So we'll start with some background info real quick.
In the last couple missionary conferences, Pres Wolfgramm has bee emphasizing this phrase "get in the way to get out of the way" and I have been SUPER confused. And kinda just been nodding my head and smiling, you know the drill. Well, I'm am going to explain to you how I finally capito this crazy concept.
Also, Anz Jenson in the last training called biddone's (when an appointment falls through) "biddone sharks" and explained to us how we need to not let these biddone sharks tear us apart, but to keep going on with the week looking for miracles.
So this last week, we've been in some pretty shark infested waters. The biddone sharks were ripping our limbs off, rather literally. They were especially ferocious last thursday. Thursday we were super excited for our lessons. we had three super great lessons planned out, and we were ready to blow their socks off! But, unfortunately, Ilaria did not understand when we said 10:15, that we meant that we would be there at 10:15, so she came to the church at 10, and left at 10:05. Ouch. But we went on. The sharks were only able to get an arm. Just a flesh wound, right? So then after lunch we had another lesson at 3:30, who got called into work. So we fixed up our bikes real quick, and kept going. Still got an arm and a leg. That's all you really need anyways. And then just when you think that the sharks would be full, our 4:30 had family issues, and the sharks grabbed the remaining leg. Now inching across town, the remaining arm was barely able to drag us to a nearby gelateria to try and rejuvinate us a little bit. So after the gelato, we went out again, more or less just wandering. Feeling pretty depressed, but trying to be productive. And all the time that phrase kept wandering in my head "get in the way to get out of the way" and I thought to myself, "alright, we planned, we got in the way, and we are definitely out of the way, now what?". And then someone came up to us and said "So are you the two new missionaries?" We turned around to find a convert of 2 years that the missionaries have been trying to contact for upwards of 4 months! She told us that she was going through a rough time, but that she really wants to come back to church , and she reassured us several times that she wasn't lost yet, she just has to fix some things before she comes back to church. Sweet!!!! So back to the shark analogy, we were able to find a wooden peg to use as a second arm, and kinda hobbled along così. Kept going and we got stopped by a young couple asking us for directions, who we not only were able to help, but who also gave us their phone numbers and asked us to come visit them sometime and share our message with them! The third miracle then came when our 4:30 appointment (Creusa and Jack and Stefania) were able to see us later than night, and we had a super awesome lesson with them, which left them struggling harder than ever before to set up a next appointment as soon as possible so that we could teach the rest of the Plan of Salvation!!!! And then I finally understood. President wanted us to plan and do everything we could to be ready for our investigators, but then if and when something happens to change the plans, he wanted us to realize that it is God's will, and that we need to be looking for the miracles that will undoubtedly come when God is directing our work. It was super awesome. So yeah.
This is the work of God, and I am so SO very grateful to all those who have supported me in helping me be ready to come out to the mission field, and to all those who ancora support and sustain me out here! vi voglio tutti un sacco di bene!!!!
Oh, and before I forget, here's some fun new vocab I learned: the verb "fulminare" (fool-mee-nahr-ay) means "to strike with lightning". Thus, if you are angry with someone, just say "ti fulmino" and they won't have a clue as to what you said, but then when you strike them with lightning later on, you can say "hey, I warned you". So yeah, there's Anz Bushman's Italian 101 for today. =)
-Anziano Bushman
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