Elder Day: Inspired by a Simple Name . . . John

In the Milan Italy Mission

Knowing God had prepared people for us to teach, my companion and I fasted. As we were planning, we both felt strongly prompted that we would find someone named John. (I thought of the name John but didn't say anything . . . then Elder Fiorentino said the name "John".. miracle in itself) in a specific area that we were going to go knock doors at. We were riding our bicycles there and my companion felt like we should contact a man who was walking on the street. So we stopped him and guess what his name was... Gionni! (Johnny) He was an Italian middle aged man but... he wasn't interested in our message. We were sad but we knew we were going the right direction. We arrived at the place we had planned and continued to knock on some doors and other things, but no one was interested. Suddenly there came a group of ten Nigerian men walking and they passed us. We said hi to them and they told us they were working. Then, a man from their group came running toward us and asked, Are you from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints? We said, of course! We are missionaries. He told us he had been looking for us and our church for five months, and that his wife is a member in Nigeria, and she sent his number to the missionaries in Italy but he had never been contacted. We asked him what his name was... and it was John!!! Wow! We showed him our planners and told him we were looking for him too. We taught him and he is amazing! Ultimately, he was baptized! I am so thankful that God is merciful enough to give us inspiration and we were very thankful for that miracle that day. I know that it was because of fasting and prayer that this happened. We fasted for that specific purpose for a day, to find someone who was ready to receive the gospel of Jesus Christ.