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Cara famiglia,<\/p>\n
So, can I just tell you Venice is beautiful. But, it’s also super hot and super super crowded. My feet are killin me. But, I am NOT COMPLAINING \ud83d\ude42 How lucky have I been to serve in some of the most famous cities in the world. But, I’m more lucky to put on my nametag every day and talk about Christ. It’s true.<\/p>\n
Let me give you a brief rundown of the week:<\/p>\n
I did a scambio with Sorella Quinton from Verona and we taught some super interesting people. For example, we met a man named Fabio. Just in case you all were wondering, the end of the world is in September of 2022. And, without realizing what was happening, we met another woman who read our palms. Did you know that before this life I was African? Yep, true story. (JUST KIDDING WE DON’T BELIEVE IN REINCARNATION. but we do believe in a pre earth life!)<\/p>\n
This week was also Festa della Redentore, a huge festa that happens only in Venice. I am so sorry that I can’t remember all of the details of the story, but the story goes something like this: Many years ago there was a huge plague\/famine\/something like that. A certain priest said a prayer and something happened and everyone was good again. I can’t remember I’m so sorry! But, this festival celebrates the Redetore, the Redeemer, and they celebrate all night in Venice with fireworks going off. They turn off all the lights everywhere, and the only thing to light the sky are fireworks. Obviously we didn’t go to venice to watch the fireworks, but we definitely heard them \ud83d\ude42 And this is my analogy for you.<\/p>\n
This week we taught this beautiful member referral who has such great faith. We read 3 Nephi 11 together and we talked about the power of Christ saying :”I am the light and the life of the world” and what that means for us. She explained to us that sometimes, the lights can be completely off, and we can’t see anything, but that doesn’t mean we don’t believe that nothing is around us. Just because I can’t see the chairs and the pictures on the wall, it doesn’t mean they aren’t there. It is the light that shows us they are there. It was a beautiful analogy. Just like the festa della redentore. It’s completely black, but when the fireworks light up the sky, bits of the world around are illuminated, beautifully.<\/p>\n
Christ teaches us that He is the light, that we must show unto the world. I know as we seek Christ and as we come to know Him, other truths are illuminated and the pathways are opened up to us to where we should go. He is the example that we should emulate.<\/p>\n
On my mission, so many things have been illuminated for me. I am learning so much about myself, how to work with others, and the power of Christ’s atonement. It is the greatest light. It is real. It is so so real. I have found His light in trying to share the gospel with others every day, and in seeing the smallest victores be the biggest of miracles. His light is in the eyes of our investigators when the finally understand something, in the tears of the women on the street who truly just need a prayer for comfort, and in literally everything. I’m grateful I don’t have to live in the dark, and I know that although I can’t see everything at times, my Heavenly Father is there, and He sent His Son to guide me through it all.<\/p>\n
Vi voglio un sacco di bene,
\nSorella Strong<\/p>\n