Talk: In English and Italian

Grazie al potere dell’espiazione di Gesù Cristo che dà forza, voi ed io possiamo avere la benedizione di evitare l’offesa e trionfare su di essa.

Prego che questo pomeriggio lo Spirito Santo aiuti me e voi a esaminare alcuni importanti principi evangelici.

Una delle mie attività preferite come dirigente del sacerdozio è di visitare i membri della Chiesa nelle loro case. Mi piace particolarmente andare a trovare e parlare con quei membri che comunemente vengono definiti «meno attivi».

Negli anni in cui ho servito come presidente di palo, spesso ho contattato uno dei vescovi invitandolo a individuare in preghiera le persone o le famiglie che potevamo visitare insieme. Prima di andare in una casa, io e il vescovo ci inginocchiavamo per chiedere al nostro Padre celeste di guidare e ispirare noi e i membri che avremmo incontrato.

Le nostre visite erano piuttosto semplici. Esprimevamo amore e apprezzamento per la possibilità di essere a casa loro. Affermavamo che eravamo servitori del Signore al Suo servizio nelle loro dimore. Spiegavamo che ci mancavano e che avevamo bisogno di loro, e che essi necessitavano le benedizioni del vangelo restaurato. A un certo punto della nostra conversazione, spesso ponevo loro questa domanda: «Potrebbe aiutarci a capire perché non sta prendendo attivamente parte ai programmi e alle benedizioni della Chiesa?»

Ho partecipato a centinaia e centinaia di visite di questo genere. Ogni persona, famiglia, casa e risposta erano diverse. Nel corso degli anni, ho tuttavia scoperto un tema comune in molte delle risposte alla mia domanda. Spesso la risposta era di questo tipo:

«Molti anni fa, un uomo ha detto qualcosa alla Scuola Domenicale che mi ha offeso, e da allora non sono più venuto».

«Nessuno di questo ramo mi salutava o si rivolgeva a me. Mi sentivo come un estraneo. Mi ha ferito la scortesia di questo ramo».

«Non ero d’accordo con il consiglio datomi dal vescovo. Non rimetterò più piede in quell’edificio finché lui avrà quell’incarico».

Erano citate molte altre cause di offesa, dalle differenze dottrinali tra gli adulti, alle beffe e all’esclusione da parte dei giovani. Ma il tema ricorrente era: «Sono stato offeso da…»

Io e il vescovo ascoltavamo con intento e sincerità. Poi uno di noi chiedeva qualcosa sulla loro conversione e testimonianza del vangelo restaurato. Mentre parlavamo, spesso gli occhi di queste brave persone erano bagnati di lacrime mentre ricordavano la testimonianza di conferma dello Spirito Santo e descrivevano le loro più importanti esperienze spirituali. La maggior parte dei «meno attivi» che ho visitato avevano una testimonianza distinguibile e dolce della veridicità del vangelo restaurato. Tuttavia non partecipavano attivamente alle attività e riunioni di Chiesa.

Poi dicevo loro qualcosa come: «Vediamo se ho capito bene ciò che le è accaduto. Poiché qualcuno in Chiesa l’ha offesa, lei non ha ricevuto le benedizioni dell’ordinanza del sacramento. Si è ritirato dalla costante compagnia dello Spirito Santo. Poiché qualcuno in Chiesa l’ha offesa, si è tagliato fuori dalle ordinanze del sacerdozio e dal sacro tempio. Ha interrotto la possibilità di servire gli altri, di apprendere e crescere. E sta lasciando le barriere che impediranno il progresso spirituale dei suoi figli, dei figli dei suoi figli e delle generazioni che verranno». Molte volte le persone ci pensavano per un momento e poi rispondevano: «Non ci avevo mai pensato in questo modo».

Il vescovo ed io estendevamo quindi un invito: «Caro amico, oggi siamo qui per consigliarla che è giunto il momento di smettere di essere offesi. Non solo abbiamo bisogno di lei, ma lei ha bisogno delle benedizioni del vangelo restaurato di Gesù Cristo. Per favore, ritorni—ora».

Scegliete di non offendervi

Quando crediamo o diciamo di essere stati offesi, di solito intendiamo che ci sentiamo insultati, trattati male o senza rispetto o disprezzati. E di certo nei nostri rapporti con le altre persone si dicono cose senza tatto, imbarazzanti, dolorose che possono farci sentire offesi. Ma alla fine è impossibile che un’altra persona offenda voi o me. In realtà, credere che un’altra persona ci ha offeso è fondamentalmente falso. Offendersi è unascelta che facciamo; non è una condizione inflitta o imposta da qualcuno o qualcos’altro.

Nella grandiosa divisione di tutte le creazioni di Dio, ci sono cose per agire e altre per subire (vedere 2 Nefi 2:13–14). Come figli del nostro Padre celeste, abbiamo ricevuto il dono del libero arbitrio, la capacità e il potere di agire e scegliere indipendentemente. Investiti del libero arbitrio, voi ed io siamo agenti, e dobbiamo principalmente agire, non solo subire. Credere che qualcosa o qualcuno possa farci sentire offesi, arrabbiati, feriti o dispiaciuti, diminuisce il nostro libero arbitrio e ci trasforma in oggetti che devono subire. Come agenti, voi ed io abbiamo il potere di agire e scegliere come reagire a una situazione offensiva o dolorosa.

Thomas B. Marsh, il primo presidente del Quorum dei Dodici Apostoli di questa dispensazione, scelse di offendersi per una questione tanto superflua quanto la panna sul latte (vedere Deseret News, 16 aprile 1856, 44). Brigham Young, d’altra parte, fu rimproverato severamente e pubblicamente dal profeta Joseph Smith, ma scelse di non raccogliere l’offesa (vedere Truman G. Madsen, «Hugh B. Brown—Youthful Veteran»,New Era, aprile 1976, 16).

In molti casi, scegliere di offendersi è sintomo di un più profondo e grave disagio spirituale. Thomas B. Marsh scelse di subire, e i risultati alla fine furono l’apostasia e l’infelicità. Brigham Young agì ed esercitò il suo libero arbitrio e operò secondo i corretti principi, e divenne quindi un possente strumento nelle mani del Signore.

Il Salvatore è il più grande esempio di come dovremmo rispondere alle situazioni o eventi potenzialmente offensivi.

«E il mondo, a causa della sua iniquità, lo giudicherà esser cosa da nulla; perciò lo flagelleranno, ed egli lo sopporterà; lo percuoteranno ed egli lo sopporterà. Sì, gli sputeranno addosso, ed egli lo sopporterà a motivo della sua amorevole bontà e della sua longanimità verso i figlioli degli uomini» (1 Nefi 19:9).

Grazie al potere dell’espiazione di Gesù Cristo che dà forza, voi ed io possiamo avere la benedizione di evitare l’offesa e trionfare su di essa. «Gran pace hanno quelli che amano la tua legge, e non c’è nulla che possa farli cadere» (Salmi 119:165).

Un laboratorio di apprendimento per gli ultimi giorni

La capacità di vincere l’offesa può essere al di fuori della nostra portata. Questa capacità non è tuttavia riservata a un numero ristretto di importanti dirigenti della Chiesa come Brigham Young. La natura stessa dell’espiazione del Redentore e lo scopo della chiesa restaurata sono di aiutarci a ricevere precisamente questo tipo di forza spirituale.

Paolo insegnò ai santi di Efeso che il Salvatore stabilì la Sua chiesa «per il perfezionamento dei santi, per l’opera del ministerio, per la edificazione del corpo di Cristo,

finché tutti siamo arrivati all’unità della fede e della piena conoscenza del Figliuol di Dio, allo stato d’uomini fatti, all’altezza della statura perfetta di Cristo» (Efesini 4:12–13).

Vi prego di notare la parola attiva perfezionamento. Come descritto dall’anziano Neal A. Maxwell, la Chiesa non è «una casa di riposo di lusso per coloro che già sono perfetti» («Un fratello offeso», La stella, ottobre 1982, 76). La Chiesa è piuttosto un laboratorio di apprendimento in cui acquisiamo esperienza man mano che facciamo pratica l’uno con l’altro nel continuo processo di «perfezionamento dei santi».

L’anziano Maxwell spiegò anche che in questo laboratorio per gli ultimi giorni, conosciuto come chiesa restaurata, i fedeli costituiscono il «materiale da sperimentazione» (vedere «Jesus the Perfect Mentor»,Ensign, febbraio 2001, 13) che è essenziale per la crescita e lo sviluppo. Un’insegnante visitatrice impara qual è il suo dovere quando serve e ama le sue sorelle della Società di Soccorso. Un insegnante senza esperienza apprende delle lezioni importanti quando insegna sia agli studenti interessati che a quelli disattenti, diventando così un insegnante più efficace. E un nuovo vescovo apprende come essere vescovo tramite l’ispirazione e lavorando con i membri del rione che lo sostengono con tutto il cuore, pur riconoscendo le sue debolezze umane.

Comprendere che la Chiesa è un laboratorio di apprendimento ci aiuta a prepararci a un’inevitabile realtà. In qualche modo e in qualche momento, qualcuno in questa chiesa farà o dirà qualcosa che potrebbe essere considerato come un’offesa. Tale evento accadrà certamente a ciascuno di noi, e di certo succederà più di una volta. Anche se le persone non vogliono intenzionalmente ferire od offendere, possono comunque essere sconsiderate e senza tatto.

Voi ed io non possiamo controllare le intenzioni o il comportamento degli altri. Possiamo però stabilire come reagiremo noi. Vi prego di ricordare che voi ed io siamo agenti investiti del libero arbitrio, e possiamo scegliere di non offenderci.

Durante un difficile periodo di guerra, ci fu uno scambio di lettere tra Moroni, il comandante degli eserciti Nefiti, e Pahoran, il giudice supremo e governatore del paese. Moroni, il cui esercito stava soffrendo per l’inadeguato sostegno da parte del governo, scrisse a Pahoran «a mo’ di condanna» (Alma 60:2) accusandolo duramente di essere sconsiderato, indolente e negligente. Pahoran avrebbe potuto facilmente risentirsi per il messaggio di Moroni, ma scelse di non raccogliere l’offesa. Pahoran rispose con compassione, descrivendo la ribellione contro il governo di cui Moroni non era a conoscenza. Poi rispose: «Ecco, io ti dico, Moroni, che non gioisco delle vostre grandi afflizioni, sì, esse addolorano la mia anima… Ed ora, nella tua epistola mi hai censurato, ma non importa; non sono in collera, ma gioisco per la grandezza del tuo cuore» (Alma 61:2, 9).

Uno dei maggiori indicatori della nostra maturità spirituale è dato da come reagiamo alle debolezze, all’inesperienza e alle azioni potenzialmente offensive degli altri. Una cosa, un evento o un’espressione possono essere offensive, ma voi ed io possiamo scegliere di non offenderci, e dire insieme a Pahoran: «Non importa».

Due inviti

Concludo il mio messaggio con due inviti.

Invito n. 1

Vi invito a imparare e mettere in pratica gli insegnamenti del Salvatore sui rapporti interpersonali e gli episodi che possono costituire offesa.

«Voi avete udito che fu detto: Ama il tuo prossimo e odia il tuo nemico.

Ma io vi dico: Amate i vostri nemici e pregate per quelli che vi perseguitano…

Se infatti amate quelli che vi amano, che premio ne avete? Non fanno anche i pubblicani lo stesso?

E se fate accoglienze soltanto ai vostri fratelli, che fate di singolare? Non fanno anche i pagani altrettanto?

Voi dunque siate perfetti, com’è perfetto il Padre vostro celeste» (Matteo 5:43–44; 46–48).

È interessante notare che l’ammonimento a essere «dunque perfetti» è immediatamente preceduto dal consiglio che riguarda come agire in caso di offesa. Chiaramente, i severi requisiti che conducono al perfezionamento dei santi includono incarichi che ci mettono alla prova. Se una persona dice o fa qualcosa che consideriamo un’offesa, il nostro primo obbligo è quello di rifiutarci di raccogliere l’offesa e di comunicare privatamente, onestamente e direttamente con quella persona. Tale approccio invita l’ispirazione da parte dello Spirito Santo e permette alle incomprensioni di essere chiarite e di far comprendere il vero intento.

Invito n. 2

Molte delle persone e delle famiglie che hanno maggior bisogno di sentire questo messaggio sullo scegliere di non offendersi probabilmente oggi non partecipano con noi a questa conferenza. Sospetto che tutti noi conosciamo dei membri che stanno lontani dalla Chiesa perché hanno scelto di raccogliere l’offesa, e che sarebbero benedetti se ritornassero.

Volete individuare in preghiera una persona con cui parlerete porgendo l’invito di tornare nuovamente in Chiesa con noi? Forse potrete dar loro una copia di questo discorso, o forse preferirete analizzare i principi che abbiamo esaminato oggi. Vi prego anche di ricordare che tale richiesta dovrà essere fatta con affetto e mitezza, e non con spirito di superiorità e orgoglio.

Nel rispondere a questo invito con fede nel Salvatore, vi attesto e prometto che le porte si apriranno, la nostra bocca sarà riempita, lo Spirito Santo renderà testimonianza delle verità eterne e il fuoco della testimonianza si riaccenderà.

Mi unisco alle parole del Maestro che dichiarò: «Io vi ho dette queste cose, affinché non siate scandalizzati» (Giovanni 16:1). Attesto la realtà e divinità del Salvatore vivente e del Suo potere di aiutarci a evitare e superare l’offesa. Nel sacro nome di Gesù Cristo. Amen.

Through the strengthening power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, you and I can be blessed to avoid and triumph over offense.

This afternoon I pray that the Holy Ghost will assist me and you as we review together important gospel principles.

One of my favorite activities as a priesthood leader is visiting members of the Church in their homes. I especially enjoy calling upon and talking with members who commonly are described as “less active.”

During the years I served as a stake president, I often would contact one of the bishops and invite him to prayerfully identify individuals or families we could visit together. Before traveling to a home, the bishop and I would kneel and petition our Heavenly Father for guidance and inspiration, for us and for the members with whom we would meet.

Our visits were quite straightforward. We expressed love and appreciation for the opportunity to be in their home. We affirmed that we were servants of the Lord on His errand to their home. We indicated that we missed and needed them—and that they needed the blessings of the restored gospel. And at some point early in our conversation I often would ask a question like this: “Will you please help us understand why you are not actively participating in the blessings and programs of the Church?”

I made hundreds and hundreds of such visits. Each individual, eachfamily, each home, and each answer was different. Over the years, however, I detected a common theme in many of the answers to my questions. Frequently responses like these were given:

“Several years ago a man said something in Sunday School that offended me, and I have not been back since.”

“No one in this branch greeted or reached out to me. I felt like an outsider. I was hurt by the unfriendliness of this branch.”

“I did not agree with the counsel the bishop gave me. I will not step foot in that building again as long as he is serving in that position.”

Many other causes of offense were cited—from doctrinal differences among adults to taunting, teasing, and excluding by youth. But the recurring theme was: “I was offended by …”

The bishop and I would listen intently and sincerely. One of us might next ask about their conversion to and testimony of the restored gospel. As we talked, eyes often were moist with tears as these good people recalled the confirming witness of the Holy Ghost and described their prior spiritual experiences. Most of the “less-active” people I have ever visited had a discernible and tender testimony of the truthfulness of the restored gospel. However, they were not presently participating in Church activities and meetings.

And then I would say something like this. “Let me make sure I understand what has happened to you. Because someone at church offended you, you have not been blessed by the ordinance of the sacrament. You have withdrawn yourself from the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. Because someone at church offended you, you have cut yourself off from priesthood ordinances and the holy temple. You have discontinued your opportunity to serve others and to learn and grow. And you are leaving barriers that will impede the spiritual progress of your children, your children’s children, and the generations that will follow.” Many times people would think for a moment and then respond: “I have never thought about it that way.”

The bishop and I would then extend an invitation: “Dear friend, we are here today to counsel you that the time to stop being offended is now. Not only do we need you, but you need the blessings of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Please come back—now.”

Choose Not to Be Offended

When we believe or say we have been offended, we usually mean we feel insulted, mistreated, snubbed, or disrespected. And certainly clumsy, embarrassing, unprincipled, and mean-spirited things do occur in our interactions with other people that would allow us to take offense. However, it ultimately is impossible for another person to offend you or to offend me. Indeed, believing that another person offended us is fundamentally false. To be offended is a choice we make; it is not acondition inflicted or imposed upon us by someone or something else.

In the grand division of all of God’s creations, there are things to act and things to be acted upon (see 2 Nephi 2:13–14). As sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father, we have been blessed with the gift of moral agency, the capacity for independent action and choice. Endowed with agency, you and I are agents, and we primarily are to act and not just be acted upon. To believe that someone or something can make us feel offended, angry, hurt, or bitter diminishes our moral agency and transforms us into objects to be acted upon. As agents, however, you and I have the power to act and to choose how we will respond to an offensive or hurtful situation.

Thomas B. Marsh, the first President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in this dispensation, elected to take offense over an issue as inconsequential as milk strippings (see Deseret News, Apr. 16, 1856, 44). Brigham Young, on the other hand, was severely and publicly rebuked by the Prophet Joseph Smith, but he chose not to take offense (see Truman G. Madsen, “Hugh B. Brown—Youthful Veteran,” New Era, Apr. 1976, 16).

In many instances, choosing to be offended is a symptom of a much deeper and more serious spiritual malady. Thomas B. Marsh allowed himself to be acted upon, and the eventual results were apostasy and misery. Brigham Young was an agent who exercised his agency and acted in accordance with correct principles, and he became a mighty instrument in the hands of the Lord.

The Savior is the greatest example of how we should respond to potentially offensive events or situations.

“And the world, because of their iniquity, shall judge him to be a thing of naught; wherefore they scourge him, and he suffereth it; and they smite him, and he suffereth it. Yea, they spit upon him, and he suffereth it, because of his loving kindness and his long-suffering towards the children of men” (1 Nephi 19:9).

Through the strengthening power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, you and I can be blessed to avoid and triumph over offense. “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them” (Psalm 119:165).

A Latter-Day Learning Laboratory

The capacity to conquer offense may seem beyond our reach. This capability, however, is not reserved for or restricted to prominent leaders in the Church like Brigham Young. The very nature of the Redeemer’s Atonement and the purpose of the restored Church are intended to help us receive precisely this kind of spiritual strength.

Paul taught the Saints in Ephesus that the Savior established His Church “for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

“Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12–13).

Please note the use of the active word perfecting. As described by Elder Neal A. Maxwell, the Church is not “a well-provisioned rest home for the already perfected” (“A Brother Offended,” Ensign, May 1982, 38). Rather, the Church is a learning laboratory and a workshop in which we gain experience as we practice on each other in the ongoing process of “perfecting the Saints.”

Elder Maxwell also insightfully explained that in this latter-day learning laboratory known as the restored Church, the members constitute the “clinical material” (see “Jesus, the Perfect Mentor,” Ensign, Feb. 2001, 13) that is essential for growth and development. A visiting teacher learns her duty as she serves and loves her Relief Society sisters. An inexperienced teacher learns valuable lessons as he teaches both supportive and inattentive learners and thereby becomes a more effective teacher. And a new bishop learns how to be a bishop through inspiration and by working with ward members who wholeheartedly sustain him, even while recognizing his human frailties.

Understanding that the Church is a learning laboratory helps us to prepare for an inevitable reality. In some way and at some time, someone in this Church will do or say something that could be considered offensive. Such an event will surely happen to each and every one of us—and it certainly will occur more than once. Though people may not intend to injure or offend us, they nonetheless can be inconsiderate and tactless.

You and I cannot control the intentions or behavior of other people. However, we do determine how we will act. Please remember that you and I are agents endowed with moral agency, and we can choose not to be offended.

During a perilous period of war, an exchange of letters occurred between Moroni, the captain of the Nephite armies, and Pahoran, the chief judge and governor of the land. Moroni, whose army was suffering because of inadequate support from the government, wrote to Pahoran “by the way of condemnation” (Alma 60:2) and harshly accused him of thoughtlessness, slothfulness, and neglect. Pahoran might easily have resented Moroni and his message, but he chose not to take offense. Pahoran responded compassionately and described a rebellion against the government about which Moroni was not aware. And then he responded, “Behold, I say unto you, Moroni, that I do not joy in your great afflictions, yea, it grieves my soul. … And now, in your epistle you have censured me, but it mattereth not; I am not angry, but do rejoice in the greatness of your heart” (Alma 61:2, 9).

One of the greatest indicators of our own spiritual maturity is revealed in how we respond to the weaknesses, the inexperience, and the potentially offensive actions of others. A thing, an event, or an expression may be offensive, but you and I can choose not to be offended—and to say with Pahoran, “it mattereth not.”

Two Invitations

I conclude my message with two invitations.

Invitation #1

I invite you to learn about and apply the Savior’s teachings about interactions and episodes that can be construed as offensive.

“Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you. …

“For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

“And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:43–44, 46–48).

Interestingly, the admonition to “be ye therefore perfect” is immediately preceded by counsel about how we should act in response to wrongdoing and offense. Clearly, the rigorous requirements that lead to the perfecting of the Saints include assignments that test and challenge us. If a person says or does something that we consider offensive, our first obligation is to refuse to take offense and then communicate privately, honestly, and directly with that individual. Such an approach invites inspiration from the Holy Ghost and permits misperceptions to be clarified and true intent to be understood.

Invitation #2

Many of the individuals and families who most need to hear this message about choosing not to be offended are probably not participating with us in conference today. I suspect all of us are acquainted with members who are staying away from church because they have chosen to take offense—and who would be blessed by coming back.

Will you please prayerfully identify a person with whom you will visit and extend the invitation to once again worship with us? Perhaps you could share a copy of this talk with her or him, or you may prefer to discuss the principles we have reviewed today. And please remember that such a request should be conveyed lovingly and in meekness—and not in a spirit of self-righteous superiority and pride.

As we respond to this invitation with faith in the Savior, I testify and promise that doors will open, our mouths will be filled, the Holy Ghost will bear witness of eternal truth, and the fire of testimony will be rekindled.

As His servant, I echo the words of the Master when He declared, “These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended” (John 16:1). I witness the reality and divinity of a living Savior and of His power to help us avoid and overcome offense. In the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Ciao Famiglia!

Ciao!

Well, I got sunburnt from doing hours and hours and hours of casa in casa. We do not have a lot of investigators you see and are searching for them:) My favorite excuses this week for not listening to us was that this woman did not have time because her mom was in the bathroom and needed help. Another guy said I am not dressed. I just love citofono finding.

We went to Anguillare this week to look for some less actives. Turns out that one of them has not lived at that address in 3 years and the other address has not exisisted in years. I am understanding the importance of visiting and home teaching. It is the coolest program! Just think, you get to meet a new person, get to know them, learn from them. It is not a forced friend, but an opprotunity to make a new friend, plus you can help the church better keep track of these prescious souls if they were to move or have their house get demolished. Anguillare is a small town with a lot of farms. We ate lunch on  top of a hay stack and I fell asleep there. I woke up half an hour later surrounded by cows, a creepy cat and a dog barking at us to go away. We ran for it and had to brush off all the hay and pokies stuck in our clothes in a dank bar.

We had some great miracles. Anna, our investigator found through English course, came to all three hours of church and loved it! Also, someone let us in! They thought we were the first catholic missionaries in the area, for the new pope has called his people to step it up. Nope, we are mormoni:) We did get to tell them about Joseph Smith though:)

I heard a talk by Anziano Bednar this week about not getting offended. Boy did I need to hear that. I have such tender feelings that my companion just pokes all of the time and I have been working on not getting offended and hurt or mad, but instead turning out with love for her. This gospel is true!!!! I have no idea how I would be able to handle this trial without the principles I have been learning both my whole life, and more intensely during this past year and a half. I will send you the talk!

I love you all so much! 

Have a wonderful week! This is my last week in the mission, bah! Weird!

Love,

Sorella Comollo

Looking for the Good

Ciao!

Okay, gotta say it, this week has just been very hard. However, instead of focusing on that I want to tell you about the interesting good things that happened:)

Our investigator Beatrice is great. She is golden, no even better Diamond. She has been reading the scriptures and praying and came to the conclusion of how she needs to change her life so she can find more joy. She told us that she stopped breaking the law of chastity with now her ex boyfriend (we hadn't even talked about that law yet), she just felt it to be right. She read a scripture with her family from the book of mormon about forgiveness when they were fighting with each other. After it was read her mom and sister made up and are friends again. That she felt was an answer to her prayer about whether or not the BOM really is from God. When we asked her to get baptized she hugged us and just jumped for joy. Incredible! She was going to get baptized on the 4th of May (I was going to be there still:)), but we had to switch it since there is a young adult conference. I thought I would be torn apart, not being able to see her get baptized (or anyone), but I did not. I am just so happy she has found the gospel and has already felt so much joy in it and I am humbled and so grateful that I got to be a witness to it.

When the opening prayer in church was said from the pulpit the microphone went all crazy so the lady giving the prayer sounded like darth vader! Oh dear that was funny.

I am so grateful for the sacrament. And the bread they use for it in Italy, it is by far the tastiest bread I have ever had:)

Beatrice said the opening prayer in Sunday School and knelt for it:) We explained later;)

I got to serve in Rome for a Day. We met a lady who prayed with us. She held our hands and prayed for the blood of Jesus to help her know if she should leave her boyfriend. We then sat on the grass in a park and talked about the plan of salvation.

I love you all so much, I hope you always look for the little good things during the day. Do not focus on the bad and stuff that is hard. You are children of God, he wants you to find joy, so find it in everything:)

Love,

Sorella Comollo

Prayer

Ciao Famiglia!

Oh conference, oh how lovely. One of my favorite talks was the one by President Monson, about truth. This is what people are looking for and they think that it cannot be found, oh they are wrong. His answer for finding truth was to follow the commandments, to act, to put it in practice. It is true! Just like what it says in John 7:17, if we want to see if something is right we have to test it and act upon it. This reminds me of an experience we had yesterday. I do not know if I already told you about Elena, she is a less active. Her husband is not a member and is very anti to the church and religion in general. She had to struggle for years in order to get permission for her two kids to get baptized. They finally did last year, but shortly thereafter she and the kids stopped coming. We have been going to see her at her veteranarian (spelling?) shop. She told us that she just does not feel the need to come and that she can be close to God without going to church, also she said that she decided it was not worth it, for everytime she goes she has to battle with her husband, so she said why not keep the peace with him and not worry about going at all. We talked about prayer last week, specifically family prayer and how we can be an example. Yesterday she was excited to tell us about her experiance. She said usually after we leave her a committment she forgets about it and does not really care. However, that day she could not get the idea of having a family prayer out of her head. So she got up the courage and asked her family. Her husband lauged in her face and tried to persuade the kids to not listen, in the end she prayed just with her daughter, but they did it. And now she wants to do it more and has been trying everyday and she says she feels a strength that she has not felt in a while. She now knows that it is a truth, family prayer, not just because we told her and the prophet told us, but because she was obedient and acted on it and now has come to a knowledge of the joy that comes through prayer, even if things did not go exactly as she had planned. So now my invite, can anyone say family prayer?:)

I also really liked Anziano Bednar's talk. Our bodies are so precious and so important and so miraculous. I know that we are here, in these tabernacles of clay, for a reason. I am so grateful for Grandma and her example of strength. I love her so much and I know that everything happens for a reason.

I am in a dank internet point in Rome, with giant washing machines all around me, with an old guy asking me to marry him or if not to find him a wife, crying because I miss you guys so much and because I am aching to see grandma. I know I am here for a reason, to tell this crazy by my side about his relationship with God and let him know that he really can know him and Jesus Cristo. 

I love you all so much.

Have a good week.

Con amore, 

Sorella Comollo 

Conference is coming!

Ciao tutti!!!

I am soooooo excited for conference! I have started preparing questions to which I can receive answers from the inspired speakers!!! How cool is it that we know that we have a prophet that receives revelation from God so he can help us! The chruch is true!

This week has been up and down. Sorella Piccirillo and I, at the beginning, were getting to know how each others' teaching styles and it caused a little tension. It is amazing what communication, really working on applying Chirstlike attributes and prayer can do for a relationship, for now we understand one another and our teaching is flowing and we are having the most wonderful time together. I do not remember if I told you about her. She is from San Remo, is a chef and is a convert of about 3 years and has an incredible testimony! Before she found the church she considered herself athiest. She was baptized catholic as a baby, but never really went to church or did anything with it.

 For Pasquetta, the day after Easter, we did the deep cleaning of our house. I love cleaning:) I think it is interesting how in order to deep clean you have to take time to pull everything out of place, distinfect and then put it away in an orderly manner. As I was orginzing cotton balls and first aid supplies I thought about this principle in a spiritual sense. In order for us to really clean out our lives we must go through a process, that is the repentance process. You have to accept the fact that things are not as clean as they should be (like the shelves in the bathroom, they were pretty much organized, but oh the dust underneath), then you have to take the time and effort to pull out everything out, this can be done through sincere prayer and working on making right what you did wrong. And the analogy goes on. I love repentance, it is the most liberating thing. I am so grateful for Christ and his making it possible for us to deep clean with his help!

Also on Pasquetta Sorella Piccirillo made tagliateglia alla carbonara, insalata con i gamberetti e salsiccia alla pizzaiola, oh how I do love having an italian as my companion:)

We finally saw Ignazia, our investigator with a baptismal date. We had a lesson with her and her companion and talked about marriage. He is all up for it, but she is still afraid of commitment, even after 25 years of living together. How sad that the fear of commiting to something impedisce il progresso. I have seen it so much during my mission, people give up so many incredible blessing because they fear being "tied down". It reminds me of an example of a kite, when the kite is not attached to something is just flops around on the ground in the wind, not really moving. When it is attached to something it is able to soar! We found out she will be in Sardegna with her mother for the month of April, so we have to change her baptismal date. She has been reading the scriptures and praying and is doing really well on quitting smoking and drinking coffee!

We had a miracle occur. An investigator from six years ago decided to come to church with her member friend on Sunday and she asked if she could start meeting with us!!! We had a lesson yesterday. It went so well, she said she felt so much joy when we told her about the first vision and she does not understand why, oh I know why, the spirit telling her truth!!!

Well, this concludes another week of my random ramblings:) I really hope you enjoy these and they are comprehendable:) Remember to read your scriptures and pray:) It is the little things that make the difference:)

I love you all so much!!!! I am just so happy that you are my family and I think about you often and pray for you always:)

Have a great week!

Vi voglio un mondo celeste di bene!

Con tanto amore,

Sorella Comollo

Buon Pasqua!

Buona Pasqua a tutti!

Also, happy Birthday Randy!!!:)

Wow, Sorella Piccirillo is a work horse, I admire her so much. She knows why she is here and does everything possible to be obedient and on top of things. We have already seen so many miracles this week. An investigator who never wants to see us let us into her home the other day. We talked about acting on faith. She told us that she knows the Book of Mormon is the word of God. It was so incredible to hear the testimony of someone who is not a member, yet, it strengthend mine. We had a miracle doing casa in casa! A woman, Ornella, let us in!!!! She said that many years ago she talked to a friend about the mormons and was given a book, which she never read. She said it just wasn't the right time, but when she heard who we were on the citofono, she thought maybe it is time to read it! Miracle!!! It goes to show how every little thing helps, that member so many years ago helped future Ornella accept the missionaries in her home. She wants to come to church next Sunday, yay! Just think that member perhaps thought that her little testimony did not spark anything, nope, every little thing we do to leave our fingerprints of the gospel helps.

As for Antonio, he came to church, but still says he is a realist and doesn't think that getting baptized is going to help him in his "real life". Oh Antonio.

I heard a story about a guy that went to the temple and was in the same session as Anziano Erying. He said that before they left the changing room that he sighed and said, oh, back to the real world. Anziano Erying considered his comment and then replied, no, this is the real world (meaning the temple). I also heard a talk from the president of the stake here in Rome, pres. Defeo, he talked about Martha and Mary, and how we cannot be Martha or Mary, that is be on two extremes, always thinking of what needs to be done in the material sense (martha), or always just thinking about doing good, diciamo, (mary) we have to combine the two and have the savior be in every aspect of our lives. The gospel helps us to overcome the world, to see things in an eternal perspective. Yes, we must clean the house, yes we must take care of the kids and go to work and do homework, yes it is good to read the scriptures and think of faith and hear the stories of the prophets. Well, why not combine the two, why not apply what you learn about faith in the scriptures to how you are going to do your homework or what you want to accomplish at work. I think the best thing we could do this Easter is to consider what the savior has done for us, his atonement, his death, his ressureciton and make plans on how with this knowledge how we can include him more in our lives, in the everyday things, so that his sacrifice and life have meaning to us personally and are not just a bel pensiero. That way we will be more able to see his hand in our lives and how this life is just a passage, a place for us to learn and grow to prepare for our real lives in the celestial kingdom!:)

I am learning so much. I cannot believe this is my last transfer. It does not seem real, I do not want it to end and I am learning that it does not have to, because as we apply the things we learn, me on my mission, we will always have the opprotunities to share the gospel and feel the promptings of the spirit and help others discover what real life really is. 
Thanks for all you do for me! I love you all so so much and I miss you lots.
Con amore,

Sorella Comollo

Last Transfer Call!

Famiglia Mia!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

On Saturday there was a service project a Roma, near where the temple is being built. We got to drive there, the temple is in the coolest spot ever! As you come out from under a bridge it is just right there, in front of you, so pretty! Anyway, at the service project we sanded benches and varnished them. They also started to build a fence around a little area, especially for dogs so they could have a space just for them and poop in a localized location instead of all over the park.:) However, during our service many of the dog owners complained about the fence, so they had a 3 hour debate about it, oh I just love Italy and Italians! In the end they built the fence, but they lost a lot of time, so they finished in a hurry and it was a tad rickety. Well, while doing this fun service we got transfer calls! I was sure that Sorella Buckley and I were going to train in Ladispoli together. However, that is not what happened. I am going to remain in Ladispoli with Sorella Piccirillo!!!!! I am soooooooooooooo excited! I already know her from Puglia. She is Italian! Yay! My first a native companion will be my last:) I need this, because my Italian is a tad shakey, like the fence and Sorella Piccirillo is a hard worker and we need to see some miracles in this my last transfer!

We had a family home evening with an investigator from English Course and a member family. We talked about suffering. There is a talk, which I will send with this email, that is really insightful and helps us to understand the nature of why we need to suffer. This family has been going through a really hard time. They told me that when their other children went on missions they were just having blessing left and right. This year, while their youngest daughter is on her mission, they have just been bombarded with trials. Interesting... They said it is incredible how these trials though are helping them to become even stronger in faith and closer to each other and to the Lord. I love that. I have spent a year and a half, almost, talking to people without hope or faith, they say that because there is so much bad, so many hardships they cannot believe in God. Why do they do that, why at the moment when they have the opprotunity to grow so close to him they turn away. I met a woman on the Metro the other day that said she was athiest, that she lost too many loved ones and had too many difficulties to even think that God could be. I bore my testimony to her about learning and growing through trials and God's love and there was just this sweet spirit, there on that dirty, packed tram car. I know that God loves us, I know that he exists and that we are his children and so being have an heir to his divinity! I know it and it is the most liberating knowlegde, for it frees me from getting discouraged, it frees me from the ties of temptation and succombing to it, it frees me from the desire to turn away when things get hard.

Antonio came to church!!! And he, finally, wants to meet with us! We have an appointment with him tonight. He really has had a ton of trials right when he started getting serious about the church. It is a testimony of how much the adversary does not want these people to have blessing in their lives and for them to be a real force for good in the world.

Thanks for all you do!

I love you all so much!

Love,

Sorella Comollo