Buone Feste! Dec.22

First snowstorm in about 20 years for Prato.

Missionaries in Florence on p-day.

Wow.  Christmas is definitely in the air!  It's even in the sky and on the ground - it snowed like crazy!  Some of the people here said that it hasn't snowed like this for about 20 years!  The people are a little bit more friendly and open (we've been able to get in a little bit more than usual and the people on the street are a little more open to talking).  Also, the members are being super nice to us too!  Within 3 days, we got 4 meal invitations!  It's probably a combination of the season of Christmas and our efforts to try to involve the members in our work and showing them that we want to give our all for the Lord (working better with members is one of the goals that Anziano Koponen and I have set - and we're working on it and so far it seems like they're beginning to trust us more!).  Anyway, this past week has been one of the best ones for me personally.  Let me explain why...

Last friday we had a zone conference.  The big message was all about the Book of Mormon.  It was perfect for me!  I had several concerrns and questions that I wanted/needed answered.  Every single one was answered, and for each one the answer had something to do with the Book of Mormon!  This conference was also really cool for me because I feel as if I had been prepared to recieve the instruction we were taught.  I had had several very special, sacred experiences that all pointed toward the Book of Mormon.  I wanted to use it better, and I was studying how.  And, somehow, all of the things that were taught at the conference, and all of the invitations they gave us, already had "a familiar ring" when I heard them.  Anyway, it's hard to explain it, but zone conference was a really special time for me, and it helped to change me, and I hope the things that I learned continue to change me and the way in which I serve.  Here's what we were invited to do:  1) Begin reading the Book of Mormon again (doing the activity in preach my gospel about marking different things about Christ).  2) Give away at least one Book of Mormon (a quality placement - to someone that will actually read it...) every single day (usually we'd only be giving a couple away every week, but now that we've started, we've been giving at least one away every day - one day we gave away 3)!  I want to testify that this was definitely inspired, especially for me in this moment.  I am having more meaningful study sessions.  I am speaking the language better.  Anziano Koponen and I have gotten closer to each other.  We teach with more unity.  I am happier during the day and I have greater strength to overcome the temptations of the adversary.  My heart is changing - my motivations are becoming more pure - and charity is beginning to take the place of selfishness.  All of this because of the Book of Mormon - I study it more, I think about it more, I teach from it more, I testify of it more, I love it more.

...

It's also a hard time for our investigators because it's almost christmas - they are all super busy, going out of town, or something else that prevents them from seeing us.  That gives Satan way too much time...  We just have to pray really hard that the investigators will read the book of Mormon every day (we tried to invite them all to do that for just a few minutes every day) and that they will be able to pray and recieve a witness that it is true - and then remember the things they felt and act accordingly.

Being on a mission at Christmas time is absolutely wonderful.  I have been able to think more about the "best gifts" instead of getting caught up in wordly things.  In fact, last sunday I was asked to give a talk (I had been asked 2 times before, but one time they ran out of time for me and the other sunday I was sick) and just to give one of the talks that I had already prepared.  However, I felt, as I was preparing, that I needed to talk about something else, and I planned my brief 5 minute message.  In church, I learned that I would be speaking for 10 minutes.  Great...  Fortunately, the gift of tongues is real, and the preparation I did was sufficient (I just had some notes of things I wanted to talk about - so I got to talk about those things and expound and testify a little bit more and a little bit better) to help me go the whole time.  I ended up talking about the gifts of God that have mean a lot to me in my life, talking quite a bit about what I learned, realized, and recognized from my whole hospital experience and related things.  It was a really great experience for me, and a few people came to me afterwards and thanked me for telling them what they needed to hear.  I'm glad the spirit worked through me!

Anyway, that's all for this week!

-Anziano Barnes