Hello everyone! How is summer going? It's already halfway through! Crazy! Time flies when you're a missionary. My summer is going great. I'm still living and loving Pesaro, the city of dreams. The picture this week is a little taste of Italy. It's from one of the back alleys in Pesaro. Cool huh? What a beautiful country.
This week is the fifth week of the transfer, which means that my new missionary is the senior companion for this week! He's the head honcho and I'm the junior companion again. It's cool to see him stepping up. He's a bravo missionary who is working hard.
What can I tell you about this week? I'll tell two stories. (As usual,I made up the names. I'm not too creative, but hey.)
First, I want to tell you about Pietro. We met him last week. It was cool that we found him in the first place. We were definitely in the right place at the right time. Anz. Valentine's bike was broken (story of our lives), so we were on foot for the day. As we were walking across town we decided to take a different way just for fun. It turns out that was divinely inspired because we found Pietro! He said he had been looking around for a church for some time now, but couldn't seem to find what he was looking for. We of course told him that this is what he was looking for. A few days later we ran into him in Centro and he asked us why we hadn't set up an appointment with him yet! We had a lesson with him then and there and gave him the Book of Mormon. A sickness stopped him from coming to church on Sunday, but we had a lesson with him the next day. It was the best first lesson that I've ever been a part of (not that I've been around the mission long, but hey).
Second, I'll talk more about Matteo. He's awesome. I love getting to know him. He's become like a brother almost. He is having difficulties, but he's trying so hard. He won't be ready to be baptized when we originally planned, but it is a goal that he wants to work for still. He's awesome. We meet with him almost every day and we pray every day.
Prayer is one huge lesson I've learned. It's such a wonderful thing. Prayer = literal communication with God. What a concept! I used to always think "oh it'd be so much easier if we could just pick up the phone and call God." Guess what? We can, and there is no charge for long distance. We can take any problem to God and trust that we can find resolution. It's not that God is some magic problem-fixer who
will make everything disappear, but He IS our Father and he is waiting to bless us. As Howard W. Hunter said, "If prayer is only a spasmodic cry at the time of crisis, then it is utterly selfish, and we come to think of God as a repairman or a service agency to help us only in our emergencies. We should remember the Most High day and night —always—not only at times when all other assistance has failed and we desperately need help. If there is any element in human life on which we have a record of miraculous success and inestimable worth to the human soul, it is prayerful, reverential, devout communication with our Heavenly Father." I feel especially strong about prayer right now. Prayer is a miracle and prayer brings miracles. "A man never stands taller than when upon his knees." (Thomas S. Monson).
Keep praying. Keep loving. Keep believing.
I love all of you! 'Til next time, Anziano Simcox.
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