Miracoli

Ciao famiglia! So I don’t have a ton of time today, mi dispiace.  So here are just a couple of things that I wanted to share 🙂

First of all, HAPPY BIRTHDAY HARRISON!! It’s July 3rd in Italy right now, and you’re 14, and I can’t believe it.  You’re gonna be in high school.  And mom told me about you spilling the bucket of paint on the ground and I laughed and cried at the same time.  I cry about everything, and that made me laugh 🙂 I hope you have a great birthday, email me and tell me about it. Grazie.

This week has had its highs and lows. A lot of the people we found to teach are suddenly disappearing.  It’s summer, people go on vacation and stuff like that.

Sunday we got to watch the big missionary broadcast.  And oh my goodness, was that not amazing? We have such an amazing ward here in Verona, and we need their help more than anything.  Because, yeah, we’re knocking lots of doors and stopping so many people on the street. And we’re finding people! But we know we can find more!  We need the members help so so much! We are trying to cooperate with the ward members and such to do this, and it’s a lot more difficult than it could be.  Once I can keep up with the language I think it will help.  Seriously, for everyone at home, just think of one referral and think if everyone did that, how many people would have the opportunity to learn about the gospel from the missionaries and come closer to Christ?

I got to do an exchange in Bergamo last week, which was way fun.  It rained the whole time, and we taught this man and woman under three umbrellas in the pouring rain on a street corner.  We can feel the spirit anywhere with anyone when we pray and talk about the Savior.  It was a cold but beautiful lesson 🙂

We found a new place to do finding work – and let me tell you, MIRACLES. MIRACLES began once we started out in this other part of our area. We finally got bikes and so we can get there now.  We found this delicious pizza place and as we ate we contacted people on the street.  One woman was struggling taking out her trash and so I ran over to help her, and as we were walking away she ran up to us and asked us for our number. Wow.

Also, Sunday we did a quick exchange and I was with Sorella Gross.  We’re both three weeks old in the mission and our Italian is a little slow and jumbled.  We were trying to find people but weren’t having that much success. We said a quick prayer and out of nowhere pops this Italian man (let’s just say that I don’t have any Italian investigators right now) and we taught him the first lesson in Italian all by ourselves without our trainers. Miracle.

Monday was a day filled with miracles.  It was one of the hardest and most rewarding days.  So we had to go do some visa type stuff (I don’t know how to explain it in English, haha) and we were waiting at the place for like 6 hours because we forgot our bike lock keys and had to ride all the way back home, and so they gave us the last number in line.  Long story.  Long day.  Tears were shed and people were mean to us. But then we went and consecrated those afflictions.  That afternoon, in a matter of 6 hours, we taught 8 people, got 4 new investigators, and set 2 baptisimal dates.  Things are beginning to happen! It was so so beautiful.  Heavenly Father blesses us as we turn to Him always, in the good times and in the bad.

Our first investigator that I told you about, he should be getting baptized in 2 weeks.  We pray for him every day.  His faith is amazing, I am in awe every day of His love and faith in God. He speaks English, so we hope that he feels at home in the ward.  He does, because he knows its true.

This work is hard.  This work is rewarding.  And when I’m struggling, I remember Him, He who descended below them all.

Vi voglio bene,

Sorella Strong