Rule 207: Pasqua is the Most Important Holiday!

April 8, 2015

What an amazing week! So much has happened I know I am not going to come close to remembering all the wonderful miracles we have seen this week! 

Well first things first: PASQUA!!!! (or commonly know in America as Easter). What a wonderful Easter/Conference Weekend! They weren't going to show General Conference here at the Bologna church but I convinced them to. We were able to get a less active and an investigator to come watch with us!  I watched some in Italian and some in English! It was cool to be able to watch in Italian and understand everything, but I liked hearing the apostles actual voices. We weren't able to see the last session because it aired too late here in Italy. However I loved every single talk. I could never pick a favorite because they were all wonderful. I loved how a few people talked about Adam and Eve because we have quite a few investigators who don't understand the Fall. We are excited to use these talks with our investigators and less active members.

 

We also had a scambio (exchange) with the Verona sorelle (sisters). I went to Verona with Sorella Marostica. However we got stuck in Bologna for an extra 2 hours because we missed our train... twice! Um so the first time was because we had gone to the wrong binario (umm platform? is that English?). The first time we missed our train we decided to do some finding. We talked to 3 amazing people! One guy for so long we missed our second train. After we missed our second train we helped a nice women take her bags to the bus station. We saw so many miracles in those 2 hours we know we were in the right place, the right city at the right time. This scambio was my absolute favorite. All the lessons and the people really helped me and I felt like I helped them. Can I also say Verona is my favorite city in all of Italy. It was beautiful! And so quiet compared to Bologna!  I rode a bike like a pro! Dad can be proud of me! 

In other great news my companion and I reached President's challenge to teach 21 lessons this week! I love my companion and her work ethic. I know we will see many more miracles this next week. I will try to learn to type faster so I can share them all!!!

LOVE YOU ALL

,

Sorella Dani Hamblin

Rule 203: He Is HERE! Don't Forget It!

April 1, 2015

What a week!  As we were walking to the internet point today I was talking to Sorella Distante and all of a sudden she wasn't there. I turned around and there was a woman talking frantically to my companion. I walked over to where the lady was thanking my companion for the work she was doing. She had such a beautiful testimony of the Savior. She told us that she has a daughter our age and she is lost. We asked if we could meet her daughter and she readily accepted. I know God led this woman to us today and I am thankful for her strong testimony. It strengthened mine. 

We are seeing some really sweet miracles with the Perche Egli Vive (Because He Lives) video, especially with the less active members in our ward. We met a woman that hadn't come to church in over 10 years for the first time last Saturday. She expressed how she felt alone. She said her family, mother and sister, don't talk to her because she doesn't come to church. Her children aren't members and won't come to church with her. She doesn't know the Ward so she is scared to come. We told her we could come with her!  We were able to share the new video with her and we were able to discuss the miraculous love of our Savior. We did not know the theme of the video would be that He is here. I am so thankful for this video. It was perfect for her. She came to church the next day. It was such a spiritual experience. As she grows stronger in this gospel I know she can help her children embrace the gospel as well.

Yesterday we had an appointment with a lady we met on the bus. We knew she had some contact in the past but turns out she was baptized! She's a member and we didn't even know it. She didn't even know it! It was a miracle that we found her because we just decided to talk to her on the bus. I know the Lord led us directly to her because I remember I was sitting by a lady but I had a strong impression to tak to the lady behind me instead. It was Evelyn this wonderful member! The Lord really does guide every single footstep.

I am thankful for all the tender miracles we are seeing here in Bologna. Sorella Distante and I are beginning to see that our work here in Bologna is with the less-actives in this Ward. There are so many. We have 8 that we meet with and we are meeting 3 new ones this weekend. 3 of them came to church on Sunday! I know the Lord doesn't want to lose a single one of His sheep. I strongly believe that it has been a struggle to find progressing investigators here in Bologna because the Lord wants us to focus on the less-active members first. This Ward can be greatly strengthened by these members coming back to church.

Another wonderful miracle this week was an investigator telling us that she does (eventually) want to be baptized. Sorella Distante and I have been inviting everyone! She has some family issues but she knows that this church is true. I am thankful for the power of the Spirit.

I am excited for this Conference Easter Weekend! I love this church. I love the prophet! I love Easter! And I love my Savior! He is here with us. I know this with my whole heart. And I love being a missionary and telling everyone that He lives and He loves us. There is no better thing in the world!

Vi voglio bene,

Sorella Dani Hamblin

Sorella Distante and I on the streets of Bologna

Italian Easter tradition:  Making a cake shaped like a dove...