*The full Monty Python movie quote from which this week's title un-apostately derives will be found at the bottom of this email. Thanks mom, for keeping me connected to the real world*
Well folks it's been an amazing week. A week of being eaten alive by mosquitos. A week of amazing miracles. A week of being so exhausted by the end of the day that you literally flop onto the couch and listen to beauty and the beast, because you're too tired to get ready for bed. Just another week in the life of a missionary😂🤷🏼♀️ ALSO!! The church just put out an amazing new video for Easter!! Go look at it🤗---> https://www.mormon.org/?player=bc
Ok, so last Thursday we had a combined District meeting, followed by a couple appointments with members and less-actives. Super cool though- on our bus ride back to the station, we were sitting across from this lady named Maria (classic), reading a play script. Arndt and I were instantly intrigued, and started asking this lady what was up lol. Maria told us about how she was the lead in this big play, and even said she could score us some tickets for it in May🎭 Then she started asking us questions about why we were living in Firenze, and the convo took off from there! It was pretty awesome, and we exchanged numbers and gave her a Book of Mormon.
THEN
We got off the bus for our appointment, and saw she got off in the same area. Well we finished up at our appointment and felt prompted to call Maria. Well, the spirit is real folks because 10 minutes later we were sitting by the Arno river teaching Maria about the restoration. It was by far one of the coolest lessons. I don't think I've ever met someone more ready for the gospel. The whole lesson just flowed so naturally, and the spirit was so strong. The mosquitos were also strong, but we won't get into that. Anyways, we have another appointment with her this weekend, so yay💕
Thursday evening-Friday evening, we had scambio (exchanges) with the Sorelle from Prato! I was with the amazing Sorella Tullis! Seriously such a fun and hardworking missionary, it was such a blast🌈 We had an appointment with my favorite RM Jan whilst eating Chinese food. Just some advice: eels taste like they look🤢 haha it was awesome though! Jan constantly inspires me! We also had correlation and some other passbys, during which we showed the NEW EASTER VIDEO at https://www.mormon.org/?player=bc 😉 That night after the Prato Sorelle left, we had an appointment with the Larrain family. The father of that family passed away a little over a month ago, so we've been trying to help them out. We decided to make them an American dinner lol. Sorella Arndt and I realized we shared the childhood favorite of poppyseed chicken, so we scored some ingredients from th American base up north and made it for the family! Haha it was pretty much the best night ever! Sorella Larrain was in love😂😂😂 she's one of my favorite people I've met here in Italy!
Saturday started off with interviews with Presidente Allen! It's always so amazing when we get to see him and Sorella Allen❤ then Saturday-Sunday was GENERAL CONFERENCE🌷☔️🌱 Even before the mission, general conference has always be right up there with movie marathons and midnight showings for me! I just love it, and this past weekend was no exception! These leaders are so inspired, and the messages shared were truly from God. If you didn't get the chance to view it this past weekend, I'd def suggest you head on over to lds.org and give it a gander. And hey! While you're there, you may as well check out https://www.mormon.org/?player=bc Best of all, some of our investigators came to general conference!!! It was so awesome! There's also a guy in the ward who is both blind and deaf, and he came to the conference. At first I was like "lol but why", but there's this pro lady in the ward who learned Italian sign language from him. So she signed the entire conference into the palm of his hand. I was so blown away by both of their dedication and genuine desire to be there for conference! And it was beautiful to look over at them from time to time and see the tears streaming down his face. It was evident that he miraculously understood the words of the prophets thanks to this member, but more than that, he felt the spirit that was there. So cool. Also, yay me for being able to understand all of conference in Italian #miracles
Monday we started planning a special exhibition we will be doing Easter weekend! Buuut it's a secret, so stay tuned😏 (and in the meantime, feel free to check out the new Easter video https://www.mormon.org/?player=bc .) We met with a super old less active lady, and she made us random fried dessert things that were obviously unhealthy, and thus delicious. The diabetic nightmare was the closest thing I've had to a donut since America. Ahhh. We also visited these two German sisters who literally kill me😂😂 so basically just another awesome day!
Yesterday was full of random appointments, meetings, and getting beard-baccied on the bus. Yes, I'm talking full-on kissed on the cheek by a bearded lady😂 ah well, she was super nice and loved the video on https://www.mormon.org/?player=bc 😉
TODAY we went to the fairytale city of Siena! It was absolutely beautiful! Plus we went down a random little street and found a studio where we found ANTONELLO! Coolest guy ever! Literally a piano master and photography master! We accidentally spend almost two hours just chilling with him and these two students from the university of Siena. Antonello told us all about his insane life! We talked about God, listened to him play the piano, and just had the coolest experience ever! Plus he took some professional photos of us and the university couple all together, so go scope that out on Facebook lol. If you'd told me a year ago that I'd casually go to Siena one Wednesday and casually spend a couple hours with complete strangers and just have cool lil experiences all day long, I probs would've laughed at you. And yet, here we are🙃
So cool thing. The awesome Easter video (yes yes, the one found here ---> https://www.mormon.org/?player=bc talks a lot about the various things the Savior did and was. At the end, there are three names used. There are conveniently 3 emails (including this one) leading up to Easter. I think you all see where I'm going with this.
1- King of Kings
Christ was and is the perfect King, and unlike the scenario in that classic Monty Python film, we DID vote for Him, lol. I finished John in the New Testament the other day, and basically my mind is constantly blown with all the amazing things Christ did. My dad mentioned something the other day about how all would be well if we just had Christ here as our leader, and it's true! Political leaders and other leaders are imperfect, and many are faaaaar from the mark. The Savior, however, was the perfect example of what a leader should be. He's the perfect balance of justice and mercy. He's knowledgeable but compassionate. He's selfless and serving, though He acknowledges His divine role as the literal Son of God. And I guess that's the good thing, is He is our King! Yeah, maybe he's not the physical leader of our country or state or school or whatever right now. He is still, however, our King. In the Bible, you can read about how He healed, performed miracles, forgave sins, and showed charity. Although He isn't physically here right now, He still fulfills these same roles in our lives. Through accepting Him as our King, we open up the ability to use His Atonement to heal us and comfort us, and lead us throughout life. Spiritually, He is our King. That much is certain. And one day, He will return to physically be our King. And that is worth celebrating.
xoxo
Sorella Smedley☔️
PS: I love the apostle John. He is my absolute favorite! Lol he just knows so much, and you know he was just chilling on the island in exile being super sassy as he wrote his books lol. Lil savage decided to end his gospel with this bad boy: John 21:25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.
PPS: The Monty Python quote, as promised:
Arthur: I am your king!
Woman: Well I didn't vote for you!
Arthur: You don't vote for kings.
Woman: Well how'd you become king then?
Angelic music plays...
Arthur: The Lady of the Lake, her arm clad in the purest shimmering silmite held aloft Excalibur from He bosom of the water, signifying by divine providence that I, Arthur, was to carry Excalibur. THAT is why I am your king!
Dennis interrupting: Listen, strange women lyin' in ponds distributin' swords is no basis for a system of government! Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony!
PPPS: just in case you haven't already https://www.mormon.org/?player=bc https://www.mormon.org/?player=bc https://www.mormon.org/?player=bc https://www.mormon.org/?player=bc https://www.mormon.org/?player=bc
1- American meal with Sorella Lorraine 2-5 Pday in Siena! 6&7 Antonello!
8-18 More of beautiful Siena
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