People I Love In India: Sonia

When I think about leaving Delhi, I am the most sad about the people I will miss and perhaps never see again. I certainly won't get around to writing about all of them, but I'll start with one of my favorite people--Sonia Sharma.

Sonia joined our church about three years ago. Whenever you see Sonia she is smiling and greeting people warmly, having fun, and working hard. She is eager to learn secular truths and the truths of the Gospel, and just finished serving beautifully as our branch Relief Society president. She knows how to be a good friend, and freely gives of her time, energy and affection to so many.

Sonia is from a Hindu family, and they allowed her to join our Christian church and attend the meetings. But they insisted that she marry a Hindu man they pick out for her in an arranged marriage. When her older sister attempted to do otherwise, her mother started having seizures she was so upset, and wouldn't settle down until her daughter consented to go for the arranged marriage. Sonia struggled with this dilemma with her marriage for some time, and finally decided to defy her family and marry a member of our church. She met Bobby while he was serving a mission here in Delhi, and they got to know each other better at the All-India Single Adult Conference last year. They were married in Bangalore on April 17th and sealed in the Hong Kong Temple on April 29th .
Her parents and relatives still do not know she got married. They think she has gone to Bangalore for a job (which is true--she does have a good job there). Can you imagine getting married and nobody in your family even knows? She doesn't plan to tell them for a few years to avoid the weeping and wailing and perhaps violence that could result. Also, if she doesn't tell them she can send money home for her sister's education; if they knew she had married a Christian in a love marriage, they would not accept her money.

I had the awesome opportunity to go to Hong Kong and be there with Sonia to help her receive her endowments and be sealed to Bobby last month. So fun to go to Hong Kong on my own and hang out in this amazing city with Sonia and Bobby for an evening.

Here's Sonia trying octopus for the first time on the streets of Hong Kong--she didn't like it!
It was a sacred and sweet experience to be the two of them in the temple. Sonia said to me during a quiet moment in the temple, "Sister, I feel so unworthy to be here. So many people sacrifice so much to come here, and I feel like I didn't have to sacrifice anything to be here." After thinking for a moment, I remembered that her Sonia's Canadian aunt paid for their trip to Hong Kong, and she was referring to the fact that she didn't have to sacrifice financially. But I was aghast that she didn't feel like she had sacrificed! What an amazing woman she is.

I know she will do great things in Bangalore and wherever else life takes her. I'm so glad she found a great guy like Bobby to walk by her side as she joyfully and faithfully goes through life.