Hellooooooo everyone! How did Halloween go? It was really uneventful here. I bought a pumpkin shaped cookie, but that was about as exciting as it got. Halloween isn't very celebrated around here so it was pretty normal. Thanksgiving should be exciting though! Even though it's an American holiday, we're hosting a big dinner anyway. It's super expensive for a turkey though! Mamma mia... Maybe we'll just buy a bunch of lunch meat instead.
Last Wednesday we had a new missionary conference for Anz. Parker. I saw some missionaries that I haven't seen since the MTC! It's really neat when we see each other because we can see how much we've all grown. All the missionaries I've seen since the MTC have grown a ton. I'm sure I have too. Tomorrow we have a big conference with Elder José Teixeira, who is a member of the Seventy and president of the Europe Area (a.k.a. top dog Mormon of Europe). That should be really cool. I'm ready to learn, and probably be humbled. Hah!
Anz. Sexton is walking (almost) normally! I'd say that's a miracle. He's so happy and feels like a new man! Winter is starting to creep in, along with lots of rain. I think it rained every day last week. I want to see the snow! That's what I love about winter.
As for missionary work, it's going along here in Cimiano. We had a wonderful investigator in church this week-- the man from Nepal I wrote about last week. He is so cool and so humble. We think he enjoyed church. He doesn't speak much Italian, so I translated for him. That was exhausting, but I know he was able to benefit from it.
For my thought this week I thought I'd share one of my favorite stories in the Book of Mormon. Mosiah 24:10-17. The people of Alma were forbidden by a wicked ruler to pray. Instead of defy his commands, they prayed secretly in their hearts for deliverance from bondage. "And it came to pass that so great was their faith and their patience that the voice of the Lord came unto them again, saying: Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of bondage." They kept praying with FAITH and with PATIENCE. We need both to get through this life. One part I particularly like about this verse is that God promises them deliverance, but "on the morrow." He does not promise immediate deliverance. I had this conversation with someone the other day. Too many people look at God as an automatic problem-fixer. God will deliver us, but on His own time and in His own way. He expects our faith and patience, which we demonstrate through prayer and willingness to get up and work. Prayer means nothing unless it is followed by action. God can only bless us when we are doing our part. Deliverance won't always come right away, but it will come. Hold on until the morrow, and finally it will come.
Love, Anziano Simcox.
The picture is of a really neat castle grounds in central Milano. I'm so blessed to be serving in a place with so much beauty all around me.
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