy and grateful that even being in a skirt, she was willing to climb to the roof to save the day. The good news is 2 girls saw and were laughing so afterwards we walked over to them and used the incident as an icebreaker and they both ended up being super interested in the church. God’s plan is perfectly detailed.

SOLANGE and her “husband” and their 3 kids CAME TO CHURCH!! They stayed for all 3 hours. They participated in class. And they are golden. Tomorrow we have Family Home Evening with them and there’s just so much goodness with this family. All they need is to get married and then they will be ready!

Also we had the Rauquen Christmas devotional/musical program. No one else plays piano, so I accompanied almost everyone and it felt so good helping by sharing my talents. I realized that I LOVE playing the piano and I want to learn so much more, and I am going to take every opportunity I am given to develop this talent more so I can more fully invite the Spirit into people’s lives. Then next year I’m going to beg Daniel to teach me and I know he’ll help me and it is going to be WONDERFUL!

              

Edgar and Olga with their children July and Stefany

  Hermana Youi called us so we headed over to her house which is at the very back corner of our sector. She told us that she was cleaning out her stuff and found 2 dolls and thought that the daughters of Olga and Edgar (July and Stefany) would love them as a Christmas present. She told us that we could take the dolls to our apartment, clean them up, and give them to July and Stefany. We agreed and followed her to where she was keeping the dolls. Well I had imagined that the dolls were Barbie dolls, but to my surprise, no. They weren’t Polly Pocket size, not baby sized, not even those baby dolls that Lindsay used to push around in her mini stroller. They were real life toddler sized. One is 2 feet tall and the other is a solid yard stick tall! I’m 99% sure that they are taller than July and Stefany. Still, they will LOVE the dolls. As we thanked Hermana Jovi and said goodbye, we looked at our watches and realized that we had to be in the apartment in 10 minutes and we were at least 15 minutes away. So we hurried up and put on our helmets and reflector jackets and then quickly realized that these dolls were not going to fit in our baskets. So without time to think of a better plan, we each took a doll in our one arm while driving the bike with the other. We started hauling to be able to make it back in time. – And OH MY GOODNESS – the looks we got were PRICELESS! Just imagine: 2 North Americans, speed racing on beach cruisers, with skirts, wearing helmets that were never meant for public appearance, with hideous fluorescent jackets that reflect every light, in a time of year where EVERY house is lit, CARRYING 2 SMALL CHILDREN (half dressed). I can’t say that I blame them for looking twice, or honking 6 times, or the taxi driver that drove next to us yelling, “THE DOLL’S PANTS ARE FALLING DOWN” for a solid minute straight. I hope people will talk to us tomorrow… But it all paid off when we got back to the apartment (on time BTW, super impressive), and put the dolls up against the door of the other Hermana’s room. I’m pretty sure the family in Utah heard the scream of Hermana Ellingson. I would say that today was a success.

  

These lights and reflector vests don't mix