Miracles

(Anziano Wilkinson)

This week was a very successful one for us! We had some great lessons and I continue to meet more great people everyday. One of our lessons was with a man named Gabriele, who is absolutely amazing. We teach him in English because he speaks perfect English (He translates/makes RPG board games from English to Italian for a living, way cool if you ask me!)

Gabriele has been an investigator for a good bit of time, but he is starting to make progress again. He is reading the Book of Mormon with greater depth than most members (and amazingly doing it in English, not his native language). He brought up a really good question in our lesson about miracles. He told us about how often in the news and in traditional Catholicism there are miracles like crying Mother Mary statues and other somewhat odd claims. He seemed rightfully skeptical and asked us if we believe in miracles.

We explained that we do believe in miracles, but to illustrate the kind of miracles we believe in, we had Anziano Brown share a miracle story that had happened to his family only two days earlier. Anziano Brown explained that his family has never had much money and also that he  as a brother who is severely mentally handicapped. His dad co-owns  a charity (basically it's a Free Store) which helps people get up on their  eet again. A few years back this charity helped a woman who was in dire need. This woman recently won a lawsuit for a huge sum of money. Her first move was to find this charity that helped her out and give back. Catching wind that the Brown family was in need of a new house, she offered to have one built, specialized to accommodate Anziano Brown's special need bother.

This miracle story brought the spirit very strongly and we could not help but bear our testimonies to Gabriele that God does indeed love us and answers prayers. Know that our Heavenly Father is watching over us and is always there for us in our times of need. I know that he answers prayers, whether it be through grand miracles like the one that happened to the Brown family or little ones when we need them. Miracles are real. And as long as Heavenly Father lives that will always be true!

Have a great week everyone! Be a miracle for someone this week!

(On a side note, I had the best burger I've ever had in my life in a small burger shop in downtown Livorno; I feel like I'm betraying America by saying that, but I'll just defend myself by saying, Italy really knows how to do food!)

-Anziano Jake Wilkinson