Truth and Testimony

The miracle this week was our latest lesson with Erica.  We were teaching her about the Word of Wisdom (which she thankfully agreed with completely!) when she asked where it was written.  As we explained about the Doctrine and Covenants, she remembered reading a part of it when she found it among her father's things.  (He was the one who had also had a Book of Mormon).  She remembered how different it was from the Bible, but that as a 16 year old, she found a story about angels appearing to a boy hard to believe.  When we asked how she felt about it now, she bore a sweet one sentence testimony.  ''I now know it is true.''  It's hard to describe how you feel as a missionary when you hear your investigators bear their own personal testimonies about something you've been teaching and witnessing.  It's a type of joy that transcends any sort of worldly happiness.

Another cool thing happened on Sunday.  Usually I am a bit stressed about Erica - how will she like the class? is her hearing aide working?  who will she sit by? but the members have been really good about befriending her.  The relief society president even invited her to lunch!  Anyway, this sunday two members had her sit with them, so I was able to actually focus on the meeting.  I don't know how to describe it but as I was sitting there I finally felt...at home.  As if I belonged to the branch.  I felt a deep love and concern for each member and their eternal welfare.  I also felt a spritual embrace from my Heavenly Father for me.  It reminded me of learning to ride a bike with training wheels for the first time, and how going up the hill to our house, dad would have to give us a push occasionally and remind us to keep pedaling.  We'd peddle as fast as we could, but because of the incline or because we'd get tired, he'd give us another push.  It was like Heavenly Father was giving me a gentle push to help me up the hill and remind me to keep pedaling.

Other than Erica, things are a bit slow right now.  All of the tourists come to Florence in the summer, but all of the Florentines leave for the mountains or the sea to escape.  August is apparently the worst, when EVERYONE leaves for vacation and most of the stores close.  The other day we literally walked down the middle of a usually busy street without meeting even a dog.  My companion joked that it was like a scene from a western with the tumbleweed blowing.  I can't imagine what it will be like in a week or two.  We'll just have to hope that the Lord will have someone stick around that we can teach. ;) 

Keep on praying for us, but especially Florence.  We need help with this work - there's no way we can do it alone.

~Sorella Jacobson