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Laura's Death Aftermath, Zingari |
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June 30 2000:
For a few days after Laura's death, I was a little depressed. It just seemed way too weird to be true. We went to her funeral last week, which kind of put a cap on it all. It was a strange funeral - very Catholic.
Anz. Platt and I went in our dark suit coats w/ dark ties in the blasting June heat. Maybe I would have cried if all the water hadn't been coming out of all the other pores on my body. We got there a little late just in time to follow the procession to the grave.
There, a Catholic priest said all the Catholic prayers - "Padre Nostro, Ave Maria, etc." Then everyone got in a line to fling water on the coffin in the form of the cross. They dipped a little dipper in a small bowl of water and then just tossed it onto her coffin. What Apostasy.
I also read the story in the paper about her death - she had been sun tanning, went down to wade in the water to cool down, hit her head, passed out and drowned. It was all quite strange, and it really made me stop and think - Just about life in general and how short it really is. Also about the importance of our message, so that people can be prepared for death when it comes and actually look forward to that day with pleasure.
On the lighter side, we met an awesome family doing house to house contacting. They are almost Golden I would say. Claudio is the father, the wife (I don't know) and their daughter Catia. Catia knew the sister missionaries 5 years ago and had a book already. We taught them a great first and then went back and showed them the video "Together Forever." Which they loved.
Catia has been reading and praying and the father agreed to hold family prayer every night. The only problem is that they just left on vacation for a month...Aargh! But we gave them a reading calendar and they said they'd follow it. They also said that this vacation will give them the time they've wanted to read. When they get back they'll be baptised. Speriamo.
More bad news - Maria Teresa Polga dropped us. She gave us the line - I think God did guide us together - but only to help strengthen me in my religion. Then she said I plan on staying Catholic and if she ever felt inspired she'd read more of the BoM and pray about it.
I was way disappointed - I kind of broke her boxes at the end and made her realize the seriousness of the choice she was making. I wish I would have remembered 2 Nephi 33 - because that's how I was feeling in that moment. But I hope God gives her another chance - she's actually quite cool.
Other investigator news: The other day we were visiting a member in the hospital - outside of the hospital a baby girl was crying so my comp went and bought some candy for her. We gave it to her in time to talk w/ her family who turned out to be a group of "Zingari" or gypsies.
We set an appointment and went by their refugee camp. (A place set aside by the Italian govt. for gypsies) It was a big slap in the face to see the kind of poverty they live in. Naked kids running around - trash everywhere - no space for anything - everyone dirty and sick. It was pretty bad.
We taught Ivan a 1st and gave him a book, but he was very attached to Padre Pio and the Catholic church. He did say he'd come to church this Sunday though... maybe with his whole family!
Last P-day we went up in the mountains. It was way cool. We took a bus for about an hour that drove on a narrow canyon road with giant cliffs pressing in upon us and other big vehicles trying to make it past in the limited space.
Then we took a super high tech ski lift up the mountain. The lift had a bullet like cover that lowered down to protect us from the wind. Then we hiked all day on the mountain and talked to all the Austrians. I took some phat photos. It was a P-day well-used - unlike most of them.
I had a neat experience the other day. We were doing street one night and stopped a man in a suit and tie. He said that he knows Elders from a long time ago and had been great friends and really respected them. He said that he wishes his kids could be like them.
He also said that he heard at least some discussions and had really liked the spirit he felt, but at the end, he said, the doctrine was too different than his church (Catholic) therefore he couldn't believe. I just shared Moroni's promise, made an allusion to the Joseph Smith story and bore my testimony - but the spirit there was very strong - you could tell it was touching his heart - finally he accepted the commitment to read and pray and gave us his number in Mestre for the other Elders there.
I really hope he does it - because he already knows that it's true.
Another small experience before heading to bed. The other night we were doing street through centro and we stopped to get a drink from the fountain - while thus engaged I noticed a woman sitting on a bench reading a book. We were kind of in a hurry and I really didn't want to disturb her because it would have been kind of an uncomfortable situation, but then I stopped and asked myself why I didn't want to offer this lady our message..."because I didn't want to or because God didn't want to?"
That left me with only one choice and I went up and started talking to her. It was a little awkward and it didn't go anywhere, but I learned a good lesson: The comfort zone (as they call it) is NOT the place to be - especially on the mission - because the comfort zone is according to OUR desires and comforts - to do what's right is usually not the most comfortable choice - but we must do it anyway. When we learn to sacrifice our own wants and desires - that's when we start to become divine - more like our Heavenly Father. Our will must change to match that of God.
FINE |
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