MARIA

This week I learned a very important lesson front he mother of Jesus, but before I tell you about what I learned, I will tell, you about my week.

This week I had a scambio with Sorella Shelton who serves in Foggia. She is a great missionary and I learn a lot from her every time I serve with her. We did a lot of really great finding. She helped me to really realize the purpose behind why we do finding. That it's not just because we want to reach our goal of getting ten gospel conversations, that it's not just because we want new investigators, and that it's not just about numbers. Jesus Christ was never worried about numbers but about truly changing people's lives. She made this lady smile who was not interested in our message at all, but because this lady smile we were able to hopefully help her feel a little bit of the love that Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father have for her.

We also visited an ex-contact of hers here in Bari. She said to me, "there's this guy I met at a gesso and I invited him to read 2 Nephi 2 and I believe he's reading the Book of Mormon, but I don't know if any other missionaries know about him" so we stopped by his shop. HE'S IN ALMA 60!!! He has underlined things he wants to ask her and he knew what page he was on. It was the coolest story ever. He's in the other area so hopefully, the Anziani can go visit him and figure some things out!

I also had a scambio with Sorella Erickson and she is in the same group as me. She's really great and we had a lot of fun. We go home together so it was fun to kind of talk about the MTC and to reminisce about the "good old days" haha. On the scambio we were able to see Nunzia (our investigator) from train. She is so cute and nice and really
awesome. She knows she wants to get baptized and we tried to set a date but she said she prefers to wait.

She had a really cool testimony builder this week where she needed to make an important decision to know which teacher she should pick for her son who has ADHD to be taught by. She said a prayer before the meeting asking for help and everything went smoothly. She said she felt really good about the decision and so far it is going great. We were able to promise her that GOD ANSWERS PRAYERS and that she can have the Holy Ghost with her ALWAYS to guide her in making her decisions after baptism. She's going to be baptized!!! I just don't know when.

Ok now to Mary so this comes from a talk given by Elder L. Whitney Clayton. This comes from the talk:

Mary had been a young woman when the angel Gabriel appeared unto her. At first, she had been “troubled” by being called “highly favored” and “blessed … among women … and cast in her mind what manner of
salutation this should be.” Gabriel reassured her that she had nothing to fear--the news he brought was good. She would “conceive in [her] womb … the Son of the Highest” and “bring forth a son … [who] shall
reign over the house of Jacob forever.” Mary wondered aloud, “How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?”
The angel explained but only briefly, affirming to her that “with God nothing [is] impossible.” Mary humbly responded that she would do what God asked, without demanding to know specifics and undoubtedly in spite of having countless questions about the implications for her life. She committed herself without exactly understanding why He was asking that of her or how things would work out. She accepted God’s word unconditionally and
in advance, with little knowledge of what lay ahead. With simple trust in God, Mary said, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.”

I know I am not like Mary, but I tried putting myself in her shoes. What would I do if that happened to me? I think I would have thousands of questions and doubts and fears and worries about how that was going to change MY plans. Mary asks one simple question and the angel responds with a very generalized answer that doesn't answer her question at all. So instead of firing hundreds of follow up questions she basically says "Let it be done according to the will of God." WHAT GREAT FAITH? She had NO IDEA what was going to happen to her. I hope I can have that amount of faith in God.

I love you all.

Best thing I ate this week: I have kind of been slacking this week and last week and haven't eaten anything out of the ordinary...I'll do my best to eat something really good this week!

Con tanto amore

Sorella G ♥️🇮🇹