Thankfully we were able to find other new investigators this week. We met up with Benedicta and her two sons, John and Marvin, and we have a return appt with them tomorrow. We found them in the old area book, and they have a deep desire to come closer to Christ, especially Marvin who is 20. I had to laugh, though, because on the phone she kept calling me ''nun.'' When we got there, my comp played Marvin's guitar and sung a hymn, so they either understand that we're sister missionaries, or have met the first guitar-playing nuns they know.
We also had lessons with Olga - a referral from the elders - and Mary, whom we talked with on the bus. Mary had the craziest story about a girl in a park who gave her a baby because she didn't want it and how she had to lie to the agency in order to adopt her. Maybe it wasn't the most honest thing in the world, but a woman who adopts a fourth child when she already has her hands full, is a single mom, and has no money is a pretty Christian thing to do. The baby is now 12 years old, and part of the family. Olga is awesome and told us about how she had frequented the church in the past, and always felt good while she was there. She just has such an innocence and honesty about her. So we'll see where things go with them.
I don't know if I've told you all much about Giovanna. She works with an elderly lady full time, so she cannot leave to go to church on sunday. She's in Mormon, thus almost finished with the Book of Mormon. It just breaks my heart every time we go over there, because she talks as if she is already a member. She says things like, ''I cannot wait until I am baptized because then I can put in my papers to serve a mission and knock the doors, sharing the restored gospel.'' She's been taught all of the lessons, except tithing, which we taught on Monday. She not only accepted it, but asked me to leave the tithing slip so she could pay her tithing. When we explained to her that she had to be a member in order to pay tithing, her eyes filled with tears. ''I just have to go to church two more times...'' she always says, ''...then I can be baptized.'' She asked her boss, the daughter of the Senora, if she could go to church and she responded, ''Sure, and I'll look for someone to take your place.'' This is very common all over Italy, and it makes me so sad, because it's almost like indentured servitude. But when I talked with President about it, he said that if she remains as faithful as she can, something will happen so that she can be baptized in the Lord's time.
Speaking of Miracles, The other day on the bus, I initiated my first contact---in Spanish. My companion is helping me get a little bit better every day. The Lord truly blesses us with the gift of tongues when we are going about His business.
I was talking with some tourists from Michigan, living in Germany, and they made an interesting comment about how Milan is like New York. That's one of the best descriptions...Milan is like the New York of Europe, and I love it! There are so many people from so many different places, and you have differences as bit as Brooklyn Brothers and the Bronx, but notwithstanding the differences, EVERYONE benefits from the gospel. Rich or poor, bound (like Giovanna) or free, the Lord's invitation is to ALL men. He heals hearts, unites families, and strengthens feeble knees. What a privilege and blessing it is to be serving here at this time!
Love you all!
Sarah
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