Sorella Ashlyn Henderson: Mission Tour and a Baptismal date!!

Ciao tutti! Well this week has been an insane week full of miracles and also exhaustion. We did a lot of work this week seeing so many less actives, members, and also setting a baptismal date with one of our new investigators, Simon! He is from Nigeria and has a really strong desire to serve God. We set a date with him for February 23rd last Saturday. Then last night we did a pass-lesson with the Anziani because it's just better for them to teach the men. And 2 other men ended up participating in the lesson with us! It was a great discussion and I just love Africans so much!!! I've missed teaching them.

Other highlights of the week: We got to go to out to lunch with our Senior couple, the Gales, after they did our apartment cleaning check, and they are just the best and I love them! I also made my first tiramisù on Friday for the activity with the youth, which we did at the Barbone's house and Fratello Barbone taught me how to play chess! It was fun and I love our youth.

Spiritual highlight: We've been focusing on following the Spirit a lot in our companionship and in our studies and stuff, so on Friday we were trying to find with the Spirit with just the short hour that we had. And we did and the people we felt prompted to talk to weren't interested. But then I saw a woman walking on the other side of the park and knew that we had to talk to her (who knows if this was the Spirit or just my desire to speak with Africans but it was a good thought so I went for it) and her name is Patricia, and she was meeting with the Sorelle in the past but stopped because she moved and lost touch! It was dope to meet her because I had seen her name in the Area Book and tried calling but the calls never went through. So I was stoked and we set up an appointment for the next day. But the day came and she never answered the phone and she still isn't.... So it was a good story until the end but oh well! It was still a cool miracle.

Yesterday we had Mission Conference with half the mission! Other than seeing a bunch of cool peeps, I felt like I received a lot of personal revelation through the inspired words of Elder and Sister Tunnicliffe (He's a member of the Quorum of the Seventy). My favorite part was not even really a part of their whole training, but just a comment that Elder Tunnicliffe made. He said "You are not just a cog in the machine of God's work. You ARE His work." I just loved that and the Spirit really hit me in that moment. I honestly can't really comprehend His love for me as an individual and His love for all the people that I teach and meet every day, but just the small parts of it that I do feel are really amazing. I know He's there and that He watches over this work and that He loves each and every one of you! So turn to Him in prayer! Get to know Him! Don't be a stranger to your Father in Heaven. Life is better when you know Him.

So that was my week, basically! It was some good times and it flew by but also seemed like a lot happened haha. That's just how the mission is! And I will talk to you all next week because today we are going to Lecco!!!! Peace out homies