Sorella Nelson: Week 47

(Week 17 Bari)

This week has been super rad. Our zone leaders gave our entire zone a
challenge to meet the standard of excellence and to find three new
investigators this week. During our District meeting at the beginning
of the week we talked a lot about how we are going to be able to do
it. We decided the best way was to ask our Heavenly Father for help
and do everything in our power to find those three people who want to
hear our message.

It happened!!! After District meeting we were all on fire to find
these three people who the Lord had prepared for us that week. We
always try to talk to everyone, but we were really talking with
EVERYONE! I will be completely honest and say that it was
uncomfortable and hard at the beginning of the week to give my all and
keep my eye out for just one person that day.
At the end of the week we saw the fruits of our labors! We meet two
wonderful girls at a gesso (when we draw on a sheet in centro and stop
people) and the third from a less active member referral! The Lord
really does help us accomplish our goals and He knows what we are
capable of when we show our best effort.

Couple stories from the week:

My favorite Fratello Caricola, who reminds me so much of grandpa, called
us up to see if we would go with him to see two less active women. One
is a woman who for some reason hates the missionaries and never lets
us come to see her. Of course she was less than thrilled when she saw
us come in after this dear Fratello, but as we got talking we found
out why she has this dislike for the missionaries. She had felt like
the missionaries were coming to do check ups on her to make sure she
was reading and praying. Luckily we cleared up that we visit all
members and she is cool with us coming now but it made me realize just
how important it is that we show love for our brothers and sisters and
not treat them like another number.

The second less active sister hadn't been to church for over 40 years
and when Fratello Caricola walked in with us she was overjoyed and
they recognized eachother right away. It was incredible. He showed so
much love for this sister and she cried and told us how she felt like
everyone had forgotten her. Fratello Caricola just kissed her cheeks
and he reminded me of the story of President Monson visiting the
widows in his ward. What an amazing Fratello :)

This other story is about Vincenzo, the referral from his less active
aunt. He has been suffering from depression when his wife left him
with his child and has been in the hospital for several weeks. He is 28
and so prepared for this gospel. We had the address and everything
ready to go to find this Vincenzo. Hospitals in Italy are the scariest
thing, anyone can walk in and out of them at any hour, there are
people unattended on stretchers in hallways, lots of the walls and
electrical work is unfinished, and there is never a doctor or nurse in
sight. We are looking everywhere for this Vincenzo and finally we find
a doctor and he tells us we have to go to a different clinic that's
about 20 minutes away. I've about had it at this point and just want
to leave and try again when we have more information but we decide we
are so close we might as well go. We found him right away and he was
soooo happy to see us! His mom and aunt told him all about us and he
had literally just been waiting. We were able to do a mini Restoration
lesson with him and the next time we see him it will be with his
family! What a miracle!

On our bus ride home Sunday night we were going so so so slow because
of traffic and then we saw what was the cause. The was a massive
Catholic parade marching through the city at 8:50 at night. It was
crazy! They were all dressed in white robes and carrying giant palm
leaves. The pope is coming here on Thursday so it might have been the
start of the festa week. Vediamo... I love Italy!!!

Well friends, the church is true, investigators are progressing
towards baptism, I will do another 6 weeks here with my greenie, I ate
three panzarotti this week and don't regret it, God loves us and I'm
grateful for every opportunity I have to grow not only as a missionary
but also a person. From this last difficult transfer I've already seen
growth in myself and I'm ready to finish another six weeks.