16th Letter from Cuneo

Dear Loved Ones,

David received the Priesthood Sunday! It is wonderufl to see him progress, and to hear Osagie bear his testimony in Italian to our new investigators. They are both growing in their testimonies.

Sorella Willey and I felt a prompting to do casa in a particular place in Cuneo. As we rode our bikes down a certain street I said, "I feel like they are going to be on the left side of the street". She thought for a moment and then said, "Me too!" Usually, we do not receive very specific inspiration about where to do finding work (you just have to have faith and go to work!)...but it always exciting to feel like there is a certain person in particular who the Lord is leading you to that day. We rang on a few citifonos, and one woman let us in. She opened the door with a timid smile on her face. When we saw that she was cleaning we offered to help. She opened the door wide open and let us in! She said, "Sit down, sit". As we sat down at her kitchen table, I felt the prompting to ask if we could immediately say a prayer. She said, "How about you say the words and I will repeat after you". Wow! I cannot describe how beautiful the spirit was as we said a prayer together. She was as humble and teachable as a child. As we taught her the first lesson she accepted everything with open heart. She even cried several times and said, "How can I ever repay you! Thank you for coming here tonight. I feel so distant from my Heavenly Father and I am sad. I want to change certain things in my life". At one point during the lesson she even interrupted and said, "I want to tell you right now that I am inviting myself to meet with you again, and I am going to come to your church when you have service". It was as if she was commiting herself before we had time to ask her the questions. I have never met someone so prepared and eager to learn about the gospel. One of her sons was there during the lesson, and he was a bit of a distraction to the Spirit, but if he had not been there, I am confident that she would have accepted a baptismal date. As Sorella Willey and I rode our bikes home, we truly felt to sing the song of redeeming love (Alma 5). I have never been so happy in my entire life. This is but one of the miracles that the Lord has blessed us with this week.

Love,

Sorella Oakes