Lo sto ancora qua!

Buon dì!

Hey family! Good, great, and fantastic news. The good news is that I am still here at Brindisi. The great news is that I am still with Anziano Errante! The fantastic news is that we set a baptismal date with Vita this past week! We're all very excited to be able to be here for another transfer. The miracles we have seen in this week are incredible and the Lord is preparing the people to accept His Gospel. President Brigham Young said that when a Temple is announced that "the bells of hell ring". Just as important, and a testimony of this work is what Alma explained that angels are administering to all people in preparation for the word. What a testimony that the light of Christ will always shine through the darkest times of all of our lives. After visting with Vita the other day for just the second time we had presented a baptismal date for just a few weeks, a way that she can show her Heavenly Father that she is willing and ready to act upon on answer. She accepted and is absolutely dying to gain a testimony of these things so that she can know that they are true. She speaks constantly about the search for that Light of Christ and that every time that she seems to find it that the darkness moves in around her and all things begin to take a turn for the worse. How many infinite amount of lessons that we can learn from the First Vision of the boy prophet Joseph Smith. We shared with her that it is by the obstacles and the opposition that we can continue on that search for the beeming light that seems to always come to those who continue in the faith. We will see her again tonight and she can't wait to come and share what light she has found. A cool experience happened yesterday when we went to a neighbooring city to find a man named Luca. We met him on the street a couple of weeks ago, where he gave us his humber and told us where he worked and invited us to pass by. After praying for an answer about what we could have done to help him accept our message, something came to mind. The Spirit told me to "call him when you're at the train tracks." I thought twice about it and moved forward. We went to go find his work and when we arrived two other men were there. We introduced ourselves and asked if there was a Luca that works there, that he had told us to pass by and gave us his number. They told us that Luca used to work there but had moved away and that it would be better off if we had left. As we started to walk away we noticed that his store was backing the train tracks... so we gave him a call, just as the Spirit had illustrated to do. Turns out he was on his way to work and he told us to wait there. The two men thought that we were undercover financial guys and told us to scram for that reason. We went in and began to talk with them. As all conversations go when someone is living the Gospel right, the discussion was changed to the Restoration and we began to teach them all in this refinishing garage. Surrounded by paint thinners and molding spack, we shared with them the message of a boy Joseph Smith and how the Church of Jesus Christ is restored through him. Luca, knowing the Bible and that such a vision and testimony can only be sealed with one's blood, asked if Joseph was persecuted following that encounter. My companion and I unavoidably began to chuckle. Anyway, it went incredible. All thanks to all of your prayers. Thank you so much. Please, please, please plead with the Lord to help these my friends gain a testimony through the Spirit. I love you all. I'm very happy and ready for the spring to arrive! We'll hear from you again next week!

con amore,
Anziano Gatchell

Marzo è arrivato!

Mornin' Fam!

A great week here at Brindisi. The work is flying forward and it's hard to get my head around everything that is happening here but we have a great vision and are very excited for the blessings and miracles we are seeing. Last week we had the chance to cross the Italian peninsula to see a small city on the coast called Gallipoli. It was pretty incredible, I hope the pictures come through. It was our last week together as a district as one of our Anziani has been transferred to Napoli (I couldn't be more stoked for him!). We took a small, one-cabbed train across the olive tree-scattered fields to arrive at a beautiful coast for our P-day. I'm spoiled here, I know, but I'm a big believer in work hard and play hard! As for the work this week... we surely are thrusting in our sickel. This Sunday we went with Vita and Maria Grazia by train up to Bari to see a baptism. It was pretty incredible. They both absolutely loved it and received a very strong testimony about the Church through the Spirit that they felt. Both of them are moving towards the waters of baptism every day. I'm really loving this language now. It's amazing what an Italian companion can do to effect that. I often get discouraged about the inability to share what it is I know and then I "remember, remember" that it's how I feel about what I know, and not about what it is that I know. We had a big storm come through this week that not only wiped out the Italian cheery attitude but also left us to a little bit less time to find someone to teach. We move forward, however. Yesterday I had a pretty special experience. Maybe I have spoke of Sorella Sciurti in the past. They live out in the country in small little home that is something Mom wouldn't bother putting on her listing sheet. They are without a car and Fratello Sciurti has trouble coming to Church because he doesn't have shoes. (Hope you don't mind Mom, but I am buying him a pair today) Anyway, yesterday while we were talking with her about "how to give a talk", and while our Branch President was snoring himself to sleep at her kitchen table, the Spirit came in so strong as Sorella Sciurti shared with us about her testimony of the Restored Gospel. Elder Holland's phrase came to my mind when he spoke this last conference that "us leaders hope to some day enter into the Celestial Kingdom where you followers already are" or something to that effect. Another scripture came to mind that "the meek and lowly of heart will inherit the kingdom of God". I saw in that instant what it truly means to be "true believer" of Jesus Christ. Sorella Sciurti's knowledge may not be large, her experience may not be that of fairy-tale, but I learned in that moment that the Lord looks upon the heart. That a heart so pure, so humbled, and a yoke so easy is what the Lord means when He speaks about a "broken heart and a contrite spirit". I guess I join Elder Holland in saying that I pray someday to stand at the same place where I KNOW Sorella Sciurti will be. The Gospel is so real and the love of our Heavenly Father is infinite, but yet conditional. We are seeing His hand in so many things. My companion would like to thank all of you for your prayers about his family. Not only is his grandmother doing much better, his mom has declared her date for retirement, they are both reading the Book of Mormon, his dad went to Church this last week, and both of his parents are taking the lessons from the missionaries, in which they have set a baptismal date. The blessings are endless! The Lord's love is incredible! The Church is true! There is so much this Gospel provides in our lives. Again, I'm thankful for all of you and all that you do. The work is hard and some days impossible, but the Lord's promises are certain. The winter is over, the spring is about here, but it is always harvest season here in Italy, just one thrust at a time. Love you all! Arrivederci!

con felicità, gioia, e amore,

Anziano Gatchell