Downs and ups.

Wow. I don't know what happened this week, but I've certainly learned something. Work hard, and the Lord puts people in your path. Don't work hard, it doesn't happen. "Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall prosper in the land."

 

So Wednesday night, we went to a ward genealogy activity, at the request of our ward leaders. It was well... not very exciting. But we went anyway. Thursday, I don't really remember what happened. We got a lot of bidoni, and we went to Parma and saw brother chagua. Friday, we planned, went and found Roberto the gun man again, and then we went to our WML's house for dinner with Stefano. That was good. Our WML is a little green in missionary work, but that's ok. He was shooting off every different aspect of the gospel, and especially the temple and marriage. At that point we were intending to explain the Joseph Smith story, but didn't get the chance. But they formed a strong relationship of trust, so that's in the end more important.

 

Saturday, we got many a bidone, and we taught Saverio, who had supposedly read the entire Book of Mormon. But as we talked with him it became apparent that he either didn't read it or didn't understand a word of it. That was really frustrating. Anyway, then we went out to Brother Laratro's house, and taught him and his girlfriend about the restoration of the gospel. She was fascinated. It's sad that he is keeping the commandments, because I'm certain that if he was setting a good example for her, she'd get baptized, among a lot of other amazing things. One of my great desires is to see Parma reopen, because it is a beautiful city for missionary work. We just don't have enough worthy priesthood holders there. If just one or two of them got their act together, Parma would be open. It's sad, because there are like 15 Melchizedek Priesthood holders there, and only 2 come to church regularly. We're doing what we can to reactivate many, if not all of them.

 

Sunday, we went to church, to which Stefano and Samuel came. That was good, but super disappointing. We were expecting all of our baptismal dates and our regulars. In the end, we've decided to move the dates of a few of them, and drop a few more, because we haven't seen them since the first appointment.

 

Our current investigators:

Stefano, Italy, 29th October

Samuel, Nigeria, 29th October

Spencer, Nigeria, 29th October

Gioel, Santo Domingo, 5th November

Raymond, Nigeria and Sarfo, Ghana, have both travelled, but should be for the 22nd October

 

Monday, we decided to actually work hard for the first time in a week, and things started to happen again, in spite of some disappointments. We got the keys to our new apartment, at the following address

 

Via Quattro Novembre, 8

42121 Reggio Emilia (RE)

Italia

 

Don't send mail there till next week, though. We haven't moved in yet, and you'll just confuse the postman. Please continue to send mail to the mission office. Anyway, after that we went and found our investigator Samuel on the street, and we taught him about the restoration. He was much calmer about the Book of Mormon. Then we went and did some park and found Quemal, who doesn't really believe in God, but was willing to meet with us again. Then we went to the Nuredini family, who live a ways away, and we taught them about the gospel of Jesus Christ, (the first principles and ordinances of the gospel are...). They commited to coming to church in two weeks time, which will be huge, because they haven't come in over a year. I'm very excited to see them in church. Then we went and taught Spencer about the Restoration, and commited him to reading the Book of Mormon again.

 

Tuesday, we went out and worked again. We went and taught Samuel with a less active member named Danny. They made a strong friendship, and I could just feel the spirit poured out on us as Danny shared his conversion story. I think that that experience will help Danny to return to full activity in the church, and help Samuel to be baptized. Then we walked through a park and talked with a man who asked us for a book to read. He was very very muslim, and was super excited to share his beliefs with us. He was speaking half arabic half italian, and it was pretty funny. Then we went and found Stefano biking down the street, so we walked with him and told him the Joseph Smith story finally, and he was pretty touched. Then we found Kobe at the bus stop, and taught him and his friend Didian about who God is and that he loves us, and then we prayed with them. That was sweet. After lunch, we went and taught Benson, a contact from 2 transfers ago, who asked us many a question. As we responded, his attitude changed. He had been under the impression that the LDS are an occultic group, but as we spoke, he was amazed by our doctrine, and accepted a soft baptismal invite. Then we went and did some casa in Gioel's palazzo, and knocked the nicest doors of my mission. We got in once, to a nice old man, and then we knocked on Gioel's door, and discussed the plan of salvation and the concept of fogiveness with him. Then we went to Salome's house and talked with them about President Uchtdorf's talk about the great dilemna of mankind.

 

This morning, we studied and came to do email. yay.

I love you!

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