Caserta | week 12 {transfer calls, Reggia Garden, charity}

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

Brindisi | week 12 {Monday is Pday, no one gets transferred!}

Anziano Smith, Anziano Jepsen, Anziano Alvey, Anziano Pizza

Ah! We can't wait to go visit Brindisi one day! It sure seems like a special place

Lasagna Anziano Pizza made for the elders last Friday for weekly planning. Delicious!

Regan said this was a local duomo (big Catholic church)

Sure looks beautiful there!

Anziano Pizza and Anziano Smith

Well, this was a shorter week since pday was changed to Mondays but I still have some good stuff to report. First of all, I dont think I have given the members here from Brindisi enough love in my emails home. They are super legit. Prime example. Last Friday Fratello Frascaro asked us to come to the church really quick to help him with something for his family history and he bought 4 wheels of focaccia for the 4 of us. It was so nice of him. 

On Saturday I went on a scambio with Anziano Jepson. That night was easily one of the best of my whole mission. Anziano Jepson decided to go out to see someone they met on the street earlier that week. She told them they could come back and talk. She was about an hour walk from our apartment. I thought it was a very questionable decision to go and see her, but he wanted to, so we did. After 40 minutes of walking came across an older couple and a younger lady sitting on a bench and we stopped to talk to them. It was a way neat experience for me to say the least. Anziano Jepson talked to the younger lady (who wasnt super interested in our message) while I talked to the older couple. We ended up talking for like 30 minutes. It boosted my confidence a ton to know that I can hold a conversation completely on my own. Anziano Pizza is giving me control of the phone now which is another big step. Anyways, I gave them a Book of Mormon which they said they would read. Only problem with contacting them again is they have no idea how to use the phone they have. Getting a hold of them might be a problem. I had to take her phone from her and call my phone to get her number cause she didnt even know it. We shall wait and see.

Then we finally got to the apartment we were going to in the first place. It was a very very nice lady who was in probably the nicest apartment I have seen since I have been here. She showed us pics of her kids weddings which were incredible. We got to know her better for like 20 minutes and then asked if she has met with the missionaries before. It turns out she is the great aunt of Anziano Liccoli who was the missionary that I came to Brindisi to replace. I was so shocked. He is from somewhere in Northern Italy. We then taught her the lesson on the Resoration. She said she wasnt interested in meeting with us again, but I still felt amazing after that lesson. It is really neat to think of how much joy God lets us feel when we do our best. I know that I am not by any means a perfect teacher, and I have thought a lot of times that I could have given another person a better chance to here this wonderful message. However, the only thing that matters is that I keep trying to grow in my love for the Lord and others and do my best and that will be enough because the Lords grace is sufficient. 

Next big moment from the week: Transfer Calls!!! Our whole house is staying together this transfer. I was psyched! We actually got the call while we were at Victor and Blessings for dinner and a lesson. We had an amazing dinner of pasta and fried chicken sandwiches. It was legit. Anyways, all the elders here truly are my brothers. This work unites us like none other. I love them all so much and am so happy to hear that they are all doing well. 

Im out of time. Everyone just know that the Lord lives. He loves everyone one of us no matter what we do. We can never go so far away that we are out of his sight. We are his children and always will be. It is the quest of a lifetime to come to know him more intimately and serve him with all our might! 

Love,

Anziano Smith

Brindisi | week 5

This Saturday is transfer calls! I cannot believe how fast my first transfer has gone by. It will be really sad if any of us go. I am really hoping we all stay together at least one more.

Nevertheless, this week was quite eventful. To start off, English course on Thursday was awesome. We talked about music the whole time, and I had an impression that we should all sing O How Lovely Was the Morning for the spiritual thought and talk about the First Vision. Afterwards 2 people asked to be taught the lessons. Anziano Pizza and I taught Corridino on Friday morning. It was a really amazing experience. We taught about the purpose of this life and how the Atonement can help fulfill that purpose and find joy now and throughout eternity. We also gave him a Book of Mormon the day before and he read the first couple chapters. He went on a trip to Milan for a couple days, but he is coming back tomorrow. We are excited to meet with him again on Friday!

Friday night Anziano Brown and I went to visit Victor and Blessing again. I seriously love them. Their faith is so incredible. We taught Blessing about the importance of enduring to the end and Victor was able to share the most powerful testimony of his conversion and how this is what he really wants. It is incredible to see how the gospel can change people permanently! One thing I have learned personally in the past couple weeks is that the gospel is meant to change our natures, not just our behavior. It is a big adjustment for everyone who serves a mission because the schedule and all of the rules we have to keep. Now that I have been here for 5 weeks and had some opportunities to teach I am realizing that the schedule and rules are meant to change our very natures so we can teach with more convincing power. Instead of a burden it is so evident that they are a blessing. Diligence and patience are so important in this work because nothing comes immediately or easily.

President Casti and his wife invited us over for Pronzo yesterday and it was unbelievable. Ok, I know I use a lot of superlatives, but I am not kidding this time when I say that it was the best food I have ever tasted. They are such incredible people. They moved to Taranto a while ago which is a 45 minute trainride from Brindisi, but they still come to our branch because they love the people so much. It is so easy to feel their love for us. Also, behind their apartment is a patch of grass and it is the second time I have seen grass of any kind in Italy. In between courses of pronzo we all just played on their grass. It was so enjoyable. I honestly felt like I was in America.

So the spiritual thought for this week is about good questions. During my personal studies this week I have learned a ton and it is because I have learned to ask good questions. The scriptures have the same stories and the same sermons every time you open them, but they are literally an inexhaustible source of knowledge if you master asking good questions and searching for the answer. I have learned to look in my studies as to how I can help resolve peoples concerns that they may have. When I study out of love for another person and desiring them to come unto Christ, inspiration from on high can come.

I am really excited for September. There are like actually people home now. August is the biggest month for vacations in Italy, so it is starting to pick up a lot more now. Everyone who is going back to school, have fun! Haha

Love,

Anziano Smith