About two weeks before quarantine began, we were walking home after our appointment had been cancelled. We stopped a women on the street in an effort to try to find some kind of success that evening. We quickly learned that she was an atheist and not acquainted at all with religion, God, or Jesus Christ. We taught her a quick lesson right there but could only give her a pass along card because she wouldn't except anything else. She said she would call us, but we were obviously skeptical. Anyway, about a week before quarantine began, we got a call from her. No joke! We were hyped. We set up an appointment and all went well. We were able to give her a Book of Mormon and a lesson about the glorious Restoration in person. That upcoming Sunday she even came to church! This, in and of itself, was a miracle!! She was able to meet our members, see why we go to Church, and feel the comfort of the Holy Spirit during the sacrament!
The day after Church, we were placed in quarantine. We were slightly discouraged because we thought we might lose this woman. We were completely mistaken. For the past five weeks, we have called her almost every night. In our daily video-calls (about 20 minutes each), we teach short, quick, powerful principles. This woman wants to believe. She reads at least one chapter of the Book of Mormon every night and often more!! There have been times she simply hugs it and says, 'I read this book because I love it.' Incredible. We feel honored to witness how the Atonement of Jesus Christ has entered this woman's life and completely changed it. We know she would not be progressing the way she has without our daily video-calls. And honestly, without the Coronavirus, we would not have the contact that she most desperately wants and needs. This women started from not knowing her divine potential as a daughter of God and now she prays to Heavenly Father each day asking for guidance and understanding. You can’t tell us that finding hope in Christ doesn’t change people’s hearts. We have seen it. God gave us that time to meet her in person before the virus, to get the book in her hands, and then she was off. Pretty amazing. We still teach her daily and are helping her work towards the ordinance of baptism.
Elder Woolley & Elder Harris
Lecco, Italy
Italy Milan Mission