Caserta | week 13 {"another surreal week in Caserta"}

View on the ride back from Laura's house 

 "drenched after we got caught in a rainstorm running home from church to make it home on time"

Laura and her family

 Vincenzo doing missionary work with all of his friends at the station

Baptism pic with President Miller

Vincenzo and James Prince

Regan's words... "funniest pic I have ever seen in my life. #chastitypamphlet"

Napoli! 

Garbage cans in Italy 

 "Anziano Hatch's Cousin. Small world. Laura's son is serving in the same mission"

"This is Vincenzo sitting next to and teaching Luigi about the Book of Mormon. Unbelievable."

 Walking to the baptism

2.24.14

Anziano Hatch and I had another surreal week here in Caserta. I think I wrote a little bit about James Prince last week, but whatever I said was not enough. The man is flat out incredible. We saw him on his bike Wednesday around 10 and he ended up teaching with us all morning. One of the lessons we taught with him was to a man named Duxon. He is best friends with Adam who just got baptized in Pozzuoli on Saturday. Adam has been a great example to him and Duxon and wants to get baptized as well. Anyways, James Prince was awesome in the lesson and we are definitely going to try to have him come teach with us as much as possible. We were thanking him for helping us after lunch and I will never forget what he said: No problem. It is my duty and occupation to evangelize with you guys. Absolutely incredible. 

The biggest miracle of the week was meeting a man named Vincenzo at the train station last Sunday night right before we went to the Martinsons for dinner. We were getting on our train and he came up and asked to talk for a minute. We got his number but did not think much of it at the time. We met him last Monday, and we found out that he met with the missionaries a year ago for a two month period. He said that he wasnt ready to commit to anything at that point, but he remembered what he felt when he came to church and met with the missionaries said he really wanted that back. He told us that he is willing to meet with us every day because he really wants to know what he has to do to change his life around. This past week we have met with him 5 times and he has referred us to 4 of his friends. It has been incredible. I remember after our second lesson with him we were walking him back to the station so he could catch a train home around 7:15. He saw there was another train at 8:40 and asked us what we were doing until then. We said nothing and asked him if he wanted to get a gelato and play some ping pong in the church or something. He was like, "No, but do you have another church film we can watch?" This was right after we watched Finding Faith in Christ. I have never met someone more hungry to learn the gospel. Another thing about Vincenzo is that he knows literally everyone in the city of Caserta, including some of our members. I have seen 3 people offer him cigarettes and they have all made fun of him when he says he doesnt smoke anymore. He just started sharing his testimony with them and was handing them pass along cards that we gave him. He was like, call these guys if you want help too. I couldnt even believe what I was seeing. 

Saturday was easily one of the best days of my life. We went to Adams baptism in Pozzuoli and took the train up there with Adam, Duxon, James Prince, Vincenzo, and 3 of his friends. When we were waiting for our train, Vincenzo was just inviting all of his friends who were there to the baptism. I have never seen anything like it. After the baptism we all went out to get pizza at the place right by the church and it was really fun. We truly are amazing friends with our members and investigators here and I will miss them all really bad when I get transferred. 

Last night we saw another miracle. We were taking the train to Santa Maria where Vincenzo lives. When we got there all of the doors on the train randomly locked, and no one could get off. While we were going to the next city a girl from Canada heard us speaking English. She approached us to see what we were doing in Italy. We talked for about 15 minutes and said she would love to come to church with other English speakers since she doesnt know any and we are going to meet her later this week. Then we finally got to another stop and the next train back to Santa Maria wasnt for an hour. This lady came up to us and asked us who we were and what our church believed. That has never happened on my mission. Anyways we talked for a solid hour about the Restoration and she wants us to meet her family this week. I still have no idea why the doors locked up and no one could get of at Santa Maria the first time, but we ended up meeting two amazing people who are hopefully coming to curch next week. 

Seriously the Lord has blessed us so much this week. Anziano Hatch and I have not done anything to merit any of this. All of these people were just placed in our path, stopped us, or referred to us through other people. This week has  seriously been the time of my life and I cant wait to keep seeing these people grow. Also we are going up to Rome this Tuesday and we have a conference for all the Rome and Napoli missionaries with a General Authority. Im not sure who it is, but I cant wait. It will be my first time seeing Rome in daylight. I will also get to see about 70 or 80 other missionaries! It will be amazing. There will be more news and pics next week. Take care everyone.

Anziano Smith

Caserta | week 12 {MORE PICTURES!}

 Studying in front of Reggia Gardens

Boy on the right is working on his eagle project at 12 years old! 

Saying bye to Marco!

Caserta | week 12 {transfer calls, Reggia Garden, charity}

Fratello Izzo's garden

Fratello Izzo's basement (set up like a church with a baptismal font!)

Waiting at the train station 

Transfer guesses!

2.17.14

We got our transfer calls last week, and all four of us are staying together 1 more transfer! This was excellent news because our house is seriously amazing. Anziano Tingey is the funniest kid in the mission, Anziano Heder is always serving everyone and making delicious food for everyone, Anziano Hatch is the best all around missionary I have ever met, and I am just trying not cause any problems. Suffice it to say, we are all having the time of our lives right now.

So last Monday Anziano Tingey and I went on a run in the Reggia Gardens which was a total blast. Right when we got outside the gates, this guy stopped us because he saw are tags and was super excited to see the missionaries. It was a Nigerian man named Prince who was baptized in Germany a couple years ago and had not been able to find the church in Caserta. He is the coolest guy ever. We walked with him to the church and showed him around. Two days later he taught Adam with the two other Anziani. Adam is getting baptized this Saturday in Pozzuoli and he was really excited to help teach him. It has been cool to see him get excited about missionary work and we are hoping to meet some of his friends this upcoming week.

This week was our last week with Marco which was kind of sad for us. He left for Spain for two months or so, but I must say, it was an amazing last week with him. He had an oral exam which he has been studying for the last couple of months and he asked us to give him a blessing the night before the exam. The Spirit was really strong and we were praying for a week or so that he would do his best. We found out the next morning that he made a 30/30 with Honors-the best you can possibly get. It really strengthened my testimony of two things. First, that the power of the priesthood is real, and secondly, that Heavenly Father loves us and is willing to help us with things that he knows our important to us. Whether it be a test, an athletic event, or whatever. Even though these things dont always have eternal significance and consequences, Heavenly Father still wants us to counsel with Him and rely on Him. That night we went out and Marco treated us to pizza and gelato. Hopefully I stay another transfer after this one and we will have some more good times working together.

This week we went back to Sorella Palmieris house for lunch, and we got to meet her daughter Erika. Anziano Hatch and I showed up first and talked for a while about where we have served and stuff like that. Then the others came and totally lightened the mood and we instantly became solid friends when they got there. Erika was asking us about our hobbies and we pointed out the fact that Anziano Tingey likes to rap. He rapped for us one of his best/funniest raps in English thinking that she couldnt understand. She was laughing so hard and then she told us she majored in English and speaks it perfectly. So funny. Anyways, we had a really special lesson after lunch about praying to know that God is our Father and he is wants to listen to us and help us through everything in life. It was a special lesson that helpled my testimony grow a lot and I hope she remembers it. I know she definitely felt the Holy Ghost in the room when we were sharing personal experiences with prayer.

This week I started the Book of Mormon again studying for the topic of charity. It has been incredible to study looking for examples of this attribute. I read and pondered Moroni 7:45-48 before I started this study thinking about what I wanted to get out of it. I realized that this verse gives us the definition of charity, but we have to search the scriptures diligently to find examples of people like us who had this gift. In 1 Nephi I have studied some of the best examples of charity ever, especially in chapters 5 and 7. I could write for days about Lehi and Nephi and how their love for the Lord was evident in how they treated their family.

My ability to express myself in Italian continues to grow. Usually when we have a good conversation on the street, we ask if we can set up a return appointment to see them again. I have been using the word appuntamento my whole mission which does mean appointment. However, when used in the form of a question, it can also mean date. It was quite a revealing experience this week when I figured out I have been asking everyone out on dates for the past 7 months. Cool stuff.

I seriously have come to love my mission and treasure each day here. I love the anziani I am serving with more than anything. They are so close to the Savior and amazing examples of how to serve Him. I want to share one funny example. Last night at 2 in the morning, Anziano Tingey woke up and said, "Anziano Heder, I just had a dream, and I just figured it out. The key to this life is faith in Jesus Christ. Ill explain the rest to you tomorrow." Man, I love him way too much. Honestly, I am way too blessed to be here right now with these missionaries.

Sincerely,

Anziano Smith

Caserta | week 11 {cake bake, sorgy, kebaberia}

Gelato of the week! 

Group "scambio" (exchanges) picture  

Cake Bake 

2.10.2014

I have a lot to report on this week and not very much time. This week started off by walking past a "Mexcian Grill" that caught my eye. Anziano Hatch and I looked at each other and then walked in without saying anything to each other. I have not seen Mexican food once in Italy. We walked in and instantly made friends with the 3 workers who apparently knew the missionaries from the past. We talked about the church for a while then Mexican food. The Burritos we got were actually pretty close to what I had at home. They opened up last week and havent had any customers so we told our whole English Course on Tuesday to go and told them the Anziani told them it was delicious. We gave them all the address and everything. They also told us we could come by any afternoon during pronzo to talk about our church when it wasnt busy. We  are planning to go tomorrow afternoon after DDM in Napoli to see how many EC students went and get burritos. Hopefully it goes well.

On Friday I went to Napoli and did an exchange with Anziano Sogriacamo. Exchanges are usually a little awkward cause you dont want to eat the other anzianis food, so I ate a big lunch at 2. I showed up to Napoli at 4 and Sorgy told me they had dinner appointments/lessons at 5 and 730. My stomach was destroyed, but it was amazing. The families we visited were really awesome and Napoli itself blew my mind. I have been each week for DDM at the church, but this time I got to see a lot more since the two appointments we had were on opposite sides of the city. Its absolutely unreal. Anyways, I learned a ton from Anziano Sorigiacamo. He is from Milan, speaks fluent English, 25, and already has a degree. He is an amazing guy who is an amazing teacher. Saturday morning on the train back from Napoli we stopped in a city called Madaloni to see Sorella Bove and her family from our Branch here in Caserta. I am really glad Sorgy got to meet them because they connected really well since he was Italian. We taught an awesome lesson about how the Book of Mormon can help us come to know Jesus Christ and the character of God better. This week in Language Study I read from Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith and he said if we dont understand the character of God we dont understand much more than the beasts of the earth who only know how to eat, drink, and sleep. That hit me really hard and made me want to search the Book of Mormon with that question in mind. The lesson went really well and I felt cool going around for 2 days with Sorgy with my bookbag with my toothbrush and towel teaching lessons for 2 days. This is why the mission rocks.

Saturday night we had a cake bake here at the church which was the bomb! We had about 25 members, investigators, and english course students bring cakes and we had 12 meter long pizzas as well. Over 100 people came and it was so much fun. I was exhausted by the end of it, but it was so good for everyone. This week we are hoping to show the Restoration video after English Course and invite everyone to come to church this coming Sunday. Should be great.

This Sunday morning was epic. So there is a kebaberia (sandwich they make in Italy that is delicious) right by the church. We go there all the time and are good friends with the lady who works there. Anyways, we invited her to church, but she said Sunday Morning is her deep cleaning morning and it takes her like 6 hours. Anziano Heder and TIngey suggested we go help her clean it so she could come to church, but I thought it was all a joke. Sunday morning our alarm went off at 5 and everyone was getting up. I couldnt believe they were serious. I got up because I had do and we left the house at 620. It was cold and raining the whole walk over and I was so mad inside. Suffice it to say, we cleaned with her for 2 hours and it was one of the coolest things I have done my whole mission. She was so happy when we showed up and we were talking and laughing the whole time. We seriously saved her like 5 hours, and we are thinking of making it a Sunday morning tradition. Only problem was 5 members told me I smelled like a kebab at church. Whatevs.

Sunday we had a linger longer (pronzo) after church and it was great. I talked with Sister Salviti and we had a really funny/spiritual conversation I want to briefly recount. She was telling me of a story when she was driving her kids back from the airport in Rome to go to EFY up in Germany and how they ran out of gas half way back from Rome. They prayed with faith to be able to make it back and somehow they made it on fumes and it was a total miracle. She said how it was awesome to see how if the Lord wants us to be somewhere and we have faith, things will always work out. She brought this up because I told her of a story of some sister missionaries who ran out of gas and desperately needed to make it to an appointment. They decided to put some water into the gas tank and pray that it would be changed into gas. Instead it destroyed the engine. Sorella Salviti told me, The Lord can turn fumes into gas, but not water. I almost died laughing. But seriously, there is a true principle from the statement. I have seen how when we have faith and do the best with what we have, the Lord makes a whole lot more out of it than we we ever could. We actually have to give him something to work with though first. Nothing against the sorelle though. We live and we learn.

Enjoy the snow in Atlanta! Love you all.

Anziano Smith