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 16 {Pompeii, St.Patrick's Day, ugly ties}

Sister Salviti took the missionaries to Pompeii for P-day today and these are some of the photos she took!

Sunday lunch 

Anziano Hatch and Anziano Smith with the Fusco Family 

3.17.2014

This past week was seriously too good to be true. Anziano Hatch and I feel like we have found our long lost brothers in Antonio and Daniel. I remember the first time we met them at the train station in Maddaloni and I knew they were awesome from the beginning. They seriously just make everyone around them happy all of the time. It is incredible. Today after we go to Pompeii with the Salvitis, they are coming over for dinner with us and I can already guarantee it will be a night never to be forgotten. The thing that is most incredible about them though is their desire to learn the gospel. We taught them a whopping 5 lessons last week which included watching a talk by President Monson, church movies, reading from the Book of Mormon, and other stuff. Anziano Hatch and I try our best, but we arent necessarily the best teachers in the world. Their progress is seriously coming from within themselves and not from anything we are doing. We are nothing more the instruments in the hands of the Lord that are presenting the gospel. They will seriously be our brothers for life.

Last night we went over the the Fusco family's home and it was a very special experience. That family is beautiful and they are incredibly nice. We stop by their bakery to talk and see how things are going almost every day, but Sunday is their only day off of the week. Last night we spent a solid two hours at their house getting to know them better and then we had an incredible lesson with a Plan of Salvation puzzle thing that Anziano Hatch has. Then we read the Family Proclamation together. It makes me so happy to see families like them who are so happy and such good people. Anyways, two weeks ago Anziano Hatch and I went to Napoli, and we found a tie stand near the station that was selling the ugliest ties I have ever seen for 1 euro. We bought a bunch and have  been wearing them every day the past two weeks. Last night I think our ties were hurting Maurizios eyes so he brought each of us a tie from his closet. He gave me this white and black checkered tie that is honestly my new favorite tie. It is something I will wear the rest of my life and I will never forget that family. Teaching in their home last night really helped me understand the importance of having charity, or the pure love of Christ. If I dont have charity for those I am teaching, then I am really just saying words. But last night was really special because we really felt love for that family and we were not just saying words. We were sharing the things of our soul and the Spirit was really strong. It has been an incredible blessing to get to know them and teach them.

Last night Hatch, Tingey, and I read our mission journals to each other from our first week in the MTC and it was absolutely hysterical. It is funny to look back and see how far we have come. Reading statements like "The gift of tongues is real" from day 5 and "The days are flying by already" on day 8 were some of my favorites. Coming on the mission was the best choice that I have ever made for several reasons. One of which being the personal growth that I have made, but more importantly for the relationships that I have made and the joy of sharing the gospel with other people. It fills me with incredible joy to here about mission calls that are being received by those who will leave this summer. It is really humbling to know that missionaries are working hard all over the globe the bring this glorious message to all who are wanting to learn more about Jesus Christ. Im am sincerely grateful to be a part of this work.

Anziano Smith

Caserta | week 14 {mission conference, Rome, 14 investigators at church}

At the top of a castle in Napoli 

Naples, Italy

View from the castle 

Castle in Napoli

Antonio and Daniel 

Pasta da mano

3.3.14

This week was incredible. It started of by having a mission conference in Rome for Rome East, Rome West, and the Napoli Zones. There were about 80 missionaries or so which was awesome. It was the most I had seen since the MTC. It was a really special experience because we had Elder Allen come who is part of the Missionary Department of the church with Elder Bednar and another general authority I cant remember right now. Anyways, he took us through Preach My Gospel for 3 hours and inspired all of us so much. At the beginning of his talk he told us not to take any notes unless we were writing down something that we would change/put into practice. I left with two full pages of notes. He was seriously incredible and gave me such bigger vision of what it truly means to be preaching this gospel in the land in this time. I will never forget it. 

This week Anziano Hatch and I met with so many people I dont know where to begin. Friday we went to Maddaloni to visit Sorella Bove and her son Mimo. Sorella Bove is a really strong member and her son comes to church with her almost every week. We are close with him. Anyways, we were talking about faith and asked Sorella Bove to share some experiences in her life about when she showed her faith in Christ and how she was blessed afterwards. It was incredible. On the train back to Caserta we met these two kids named Daniel and Antonio who are going to college in Napoli. They were so cool and we ended up meeting them in church Saturday morning and teaching them a lesson that went really well. It was one of the first times I have taught someone my age on my mission which is a totally different experience because I can relate to them a lot better. That was one thing Elder Allen told us at the conference. He informed us that we were young kids who couldnt really relate to adults who have seen a lot more of lifes challenges. Then he talked about how we need to strive to bring members to as many of our lessons as possible so they can relate to other families better. Anyways...Antonio and Daniel were awesome. We invited them to the Elders Quorum activity that night which was pizza and they came. I sat next to them and they were making me crack up all night with Chuck Norris jokes. They also came to church the next morning and Antonio brought his mom. Incredible. He is cool enough to bring his mom. I have no idea where these kids came from. 

We have also started to get a lot closer with our English Course. Two students named Salvatore and Rosaria told us that they wanted us to come over to their house on Sunday for pronzo and we gladly accepted. They came to church on Sunday morning with their friend Veronica, and then we left right after to have lunch with their whole family. It was the first time I have eaten pasta made from scratch on my mission and it was unreal. It was a different league from the pasta I have been eating which was already in a different league. Their family was so nice towards us, and wanted us to come back next week to explain more about the Book of Mormon and stuff. They make pasta from scatch every Sunday and said we are always welcome. Unbelievable. 

We saw Vincenzo several more times this week and he continues to be the man. I have never seen anyone with a stronger desire to change and become better in my life. Duxon (friend of Adam who got baptized) had us over for a lesson last week and we ended up teaching him and 3 of his other friends he had over. That is one reason why I absolutely love him. He is not afraid at all to share what he loves with his friends. He doesn't make it awkward or uncomfortable at all. They all have so much love for each other and just want the best for everyone. Another example of that is my boy James Prince. He showed up to church on Sunday with his friend Augustine. Unreal. Church was incredible this week. Between the 4 of us, we had 14 investigators in church and everyone who shared their testimony threw down. It was the first time for a lot of them to attend a Mormon church and they said they liked how our program was done by the members and we didnt read all of the talks. Right then we had a girl from the primary about 8 years old get up and share her testimony. That was awesome. 

Anyways, all continues to go well. Anziano Hatch, Tingey, and Heder rock. Today for pday we went to a castle in Napoli and it was pretty. Nuff about that. If I could leave any counsel or advice from what I have learned on my mission so far it would be follow the counsel of the prophet. As missionaries we are involved with helping people come closer to Christ all of the time. I have seen how when people follow his counsel they are blessed. Almost every problem I have encountered could have been prevented by following his counsel. This is very simple but very true. Especially his talk from last General Conference in priesthood session about home teaching. This may seem strange, but I have really come to understand how hometeaching with love is not only good or important, but necessary. That is a simple lesson that I have learned on my mission that I really dont think I could have learned anywhere else. Its a great blessing to be able to get to know so many investigators, members, and less active members everyday. As a missionary, you have most peoples respect and they open up easily to us. It is so clear that when people put the gospel as the center of their lives and serve faithfully, they have more peace in their homes and confidence in their relationships with God, their family, and friends. When they dont, there tends to be a lot more problems. I want to share my testimony that I know that this is Church of Jesus Christ led by a living prophet. When we have faith and follow the commandments, we recieve blessings immediately and long term. Ciao!

Anziano Smith