Week 16

This week was good. We are doing a whole lot of finding right now, like I said last week. We had 30 quality gospel conversations! But only one new investigator. We have a couple return appointments this week though, so we are hopeful.

I had a hard time getting over my fears and anxieties about talking to people, but we had two mostras this week. The morning of the first one we were talking in companion study about "finding" and how we don't have the right to choose whether or not we offer salvation to the people around us. Our job is to invite OTHERS, not just the ones who look open to listening or who look like they would accept what we have to say. We have to offer and invite in order for people to start making the changes that will change their lives. So during the mostra I was working the passeggiata (the people who were walking by), and Slla Patterson was working the benches. I kept waiting for someone to walk past who I felt like I could talk to, and I was praying that Heavenly Father would help me to recognize the people who He was preparing to listen to me. Then the memory of that morning came back to my head and the thought that, "I won't know who is ready and prepared unless I try." I have to just start talking to people. So I said. "The next person who walks past I will talk to", and then an older man set up a little balloon stand right in front of where we had set up the mostra. I went and talked with him and he was super friendly, and took extra bigliettini (notes) to give to his family. We are going back this week to talk to him again. It was a good reminder to me that every person I talk to has their own sphere of influence, and I am doing the work of the Lord. I have been called by Heavenly Father to extend the blessings of the Atonement to every person that I can, even if that person looks like the exact opposite who I think would accept the gospel. We just never know who we are going to help and who we can touch.

The last few weeks I have been going through a little identity crisis. Everywhere in the scriptures, Preach My Gospel, and all the missionary talks I have read say to be yourself, that the Lord called ME on a mission and blessed me with the talents and gifts He needs to progress His work. So my question has been ''who am I?'' and ''what are my talents?'' I can't figure out what Heavenly Father needs me to do, or wants me to use. What things are unique about me that will help in the work? I can't even figure out what my talents are! It's been really frustrating and sometimes I feel like the answer is right in front of me, but I am just not seeing it. I have always been really musically inclined, and I really want to do a music mostra somehow, but I can't figure out how to make it work or what we would do to use music to invite others to come unto Christ. I read music, I've played the flute for 9 years, I can kind of play the piano, I like to sing... but I don't know how to synthesize all of that into something that would help us find and teach. I have tried to make a list of my spiritual gifts based on my patriarchal blessing and the notes my mom took on my setting apart and father's blessings before I left for the MTC, but I am sort of coming up blank. What does that even mean? WHO AM I??????

Our investigators are doing really well though. Laban did move his baptism date back a week, but yesterday we met with the branch president and Laban talked about looking into the unemployment resources of the church. President was really great; he is a wonderful guy. At the end of it, Laban said that he knows he is only coming as an investigator (he didn't use that exact word), but that he needs to get baptized as soon as possible. There was a cool sense of urgency in his voice when he said it; it was really exciting for me. We also got our first member referral that I have ever received this week! We are going to start doing a monthly missionary challenge for the branch and give them something to be working on. One of the members I met with in my first few weeks said that the hardest part for the members is that they want to do missionary work, but they go home from church or the missionaries leave their homes and they forget the fire they feel to hasten the work. So we are going to start doing things to help them continue to feel that fire. That's a lot of what's been happening lately, remembering that it takes faith and action to feel the motivation to continue, and that the witness comes after the trial of our faith.

That's about all, I am so so so sorry my email didn't send last week! That is so dumb. OH. By the way, we are doing internet today in a castle. No biggie. (IT IS A BIGGIE. Sorella Patterson and I looked at each other when we realized where the internet place was and said ''This is where we live. What is our life?!'')

Also, for those who are curious, the Sistine chapel is incredible :) Except when you ''go to the Sistine chapel,'' you are also going to all the Vatican museums. But we got a student price, so it was only £8 for us to see all the museums and Michelangelo’s ceiling. I didn't realize we were in the chapel till one of the security guards shushed the huge crowd and I head a NO PHOTOS! Really loudly. Then I looked up and saw Adam reaching for the finger of God, and I figured it out. It was incredible. We went with Slla. Patterson's MTC comp and her greenie, Slla. Barazoto, who I met on Facebook before the mish. Crazy! It was so much fun :)

Alright, have a great week!! I love you all!!!

This is a video of Nicole, Sorella Patterson, and a few Elders setting up for what they call a "mostra". It's basically like setting up a booth at a fair to talk about the church and share the gospel. "Mostras" is slang for the people the find at their booth.