Hola Familia!!!!!!!!!
Feliz Navidad!!!
This week Hermana Vadrey flooded the entire house while taking a shower. The drain doesnt work too well and next thing we knew the stove was pretty much floating in water haha. Poor thing needs her glasses at all times.
While closing the house gate one night we heard screaming coming from the house connected to ours. We listenened for a min and heard sobbing and somebody yelling something about Mattias falling and not waking up. We all assumed that a little boy or baby or something had fallen from the stairs and was unconcious. So Chely jumped the neighbors gate and started trying to break in the window. I started running down the street screaming. My companion called the ambulance while the other two hermanas tried climbing onto the roof. The little neighbor girl who was babysitting was absolutly hysterical. As we were about to break in the parents zoomed up and ran inside. As we were on the phone with 911 and pretty scared the dad walks out. We all look for the dying baby in his arms....and see....a little poodle?
It was pretty funny. Not when the police showed up but....really....so much crying for a dog? The dog was fine too by the way. It was wide awake and barking.
I remember this time last year we were teaching a little boy who lived in an orphanage. He was completely abandoned and had nothing. At 15 years old he had nothing in his life....and it looked like no future either. He was sad and hurt and confused. And when we tried to teach him that there is a God...and that He is our Heavenly Father who LOVES us...he didnt believe it. Because how could God love us and give us so many trials at the same time. Maybe God loved other people a lot...people who had money and families and nice things....but him. God had probably forgotten about him. Because he didnt have anything.
And the last 16 months I have seen too many similar attitudes. God maybe loves everyone else. But not me. I see it from the people in the street who dont have anything...from the good woman whose husbands beat them and leave them in the street....to converts who try to hard to do right...and dont get any help. To my own life sometimes. Because sometimes....we try really hard...and we dont see results. Its one thing after another until we feel like we are going to burst! I had a little moment like that this week.
I dont have any blessings. God doesnt love me. I´m going in circles...bla bla bla.
But then I started thinking
I love Hualqui. I love the trees and how all the blossoms blow and get in your eyes. I love our little house. I love my companion Hermana Monroy. She is one of my favorite people ever and probably my greatest little daughter blessing I could have. I love singing. I love Chile and that God let me come and love Chile. I love that God let me know one of my long long sisters here in Chile...Chely and that I have been able to have 6 months learning from her. I love food. All food. I love all the companions I have had and all the things I have learned from them. I love my family and that they have always been supportive of me in my mission. I love that on days when I feel like I cant just walk around in any more heat....it just starts raining. I love everything. And I am probably the most blessed person on the planet. And so are you. Because God knows us perfectly and blesses us and challenges us in His perfect ways..just the way we need it! How silly that we so oftan forget our blessings.
People here dont really celebrate Christmas the way we do. They do it the right way. Without trees..without lights and presents and a whole lot of fuss. They just remember Christ. And no one here is confused in what is the real meaning of Christmas. I feel sick when I remember getting on facebook Christmas morning and seeing people put lists of their presents...or photos...or anything like that. Here people dont even have money for a tree. Or food. But they are happy. And they can focus on Christ. On the atonement. One lady we are teaching astounded me by saying that she loves Christmas because she can focus on her opportunity to repent and be clean thanks to Christ. That He was born. That He came to clean us and to right every wrong.
And God loves us. We are the reason that God gave His Son. We are the reason that Christ gave His life. And we should feel so so blessed. Because even though we fall. Even though we are not perfect at all. We can be...we can get up and brush ourselves off and keep walking.
There are so many in need. Needs that are real. Not needs of a new iphone or clothes or movies. But needs like food and blankets and love and care and interest. Lets all go out and find those people who are REALLY in need this Christmas. And not just serve them for an hour or two to check service off the list....but really give a gift of our heart. A gift that lasts more than a lifetime and more than a day. A gift that is a real sacrifice and maybe hurts a bit to give.
I love you all so much and am so thankful for the blessing of YOU in my life!
Have a very thankful, and peaceful and thoughtful Christmas.
And eat some food for me! This week we are living off yogurt and bananas. :)
Hermana Orchard
