what a week, honestly, a mission or life in general couldnt be as bad as it was for me this week, but, "it will all work out" (thanks mom for that quote, it helped me a ton this week, i got it just at the right time)


okay, friday, we were supposed to go up to Foligno again to see our Nigerians, Godstime, Joy, and Ernest. Before we left to go to the trainstation, me and my companion were teaching another investigator at the church. Anyways, we finished this lesson and we had to go to the station quick. Right before we left, my companion had to use the bathroom, i told him to wait til we got to the train because he could just go there, but, it was like talking to a door. So, we missed the train by 5 seconds, literaaly. Then we got on the next train after reorganizing the appointments but to our surprise, we got on the wrong train, and we couldnt get off, long story short, we were on a train for 3 hours, so we missed all of our appointments with the Nigerians. Saturday we went back up to Foligno to meet them, this time we caught the train but when we got there, our investigators couldnt meet with us for some reason, we didnt know. So, we wasted our money again going up to Foligno and back for no reason. We called Godstime that night and asked him about church the next day and he said he couldnt come, i was devistated, it was not what i wanted to hear, but, i understand why he couldnt come, we had stake conference in rome, so its a 3 hour train ride for him and he doesnt have enough money. Then sunday, we get up in the mornig and after shower and food we went to the station again to head up to rome for stake conference... needless to say, we missed the train, im not going to point fingers... so we had to get on a really expensive train that goes really quick and we got to rome and we went to the stake center, but when we got there, no one was there, so we called the APs and they said that it was at a hotel. We got to the hotel for the closing prayer, so unfortunately, we missed conference. We went back to Terni that night and slept. Monday came and i wanted to fast becasue we had absolutely nothing going for us, so i did that, and all day monday we did finding work and i was beat, so tired and sore for walking and knocking doors. Then Tuesday came and we went up to Foligno, unfortunately we couldnt get ahold of any of the Nigerians, and i was not happy, it got me so upset becasue Godstime was supposed to be baptised and they were all making such good progress. So, again, we went up to Foligno and back to Terni in "vain", with no contact with our investigators. Tuesday night, i was hurting bad for these people, i love them so much and i couldnt even talk to them...

Then wednesday came, the District leader came down this morning and we went to the waterfall again (he cam down to do the interview for Godstime's baptism, but the problem is, we couldnt get ahold of godstime), so after we got back from the waterfall, and after having called Godstime twice today, we finally got a phone call from him, he was in Terni and he wanted to talk to us. So, me and Anziano Tinoco (he's from peru, doesnt speak much english, and godstime only speaks english, but hes the DLs companion, we're the same age in the mission) we did exchanges and we went to teach Godstime the commandments becasue he needed them so he could do the interview that same day. So we were at the church waiting for him for about an hour then he finally showed up, and he was a mess. We went into a room and started talking. He told us that the last few days hes been in jail, the police took him becasue he doesnt have his documents yet, hes getting them, but he doesnt have them yet. He asked us why all these bad things are happening to him and why god is forsaking him. He told us that he's always had so much faith in christ and he know is loosing it becasue he isnt receiving the blessings. He told us when he was in Nigeria, he worked as an usher in a church and one day, someone came and poisoned a lady in the church and she died, and someone accused Godstime for doing it, when he really didnt, so he was put in jail. But, he knew he was honest and he didnt do anything wrong, so he prayed to God and he escaped from prison and with about 250 other nigerians, he came to italy, on the way, over 100 of them died, he said why is this happening to me, why isnt God blessing me, i dont want to be baptised...

This was one of the most powerful lessons i've ever been in, God really filled my and Anziano Tinocos mouths with what to say. So i first told him many things, and that God loves him, that he's his son and he loves him. Also that Satan knows him, and Satan is doing all that he can becasue he knows how much this will change his life, he is doing as much as he can to prevent you from being baptised. But God loves you Godstime, and he knows how much this baptism will change your life. He started crying, the spirit was strong and it was a powerful moment. I cannot honestly write how it went, it was completely guided by the spirit, and God worked through us and God really truly spoke to Godstime, and he gave him comfort. At the end, we promised him many blessings, many blessings! And that all would be alright, if he puts God first. As i was telling him how satan doesnt want this and how God does, he repeated everything that i said, it was incredible. He has a testimony of this church. We asked him to be baptised, he said he wants to be baptised, i cant describe how happy i was, i love this guy so much, and as he was telling me these things and how he was suffering, it hurt me, so bad. But, he had his interview and he needs to learn a few things becuase he didnt understand some things, so we will meet with him tomorrow and go over some of these things.

You gotta love the people!

Im not sure when he will be baptised, this week or next or the next, but, he will be baptised. He's elect. God has spared his life for a reason, we have met Godstime for a reason.

What a week, the mission is quite the experience, really high highs, really low lows.

(we talked to Godstime for about 2 hours, it really was something special and something i wont ever forget. The church is True, i know it.