November 4, 2009

Hello!

I'm trying to mix up how I start my letters every week, because it always ends up being the same thing. Sorry! Life truly is good. We have 2 new investigators from last week! One is Pierpaolo. He comes to english class. A few weeks ago, Sister Nelson gave the spiritual thought at the end of class, and she invited everyone to write down questions of the soul that they have and bring the list next week. Pierpaolo is the only one who actually followed through with that. He gave us a letter and asked if he could meet with us. He watched the movie Finding Faith in Christ with him, and he loved it! At the end of the lesson, we asked him to pick who would pray, and he volunteered. Halfway through, he started crying. After the prayer, which was beautiful, we talked about the Spirit and he recognized that that is what he felt. He came to the branch Halloween party on Friday and out of nowhere asked me what one has to do to become a member of the church. He loved that everyone in the branch is a normal person. He especially loved that the branch president was in the middle of the room jump roping with all the primary kids. I talked to him about baptism and the importance of being baptized by authority. He said, "So my baptism into the Catholic church isn't valid, then?" I said no, and he was totally cool with it. We had another lesson last night about the Plan of Salvation, which he completely accepted and loved! Pierpaolo is in his mid 40s, recently divorced and has 2 sons. He is so prepared for the Gospel and just soaks everything in!
Our other new investigator is Carla. She's 24 but mentally handicapped and has the capacity of an 8 year old. She's the daughter of 2 active members in the branch but has never been baptized. She stopped coming to church once she was in Young Womens, because she didn't like who people treated her like a small child. She knows the Gospel well, though and loves singing hymns! We visited with her Saturday and taught her how to make brownies. She had a blast! She loves to cook. Then we had a great lesson, which she pretty much taught herself. She's so sweet and so cute!
Friday we had the branch Halloween party. In Italy, no one ever has the calling of the activities committee, so the missionaries end up being the party planners. Which is fun for me! It ended up being a lot of fun for everyone! The elders made a haunted house type thing. Everyone loved it! (Except for the 4 little kids that they made cry) Most of the people went in there at least 2 or 3 times. A ton of investigators came, and a lot of inactive members! It was great.
Walter is doing great! He taught us one of the lessons last week and did a great job. He has a strong testimony and a deep knowledge of the Gospel. He loves doing missionary work! He especially loves coming to lessons with us to help us teach. He's great! We're trying to find him a wife.
Both of the Susans are doing well. Investigator Susan is still waiting to get married, but accepts everything we teach her and comes to church. She loves the Gospel! Less-active Susan came to the Halloween party and brought 7 friends with her! We've had a few more lessons with her, and she really does want to come back to Church.
The work continues to move forward. I've been studying in Moses lately. One story I love is when Enoch gets called. In Moses 6:31-32, it says, "And when Enoch had heard these words, he bowed himself to the earth, before the Lord, and spake before the Lord, saying: Why is it that I have found favor in thy sight, and am but a lad, and all the people hate me; for I am slow of speech; wherefore am I thy servant?And the Lord said unto Enoch: Go forth and do as I have commanded thee, and no man shall pierce thee. Open thy mouth, and it shall be filled, and I will give thee utterance, for all flesh is in my hands, and I will do as seemeth me good." Enoch had doubts. He knew his faults and that his capabilities were limited. But the Lord is in charge, and he makes more of our capabilities than we can do alone.
Only one chapter later, in verse 13 says "And so great was the faith of Enoch that he led the people of God, and their enemies came to battle against them; and he spake the word of the Lord, and the earth trembled, and the mountains fled, even according to his command; and the rivers of water were turned out of their course; and the roar of the lions was heard out of the wilderness; and all nations feared greatly, so powerful was the word of Enoch, and so great was the power of the language which God had given him." Enoch was nervous about his calling because he was slow of speech. But when he trusted in God, his speech was so powerful that the earth trembled! I love at the end of the verse that it says that "so powerful was the language which GOD had given him." It doesn't say that Enoch took a speech class, or practiced public speaking. It doesn't say that he did anything of himself to become better. Instead, he trusted in the Lord and was willing to be an instrument, and God gave him the abilities that were necessary to fulfill his calling.

Buona settimana! Vi voglio bene!
Sorella Hawkey