Buona famiglia! :)
This week has been GREAT! :) The work is going really well, and we are working hard to build back up our investigator pool, and find the people that truly are searching for peace in this world of confusion. We have talked to so many people recently on the street that are just confused, and, dare I say, scared. Granted, the whole situation in Italy isn't the greatest, but they are just literally so unsure and apprehensive about the future. I would be too without the knowledge that I have. What a blessing it is. Whenever a problem or struggle or unsurety comes into my mind, it brings me so much peace to know that it is all part of the great plan that an all-knowing, all-loving, perfect Father has for me, His son. How blessed we are!
Which brings me to an awesome scripture that I read the other day! Doctrine and Covenants 133:59 " And by the weak things of the earth the Lord shall thrash the nations by the power of His Spirit." First of all, does that not just sound so epic? But second of all, I have come to realize, and take great comfort in the fact that I truly am one of the weak things of the earth, and that the Lord, despite my weaknesses and imperfections, will help me to become all that I need to be. How thankful I am for that knowledge and assurance. We are so blessed to be members of Christ's church. He leads it. He guides it. I know that that is true.
On a little bit of a different note, I have to renew my Permesso (already) because Italy only gave me a year, even though the church always pays for 2 years...that's Italian government for you. But hey, at least I didn't get 6 months. That happens often. But so the only place that you can go to get the right size pictures for the documents are these super shady picture booths outside of random supermarkets. So we go to the first one, and it's broken, so we have to ride our bikes 20 minutes to the next closest one. I sit down, and at least it's working, so I pay, and get everything all set up, and then realize that the camera is tilted waaay down, and that the "adjustable" seat is broken. So long story short as the time is ticking down and I'm scrambling to figure out a way to get into the picture , I end up shoving myself against the back of the photo booth, kneeling down on the ground and streching wayyy up to get enough into the picture to be tie knot and up, as is required. Needless to say, it's a good looking permesso picture. Oh well, it's not like that will be on my identity card for the rest of my mission or anything... :)
Our investigators are doing really well, the biggest news in that MORRIS IS GETTING BAPTIZED TOMORROW!!! We were finally able to work everything out, and he has just been super great about everything, and has a huge desire to come unto Christ. So we are really excited for him and his decision! He is a great man, with great faith, and he will be a great strength to the ward!
Miracle: This week has been a wonderful, miracle-filled week! The miracle I want to share, though, happened last night! We were told on Sunday that Fratello Bruni, who has recently started coming back to church after being less active for a long time, expressed his desire to the bishop of wanting to come with the missionaries to lessons, to help him renew and re-feel the way he did when he was taught and baptized 14 years ago. So we invited him to come with us to teach Luigi, who is super solid and has a really strong testimony of Jesus Christ. We began the lesson by talking about prayer, and how Jesus Christ can bring a peace to our lives that is unlike anything else in the world. Fratello Bruni opened up in the middle of the lesson, talking about how he has been having struggles with his 28 year old son, and how he has been doing everything that he could do, but that nothing was working, and that he just now realized that he needed to pray, and he hadn't been doing that. And then Luigi jumped in and bore his testimony of how prayer has helped him raise his 15 year old daughter, and how it really does work! We talked about how Jesus stands at the door, and knocks, and waits...but it is us that need to open the door so he can come in (Revelations 3:20). Tears came to Fratello Bruni's eyes, and he bore a wonderful testimony of the peace and joy he felt at his baptism. Sometimes the lessons are more for the members than the investigators.
Everything else has been going well! We are excited for Morris to be baptized tomorrow, he has really been making a lot of progress and showing a large desire to be a member of the church; this week will be 6 weeks in a row that he has come to church! We are excited for him. Also, Cristian is doing well! We plan on going to visit him tonight and invite him to the baptism...hopefully that will make a big impact on him.
Well, that's about it for this week. Thank you all so much for your love and support and prayers, they are felt! I remember you always in my prayers as well. I love you all and hope you have a wonderful week!
-Anziano Wilson
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