Instead of sharing a whole bunch of random experiences from my week, I want to elaborate on one particular experience that touched me a few days ago. First, I need to fill you guys in on some background knowledge: Anziano Buckles and I have been teaching a man named Oscar. Oscar is from Peru and has a wife and little boy here in Italy. He was found about a year and a half ago by the missionaries and has been being taught ever since. Since I've been in Livorno, we've only really taught him feel-good messages rather than the core missionary lessons. He and his wife have already heard the restoration lesson a couple times and know what we believe. His wife isn't interested in our church at all, but will always listen to our feel-good message when we come. As for Oscar, he has shown a little interest in the fact that Jesus Christ's living church could be on the Earth, but always claims to be to busy to commit himself to daily scripture study and church attendance.
About a month ago, Anziano Buckles and I decided that we were going to teach Oscar the restoration lesson again and really try to commit him, so that he could gain a testimony of the validity of our message. Fortunately and Unfortunately, Oscar got a new job that requires him to work a lot more... He was making more money for his family, but was always too busy to see us! We had been seeing Oscar once a week, but after we had decided that we were going to teach the restoration, there was never an opportunity to meet with him.... Until this last Sunday!
On Sunday, we had an appointment scheduled with Oscar and we were feeling pretty content. Despite his tendency to cancel appointments last minute, we felt like this appointment was going to work out and even invited Viviana (a ward member) to attend the lesson. It was finally going to be the night we taught Oscar the restoration! The lesson was scheduled for 8:00 and there was a boy being baptized in our ward at 6:30. So, our plan was to attend the baptism and then head over to the appointment.
After the boy was baptized on Sunday night, there was a little gap in the program that gave the boy and his dad time to change out of their wet clothes. During this gap, the sisters were playing Mormon Message videos for the people in attendance at the baptism. First, they played the Hallelujah video for everyone. Then, they played He Lives (both of these videos are very common for missionaries to use during member visits). In the middle of He Lives, the thought popped into my head, "Use the Mormon Message about fathers during your lesson tonight with Oscar." There is a Mormon Message that I really like about fatherhood, but I've never showed it to any member or investigator. Anziano Buckles and I were really set on teaching the restoration lesson to Oscar so that he could feel the Spirit of our message and want to commit, so doing another feel-good message for them seemed a little ridiculous. But, it seemed like a thought a little too random to pop into my head (I hadn't watched/thought about the video in over a month). I said a little prayer in my head right as He Lives was ending asking Heavenly Father if it was the Spirit that put that thought into my head or if we should follow through on our plan to teach the restoration.
I got the answer to my prayer in a different way than expected. The next Mormon Message that the sisters played for everyone was the same father video that I had been thinking about (it's officially called "Earthly Father, Heavenly Father"). This experience may sound small and insignificant, but it really hit me. I knew in that moment that the Spirit was working through me.
When we went to Oscar's house, him and his wife seemed EXHAUSTED. Their son was bouncing off the walls with energy and was being very naughty (the little guy kept chucking his toys all over the living room). The father video really hit Oscar and he opened up and shared more things with us than he ever has in the past. Oscar's wife also seemed to be touched by the video and thanked us profusely for putting things into perspective for her and reminding her that we do have a Father in heaven who is very conscious and aware of every action, thought, and intent his earthly children make. As routine as prayer is for us, it is such a powerful tool. We are literally communicating and receiving answers from a perfected and celestial being.
Vi voglio bene,
Anziano Anderson
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| Pisa Zone Conference |
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