Rain

Anziano Benjamin Jolley
Via V. Monti, 3
23870 Cernusco (LC)
Italy

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, Jan 12, 2011 at 3:27 AM
Subject: Rain

Dear family,

It has rained for 4 days straight. It finally stopped this morning. I can see the blue sky and the sun again. It's a very happy thing. On Wednesday, we had ward council, which was effective. Before that we taught a super short lesson to Marcell's cousins with him there. That was exciting.

Thursday, we did a lot of casa, finding a muslim guy from Morocco, who was decently interested. We then made a baptismal calendar for the Muçe's who should be baptised the 5th of february. We taught them about the importance of enduring to the end, and then responded to Clara's and Brigilda's questions. Anz. Ballif was amazed and is amazed by the kind of questions Clara asks, because she's the same age as his sister and Caroline. I wasn't particularly amazed, because I've talked with Caroline. But they're good questions. "Why don't I remember the pre-earth life?" "Why do so many people believe in the pope if our church is the correct one?" "Why are there no priests or nuns in our church?" "Why is it the Church of Latter-day Saints?" Good questions, no? As I tried to respond with my companion, he said to Brigilda "He knows the scriptures WAY TOO WELL" after I pulled the fifth or sixth scripture in response to these questions. Thank you seminary and BYU religion classes. And parents. and Sunday School. etc. That morning, we also taught Sebastiano about the Plan of Salvation from death onward, and he asked "You teach the same stuff as I do. Why does it matter which church I join? The only thing I disagree with is that Book of Mormon." My response... was the response of every missionary to every question... "READ THE BOOK... and then PRAY." Also, that night, as we were walking home, we both screamed like girls when this HUGE black dog snuck up on him and then barked and good grief. It was terrifying. We then laughed for about 10 minutes at how we had screamed.

Friday, we planned, and then we casa'd into an agnostic who was decently interested and said that he'd read the book that we gave him, but didn't want us to come back. We then went to the pogettis and taught them shortly about Mosiah 2:17.

Saturday, in the morning, we did casa, getting in once to a family that then offered us lunch. It was delicious, but they weren't particularly interested in our message, though they'd been to Utah 4 times. The pasta was the black squid ink pasta that is not bad. It has a slight fish taste, but actually quite good. That afternoon, we taught our muslim friend Tayeb again, giving him an Arabic Book of Mormon, which he said he'd read. When he said what Muslims say about Jesus, that he didn't die, I tried to pull out Alma 7, but accidently pulled Alma 8, because I don't really read Arabic. He was a little confused. Then I gave him Alam 7 and he was less confused. He said he'd read it and then give us a call. That's what we do with Muslims. Book of Mormon, give us a call. We then went to the church where we taught Geoffroy, to whom we gave a Book of Mormon, which he said he'd read, but that he's too busy right now to meet with us. We then booked it for Saydi, Marcell's aunt, with him, and taught the restoration, which they were pretty ok with. We invited Valentino, her 9 year old son to church, he said he'd come, with Marcell, but then they didn't show up. bummer. Then we taught the Muçe's about the importance of the Sabbath day with Sorella Arianna Gessati and her boyfriend. It went very well. They are praying as a family every night, and the daughters are reading, and they come to church EVERY WEEK!

Sunday, we had church, to which the Muçe's came, and Fabio taught a lesson about the freedom to choose, and every hour we talked about keeping the sabbath day holy. If we didn't teach clearly, I think they get it now. After that, we went to Calco and Olgiate to do casa, getting in 2x. Once to a family that was very... interrupting, and open, but not particularly interested in a return appointment and then to a 25yo named Roberto, whose sister had been given a Book of Mormon by Arianna Gessati 3 days before. He was extremely interested, we gave him his own copy, got his contact information, and then sent it down to Rome, where he actually lives. He was at home at his parents just for the holidays, but he said at the end "You've convinced me. I'll read the book. You seem happy, my sister's friend seems happy, I'll read it." That was WAY cool.

On Monday, we taught Sebastiano again, watching "The Restoration" with him. He understands. He just refuses to read the book. It's SO frustrating. oh well. We then did a lot of casa, getting in once, but no return appointment. Then we taught the Muçe's the importance of prayer and scripture study, inviting them to also read the Book of Mormon a little as a family every night. I told them many personal experiences about family scripture study (scripture study at 6:30 with blankets and falling asleep and being woken up to "It's your turn to read" groggily reading a verse and falling right back to sleep). That was a lot of fun.

Yesterday, we knocked doors all day. We got in... 0 times. a girl gave us her phone number for another time when her brother's at home, though. So... a little success. Then we ate with Paola. That's my week. We got transfer calls yesterday, and I'm... staying in Merate as senior companion to Anz. Ballif. yay! We'll see a baptism together!

I love you. Thanks for your prayers!