Gesù & Gelato: Sfida

Buon giorno di San Valentino!

Happy Valentine's Day!

This week we decided to heart attack all the ward members and our investigators, it was a blast! Italians don't really know how to react to that kind of thing so it was really cute getting all sorts of random 'thank you' phone calls and sweet texts during the week. I've probably mentioned it a time or two before but in case you forgot....the ward members in Statte are like no other. It is unbelievable, but they are so faithful and so prayerful and we are seeing miracles in our work which we accredit fully to the members. They are as 'en gamba' as it gets.

Our emphasis this week was a "sfida" del libro di mormon (a book of mormon 'challenge'). We made a calendar of the week and wrote in 2 successive chapters in the Book of Mormon every day with little checkboxes. We gave a sfida to Antonella and we also gave one to Giuseppe. We weren't sure exactly how it was going to go over but...

Antonella told us, very lovingly, that we are brats and she knows the sfida is exactly what she needs to do. She'd never read the Book of Mormon on her own, but when we came back later in the week she greeted us by saying "I read my two chapters!" And the next time we came back: "I read my two chapters!" She's growing her faith and slowly gaining a testimony. Unfortunately we didn't do FHE with bishop and she couldn't come to church yesterday because her family is all in town and they are moving houses (still in Crispiano, menomale).

Giuseppe and Elvira

Giuseppe also was really excited to accept the sfida! When we presented the idea to him the first thing he said was, "well, 2 chapters a day isn't very much... is it okay if I read more than that?" I don't see a problem with it, do you Sorella Johnson? Hahahaha mamma mia everything Giuseppe says just leaves us with our mouths hanging wide open because he so gets it. I don't know how else to say it, but we have front row seats to his conversion and I've never experienced anything more beautiful. And the best part? He came to church yesterday!!!!!!!!!! It's moments like that as a missionary that bring joy like nothing else.....we got home Saturday night and were just jumping up and down dancing around our apartment because we were so full of joy. That sounds totally cheesy but I can't say it any other way! The work of the Lord really brings this fullness of joy into my life, it's something everyone has to experience. Giuseppe stayed for all 3 hours of church and afterward he said "Now THIS is what church is supposed to be like. I think I'll be frequenting this church from now on" <-----That's what we like to hear :))))))) We went to their house after church for a little and he told us that from the moment bishop picked him up for church at 9 am, he hadn't had the desire to smoke. (he has a cigarette dependency). Just another huge miracle. We are praying really really hard and have faith that he will be baptized on April 7th. The day for Giuseppe.

In other news.....

We made brownies for some of our investigators and some members this week, italians love brownies, it's the cutest thing to watch them eat them. Dessert in Italy isn't super sweet so brownies are really rich for them hahha.

I went on a scambio with Sorella Baielli this week, she's from Idaho but was born and lived in Sardegna until she was 12! She's super cool and we had a great time, I loved getting to show her around Statte and Crispiano!

This past week was my first week of driving in a foreign country. It's exactly that: foreign. We are the only sisters in the mission that have their own car so it's weird that I'm actually in an area where we need a car to get around because everything is so spread out. Italians are crazy drivers and it's an adjustment learning to drive like them but I'd be lying if I said I'm not enjoying it.

Sorella Johnson and Anna (Anna's birthday)

Anna didn't come to church yesterday so we were really really sad about that....

Io e Sorella Johnson abbiamo fatto un piccolo digiuno della lingua inglese per un giorno, e andato molto bene :) Sorella Johnson and I did an english fast for a day and it went well and was really fun :)

We visited Rosa this week and really bonded with her, showing her pictures of our families and other fun mission pictures/videos! Next up for her will be the 'sfida' !!

One of the spiritual highlights of my week came in a conversation with Giuseppe after church yesterday. He said that his favorite part of sacrament meeting was partaking of the sacrament, the bread and the water, exactly the same way that Christ asked us to do it in the Bible! He was in awe of the beauty of that ordinance, it was a humbling reminder for me too, to remember the importance of the sacrament and the atoning sacrifice our Savior made for each of us. I invite you, next Sunday during sacrament meeting, to remember the significance and the importance of the sacrament. It really is a blessing each week to partake of and remember my commitment to Him. I love the opportunity I have to be a full-time representative of Him and feel his love for the people of Statte. Nowhere I'd rather be.

Love yall!

xoxo