Buongiorno a tutti!
What a great week! Well, every week I basically say that, but that's because it's true! Every week as a missionary is so great. SO exhausting and hard and sometimes frustrating, but so wonderful as well. I have learned so much about not only the gospel and the simple beauty of it, but about myself. What a special experience this is.
Let's see....the good weather didn't last long...it's pouring rain...again. The weather is so fickle here I feel like I'm in Pocatello again! haha. Besides that, it's been good! I started a "video diary" (My companion's idea), and so every night after planning (when I am all tired and yet excited because soon I can sleep) I just have been recording like a 1 minute summary of the day. Not to toot my own horn or anything but....TOOT TOOT. haha. just kidding, but at least I find them pretty funny! We have a lot of good times and funny stories as missionaries....for example, this week we met with a less active African member who just now, for the first time ever, realized that Nephi is a human being. ... So we are happy for him! "What is this Nephi!" "He is a prophet!" "...So... he is a human being?" "yeah!" "OOOOOOHHHHHH, yesssssssssss! very good, very good!" :)
Italy is so great, because we get a mix of so many cultures! Africans are soooo much more humble and way different to teach that Italians are, and occasionally we even get the rare South American (which is basically like gold...everyone there has such a strong belief in Jesus Christ. It is such a great mission!
We had a wonderful training meeting in Padova last week, very instructive! We are working hard to get members and missionaries to start working together more than ever before. This is a special time for the gospel in Europe!
Miracle: We had a very cool miracle this week! Apart from the fact that Morris was interviewed to be baptized and passed! and we FINALLY (we have been having to postpone it for 3 weeks due to scheduling conflicts and other concerns) can start planning the baptism for April 4th! That was a miracle it itself also. He came out of the interview with just a radiant smile and said "I did a good job!" It was great!
Oooo, okay, I need to put this one in here too, even though it isn't the planned miracle either. But Christian FINALLY CAME TO CHURCH!!!!! :) It has been like 2 months in the making, but after us going with a member to his house at 10:30 he finally was able to come for the last hour of sacarament meeting. And what are the odds...both our branch president, President Zufolini, AND our District President, President Caramia (who is a total stud of a district president...if I can say that? I hope I can, because I just did, haha.) spoke! President Caramia gave an amazing talk on David and Goliath and about how the Lord can help us overcome any obstacle in our way as we seek to follow him. On top of that it was branch conference, so the branch choir (for the first time ever I believe) sang sweet hour of prayer (Tenor part courtesy of yours truly...yikes...haha). But it was so beautiful, and the spirit was so strong. Fratello Canuti, the Elder's Quorum President, (Who has only been a member for less than 2 years, yet is one of the most solid and missionary-minded in the entire branch! [He even calls us almost every day to see what appointments we can bring him too! That's not typical at all!]) has been with us to Christian's house to teach a few lessons, and it was him who went with us to go pick up Christian. As soon as we got to church it was the greatest thing ever, he just totally took him under his wing, led him into the meeting, and set right next to him the entire time with his wife, explaining all that was going on with the announcements and sacarament and everything! Christian had such a good experience! His face lit up as we introduced him to all of the members after the meeting. It was a special experience.
But the miracle I would like to share was a few days ago, and we were out doing some finding work in centro. It was raining on and off that night, and it had just started up again. We had about 20 minutes before an appointment, and wanted to use the time productively, so we decided to say a prayer to ask for guidance. We ended our prayer and walked up to the first person we saw- a man texting on his cell phone walking towards us. We went up to him and before we could get out the first sentence he said "I know you guys! You guys are the Latter-Day Saints!" We both began to smile really big like "Yes! Finally someone who knows us!" And he followed up with a brief story about how he was baptized 15 years ago, but has been inactive for a very long time due to persecution at work and other difficult situations in the past. He asked us to give him a Book of Mormon right there on the spot (which we gladly did) and gave us his phone number, and we set up an appointment to meet with him and his wife, Barbara tomorrow at 5:00! He said that he knows President Asioli, the 1st counselor in our district presidency, and that they are very good friends and he has always been very kind to him. So we will try to bring him with us when we go! The Lord truly prepares paths to meet; I have gained suc h a testimony of that on the mission.
Well, I love you all very much and thank you all for your support and prayers! I need and am so thankful for them! I have felt your strength many times. I hope you all have a fantastic week!
-Anziano Wilson
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