Cara Famiglia,
The weather is perfect in Siena and the work is going really well. Today we had a good Pday with the Anziani from Prato, where we got to go in the Duomo and see the floor that is only uncovered for about a month each year. It was really cool, the entire floor is like one giant mosaic and very detailed.
We have three baptismal dates! They are all for October 14th, which is good because it gives us a good amount of time to prepare. The first is Anna Maria who is progressing really well. She came to church on Sunday and loved Relief Society! It is cool because when she gets baptized it will be really good for Sorella Feri (the Relief Society President) because right now she is basically the only Sister that lives in the city of Siena and not like an hour away. She enjoys reading the Book of Mormon and really feels a difference in the message we bring, it is really cool.
There is also Rodrigo, the 14 year old Bolivian kid who is a lot like Joseph Smith. He is doing really well and likes reading the Book of Mormon a lot too, but plays soccer on Sundays which might be a slight obstacle. We still have to teach him about keeping the sabbath day holy and we will see what happens.
The last one is Luca, who is a really cool miracle but probably the least secure of the three dates. On Friday night we were sitting in the park making calls and he stopped us and said he had met the missionaries about 10 years ago. He didn't remember much though but when we taught him the next day he told us he had been praying a couple years back to find the right strada and when he met us he felt like it was the answer. We really focused on the authority for baptism when we taught him and he understood and accepted a baptismal date, but then the next day he went to another church for services. Doh! We will see what happens.
Other than that we are working with some other cool potentials, including a guy who has never met with missionaries but has read the Book of Mormon and admires Joseph Smith. We were so shocked! It was really cool to find him though.
This week we had a really good conference which had a stellar quote from a Henry B. Eyring conference talk about service in the Priesthood, although it basically applies in any gospel service:
We are to learn our duty from the Lord, and then we are to act in all diligence, never being lazy or slothful. The pattern is simple but not easy to follow. We are so easily distracted. Studying the daily news can appear more interesting than the priesthood lesson manual. Sitting down to rest can be more attractive than making appointments to visit those who need our priesthood service.
When I find myself drawn away from my priesthood duties by other interests and when my body begs for rest, I give to myself this rallying cry: “Remember Him.” The Lord is our perfect example of diligence in priesthood service. He is our captain. He called us. He goes before us. He chose us to follow Him and to bring others with us.
I know that as we "remember Him" in all that we do we will be blessed with the strength necessary to bless others. I testify that Jesus Christ lives and that he is our Savior. I know the Book of Mormon is true, and that this really is the "only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth." I love you all lots!
-Anziano Benjamin Smith
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