This week has been incredible - time has seemed to be distorted again. It has gone by super fast, but looking back on events that have happened, it seems like they were ages ago!
We're still working with Francesco and Simona (they have the daughter, Jessica, who was baptized 2 weeks ago). Last sunday, Simona didn't come to church and Francesco told us that Simona had told him that she had made up her mind that she didn't want to be baptized. However, Francesco is still agreeing with everything (his one concern is that, if he gets baptized, he will divide the family against his wife). Fortunately, some members jumped on it and invited this family to their family home evening the next night (and, of course, invited us too). There was a really nice spirit there and it was really cool to see the facial expressions on Simona's face - we could see that she felt something. We're going back today so we'll see how much she has actually changed! We're really hopeful still because she loves to do all of the things that lead to conversion - praying, studying the Book of Mormon, (not coming to church, though...) - and she sees and loves the blessings that come.
So, let me explain a little bit about how my week played out. Last sunday we went to church and had an awesome experience - I felt so at home in this branch! The members are all super friendly and most of them are really into missionary work. Afterwards, we went to the home of a member who has to take care of an old lady to give her the sacrament. Then we visited a less active family and then a family of new converts.
Monday was a really crazy day. First thing, we had to call all of the zone leaders to get the numbers for the week. Also, being the first week of the transfer, we asked about what they were going to focus on for the next transfer. We are trying to help everyone put into practice the things that President Wolfgramm is emphasizing and especially the things that we learned from Elder Causeé. Fortunately, most of them were right on track and had chosen perfect focuses. However, there were a couple that weren't quite in-line. So, I had to do one of the things that I'm not super comfortable with (especially right on the spot) - giving correction. Fortunately, the days before I had been thinking and an example of the reasoning behind all of this came to mind. So, I gave correction using this "parable" - there once was a man who had to move a box. He bent down, grabbed it, and was walking with it. However, as he was walking, his arm got distracted from the main objective and he grabbed his cell phone. And, he dropped the box. I used this to try to show how we need to be unified in our mission - we're all working towards a common objective (in the example - moving a box). However, when we choose to focus on something else, even if it's good, we "drop the box." I felt really helped by the Lord in these moments because I was able to express a lot more love than I know I normally would have and also because things just made sense for the missionaries that I was talking to. And, later, they got in-line and changed their focus! Anyway, also on Monday, we had a district meeting, then we worked on a lot more of the number stuff, we counseled with President about the upcoming Mission Counsel and trainings, and then we went to the FHE with Francesco and Simona.
Tuesday was a very different day. Anziano Healey (who was in the MTC with me), who had to go home 6 weeks ago due to a bad knee injury, came back to the field! It was a super fast recovery (they were expecting 3 or 4 months, and he was ready to go in 6 weeks)! So, we had to pick him up at the airport. He met with President Wolfgramm for a few minutes and then we took him out to his new area - Genova. However, there were some complications. First, it started to snow. But, looking at the forecast for the next days, we decided that it would be smarter to try to get there ASAP. Fortunately, we were super blessed. The Italians kept the roads super well and we were able to get to Genova rather quickly. Then, apparently everyone was scared of the snow because the streets were nearly empty in Genova (and it's usually one of the craziest cities in Italy to drive in)! But then, another complication - while moving some stuff around, our cell phone fell out of my pocket and it broke, completely. So, we were a few hours away from home, it was snowing like crazy, we couldn't give updates about our progress and in our arriving back to the office, and, if we were to get hurt, no one would ever know! But, again, thanks to lots of prayers and to the hand of the Lord, we made it back without any problems!
Wednesday was another interesting day. We got word that a couple missionaries were in a car accident the day before due to the snow (they're fine now), so Sister Wolfgramm didn't want us to go out in our car at all. So, we finished up all of the number things, prepared for the Mission Counsel the next day, we got invterviewed by President Wolfgramm, and did a bunch of other little projects that needed to get done.
Thursday was the mission counsel - it went great! We tried something new - we wanted to make it more of "counsel" (in the past it has been more of a training for the zone leaders and bringing up new things that they need to teach their zones). We worked with them to try to prepare more for this upcoming training we will be having. Also, Anziano Jenson and I were able to do a little training to try to help the zone leaders understand their role a little bit more.
On Friday we did a scambio with the elders in Pavia (it was cool being back in my city again) and then we saw a family back in our area.
Oh, I get to drive. It's pretty crazy here. We have two cars - a huge van and a little stick shift car. My first day driving, I almost wrecked (there was a corner that we took that all of a sudden merged into another lane (in the USA there isn't anything like it) right before that lane merged into the freeway. Luckily, we didn't hit anyone but I stalled the car and all of the cars behind me got mad. However, ever since then, I've gotten a lot more used to driving again and used to the way that Italians drive.
It's definitely a lot different here in the office, but I love it. I feel super good spiritually, I'm still growing a ton (especially in humility - I'm seeing how much I need God's help in everything, because without it I really can't do anything right).
Thanks for all of your support, love, and prayers!
-Anziano Barnes
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