1/3/15 The Good Life

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Heather Hastings	Mar 11 (2 days ago)

It was bright in the room and the sun was shining when I opened my eyes this morning. I sit up, and my nose starts bleeding. These things happen when you're at the end of being sick, after blowing your nose a million times. It stops bleeding, we clean the house, do our studies. We did some stretching with our recitations this morning, and that was fun. We made a grocery list, got dressed and here we are at the internet point. That's my day so far. It's sunny! It's happy! There are people outside everywhere and that is the best part! Everyone is just happy :) sun is a miracle.

Any who, you probably don't really care about my morning process. This week we did it- we taught 17 lessons! Our average has been about 11 lessons, but that is not satisfactory. But we did it! And we sure had a busy week. I love it. So the big deal was church. On Thursday morning we were making little gifts for our bap date Chiara, when she told us to call her. Her work had called in her for Sunday and she didn't know what to do because she knew she had to come to church to get baptized, but if she didn't work she would lose the job. Well we told her to make the choice and that we can't choose or force her anything. She got upset with us and wouldn't answer our calls... we finally saw her on Saturday.

But first, last Wednesday night we tried to set the most awkward bap date ever. We were teaching Laury the restoration but it turns out she didn't understand some of what we said. And she had already been baptized Catholic and didn't understand the whole redoing it thing. Well, jump ahead to Saturday. In celebration of la festa della donna (women's day) we all went out to lunch as a relief society, with their husbands, at a buffet on Saturday. We had planned to meet Laury at the church before to teach a lesson, and she got lost on the bus so we rode with a member who ended up picking her up. We got to the restaurant, and it was wonderful! An Italian buffet... oh man. So delicious. Pasta, pasta, pasta. Meat, meat meat. Side dishes and all sorts of goodness. Fruits and veggies. Fish. Salads. Desserts. The only they didn't have: gelato, oddly enough. But anyways, we ate really REALLY well, with our investigator who bonded and made friends with all the rest of the sisters. It was perfect. Afterwards we went home with her because she lives nearby, and we tried to talk about baptism again. We explained in a way that made complete sense, and she said it would be nice to be baptized, but she still doesn't see why it would be necessary to change religions. She loves us and the church but doesn't want to change. So that's where we're at with her. After that, it was about 5pm. We were full and stuffed of food, and we went to the GANS (YSA) activity, hoping we would see Chiara, that she had decided not to work and come to church instead. We get there, chat with the kids. We heard her name, and as it turns out... she was coming! So we hung out a bit longer to see her, and she showed up, still upset and wouldn't talk to us. The GANS ordered Pizzas so we took them to go and went to have a lesson with Mercy, which that also went really well.

Sunday, Chiara was in church! Laury didn't come and neither did another investigator we expected, but it was busy enough. We taught Sunday school to the GANS. And then, in sacrament meeting we both gave talks. Phew. Mine was on obedience, and Sorella Pavich was on the mission. Let me just say, the gift of tongues is real. It is such a humbling experience to get up there and be able to speak fluent Italian as needed, but it wouldn't be possible without the help of God. It's so cool! Finally, a member named Francesca from Montearchi was visiting our ward! I got to talk with her, and she told me about Gabriella. Gabriella spent some time in the hospital, and for her health she has stopped smoking completely, but is being monitored. So she did not get baptized but still wants to, and is still working towards it. So there is hope :)

Phew. After all that was over with, and Chiara passed her bap interview, we both felt super relieved. We went home to have lunch, did some studies and caught up on our Area book. We visited a less active member that night, finally, who have not come to church for a while because of something that happened, but they miss the temple and we were able to sit down and openly talk about the atonement, about repentance and how-what they can do to change and put the atonement to use as a family. It went really well. 

So that is the big news. Other things to tell? We helped get about 13 cases of six-pack 2-liter water bottles for Mercy this past week. There is a picture of her and baby Wisdom included. They were super discounted so she wanted to stock up. We started from the beginning with her, and read the intro of the Book of Mormon. It went well and she had not read it before. She had a hard time reading on her own, but we are going to just start reading form the beginning with her for a while, then really get her to read on her own. She wants to be baptized but there are just some things holding her back. We gotta work through this.

Last week we met with the relief society president, Sorella Bonini. She is sweet. We sit down and start talking about all of the members and less actives, then we shared a lesson about true conversion-which is talked about in her Patriarchal blessing. So that was really cool. Then, she had made us a whole cake! She's so sweet. I love that these Italianis take care of us. Also, I have been sick. Low fever, sore throat, cough. Friday morning I barely had my voice! But all is well. Yesterday, we had an appointment cancel so we went home to make some calls and do some paperwork. Sorella pretty much made me take a nap, so I did, and she did everything else. I am grateful for her, because I needed it. And I even slept really well last night. I feel great now. But guess what? We get to wake up at like 5am tomorrow to take a three hour train for a 1.5 hour zone training in Bergamo! Then another three hour train home. Fun times. Mercy gave me Medicine to take, too. Africans are so funny. They are afraid of cold. They don't like it for anything, and they bundle up just to go downstairs. I love these people.

I wanted to tell you about another investigator. He called us two weeks ago to drop us, saying that bad trees can't bring forth good fruit. We weren't sure what that meant, but we were persistent anyways. We caught him at just the right moment, and he let us come in. we talked with him and his wife for a bit. She can work here, but he cannot. He doesn't have documents. He went to jail before for selling drugs, but then he "found Jesus" and repented of it. because of that, he has to beg every day. That is job, begging for money for his family. And he took is Nigerian, but he goes to the Catholic church only because they help him out. He has the faith, but I don't think he quite believes all of their beliefs. But he has to go because people buy him food. He hates it, and wants a real job. He feels guilt and shame and says he can't come to our church until he has a job. So, I will just say that we all need to be grateful. It is a really tough life for foreigners to live in Italy, and I don't understand why they come here but we are so very blessed to have all that we have. Just remember that.

Well folks, vi voglio un mondo di bene! The sun is shining, the gospel is true. The spirit guides our lives but we have to first invite him by prayer and reading the scriptures, obeying the commandments, having faith. It will all work out. God loves YOU- don't forget it! 

And, this coming Sunday... we have a fufu lunch appointment! I found out thought that they don't pound it here, they have to make it from a box. So next week I will let you know what I think of it.

Be happy, share God's love, have a god week all!

Sorella Hastings =)

Love and Be Loved