Family, we found them!

Buon giorno famiglia!

When we spoke at Christmas I pleaded with all of you to pray for us to find someone.. From the moment that I arrived here in Brindisi there was someone waiting for me, I felt it from the second I stepped off the train.. For weeks we have been searching and searching and searching.. We talked with a lot of people, received a lot of numbers and interest, yet there was still a hole.. I left my home for two years to find this person and I knew that he was here somewhere.. About two weeks ago in a lesson with Sorella Jones she shared with us her story of conversion and the miracle that it was of how she joined the Church.. The Spirit was so strong and it nudged me to ask a referral from her.. Sorella Jones isn't from here, nor speaks the Italian lanuage.. I asked anyway and she began to cry that the only friend she had, lived at San Vito and had passed a way a few months ago the very week that she was to give him a Book of Mormon.. There was our answer. San Vito. As this small city is outside of Brindisi and it takes a little hurdling to arrive there, we planned for about a week to head that way.. We didn't know the city, but took the bus and went for it.. On the bus ride I prayed.. I've never prayed so hard in my life that we might find that person.. It had been a long time and a lot of slammed-doors and I invited the Lord to show us where to go.. So we got off the bus and found a map.. A certain area stood out to us so we headed that way.. The first door was a man who yelled at us and exclaimed that he is a convinced Catholic and not a single soul could change him from that path.. After a slammed door my companion and I looked at each other and we said that we know we are there for a reason.. The next woman we stopped on the street invited us into her home.. We ended up teaching the Restoration to them and the sister really took to our message and agreed to pray about it.. After leaving there with a plate full of pasta that they gave to us we started our way towards the bus stop.. My companion said to me that we had found who we were meant to find.. I don't know family, but there was something still there in my heart.. That hole was not yelled filled and the Spirit told me to do something.. As we were only a half hour from our bus time I suggested to knock doors at one more palazzo that stood out to me.. We hid the pasta in a bush and began to knock doors.. A woman invited us up and at first she seemed alone.. As we entered her home she expressed that during this week she and her husband had been praying for Christianity to come to their home.. As I asked if we could sit down and talk for a moment she called for her husband to come into the room.. When Giorgio walked in that hole in my heart began to burn like a wildfire as I knew that I was there.. After eight weeks of searching I FOUND HIM!!! And I thank you for your prayers that guided us there.. We taught them the first lesson.. As I recited the First Vision the Spirit came into their home and testified to each and everyone of us the truth of these things.. We expressed directly to them that the Lord had sent us there to find them and that this message was what they have been searching for their entire lives... they agreed. The lesson was absolutely incredible and these people are some of the most humble and prepared of the elect.. As we invited them to read the Book of Mormon they both exclaimed with resounding, "We'll read it and we'll pray about it!" Following, we knelt in prayer in which my companion prayed for this family and for the Lord to give them an answer.. We all began to cry and they thanked us for having found them.. The husband asked to give us a ride to the bus stop in which this point the amazing story turns as I remembered of the pasta that we had hidden in the bush!! After all this, I thought, they will think we are crazy hiding our dinner in a shrubbery outside of their palazzo so that we could go up!! To be short, all went well and we made it out of there without them seeing us as Giorgio walked us down there my companion blocked his vision while I darted into the bush to retrieve the goods.. With that being said, I just want to let you know that the Lord lives.. That He loves us and that this is His true and living Church.. He guides us according to the prayers that you have all offered in our behalf and according to the action we take to follow a prompting.. As we road the bus back I poured out my Heavenly Father for having guided us there and a feeling came over me to about say, "Ian, you knew they were there, you knew I would lead you".. The promises of the Lord are real family.. It may take eight weeks, may take a lifetime, may be in an instant, but He always fulfills His promises.. Family, tonight we will go back to San Vito where we will invite them to be baptized and prepare to be married in the Rome Temple.. Again, I thank you all so very much.... We found them, family.. There's work to be done, but we found them...

With my humble appreciaton,

Anziano Gatchell