The Will of God & Living Prophets! March 30, 2011

This first part is a copy of the email I send to our mission president. Each week he asks us to send him a miracle story, or something that has increased our awareness that God is directing our work. This doesn’t really sound like a miracle, but it definitely increased my awareness that God is directing our work: So we had set the transfer goal of 7 baptisms. And we knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that that is what God wanted us to do. And time went on, and although we know with all our hearts that it is still possible for God to give us 5 more baptisms for April 9th, last night, we both got a strong feeling that that probably is not what God wants for us this time. We both know that there are things that we could have, and should have, done better and that we could have without a doubt already had 7 baptisms by now. This then led us to wonder why we would set a goal that wasn't going to be met. -Now this does not mean at all that we are going to try any less to find God's children that are waiting to be baptized 10 days from now- But we feel that this goal was to push us; to see this seemingly impossible task, and to see that it is possible. But we were not ready this time around. And still we are about to have an amazing baptism with two of God's beloved children coming again into his fold. And still there are 5 others that we know of that are ready for baptism, they just need to take one more step. But I felt a great assurance last night that even if this goal we set is not reached, it was still the will of God, and it still has helped us grow immensely.

We've been fed maybe 6ish times by members, and for the most part it's been good. I think God has miraculously blessed me with the absence of a gag reflex during these two years... because I have eaten more things that, had I been at home in the states, or anywhere else, I probably would have thrown up. And not only that, but after the first bite I’ve had to continue to finish the entire plate, and hope that they don't try and give me a second plate... Anz Jenson always makes fun of me and says that I'm too picky with food, but I disagree. I just have strong opinions as to what should be eaten by humans and what should not.

We will watch the Saturday morning session at 6pm here (I think we're going to trade off listening in Italian with our investigators and listening in English), Priesthood session at 11am Sunday, Saturday afternoon on Sunday at 2pm, and Sunday morning on Sunday at 6pm. But we do not get to see the Sunday afternoon session, unfortunately... I have not done the general conference personal question thing yet, but I just now wrote that down for tomorrow's personal study, thanks for the reminder!

And I think I've been feeling the same way about the companion I have and had, I definitely don't get along easily with them, even though they’re great guys, but I know that the more patient I am, and the more accepting I am of all the things they do that bother me, I can become a better future husband for my future wife... weird, but oh well. 

AND just because it's on my mind and you mentioned it at the beginning, I am WAY stoked for conference like I have never been before! I don't know why, but I like it. And I feel like I've been missing out for the past 19 yrs on the fact that we have LIVING apostles and prophets on the earth today. I've started developing a habit of reading an article from a conference ensign each morning while I eat breakfast, and it is a great motivation for me to get up on time every morning!

ti voglio un sacco di bene!!

-tuo figlio, Anziano Bushman