Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Never Giving Up (Vicenza - Week 26)

Hey everyone, I hope everyone had a busy and full week like I did, because it sure makes the time fly.
This week was another good week of work for the Lord. At the beginning of the week I took Elder England out on an exchange for a couple days. We found ourselves finding miracles throughout the day. We had a lesson with Daniele, on the gospel of Jesus Christ and had a plan to give him a date for baptism. I was a little nervous because he is a solid investigator and Elder England is only a transfer into the mission, so I had to really lead the lesson in Italian. But the Lord blesses those who put in the effort to do his work. I taught with such assurance and confidence and Elder England was able to teach a little and bear a solid testimony. When I invited him to be baptized, he solemnly said that he really wants to and knows that this is his next step in life. We were soo relieved and were so grateful.
After Daniele, not more than an hour or two later, we were walking through Parco Querini, just looking for some people we could talk to, and we passed by Eddie, the first investigator I found in Italy. I hadn’t talked to him in over 2 months, because his phone wasn't working and we didn’t have an address to see him. When we saw him, he was just soo happy to see us. He told us he was fasting that day to help himself come closer to God. Well you can bet that fast was answered, because we started to teach him again, and he was so excited. He came to church on Sunday, bore his testimony in Fast and Testimony meeting and accepted a date for baptism, all in a space of 3 days. I was a little speechless. All he has to do is stop smoking for two weeks and he can be baptized. We hope that he continues to show this desire to come closer to Christ and we know that he is making a huge step in his life.
Josephine finally had the courage to talk to her husband, but he still does not want her to be baptized. She told us that as hard as it is for her not to be baptized, that when her husband is ready to talk to us, that it will be time for both of them to be baptized. There is not much we can do, but just pray and keep inviting her husband to come to a lesson.
As we keep working to become closer to our Heavenly Father, he will help guide our path and lead us to him. I have a firm testimony of the power of Christ and our Father in Heaven. Although I have never seen them with my own two eyes, I have felt the witness of their existence in my life, and just like so many others have, you all can feel that same confirmation I have.
Last little spiritual thought I would like to share is from a Mormon Message titled "You Never Know". It shows a video about a mother doing all these things for others, but as a result of helping others was not able to visit a close relative she had been planning on seeing. After a little emotional wreck, and feeling like the day was terrible, she started to notice some of the good things that happened because she had taken the time to help others. We all have so much to offer to others, and even if we do not see the fruits of our labors, we make more of a difference than we give ourselves credit for. Don’t be afraid to help others, the two great commandments from God are to "Love God" and "Love thy Neighbor". If we reach out in love and service we will not only touch their lives, but we also will see the blessings that come from it.
I know these things to be true, that we all are sons and daughters of our loving Heavenly Father. He is our creator, and we WILL return to live with him, if we follow him and keep his commandments!
Have a great week!
Anziano Chase

This is a random baby head in the center of Vicenza

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