Rome 5 | week 11

6.16.2014

Last Monday night after pday Anziano Blair and I got calls from a couple people we were teaching who told us they dont want to see us anymore, and it destroyed us. We were both really down, and decided to just go get some pizza. In the next 10 minutes, 3 people stopped us to talk. It was such a tender mercy. The first guy was 89, and he fought in WW2. We visited him twice last week. So cool, he literally knows every person who has ever lived in Passo Corese. He has lived here his entire life. Guy number 2 was the young priest from the Catholic Church in the middle of the city who we are tight with. He stopped us and asked us if we discipled anyone that day. It was pday, so I told him we did nothing all day, and he cracked up. Third lady was the Ethopian lady who invited us to that party thing I wrote about 2 weeks ago or so. She is seriously like our best friend. I thought it was a miracle that God put 3 people in our path right when we were really discouraged. It really let me know that he is always watching over us. 

Other cool stuff about this week - I had a record breaking 2 service opportunities this week! The first was with Sorella Vaccorono putting up a bunch of water games that we set up the week before for the kids getting out of school party. We put all the games up with her and a man named Asim from Albania. Afterwards, she invited all 3 of us to her house for dinner last night. Sorella Vaccorono made us a great dinner, and then we had a spiritual thought on the Book of Mormon. We found out that he has a son that died a few years ago, and we left him with some chapters about the plan of salvation to read this week. Overall, it was a really good night, and a good spiritual experience. 

Next, we got to help Marco donate some of his old stuff. He is someone the missionaries have known for several years, and we have recently started seeing him again. He lives in Poggio Mirteto where the Anziani use to live. It hast he most beautiful view ever. I got a picture with him after from a castle that was near the place we dropped the stuff off. At the end of the night we asked him if he knew anyone he thinks is searching for a stronger relationship with God, and then we rang his neighbors doorbell. She was busy, but I respected him so much for that. He is the man. 

Friday night, Anziano Blair and I got our feelings hurt. We have a neighbor who is 11 years old, and he is a really cool kid. We run into him about every other day, and we always talk and joke together. Friday night we were walking around Passo and we saw him with a group of about 10 friends. We tried to say hi to him, and he pretended like he didnt know us. Our next encounter outside the house will be really awkward. 

One of the coolest things I have seen my entire mission happened on Saturday night. We took Nem out to a mall right by his house where we met one of his friends who works their and invited her to church, and then we bought a massive tub of gelato to go back to eat at his house. When we got back, there were 3 guys chilling there waiting for the World Cup to start. One of them was 51 year old man who was worked with Nems dad for several years and considers Nem his son. He told us that he and the rest of Nems family was against his baptism, but he did it anyways. He said Nem has become a completely different person in the last year since he has been "praying with the Mormons." He invited us to come over to his house next Sunday to teach him, his wife, and his kids how we are different from other Christian churches. Nem is seriously an inspiration to me. His example has blessed so many people. 

Last week we figured out how to hack the wifi at the Hotel and downloaded all the Bible Videos on our phone. This week Anziano Blair and I have been watching them during lunch and before bed. Those videos are so inspiring. There is one in particular that I have watched every day this week: "My Kingdom is not of This World." They are such a good way to brighten someones day and really easy to send to people. I would definitely recommend it. Have an awesome week!

Anziano Smith