Lo so.

Buon giorno cara famiglia,
Live missionary experience: Sharing with the gospel with the woman on the computer next to you. Yep, you all just witnessed it 🙂 Haha. She’s super sweet, a little crazy, and took that pass-along card without any interest in giving us her number. But, seed planted!! YAY!
Onto the week’s experiences.  This week was filled with emotional ups and downs, as every day seems to bring us. We have two investigators that are progressing towards baptism ancora… uh.. oh yeah, still. there’s that word! I feel like I could be developing an ulcer from the stress I seem to be putting on myself (ok, not really. okay actually what is an ulcer supposed to feel like… just kidding!). It’s all in my head, this I know. But not really. You know, I just love them so much and want them to happy and… Satan is trying really really hard right now.
This morning I read a beautiful scripture in Doctrine and Covenants that was written for me, right now.  And for all of us as we do things that seem completely overwhelming:
D&C 123:17: “Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power, and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed.” This, i miei cari amici, is abosolutely true.  I am going to do my best and just trust in my Heavenly Father.  He’s got it.  Let His will be done. This scripture has seriously just become my motto for life.
On another note, another investigator revealed to us her magical powers and her sensitivity to spirits that are among us. Now, I can believe the other spirits thing, but the magical powers, well, we related that to gifts of the spirit. That was an interesting lesson.  And, in that same lesson, her friend brought out this book he was reading about using bible stories to learn about relationship advice and dating. Yeah, seemed a little irrelevant to me right now, seeing that I have forgetting how to date, but it was hilarious.  Sorella Holloway and I were biting our tongues so hard to not laugh. I looked at the story of the woman at the well in a whole new way.
Another investigator this week just filled my heart with so much joy. It’s this happiness that is completely indescribable! We taught her about the plan of salvation.  Her father died when she was about my age, and she has always hoped that he was somewhere else but never knew to be sure. Our member, the branch president, was perfect, as he explained that his father and his brother both died of cancer as well. Our investigator opened up so much, and she explained to us that she has felt so much closer to her father in these last 6 months as she has been meeting with us.  She misses him and hopes to see him again. She wants him to have the peace that she is feeling. And it’s so beautiful, because he can.  He can accept the gospel in the spirit world. I can honestly say this lesson brought us all to tears, as we thought of our loved ones and our immense gratitude to the Savior and his beautiful plan of mercy and happiness.  We all have the chance to accept Him, in this life or the next. Words can’t describe it, they never can, but it was a spiritual experience I will never, ever forget. It was such a beautiful lesson, and she has decided that this is the path she wants to take in life, and is starting to make the changes in her life so that she can enjoy the full blessings of baptism. She even asked us: “So, does this mean I will wear all white? Do they have something in my size for me to be baptized in?” Music to any missionary’s ears.  We just jumped for joy, literally 🙂 She laughed.  Ah, mamma mia, la piano di salvezza è vera, vi promesso.
Saturday was a hard day, as literally no one listened to us.  But, we ate lunch on a bridge over the big river in Florence and watched as people took canoeing lessons. It was a beautiful moment to overlook the city and reflect on who I am becoming as a daughter of God.  It was a hard day, but the beauty in the simple, beautiful things, ah. La vita è bella. Life is good.
You know, when something’s just become such a deep part of you and words, words which can be so moving and powerful, cannot ever be enough to describe how deeply you feel and know that something is true.  Something that’s just… you. Italy is that for me.  Well, the gospel.  Some investigators/random people on the street have seemed to be attacking us personally lately, telling us that we don’t know based on not seeing, we only believe because our parents told us and it’s how we grew up, etc. But, this is not true.  This gospel is true.  Every aspect of it.  I know it, and I feel it so deeply, ah, I can’t really describe it.  But, you know.
I can’t remember English, can’t speak Italian, and I am changing. I am still the same Emma, but I am loving every moment of being Sorella Strong.
Vi voglio UN MONDO di bene,
Sorella Strong
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