15th Letter from Varese

Cara Famiglia,
 
 Grazie Mille for sending me Elder Oakes' letter! I am thrilled that he baptized that Jurassi and that he is excited about transferring to BH. When you get the pics please forward them to me as well.

   This has week has been a bit like a rollercoaster. Everything was prepared for Sander's baptism, he was ready and excited. I cannot relate the details, but literally five minutes before the baptism some things happened, it was the most dramatic and intense event of my mission, and he was not baptized. He is worthy in every way and could have been baptized, but there are a few family issues to resolve first. You know, as unexpected as it all was, Sorella Mcnamara and I felt peace. I felt more prepared to handle something like this because of my experience at Osagie's first baptism when he did not show up in Cuneo. I feel like I can relate to Elder Oakes' experiences and realize that there are things that are out of our control. In the end, the important thing is that we have done our part, the Lord does His, and eventually the elect will get baptized even though Satan will do all he can to stop it. The work will go on, and we must have patience. Without saying details, please pray that Sander and his mom will continue to come to church and not be offended. They really need our prayers. We are going to play basketball with Sander today. He is such a good solid kid.

    On the up side, I need to tell y'all about one of the most amazing people! Out of all the people that I have met in my life, I have never met anyone quite like Carina. She is from Peru and we got her phone number on the bus last week and set up an appt.  While we were taking the bus to the church together, she told us of all of her heartaches and trials that she is facing.

   When she saw Sorella Walton on the bus a while back, she remembered her two brothers in Peru, who are members of the church. She remembered the counsel that they had given to her to come to Christ and investigate the church. For some reason Carina did not talk to Sorella Walton, but now, weeks or months later she accepted to meet with Sorella Mcnamara and me.

   After Carina had explained her situation to us, we asked, "What are your expectations of us as missionaries?" She broke down crying and said, "I want to have a change of heart. I have made so many mistakes in my life, and I hope...I hope that you can help me come to my Savior. Teach me all that you know, I want to know everything. If this is the right thing I will come to church every week and change my life." Sorella Mcnamara and I bore our testimonies of the power of the atonement and the healing of the Savior. We felt the strongest desire to teach her the gospel, and to help her be baptized. She readily accepted the invitation as well as a date. Since then, she has come to church, Book of Mormon in hand and sincere questions in mind to ask us. I cannot express how good I felt when she said at Sander's baptism, "I have read the chapters you left me, and it gives me peace. I feel so much better than I have in a long time." There is power in the Book of Mormon and the gospel of Christ. Carina's story has surely strengthened my testimony of the Savior and His power.

Let me tell you, I love working with Sorella Mcnamara! She is so driven, so humble and hardworking. Our investigators really feel the Spirit when she bears her testimony. She has so much to give already. Her language is picking up and I feel like we are working well together. I do not feel like her trainer anymore.

I AM SO EXCITED TO TALK TO MOM AND DAD MOTHER'S DAY. Can't wait to hear your voices. You have so much to relate to me. In the meantime, vi voglio benissimo!
 
Con affetto,
   
Sorella Oakes