May 21, 2013

Things are going well here in Nauvoo! I cannot believe this 6-week transfer is already over on Thursday. This transfer went by sooooo fast. It felt like a week. I am so behind in my journal. Probably a month behind. ! ah! Yesterday in the VC (visitor's center) it was very busy. Almost the entire time we had someone to talk with. It was so great! I had some really great experiences.

 

 

We have a 12 Apostles display and I watched a young boy go over to it and start listening to the testimonies. I walked up to him and said, "Did you find the best one yet?" "No." he shook his head. "Do you know who these guys are?" "No..." "Do you know who Jesus is?" "Yes." I realized that this boy,  was not a member. He also had some sort of socially challenged disability. He wouldn't look me in the eye almost at all. I talked to him about how when Christ was on the earth, He had 12 men follow Him around. They would help teach, they would heal people and that is who these guys are today. I said, "Do you see that statue over there? That is Joseph Smith. He was 14 and he saw Jesus and Heavenly Father. How old are you?" He perked up at this, "Almost 12!" "Could you imagine in 2 years seeing Jesus and God?" "Yeah!" That was so sweet. I talked to him for quite a bit longer and he was smiling happy. I showed him on the map that he could go to the blacksmith and he could go on the carriage ride. So sweet. His grandmother came up to me after and said, "He is very shy. I've never seen him talk and open up to anyone like that before."

It was a neat experience.

 

So there was a "tornado watch" here the other day. We were driving back to Nauvoo from Carthage and we were right in the thick of the storm. We had no idea until later that it was one of the dangerous areas. It was pretty scary. We were in 10 minutes of severe pounding hail attacks and pouring rain. Literally. This rain is not like anything I've ever seen. Utah can't even SPELL rain after seeing this Illinois rain. We were driving slowly while the windshield wipers were going crazy fast; and we could still hardly see. There was thunder and lightening all around us. Literally right in front of the van. One crack was so loud that a sister screamed. I grabbed onto my companion until we were safe. One of the sisters prayed for safety and I know that is what brought us through.

 

-Sister Zibetti

 

Pictures:

1. Our turtle friend that Sister Richardson and I found by the VC. His name is Borris of course

 

 

 

2.  This car might have gone through the car wash with the rug on it's back haha! had to get a picture