Hey there family,
¡FELIZ NAVIDAD!!!!
I know that we will be talking tomorrow, but I just have to tell you the
amazing things that happened this week! ONE: I got your packages! Ok,
well I got two from Grandma Lois...THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! We are stinking
loaded with chocolate in the house, but with four Hermanas I think it is
necessary to have an overload of chocolate during Christmas! I also got
my package from you Mom..well, one of them. I think you told me that you
sent three. BUT: I loved it all! I was totally needing face wash and new
makeup and the sunscreen is the best since the sun is super intense
here! I have to be honest and tell you that my companion and I ate all
of the thumb print cookies in two days! It felt like Christmas time for
me. Sometimes it is really hard to not think about home and what you are
doing and the time you guys get to be together and I'm not there, but
then
we go out to work and I think..well my family has the gospel and is
working toward their eternal salvation and their are people here who
don't understand what that means. But I hope that everyone is happy and
excited to be together for the holidays!!!
Well, I have to tell you really quickly one of the biggest miracles that has
happened in my mission!! Yesterday I received a stronger witness of the
power of prayer, fasting and sacrifice. I think I have mentioned before
that we have two investigators named Isabel and Gerardo a married
couple. Well we have been teaching them for a long time, because we found
them about 11 weeks ago when we first got here in San Fernando. These last few weeks my companion and I have prayed and debated a lot
about them. They really are amazing and we love them sooo much, but
sometimes people just get to a point when they don't want to progress
anymore and there isn't anything that the missionaries can do. We invite,
they commit, but if they don't do they can't receive a witness or a
testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel. They both are reading the Book of Mormon and praying, but they have both said that they haven't
received any answers to know that
this is the true church of Jesus Christ.
Well for 11 weeks we have
invited them to read, pray and attend church. For the last 11 weeks
they have not come to church. So, I told you that the week before we had
an amazing lesson in the church with them..it was a surprise for them
but it really was a neat experience and for the first time we saw them
both in the church. Even though it wasn't Sunday they could still feel
the spirit that is there. This whole week we had talked to them about
going to church, but it really is just difficult for them. They are both
shy people, and they don't leave the house much, and they don't socialize
much either. They have their family and work and that is enough for
them. But this week we invited them to baptisms in the church so they
could participate and also in church on Sunday so that they could be
there for the confirmation. Well, we called them Saturday and it being
Christmas and all they were busy with family and their
two daughters and didn't commit to anything. We left it at that and
thought well the next week isn't Christmas and maybe they will come next
week.
As we sat in church we were content with the one little investigator
that has come to church 3 times in a row now and as we sat waiting to
start singing the sacrament hymn one of the members told my companion
that an investigator had just come in. I thought that it was one of the
investigators of the Elders and as I turned to look I saw that it was
Gerardo. Still today when I think about it my eyes fill with tears. But
yesterday when I saw his face my heart about jumped out of my chest!! I
couldn't believe it. I looked at my companion and her face looked exactly
how I felt! In shock and complete amazement. As he came to sit with us I
couldn't keep the tears back and we started to sing the song "I Stand All Amazed."
After weeks of fasting, praying and sacrificing we saw the
fruits of our labors. Our investigator, who almost never leaves the
house, came to the church alone! In this moment the Spirit testified of
the power of the Atonement
in changing the hearts of our investigators. I have to say that a lot of
the times I feel like I am doing all the actions of a missionary, I
live like one, I have a plaque, but none of the fruits are quite as
visible as this one was! I thought that it does not matter how
difficult the mission is, I want to live moments like this one over and
over again. I love the difficult fights, because the victories are that
much more sweet!!
Well family, I will talk to you tomorrow at 6:00 pm
here in Chile. I think that means 4:00 there but I am not sure. Just to
let you know I am writing right now and it is almost 6:00 here. So I
don't know if you can see what time you received this email from me, but I
think we will be ok. I will try my Skype a little before hand so that
everything works out. Pray that we can have good internet because we
will be in a members house. But I think it will all be ok. Say hi to
everyone, that I love you all and I can wait to see you all
tomorrow!!!!! Be prepared to talk to my companion...she is awesome and I
am prepping her with some English!! Get ready to practice your Spanish!!!
FELIZ NAVIDAD!!!!!!! Les amo un monton
Su hijita, hermanita, nietita, y no se que mas
Hermana Thacker!!
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