Buonas dias!! What a beautiful day it is today!
This week has been wonderful! We have been really busy running from here to there, but it has been really rewarding!
--Firenze was amazing by the way. Such a beautiful city! I got a lot of awesome pictures.
--Thursday Anziano Quinton came down with the flu...that was a little bit rough. As our investigator would say in his african english "I am sick. I throw it. I throw it." But luckily he recovered really quickly and we were already back to work by the afternoon. We had a couple appointments that went really, really well.
--We found and are beginning to teach 6 new investigators this week, three of which have a baptismal date for the month of June! We are excited at the possibility of seeing many come into the waters of baptism.
--One of those investigators is named Timothy. He is a man from Ghana (which is the most elect country, from what I've seen, in Africa!) I have never met a ghanain that I didn't absolutely admire. They have such great faith, and sincerely desire to do good. After we taught him the Restoration, we invited him to follow the example of Jesus Christ by being baptized by someone who holds the restored priesthood of God. His response was immediate and inspiring: "YES!! I will do ANYTHING to follow Christ. He has saved my life, and now it is time that I give my life to him. I must take upon myself his name! I will do all that I must do to be ready for that!" What an inspiration.
-- Just this last Monday Elder David A. Bednar came to visit our mission, and held a 6 hour conference with us. I can't even begin to explain what a special experience it was. As he walked into the room there was a tangible change and Spirit. I instantly felt at home. As far as what he taught us, I felt extremely prepared and grateful because I have been studying a talk that he gave in February of 2006 named "Seek Learning By Faith", and he talked a lot about those principles--those of true teaching. That we, instead of trying to teach the investigators all by ourselves, should ask them questions that help them teach themselves. He used some direct quotes from his talk which I had memorized, and I freaked out my companion a little bit by finishing a few of Elder Bednar's sentences "Dude...are you a prophet!?" ;) It was amazing to me how he taught. He didn't ask any specific questions, either. There was never only one answer. That was because at the beginning he said something like "Alright, now today we aren't going to be playing a little game I like to call "guess what's in my head". Noone has ever felt the Spirit of the Lord playing "guess what's in my head". People feel the Spirit of the Lord when they are compelled to act and to reason and to think for themselves. We are agents here on the earth to act and not to be acted upon..." What an inspiring concept. Anziano Quinton and I have been practicing asking each other questions without playing "guess what's in my head."
--We have a pretty big area, and so that includes a lot of driving. And to the Bednar conference we had to drive a total of 8 hours in the car. That was a little bit taxing on 6 hours of sleep ;P But we are safe and sound and rested now!
--So, the big announcement at the conference is that in about two weeks the Italy Milan Mission is receiving iPads to use in missionary work. Each missionary will receive their own, to use and then return at the end of their mission. This is going to completely change missionary work in Italy. I am so excited! I can't even say how many times I have wanted to show a Mormon Message or use the Gospel Library with investigators! What a huge step in building the kingdom of God in this land!
--Elder Bednar quoted a scripture a few times that I really liked. It is found in the 88th section of the Doctrine and Covenants; verse 122: "Appoint among yourselves a teacher, and let not all be spokesmen at once; but let one speak at a time and let all listen unto his sayings, that when all have spoken that all may be edified of all, and that every man may have an equal privilege." He explained to us that the teacher that needs to be appointed is the Holy Ghost. What a profound doctrine.
-- Miracle: This week has been incredible. Not only did we have a full, spiritually-guided week, but we were visited by an Apostle of the Lord. Clearly, that is that biggest miracle of the week. But I would like to share something that I learned specifically. I noticed that Elder Bednar, despite being in front of an audience of almost 250 people, took time for and focused on one person at a time. I marvelled as he asked follow-up questions to, and looked directly into the eyes of each individual, without once looking at someone else. He, as did our Savior, taught and blessed one at a time. It was an inspiration to me and a reminder that this work is about touching hearts one at a time. What a miracle it is to be a part of this divine work.
Everything is going really well down here in Montevarchi. We are searching for more ways to get our members involved in the lessons that we teach, and in helping the new investigators receive baptismal dates, and continue to act in faith as they progress on the path to eternal life. Thank you all for your love and support and prayers. I remember you each week in my personal prayers.
Love,
Anziano Wilson
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