Wow! What a week! We did not have the baptisms this past sunday, but they should happen this next sunday! There are 5 that are ready who all passed their baptismal interview! We're coordinating details with the ward leaders right now - it's a little bit crazy because the bishopric was changed last sunday (that's the reason why we couldn't do the baptisms last sunday...). Yesterday each one of the 5 baptismal candidates - Richard, Larry, Wilfred, Emmanuel, and Frank - met with the new bishop and talked with him. It went pretty well (I was able to be in there because the bishop needed someone to translate)! Anyway, here's a bit about my week...
The member work that we did was absolutely fabulous! We ate with members almost every day last week for lunch! The members love us more than I've ever seen before (having an Italian companion helps I'm sure). We were able to get to know them a lot better and they were able to know us a bit better. To each one of the families we went to, we were able to have really spiritual experiences. Something kind of interesting is this - with each one of the appointments, it started out a little rough (the members weren't super happy and complained and/or argued with each other. However, in each case, we ended on a super high spiritual point. To explain all of the stories would be impossible - but it the end the message is the same - if we follow the spirit and share testimony, helping the members to share/strengthen their own testimonies, we'll end up with amazing experiences!
With one of the families that we went to, the Virzo family (who are the friends of Benedetta, Paolo, and Francesca - the Natale family), we got all sorts of referrals. They introduced us to some friends that came over who aren't members and who are in a really difficult time of life, we went to a relative who lives down the street, where in that family the father has completely become inactive (and we've now began to go to teach them!), we met their member parents, and we went together to see Benedetta Natale. That was one full day!
Oh yeah, last week was my birthday as well! On my birthday, we didn't really have time to celebrate, but we did take a couple minutes in the evening to make a movie! Allison made a little card-cake thing with some candles. It's kind of difficult to explain (you'll have to watch the movie - and that won't be available until I send my SD card home...), but basically there are some paper candles than have a little "flame," and by pulling a piece of paper the flame can be "on" or "off." So, we made a movie of us singing happy birthday and of me "blowing out" the candles. Anziano Boscia added a little commentary and joined in singing "Happy Birthday" in English - it was quite funny.
I love working with Anziano Boscia! I love him. The big thing that we're working on right now is unity in teaching. We're in kind of a funny situation: He speaks Italian a ton better than I do, and I speak English a ton better than he does. We spend quite a bit of time with Italians, but also a lot of time with our African investigators. When we're with Italians, he talks too much. When we're with the Africans, I talk too much. We're trying to improve our unity so that we can improve the spirituality and power of our lessons - it's super difficult, but we know it's what needs to happen, and with time, patience, faith, lots of work, and the help of the Lord, it will happen!
Here's a cool miracle story: We were on a nice, long bike ride on a very hot day. Being diabetic and all, it was not the greatest situation for Anziano Boscia. About 30 minutes into the bike ride (it was going to be about an hour - we had to do almost 15 miles to get to the next appointment), his "glycemia" (I don't remember the word in English anymore!) got way too low. He drank all of his fruit juices to try to boost it, but it wasn't enough. We were going pretty slow, and I was thinking that we could stop in a town not too far away from where we needed to go (we had to go to the middle of nowhere...). However, we approached another super tiny town. I had the feeling that I needed to stop and ask Anziano Boscia how he was doing, and then tell him that he needed to stop and get something to eat (he needed to boost his blood sugar - there would be no way we could continue going super slow all the way...). So we stopped and found a near-by bar. As we walked up to the entrance, a man stopped us, having seen that we came on bikes and that we were all hot and sweaty, and asked who we were and what we were doing. We talked for 30 seconds then went inside. Anziano Boscia bought his stuff and ate, and then we went back to talking to this man. He's also from Sicily (he and anziano Boscia were able to connect). Anyway, in the end, we were able to teach the restoration lesson to him! He seemed adequately interested! It was perfect because as we taught, Anziano Boscia's blood sugar level got back to where it needed to be and we were able to teach in the meantime. The Lord really does "provide a way" for His work to be done!
Anyway, that's pretty much my week! The Africans are doing great. They are continuing to change. One of the coolest things is Richard - he had to get interviewed by the President of the mission. Ever since his interview, he has been so much more free, so much more happy, and he serves and helps others much more selflessly. The principle of repentance is real - it was cool to see how confessing to leaders of the church, in some cases, is one of the ways appointed by the Lord to be able to fully repent and fully recieve forgiveness of sins. I know that Christ is our advocate, and every time we repent with real intent - doing all that repentance requires, with all of our heart - we can be forgiven, and the feelings of guilt and pain can be relieved.
-Anziano Barnes
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