This has been another incredible
week! The new missionaries from the MTC came, the departing missionaries
left for home, and we've had a bunch of things to do with transfers, and still
a decent amount of time to get out and help the people of Milano 3 come unto
Christ! There were a few earthquakes in Italy, and we were able to feel
them. It was actually kind of fun. The first one a week ago I
didn't feel - I was asleep and didn't wake up. But, on Tuesday, we felt
two. For one of them we were in our apartment on the 8th floor - we felt
that one really good (we had a bit of swaying action)! Anziano Osborn was
in the shower and he had soap on his face when it started, so he had to just
sit down in the corner of the shower until it passed so he wouldn't slip and
fall down! Fortunately, there wasn't any damage done up here, but there
was a bit of damage in the middle area of the mission, and a few
missionaries were able to participate in a little bit of service.
Here's the update on the
investigators:
Gianni gets baptized today!!!
(pictures will come next week)
Pilar will be baptized next
saturday!!! (pictures will come in 2 weeks)
Francisco is doing quite well also!
We're figuring out better how to teach him (really simply and slowly and using
mostly spanish words). It's been awesome to see how the gift of tongues
works in those lessons - somehow I was able to understand exactly what he was
saying, and he was able to understand us even though we can't speak Spanish a
ton. But, when it's needed, all the spanish words that I need to say come
to my disposal! He's been making a lot of progress, he, just like nearly
every other investigator that we have, is improving his relationship with God
through the Book of Mormon. He makes sure that he is all the way concentrated
when he listens to it on the cd (he can't read) so that the Spirit can talk to
him!
Nelson is doing really well! We
had one of the most spiritual lessons ever with him this past week! We
just read from the Book of Mormon! The chapter that came into our minds
to read was perfect for him. After reading the chapter, there was an
amazing spirit in the room, and, most importantly, Nelson understood what he
needed to do differently to feel that spirit more when he studied alone - make
sure he's in the right environment and in the right state of mind so that he
can be able to hear the promptings of the spirit. Marvin and Alba are
also doing well. We found out that Marvin, in the past, was quite
skeptical of the Book of Mormon. But, this past time, we read with them a
chapter that really touched him (it was Moroni 8 - something he already
believed but that isn't ever explained clearly and fully in the bible).
Immediately after that, we asked him if he had any questions for us. He
told us that he really wants to have money and asked if that's a bad thing.
We responded by reading a couple verses in Jacob 2 that also really touched
him! Hopefully now his attitude has changed about the BOM so that now he
can have an open heart and be touched by the Spirit and thereby know that it is
true!
Those are basically all of the solid
investigators that we have right now. We really want to find some more!
Anyway, you probably saw a common theme in the investigators this week - the
BOM. As I was pondering about them one day, it just struck me that the
key will be the Book of Mormon. We had been emphasizing it a lot, but
there was some block between them and feeling the spirit and knowing that it
was true. So, we figured that we needed to help them study in a way that
would permit them to recieve revelation. It seems to be working thus far,
and we're hoping and praying that this is the key that will help them make the
next step toward baptism!
Thursday night was awesome for me.
It wasn't necesarily for the fun experiences to be with the departing
missionaries or even having a nice spiritual experience with them in a
testimony meeting. The thing that made it awesome for me was it was the
means that God used to answer my prayers. I have been praying and
working for a while now to make the fire and desire of missionary work to sink
into my heart and be my full purpose and motivation. I've felt like
something has been missing - I've been trying to do all of the right things,
but I wasn't always doing them with the right mindset and heartset. But,
finally, on Thursday night, that spirit sank into my heart! My desire to
give my all, to build and serve my companion, and be right in line with God's
will. I feel great right now! I don't know really how do describe
it, but I have a fire that I've never felt before - it is so awesome!!!
Vi voglio bene!
-Anziano Barnes
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