I have crossed the Rubicon 13/5/2015

Heather Hastings		May 13 (4 days ago)

I love my family! I hope you all know that :)

Sometimes life at home becomes a blur so even though Skype time goes by so fast, it is good to see your faces and remember your voices and know you are still real people! Last week, my companion bought a talking alarm clock in Italian. That has been nice because it happily wakes us her (she is a very sound sleeper) and it also tells us the time/temperature every hour. I might bring one home. How would you feel about that Liz? Beper. She talks in Italian! It's so cool!

Anyways...

I guess being a trainer is kind of stressful. Who knew? My companion is wonderful and but there are lots of things for BOTH us to learn. We had another slow week, we had two appointments Sunday after Skype but they both fell through. This week is consecration week and we are shooting for 21 lessons, and so far we've got a really good start and a line up. Last Thursday night we had an FHE with the relief society president and her non-member husband. We shared about baptism and about those Kukumba boxes where they trap monkeys. You put your hand in to grab the banana, but unless you let go you can't get out. So we made one of these boxes and used it for an example lesson, what are we holding onto that we need to let go of to be free and receive blessings?

Friday we helped a member make a sweet cake for the relief society Karaoke on Saturday. Pictures included of that. It turned out great, and we were able to make some good relationships with more members. Italians are so fun and so loud, open. I love them! They make everyone love, and they love to joke-some of them. On Monday we had to move district meeting because a plumber came to our house. We have had a leaky shower so he fixed it. We stayed inside all morning until the end of language study, but we made calls and got somethings done. That afternoon we had an appointment with a new investigator. She was late so we were able to talk with and contact 4 people! One girl was super interested on what we believe about marriage, and she's like 22, so hopefully we can meet with her. At our appointment, our investigator was distracted the whole time. The whole reason she met with us is because she wants a passage way or a trip to go to America. We can't help with that! So that was interesting. Also Weston, I still don't know how you do it. I think Africans change as they come to Italy. "The bible is from Genesis to revelations" which if you know the history of the bible that is not true. They just don't accept it as scripture, only as the word of God or as a testimony, which they can write their own testimony too. It's a struggle here. Maybe I'm just not a pro yet.

With our investigator Anna, we reset a bap date with her. She is really wanting baptism and is so close to stopped being smoking! Our new date in the 6th of June. We can make it. She is feeling down just about life in general, and so we are working through that together. This lady is so sweet and golden though, she always asks us for things to read. She has read up past 2 Nephi in the Book of Mormon already. If you read that book, you will know it's true. Try it out! It's true!

A miracle: our less active came to church this week! 

I love having a schedule, it's great. I do really well with structure but sometimes it drives me crazy too! Like on pdays, can't we just go with the flow? Take it as it comes? Go on adventures and see who we find? I love being surrounded by the Gospel, being able to study the scriptures every day. That is something I want to bring home because there is never enough time! Even though we have a good 1-3 hours for study every day. Morning scripture study and reading is so wonderful. How can you have spiritual moments often at home? I’ve been thinking about that. We do what is called POPP charts every day, where there is a scripture to go with a principle and we are supposed to teach  the principle, read/recite the scripture in Italian, ask a question and testify. Three times a day and there are two-three scriptures for every week. I love that, because it helps us know the scriptures and also we can find others that connect to them, but in down moments it brings the opportunity to teach our companion or someone else in a simple like two minute role-play. And then we have to spirit. So, maybe you can do that at home- find one good scripture and just share it throughout the day with the kids. Maybe. I love just being able to simply bear testimony often throughout the day.

Well, I have crossed the Rubicon and I ain't goin back. I love where I am and though I miss you sometimes, the life of a missionary if incredible. I wouldn't trade it for anything. Alma 26. Ammon's (return home talk) I second that. But I'm still here and we're still going strong! 

So che questa chiesa è la vera Chiesa di Gesù Cristo dei Santi Degli Ultimi Giorni e che Dio ci ama cosi tanto per avendo mandato il suo figlio per noi, affinché noi possiamo vivere con Lui per sempre nel'eternità. 

Buona giornata, buona settimana! 

Vi voglio un mondo di bene! 

Fotos: 

A sweet trail we found to ride down

The cake

My companion eats an apple every day

Sorella Hastings =)

Love and Be Loved