Week 5 of MTC

Dear Family,

I can't believe it's been five weeks. I've loved the Mtc, but at the same time, we're all ready to leave and get to Italy. When I first arrived, I felt such a powerful surge of the Spirit- I'd never experienced such a strong feeling of the Spirit before in my life. The first two weeks were filled with new experiences. Growth, adjusting, struggling, loving, basking, stretching, being low and becoming high through the mercy of the Lord. Wow, my english is...hope you can understand this letter.

Ivo came back with Silvana this week! Even though we'd asked him for a little Italian snack, Silvana had made us an entire dish of lasagna just for us!!! It was absolutely divine- a small taste of true Italian food. We were so flattered and appreciative that they had gone to the trouble to do that for us. Our teacher later told us that he was surprised that they had gotten by security because visitors are not allowed to bring us food. I think it's because they don't want it to become a distraction for the missionaries, and some elders might feel bad if they don't receive food in the TRC. We did receive special permission to eat it in the lunchroom later. Both of our Italian districts shared. Anyways, enough about the lasagna. We invited Ivo to join Silvana and us in one of the rooms. He was very very trusting and open with us. He even brought a big coffee table book of Italy. He showed us every single picture and talked on and on about his hometown and their traditions. All throughout the hour, my sorelle and I kept wondering if we should try to share our testimonies or bring up the gospel, but the Spirit kept restraining us. He and his wife needed to receive our pure love and we needed to respect his desires. At the end, we asked if we could say a prayer and he immediately closed up again...Silvana gave a beautiful prayer. In the middle she began to cry. Her heart aches because she wants to be sealed to him for eternity so badly and for him to receive all of the blessings of the gospel. Ivo is a good man. We have been praying and pondering a lot about him lately and have felt that the Lord greatly desires for Ivo to help him in this great work. He is a strong, firm man, and could have a great great influence on many people in the kingdom of God. We feel peace and great hope for him, and trust in the Lord's plan and timing. Ivo needs to exercise faith, and only he can do that. At the end of our visit he greatly complemented us for our goodness and service. It was interesting...he counseled us to be bold and confident in teaching people and sharing our beliefs in Italy. You could tell he has a testimony of missionary work and its importance. He even explicitly said that he's witnessed how families in the gospel conquer their hard hard trials with security and peace. He knows its true. I think he's worried about losing his idenity and link to italy and his heritage if he "gives in" and becomes baptized.

I've learned a lot this week about measuring progress and receiving further instruction from the Lord:

- setting daily goals is vital. It is much much simpler to accomplish my goals if I focus on small things each day. Elder Zivic of the 70 spoke to us last night for our devotional. He told about one progressing investigator who struggled with giving up coffee. The missionary simply challenged him to not drink any coffee for one day. The next day, he asked him if he could do it again. Slowly, but surely, the man was freed from his addiction.

- we must ask Heavenly Father for the things that we need and desire. As I have asked more specific questions, I've received more specific and meaningful answers. I now keep a separate personal prayer journal. I write down my questions that I ask Him, and as I pray, I keep it close to my bed. As I pray, I seek to slow down, and to ponder about what things He wants me to ask. The purpose of prayer is to make our will the same with Heavenly Father in the name of Christ. Prayer is a form of work. (Bible dictionary on prayer). As I ask questions, I am learning how to pause and wait for impressions and feelings. I have had prayers where I have a distinct clear thought enter my mind and I know that is my answer. Often times, I receive some inspiration but feel as if He wants to give me more instruction later, when the time is right. Most times, He gives us revelation by increments. As I read the Book of Mormon, many many of my questions are answered.

- learn how you personally feel the Spirit and receive daily, personal revelation. I have learned that I personally receive revelation and understanding by writing a lot in my journal or on a piece of paper. As I write, thoughts enter my mind in the moment. I say a quick prayer with a specific question in mind before I study my scriptures and as I study, I become in tune with the Spirit and it is absolutely amazing what I learn. One of my companions receive a lot of revelation by simply pondering. She'll sit and look around the room for ten minutes thinking. I think the key for all of us is to have a prayer in our heart, be pure, teachable/humble and worthy to receive the Spirit into our hearts AND we need to be still. We need to set aside time each day to be in a quiet, secluded place so we can hear the sweet, still small voice.

My testimony is that God is the best teacher there is! No matter what our profression, our talents, our pursuits, our everyday questions and problems, we can go to Him and receive the best instruction. The instruction that money cannot buy. He is teaching me Italian! His spirit increases my understanding, and quickens my comprehension and capacity so that I can do His work. He speaks all languages. He created all things. He's the greatest artist, mathmetician, scientist,etc. All things denote that He lives and He orchestrated a perfect plan for us. We just need to recognize Him and open our hearts to receive His love and istruction. With Him, we can become better and grow more than on our own! Elder Nelson is an amazing example to me of this. He is one of the most accomplished and well-known men in the medical field for his contributions to heart surgery/replacement. Read his bios on Lds.org! simply amazing how He gives all his credit to the Lord. His testimony of the power of the priesthood is being the greatest way to heal the human body...I esp liked "Applying Divine Laws" and the article about Obedience. Must reads!!! Only through Jesus Christ can we be saved and he can do nothing by himself. He is a living apostle on the earth today.

All of my love,

Sorella Oakes