Buongiorno!! :)
Wow! What a great week! I feel so blessed to be where I am--surrounded by beautiful mountains and wonderful people! I have felt like these past few days, I have just been so...happy! Which is strange because I am SO exhausted! All. the. time. I was riding on the train back from a zone conference in Milano the other day, and I put my head down and closed my eyes to recite a few things in Italian I am trying to memorize...and I wake up to the phone ringing like 25 minutes later. I was like "oh man. I am so tired!" I looked over at my companion and he was laughing like "yeah you were totally out. Mouth hanging open and everything. I was like 'Should I wake him....nah' " heh. Whoops! But I just feel so much joy! It reminded me of a scripture I read recently in Alma chapter 36, versees 25 and 26. They read, "Yea, and now behold, O my son, the Lord doth give me exceedingly great joy in the fruit of my labors; For because of the word which he has imparted unto me,behold, many have been born of God, and have tasted as I have tasted, and have seen eye to eye as I have seen; therefore they do know of these things of which I have spoken, as I do know; and the knowledge which I have is of God."
What a wonderful reminder to all of us that we find such great joy in bringing our brothers and sisters back to the knowledge and joy they once knew. I am so thankful to be where I am!
--Each zone conference we have something called "dying testimonies" from all the missionaries that are "dying" (going home). This week there was one of my good friends here in the mission, Anziano Garcia, from Perù. He is the current assistant to the President, and he is in our zone, so we got to hear his final testimony. What a blessing. He is a good man, and talked about the fact that we are here to be changed. "Just let the mission change you", he said. I know that I have been changed already in every good way, and continue to change and grow as the Great Blacksmith molds and shapes me into the instrument He needs me to become. I have really learned what the phrase in my setting-apart blessing meant when he said, "The Lord is not just sending you on a mission for the benefit of those you serve, but so that he can bless you more." That is so true. The mission isn't just for the investigators.
--Conference was AMAZING! What a great session! I still need to watch the Sunday evening, because it is at like 10:00 p.m. here, so we don't get to watch it. We had an investigator from Nigeria named Lucky come with us to Lecco. He loved it! After Anziano Holland's talk, he was like "that man has much power!" haha!
--I bought some sweet Italian shoes in Milan for like 70% off! Only 30 euro for real italian leather. Needless to say, they look *Christmas vacation: *click* real nice." I am going to try to not wear them during the winter though, I want them to stay nice for when I return. I heard they are good for returned missionaries, too. To help find "investigators". Whatever that means. :)
--"Just love every day" Quote of the week for me, given by a sister in her dying testimony.
--Miracle: This week's miracle for me was the zone conference! I left feeling so inspired! Something that touched me especially was the role play. We did a role play about contacting someone in a form of public transportation, in this case a bus. I have really been trying my best to talk to everyone wherever I go, but sometimes it is just hard! Because it was...strange. But I came to the realization that it just doesn't have to be weird at all! I feel like a lot of times I catch myself thinking "Okay, right now I'm going to go talk to that person over there about the gospel, and it will probably be a little weird, but it is the right thing to do, and so it will all work out." And then I just do it. But this time I realized something: It doesn't have to be like that! Something that Anziano Holland said a few conferences ago came to mind...about how when we truly love the people and want them to have what we have, "the gospel will just tumble out!" Like when a grandmother talks about her grandchildren, he says. That struck me. We don't have to worry about going up and saying some incredibly powerful statement that will change their life right away. We just have to try. Just talk to them and show them that we are different; happy. That we have something that they need; and then invite them to learn about it! We had some wonderful success on the train rides home, talking with people. We met a wonderful Bolivian woman on the metro, who asked us to give her a pass-along card and write the website on it. And we met a man from Ghana who had met with the missionaries many years ago in Africa. He knew all about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon! There are wonderful people all around us, we just need to talk with them!
Things are going well. We are working hard to have faith and the obedience that this area needs from it's missionaries. I know there are people prepared; we will find them! Thank you all so much for your love and prayers and support. I love you all and pray for you each night! Have a fantastic week full of gumdrops and peppermint and scented pre-halloween candles!
Love,
Anziano Wilson
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