After church on sunday, we went and ate and then went to the train station because we had to go to Signa to visit a family. While we were waiting for the bus to go to the station, we saw some storm clouds and thunder but thought it would just rain ten minutes and stop like it did the day before. We got to the station, missed our train by 30 seconds, and started to debate what to do for the next hour when all hail broke loose (pun!) I do not think I have ever seen it rain so hard for a very, very long time. The rain then turned into hail. I group of us were gathered under this awning which amplified the sound, making it seem like it was ten times worse than it really was. We waited for about 20 minutes, and then with no sign of letting up, my companion said she felt like we should go home because it was not safe to go to Signa. We walked down the stairs to find the entire station flooded! There was a river of 2 inches of water flowing through the station, and it was quite diverting to watch businessmen in suits take off their shoes and role up their pant suits to wade through the water. We trudged through ourselves only to realize that neither of us had brought an umbrella! A street vendor tried to sell us one but either out of sheer stupidity or because our subconsciousness was more obedient about not buying anything on sunday, we said no. And so we lived one of my childhood dreams of walking in the rain, fully dressed, for the 15 minutes it took to get home. We arrived as drowned rats but had so much fun...I even jumped in a few puddles with my skirt. Our zone leaders called us and told us to stay in because the streets were flooded, no one was about, and there were too many accidents. So we made tiramisu and torte for the sisters who came to stay with us that night to get fingerprinted the next day. I will never forget that experience!
On a more spiritual note, we've had two more lessons with Erica, whom we are teaching in German (well, my companion can only really say Auf Wiedersehen but it works :) ). This past time, two members came with us who grew up in Germany, so it was nice to have their added testimonies. At the end, Erica promised that she would pray for the first time since her son died many years ago. She told me that with his death, it was like she hung up the telephone and never picked it up again. Also, the time before, she said she wanted to come to church with us, without us even saying anything! It will have to wait for a bit, though, because she had a fall and her balance is not quite where it would be safe. Her friend, Giuseppe, listened in the last time and wants to hear more. He's an Evangelist, so has a very different perspective, but is open to new things.
Two of our other investigators also made progress this week, and one of them is coming to church on Sunday! It's interesting how in the mission, the smallest things make you so happy. Watching people take small and simple steps to change their lives is unlike anything I've ever experienced before. You feel like a parent, but also like a friend and teacher all rolled into one.
I don't know if I've mentioned this, but Italy has a ton of immigrants from Perù. There are quite a few Peruvians in the branch, and I absolutely love them! It's interesting to see the mixture of culture, the mixture of peruvian-spanish-italian. The wonderful thing is that the gospel remains the same, no matter where you are.
I think the most important thing I am learning right now, is to work with my heart. It's not about numbers and figures, although those help us to stay on track. But seeing someone look you in the eye and smile with pure joy because of that small bit of light the gospel has brought into their life, is one of the most rewarding things. And you can only truly understand it heart to heart, spirit to spirit, person to person. It is also the heart that the Lord looks at, as in picking David to be king. We are told that we will be judged by the thoughts and intents of our hearts. Just something to think about.
***If you would like to send a letter to Sarah's apartment in Florence, here's the address. Keep in mind that transfers are every six weeks and although she expects to be there for a few transfers, it is probably safer to send things to the mission office, which are forwarded to her twice a month:
Sorella Sarah Jacobson
Via Delle Medaglie D'Oro 19/12
50141 Firenze (FI)
Italia
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