One Month in Prato!

Buon Giorno Tutti!

I can't believe another week has come and gone! Now it's February! I've been on the mission for 3 months and in Italy for 1 month, almost a transfer! Crazy.

This week has been full of learning experiences, miracles, and at times a little depressing. Last Thursday we had a lesson with Sabrina on desire... trying to teach her that we need a desire to do something or else we would never act on it. We've come to the conclusion that she really is just happy with her life and church right now. She told us the last time we met with her that she wouldn't be able to come to church until March, which isn't good. It seems like the excuses just keep coming. We had a fast on Sunday for her and to know what we should do with her. We also had interviews on Monday and talked to President Rhien about it. So, sadly, we're going to drop her. That's a hard thing to do as a missionary because we've spent all this time working with her and teaching her and growing to love her. She's really is so great. I don't know how we are going to go about dropping her but know the Lord will help us out on this one. We're going to need it!

We continue to meet with Titi, the russian. She's having such a hard time with her work; taking care of the old Italian. She wants to find new work. We taught her about prophets last time and are just taking it really slow with her. More than anything, I think she just needs a friend right now. She's stuck inside with this lady all day and just loves it when we come over. She said the closing prayer last time and it was so sad...she was weeping by the end. We told her we'd pray for her to find new work that isn't so taxing on her. Hopefully we'll see her later this week.

Saturday night there was a baptism at the church. The man who was baptized, Frank, is from Nigeria. He lived in Brescia and was baptized like a year ago but right after his baptism he moved to Torino without receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. Then he moved down here to Prato. The Elders here found out that he hadn't received the Holy Ghost and it had been longer than 6 months from the time he was baptized so that means he needed to be re-baptized. At first he didn't see the need to be re-baptized. It was an act of faith for him to be re-baptized. And the baptism was awesome. There were members there and all the other Nigerian member here. The miracle of it was this....on thursday at english class we announced there would be this baptism. So Saturday night at the baptism this lady, Carmela, showed up and was so interested. When Frank was baptized and came up out of the water she said she felt something. So anyway, she ended up coming to sacrament meeting also on sunday to see him receive the Holy Ghost. She's catholic but still we are excited to meet with her.

On Sunday we got invited to go eat at Renato's house. He's a member here who knew Mom and Dad when they lived in Florence. Thanks to you mom and dad, he loves me! He has a huge, really nice house in Prato because he owns a restaurant right in the heart of Florence. So we enjoyed gnocchi with pesto and then a huge floretine steak! I thought I was going to die. The pesto was amazing but I've never eaten a florentine steak! It's cooked on the outside and then practically moo'ing on the inside. Blood was going all over my plate as I cut the meat! I really don't know how I put it down. Well, I didn't put it all down, but really, it was a miracle that we didn't die of mad cow disease! Dad, you probably would have loved it!

Monday brought us to Florence again for interviews. Renato had invited us over to his restaurant. So we got free pizza there before interviews. He's so nice. He said, as we were leaving, "Sorella Boynton, always a please to see you." in italian of course. So thanks mom and dad for being such great friends with him because he's too kind to us! President Rhien is awesome, interviews were good. I told him to say hi to you dad cause he said he'd see you this week sometime.

Yesterday was crazy. We had a lesson with Nurshia and Anil, the pakistani couple. We tried to teach about authority but it went haywire and it kind of turned into a bashing. The spirit wasn't there and they wouldn't let us get a word in. Finally, Sorella Roper, just brought it all back to the Book of Mormon. I can't describe what she said but it was awesome and we have an appointment with them again friday.

Oh man, time to go.

Thanks for everything, for your emails, letters etc. I love reading them. I love this work!

Sorella Boynton