Rome Time
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
