domenica 23 settembre 2007

28 June 2007 -- My mission call

This glorious and wonderful moment has arrived! Since I joined the church, the desire to serve a mission has always been deep inside me! I often showed this perfect desire to my Heavenly Father in my prayers but I needed to know what was His will about it! After years, I came to understand how was so important to become humble and to know that even though we desire something from all our heart and strenght, we need to feel what it the Lord's plan for us and follow it ! !
In the 2003 I received my Patriarchal Blessing which said clearly that I would have served a mission for the LDS church .... That was a moving moment for me when I heard those words from the Patriarch, as I desired in my heart to listen to a mission according to God's will!
In the January 2006 I talked to my mom about my desire to serve a mission with the real intent to serve it!
After to have spoken with my ex Stake President concerning the opportunity to serve a mission, I began to hope more .. Our goal was of being able to fill out my mission papers in August 2006 ..
As a miracle I had the wonderful possibility to go to the Swiss Temple with my Stake!
That week has served me to receive my answers about my mission! As I was searching for clearer answers from Heavenly Father, through His spirit and through good people, I felt a precious spirit inside me in His Holy House that my tears were there on my face ... That has been a unforgettable experience in my life!
One month later my bishop gave me my mission papers !! I can't describe so well all the feelings and miracles I have seen during my mission preparation and how the Lord was ready to give me His blessing through my faith and obedience ... My family has been so patient and accepted this plan, thanks to the Lord ... I had to face many trials, but they were there to make me grow and increase my trust in God! On January 2007 my documents were ready, but they have been sent 3 months later! They were sent to the Area Building in Solihull, England! Thanks to a dear friend who works there, I was able to hear from him often and to know if my documents would be arrived to the area ...
My friend informed me that the papers had not arrived and that Elder Johnson ( President Area) had also been informed of the problem! After a month and half, we did not have information of my mission papers and they were problably lost! I had a difficult time about it, many thoughts could come but I had to be patient and wait!
The Stake President received a calling from England and at the end of May he sent a copy of the documents to England by fax ...
On June my mission call arrived!

My mom had it in her hand when she opened my door beside my father!
When I saw the mission call, I could not believe that it had arrived ... My heart was anxious and I was moved on the floor with the mission call among my arms!
I opened it and fastly I was anxious to know where the Lord would have called me to serve!
I searched on the paper and my eyes read : Italy Milan Mission ...
I was surprised to have read Milan, but when I saw my Mission President's picture and his wife, I felt a spirit inside me ... I felt that He was my President!
Since that time, I have always thought about Milan, about my mission!! I keep this gift like in a precious drawer, waiting to open it! My Mtc Entry date is on October 3rd at the Spain Missionary Training Center, in Madrid! I went to the temple to make my covenants last August 2007 .... I love my covenants, I love the sacred ordinances! I received love from the members of the church while I was at the Temple, my Savior's love! I have seen how my life has changed, I thought how my life has improved thanks to the Lord Jesus Christ and how my old life without the gospel has been a momentary but not a good memory of my life because I was in the world not really knowing as I know now thanks to the church!

I wish to bear my testimony and thoughts:
I know that God lives! I know that He has looked beyond my eyes concerning the place to serve and my whole life ... I appreciated what my family did to me and how the Lord has worked with them during the years trying to accept my new life in the Lds church! I loved the last moments we shared together and all the things I have received from them and from my Heavenly Father !! I love the Italy Milan Mission!
I know that Jesus Christ has saved us from sin, He was in the Gethsemani to save all the mankind with a perfect Atonment so that we could repent and be forgiven! I know that the Church has been restored in this last dispensation through the prophet Joseph Smith and that Gordon B. Hinckley is the living prophet! The Book of Mormon was written for us, through Holy prophets and by inspiration! This church, is a church of salvation, the Church of Jesus Christ! My goal is to overcome my weaknesses and to obtain eternal life if I am able to receive it! That is my greatest desire after this life, to come back with honor to my Heavenly Father, to hug him again and leave Him no more! My purpose in going on a mission is to invite the people to come to Christ though the faith in Him, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end, giving love to the children of God! I have seen a better life when I joyned the church, as choose to repent and follow Christ! The Lord loves us, He has a plan for us! May this strong testimony be living and never desappear... As Alma says we need to nourish our tree! We need to strive to nourish ourselves though the scriptures and keeping the commandments, always! We are on this earth to learn from our mistakes and make experience, but as I saw in my own life, when I can see someone to change life, I feel joy because that person is trying to become Christlike ... I would share many thoughts, but I am glad for many things in my life, since I baptized! I love the missionaries who have served a mission in Catania, all the Elders and Sisters I met! They have been a family during my conversion and an instrument in my life! I love them! My days are passing and I have few days to spend with my family from now, in these occasions you realize how many things are important to you and how you will miss them more, but I also wish to know how my life will change during the 18 months, how my family will be blessed and how the people of the Milan mission can come to Christ! This is my prayer in the name of Jesus, the Son of God! Amen