July 17, 2013

I'm in section 130 right now so I'll finish Doctrine and Covenants no problem with you guys now. Cool story, I'm reading it in every spare moment I have to make it by August 7th, and we're waiting in Lecco in the police offfice in an incredibly packed room waiting for them to call us up so I can get my Permesso, or permisison to stay here. And so I decide to pull out D&C and start reading. And the man standing next to me is silent for a couple of minutes, then I guess has been looking at the words since he says, "Do you speak English?" And I'm suprised since I assumed everyone in the room didn't speak English, even the police officers, and we start up a conversation and he turns out to be from Ecuador and lives in our area, not Lecco. And he gives us a ride home, and we plan on giving him our number when he drops us off, but he asks us, "You should come over to my house sometime. Do you want to?" So he made first contact and then invites us over. we were pretty suprised but taught him that day and left him with a spanish Book of Mormon and going to visit him again. But just so you know family, your reading the Doctrine and Covenants has allowed us to get a new investigator.

Lake in Lecco

And his background story he was telling us shows the impact that we don't even realize we make. He was a wee lad living in Ecuador (well, he didn't use those exact words) and he saw missionaries like us and one of them oiled his skateboard, and we are the first missionaries he's seen since then. That's why he was so open, the Lord prepares people in his own way and own time. 100% guaranteed that missionary did not realize the impact he had, he might have even been apostate, but every single thing we do as missionaries and everything you do as members is being watched and examined. Don't have to be talking to people for them to realize you are a member of the Church of Jesus Christ, and you follow his example. So thank you for a new investigator. Then after the lesson he takes us to visit 3 of his friends, and we're probably going biking with them next Preparation Day.

So met Presidente and Sorella [Sister] Dibb [new mission president and wife] yesterday, they're amazing! President Dibb pointed out in the Bible dictionary under faith, that miracles don't grow faith, but rather obedience increases faith. That was really cool, never thought about it that way before. I knew that when you're obedient you get blessings, but obedience, even when you don't know the reason why, actually grows your faith. So even if you don't feel like reading scriptures or praying late at night, if you do those things then your faith will grow. Sorella Dibb told a story about a missionary in her ward, I think, who backed his companion out in a totally empty parking lot when they were the only ones at the church. And an investigator sees this and asks why, and they say we want to be 100% obedient, and the investigator decided then to be baptized because he wanted to be part of a church where people want to obey commandements and aren't forced to do anything.

Finally memorized D&C 4 in Italian, wrote the time in my journal since it was hard.

And hailed for 5 minutes that day (July 13) too, that was weird. We were inside.
So worldwide changes here-ready? No backpacks, looks too casual and touristy.  I'll be buying a shoulder sidebag whatever they're called.  

Went on a scambio (companion exchanges) with Anziano [Elder] Davis, the district leader. That was great, he goes up to a family reunion and shouts out "Excuse me! Do you want to know how families can be together forever?" And they aren't interested, but cool to see how our tongues should be loosed. And went on another scambio 2 weeks ago, just forgot to write about it.

And got 16 lessons again! 2 weeks in a row!

Jumped around as usual, out of time, thanks for the letters and support,

Anziano Berg