As some of you know, or maybe don't if these emails end up in your trash, it is getting real hot over here. As in a 90 degree, 100% humidity type of heat. I've learned how to eat gelato in record time, because it starts melting the second they put it on your cone. I purposefully walk close to the automatic doors of the stores so they'll open and I can enjoy the AC for .5 seconds. Despite all this, one of the members here in Messina thought we weren't doing enough to beat the heat. What was his suggestion? Hats! So this adorable little man went out and bought us hats, then as a cherry on top, decorated them with fake flowers. So now we have matching companion sun hats, just in case we don't attract enough stares as missionaries.
This week, Reggio Calabria had a baptism! Reggio Calabria is a part of our district, but also across the ocean, so we took the boat over to Reggio with someone we're teaching. It was amazing. First, because we got there early with the person we're teaching, and we were able to read from the Book of Mormon with her and then watch the Restoration video. Then, the weather for the baptism was incredible. We were able to do the baptism at the beach, and the sunset was to die for. To make things even more amazing, it was supposed to rain that whole day, but thanks to lots of prayers, there wasn't a single rain drop.
It's been a week of mostly finding, and two of the comments we got this week really hit me; one man said "ahh, I see what you're doing. This is marketing." And then another woman said "yeah, you guys are just doing publicity for your religion." What. I didn't know quite how to respond, but luckily Sorella Muçe responded with exactly what I was thinking. She said something along the lines of "Let me explain it you from our point of view. We are not paid to do this. In fact, we PAID to do this. We chose to come out here not because we get any compensation or promotion. We chose to leave behind our families, our schooling, our work, our normal lives, because we felt something. We've seen this gospel change our lives and the lives of people around us. We have felt a peace from this book that we can't describe, and for that, we're out here, trying to share that message with the people who are looking. If you're not one of them, that's ok. We respect you and your beliefs, and we ask that you respect ours." (Yes, my companion is incredible) After these encounters I thought a lot about how our purpose here is to find the people who are searching for God, the ones that He is preparing. I'm grateful that I'm not out here serving a mission for any motive besides this: I love Heavenly Father and the gospel He has prepared for us through His son, Jesus Christ. Basta. Punto. Stop.
I love this gospel and I love my Savior, Jesus Christ.
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