This past week we got to meet with a few members. One was for a
member-present lesson with our investigator and the other two were
just appointments with a members. The ward and the stake and our
president and basically all the church leaders of Italy have really
been pushing for us missionaries to work more with members. It's kind
of hard because I like to see immediate results like, go out and knock
on someone's door and tell them about Joseph smith and then boom you
have an investigator. But I've felt since I got here to Firenze that
my purpose here, something that I personally really needed to work on,
was member work. Not for me as much as for them I guess. Of course we
need investigators and I'd love to have more people to teach but
anyways, so many of the members here in Firenze are in active! Like SO
many. And not all of the active ones are enjoying their membership in
the church. I'm convinced that they need to do missionary work. They
need something to shake up the ward. They NEED to feel the joy that
comes from sharing the gospel with someone and bringing a friend to
church. So maybe this isn't the sort of missionary work that you can
see numbers with and that sort of can be rough but honestly if I feel
happy and tired and satisfied by the end of the day and I feel The
Spirit with me then it doesn't matter who I taught that day, it just
matters that I'm bringing SOMEONE closer to Christ.
And we have been getting a fair amount of referrals from people. So
far they are all referrals of less-active members but we've actually
been able to see some of them and that's made me really happy. Maybe
in the future and with time we will be able to meet some people who
need to be introduced to the church still.
In fact, that did happen the other day! We went to an art exhibit to
do some finding (italy, Milan mission) because a member invited us
because they knew the presenter. So we went and met an older man, a
family friend, and set up a time to meet. In the end it worked out in
his schedule better for him to simply come to church so he did. He
came to gospel principles class. He mostly just came for curiosity's
sake but who says that being curious to learn about God is bad?
Anyways, PIANO PIANO.
Anyways, I have been thinking a lot recently about how I want to end
my last 5 months of my mission and the talk that our presidents wife
asked us to read summed it up perfectly. It applies to missionary work
as much as it does to life as it compares this life to a race,
"My young friends, wherever you are in your “four-minute performance,”
I urge you to ponder, “What do I need to do next to ensure my medal?”
Perhaps during this conference, the Spirit has whispered to you what
that may be: to prepare more thoughtfully for an ordinance in your
future or to receive an ordinance that you should have received a long
time ago. Whatever it may be, do it now. Don’t wait. Your four minutes
will pass quickly, and you’ll have eternity to think about what you
did in this life."
So I know if I keep working hard up until the end then I will be proud
of myself! God and my family and my President and other missionaries
will be proud of me! I know the same thing is true of life, as well.
Let's all cheer each other on and work hard to do our best in these
four minutes we call life. I love you all and if I can do anything for
you, let me know.
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