Week 14 Wooo!

Alright alright alright. Italy is still awesome. 

A couple things that have happened this past week:

We did a "Big Boy, Little Boy" scambio, or exchange. Me and the other anziano in the apartment were in one area and the two trainers were in the other area. So that was interesting. I actually spoke a ton of Italian, because I had to... It was difficult but we survived. But a super fun, growth filled day.

Our favorite person in the world, Marco, received the Aaronic Priesthood this past Sunday and he's going to the temple to do baptisms in 2 weeks!!!! We got to take part in the whole ordination and it was just super spiritual and amazing. Most humble person I've ever met.

Then we met this Jamaican dude in the park yesterday named Glen. He told us two really cool things when we started asking about his beliefs. First, he mentioned whenever he reads the Bible, he always feels like something is missing. We both looked at each other when he said that. Then he said basically the same question Joseph Smith had, about how there are so many churches in the world and how is he supposed to know which one is right. Just a perfect setup for our message. We explained the Restoration to him and he was super interested and we're meeting with him this Sunday to give him a LdM and talk to him some more about the Plan of Salvation. Really excited for that. So that was just a miracle.

I also wanted to share some cool stuff I found this week in the scriptures. I've been reading through the New Testament because we talk to tons of Catholics and Evangelists. So I was reading in Matthew 13 and it says this:

31 ¶Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: 

32 Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.

And so this idea is also talked about in Ether 12:26-27:

26 And when I had said this, the Lord spake unto me, saying:Fools mock, but they shall mourn; and my grace is sufficient forthe meek, that they shall take no advantage of your weakness; 

27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble;and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.

This is something that becomes very evident on a mission. Heavenly Father can literally take the biggest weakness you have and turn it into the most valuable strength. For me that was with the language. I was terrible with languages all throughout high school. Once I started learning Italian, Heavenly Father just showered me with the Gift of Tongues. I understand completely that He is the reason I can express myself to the people here in Italy. Without Him, I could probably say nothing. With Him, I can do anything. Have faith that He can take your weaknesses and turn them into strengths. Expect miracles. See miracles.

The other thing I found this week was in 1st Nephi chapter 22 which says:

16 For the time soon cometh that the fulness of the wrath of God shall be poured out upon all the children of men; for he will not suffer that the wicked shall destroy the righteous. 

17 Wherefore, he will preserve the righteous by his power, even if it so be that the fulness of his wrath must come, and the righteous be preserved, even unto the destruction of their enemies by fire.Wherefore, the righteous need not fear; for thus saith the prophet,they shall be saved, even if it so be as by fire.

God protects the righteous. We are in the latter days, the last days before the Second Coming. This is it. If we follow the commandments He has given us and keep our part of the covenants we've made with Him, we are part of that righteous group. In these verses he says that he will not suffer the wicked to destroy the righteous. Think about everything early Latter-Day Saints suffered. People died and suffered a lot. But the righteous were not destroyed. Nothing can destroy the Church in these days. Heavenly Father literally promises in verse 17 that he will use the FULNESS OF HIS WRATH to protect us... That's intense. He will go to all lengths to protect the righteous. I'm doing everything I can to be in that group.

But yea that's all I wanted to share. Everything is going great here. Working hard and all that jazz.

Hope you're all doing well! Love ya! Praying for ya!
Anziano Guthrie