Week of Miracles

Dearest Family-

  I got your package of letters and I cannot tell you how this LIFTED MY SPIRITS!! I was so overjoyed to receive a letter from michael man, Stacey, Lindsey, mommy, and that poster/letter from Kristen! (which is now hanging on my bedroom wall :) Thank thank you- it brought me such joy that I was feuled with an increased fire and desire to do work and share my joy from my family and the gospel with others! Needless to say this week was AWESOME- full of work, success, and answer to prayers. 

Also I LOVED receiving Ashley's graduation card- Ash you look gorgeous! may be embarassing for you to hear this- but you looked so beautiful and I was so overwhelmed with feeling so proud of you and that you are my big sister that I cried looking at it and you, and all your law books and all you beauty- I'm not sure if you have any idea how amazing you are Ash but it all just hit me like a ton of bricks and I started bawling when I saw it. I'm so proud of you for getting into BYU law school, I was there with you when you were going through that time, and I am so proud of you for graduating. Most of all I am proud of you for all your goodness- I told Sister Johnson, "the best thing about my sister isn't that she's so gorgeous or smart- it's that she's so good- she's always nice to everyone and doesn't put other people down." I have such peace for you- I can see the big picture for you and the joy that lies ahead in your life after all this work and faithfulness- such good things await!! I have seen it and I know. I just love you so much Ash- i'm so proud of you in the best of ways. your card is hanging above my study desk so i think of you always and feel close to you. Write me. 

  As for this week: let me tell you- it was so much better than last week!! Our prayers and hard work have payed off- the Lord has blessed us. I have a particular experience I want to share with you- as you know we have been focusing and praying to find new people to teach- well on wednesday decided to do more tracting on a particular street. As we were driving there, we drove past a pond and I saw a big group of black men fishing- I kid you not it felt like there was a string pulling me towards them, the Spirit was so strong! So I told Sister Johnson, change of plans, we have to stop and walk past them. So we did. We walked right past the first group of guys- nothing. Then we got to the man at the end off fishing by himself and I felt that tug again. So I just called out,"Caught anything?!" He turned around abruptly and said "Yes mam!! A lotta blue gill! com'en look!" So we run over and look at his impressive stack of fish- he proceeded to tell us that we was planning to fry them up and give them to elderly people too poor to buy their own food- he said this was something he did whenever he felt "blue"- my heart was touched, I asked him if he had been feeling blue then and he said, "yes mam- I been feelin blue- I woke up dis mornin and said- God where you at?" Turns out- he was a man of faith. One of the coolest men I have ever met!! He is ripped, with gold teeth, dreds, a thick Southern accent, tattoos and scars all up his arms- and he (Mitch) is a man of FAITH. 

He was raised baptist, but he wasn't ruffled in the slightest when he learned we were Mormon missionaries- he said "you keep doin wach you doin! some people listen some dont- but they come around, you just plant dat seed cau dat what happen to me- I didn't know Jesus- thought he was jus a man- but I know Him now and I know He is a Savior- he taught me dat sure did." It was truly one of the most amazing spiritual discussions I have ever had with anyone on the mission- we kept talking and he told us how he had been feeling lost lately so this morning he had prayed and asked god to show himself and help him, and then he said he got the idea to come fishing with all his friends to this very pond. and then he said,"And then God send you ladies to me, and now I feel good! I feel the Holy Spirit! You ladies make me feel good-" I was busted up laughing and said that's right! It's the Spirit! I told him that I know God had led us to Him and told him that I know God had heard his prayer. Then as if that's not cool enough- he proceeded to catch the biggest fish of the day- it was huge! He started yelling and shouting as he reeled it in and he said, "That's cause you ladies came my way and started talking about Jesus!" haha it was so awesome, needless to say, we ended up giving him a Book of Mormon and our number and we are going to start teaching him. Walking away from him my heart and soul was so full of joy and gratitiude I wanted to cry- I was glowing! I know the Lord had answered both His prayer and ours by placing us in each others path at the pond that day- it's like what Jesus taught Peter, "I will make you fishers of men..." What a miracle.

  Many other miracles have happened this week- we found 2 other people who are potential investigators and we taught double the lessons this week as last. Also this sunday was an adventure! The two people asked to speak called 10 minutes before church saying that they wouldn't be able to speak that day- President Riley was in a panic because now we had no speakers so he turned to me and said,"Sister Bertoldo- will you speak? We need at least a 15 minute talk." I of course told him I would and he was instantly flooded with relief and then I thought okay great...now what am I going to speak on? haha I went into the bathroom and prayed, since church was starting in about 5 minutes now, it's not that I was nervous to speak, (you all know shyness and public speaking is not one of my fears haha) but it was more that I wanted to give a good talk and say what the members needed to hear . So I prayed- I just went to the ladies room and prayed and asked God to inspire me with the words, and the message, and the Spirit that would most benefit the members. Then I felt solid again so I went into sacrament meeting and walked up and gave a 15 minute talk. I spoke on how to Endure to the End- the importance of it, and the power of it. All the words just came, as did the scripture references, and even the quotes- it was amazing- the Spirit truly filled my mouth and mind with what to say and it went beautifully. No one had any idea I had given it on the spot. I am so grateful for the power and the inspiration of the Spirit. I know it had nothing to do with my own abilities- it was simply what God wanted me to tell them. I will never forget that experience or the power I felt while speaking.

  The Lord truly does hear and honor our righteous prayers as long as we do our part. I have learned that when praying for something you really need it is best to say the prayer then just go out and DO not sit around waiting for the answer or inspiration first- it's best to just pray in faith then act in faith, then the Lord answers our prayers after we initiate active, living faith. I love the people here so much. I've really gotten close to many many members and families here. Thank you for your support this week when I needed it!!! It made ALLLL the difference!! I love you all so much. Mom I will call you on mothers day- let me know what time to call, keeping in mind time zone dofferences! and Haley I am asking permission to call you for graduation! I pray that God will bless you all every day- Oh! and something funny- apparently I have acquired a slight southern accent, I hadn't noticed but one of the sisters (Olivia is her name I love her to pieces, she's a broadway singer and regular dolly parton) in the ward said, "sugar you are starting to sound like one of us, listen to that little swing in your talk!" haha i really hadn't noticed but now that she mentioned it I realize its true- I have picked up on the cadence, twang and lingo of the south! I like it though- I still try not to say ya'll though..we'll ss how long that lasts haha but i must say I like the south and the southern twang and sugar talk is growing in me :)

 Love ya'll

Sister B

 This is 4 year old Maya we are teaching her family :) 

This is my beloved Jeanie Simmons! relief society president and my dear friend, she reminds me of gramma- this is her house! more pics of us together in her pool house- her place is GORGEOUS

Inside Jeanie's pool house