Week 45 - "I encourage you, exhort you, my beloved family and friends, to open your hearts. Open your eyes, let your light from deep inside shine forth so others may benefit from your love. Let yourself open up to others."

June 9, 2014

 The Mision Chile Santiago South isn't a joyride. It isn't easy, it is full of hard work and soaked to the bone with rain and exhaustion in the spiritual sense and physical. It is incredible to see the difference of how the wards here work compared with other parts of the world. Last night was a testimony builder of all the work I have still yet to do.

Last night, we decided to pass by an hermana we hadn't seen at Church and who has had some problems with her family. We felt the need to pass by, but a bit hesitant because we had passed by 4 times the last week and she hadn't answered. We ended up passing by Maria de Los Angeles. She let us come in, we greeted the household, then followed her to her part of the house. We entered and I was so excited to see David, her son with 4 years because he reminds me so much of James. She offered us ecco and cake, we sat at the table as she cleaned up a bit as we talked to her. We found out that she does have problems, but we didn't know how big they were. She is a return misionera from Argentina, she came to Chile to marry her husband, Vicente, and to start her career and family here. She and Vicente were married in and sealed in the temple and had their first child, Elisabeth. When she was pregnant with her second child, David, Vicente had an affair with another woman without telling Maria de LA. She found him out 6 months later when David was born. He married the woman and they were divorced. she moved out and started to live her life, she had started to look for a job, when Vicente showed up one day, told her he had divorced the other woman and wanted to return to live with her. At this point, he was disconnected to the Church, didn't want anything to do with it. She told him no, but she still loves him. That was five years ago. They still live just a block from each other and she has been trying to ignore and get over her husband to live a happy life and move on. But she can't help feeling mistreated and like God has forgotten her. She has been inactive for those 5 years and can't find the reason to go back active if God doesn't care.

But that isn't it. When I arrived in this sector, La Blanca, I realized how cold the members are. It was obvious in how they wouldn't come to visit other menos activos or they didn't greet the people we brought to Church. Or how the Presidenta of the SocSoc got mad when we sat in her bank with Marianela and Millaray their first week and from then on wouldn't talk to us until we asked forgiveness. But Maria helped us realize how selfish and judgmental people can be. She told us she doesn't go to church for the people, she goes for God and because she knows her covenants are important, but she hates it there. She doesn't want to go because she feels awful and lonely in the church. With the number of members we have, she feels like she is alone in the chapel. Because the members don't talk to her. They have their own little worlds and it doesn't matter to them if others suffer or if they need help. It is sad.

I encourage you, exhort you, my beloved family and friends, to open your hearts. Open your eyes, let your light from deep inside shine forth so others may benefit from your love. Let yourself open up to others. Give yourself completely to God and Christ so that the attributes of Christ may develop fully in your soul. Let yourself be an instrument in God's hands so that others don't suffer the terrible sickness that is loneliness in the house of our Heavenly Father. It is a house of reverence, but also a house of God. Godliness shouldn't only show on the outside, but needs to be so strong from the inside that it shines through the acts we perform for our brothers and sisters yearning to be loved. As I encourage you, I work daily to do the same. I try to open myself up a bit more, let myself laugh a little more, and to love a little more so others may feel the joy and happiness I have found in the gospel of Jesus Christ, another name for opportunity. Opportunities to be the hands of God.

Be good this week, my dearest people!

Hermana Castleton