Ciao,
Well it has been another week that has just flown by!! I cannot believe how fast everything is going, it feels like I was just here yesterday sending you all and email. We had a really good week filled with many miracles. More than anything I am just excited that the work here is starting to do a lot better. As a city we found 7 new investigators this week. The other companionship found a new family of 4 and we are super excited for them and we were able to find some new people that seem super interested as well. We are sooo happy to have the work here start to grow. We fell so blessed by the Lord and honestly we just try to continue to do what is right and He blesses us beyond on own personal beliefs.
We have had a lot of what we call "bidoni" this week. It means that you have and appointment then they don't show up without really telling you why or letting you know so you end up just waiting there for a little while. Those are a little bit frustrating but you always move forward and keep trying to help this people come closer to Christ. Sometimes it is hard not to base your success on the free agency of others but are just trying to do what is right and leave the rest up to the Lord. Sometimes Satin strives to get us frustrated and in so doing we become ungrateful for the many miracles and blessings the Lord gives to us each and every day.
A scripture that has come as a revelation to me is Joshua 1 verses 8-9. I have decided that my personal study of the scriptures needed to improve so that I "mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein". I then tied this into how we must also "meditate" also on the rules of the mission affectionately called the "White Bible" and how reading and pondering both of them together would help me to be obedient and have the success that the Lord wants me to have!! I am trying to find little times during the day when I can get a chance to study them so that I can know them and use them better. One of my favorite quotes from Preach My Gospel is that "Your ability to teach with power from the scriptures comes in large measure from the time you personally spend studying them. As you daily feast upon the word, your ability to teach from the scriptures will improve. In addition, your invitations to study and ponder the scriptures will be more powerful because you are doing the same thing in your life." Its not that I don't read them it is just finding little pockets of time where I can read them for personal gain not trying to do so when I should be worrying about others and their needs. It has helped me a lot!!
It has been really a fantastic week and I feel so blessed to be here. There is nowhere I would rather be. These people are truly amazing and they help me so much. I have learned so much from the Italian people and I love them more than I would have ever imagined. I thank you all for your love and support. I want to leave you all with my witness the Christ lives! He is the King of Kings! He is our Savior and Redeemer! That however hard our lives may be the beautiful message of Easter is that one day we will ALL be resurrected and have perfect bodies but it is our decision how comfortable we will be in those bodies and how comfortable we will be in the presence of our Elder Brother Jesus Christ who suffered every pain imaginable for us! I pray that we can all become more like him and remember that even when we mess up, he will help us learn "line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; [for] blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more". I love you all! Thank you for everything and I hope you all will be blessed on this sacred and holy week!
Love
Anziano Passantino
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