Here is a pictured of all the kids who come to English class each week. None of them are members except the girl in the orange scarf. She is a member of our ward and she teaches the beginning class. Paul and I teach the intermediate class and have 4-6 students each week. Each of the kids are really sharp and would make such good members of the church. They stay for an hour of English class which starts with a prayer and ends with a short gospel principle as well as a closing prayer. I Bring cookies which they all seem to enjoy and which they eat afterwards. Then many of them stay to play ping pong and or fussball out in the garage of the church.
Today was another very busy day. I cleaned the church for 3 hours this morning. Our workers have finished with painting and repairs and so the floors needed mopping and everything had a fine coat of gesu (chalk) dust on it. There is still lots more to do tomorrow, but I got a good start on it.
This afternoon Paul and I went to visit a lady in a nearby town, named Christine. She is about my age I guess. Her husband is not a member. Her son use to be the branch president maybe 12 years ago, but he has moved north. She said she didn't come to church anymore because she helps take care of her mother who has Alzheimer's. Although her mother does not live with her. I mostly just sat and listened to a sister (we brought with us from the branch who wanted to visit Christine) and her talk. Paul asked her if she would like him to give a blessing to her mother. She agreed. We all went out into the pouring rain and drove five minutes to her moms apartment. We met her sister and her uncle who were there taking care of the mother who was sound a sleep. They kept trying to wake her up and tell her that the president had come to see her. Her mother wouldn't wake up. After about ten minutes they finally got the mother to wake up, but she didn't really acknowledge anyone or say anything. After another ten minutes Christine asked her mother if she would like a blessing from the
President. (The Italians love to call people by their titles and the Branch president is pretty important to them.) the mother didn't say anything, so they took that for a yes she would like a blessing. I had been feeling not that interested in Christine or her mother or sister up until this moment. The sisters were all talking fast and I couldn't understand hardly anything of what was going on.So I was just sitting there trying to be patient. We had another sister we were suppose to visit afterwards and it looked like we were going to be late for our appointment with her. Paul asked Christine if she would offer a prayer before he gave a blessing to her mom. Something incredible happened to me as I heard her pray. Even though I could not understand her words, the Holy Ghost filled my heart so full that I thought it was going to. Burst. Tears started running down my face so hard that I was almost sobbing. After the prayer, her sister went out of the room and came back to hand me a Kleenex. Paul then gave her mother a blessing, which was very spirit filled. Ad then Christine started talking about how she felt the spirit so strong and she came over to me and just hugged me a d hugged me and said that I felt it too. I don't think that I can describe how strong the spirit was in that room. It shouldn't amaze me but it does. I went from feeling kind of restless and impatient to being overpowered with the spirit.
As we left, the sister went to th other room and brought me out a lovely black coat that she wanted to give to me. Ad Christine told me three times that she would see me on Sunday at church. .
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