We Taught 26 Lessons This Week!!

Hey all!

For this week....

We worked our butts off!!!! We taught 26 lessons; it was crazy we just did lots of casa and taught our investigators. I’m sorry I didn’t write about the work last week, but you guys are way behind. I’ll catch you guys up by talking about our most legit investigators. First there is Clifton, who is an 18 year old Brazilian. He is very open and even came to church. Then there is Stefania. She is a 30 something year old Italian who loves the book of Mormon. She has already read over 30 pages and has seen so many blessings. She knows it’s the book of Mormon and this church that is changing her life and she understands the need for baptism. We are getting really excited about her. Clovis, the Dos Santos dad came to church for the first time since his family got baptized in the end of June so things are picking up. Those are our biggest investigators. We have other people that we have found and we will see how they progress. On with the week...

THURSDAY- We taught Clifton with Bruna. He has only been in Italy for less than 2 years and doesn’t speak Italian that much and I don’t know how much he understands. So we bring Bruna to translate. Anyways we taught the restoration and he is open to learning more. He is just a humble guy but he’s shy and doesn’t talk a lot. Anyways he wants to come to church. Then we taught Stefania. We brought Pablo because there is no male at home. We taught about prayer, reading, and going to church and how to grow our faith and how to know if these things are true. She has already read up to 2 Nephi 13. When I was talking about and explaining the book of Mormon better, and using the Moroni’s promise, she interrupted me and asked if it was the same Moroni that appeared to Joseph Smith 4 times... I was like ummm how do you know that?? Haha she didn’t just start reading the book of Mormon but read all the testimonies so she understands everything super well. We didn’t even ask her to read that. she is just such a miracle to our work here.

FRIDAY- We just did a lot of finding work. We got in multiple times but just no solid investigators. It’s good because we are teaching but we need to move fast to find elect people and not waste time. I’ve really learned how to continue to grow my love for casa. It’s something that I’m good at. I remember when everything was so hard because of the language and not knowing what to say and just being awkward. Now it’s just like second nature, especially the language. I love just being able to talk and not think. It’s so sweet and for sure just a gift from God. Obviously when its late and I’m really tired my brain sometimes doesn’t work and I make so many mistakes or just words don’t come to mind. I know that I need to stay humble because the Lord sometimes does that to show me that I’m nothing without Him. Haha I love it. 

SATURDAY- We taught Stefania again with Pablo. It was good! We went over the restoration again, and she understood everything. At the end I committed her to be baptized, and she said that when she knows it’s true she’ll do it. So we asked her to pray and read and ask if this is what she needs to do. I was going to give her a date to prepare for but her friend walked in and was being loud and the spirit just left so we didn’t, but we know that she has a desire and I know that she will receive her answers. Then we went to the Dos Santos house and taught about going to church and really committed Clovis to come. He gave an indirect answer like “I’ll try”, and I just was super bold and direct (obviously following the sprit) and I was like if you don’t want to come you don’t have to. Just tell us but if you want to come say yes. And he said okay tonight I’ll really think about coming. I felt in his voice that he was being serious and that he was really going to think about it.

SUNDAY- CLIFTON CAME TO CHURCH!!! He came for sacrament and met all the Brazilians and they shook his hand and made friends and everything it was sweet. He loved it and I know he felt the spirit. ThenClovis came to church, which was such a great blessing. He loved it too and I know he loved being with his family and I know he felt the spirit. Sadly Stefania didn’t come. She called and said she fell and hurt herself so she couldn’t come. I didn’t talk to her because I was teaching the YM so my comp was the one who talked to her. So sadly she didn’t come but we still had a great Sabbath.

MONDAY-TUESDAY- I did a scambi in Verona with Anziano Webb. He’s a cool guy and is 3 months under me. We worked really hard and did a lot of contacting. We found this super cool guy who is on the search. We found him Monday night and set up an appointment Tuesday with him and then for the appointment we taught the restoration better and watched the movie. He said he felt something and said that he felt that he was like Joseph Smith (in case you don’t know: that’s what you want evert investigator to say!) It was so awesome. I really felt the spirit, and I just had one of those moments, like I know that happened and how great is it to say I know Christ lives because I KNOW Joseph Smith saw him and talked to him. I just love this church so much and I’m so grateful for your example, for your testimonies that helped me search for myself. Dad, thanks for making that promise to yourself that you would never fall, because of that I too made that promise. When I heard you tell stories of grandma and grandpa suffering because of your brothers and sisters, I remember telling myself that I never wanted you guys feel like that and I made a promise to myself that I would never fall. So you would never have to worry about me, and I hope you don’t have to worry about me because I’m on a mission. I’m serving the Lord and I’m trying my hardest to forget everything. I know the blessing from doing such because this week, I worked hard just leaving everything behind and I saw so many blessings and so many miracles. I know the Lord is guiding his work and I’m just an instrument in his hands. This is the church of Jesus Chris. I know it is because I have prayed and searched for myself. We are not here to convince people (that is IMPOSSIBLE!) we are here to only invite people to do the same thing we have done to know that this is true. And to read the Book of Mormon and to pray and if we do that with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, we will feel the Holy Ghost bear testimony to us that this is true and by the power of the Holy Ghost we can know the truth of all things (Moroni 10:4-5). I love this church with all my heart. I know that this work is true and these 2 years are not a sacrifice; they are 2 years of eternal blessings.

Young Men’s is going good. We have Cyro who is 17 years old and pablo who is 12. We are making a program where they come with us missionaries 1 hour a week at least to work by teaching lessons or by doing casa. We have fun, spiritual activities and I know they are thinking about missions. I know that Cyro is going to serve a mission. These young men are awesome and are changing my life. It’s so humbling to have a calling and be a missionary. I have no time but I have all the time. As I said before, this week we taught 26 lessons and miracles are happening because I am forgetting myself and going to work. I love this work.

I love you all and I’m trying to make the most of this last year. I’ve felt the increase of the spirit in my life while being on a mission. It’s weird I’m the same old Benda Boy but at the same time I’m a representative of the Saviour and I take that calling very sacred. This is the best thing that ANY YOUNG MAN CAN DO! I love you all

Love Anziano Glowa