Kaere Venner - Part 2

What a sweet sweet day!  I want to remember this day always.

Monia (my friend from Italy, whom I met in our Danish class last year) came for the third time to cook for us at the center.  She came two weeks ago and made lasagne, and was there also in November preparing lasagne for us.

She is such a nice person.....I have just loved getting to know her.  She told me last month that she is ready for changes to occur in her life.  She is returning to Italy after living away from it for at least ten years...maybe even 20.  She is making changes in career, in country and has left the church she has been attending.

She came tonight and made stuffed peppers (she told me what it is in Italian and it sounded much prettier than stuffed peppers, but I can't remember what it was and I couldn't spell it if I could remember!).  They were so easy....and so good.

We cut the peppers in half and scooped out the seeds.  She beat up eggs, added a ton of salt and pepper, raw bacon and parmesan cheese.  She baked them at 400 degrees for a half hour or a little more and they were awesome!  She tossed a green salad together with Italian Seasoning and Olive Oil, we sliced some bread and voila!  a magnificent meal.

Isn't she pretty?

 

We had no idea how many would be there since it is a holiday...an unapologetic Christian holiday....Ascension Day.  I am not sure anyone actually celebrates the day Christ ascended, but everything is closed, so everyone gets a holiday.  We ended up with maybe 20, which is quite a bit lower than usual, but it was a good group and I enjoy being with them.

I taught the lesson, so as soon as the meal was over I started the clean-up in the kitchen and Monia helped me.  The Spirit whispered, so I sat down with her and told her how much I love the Book of Mormon and why it is precious to me.  I gave her an Italian copy of it with a letter inside with my testimony.

She smiled and then she held it close to her and thanked me with genuine appreciation.  She exclaimed, "I will read it!"  I was so happy that she reacted that way.  She has become a valued friend and I wanted to share it with her.  She was raised in the Catholic church but hasn't believed in Jesus Christ.  She left after dinner.

Please pray that she will read it and feel the power in her life of its messages.

Everyone was great in participating in the lesson and then we had a chocolate cinnamon cake....it was the first time I had made it and it wasn't bad....but it wasn't wonderful.

One by one, YSAs said goodbye and left for home or other places.  At 10:00 SK and I found ourselves alone!  We had a lot of cleaning up to do, but we were amazed it was so early.  We washed up all the dishes and vacuumed, cleaned the bathroom and swept.

Just as we were getting ready to leave, a young man came rushing in to get something he had forgotten.  He and I began talking about various things, and before we knew it an hour had elapsed.  He has been home from his mission for several months and is negotiating his way through education, ward and family responsibilities and some challenges to his faith.

He is good and he is very wise and he is close to the Lord.  He thinks deeply.  The time I spent with him was choice, and inspired me.  I wish I could wave a magic wand and make life easier.  But as I listened to him, I realized that his searching for answers and his faith are contributing to his strength.
I am so glad that I had that time with him and Monia tonight.  My faith is strengthened by their goodness.  And I can see with both of them, how the Lord answers prayers.

It reinforces to me how much the Lord loves His children.