Buona bellissima giornata famiglia!
Where to even begin from what has happened this week. This work is incredible. I can't express to all of you how much I am thankful for your prayers because they are being answered with every step we take here in Brindisi. Last night, after a week without seeing them due to a trip they had planned, the Brancasi family returned. We went there and talked for a while and shared with them our message of the Restoration to make sure that they had comprehended it all before we moved on to other lessons and principles. As we began to talk the Spirit came into the room like an absolute fire and pierced my heart like never before. How the Spirit spoke to me was within a simple verse that President Anderson shared with me before leaving in the mission. President Anderson always asked where to find that verse. I could never find it! So I asked my companion for his Bible and opened right up to Acts 2:37-38. I love it when that happens. The scripture ends with a "What shall we do?"... as I read those verses in regards to how they can receive their answer, the very words came out of Lina's mouth, "We just don't know what to do." There was my answer. I can't even begin to tell you how strong the Spirit came flowing into each one of our hearts as we invited them to be baptized, as it Peter explained in Acts following the people's question. Giuglio said he would is ready to show his God that he will be baptized. Lina spoke of the necessity to our baptism, in which Giuglio turned to her and explained the importance of our authority and the Restoration of all things. Wherever you are President Anderson, thanks for planting that seed for me. We spoke also of the First Vision and the incredible manner of prayer that a young boy showed to each one of us of how we can receive an answer to every question that we have. How grateful I am for a boy that acted on a prompting to pray! I guess you can say that my message to you this week, in the moment that I have passed 20 years of my life is that this stone will roll forward to fill the entire earth, just as Daniel prophesied. There truly is nothing that will stop this work if it isn't ourselves. We saw this again Sunday evening with a woman named Vita. I truly wish I could describe to you family the feeling that I get when we first sit down with someone that we have never been with before and there is a love within me burning to share this Gospel with them with all the Italian vocabulary that I know. Vita expressed to us something that there is missing. That has always been missing. We told her why she was feeling this way and expalined to her the Restoration. Again, the power of the First Vision. She expressed to us that the "empty part of her heart" is starting to fill up again. My heart did the exact same. We asked her what she thought about Jospeh Smith's experience. She looked at us and said, "Anziani, why shouldn't I believe it? Everything that I feel in this moment is telling me to believe it." The Spirit prompted us to invite her to be baptized. She said with a resounding voice, "YES". She is reading right now and praying to know for herself if these things are true. Tomorrow we will set a baptismal date with her and from not too long I'll send you a picture home from her baptism, as she continues to prepare to enter the Rome Temple also. Family... This Gospel is so true. The Lord is doing everything that He possibly can to bring it to all of His Children. This is a bit of discourse, I know. Bus as Ammon exclaimed, I stand with him in expressing that I cannot explain the slightest part of what I feel. And that's what it all comes down to is that feeling. In the season of San Valentino we find ourselves in a perfect situation for a "February of Love". I think of all the small gifts, cards, and sweets that I have thought of throughout the years to show towards a special loved one during this time of year. I guess I have finally realized that there truly is only one way to show our love to our brothers and sisters and that's to share with them the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the true and endless love that He has for each and everyone of us. I am so thankful for all of your love and your prayers. I love each and everyone of you. As I spent a couple of days with an Anziano in my district that has recently received his "Dear John" just a transfer and a half into the mission we both saw how the losing ourselves for the good of others heals any heart. I am so thankful for the Healer that we have in our life, the Physician that can heal any ache, I promise you all that I am doing everything I can to let Him work here in Brindisi. Thanks for the birthday wishes, you all sound great at home. I love you, have a great week!
con 20 anni,
Anziano Gatchell
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