The Ups and Downs of a Mission

We met a girl named Lisa who is from Canada and are teaching her in English.  She has some really interesting ideas about God as the ''source'' and trying to ''connect with the source'' but it's amazing how much she says that we can relate to the gospel.  She is desperately searching and told us that right now she is on a spiritual journey.  It reminds me a lot about Ammon or Aaron teaching Lamoni and his father about the ''Great Spirit.''  We esentially are doing our best to relate what she already knows to doctrine.  It was almost one of those miracle stories because she said she had been seriously thinking about what to change spiritually in her life when we rang the doorbell.  And then that night, she prayed for the first time and asked God to help her be financially able to undertake a particular course of study through a scholarship, loan, or other means.  The very next day, she was rewarded a scholarship, and she accredits it to the prayer she said with us.  Sorella Lloyd can really relate to her a lot better than I can, so it's fun to hear their ideas and jump in to help explain things and bear testimony.

Yesterday we were feeling a little down because sometimes it feels like we work so hard and our efforts do so little.  But the Lord without fail helps us buoy ourselves back up if we're willing.  Last night He did so in the form of Antonio, who answered the door and told us he was a practicing Catholic.  That usually translates into 'not interested.'  However, I asked what he would think about a living prophet on earth with 12 apostles, the same organization that existed in Christ's time.  And then as I talked about priesthood and authority he just opened the door and said, ''Come in.''  (Thankfully there was a female there or we wouldn't have been able to otherwise.)  He's only here for a few weeks from Southern Italy because his son and daughter are moving up here to study, but we were able to teach the first lesson about the Restoration.  When we asked him to read 3 Nephi 11 about the Savior's coming to America, he said, ''Just one chapter?  I would like to read the whole thing!''  I was so taken aback I almost did not know what to say.  With the Lord, all things truly are possible.  

We were also able to meet with Gina and her sister Vivan this week - two sisters from Nigeria.  It was so strange to teach in English.  They kept on asking us about ''another book'' so when we talked about the Book of Mormon, it was as if they already accepted it.  Gina was really excited about the footnotes and how easy it is to study the bible and book of mormon together.  We showed her an example from Moroni 10 about ''real intent'' and the footnote in James about asking with nothing doubting.  When I asked her how she felt about the Book of Mormon she said, ''It's so good to have another book about Jesus Christ that we can study so we can learn more about Him.''  Her sister gave the coolest prayer at the end about the Holy Spirit being with us.  There are just no words for the miracles that are happening here!

Another tender mercy was being able to teach Silvia twice by herself.  We learned that she is actually married to Gabriele and that they have a boy who is at her parents house.  What an awkward situation as it's the other two who ACT as if they are married.  However, she really opened up to us about herself and her search for a church that she feels right about.  We've had two lessons with just her and she keeps saying that between us, the Catholics, and Jehovah's Witnesses she feels best about us.  In her words, ''I feel best about 'Sarah.'''  I keep telling her that she needs to pray about it but a vain part in me is somewhat happy she feels she can trust our testimonies so much.  Now she just needs to get her own and come to church!

There also happy to be quite a few crazy people in this city.  It seems like they are always drawn to the missionaries.  We were knocking doors and this professor of 100 years opened up to us and starting going off.  ''What do you want?  Who do you think you are?  I'm a professor don't you know?  I've written books on religion!''  He told us how he was the head of the Francescans here in Firenze (a religious group) and even recited some of his poetry.  In reality, it was one of the most beautiful things I've ever heard as he changed voices, his tears filled with eyes, and he raised his arms to the heavens.  And then he went off about Dante and how he doesn't believe in purgatory.  I finally just brought out the Book of Mormon and as he held it really close to read the title he shoved it away as if he had been burned saying ''Oh, the Mormons!  No, no no.  I cannot take it!  I cannot change!''  It was quite hilarious.  He was really nice, though, and sent us away with all these blessings.  

Shortly thereafter we hopped on the bus and this somewhat handicapped man saluted us and just started talking, and talking, and talking about Miami (I think he lived there) and who knows what else.  All of the other passengers kept looking at us with this sympathetic look in their eyes because they couldn't really understand him either.  He then made Sorella Lloyd rub his bald head which I had to try SO terribly hard not to burst out laughing.  He just grabbed her hand and rubbed his head with it!  He kept asking for help so we decided to exit and told him that we would pray for him.  Oh man!

There are so many other adventurous stories but not enough time to write them all.  There are still a few moments every day that I think to myself, 'I cannot believe I'm here.' like when the sun is going down, the clouds are glowing pink, and we're walking this random ivy colored side street with a castle in the distance.  It's so crazily wonderful!  Love you all! 

More Miracles

Miracle story of the week: we were doing casa again, and were let in immediately by Giorgio, one of the coolest Italians I have met. He was there with his two daughters and a Catholic friend who was very, very, Catholic. He was very courteous and explained that over time he had lost his faith, that he was going through a separation with his wife, and that he felt he couldn't pray to God because it would be unjust to start only in time of need, without praying all the past years. You could tell that he was very intelligent and thought before he spoke. We were able to share the story of the restoration, and even his catholic friend became interested and started asking a ton of questions. We offered to leave a book of mormon but he admited he wasn't in the best of places to read it. We instead left the pamphlet on the restoration which his catholic friend started thumbing through (although at the beginning hadn't even wanted to listen.) And then my companion Sorella Lloyd worked such a miracle. She hadn't really talked for the whole lesson because Giorgio was difficult to understand, but she gave the most heartfelt prayer that invited the spirit so strongly into the home. When she finished, Giorgio's eyes were full of tears. A grown man, crying, because of a prayer. He made sure he had our number about three times and then we left. I know his heart may be too bruised to think about it now, but I am sure one day he will be ready. We're planning on going back in a few weeks to follow up. 

Good Luck to Richard (Elder Jacobson, that is!) as he heads to the MTC this week!!

Sorella Jacobson