Hey guys! Happy Independence day! Be safe and have some fun! It's hard to believe that a year ago I was in the MTC watching the fireworks from the stadium at BYU! Time is flying too quickly!
This has been a great week. I'll skip ahead to what
happened yesterday. We went to Cagliari for zone conference and it was
perfect. Just like always President Kelly received such inspiration,
specifically for us here in Sardegna, and as he spoke of different
methods we can use to invite people to act, it all just clicked and all
the questions I came with were definitely answered. Especially those
regarding our investigator Adhemar. One thing that I realized and will
always remember now is an important point in missionary work. We learn
that the Spirit is the true teacher of course, but what does that make
us missionaries as the vessels to bring the Spirit into this person's
life? We are 'inviters'. Nowhere in our missionary purpose does it say
that we teach people but instead, we invite people to act for themselves
so that they can be directly connected to the powers of heaven. This is
such an important principle and it helps us missionaries learn the
Christlike attribute of humility as we recognize where the true power
comes from. Just like Christ, the Greatest of all who lived, took not
the source of the things He taught upon Himself, but directed the
doctrine back to His Father. As you can see I really enjoyed this
conference and it is a huge testimony builder that leaders in the church
are put in their positions and specifically called of God, and these
humble people tell us what the Lord would have shared with us, therefore
it is so important to sustain and honor our leaders.
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| President and Sister Kelly |
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| Sardegna Zone Conference - 7/3/12 |
I also had my interview with President and that went
well, and based on what he said it is pretty much set in stone that I'm
leaving the island. I love Sardegna, the wonderful people, members of
the church, but I'm ready for a change. President Kelly said that he
likes to have missionaries set roots in an area, and my eleven months
here have done that. I have never been more excited for transfers, and I
know that I will be blessed wherever I go.
The investigators are doing well. We have been
focusing a huge part of our efforts with finding, and when I say finding
I mean talking with EVERYONE on the street. I have found this to be the
most effective ways of finding people. I love seeing the blessings and
miracles that come from it, plus the more people you talk to, the more
neat and interesting people you'll meet, and the greater chance there is
to find that person who is ready to hear the Gospel.
We were debating whether or not we wanted to stay in
Cagliari for a preparation day together for the fourth of July. The
great example of Anziano Schwing helped convinced me that we should get
back to our area as soon as possible, especially after such a great and
recharging zone conference. Since he and Anziano Ferrero where heading
back that night, we jumped in the car with them. We got back at about
7:30, and still had an hour and a half left in the day, so we went right
out and found three people who are interested to hear the message. If
we would have stayed it would have delayed their chance to learn of the
truth. I love the mission for just little things like this.
A fun little story, we met with an ex-investigator
named Letizia who unfortunately had to stop taking the lessons because
her mother is contrary to the church. She still tries to come to English
course though, and we set up a little activity in which she taught us
how to make cheesecake! I'm proud to say that I can now make a delicious
desert! We are going to have some fun cooking when I come home!
Oh! I absolutely forgot to share the most hilarious
and saddest story that happened to me and Anziano Hill before he left
and it just came to my mind now. We came home after English course one
night, and Anziano Hill was pretty eager to get to bed. We waited at the
ground floor of our apartment building for the elevator to take us to
the fourth, but the yellow button was illuminated signifying that it was
occupied. Anziano Hill pressed the button impatiently about ten times
still being yellow, so the absolute second that it was available he
pressed the button which brought the elevator down towards us. In the
elevator shaft we could hear terrifying screams of a little girl. We
paused and listened for a second, I looked at him and said, "what did
you do!?" As the elevator got closer to us the shrieks and cries from
within grew louder. We waited with fright as to what would confront us
as the door opened. When it finally landed, the doors opened and a
small, three year old girl was there by herself, imprisoned by a
descending elevator. When she saw us instead of her mother (which I'm
sure was the last thing she saw before the doors closed) she screamed
louder, and Anziano Hill knelt down to her level and tried to ask her
what floor she lived on so he could send her back up... The poor child
felt cornered and cried. I yelled up the stairs to the parents that were
rushing down telling them that she was alright. Finally when the mom
came the poor little girl felt comforted, but she was so scared and
scarred from before, that it was hard for her to catch her breath. She
was in her mom's arms, and when she realized that we weren't scary guys
in suits she waved to us and said repetitively, "ciao" waving her little
hand. Needless to say I was really embarrassed about the whole
situation, but the parents knew it was just an accident. In the end it
was so cute and amazing to see how quick to forgive children are, and
the love they have for others. This is a little testimony from what the
Savior says on how we must follow the examples of children and learn
from them because theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
I love you all so much! We'll see where I'll be next
week when I write again because I have no clue! I love you Dad, I love
you Mom, I love you Morgan, I love you Brooke, I love you Heather, and I
love you Greg. Have a safe week! I miss you all so much! Thank you for
your prayers because I need them and I feel them everyday! You're the
best! Vi voglio una galassia di bene! Statemi bene!
Con gran affetto.
Anziano Clay Lacey
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