September 28th Email

Dear Fam,

We had a pretty great week! =)... <--- wow... I can't seem to grasp the concept that I am actually my own person, and that my companion is not me, so naturally I refer to myself as "we" all the time! It's so sad! lol. Anyway, We had a zone conference with Elder Stanley G. Ellis! It was amazing! We had a few trainings from president and sister kunz and Elder and Sister Ellis! I learned so much! I really learned a lot about how God knows what we need. He really focused on the statement "God knows." He really does. We have been struggling to find lately. The few appointments we have been able to set up all seem to fall through and we have had a few door slamming experiences. That's a dreaded position to be in as a missionary, and this area has been in finding mode for quite some time now, but one thing that Elder Ellis said that really helped me was this: "Heavenly Father knows. You are supposed to be in your areas because Heavenly Father was there before you were, preparing the people for you to bring them the gospel." That was a really cool thing to hear. I've been having a lot of personal studies lately that have to do with the same thing, and I've been able to be really chill throughout this whole finding process. Of course it's stressful, and I don't nessecarily like being in finding mode, but Heavenly Father has helped me to be able to be patient. I know it's all going to be fine. All I can do is all I can do. As long as I'm obedient and trying every option there is to find more elect people to teach, I can know that at least I have done that much. So if we never find anyone (even though I know we will) I can know that it just wasn't time yet. BUT, it's going to be fine! We actually had a really great lesson with a woman named Clarise! She's from Benin and she speaks french! Cool, huh?

The trail center has been lots of fun! The other day I was actually feeling a little lazy, and when my first tour came in the door, I was less than excited to get up and greet them. There were about 6 of them, and one woman started speaking French to me. I was mildly confused, and then she looked at my name tag and said, "oh Italiana!"... So naturally I was even more confused. Then a tall man in the back spoke english and said they were all his relatives from france who were visiting him in Omaha, and they wanted to take a tour. So I perked up, and lead them to the Theater so they could watch the pioneer movie before the tour. As they watched the movie, I prayerfully brainstormed what sort of approach I wanted to take with them (usually, everyone who comes in needs SOMETHING, so we try to meet their spiritual needs). I decided that before we began the tour I was going to sing them a song in french from back in the day. I walked in and told them what I was going to do, and to excuse my lack of french speaking abilities. I sang to them, and afterwards they were all crying! Hopefully it was the spirit... if not, French people are just really emotional. So we went on our tour, and their relative was translating for them. The spirit was really strong the whole time. Many times the translater had to pause before translating, because he was choked up. Many times I would look in their eyes and see tears. There is a part of the tour where we talk about William Clayton, who wrote "Come, Come Ye Saints," and we always either sing it, or have them sing it with us. I sang it, and then after I did, one of the men began singing it in French, and they all joined in. By this point I had tears in MY eyes. The whole tour was just great. Every now and then you get a tour that you don't want to leave. This was one of those tours.

Yesterday The Spanish Elders brought a huge group in for a tour and the Joseph Smith movie. A couple from the group asked if it would be okay to just have a tour for all the kids while the adults went with a spanish speaking Senior Elder. I took them (all 10 of them). It was great! They were so reverent and had so many wonderful things to say. I asked them what a missionary was and one little boy answered and said, "Someone who comes over for supper?".... yes, that basically defines any missionary in a child's eyes.

I've been thinking lately about how organized Heavenly Father is. It's cool to think about the Great Apostasy and how all of those other churches were branched out after. Although the full truth was lost, and the authority was gone, Heavenly Father still prepared the way for it to come back by allowing all of the other churches to be formed. That provided the way for religious freedom, which was absolutely vital for the restoration. Pretty cool. I just think that's neat.

Anyway, It was a pretty neat week for me! Things seem to be looking up in Ralston Lavista so that's exciting! and I ABSOLUTELY love Sister Stanger! She's just great. She's really sweet and HILARIOUS.

I love you family, keep me posted on life!

Sister Bonelli