What I’m Learning from Being Stranded in Italy
The pandemic reminded me that the Spirit can be in our hearts no matter where we are in the world.
Last year, my mom gave me an awesome college graduation gift: a plane ticket to Italy! I had always dreamed of going there. So, early this year, I left my husband and home in Brazil for a short but sweet trip of a lifetime.
Or so I thought.
As soon as I landed in Italy, I heard talk about some virus called COVID-19—how it was concentrated in China but was quickly expanding elsewhere. We were told to keep a distance from people and make wise decisions. So I kept enjoying my trip, continued my daily gospel habits, and spoke frequently with my family.
Just when I was about to return home, the number of those infected in Italy suddenly skyrocketed. Everything turned to chaos. Soon we were quarantined, and I learned that I wouldn’t be able to fly home after all. After four months, I’m still stuck in Italy without them.
While there’s a lot I could say about this experience, there’s one particular spiritual lesson I feel I should share. It’s something I’m still learning about, and it has to do with the sacrament, the Spirit, and God’s love for each of His children.
We Are Never Alone
Although I can connect with my family over video chat for Sunday discussions, singing hymns, and reading the scriptures, this situation has made me more grateful than ever for the sacrament. If I was home in Brazil, my husband could administer the sacrament to me. But because I’m in Italy, and we are not supposed to go into each other’s homes, I haven’t been able to take the sacrament for a while now.
This was difficult for me to accept at first, because the sacrament has always been an important part of my week! I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to feel the Spirit without this sacred ordinance in my life. But then I realized that many other faithful members are in similar situations around the world. So I decided to pray and ask Heavenly Father for a special blessing for all those who, like me, can’t take the sacrament right now. During that prayer, I felt genuine peace fill my heart. I knew that Heavenly Father was aware of each of our unique circumstances. I felt how much He appreciates our efforts to draw close to Him.
This experience reminded me that if we have received the gift of the Holy Ghost and are trying to keep the commandments and remember Jesus Christ, we are able to have the Spirit with us always, even during times when we can’t take the sacrament. As He promised, “If ye do always remember me ye shall have my Spirit to be with you” (3 Nephi 18:7). During times of isolation and loneliness, the Holy Ghost offers us peace, direction, and help, so we are never really alone. I have been especially grateful for this comfort while being so far from home.
We Can Find Peace
We know that the Second Coming of Jesus Christ is getting closer. The signs are noticeable. But these last days don’t need to be a time of despair. It’s because of modern technology that I’ve been able to keep a strong relationship with my husband and family. And it’s because of modern medicine that more people haven’t died in this pandemic. As President Russell M. Nelson recently testified, “We are living in a remarkable age.”1
I’m learning to try and see this pandemic in a different way. Perhaps it’s an opportunity for us to better connect with, recognize, and rely on the Holy Ghost in our lives. And I guess that is my ultimate testimony from quarantine. We can find peace, even in the middle of a pandemic.