Hi I'm Sheyla. Can I sit here?

Maria-Fernanda, me and Karina, the "Afrikan" dancers

A Sunday in 1994, two little twins came to my primary class. I don't know how, probably because we were in the same class, but we talked and we became really good friends. Twenty years later, Maria Fernanda and Karina Gonzalez, as their families and husbands, have filled my life with special experiences. Actually, I introduced Karina to her husband, Hector. Their sealing was the first one I attend and they are the most celestial couple I've ever seen! So many blessings came to my life because of the family of these two fabulous twins, all because we talked after we met in our Primary class...

With Frencho (Jonathan) at the temple

January 2010, Jonathan Karsenty, a new member in my YSA branch from France, was talking with a girl about the white socks he was wearing. I hear what they were saying so I joined the conversation, and then introduced myself. Soon we became really close friends; my life and perspective about many things in life changed, I learned better about sacrifice with him. All because I joined a conversation about white socks...

Natalia, Brian, me and Sam, my last Sunday in Temple
View in February 2012

I had seen Natalia Malcolm in my ward many times, and a Sunday in February 2012,  two weeks before my return to Canada, I felt that I should talk to her, but I didn't. The next Sunday, I remembered the feeling from the previous week and introduced myself. We sat together in class and at the linger longer, she met my friends, she came to a bonfire for my farewell the next Saturday, and there she met another guy, Nathan Wilson... They got married and are such a wonderful couple! Natalia and I didn't got to spend a lot of time together, but the times we saw each other were times of quality! All because I followed that prompting to talk to her (I wish I had talk to her the week earlier though!)...

Me as Miss Inca, Cynthia as Miss Maya, and Diana as
Miss Azteca, our 2012 Halloween group costume

When I got back to Montreal, in March 2012, they immediately called me as Relief Society 2nd counselor, and I had to work with a new member Diana Zempoalteca, who was RS activities coordinator. I saw her so asked her if I could sit with her. I told her about my new calling and that we would work together. She was so glad about that because she was a new member and didn't knew how to fulfill her calling. She was so willing to serve and to learn. She became like a sister to me, and I tried to be a better person to be a better example to her. I had an uplifting skype conversation with her a couple of weeks ago (she now lives in Mexico); she knew exactly the sweet feelings I was sharing with her about the gospel because she was feeling the same with her own experiences! I believe that our joy was like the joy Alma and the sons of Mosiah felt when they met after their missions. All of this, because I sat next to her and show her my joy to work with her in our callings...

Tarryn, me and Andrew at my first Diamondbacks game

When I went back to Arizona in February 2013, I went to Temple View YSA ward because I had previously attend that ward before, and I already had some friends there, but there were many faces gone and many new, as Andrew Payne. As I was waiting for my ride after church, he saw me and asked me if I was new in the ward or just visiting... Since then, we became really good friends. He has taught me so much with his wisdom. His example gives me so much motivation to live the gospel with more passion. His friendship has been such a great blessing in my life and because of his service and trust, I have been able to accomplish many of my goals. All of this because he talk to this new Peruvian-French-Canadian who was waiting for her ride...

Malcolm, with whom I spoke in Spanish, and
Brandom, with whom I tried to speak in Portuguese

A Sunday I asked Malcolm Lamb, whom I had never talked before, if I could sit next to him. He told me about his mission in Bolivia, and I told him I was from Peru, so we had a lot to talk about the similarities between those two countries. A few days later he called me "chola" (a name people call Peruvians). Some friends in Montreal used to call me like that so in a certain way Malcolm made me feel like I was becoming more part of my ward, being the "chola" from Temple View. That made my day, and since then I've loved when he called me like that! :) All of this because I sat next to him at sacrament meeting...

Marysabel and me at the Easter Pageant, two days
after we met. 

A few weeks ago I saw someone new in Relief Society, and felt that I should sit with her, so I asked her if I could sit there, introduced myself and ask her more about her. Marysabel Guzman told me that she was visiting from PERU!!! We spent the rest of church and the evening together and met her sister's family. It was so amazing to find a friend with whom I felt so connected, because we were both in similar situations, learning so much by being far from home. We might not see each other too much because she is going back to Peru soon, but the distance won't change the special friendship we developed so quickly, and all because I sat next to her in Relief Society...

Elodie, Sara, Miguel and I, when we hiked the Mount Royal

Miguel is a new convert in my former YSA branch in Montreal. Last Sunday we had a pot luck, and he sat at the table where his friend Sara was. I asked him his name and introduced myself. The next day was a holiday, and I had planned a hike to our so famous Montreal mount, the Mount-Royal, so I invited him. The next morning we hiked that mount and we had a really good time together. After the hike he told me to let him know when we go out again, that he really enjoyed coming with us and that he likes to spend time like this with other members of the church to get to know us better and to be surrounded by good people. We really enjoyed his company. All this, because he sat in my table and we talked during that pot luck...

I could keep telling about more friendships I made on Sundays: I sat next to Tarryn Goodman, Emi Christensen, Jessica Homewood;  Hannah Byers talked with me at our choir practice; Chelsea Chapman saw me walking and looking for a home teaching group to join and invited me to join hers; I offered to help and sit with Ben Beazer at sacrament meeting, I sat with Samuel Appollon and his friends at a YSA conference Sunday brunch; Brandon Halls talk to me on a Sunday and talked in Portuguese with me, as I randomly talked with Nicole Montez, Brandon Dana, Steven Neher, Cody Reed, Chandra Broomhead, Cédrick Jolifils, and other members after church or between classes; ; by those little moments and many other similar experiences at church on Sundays, I met wonderful people who have become fabulous blessings to me!

I'm sharing these experiences because from all of them I learned how important it is to meet new people at church, and everywhere. I believe that as children of God, brothers and sisters, everyone have in itself something to offer to others. We are all part of a big universal family, and we have the responsibility to help and support each other. I have learned so much from many friends who have shaped who I am. They are a great blessing. And these blessings have often come by a simple "Can I sit here?" or a "Hi, I'm _____________, are you visiting or new in the ward?"

Let's say the truth, those who attend activities like FHE, dances, game nights, sport nights, movie nights, even institute, usually go to those activities to see their friends and meet new people. But when we attend church meetings, the main reason is to take the sacrament and be uplifted by lessons and talks. So, if a really shy and quiet but faithful member go to church on Sunday, it could be really easy to attend the meetings and disappear a few seconds after we say "Amen" at the closing prayer, without anyone noticing his presence. How many of our brothers and sisters go to church but feel alone? Some might want to talk to new people, but they don't know how or don't have always the courage to do it (I know what I'm talking about, that has happened to me many times). Sometimes when we already have many friends, we are so focused spending time with them that we don't notice those who might be and feel alone.

We know that one of the essential needs of every member of the church is a FRIEND! Are we being that friend to others? Do you talk to new people in your ward or are you just hanging out all the time with your same crowd? Do you sit at the same place all the time or do you look for people you don't know yet to sit with them? Do you talk to everyone or only to the cute member of the opposite sex that could seem like a potential mate? If you see members with disabilities or special needs, do you offer your company, help or friendship or do you avoid to sit with someone who is different than you? When you feel prompted to talk to someone, do you trust enough in the Spirit to have the courage to talk to that person or do you tell the Spirit how weird it would be if you do it? Do you know your missionaries and ensure that you know the people they are bringing at church?


Meeting new people on Sundays is always very rewarding! Wonderful friendships can come from that!

As says the lyrics of this music video, "Be that friend", from Micheal McLean):
"Everyone hopes to find one true friend who's the kind
They can count on for forever and a day.
Be that friend, be that kind that you prayed you might find
And you'll always have a best friend, come what may"

So I invite you to talk to the new faces on Sundays! I even challenge you to weekly talk to a new face or to someone you're not used to talk, and I promise you that you will find that kind of friends, which would be a cherry on your Sundays, and in your life.