Doin[g] Work in Modena

Cara Famiglia,

 

This week has been pretty good in Modena. The work has definitely slowed down compared to when I first arrived, but it is still going great. We had a big breakthrough with Israel this week where he agreed to just go in and tell his bosses that he couldn't work anymore on Sundays so that he could come to church and then be baptized! It only went okay though, the boss is apparently making him come in one last Sunday before he lets him not work on Sunday anymore. We'll see how that goes. Pray for him! He's too ready for baptism to miss out. Anziano Kimball and I are also liking doing this thing in our mission called 'Venti Inviti', or, 20 invites. Every day outside of scheduled proselyting work the mission goal is to invite 20 people to hear about the gospel, basically when you're in between appointments or finding areas. We usually kind of struggle to do it, which is a bummer. But recently we have been a lot more diligent! It is great, whenever we do the venti inviti everything in the day just seems better. Another great thing about the mission is that we just instantly start teaching and testifying when we talk to people, we almost never even introduce ourselves! It is awesome even when no one lets you in all day. You feel great because you spent your day bearing your testimony 100+ times!

 

Today we had a fun P-day where we went slacklining with our new convert Castro. Basically you string a really tight line between two trees maybe 20 or 30 feet apart at about waist height. Then it's just like tightrope walking! It was really fun, I definitely want to do it on some other P-days, and I'm attaching some pictures [included below].

 

 I very much enjoyed Dad's email about the things learned in Sunday School. I've always been impressed with the bread of life analogy and such. It reminds me of these awesome scriptures in 2 Nephi 26: 25 and 27:

 25 Behold, doth he cry unto any, saying: Depart from me? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; but he saith: Come unto me all ye ends of the earth, buy milk and honey, without money and without price. ...
 27 Hath he commanded any that they should not partake of his salvation? Behold I say unto you, Nay; but he hath given it free for all men; and he hath commanded his people that they should persuade all men to repentance.

Jesus is alllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllways waiting for us. All the time! It's like how I was just in the post office waiting for my number to be called so I could mail a package, except it's always your turn. You just have to walk up to the desk! The atonement is such a miracle, it's so simple but unfathomable. It reminds me of one of my favorite quotes from all time fromBelieving Christ: "Mercy, by definition, is only mercy if we don't deserve it." It's amazing to think that for all the justice that everyone deserves, it can all be swallowed up by the mercy of the atonement! I'm grateful for the knowledge that Jesus Christ is my Savior and suffered, died, and was resurrected for everybody! We just need to come unto him. I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God, and truly testifies of Jesus Christ and the Restoration of His church. I know that the Lord is directing this work and I love being here to spread the gospel 100% every day.

-Anziano Benjamin Smith