Brindisi | week 17 {English course moves to Mesagne, usher fail, Rome Temple}

So this week we got some exciting news. Our members so how big our English course was getting and so they found a space where we can do it in Mesagne which is a little city that is about a 15 minute train ride outside of Brindisi. We got permission for the space this week, so on Wednesday we went to put up flyers all over the city we made in 10 minutes. We have already received several phone calls confirming the time and place so we are looking forward to starting it up this Wednesday. We have 1 member that lives in Mesagne (Sorella Crudo) who gives us an awesome lunch everytime we go there. It is a way cool city and cant wait to start working there more. Some of the best relationships I have formed have come from teaching English course and it is always a prime atmosphere to share a gospel message at the end of each lesson.

We have continued to visit Victor and Blessing on Saturday nights to teach Blessing the new member lessons and I continue to grow in awe of the faith of that family. I was talking to Victor after the lesson before we ate dinner. He told me one of the most touching things I have ever heard. He said his brother was really sick in the hospital a couple years ago, and he was visiting him. He told him, dont pray that you will be healed. God already knows that you are suffering. First pray for forgiveness and ask God to teach you how you can be better. Then thank him for the many blessings you have received. It reminded me of the story that President Monson told in his last General Conference talk. He is one of the most grateful people I have ever met, and because of that he is always smiling and having a good time.

Yesterday we had an awesome day at church. The Stake President came down from Bari and he is one incredible man. He started teaching about the "Hastening the Work" broadcast and the other missionaries told him I was there during it and he asked me to share with the ward what was said for a minute. His urgency to spread the gospel was inspiring. All was going well at church until sacrament meeting was about to start (we have sacrament meeting last) and President Casti asked me to be the usher. I was told that this included standing by the door to welcome people and step outside the door to make sure no one interrupts prayers or the sacrament. I did not think it would be that hard or I would make such a fool of myself. However, both times I stepped out no one came give me the sacrament so I had to walk all the way to the front both times. The second time, Samuelle (16 month year old baby) tripped on my foot and started crying. I started to help him up and lost my position on the door and people started coming in. It was unreal. It literally could not believe it. Anyways, the Stake President covered for me cause he gave an extremely powerful talk right after and the meeting was really spiritual.

Right after sacrament meeting 10 people from a branch got on a bus to go to the temple up in Switzerland. I would have given up my right arm and a leg and couple toes to go on that trip. They will be up there for 5 days or so. Im so glad for them. I also heard that the temple is projected to be completed my last transfer of the mission. It has been pushed back like 3 or 4 times but I really hope that this time it is accurate. There will be a 3 month open house or something crazy like that. I hope more than anything I can be a part of it, but more importantly help others get ready to go for themselves!

I am growing to love missionary work more and more. I meet many awesome and also interesting people each day. For instance, yesterday an old lady asked me how long the train ride was from America. I was not sure how to respond. Conversations like that always keep me smiling.

Anyways, I have heard it said that sacrificial love opens the windows of heaven I am certainly starting to see that here. It is a privilege to serve here each day and do my best to share these wonderful truths that have blessed my life in so many ways. Serving with other missionaries and members and getting to know the people of Brindisi has been the experience of a lifetime.

Love,

Anziano Smith

Smith and Pizza in Brindisi!

Regan with his first companion in Italy, Anziano Pizza! 

Regan's first apartment in Brindisi, Italy. His desk is the one on the right, and I think his bed is one on the floor!

 Construction of the Rome Italy Temple, scheduled to open September 2014

 Mission home villa in Rome where Regan spent his first night in Italy. The villa was built in 1924 by Mussolini for his niece!

Italy is incredible! I have no idea where to begin. The past week has been the most eye opening and exhilarating time of my life. First of all, the travel from Provo to Rome seemed like 10 minutes for some reason which is very weird. Our first night in Rome we stayed at the mission home which was absolutely beautiful. There was complications with baggage for some missionaries so I got to leave early with Anziano Rigby and on of the assistants. We stopped by the Rome Temple which is massive. It is going to be the third biggest temple in the church! I cannot wait until it is completed. It means so much this place. Anyways, our first night at the mission home was incredible. A local member came over and cooked us the best pasta I have ever tasted by a million miles. We then had gelato which was to die for. About 10 missionaries had to drive back to the airport to pick up bags. They got back around 11 and then all 21 of us sat in the living room and we recieved our assignments one by one and we pointed to our cities on a giant map. I was so excited when I learned my first area is Brindisi!!! Brindisi is incredible. I will talk about it more in a minute.

I woke up the next morning at 430 to catch a 7 hour train ride down to Brindisi. I met my companion Anziano Pizza at the train station with about 25 other missionaries. Every missionary I have met so far is such an inspiration to me. This truly is a special mission. I was nervous when I first met Anziano Pizza because he has been serving on Malta for the last 7 months, and they do not speak Italian in Malta. He has only been speaking Maltese and English. However, it is incredible how fast it is coming back to him. He served in Palermo for 3 transfers before Malta so he has the language down fairly well. Language skills aside, he is a great missionary. He is so humble, and everyone can feel is love and sincerity every time he talks. I have learned so much from him. He truly just wants other people to be happy. He is super easy to get along with and we are already great friends. I have gotten to know about 6 other missionaries pretty well. I wish I had time to write about them all.

We had a great trainride down to Brindisi. I was in awe the whole time. The vineyards and ancient cities here are a sight to behold. I sat next to two Italians on the train who were so kind. One of them spoke really good English and the other did not speak any. I talked to the two of them for a solid 4 hours. I instantly gained a love for the Italian people as a whole just after talking to those two men. I have come to know that they are some of the most genuine and kind people on earth.

The next night we taught English course which was so fun. We teach it every Tuesday and Thursday at the church. About 6 or 7 people usuallly show up and they are all really good, so we just talk about America and our families and then leave with a spiritual thought. Last night I gave the spiritual thought about why I chose to come on a mission and how I can have joy walking around with slacks and a tie in the burning hot all day. I have become really good friends with 2 of the men who come the English course each week and I am glad I got to share my testimony with them.

The church here is on the second floor of a bank. There are 20 active members, and I already feel like family. On Saturday about half of the branch did a service project at a less actives home. We are cleaning out her old home and building a new one for her. We all worked really hard for about 4 hours then we ate Pronzo together. Pronzo is unreal. Every day, all of Italy shuts down from 130 to about 5. I kid you not, there is not a soul on the street. Not even one. Everyone goes home and eats a huge meal. We ate a 7 course meal for lunch. We had pasta, foccocia, about 4 different kinds of fruit from the vineyard in the backyard, salad, fish with mushrooms, gelato, and I cannot remember what else. It was one of the best meals I have ever had. One of the members drove us home after they all took their naps. We studied.

Church on Sunday was incredible. The members are seriously just like one huge family. I got to introduce myself. I mumbled for about 2 minutes in Italian then sat down. I could somewhat understand the messages of the three speakers. The lesson in Gospel Principles class was awesome. It was about the Fall which I studied a ton in the MTC so I could understand it all. Next week Anziano Brown and I are teaching Gospel Principles which will be exciting. O yea, so Anziano Brown and Anziano Andreason are the two other missionaries in Brindisi with us. We live in an apartment in the back corner of the city. We live on the 6th floor and can see the whole city. It is beautiful. There is a pazzeria right across the street and the people there literally love us. Last we each bought a pizza they gave us a free one too just because we are awesome. A whole pizza costs 3 euros and they are so good. Anziano Pizza and Andreason both said Brindisi has the weakest pizza they have had Italy and I think it is incredible. That blows my mind. It is so awesome to come home after a full day working and eat a pizza on our back porch. It is super hot and we walk between 8 to 10 miles a day. Since I am a greenie and Anziano Pizza is new here we did not have anyone to teach this week. We have just been walking around stopping people on the street and knocking doors all day. Monday night and Tuesday night we had incredible experiences. Monday night it was 830, and I was about to drop. We were right by our apartment, and I was just like do you want to call it a night? Anziano Pizza said the Lord needs us to work for 30 more minutes. We found two ladies sitting on their porch and we taught an awesome lesson about the Plan of Salvation. It was the highlight of the day, and I would have missed it if we went back. I am so glad Anziano Pizza is pushing me. Last night was the best. So the apartment complexes here are literally like 3 feet away from the street and most people have their windows open at night. We were walking down a street and we started talking to a lady who was in her kitchen from the street. At first I did not think the conversation would go anywhere, but we ended up talking to her for about 45 minutes. We usually teach people about the Restoration of the Gospel and the Book of Mormon initially, but Anziano Pizza started talking about Gods plan for families. We found out about 15 minutes later that her husband died 8 months ago and she does not believe in God anymore. We both shared our testimonies that we will live again because of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and his gospel is meant to give and strength and peace during trials. She started to tear up. We have a return appointment this Friday.

Preparation day was solid today. First we cleaned our apartment for like 2 hours. It really needed it. Then we went and picked up a stamp we need with our names, number, and address which was like a 25 minute walk. Then we went grocery shopping. I would be wrong if I did not tell you about my grocery shopping. Last Friday I bought 2 kilos of yogurt. That is 4.4 pounds. Gone 4 days. I do not plan on slowing down. The fruit here is absolutely absurd. It is seasonal so they bring it in fresh every morning and I bought a bag of pears, oranges, blood oranges, peaches, and grapes to last me for the whole week and it was like 8 euros. It is heavenly. Their pasta, pizza, and gelato is unreal too. Then a member brought me a bed and a desk that I needed which was super nice of him and we reorganized our apartment. He also brought us a new fridge. We are officially in business. After that we just went shopping here which is just as amazing as the food. Now I am finishing my email and it is back to work for the rest of the week.

I almost forgot, last thing. There is a city which is a 25 minute train ride away called Leccia. It is the most beautiful place I have ever seen. We went there for District Meeting Monday morning and I got a rustica which is like a hot croissant with lasagna in the middle and some gelato. This city is unbelievable. We are going next Wednesday to go shopping their and then play soccer.
Everything is great here. I love this city, my companion, the members here, the other missinoaries, and all the people I have met. Most importantly, I am coming to know the Lord like never before. It is a joy to serve him all day every day!
Love,
Anziano Smith