Cosenza – Week 4

Ciao Tutti!

This week went really well and we were able to see a lot of really cool miracles throughout the week, big and small. We didn’t get to meet a ton with the people that we are working with right now. We did get to meet with one and we really have to help him read the Book of Mormon because that will be the only way that he is going to know if the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is true or not. He is such an awesome guy and is super funny and all. He is really smart and I just hope that he will really continue to strive to read the Book of Mormon each and everyday. It will truly make all the difference.

Anziano Borner and I started running last week and we have been going out every day, so that has been super nice and we have really enjoyed it a lot. We feel really good throughout the week and it is just super nice to be able to get back into the running mode and everything. I have really missed it. I feel out of shape, but nothing terrible, thank goodness. The runs are super pretty here though and super fun. We like running towards centro storico. They are also super hilly! We did a solid mile up a hill during the week so we were really tired after that. It was super cool though and was a really pretty view. It has been fun though! Our goal is to run out to McDonalds, eat breakfast, and run back by the end of the transfer. We plan on doing it the next Saturday after this one hahaha.

So this week during English course we have been able to get a lot of new students and there is this one younger couple that are super cool. They are super fun and we really love having them here. We hit it off at the end of the class when the guy and I were talking about music for just a second. We were able to get their number the second lesson and they are totally down to meet!! We are really excited to see how it will turn out and what will come of it! I really hope all goes well! They have a 3 year old son too!! So awesome!

Another miracle that we were able to see was when we were doing finding on the main drag of centro. There were a ton of people out and we were trying to stop so many, and not a single one stopped to watch the video the whole time. We turned off the road and the first or second person we stopped watched the video and we were able to set an appointment right there with them. The lesson was last night and it went really well and they are so nice. We only did it with the grandma but there is a whole family that lives here so we really hope that all goes well and we will be able to teach the whole family about the gospel! We were super excited about it for sure though!

We were able to go up to a small town called Saracena this week where we have some members. It was a really good visit with them and it went really well! We also found this store that sells candy from America and the UK so that was pretty cool! We bought a few things that, of course, we probably didn’t need, but it was nice to have some more candy from back home! Saracena was a really cool city and the members are so nice. They don’t get a ton of visits so it was nice to get up there and see them!

We are enjoying working together and being able to be here in Cosenza together. The time has flown by since we have been here, and it has been a really good time together! So this transfer is still the normal 6 weeks and the next one will be 5 weeks so that one will probably go by pretty fast! I don’t think that Anziano Borner will be here for the next one so we will enjoy all the time that we have together.

Something that I really enjoyed this past week was the Gospel Principles lesson and I was given the opportunity to teach that since the teacher wasn’t there! We were talking about the Book of Mormon and how big of a task it must have been for Mormon to compile the gold plates and such. It was a really good conversation and really got me thinking on how hard that must have been to do that! He had so many records and things to go through that he probably didn’t have the time to read through all of them before he could decide what to put in and what to leave out. I like these verses from Words of Mormon.

5 Wherefore, I chose these things, to finish my record upon them, which remainder of my record I shall take from the plates of Nephi; and I cannot write the hundredth part of the things of my people.

6 But behold, I shall take these plates, which contain these prophesyings and revelations, and put them with the remainder of my record, for they are choice unto me; and I know they will be choice unto my brethren.

7 And I do this for a wise purpose; for thus it whispereth me, according to the workings of the Spirit of the Lord which is in me. And now, I do not know all things; but the Lord knoweth all things which are to come; wherefore, he worketh in me to do according to his will.

8 And my prayer to God is concerning my brethren, that they may once again come to the knowledge of God, yea, the redemption of Christ; that they may once again be a delightsome people.

It is so interesting that he said that he couldn’t even write a hundredth part of the things of his people. He had so much to chose from and I love how he explains that he chose these things through the Spirit of the Lord since He knows the things that we needed in these days. I know that the things that Mormon chose were truly for us and that he completed such an important role in the lives of us. I know that the things written are meant for this day in time that we live so that we can come to the knowledge of Christ. I was reading today in 1 Nephi 13 and I really love this verse talking about the importance of the Holy Bible and the Book of Mormon.

41 And they must come according to the words which shall be established by the mouth of the Lamb; and the words of the Lamb shall be made known in the records of thy seed, as well as in the records of the twelve apostles of the Lamb; wherefore they both shall be established in one; for there is one God and one Shepherd over all the earth.

The scriptures are so important for us and I know that they truly bless our lives more than we can imagine. I know that the Book of Mormon testifies of Christ and aligns so many things in our understanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the great Plan of Salvation that our Heavenly Father has prepared for us before the foundations of this world. So thankful for the scriptures and the simple commandment and task to read them each day for numerous blessings that await each of us as we open them each and every day!

My invitation for you all is to look to read the Book of Mormon each day in your life. If you don’t have a copy they are free through mormon.org or lds.org. It will truly bless your life forever as it has mine. I love you all so much and hope that you all have an amazing week!!

Love,

Anziano Garrett

[These photos were posted to iCloud by Taylor last week. They are of the cave house, where he and Anziano Spencer went on one of his last P-Days in Tràpani]