Salve!
The work is just exploding here with Anziano Savage and I! I could not be happier! Usually the work here in Italy is pretty slow, but we were able to get four new investigators this week, start working on a baptism date or two, the Sorelle set 6 baptism dates, the other Anziani had 2, etc. It is a miracle in and of itself!
New stuff from this week! First off, we had Stake Conference where a member of the Seventy, Anziani DeFeo, spoke to us, and he gave one of the best talks I have ever heard!! No notes or anything, just went up to the pulpit and preached doctrine. So incredible! Made so much more dramatic by the fact that it was in Italian, haha. Also, we had a lesson with our golden boy, Marcello, in which he got so excited at the things we were teaching that he began to start taking furiously quick notes as we were talking. We tried to set a date for baptism with him, but he said he isn’t ready for that yet and that he just wants to learn a bit more, but we have a lot of hope for the man!
Well, that’s really about it. I’m sure there’s more but I have cioè no time left and I can barely remember what I had for breakfast this morning.
Cultural bit: There was a film a few years back about the Amish that was made in America and translated here for Italian, then shown to the people here. HERE’S THE ISSUE. They messed up with the translation and instead of calling them Amish, they called them Mormons. Now, every single conversation I have with people where they talk about our ‘communities’ and no electricity and such makes total sense. It’s a hard knock life guys. Also, right around Easter time the Catholic Priests roam the neighborhoods and give blessings on peoples homes, so when we go house to house they think we are there for that, and then they get really mad when they find out we aren’t Catholic Priests, haha.
Spiritual Bit: It is mentioned to us in Alma 40:41 that we will be judged according to our actions and desires. I wish to talk a moment on this. If you pay attention, you will learn that actions are just an outward expression of our true desires. If we truly desire to have a clean house, we will clean it. If you truly desire to see a movie with friends, but have a load of homework or work to do, you will find a way around it. This is how we humans work.
At the judgement day, the Lord will pay attention to these actions and desires and judge us based off of them. My message to you all this week, and my invitation, is to write down on a piece of paper what your true desire above all desires is. Then, pay attention to your actions for the next few days and see if they match that desire. If they do not, don’t fret, because we have been given a way to change. Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and through doing the small things that He asked of us, we can change not only our actions, but our true desires. Do you wish to be more loving? Practice by serving others. Do you wish to be more hard working and have a greater desire to work? Practice by working hard. This life is a life that has been given to us to give us the opporutnity to change our natures and become. Choose ye this day whom you will serve, right?
After you have evaluated yourself, tell me what you learned in an email!! I would love to hear from each of you!
Just remember, you can become the person you want to be by consistently doing the things that person would do.
Con Amore,
Anziano Squire
Squire.Jacob@myldsmail.net
Pictures of Anziano Ostergar’s “Funeral” mentioned in blog post on 3/4/2015
Elder Squire 