who will both be getting baptized on the 17th! They are both
progressing wonderfully, living all the commandments, and they've both
accepted the challenge to live as if they were already members. There
were some hold ups before with the 9 year old, Anna, who has a fear of
water and didn't want to go to primary, but we have been able to work
through theses concerns with her and now she lives going to primary! I
fasted yesterday that she would be able to overcome this fear of water
(even if it's just for the day of her baptism) so that she can get
baptized without a problem that day. She has also been reading the
scriptures by herself almost every day and is now praying every night
to have the strength and courage to be baptized.
The other one, Alessia, has been ready to be baptized for a while but
just kept telling us that she was looking for a bigger answer and
wanted to be more than 100% sure. We had a really good lesson with her
last night where we were able to resolve all of her concerns, use some
really great repentance scriptures from The Book of Mormon, and help
her understand that if she desires to follow Christ, this is the next
step. She has already finished The Book of Mormon, read half of D&C,
and has gotten almost halfway through The Pearl of Great Price. She
had even had the desire to share our message with her friends! We
helped her understand where that desire was coming from and how she
needs to be the example and take the step towards baptism to be able
to more fully share this light with her friends. At the end of the
lesson she asked if we could do a fast together to help her feel more
sure about the baptism and this date.
Also, we taught the excommunicated lady the restoration this week and
it couldn't have gone better. She expressed to us how she now
understand the atonement and absolutely cannot live without The Book
of Mormon which has been her light in these dark days. As soon as she
finishes her chemotherapy she will be able to finish the interview
process required for her to be rebaptized. I have never seen a
stronger woman than her. I know that she's been through a lot and made
a lot of mistakes, but I have never seen a person more humble and
truly penitent. She is so desperate for the light of the Holy Ghost as
a constant companion in her life again. It's a humbling experience for
me to see and helps me realize how very grateful I am for this gospel
and the wonderful gift of the Holy Ghost that I have from my father in
heaven so that I have the opportunity to always feel his love and
guidance in my life.
We also had 2 lunch appointments 2 days in a row and I think I
literally gained 10 pounds. The first one was sooo rough. Like don't
get me wrong, everything was super good, probably the best I've ever
eaten, it was just so much. Half way through I was holding my skirt
waist open under the table just so I could let my stomach breath. And
she gave us 2 sausages each that were HUGE..like too big to fit on the
plate, and if you know me you know that I HATE sausage. That was
rough...but it's all good because I survived! ...this week though we
have 3 more appointments..a special prayer in my behalf would be
greatly appreciated 😂
On Saturday we got to do some service! We're having a mission
conference in a few weeks with President Kearn (the European area
president) and all the missionaries in Sicily are coming to Palermo
and we're meeting in the p2 church. The area where the church is is
very dirty so on Saturday we went and pulled all the weeks from by the
sidewalk and cleaned up all the trash. We're going again next Saturday
to finish up. It was tons of work but looks so much better now. It was
so funny the amount of people driving or walking by who stopped and
asked us why we were doing this service so we ended up getting to do
some missionary work too! We were finishing up and it was getting near
lunch time and this guy drives up and asks if we want food, we're like
yeah? So he pulls over, pops open his truck, and pulls out tons of
sandwiches for us! I know this sounds sketch but I promise you it's so
normal here for people to sell things out of the back of their cars.
In fact it's usually always better than the stuff you'd buy at stores.
But it was super nice of him and he gave it all to us for free because
of what we were doing!
Today we went and played laser tag with our district, the other
Palermo district. It was so much fun! Then some of us went and ate
lunch at Nino u'Ballerino. I got the thing they're famous for..the
spleen sandwich! I guess this guy went to a competition and it was
announced that his our the best in Italy and 5th in the world. It was
good, just kind of weird. It was like a roast beef sandwich just
chewier. And it was only €1.50! Then we went and bought Casio watches
as a district. They're super popular here in Italy. I got a rose gold
one that's super cute.
I have grown such a love for missionary work. I realized yesterday, as
I sat in church next to Anna, that I get to feel just a little bit the
way that God feels about us. In that moment I felt so much love for
her, like she was my own child, and had such a desire for her
happiness and wellbeing. I realized having these two investigators so
close to baptism, jus throw much God cares for us. We are literally
putting everything into them right now, every prayer, every fast,
every study, every day, always thinking about them, and what we can do
to help them finally get there. How disappointed I feel when they mess
up, but how much joy I feel when they keep the commandments and do
what is right. I can now stand alongside of God when he says that
"this is my WORK and my GLORY to bring to pass the immortality and
eternal life of man" there's no greater cause, and I can testify that
there's nothing else that will bring greater joy than this, the work
of salvation.
Love you guys! Sorry I never have time to respond to anyone! I promise
I'm trying, thank you so much for the love and support! ❤️
-Sorella Bonzo
We decided to be cute and match our hair
You guys, this is what it looks like when I go to buy fruit. How lucky am I?
Service!
Spleen sandwich
