Candide and Pedro

Anziano Benjamin Jolley
Via XX Settembre, 37
16100 Vercelli (VC)
Italy

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, Aug 25, 2010 at 7:41 AM
Subject: Candide and Pedro

This week has been really good. On Thursday, we taught 5 different lessons. We taught Salvatore, an ex-investigator about Alma ch. 7, and halfway through his lesson, another investigator, Davide the hippy character came in. We then taught both of them a first lesson, and Salvatore seemed to understand a lot better. It was a good lesson, but pretty long. We went out to Novara, and we taught Jolly about the Book of Mormon, giving him one, and asking him to read 3 Nephi 11. Later, we saw Sunday for the first time in nearly two weeks, teaching him the principles of the stop smoking program. (unfortunately, we haven't seen him since, except a pass-by yesterday, which involved smelling a significant amount of smoke, and a seemingly drunk Sunday.... I hope he starts doing better soon.) The Stop Smoking program we do involves essentially prayer and hygiene. We taught another man in his palazzo, David, and his two friends about the book of Mormon. It was an interesting lesson...

Friday, we got up at 5:30, and hopped on a train to a small city called Mortara in our proselyting area. We there contacted a referral, named Pedro, who is Peruvian, and who at the end of our lesson I felt the need to extend a baptismal invite. He accepted, and should be baptized the 25th of September, if all goes well. He's a funny guy. That same morning, in Mortara, we talked to a man who doesn't believe in God and thinks we should be dolphins. I didn't understand what he was really saying, just that it involved being dolphins. We headed out to Novara, and taught Prince, a Ghanan man whose number was randomly in our phone and we don't know how it got there... anyways, he's a new investigator. Later on we taught our friend Edwin, who is under house arrest, about Alma 36, one of my favorite chapters. He liked it a lot. He also explained to us a really cool dream he had twice, once in Nigeria and once here in Italy, asking us if we knew what it meant. The general idea was this:

I heard strange music, and then all my friends were taken up to heaven. I wasn't at first, but then I prayed for forgiveness and was also taken up. There, I saw many people in bright white clothing, the leader of which gave me a mission. He told me to go among my friends in Nigeria, and fight. I was given weaponry, like a sword and shield and such, and sent back down. I then fought animal-like creatures, maybe demons, and later killed their leader. While I was doing so, I freed my friends from working for them, who were in chains, and... it was like I was preaching the gospel and fighting at the same time. Then, my friends and I went back up to heaven, and I saw the leader of the bright people again, and then I woke up.

I personally think this guy is going to serve a mission. I don't know what the regulations are for convicted felons going on missions, but... he's 22. and he wants to repent. The whole time he was telling me his dream, I felt he was telling the truth. That this was something that will happen. It was cool.

Later on we taught my companion's project, a constantly drunk man named Emiliano. Anz. Jones tried to get him to destroy his cigarettes, and he didn't, unfortunately.

Saturday, Candide came back, and we saw him for a few minutes, after which he went to another spectacle in a paesino (village?) nearby, which lasted till 2 in the morning... he didn't come to church. We also taught David again, rereading 3 Nephi 11 with him, and almost arguing with him that it teaches the same thing as the bible. At first, we didn't understand. We thought he didn't get why we need the Book of Mormon, and was saying "it teaches the same things as the bible." No, he said that, but he was excited about it. When I figured out that we were agreeing, I just cheered him on. It was really good.

Sunday, none of our investigators came to church. one of our member's non member husband did, and we'll teach him in a week or two, but... none of our investigators did. bummer. Later that night, we taught Alessandro, a peruvian man and his family of 4. They didn't respond at all. But they didn't not like what we taught. I was confused. I'd say something, and... nothing. We then went to a YSA (GANS) activity with Candide, during which I taught him the gist of the law of chastity and temple marriage. It was fun.

Monday, We taught Prince again, reading 3 Nephi 11 with him, explaining to his half drunk friends the concept of the Godhead. It was fun. After that, we went to Candide's in the same palazzo, and taught him basically what happens in the Book of Mormon. He has a friend who we've seen many times, who sorta speaks Italian, that I'd like to start teaching with Candide's help with translation. Later, we went to Jolly's, and he wasn't there, so we talked to a group of old people playing cards nearby. One of them was straight up atheist and made me just ANGRY. I asked him to pray, and he just said no. He made an example of how he would believe. The Americas were discovered by Christopher Colombus, and I can feel them. When you discover paradise, come down and show me, ok? It was so stupid. The Americas existed before Christopher Colombus discovered them, in the same way that Paradise/Heaven/God exist. People may not have seen them yet, but that's not because they don't exist. I was just angry. Anyways, Ether 12 made me feel better.

Yesterday, we taught Pedro again, about 2 Nephi 31, or the Doctrine of Christ, which is officially my favorite. This morning, I studied it, and was amazed at how many times the Doctrine of Christ, or the 4th article of Faith, or the 3rd Lesson, cioè (which is) Faith, Repentance, Baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end, shows up in the scriptures. That is THE doctrine. Jesus suffered for our sins, so if we do those 5 things, we're saved. That is it. Everything else is just an outgrowth from that. I love it. It happens to also be the missionary purpose. Help others to come unto Christ by (Doctrine of Christ). I love it. anyways, we taught Pedro about that, and explained to him how we do baptism.

Later on, we taught Candide the 10 commandments and the importance of Obeying the law. He was d'accordo (ok with it?). He also wants to memorize all ten in order. That was cool. He's awesome. I've missed him, and I'm super happy he's back. We then taught Edwin about Alma 40, reading it with him, and teaching the resurrection, connecting it to his dream. It was good. His girlfriend Jennifer was there too, and she read the 2nd lesson pamphlet.

We then went to Sunday's palazzo to teach him or David, neither of them were home, and I almost got mugged by 3 2-year-old Nigerians.

In sum, it's been a much better week than previous weeks.
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Vi Amo!
Anziano Benjamin Jolley

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