Spiritual Earthquake!

Cara Famiglia,

Earthquake! That's crazy. I never would've imagined one like that happening in Virginia. Also good luck with the Hurricane coming up. 

This week has been pretty awesome, I am loving Busto Arsizio. Here's the run-down of our current investigators:

Angelo! He is the man. He got back from vacation and we have taught him three times since then and he's come to church. He's getting set to be baptized on the 17th of September, which is going to be awesome. We are really excited for him! We taught him the Word of Wisdom yesterday and he was like 'Yeah, I understand this completely. I will stop smoking five cigarettes a day.' He is also continuing to read and underline his Book of Mormon, in addition to using the index in the back to help him study. He is great, but pray for him so that he will be able to come to church instead of going to school after his baptism. 

Giuseppe is the man too. We went over last night with a member to see him and had a sweet lesson where we just read from 3 Nephi 11 and talked to him about the Book of Mormon. The member bore some super powerful testimony about the Book of Mormon and the church being true. We're pulling for him and he's really good about reading and praying, but we are going to have to move his baptismal date until after he comes to church. 

Wilson is kind of dropping off the list, we haven't been able to see him in over a week and he hardly answers his phone. Kind of a bummer since he's really nice and is gaining a testimony of the Book of Mormon, but he is just sooooooooo busy with work. Another cool thing is that going through the area book we found this old investigator who is the husband of a member. Anziano Webb and Anziano Dean went and saw them on a scambio and apparently they're awesome, they just are waiting for a divorce for the husband, Claudio, to go through before they get married so Claudio can be baptized. We are having dinner with them tonight and hoping to get them regularly coming to church. But apparently Claudio reads the Book of Mormon a lot and knows everything about the gospel and that it's true. 

Please pray for our investigators! They are all awesome and need help to get baptized. 

This week in studying Chapter 6 of Preach My Gospel I was looking at the Charity section. It is awesome! And then it directed me to read 1 Corinthians 13 which is probably one of the best chapters of scripture I've ever read. 

1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

Basically you can do all the good actions in the world, but if your heart isn't full of charity behind those actions it doesn't profit you at all! Also I would recommend reading the Bible Dictionary entry on charity, it is short and sweet. So this week I am really working on being more charitable and loving towards all the people we meet, and to my companion! I know that this work is true and that when we have charity we are more willing to help share this gospel and bring it's blessings to everyone we meet. I love you all!

-Anziano Benjamin Smith