WOW it has been such an awesome week Messina is on fire right now!!! I don't even know where to begin. Sorella Crandell and I have been trying to strengthen our faith that the Lord is preparing people here in Messina ready for this restored gospel and we have seen some beautiful miracles! In pmg (Preach My Gospel) it says, "He will lead you to them or He will lead them to you" and this last week he has led so many people ready for the gospel to us!!!!!:)
Fabiana! So a little bit about her, she's 24, her sister Stefania is a new convert as of February and their mother was baptized 40 years ago and is inactive. Well Fabiana came to church again yesterday and we had one of the most beautiful lessons with her and Stefania last night!!! She explained how after taking the lessons with the sisters she began to smoke again and was so discouraged and told us she felt so lost and empty and far from God. She expressed how she had been praying for the strength to overcome her smoking addiction the past little while and felt she needed to come to church again. Now she wants to continue meeting with us and she accepted to prepare for baptism for June 18th! Stefania started crying (it was her birthday yesterday & explained later how this was the best birthday she's ever had). We are going to get this family to the temple to be sealed together for all time and eternity! Today as we were walking around in Catania this lady named Jasmine calls us, and tell us that a year ago her 18 year old son was preparing for baptism and got nervous, felt like he wasn't ready and told the missionaries he wanted some time. Well his mother called us and told us she and her son BOTH have interest in meeting with us again! It was the biggest miracle, I can't wait to meet them! They are from the Carribean but have been living in Italia for years :) We did a huge party for corso d'inglese (English course), and watched Meet the Mormons together and ate so much good food. It went soooo well, we had a such a great turnout:) Well we had to escape before the movie finished so we could be home on time and after walking for about 15 minutes this cute couple (corso students) pull over on the side of the road & asked if they could give us a ride. They began to explain how much they loved the movie, and how it's so beautiful that we actually live what we believe! They especially loved the story about the bishop, and how the family was central in his life. (whereas here in Italy the priests can't be married.) We asked them if they would have interest in hearing more about our message and they said "OF COURSE! In fact we were wanting to ask you!" We will be meeting with them this week:) this is truly the hastening of the work!!!! Nino came to church again yesterday and absolutely loved it!!! We also had pranzo with him and his neighbors and taught them the Restoration!!!!:) Fratello Impollonia, the 2nd counselor in the bishopric has become best buds with Nino and it's so awesome to see Nino so happy. His wife died about 15 years ago and he has been so lonely ever since. He is a Jehovah's Witness but explained to us how the members there don't always live what they believe and he has felt a peace and sense of direction in his life since he met with us and coming to our church! He asked us if he could take a hymn book home with him so he could play them on the piano (he writes music). This week we will do a lesson with him and fllo Impollonia and invite him to come unto Christ and be baptized! I can't wait:) Davide is still doing wonderful, unfortunately with this new job he works Saturday nights till 3-4 am and hasn't made it to church-he is heartbroken that he hasn't come and asked us to pray for him, he is still doing awesome and is still preparing for baptism whether that be in a few weeks or no! We will not let Satan discourage him or us, we just got to keep that FAITH in him and help him continue on this path!!!! Well funny story, a year ago when I was skating with friends my tooth chipped out! Well it was a beautiful morning over here in Sicily and I took a bite into a yum peach and there goes my tooth! Let's just say I never want to go to a dentist outside of America ever again:) Besides that hahaha all has been beautiful here in Messina! I love the mission. It's one of the only times in my life we will have this divine power and I have never felt so close to God, our Savior and the Spirit ever in my life!! I have never been able to see other people in a small sense of how Heavenly Father sees His children like I have in the mission. I have never experienced the joy of seeing someone completely change their life around in order to come to know their Savior Jesus Christ like I have here. I have never found so much meaning and light and beauty in my life like I have in the mission serving others. All the hard times, the sad moments don't even matter in contrast with all these sweet moments and tender mercies!! I LOVE YOU ALL VI VOGLIO BENE SORELLA Taylor
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January 2017
Crystal's current area is Passo Corese, Italy.
Her address is: Via Giacomo Matteotti, 187 02032 Passo Corese RI Italy |