March 13, 2013 Update

As the flood continues to run down the streets, I'm sitting happy and dry in our local internet spot. We've had a bit of a cold spell. A fashion tip from Italy: The eight foot long scarves are not just for fashion. Wrapping it around 3...4...5 times makes them really warm. For space, I had to leave mind at Rome 1 when I moved, but it was nice to have for the worst of the winter.

 

Living in Italy, patience comes in a special sort of way. If comes in seeing the slow progress daily. Noticing the small miracles manifesting the hand of the Lord. Work comes, and work goes, like no one suddenly answering your phone calls... Yet we keep smiling, singing, working and hoping.

 

I can't say how much I love our morning study. When we have to skip it for travelling, etc, it feels like I have lost my powerboost for the day and I catch whatever I can on whichever metro or bus we take. This week, I had an epiphany. In Matthew, the Pharisees judge the apostles because they begin to harvest corn and eat it on the Sabbath day. Christ response said simply that if they understood that the phrase: "He desires mercy more than sacrifice" (something like that) then they would not judge those without fault. In looking further, the Savior was refering to Hosea 6:6 "For I desired mercy, not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings." In the original Hebrew, mercy was denoted as kindess or charity. I know that we have rules and laws. Yet in the same section, the Lord declared himself to be the Lord of the Sabbath. His followers were hungrey and so he allowed them to eat. This needs to be taken with a grain of salt, but as I have gone through the mission, I have learned that we as missionaries are not here to fulfill the rules. In considering the spirit of the law, they are here to protect and bless the missionaries and those who they serve. Yet we are also given the spirit to know how to apply them. There are moments that it is wiser to apply charity and kindness that throwing the book at one in need.

 

This past week, we met Mario. He has lost four members of his family in the past eight year. Coming from Sardenia, it's an adventure with his dialect, yet he has felt touched in our lessons and we look forward to continue teaching him. He is one from whom I have learned we all need someone to just listen.

 

Well, I love Italy, I love my crazy, amazing, wonderful companion - S.lla Caramia, and family, I love each of you.

 

Un baccione!

 

Sorella Lovell

 

 

P.S. I heard from my Grandma that she has been asked to sing at the Relief Society dinner in her ward in the small Lost River Valley, Idaho. It's a small world, because I have been asked to sing this weekend at the Stake Relief Society birthday celebration for the Rome Stake. I got it all from her. What can I say, I have great "genes". :) Good luck Grandma, I sure that you will be lovely. Give a hug to Grandpa and Rachelle for me.