day 8- photo that I took

Maybe it isn't the coolest or most artistic or the best quality photo but I took it. I was sitting on my chair inside my apartment in Rome when the sunny sky filled with dark clouds and it started pouring rain. Water started pooling on our huge balcony. A word about this huge balcony: it was almost the size of our entire apartment. Our apartment was so small that I could slide off of my bed and open the tiny fridge and take out my yogurt. I'd eat breakfast in bed every day... mostly because there wasn't anywhere else to eat. And the walls were made of cork. Yep, cork. My chair was right by these huge windows and a big glass door that led out to the balcony and I watched the rain beating the balcony for a good thirty minutes. It was a P-Day and my companion was asleep. After a while, the rain still fell just as hard but the clouds cleared and the sun was suddenly shining through an opening in the sky. It was close to sunset and there were all sorts of colors dancing in the puddles of water outside. Half of the sky was still dark and dreary while the other half shone with deep golds, rich reds, purplish lavenders, and coral pinks. It was incredible.

This post is a little sad because today I found out that my mission is getting split. There were three missions in Italy: the Milan mission in the north, the Catania mission in the south, and the Rome mission (mine) in the middle. The Brethren have decided to split the Rome mission into the Milan and Catania missions and then rename the Catania mission the Rome mission since the mission headquarters will still likely be in Rome. It is sad to think that the places I served won't even be part of the same mission anymore. Tuscany will go to Milan and Rome will go with the southern cities. It is sad to think that the missionaries will be divided between the two places. It is especially sad to think that because the number of missionaries will go down, there will be some cities that will have to close to missionaries.

But, we trust. Because that is what we have to do: Trust the Lord. As always. And even when it is pouring rain and there is so much water that it starts pooling and spilling over the edge, eventually the dark clouds will part and the sun will appear and make it all into a beautiful scene of colors and light. One day Italy will be filled to the brim with strong Italian saints.

And you know what? My problems and disappointments, with time, will turn in to pretty happy colors that play in the rain. I will be fine. I'll always be fine.

Was that cheesy? Oh well...