Pompeii!

Hi guys!!

I am glad that the fair went well! Colten and Trayser look so good! And good job Colten for doing well!! :) (also I will be expecting a reply to my letter! Mom told me that you got it! :) Also thank you to Allison Kimball for the sweet note! It made my day to see some mail :)

So things in my neck of the woods!

Monday was zone conference!

Tuesday we did P-day in Pompeii. Super cool! It is pretty much a city that was destroyed...but not destroyed. So there was a volcano that exploded nearby....and the ashes pretty much suffocated everyone. So the city is still intact, but it was left abandoned! But we were a little bit sad when we walked by an "ancient column" and we looked closely and saw a piece of modern steel inside holding it up.....disappointing!

Pompeii

Wednesday we traveled home. Right when we got home we took some members with us and visited N___ and C____.

Friday we went to Maria's to clean her house! We gave her a call when we were in Napoli and she was just soooo sad that she hadn't seen us all week! So Thursday we went by to see her and she was telling us about how she stayed up all night to clean the tent (?) over her balcony...because it had too much bird poop on it! This 80 year old woman was scrubbing this tent(?) until midnight! So we told her that we would come and clean her house. So Friday morning we went over and cleaned and she made us lunch! She was so excited that she had someone to cook for! We stayed with her all morning and watched general conference together. We showed her the women's session...and you know how this year they did it all together....well there was a part when the camera went out into the audience and she said "Mamma Mia! They are all modest! They aren't just wearing their bras and underwear! They are all covered up!" Then she went off for about 30 minutes about modesty....hahaha she loved it!

Saturday morning we had this other sweet lady make us a whole meal and bring it to our house! Man these Italians spoil us too much! 

All of our food that people has given us! Carmella made us homemade pasta! :) yumm!!

Then in the evening we went with a few members to see N___ and C___. It went really well!

Sunday was really good! The meetings were nice. N___ and C___ came to church, so we were busy rounding up all of the kids during sacrament meeting! 

I look terrible! I know...but with N___ and C____

After church we went and ate lunch with some members. And they have an x missionary visiting this weekend with his wife! Americans?! what!?

Then in the afternoon we met this amazing guy! His son died in a car accident a year ago and he is having a really hard time! He even told us that last night he tried to overdose. It definitely wasn't a coincidence that we ran into him! We have an appointment with him tonight! I hope it goes well!

Today we are going out with the Americans to do P-day! Yay!

This week I have been thinking a lot about Charity and the power of Love. A lot of times we see problems or we have drama with people....and most of the time it is legit! Someone really did do something wrong, or someone really did get offended. And I think a lot of times our first reaction is...justice! Well they deserve to have the silent treatment! Or like we say in Italian....we need to break their boxes.

I quote Elder Holland

"In the midst of a grand vision of humankind which heaven opened to his view, Enoch, observing both the blessings and challenges of mortality, turns his gaze toward the Father and is stunned to see Him weeping. He says in wonder and amazement to this most powerful Being in the universe: “How is it that thou canst weep? … Thou art just [and] merciful and kind forever; … Peace … is the habitation of thy throne; and mercy shall go before thy face and have no end; how is it thou canst weep?”

Looking out on the events of almost any day, God replies: “Behold these thy brethren; they are the workmanship of mine own hands. … I gave unto them … [a] commandment, that they should love one another, and that they should choose me, their Father; but behold, they are without affection, and they hate their own blood. … Wherefore should not the heavens weep, seeing these shall suffer?”

That single, riveting scene does more to teach the true nature of God than any theological treatise could ever convey. It also helps us understand much more emphatically that vivid moment in the Book of Mormon allegory of the olive tree, when after digging and dunging, watering and weeding, trimming, pruning, transplanting, and grafting, the great Lord of the vineyard throws down his spade and his pruning shears and weeps, crying out to any who would listen, “What could I have done more for my vineyard?”

What an indelible image of God’s engagement in our lives! What anguish in a parent when His children do not choose Him nor “the gospel of God” He sent! How easy to love someone who so singularly loves us!"

How sad it makes God when he sees us fighting and having contention. I can only imagine the heartache that it gives him seeing us break the first and great commandment:

Matthew 22:

37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Something that I have learned here in Italy is CHARITY NEVER FAILETH. God will take care of the justice. But it is our job to have mercy and love. No matter what.

So....to conclude this weekly email....

I LOVE YOU ALL!! To the end of the world and back!!
Sorella Wiltbank

I am going to miss this kinda stuff!