Sick Week

Dear Family-

 

This was quite the week. To make a long story short- I got really sick- bad fevers. some sort of viral menengitis and had to go to the mission Doc and get put on antibiotics and all this fun stuff. I wanted to keep going out and working of course- but then came my voice- gone completely! Gone. couldn't make a sound. I just woke up and it was gone! Kind of hard to teach and testify when you have no voice haha so that was hard- it lasted 3 days- but I learned a lot. Silence leaves a lot of time for personal prayer and listening to others. I'm doing lots better now- I even was able to sing in Church this sunday. So moving right along- what I really want to tell yall about is the people and lessons we had BEFORE i got slammed- they were powerful.

   We are continuing to teach JC, but this time Jared's little siste Taylor was there too (she's 16, same as JC but jared is 18) and Taylor brought her boyfriend! So me and Sister T got to teach 4 teenagers all at once!! awesome. We brought the Restoration video and then talked about Joseph Smith and the Restoration. I am always the most nervous to teach the Joseph Smith portion of the Restoration because I feel like that is the hardest for people to understand initially- however this was not the case. And in fact the more I teach it the more my own testimony of the Restoration particularly Joseph Smith is being strengthened- it is rapidly becoming my favorite to teach and testify of- second only to the Atonement of Christ and the Plan of Salvation.  

    Well after the video- they were all dead quiet. The Spirit was so strong in the room- we had a really good discussion about it after and then we asked JC what she thought of everything we had talked about- she said the coolest thing (She's a very quiet pretty girl so this was a big deal) She said, "At first I just was curious and I knew Jared wanted to share his beliefs with me so I did it for him, But now I'm starting to believe. I believe all on my own." Ah! that's what it's all about- teaching true principles, inviting the Spirit, and bringing others unto Christ-that's our purpose- then the rest is between them and God. She's starting to believe. How beautiful is that?

    We went to dinner with the W's, who father/husband is deployed right now. Sister W is incredible- humble. patient. faithful and full of love. She has 3 little girls, and one baby boy. She's on her own for the next 6 months. They have very little in the ways of the world but their home is so full of love- well they invited us over for a special dinner. We get there to find out that we had been invited over as a surprise for her oldest daughter Harley's 11th birthday- we were her surprise! I was so touched. When we pulled up the youngest girl who is 4 had been out there waitng for us for 30 minutes! I had no idea we were so loved by them- that we meant that much to those little girls. When I learned that we were Harley's birthday surprise for her dinner I got a huge lump in my throat. I was also really sick that day (it was the day before I really got slammed and lost my voice ENTIRELY) but I am SO GLAD we went to that appointment- I wouldn't have missed it for the world. We really wanted to do something special- her dad was gone, so I got to thinking what can we do to make her birthday special? I rememebered what we do at our house for birthdays so after dinner I told them all about it and invited them to all go around and say what they loved about Harley- they loved it!! We joined in too of course at the end and it was just so beautiful to see the power of simply speaking kind words. Speaking kind words brings the Spirit. Thats all we did, and it was so powerful. As we were walking out Harley came running out and gave us flowers- I have them pressed in my journal. I really love that sweet and humble little family- that strong mother- and all those litle girls.

    Missionary work really is about love- my prayer is now to be able to more fully forget myself and my needs so that I can more fully focus on the work and the people here and their needs. So join me in that prayer- help me forget myself. 

   we found a new family to teach- a marine and his wife- they are a young couple, they have 2 kids and the little boy calls us the "God talkers" isn't that cool? It's tricky because the dad is Agnostic- but he is so great- he wants to believe he's just had a rocky past. April on the otherhand is very receptive- she keeps saying she wants God in her life for her kids, but we asked her why does she want/need God in her life for herself? When we asked her that she went silent- she said she didn't know- then she started crying and said she had never asked herself that question! We told her to pray and ask that question to her Heavenly Father and get an answer herself- she committed to doing it and we have an appointment with them again next week! I love these people. So much. I love them more than myself...so that is what saves me from thinking of myself- their needs are truly becoming more important than mine- its a strange shift but its happened. I can only begin to imagine how Christ feels and loves us all...I'm starting to comprehend it. Ephesians 3:13-19 I love you all. I hope you're doing well!! Take care :) I thonk of you all everyday and pray for you

 

Love Sister Bertoldo