The Diamond in the Rough

The latest GEMS! Brought to you by your friendly, GEMMING Italy Milan Missionaries!

How to train

At the beginning of the transfer I started making a list in my journal. I titled this list...THINGS I WILL DO WHEN I TRAIN. I wrote it out, all nice and big at the top of the page, ready to create the best trainer ever to be! Then I just sat there. And stared at the page for a while. And couldn't decide what to write down. I eventually closed my journal. Days pass, weeks pass. I have thought about it. But to this day, that page is still blank. They only sentence that pops into my head when I read that title is...I want to be just like my trainer.

Your support

I can say that I have more fully received a testimony of the importance of companions in our lives.  I don't think there has been a moment where my companion and I have not grown and been edified together since we were placed here.  I can tell that everything he does is to magnify his calling as a missionary AND a companion.  He has strengthened me, taught me and lifted me.  But most of all, he has SHOWN me what it means to be a great missionary.  Teaching really is showing.  What a blessing I have. 

Take the blame

This week at ward correlation, we had a member that was chewing us out for his wife getting a bidone from us.  We both knew that it was not our fault and we could not have done anything else to make sure that it did not happen.  I was surprised that my companion did not tell the whole story or tell about why it happened.  I asked her why after and she said something that struck me.  She said that it usually is better if you don’t make excuses and just take the blow and take the blame.  She said that your companionships will be much more united if you just do that.  She said it all comes down to priorities and what is most important.  If it is more important to be right than to keep unity, then that is what you will get, but if you remember what you want most and take a step back you will be able to have this desire. 

Bombs away!

This guy just blasts spirit bombs in my heart and mind every stinking day! Wow! Every companionship study is an adventure to the soul. If you want something explained drilled into your heart with power and inspiration, ask my best friend, my companion. I love him so much! He has changed the course of my heart. I desire so much to study, so that I can find these treasures that enlighten his mind every day. This guy—this missionary—is the emblem of true conversion. Faith works, and love is always there. He has once again blessed my life for the better. I am changed.

PB&J

My companion always thinks of others. Today, as we switched back after scambi, and she said that she has a surprise for me. I open it, and I find a REAL peanut butter and jelly sandwich. With REAL peanut butter! I know it may not seem gospel related, but she really was thinking of me and what would make me happy as she was in another city. It just testified to me the importance of putting others before ourselves. Even if the action seems small, it can make a world of a difference for someone.

Everything I know I learned from my companion

My companion has completely changed my mission and my life. He is a grand example to me of a true priesthood holder. He completely strives to follow the commandment "Be ye perfect as my Father in Heaven is perfect." He gives his 100% effort on everything he does, always. He puts his heart in everything. I love him and will miss serving with him a lot. I've never had a companion like him before. He taught me how real 100% obedience feels and how to live that way in everything I do. He taught me to talk to everyone, all the time, no matter what. He taught me so much about prayer and revelation and helped me improve my relationship with God incredibly in these months. I would love to be selfish and continue serving with and learning from him forever, but I am content knowing that if I can't have him as my comp, the Lord wants him to go and do the same thing for other missionaries.

GEM everyone!

My companion is amazing beyond belief. I am sad to be leaving her so soon. But even more grateful for everything that she has taught me. If I had to pick just one thing, the most important thing that I have learned from her, it would be how to GEM. She just GEMs everyone, everywhere every moment. There is no one in our city that she has met that has escaped her GEMMING capabilities. She has been a fabulous example to me and I will be forever grateful that I had the privilege to be her companion for a transfer. She's the best.

Life changing

This week, my companion and I really came together. He has changed my mission. Can I tell you how amazing this guy is? No probably not, there aren’t words. But I can tell you how much I love this companion of mine. He has helped me see the beauty of the gospel of Gesù Cristo. He really has shown me the power of application. This last weekly planning, we had an amazing companionship inventory, in which we really came out and expressed our desires for our missionary work. Wow! He just knows how to really put things where people can understand. He knows how to fit the gospel to everyone. And he knows how it will bless them. I can’t say one specific thing that he has done for me this week, but I can say that with many things, my life is changed. He is an example to me.

Unified!

There really isn’t one specific thing that my companion did for me this week. It’s really just everything he does for me. He is always gemming me and we are like best friends. Being a GEM is not a one time a week thing for us, it’s a 24/7 thing that we do. We have seen that by looking at the GEM program not as something you do once a week for each other, but something that is always happening, our unity has just sky rocketed.

Training the trainer

I was getting gemmed all over the place from my companion and, in fact, everyone in my district. I really don’t know where to start. But pretty much I’d have to say the greatest thing has been his example. I know "technically" I’ve been training him, but in reality he’s been training me. He’s helped me to actually love the people and stay positive even when everything goes terrible. I’m pretty sad that he is getting transferred but I know that it’s where the Lord wants him to go!

Confidence!

My companion has the most positive attitude.  She is amazing at talking to everyone.  We haven’t had to do a ton of finding work, because wherever we go, we are finding people!  All because she opens her mouth and talks!  I have gotten out of my comfort zone this transfer and have done more inviti than I have ever done thus far on the mission.  My companion has helped me see my abilities and given me confidence.  I really can do more than I realize, and my companion has helped me see that!  What a GEM!!!

Just keep on learnin' from your companion!

If you fail, reword!

On Sunday, we had a really cool lesson with a new contact.  At the end, my companion threw out the baptismal invite, and the guy was a little hesitant at first. But he rephrased the invite and promised him blessings, asked him some really good questions, and the guy accepted the invite! We saw him yesterday, and he is super excited for his baptism now! All thanks to the faith and perseverance of my companion! :)

Conquer the difficult

She has just been a great GEM this week. When she was senior companion for a few days, she conquered everything! That phone has never been conquered. She sees something difficult that she doesn't like to do, and then she goes and does it anyways. What a tiger!

Envision your investigator AND your companion

During companionship study on scambio, we were talking about being a good companion and I had an awesome epiphany. We always try to imagine our investigators in white - usually in the baptismal font. This helps motivate us to do everything we can to help them arrive at that point in their life. I realized that I've only been imagining half of the font. I'm only looking at the half with the investigator and my companion is standing in the other half, about to baptize the investigator. Of course, it would be better if a member did it, but if I can imagine my companion baptizing the investigator that I'm teaching, all of my work is going to go towards preparing the investigator for that moment and my companion. If our companion really is our most important investigator, we can imagine him in white also. It was like I was squinting and this scambio helped me open my eyes just a little bit wider. Life = changed. Eyes = opened. I'm excited to practice this new way of thinking.

Make members a priority

 I noticed something about my companion that I haven’t really noticed about him this whole past transfer. Every Sunday at church, he is always going around talking to the members. He is always trying to get to know all of the members in our ward--old, young, and all in between. The members are really getting to become more attached to the missionaries because of it. I have a strong testimony of doing the little things with your members to strengthen their drive to do missionary work.

Know them and love them all!

My companion is the best. He's great. He has been taking good care of this branch and this city. He knows all the members very well, he knows all the investigators very well, he knows all the less active people, and he even knows random people throughout the city that don't fit in any of those categories. I want to know and love the people like he does.

Inspired interior decorating

My companion had the idea that to better our studies and exercise, etc, we should rearrange the furniture in the house and move everything around. We completed the project, and now we are able to focus better for our studies because we have a room for studying only with desks, the transfer vision displayed, maps, investigator info, etc. We have been having a lot better studies and have been a lot more focused on getting the Start Chart down and everything, because we are so excited to have pretty much a new, clean, organized apartment. I am pretty sure his idea was inspired.

Patience and perseverance

My companion has a smile on her face every day.  She reminds me to just relax and enjoy this time we have as missionaries, watching and experiencing people make changes in their lives. She is so patient with me as I strive to help teach her our investigators, new converts, and members.  She is the best example at talking to people.  I struggled giving away copies of the Book of Mormon on the street initially, but I have been able to give away 6 already this week.  She is really helping me to stretch and reach my full potential.  She is a GEM!

Just GEMmin' away this week

A helpful perspective

This week, my companion helped me to realize how much I’ve grown out here on the mission. He told me how much improvement I’ve made seen he first met me. He complimented me and encouraged me to keep pushing myself. He's a great friend and even a better companion.

Your companion is your friend

We were struggling with each other at the beginning and started to build up a barrier between the two of us. Throughout the week, we did little acts of service and started to break down that wall. This morning, she told me that when she looked at a picture of me and my brother, she remembered us being friends before this life and being so excited to serve together. The Spirit whispered that it was true. I'm excited to get to know a long lost friend.

A positive attitude

This past week was a little tough, because we didn't have a lot of success during our finding work (i.e. lessons taught, new investigators found, etc.). I was a little discouraged to say the least, but my companion went out of his way to help me see the successes that we had and to brighten my attitude. This helped me see the importance of being a loving companion, and I am trying to serve my companion more so I can help him as well.

Preparation is key

My companion is the greatest companion ever! I absolutely love working with him every day. This week I was really impressed with the way that my companion utilized prayer and preparation for our work. Before every scambi or study or encounter with the other missionaries, I know exactly where to find him. He'll be on his knees or reading the scriptures and writing down notes about those who we've been praying for.

Love makes the work

I love my companion.  He's smart, supportive and just a funny guy.  This week we had a district meeting about love.  Love for our investigators, members, companions, and everyone else that we see!  My companion has shown a big difference in his work this week, especially in our finding work.  He's humble and moldable!  I need to be more like that!

Utilize Preach My Gospel

My companion spoke with me a lot about the importance to be a PMG Missionary. To be honest I realized that I read PMG but I do not Study PMG. I realize that I should STOP reading it and study it.

Love the people!

My companion is just great. He is a constant example of love, hard work and never getting discouraged. One of the most important things he did for me last week, was helping me to see the importance of trying my best and loving the people with all my heart, even when it is obvious that they are not ready to accept the gospel now. He made me ponder and the Lord helped me remember some scriptures.

Practicing principles is power

I was on scambio with Anziano Ruesch and in poche parole, I was a little frustrated. Just a few things we had planned that day didn't go the way I wanted them to, and I was not very happy. So right before a teaching appointment, we decided to do a practice and it was the best practice ever. Anziano Ruesch, without knowing it, really changed me. I really needed that practice. The principle of the day was life on earth and just talking about it helped me to remember what’s really important and what we can benefit from our trials. It was super good. I tried explaining to him later how awesome it was.

Energized

My companion has been making me run with him in the mornings, and at first, I was hating it. But now I really love it, and it gives us more energy for each day. He's making me such a better missionary every day. He is such a great missionary! He's like my favorite super hero.

Don’t worry!

This last week, my companion has been helping me realize the importance of not worrying. Well, he has been teaching me that the whole time we have been together, but this week I can say that I think I finally understood. It's been really good. The work is a lot more fruitful and enjoyable when you just roll up your sleeves and get to work instead of worrying about how you should work. I'm grateful for a patient companion who helps me in my weaknesses. 

You're Such a GEM!

A great opportunity

This week, my companion helped me as we discussed what a true vision is.  We worked together, prayed a lot, and set some personal visions. We realized that the mission is an amazing opportunity for young men and women around 19 to 20 years old.  We each have a companion who has accepted the same call to serve, and who can help us to personally become what we envision ourselves becoming. 

The best GEM in the mission

I honestly cannot think of one thing that my companion does for me—HE DOES SO MUCH FOR ME that I can’t even count the ways. But I can say one thing: he truly is the most loving, charitable missionary companion I have ever had. He just loves me. He is the best GEM in the mission and I am willing to put him up against any other missionary in that category. He makes me want to be the best missionary I can be and a better GEM every single day.

The power of silence

My companion is great.  This week during a lesson, he did something that really brought a powerful spirit.  After the investigator was done speaking, he paused for a moment and allowed what was said to sink in.  This pause really added to his power in responding with a testimony.  The investigator really felt the spirit and it really brought a new level of power to our teaching.  He is so great at using the power of silence.  I am learning so much from him.  I love my companion.

Employ your faith

My companion is so faithful and has so much energy. She has such a solid, awesome understanding of the gospel, and it is honestly a delight to teach with her. Honestly, I attribute most of the miracles we are seeing here straight to her incredible faith. She knows we will baptize, and it is awesome!

Faith is everything

I am so happy that I am in this city, and that I can feel the Lord’s guidance. I know that I am loved and that I can do everything the Lord asks me to do, because I am here. When I was preparing for the mission, I was told that I could not go. However, when I prayed, the Lord told me to keep trying.  And look! I AM HERE! I am here and they told me that I couldn’t, but God said that I could. Faith is a strong word, and sometimes we just say it. But I know that if we have faith, we can do anything the Lord wants us to do.  It’s a miracle!

Diligenza con Start Chart

Mio collega è un missionario molto diligente. Si sforza di dare il massimo ma soprattutto di essere obbediente. In particolare mi colpisce la sua diligenza nel memorizzare le scritture delle Start Chart, anche ieri ad esempio voleva ripassarle e mentre stavamo andando da un punto ad un altro della città mi ha recitato tutte le 13 o 14 scritture che fino ad adesso ha memorizzato.

The right attitude

My companion is awesome! He is just so funny and positive all the time, and helps me so much in every aspect of missionary work! He is a great example of a missionary who loves the Lord.

New missionaries are amazing

He teaches me so much about how to have that new missionary fire, which I have re-kindled since being with him. It is amazing. I love him.

Amazing questions

This last week my companion really showed me how to ask better questions. He just spent this last week exploding people's minds with questions. I don't know how many people said.."Hm... buona domanda" I really appreciate his willingness to let the person teach himself rather than him feeling like he has to explain everything. His questions are direct and powerful and have a huge impact on people. 

Build Up Your Companion

(Apr 13, 2011)

This week my companion has helped me become a better missionary by magnifying his new assignment as District Leader. I am impressed by the idea that magnifying your calling is simply performing the service that pertains to your calling, and have been impressed with his care and love for the district in the short time he has been assigned District Leader. I can truly tell that he loves the work here as a missionary and has great hopes for our district not only as a whole but for all the missionaries individually. He is an inspiration for me as the kind of missionary I want to become.

(Apr 13, 2011)
My companion is happy and loving and not of the world. She has created a Christ like environment around her. It has made me want to be better at making sure I am doing everything during the day necessary to have to spirit with me!

(Apr 13, 2011)
My companion is a stud. He is a perfect example of humility and desire. He is always so focused on how he can be better that it inspires me to want to try harder. He always looks for things to learn from me, even when I don’t feel like I have much to share. I am learning so much from him. I am learning so much from him.

(Apr 13, 2011)
My companion does so many things for me that I don’t even know where to begin. I’ll start off by just telling you that I love my companion! My companion feeds my fire to do missionary work. He is such an amazing missionary. One thing that he has done for me this past week is that he is so swallowed up in his mission that it consumes him. Everything he does is for fulfilling his purpose as a missionary. And through him doing this, it has made me want to do the same as well. He is the best missionary ever! He’s a super GEM.

(Apr 13, 2011)
Yesterday, my companion studied me during his study and shared it with me for companionship study. He did the PMG activity to think about yourself on the last day of your mission and who you want to be etc, but he did who he wants me to be at the end of my mission. He's so awesome. We're going to make a vision for each individual Anziano in our zone and who we think they can become this transfer.

(Apr 13, 2011)
This morning, my companion and I had a heart to heart, an improvised companionship inventory, in which we were able to talk about things that could get better in our companionship. As we talked, he was open with me and told me how he has been feeling. It was a good time of self-reflection for me and for our companionship. I am grateful that he said something and that we can continue to work on our unity in the work. 

President, I LOVE my companion!

Here are some wonderful "GEM" moments that our missionaries have shared with us.

(Mar 23, 2011)
My companion wrote me a beautiful note that I found one morning right before my personal study.  He expressed his love and his thanks for me.  He helped me realize how much I love him too and how much better I should be at showing that love!

(Mar 23, 2011)
My companion really has mastered his start chart. He really has taken the time to turn all of the principles and doctrines of the gospel into simple sentences with questions and scriptures. He has been a great example. Even though he is fairly new too, he has not let his inexperience overwhelm him. He is a great example to me in all things.

(Mar 23, 2011)
My companion knows why he's here; to baptize. It's truly inspiring that he's not here for Italy or food or whatever, but he is here to do the Lord's work and is fully committed to doing it. It's really a boost for me when I'm not doing as well as I could and need to focus more on baptism.

(Mar 23, 2011)
This last week my companion was really good about reminding me to practice my 2-minute drill.  He would initiate mini practice sessions as we were walking and it really brought a great spirit into our companionship.  We are sharing so many more spiritual experiences together doing these role plays and it is making our teaching so much more powerful because the spirit is so abundantly present.  My companion is amazing; truly a spiritual giant.

(Mar 23, 2011)

He showed me a great example of faith this week. We set our vision for 4 baptisms this transfer, and I started to doubt whether or not it was going to happen. But he showed me the importance of believing that the Lord can do anything as long as we just believe.  And, because of that, we are going to have 4 baptisms this transfer!

(Mar 23, 2011)

My companion has been helping me a lot with the language.  He keeps me on my toes—it’s great!  We both really sustain one another and we just push through the hard times.  We just keep going, never stopping.  We have seen a lot of success, and I realize that I have a lot to improve on.  Every day I learn something different; with every door that shuts, my testimony grows.   My whole perception has changed and I look at things with better light and understanding.   My companion is great!  I couldn’t ask for a better trainer!

(Mar 23, 2011)

For P-day, we planned to take time to clean the apartment.  We had a pretty busy P-Day, and had an hour left before we had to leave for proselyting, in which we had planned to get the cleaning done.  I completely forgot and started to do some personal things, but then I saw my companion, who had started to clean the bathroom. His example reminded me and quickly I went into the kitchen to do my part.  He doesn't use a lot of words, but rather, teaches by example.  And I am very grateful for that.  It makes me want to be more like him.

(Mar 23, 2011)

My companion wrote me a beautiful note that I found one morning right before my personal study.  He expressed his love and his thanks for me.  He helped me realize how much I love him too and how much better I should be at showing that love!

(Mar 23, 2011)

My companion really has mastered his start chart. He really has taken the time to turn all of the principles and doctrines of the gospel into simple sentences with questions and scriptures. He has been a great example. Even though he is fairly new too, he has not let his inexperience overwhelm him. He is a great example to me in all things

(Mar 23, 2011)

My companion knows why he's here; to baptize. It's truly inspiring that he's not here for Italy or food or whatever, but he is here to do the Lord's work and is fully committed to doing it. It's really a boost for me when I'm not doing as well as I could and need to focus more on baptism.

(Mar 23, 2011)

This last week my companion was really good about reminding me to practice my 2-minute drill.  He would initiate mini practice sessions as we were walking and it really brought a great spirit into our companionship.  We are sharing so many more spiritual experiences together doing these role plays and it is making our teaching so much more powerful because the spirit is so abundantly present.  My companion is amazing; truly a spiritual giant.

(Mar 23, 2011)

He showed me a great example of faith this week. We set our vision for 4 baptisms this transfer, and I started to doubt whether or not it was going to happen. But he showed me the importance of believing that the Lord can do anything as long as we just believe.  And, because of that, we are going to have 4 baptisms this transfer!

(Mar 23, 2011)

My companion has been helping me a lot with the language.  He keeps me on my toes—it’s great!  We both really sustain one another and we just push through the hard times.  We just keep going, never stopping.  We have seen a lot of success, and I realize that I have a lot to improve on.  Every day I learn something different; with every door that shuts, my testimony grows.   My whole perception has changed and I look at things with better light and understanding.   My companion is great!  I couldn’t ask for a better trainer!

(Mar 28, 2011)

I went on a scambio, and it was exciting to do missionary work with him, even though the two of us were both so new to it. We talked with a lady the whole train ride and later saw her again on the street. She started tearing up and said we're such bravi ragazzi. She may come to English class, too.

(Mar 30, 2011)

My companion has stuck 100% to the start chart.  It helps our finding, our teaching, and our relationship in general.  Because of his efforts in learning and memorizing these principles I am blessed by it and it helps me to do the same.

(Mar 30, 2011)

My gem of the week would be to show more interest in the work!   I need to have more hope; after door after door of rejection, my excitement goes down.   I just want to stop and rest for a while, and do nothing but be lazy!  My companion, however, is just a machine!  He works like a beast and just doesn’t stop!  He keeps on going!  There is no stopping him!  If you put the biggest wall in front of him, he will just walk right through it!  He is a great worker!  I want to have that same push as he has, and I’ve been doing it! I’m still going, like him, even when I’m not enjoying the work as much!