Hey we had a baptism! This is very cool, my first one in Italy!
Last Saturday, Giovanni got baptized and the next day he received the Holy Ghost. Why is this awesome? Because he's in his thirties and has had a SUPER hard life. He's been studying with the missionaries for about six months and, as he repeatedly tells us, this is the longest he's ever managed to "stay with something." He is committed to changing his life, and we've seen that change in him bit by bit over the last couple of weeks. In the end, the baptism is a special and essential ordinance... but without the true conversion of the individual, it means nothing. .
This week I had a very good talk with one of the sisters that lives with us. We talked about how some times the missions are very "succesful" (you are teaching and baptizing a lot of people) and other times not. We talked about how if the only point of missions was to be succesful, we would have created a program to make us super succesful. But missions are not just about finding and teaching and baptizing (What!?). It's has a lot to do with personal creation... who we are becoming during this period. I haven't figured out if getting to help other people figure out their lives is a positive externality of us figuring out ourselves or the other way around. I think it's the other way around.
In other news, my brother sent me this very funny article about how the White House will not be building a Death Star by 2016. In this article it said:
"However, look carefully (here's how) and you'll notice something already floating in the sky -- that's no Moon, it's a Space Station! Yes, we already have a giant, football field-sized International Space Station in orbit around the Earth that's helping us learn how humans can live and thrive in space for long durations. The Space Station has six astronauts -- American, Russian, and Canadian -- living in it right now, conducting research, learning how to live and work in space over long periods of time, routinely welcoming visiting spacecraft and repairing onboard garbage mashers, etc.
...We are living in the future! Enjoy it. Or better yet, help build it by pursuing a career in a science, technology, engineering or math-related field."
End quote. Why did I put this? Funniness aside, I really like the part about six astronauts living in close quarters for extended periods of time. I think I have it rough? You think they have it rough? They are all up their by their six lonesome selves! I think there is nothing more terrifying than pure solid loneliness. Mind you, I don't mean being with people just for the sake of being with people. But I think that the truest happiness comes from being with those who we love the very most. And just laughing and enjoying ourselves. These astronauts (and cosmonauts and Maplenuts) have consigned themselves to live far from all those loved peeps!
And then I think of all the people who even live near those that they love, and yet still feel that insane loneliness that just can't be satisfied with hanging out. And those are the people that need to know that there is a God who loves them and thinks about them and has a plan for them and will talk to them.
And that's why I think we have to live with those that we love AND God. I can't be a sequestered nun. But I can't fill my life just with activities and people. I need something for both. I need my family, my friends, and God.
Also, we are living in the future! Enjoy it! And build it... even if not in a career in science, etc..... just build what you can. Because you were meant to be here, now, for a reason. So no more tearing down! Just building up!
This I believe!
Thank you all for listening to my ramblings. Also, I may have forgotten long ago to do a letter shoutout to Chantella Whiting. Also my brother, Matt. Your letter finally arrived, thank you much!
All my love from Bari,
Slla Fuller
No comments:
Post a Comment