Let us Never be Afraid to Testify

MTC Week #3 Highlights:

1) This week, I was lifted up by the words of Nephi as he concludes his sermon. He writes that if a man speaks with the power of the Spirit, his words, and the message he brings, will be carried into the hearts of those who listen to him. As one who knows little Italian, but seeks to constantly have the Spirit, the idea that my grammatical and conjugation errors I make don't matter, is extraordinarily comforting. Sorella Francom got Motivational Quote of the Week when she taught so powerfully that, "The gift of tongues, given to you ordained missionaries, isn't the ability to speak or understand Italian, it is to speak and understand the language of the Spirit." I know that is true, beyond a shadow of a doubt. The Spirit helps me learn Italian, only when I strive to live with him as my companion. Last week I quoted Doctrine and Covenants 42, and in the past week it has taken on even greater meaning, "If ye have not the Spirit, ye shall not teach."

2) Speaking of teaching, this week our investigators, Lorenzo and Alessia have made incredible strides. Despite being our teachers in disguise, (Fratello Jenson and Sorella Francom), they show to us what real investigators need and desire from the missionaries. When we teach to their individual needs, we find success.  It’s as incontrovertible a law as those spoken of in President Nelson's worldwide devotional. Its' results are testable, repeatable, and consistent. Sorella Riber, our ZRT (Zone Resource Trainer or something like that), helped Elder Osmond and I discover this as we taught with her this week. We began teaching her a mini lesson on faith, and she stopped us in less than a minute. She asked us to ponder why any person in Italy would have an extended conversation or lesson with two strangers who took no opportunity to get to know them. We were stumped, the point was clear. As a missionary, I need to understand my investigator, and their needs in order to appropriately teach to them. We put this plan into action as we taught Lorenzo yesterday morning, and when he expressed a desire to know how he could follow Jesus Christ, we declared that the best way was through baptism. After the closing prayer, I looked over at Elder Osmond, gave him the, "wait on just a sec" look, and then challenged Lorenzo to baptism. He took a full minute of silence, and then he said the magic word, "Si!" I would remind those keeping score that simulated baptismal commitments still count... Elder Osmond and I hugged it out as soon as the door closed, and said a prayer of thanks for guidance and assistance. Even in simulated lessons, the Spirit leads us as we bring our investigators closer to Christ. The last note on teaching, comes from our TRC lesson of the week, where we taught the same couple we had the week before, the Roneys. As we closed that lesson Fllo Roney looked over at me, laughed, and said in Italian, "Great progress Anziano, last week you spoke about 1/3 in Spanish, and 2/3 Italian.  This week, all Italian!" I was just as excited as he was! This language has its' difficult points, but I am ever grateful for the Italian ancestors sitting behind me in class and in lessons, whispering answers I should have no idea how to communicate, just 3 and a 1/2 weeks into learning a language!

3) Funnies:
"Can't you see she is a nun?" Here in the MTC we elders oft find opportunity to quote Nacho Libre and other masterpieces, and this week's spotlight quote comes as a result of an error an Elder made during a lesson. While attempting to say the Spirit is a quiet voice/sound (suona) in our ears, the Elder misspoke and declared the Holy Ghost to be a Suora, or a Nun. Afterward our district had a good laugh, and it was declared the Mistranslation of the Week, a prestigious award Elder Osmond had earned the week before in accidentally referring to our investigator as a "Scema," or stupid person, while trying to direct her attention to the "Schema" or diagram we had that detailed the plan of salvation. I'm always grateful for the chance to laugh and have fun as we learn to speak this incredible language!

Bohemian Slap-sody. This Dad level pun comes thanks to the MTC dining staff. To give a little context, one must first understand our Zone loves to sing. Everywhere we go, before, after and during class, and more. Most of the time, it is hymns, and as Zone Leader I encourage this, but sometimes the Elders set rolling a ball that can't be stopped. This week, it was Bohemian Rhapsody as they ate lunch on Tuesday. I got up to get some food, leaving normal conversation behind me, but came back to a bunch of crazy Italian elders belting "GALILEO GALILEO FIGARO!" The song ended, and a MTC dining staff worker went over to where the nucleus of sound was, (un altro distretto), and declared, "If you were my kids, I would slap you upside the head..." Sometimes we need a break from the serious work we have engaged ourselves in, but maybe that break shouldn't come in the form of Freddie Mercury's angelic tones. "Soli Inni" was the message that stuck with us for the rest of the day!

4) Last thoughts and testimony of the week:
In choir this week, Bro Eggett had us sing a magnificent arrangement of "Praise to the Man". After the devotional, given by Elder Soares of the Presidency of the Seventy, who taught us the importance of intertwining our faith and obedience to allow us to work miracles, Elders Laudert, Dickey, Maytham, and I went to the Joseph Smith Movie. I have never felt stronger in my testimony of the prophet Joseph, then as I watched the final days of his life, and would read about later that night in Elder Holland's masterpiece, "Safety for the Soul." I know the powers of evil would never give a second look at something that wasn't of God, let alone drive him and his church halfway across the United States, and kill him in cold blood. "No evil man could have written such a book, [Book of Mormon], and no good man would, unless it were of God." -Elder Holland. I so testify that Joseph Smith is the first prophet of this dispensation, and he was called of God, to bring forth the words of God found in the pages of the Book of Mormon. President Gordon B. Hinckley once declared, "Nothing is too good for the prophet Joseph Smith," and I echo this sentiment. He deserves our undying faith and respect. Let us never be afraid to testify of him, nel nome di Gesu Cristo, Amen.

I'm thankful for each and every one of you, for your prayers, support, and love!

Anziano Toronto II