In a matter of days, I'm going to be on American soil again. These past two years have been incredible. I feel very different than the person I was in October, 2015. It's hard to sum up a massive portion of time in one word, but incredible does an adequate job. As I look back on that language-struggling, power-hungry, homesick lad in my early journal entries, I want to pat him on the back and tell him it's going to be all right.
Story time. On Monday morning, I did something to really hurt a member's feelings. Despite my innocent motives, this particular member called me and was very offended. After the phone call, I was very embarrassed. It's one thing offending someone outside of the mission, but when you offend someone while acting as a disciple of Jesus Christ, it feels a little different.
Anziano Montalto tried to cheer me up by giving me a hug and telling me that it was never my intention to wrong the member (he's a great companion), but regardless, I was feeling really down... About 15 minutes later, we received a telephone call from a Swiss phone number. The person at the other end of the line was a lady whom we had met the previous night.
On Sunday evening, a Swiss family called us and asked us to come to the local hospital. While on vacation here in Rimini, their two year-old daughter had suddenly become very ill. Despite being whisked away by an ambulance and receiving medical treatment, the baby girl had a very high fever and needed to remain at the hospital overnight. They asked us to administer to the her.
We had changed our current plans and went straight to the hospital. At the hospital, I laid my hands on that baby girl's head and blessed her that she would have a speedy recovery. The mother was calling us on Monday morning to tell us their baby daughter was completely healed and acting completely normal.
The phone call was a miraculous tender mercy for me on that morning. I've made a lot of mistakes here in the mission, but being a missionary has helped me "get it". I can be pretty stupid at times, but the essence of the gospel is change! As I continue to repent and do my best, I'm going to be worthy of the Spirit and will be given the opportunity to serve others through my Priesthood service.
Our bishop was interviewing our terrific trio this week for baptism and I was the acting translator. In one of the interviews, he said, "Baptism is like opening a door. After the door is opened, there's not a chair waiting for you to sit on. Rather, there is a hill and you're expected to walk up it. It's not easy walking up the hill, but there are blessings you get to collect all the way to the top."
I know that's true. I've seen the blessings in my life as I've continued walking up the hill. I've also seen that the more my legs hurt and the sweatier I am, the bigger the blessing is that I get to collect as I keep moving forward.
Repentance has become more than a fancy word word used during Sunday school. Reading in the Book of Mormon has become more than a thing to cross off my daily checklist. Prayer has become more than a few thoughtless phrases that I recite before hopping into my bed. I would be ungrateful if I didn't recognize the magnificent spiritual experiences I had before leaving on my mission. However, I can confidently say that I didn't truly understand the essence of the Gospel before.
We can and need to repent everyday. The Book of Mormon has a converting power that I don't think we'll fully realize in this life. We can literally talk to our Heavenly Father and receive answers through our faith and sincerity. I'll be forever grateful for my mission and the blessings I've received. I believe it would be arrogant for me to say that there's not a possibility that I could ever leave this church as I reflect on the Bible story of Daniel, but I'm going try with all my heart to maintain my testimony and merit future blessings from the Almighty through my diligent, future Priesthood service. I know this church is true and plan on building off a Christ centered foundation at I commence my post-mission endeavors.
Ci rivedremo,
Anziano Anderson
p.s. In relation to the title of the email: Anziano Leavitt, my mission "son" is training in Bolzano! That makes me a "grandpa"! I'm so excited for him, he's going to kill it! 😏
1. Scambio gelato!
2. Three fine young men preparing to be baptized on my right, and one dapper young man seeking for a testimony on my left
3. His food is always a little too spicy, but he's always going to be a legend in my book!
4. We helped out the sisters in Forli earlier this week in a day of proselyting!
5. Goodbye dinner with Simone and Franci 🎉
6. Bazan!!!!!!
7. This is the street we generally do proselyting on... 😉
8. ❤️
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