Rome 5 | week 5

 Driveway to Vaccoronos house

5.5.2014

This week we were really lucky to be able to visit a lot great families. It started off by visiting the Salminci family. They are the friends of a family in our branch and have been to church 2 or 3 times in the past. We met them last week at a party at Mamma Gigantes house, and they invited us over for dinner at their house. It was a really cool experience. There was a really big soccer game coming on at 8:30 that the father told us he had to see at least 3 times. His wife took a little longer than expected to finish making dinner, so we didnt finish eating until right at 8:30, but we told them right when we got their that we wanted to have a short lesson after dinner. He turned off the tv and missed the first 15 minutes of the soccer game to listen to our message. This may not seem like a big deal to all of you not sports fans, but for those of us who are truly attached to a team, you would know that this was a miracle. I have a vivid memory of 4 years ago in January when the missionaries came over to my house for dinner. Duke was playing Wake Forest and the missionaries asked me to turn of the tv for a spiritual thought. I scherz not, I was offended at those missionaries for weeks. Anyways, I respect people when they have games to watch. It was super nice of Ricardo to listen to us while Man U was playing a semifinal game in some tournament. 

May 1st was a holiday and we had two awesome appointments. One was a ward party at President Crisciones house for a cookout. It was the 3rd time I have had Mexican food on my mission. It was so good. After we ate, President Criscione, Brother Canzachi (his second counselor), and Brother Bruno asked me if I was descent at ping pong. I said yes, but at that time I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Brother Canzachi changes, puts on a headband, and get his personal paddle that he brought and sprayed it down with some stuff. They were the 3 best ping pong players I have ever seen. They destroyed me and it was kind of embarassing. It was a fun afternoon nonetheless. Then I taught my first English Course since I have been in Rome (the sorelle usually do it) which was also fun. The best part of the day was going to the De Nunzios. They spent 8 hours over the course of 2 days making us arinchini. I dont know why but I felt a special connection with that family the first time I met them, and I love them a lot. They are incredible people. Fratello De Nunzios parents and uncle were there as well who are not members. After eating, we had an awesome lesson on the Saviors love and read 3 Nephi 17:15-25 together. It was a special lesson. Teaching from that chapter really helped me feel the Saviors love a lot stronger. 

On Saturday we had a Zone Conference at Rome 1, and Elder Snow came who is in the First Quorum of the Seventy. His message was absolutely perfect. He is over the church history department, and focused his remarks and learning from the past and always remembering. He read Moroni 10:3 which we read to all of the people we teach and related it to keeping a journal and always being grateful for the tender mercies of the Lord. It was an incredible message to us all. If we are reading the Book of Mormon, praying, and going to church, we all have plenty manifestations that Heavenly Father lives and loves us, we just need to recognize and remember them. After the conference we stopped by the temple to take a pic cause it was on the way. It is making real progress. Made me way happy.

Speaking of remembering, I wanted to share one more thing. Honestly, this week was a really tough week. Anziano Gemmell and I worked really hard and contacted a lot of people. So far none of them have come through. This morning I was looking through my journal deciding what I would write about, and I realized this week was incredible. We had some awesome appointments and a lot of other awesome stuff I dont have time to write about. Honestly, I didnt even realize it was a good week until I went back and looked at my journal and remembered the blessings the Lord poured out on us. It really reminded me of the importance of taking the time to stop and think of our blessings and truly being grateful. I can remember talks in General Conference from President Monson and Uchtdorf about the importance of gratitude for our daily happiness, and I truly understood why this week. The Lord wants us to say thank you and recognize His hand in all things. And thus it is. 

Anziano Smith