Sister Olivia Nicolosi: Happy Birthday!

Hola Amigos!

Ah... I loooved conference!!! We got to watch the conference in english in a separate room at the church with the other english speakers, which was great. After watching conference, I feel like I have more of an appreciation for words. (yes, part of it is because it was in english ;p) Before my mission it was a bit difficult for me to pay attention and remember the words of conference, but as a missionary I am grasping onto every word and thinking of ways I can apply it to my investigators as well as to myself and the way I teach. It honestly flew by too fast, but I feel spiritually fed and satisfied, and ready to make some changes to be so much better! I have really been struggling recently, but conference is exactly what I needed for an extra boost. Interesting experience during conference... more specifically, Sunday after the first session... there was an old man who sat with us to watch conference, and he actually only spoke english and very little spanish. The Elders contacted him in the street and he had been going to their ward for a few weeks. In the first session of Sunday conference I felt the spirit so strong. I felt so spiritually uplifted and happy,... then the old man started talking. I've heard apostasy plenty of times in spanish, but to hear it in english was just, different,.. he was being rude and harsh as he talked about how these men that spoke are wrong because of this reason and that... he went on and on, and 3 of us missionaries were stuck in the room having to listen to everything he had to say (cause he was basically sitting in front of the open door). His words cut to my heart, and it really hurt. I couldn't understand how this man, or any person, could sit and listen to a 2 hr session of conference and feel absolutely nothing. The spirit was so strong, but he felt nothing. I was trying so hard to keep myself from tearing up. I KNOW what the Apostles, Prophet , and the other speakers said in conference is true. I felt it with every fiber of my being. That's why I felt so hurt when this man was speaking so harshly against it. I realize more now, that the spirit only manifests itself to those who are ready and willing to receive it. This man was listening to conference with his heart closed, unwilling to accept any of the truth so plainly manifested in that session. Ah...There's more to this story, but it has to wait till next week. It ends a bit better :)

Love,

Hermana Nicolosi