Caserta | week 18 {baptism, transfer calls, going to Rome}

Elder Hatch, Daniel, and Elder Smith 

 Elder Smith and Elder Hatch with the Salvitti family!

 Casertavechia

View from Casertavecchia 

Dinner with the Cloves 

3.31.14

Unfortunately this was my last full week here in Caserta, as I will be transfered to Rome 5 this upcoming Thursday. It will certainly be bitter sweet to head out, as I have had experiences here that have certainly changed me, and I have made friends here that will last a lifetime. It is kind of ironic that we come on missions to help change the lives of other people, when in fact they change ours. Antonio and Daniel have seriously become brothers to Anziano Hatch and I. They were both planning on getting baptized this Saturday, but unfortunately Antonio is not able to be baptized at this moment because of his current situation. However, I will say two things. The first is that I have never witnessed anyone with more faith in Jesus Christ than Antonio. His faith and desire to do what is right is unbelievable. The second is that I know that the Lord always prepares a way that is wiser than our own when things dont go according to our wish. People become more spiritually refined and more people end up being blessed. Anyways, Antonio told Daniel to go ahead and get baptized instead of postponing the date for both of them. It was a really special experience. We went to Pozzuoli where they have a nice baptismal font and the beautiful view of the ocean. There were about 12 other missionaries there and they all invited their investigators and we had a great turn out from our ward as well. Everyone in our ward loves Antonio and Daniel because they are awesome, and we need more youth here. Antonio shared his testimony in church on Sunday, it it was such a powerful moment that it was difficult for Anziano Hatch and I to hold back tears. He has been the most incredible example to me of someone who was completely put his faith and trust in the Lord. I could talk for days about both of those kids. 

This week was also great as I got to see pretty much everyone who I have come close to since I have been here in Caserta. Marco, Anziano Hatch, and I went over to one of our investigators house last week before she went to work. She is an incredible example to me of someone who works so hard to bless other peoples lives without expecting anything in return. She works all day 6 days a week to help support her family that lives in another country and she always has a smile on her face. It always brightens my day when we teach her. Tonight we will teach her at the church for my last time and then we are going out for a gelato. It will definitely be memorable. 

Last week we had a missionary open house for all of our English Course students, investigators, members, and ther friends last Thursday night. It was a huge success as about 70 people showed up with good food, and our members were total champs. English Course students talked with a bunch of Americans and they also felt the love of the people in our ward here. 1 family even set a dinner appointment/lesson with 3 girls from EC. That is what I am talking about. Strangers seem to trust normal families than teenagers in suits. Actually they dont seem to, they totally do. All of the best lessons I have had on my mission have been with members who share personal experiences and conversion stories. Marco and the Salvitti family especially have helped us in our work and did things we never could have done. So, my people back in Peachtree Corners, help the missionaries out! Missionary work is the best. 

I have heard all good things about Rome 5. My new companion will be Anziano Gemmel. He is from New Zealand and has been out on his mission a little over a year. I met him at the mission conference a couple weeks ago and he is hilarious. I already know we are going to be like brothers. Probably going to love him so much, I am going to have to go back and visit him at his place after the mission. I know there are amazing members in Rome too and we will have a car. I am excited to head up Thursday afternoon, but I will certainly soak up these last few days with Anziano Hatch and Tingey. I love them like brothers and same with our friends here. Anziano Heder headed out for America this afternoon at 2. So weird. He was an awesome missionary and had a big influence on all of us. We will see him on the other side next summer. 

Anziano Smith

Caserta | week 17 {Amalfi Coast, Rome mission conference, gardening}

Picture in Pompeii from last Pday 

Pompeii 

Going to the Salvitti's with Antonio and Daniel! 

 Riding the Frecciarosa to Rome!

 Working in Fratello Izzo's garden

On their way to church! 

They went back to the Amalfi Coast again and had a little more time to spend there this time! 

 Haha I love this picture! It looks pretty windy there :)

 Amalfi Coast 

Great picture of the houses/buildings along the Amalfi Coast 

The missionaries with the angel Sister Salvitti! She does so much for them and we are forever grateful for her! 

3.24.14

This past week has been absolutely incredible. Daniel and Antonio have honestly become our best friends, and our members have come up big with helping them feel at home in church. Last Monday night after Pompeii we went to dinner at the Salvittis with Daniel and Antonio and it was a blast. It is incredible how all of the Americans love Antonio and Daniel even though there is a language barrier. It really isnt a barrier at all. It also helps that Antonio has one of the best sense of humors I have ever seen. He showed up to the Salvittis with a rose for Leah which was absolutely hysterical. After lots of jokes and a really good dinner we a taught a lesson on the Sabbath Day. Daniel and Antonio have the most incredible faith ever. I will never forget what Antonio said right after we finished the lesson. He said, "This will be the first Sunday that I dont play any sports or video games, and I wont watch them either. It really isnt that much that he asks us to give Him one day a week." This week we taught them the rest of the commandments and they accepted subito. In fact they already knew about and were living a lot of them. For example, the word of wisdom. We asked them how they knew about it and Daniel said he saw it on Family Guy in an episode that made fun of the Mormons. Never thought Family Guy would be a missionary tool.  Whatever works. This past Sunday we became a ward and everyone was recalled or  released. Brother Salviti was recalled as Ward Clerk and while were sustaining him Antonio said, "I love you big Mike!" It was so funny, I almost started laughing out loud. The Stake Presidency and Stake Young Mens Presidency was there.

On Wednesday we had a mission conference in Rome which was incredible. We left from Napoli in the morning and the only way we could make it on time was by taking a Frecciarossa. The first class trains that fly at like 200 mph and cost a fortune. It was pretty fun riding first class. Anyways, Elder Kearon of the Seventy came and gave a 4 hour training that was not boring for a minute. There was really good interaction in which he answered all of our questions and talked about almost every phase of missionary work. He had a really good sense of humor too. After our lunch break he showed us a video of cheetah chasing a goat type thing then a missionary coming up out of nowhere and saving the goat. So funny. After the conference we had like 20 minutes before we had to catch our train back to Napoli and I talked to Anziano Jepson the whole time. He is still in Brindisi and they are doing incredible. Anziano Queresima (a missionary from Lecce) told me they have have 5 baptisms next week and taught 21 lessons last week). That is more than what i did in 4 months there by a lot. Im glad the church is growing there. Talking to Anziano Jepson was unreal. I love that kid. 

Saturday morning we helped Fratello Izzo prepare his garden to plant for the upcoming year. It was a total blast. We went with Marco and worked in his garden for about 2 hours, and he told us it would have taken him 3 days to do it by himself. He was really grateful. He kept chuckling under his breath at our gardening skills which made Anziano Hatch and I crack up. After that his wife made us a delicious pronzo in which a destroyed a whole bunch of pasta, chicken, fruit, mozzorella di bufala, fruit and veggies from their garden, and more stuff I cant remember. Antonio and Daniel are seriously our best friends in the world. Antonio walked home with us after lessons 5 times last week and then an hour back to his house.  Sunday after church Antonio asked us what we were doing until our lesson together at 5, and we just said that we were going to eat lunch then do our studies. After lunch he came to study with us and we taught him about the temple and eternal marriage. It was really special to teach him about the temple because it is so close to my heart. The Rome West Stake is taking a temple trip to Switzerland in July. Missionary work is hard sometimes, but the joy and the  blessings outweigh everything else by far. It is the desire of Heavenly Father for all of us children to know him and to return to him, and it is amazing to assist and be a small part of his work and glory. 

Last thing. Tonight a miracle happened. We were coming to the church to email, because the internet point was full and one of our best ever investigators called and came to meet us at the church for a lesson. We talked for about 10 minutes to catch up on work, family, ect and then 3 people walked in the church. Two of them were ladies about 40 years old. They were members from Milan here on vacation. They walked by the church and came into to say hi to the missionaries. They ended up sharing the strongest testimony about how the church is a huge family in all of the world regardless of whether it is here or Romania. It really touched us a lot. 

So long tell next week!

Anziano Smith