Letter Written Sept. 25th
Cara famiglia Mia!
Cara famiglia Mia!
Well this week has positively been the craziest week ever. So much
so that I forgot it was p-day until I turned the day in my planner last night
and realized Mercoledi (Wednesday) meant e-mailing ya'll. Honestly I feel so capace (capable) at this
point to be a mother of four, a bishop’s wife and young women’s president all
at once. I can totally understand now what it means when they say that the
mission is the MTC for life. Weird stuff! Today on the train we were coming
home from Parma (where Parmesan cheese was invented) and I literally
zonked out. The ride was like 20 minutes and I fell asleep the second I sat
down. Sorry if I come home a walking zombie and want to sleep for three days.
So I am catching a rumor that someone posted my release date on
Facebook...can I say weird and I am SOOO not ready for that. Not that I don't
want to come home to ya'll but I blinked and now I'm almost half way done and I
still have so much to learn!
Yes Simone is amazing. I am blown away by him. He is making such
progress. Dad you are a genius but I am one step ahead of you ;) (Cliff had told
her to ask what he hunted and sent her pics to show to him).
I brought all my pictures of us hunting and showed them to him. He
is great. He mostly does waterfowl and bunnies. I asked him about elk and deer and they said
that they couldn't here. But he's got dogs and all. So fun. It was great to be
able to connect with him on a more personal level. People don't have
relationships with machines. If we are robot missionaries we are missing one of
the most beautiful blessings we can receive as missionaries...new eternal friends.
So big news!!!! He asked us to change his baptism date!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHH!!!! So here when they baptize someone they give him the Aaronic priesthood subito dopo (immediately after) he is confirmed. We wanted us to prepare him for that so we are teaching him this evening about the priesthood. I was studying “True to the Faith” about priesthood because as someone who does not hold it I wanted to know more before I taught it. I was wrapped up in it...man do I love the priesthood. As I was reading all about it I thought of the wonderful men in my life who have honored their priesthood and are such exemplary men. Namely, my dad.
The thing that hit me the most was that the father in the family is to be the "spiritual leader." That is exactly how you are dad. You have always been our spiritual leader with mom at your side. You have guided us, raised us and taught us what matters most. You've lead by example and now look where we are. I know our family is not perfect, but I feel like I am the luckiest girl ever. I have two parents who are ridiculously in love, a father who has never disrespected the most sacred power in the world, a sister who married in the temple and is now creating a family, another who is on a mission quasi (almost), and one who is prepping. Man. There is nothing better and we are all best friends.
None of this is possible without the priesthood. What a sacred gift we are given here on the earth. God must really love us to send this power to administer to us here on the earth. Also this week I have gained a strong testimony of the divine role of each gender. Men have all their responsibilities. Woman, we have ours. We have another beautiful role, sacred and unique, to carry a life, to host a new spirit while a body grows inside. Men do not have that ability. Our bodies are sacred and precious as are we. Each gender has characteristics that the other simply doesn’t and that’s are OKAY! We are made in the image of Heavenly father and Heavenly Mother. Each has power, each has roles, and each has a divine nature. We share the same makeup. What a blessing.
So big news!!!! He asked us to change his baptism date!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHH!!!! So here when they baptize someone they give him the Aaronic priesthood subito dopo (immediately after) he is confirmed. We wanted us to prepare him for that so we are teaching him this evening about the priesthood. I was studying “True to the Faith” about priesthood because as someone who does not hold it I wanted to know more before I taught it. I was wrapped up in it...man do I love the priesthood. As I was reading all about it I thought of the wonderful men in my life who have honored their priesthood and are such exemplary men. Namely, my dad.
The thing that hit me the most was that the father in the family is to be the "spiritual leader." That is exactly how you are dad. You have always been our spiritual leader with mom at your side. You have guided us, raised us and taught us what matters most. You've lead by example and now look where we are. I know our family is not perfect, but I feel like I am the luckiest girl ever. I have two parents who are ridiculously in love, a father who has never disrespected the most sacred power in the world, a sister who married in the temple and is now creating a family, another who is on a mission quasi (almost), and one who is prepping. Man. There is nothing better and we are all best friends.
None of this is possible without the priesthood. What a sacred gift we are given here on the earth. God must really love us to send this power to administer to us here on the earth. Also this week I have gained a strong testimony of the divine role of each gender. Men have all their responsibilities. Woman, we have ours. We have another beautiful role, sacred and unique, to carry a life, to host a new spirit while a body grows inside. Men do not have that ability. Our bodies are sacred and precious as are we. Each gender has characteristics that the other simply doesn’t and that’s are OKAY! We are made in the image of Heavenly father and Heavenly Mother. Each has power, each has roles, and each has a divine nature. We share the same makeup. What a blessing.
Another cool moment, Friday we went to Modena to have our interviews
with president. Before I get into the interview guess who I saw....(#1 elder
fuller is in my district now - my favorite elder from the MTC who I just love)
Elder Lefler! He was the one I had a little difficult time with in the MTC and
he is changed so much. He is his real self, happy, spiritual, and filled with
missionary power. He ran over to me and we talked for almost an hour. He is
fantastic. Whenever I see people from the MTC it is like getting a little taste
of home. I love it. Okay next.......BENNY CARDULO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Benny is my (Martha's) mission companion's son. Our families are good friends.) I was so sad I
didn’t have my camera! He is so cute in
his little tag and short hair. He was in the new missionary training. SO cute. It took everything in me to not hug him. He is
so happy and so great!
In my interview with president he sat me down and instantly was
drilling me with how my city was. I was
happy to say we had done everything he'd asked. This president is sharp...no messing
around with him. Then he began talking to me about meno attivi (less active)
work. (Mind you I hadn't said anything to him about my work in Forli with my
meno attivi) He said that reactivation
is as important if not more than baptisms. That when we reactivate we are
saving lives and it is so sacred. I began to cry at this point. As we all know I
have not had any baptisms but I have reactivated five people, two of which have
families. I told him all this and how much I loved reactivation work. It is my
favorite. He told me that I was successful and to keep it going. I then told
him about Rafaela who is the miracle I wanted to share with you all
today.
Yesterday we did a split with our Capi Sorelle (Lead/training
sisters) and it was absolutely insane how much we got done. We were all over
the city on foot; the others were all over on the bikes. Lots or miracles, lots
of chaos. Sister Heupel was my comp for the day (Marianne’s trainer, and
a really good friend of mine who I love!) and we had a blast!
Anyway...we were with one of our meno attivi Rafaela. Elisa, one of our Young Women who I love and who we work a lot with and is prepping for a mission and reminds me so much of Lucia, was with us. We went to our lesson and it was nuts. She (Rafaela) started asking questions about spirits, paranormal stuff, and more. So we tried our best to pull it all in and bare testimony the best we could. I was praying so hard in that lesson. When we showed up Rafaela was supposed to have a friend there too but her daughter, Vittoria, had a fever. She is the cutest baby 1 1/2 years old and full of curly dark hair. She forgot to invite her, which was fine because we had a different experience, which was beautiful. We pulled our lesson back together at the end and closed with a prayer. Right before we said the prayer she took her temperature at it was 102 and she was scared. I said the prayer, asked for health and then subito (immediately) after I said amen she asked for a blessing.
We called the Elders and they said they could come if we could get a maschio (Male) to come as well. No one lives in this area, we couldn’t think of anyone. I prayed so hard, and then one of our new converts came into my mind. I called him. He was able to immediately come over. They gave her a blessing of health and the spirit was so beautiful. Vittoria was still crying but it brought peace to her mother Rafaela. She has progressed and knows that she can find trust and aid in the church. She is coming back! I love her so much. I cannot imagine life doing anything else than what I am doing. There is nothing more beautiful to see these people change their lives and turn to the Lord for aid.
Anyway...we were with one of our meno attivi Rafaela. Elisa, one of our Young Women who I love and who we work a lot with and is prepping for a mission and reminds me so much of Lucia, was with us. We went to our lesson and it was nuts. She (Rafaela) started asking questions about spirits, paranormal stuff, and more. So we tried our best to pull it all in and bare testimony the best we could. I was praying so hard in that lesson. When we showed up Rafaela was supposed to have a friend there too but her daughter, Vittoria, had a fever. She is the cutest baby 1 1/2 years old and full of curly dark hair. She forgot to invite her, which was fine because we had a different experience, which was beautiful. We pulled our lesson back together at the end and closed with a prayer. Right before we said the prayer she took her temperature at it was 102 and she was scared. I said the prayer, asked for health and then subito (immediately) after I said amen she asked for a blessing.
We called the Elders and they said they could come if we could get a maschio (Male) to come as well. No one lives in this area, we couldn’t think of anyone. I prayed so hard, and then one of our new converts came into my mind. I called him. He was able to immediately come over. They gave her a blessing of health and the spirit was so beautiful. Vittoria was still crying but it brought peace to her mother Rafaela. She has progressed and knows that she can find trust and aid in the church. She is coming back! I love her so much. I cannot imagine life doing anything else than what I am doing. There is nothing more beautiful to see these people change their lives and turn to the Lord for aid.
I have to go but I love you all! The priesthood is powerful, the
church is true and I have a surprise for you next week! Be ready for something
big!
--
Sister Francesca Montagnoli
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