The Book of Mormon truly invites the spirit into our lives

It's officially August but the work is still going shockingly well in Taranto. In Italy most people leave their cities for a full month and go to the beach. Thanks to the fact that we have a beach in town most of our members and investigators will still be here. Thursday and Friday are going to be fairly dry but I think we are planning on dedicating those days to putting the area book back in order.

Things are going really well for the Ernest family. All three of them were in church on Sunday. I went to primary with Michael Angelo so that his mother could concentrate on Relief Society, and he had an amazing experience. They learned about family home evening, and he and I talked to Sorella Ernest (he needed help explaining the basics because he is four) about making it a part of their daily week, and she is more than willing to do so. Her family is hands down the most important thing to her in the world.

Also I love going to primary so much. It is such a tender mercy that the Lord has allowed me to work with children this much on my mission. My two favorite memories of my mission will forever be when Sebastian in Rome was telling me secrets in his sweet little mix of Italian and Spanish, while eating yogurt, and he ended up getting yogurt all over my hair and face, and when Michael Angelo taught me how to beat box. I have worked with kids for years now, and I have found so much joy in teaching them the gospel, and telling them that they are special to Jesus. I frankly just love children so I go to primary whenever I can find an excuse.

Also we had a really amazing miracle this week. We challenged the Bonvisuto family to start praying for missionary opportunities when I was with Sorella Knight, and I'm assuming that they did (Our appointment to follow up is on Wednesday) because when I got back from my scambi (exchanges) their niece was in church.

We saw Martin this week and we had a really interesting experience. I have been teaching him (my companionship) for over a month now, and in that time, he has changed so much. When I first met him he did so much to lash out for attention (he has had a really rough life). He would say things that were mean, or strange just to get us to react, and then he started reading the Book of Mormon. He finished the whole thing in one month, and during that month he changed so much. He wanted to be around the missionaries all the time. He was constantly researching the church online. He stopped being hateful and started being kind. He stopped doing and saying things for attention. He radiated with the light of Christ. When we saw him this week, all of that was gone. He had completely regressed back to his old self. After we talked for a little bit, we brought up the Book of Mormon, and he said that "when he read it he was so happy, and he felt addicted to the church, and as soon as he finished it he wanted to read it again and again, but he didn't and all of those feelings went away, and that God didn't answer his prayers anymore" so we talked about how important reading the scriptures were and read a few verses together, and by the time we were done he was more calm, and peaceful. It was a huge example of how important it is to read the Book of Mormon, how it truly invites the spirit into our lives.