AUGUST 14, 2013

Caro mi famiglia,

Buona pomeriggio!  (Good afternoon)! :)  The MTC is going amazingly well, I am loving it so much!  We have been pretty much doing the same thing as the last two weeks, it is awesome awesome.  I can't believe I am already 3 weeks in, where did the beginning of August go!  Time starts to fly one you know your schedule and can start really focusing on the work!
      Some pretty amazing things have happened for me this week.  Each Sunday night after our MTC devotional (which was really good this week!  the MTC director talked about the story in 1 Nephi about the tree of life, and how it applies to our lives and especially how we can use it to help our investigators.  His talk was entitled "The purpose of the purpose.") we get to go to a church film to help reinforce our purpose.  Everything we do here, as I have learned this week, really is focused on our purpose.  As it says in Preach My Gospel (hopefully I can remember this in English...lol  "To invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel, through faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end."  Which in Italian (for Big L) is "Invitare le persone a venire a Cristo aiutandole ad accentare il vangelo restaurato mediante la fede in Gesu Cristo, il pentimento, il batessimo, del dono della Spirito Santo, e perserverando sino alla fine"  (disclaimer: I am not responsible in any way shape or form for misspellings, etc. in the aforementioned purpose statement.) haha :)  It has helped me so much in all that I do to remember that this time really isn't for me.  It is for the people of Italy.  And it is my responsibility to prepare myself, with the help of the Lord, so that when I come across a beloved child of our Heavenly Father, I will be able to do all I can to invite them to come to Christ.  Come. Not go.  He waits for us patiently, and he is nearby always. He waits for us to come to him.
    But comunque (anyways) after Sunday night devotionals we have an hour to watch a special church film.  This week it was a talk from President Monson many moons ago while he was still the 1st counselor in the first presidency.  He talked about faith, and how we can develop and grow our faith.  He spoke of a special family he met, who had 4 children with a very rare form of muscular dystrophy, which caused all to die early in life.  But he talked about the faith they had.  When he met with that family, the young girl, who was only 5 years old, wanted to sing him a song.  Even though her lungs were very weak, and she struggled to get enough air, she had told her mother that she wanted to try.  I was touched as he described the tears that flowed freely from everyone who listened to a humble song from a little girl, who died at the age of 14.  How blessed we truly are, take advantage of every single day!
    The crowning event of this week had to be last night for our Tuesday night devotional. It was the first ever MTC devotional to be broadcasted to every MTC world-wide! We were privileged to hear from Elder Richard G. Scott, of the quorum of the twelve apostles.  Wow.  How do I begin to describe such an experience.  I was singing in the MTC choir for the devotional (we sung Jesus Once of Humble Birth), and as we all stood as he walked in, everyone around me grew so quiet.  You truly could feel of the spirit that he had, being a servant of the Lord.  As he spoke I couldn't help but see a sort of glow around him, as he beamed with love towards us.  He spoke on prayer, and the true privilege that it is to speak with an all-powerful, all-loving Heavenly Father.  How wonderful it was!  While he was walking out at the end of the meeting he turned around, cupped his hands around his mouth, and yelled "Be good! We love you!"  :) You just can't help but love that man.
  I am thankful for your guys' emails!  I am glad to hear that everything is going well at home!  Tell Gramps I said Happy Birthday!
    We are teaching two new investigators this week, Francesco and Daniella.  It is so wonderful to be able to role play and feel of even just a portion of what it will be like to bear pure testimony to people who have no idea who God is, or how much He loves them. It just...amazes me that there really are people that don't know.  It makes me feel horrible.  Missionary work is such a blessing, being able to share the love and joy that the gospel brings is amazing.
  I love you alll so much!  Thanks for being an amazing family!  You are all in my prayers every night, I hope you are doing well! Questo lavoro e il lavoro di Dio.  Io so che questo e vero! Sono molto grato per l'opportunita di stare qui, e di essere un misionario!  Cosa un benedizione! Ci videamo!