Ponte Vecchio, the most famous bridge

New City = New Miracles

Hello from Bergamo!!

 

Bergamo is another one of the prettiest cities in the mission (after Firenze).  I think President Wolfgramm is spoiling me.  It consists of two parts, and the upper city is the more historical and beautiful.  We have yet to go up there because there aren't many residents, but are planning on going next pday with two people we are teaching (Daniel and Marlyn - see below).  From what I can see, though, I am going to love it.  Even though it falls second after Firenze, the members here are definitely first!  This ward is absolutely AMAZING in that those who are active are very strong and involved.  They have tons of activities from Young Single Adults to Family Home Evenings and musical nights.  They are willing to come to lessons with us and are constantly trying to feed us or give us food.  (We are starting to buy less food which will hopefully help me stay within our allotment!)  The bishop here is a saint (no pun intented) who is the epitome of a shepherd watching over the flock.  He works very closely with us regarding investigators, less actives, new converts, etc.  I felt so welcome and at home the first sunday.  They had me bear my testimony and many members came up to greet me afterwards.

 

Miracles?  You bet!  We have two baptisms right around the corner.  One is Sabrina, a 9 year old whose mother is a member but whose father is not.  We played this game with her about the commandments with her cousins who were over (who also aren't members) and she absolutely loved it.  She's really excited to be baptized.  The brilliant thing is that we've commited her to read the Book of Mormon with her dad every day, and vice versa have commited the father to help his daughter read the Book of Mormon, each without the other knowing.  I am sure his daugher's example will touch his heart one day, even if it's not immediate.

 

The other is Marlyn, a young woman from Bolivia who is engaged to Daniel, a member who used to be less active but is also being taught and returning to the church.  Those two are going to have such a strong eternal family one day.  There is such a light in their eyes.  Daniel has become like a rock in the church and Marlyn can hardly wait for baptism.

 

Monday night Daniel asked us to come find his sister (16) and brother (14) who aren't members.  He's been worried about them and some of the choices they've been making, especially his sister who's been having some problems.  We went to get a gelato together and at first they were very closed and didn't want to talk with us.  We were frantically trying to think of what to say, how to begin teaching, when the spirit took over and I asked a question I would have never thought about asking.  It almost seemed to come out of the blue.  Somehow it just opened the doors and Sorella Pastano bore such an amazing testimony about prayer.  At the beginning, the sister didn't even know about the nature of God.  By the end, she said the closing prayer to a loving Heavenly Father in the name of Christ and her older brother, Daniel, started crying.  We were all crying as we sat in silence for a few minutes.  We commited them to go home and pray that very night, to pour out their hearts to the Lord and ask to feel His love for them.  

 

It is lessons like these that remind you about why you're here.  There's a feeling that enters your heart that tells you you've known these people before, and that you were supposed to find them.  I am so humbled and amazed at these precious times when the veil seems so thin.  How amazing that I'm from Utah, serving half a world away in Italy, talking with Bolivians, in a language that we weren't born with and yet we feel like family?  It's impossible that the Lord is not guiding us and directing us.  Absolutely impossible.  

 

New Address:

 

Sorella Sarah Jacobson

Via Maglio del Rame 13

24124 Bergamo

Italia

Miracles and Music

Miracle story of the week:  Thursday morning started off not the best of sorts.  We woke up and left immediately to go to the police station to pick up my ''Permesso di sogiorno'' or permission to remain in the country, only to find out that it's only Friday mornings and all of the rest are afternoons.  So we headed towards our appointment with Gina, which fell through.  We were feeling slightly discouraged, trying to study in the park, when I recognized one of the Anziani's investigators and said hello.  A few minutes later he comes back and says, ''My friends would like to hear the word of God.  Can you come?''  Who says that?!  So we walked to the other side of the park and ended up teaching the restoration to two of his friends, Cross and Godsent.  Cross told us that he believed in prophets, and had wanted to meet the missionaries in Nigeria because they ''looked like angels'' but didn't have a chance in moving to Italy.  At the end he gave a prayer and asked God to help him know that the Book of Mormon is true.  It was such a great experience.  We passed them on to the Anziani because they were already teaching their friend and they are all single adult males, but they ended up coming to church on Sunday and everything!  How cool.

We also rescheduled our lesson with Gina and talked about the gospel of Jesus Christ.  After we talked about baptism, we asked her if she would be baptized when the Lord answered her prayers and she knew it was true and she said, ''No, I've already been baptized.''  We then explained that if she received an answer about the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith, then she would also know that the priesthood authority has been restored - the same authority held by John the Baptist and Peter, James, and John.  We then explained that we weren't expecting her to do it now, but when she received an answer, and she said yes!  The Lord really is preparing people here!  

Sunday night we went into the church to drop a few things off, and were asked to help with the combined choir which is singing in district conference. We agreed and asked if we could share a spiritual thought so that we could teach as well, seeing as we had about 45 minutes until our lesson.  It was one of those tender mercies that just refresh you spiritually - to be surrounded by members and to be able to play the piano.  Plus, the director actually knew what she was doing, and it was so neat to be in sinc with her - playing parts, bringing out the tenor when that voice struggled, etc, all in Italian instead of English.  The language of music is universal.  At the end they begged me to play a solo so I played Lenora's awesome version of 'If you could hie to kolob' modified somewhat.  They loved it so much that they asked me to play something else, so I played 'Claire de Lune.'  You should have seen their faces.  I had to fudge a few parts but the spirit was so strong.  The two german sisters said they were going to bring a recorder so they could always have it.  I am so glad for all of those years of piano lessons, and how it helps me release stress and rejuvinate my soul. Thank you Bonnie!