Ciao tutti!
Mama mia, sono già stato qua per tre mesi... un quarto del'anno.
Well, things here are going great!!!! We're starting this transfer off running, and we've got some big works here in the making.
First off, I was asked about the weather here. It's just sticky, always. Cioè it always feels like it just rained, but minus the good smell and the fresh feeling. I guess this is what they call humidity. Gross. It's definitely not hot, like Gilbert, where you can feel like you'll get a sunburn in a couple seconds of exposure, but you sweat a lot here. It's kind of like when it was raining here, and I just had to accept the fact that I was going to be wet, and then get over it and move on, it's the same now. I'm gonna be drenched if I wanna go anywhere, so I've learned to just accept it and move on.
Allora, this week was pretty great. We did some finding work in some super ritzy palazzi, that actually had carpet! (no one believes in carpet here, it's weird, and depressing a little) But this place looked like it just walked out of the 20's or something, it was great. Each apartment had huge double doors, and there was a little random decorative table in each hallway, haha wow missionaries get amused by the lamest things. Oh, and also, this place had about 4 apartments per floor, except the top one was all bought out by one person,so that was pretty legit. Yeah, but unfortuantely, no one was home.
Also while doing finding work, we ran into a couple who immediately let us in, and were very nice. We then found out that they were members of the church for about 25 yrs, but now wanted nothing to do with the church (and thus would not let us share a message), but they love the missionaries, and invited us over to dinner or lunch sometime, but unfortunately we can't really justify going if they won't let us share a message or anything... The wife seemed kind of spacey and was trying to share some buddhist doctrine with us, but the husband you could really tell was hurt/sad, and I really wanted to help... Then later on, we met another lady in the same building that wanted to talk to us (mainly just because she likes to talk) but there wasn't a man home, so we couldn't. It then came to me to go back up and ask the couple, or even just the husband of that first couple to accompany us with her, and just kind of ask him if he could do us the favor of allowing us to teach her, and I had this picture in my mind where the lady we'd teach just keeps going on and on, and then this ex-member comes in and starts testifying and then him and his wife get reactivated in the church. But, unfortunately, my companion was not on the same page with me, and didn't agree. It can get frustrating sometimes having someone that you have to always appease... Sometimes I feel like he's just too lazy, or not devoted enough, but he definitely has no intentions of changing, and I'm in no position to judge. Però, andiamo avanti.
We have been very busy this week, and I am very happy about it! The door-to-door stuff isn't workin' out so well, so we are now doing what we should've been doing and fellowshipping the members. Our capi zona challenged us to eat lunch at a members house 3x's a week. E così we get to cook less, and then also share a spiritual message with them, and build trust and friendship with our members, so that they actually know who we are. Also, we're keeping busy with less-actives, and we're in fact going to see a fratello tonight that hasn't been coming to church, so we've definitely got our hands full here in Muggiò.
Carlo had to be interviewed by another anziano (by anz ritchie, who is a senior elder here with his wife) so we had to postpone the baptism, but the had they interview tuesday night, and everything is set to go! We're going to announce it in church on sunday, and then he'll be baptized the following saturday (the 4°)!
We had a great lesson tuesday with Carlo before his interview; we watched the film <<finding faith in Christ>>. I had to translate from english to italian for him because we didn't have a remote to switch the language (and I've found that it's a ton easier to translate to italian, than it is to english. english is lame). But the spirit was so strong in the room, and I myself felt very edified, and very much rejuvinated, and felt absolutely ready to give everything to Christ. It was awesome. Carlo, on the other hand, is hard to read, but with what he tells us, and what he does to committ to following in Christ footsteps is more than enough witness to us that he's ready.
We then found out today when we were going over the baptismal program with Carlo, how horrible it was for us to not bring members. He always seemed to know people in church, so we didn't worry too much, but he straight up told us today that he doesn't know anyone. And that's not good. He's been to church 6 times, and so consequently he chose me to give the talk on baptism, then Anz VanAuker will perform the baptismal ordinance, then I will confirm him a member and give him the gift of the Holy Ghost. And that's not a bad thing, but we won't be here forever. And when we told him that we won't be here forever he was very shocked. I mean, I just figured the whole world knew that every 6 weeks the missionaries switch cities, and thus there's the possibility that a missionary remain in the city for 6 weeks, or 30 weeks even. No, but we're going to bring members to every single lesson from now on. He even offered to let the missionaries stay at his house, free of rent. Dahhhh.
I got the package yesterday at training (which, by the way was amazing), and was super excited! Thank you so much! The music is perfect! and my companion was way excited also that you sent two ensigns (I assumed the second was for him) and everything was just great, so thank you so much! Haha we've already listened to the Michael McClean cd, and I didn't realize how many songs I knew from him. Also my companion recognized a lot of the songs too and was way excited!
Could you send your recipe for baked beans in the next email? I've made them before, but I forget the amounts of everything... We've got another barbecue coming up for the ward, and we want to bring something to share with everyone and thought beans would be perfect!
Well, training yesterday was great. They taught a lot about change, and our assistants to the president did a very well carried-out skit of a companionship that starts a transfer with high hopes, squanders their time, and then assumes they'll just fix it next transfer, and then they get transferred somewhere else. Complete with several instances where one of the two would freeze while the other stands up and tells the audience what he's thinking at the moment (there's a name for that, I know it.... it's some rhetorical device..... ma non mi viene). But it was very inspirational, and I learned a ton from it. Haha the things they said at times felt like the exact thoughts or even words I've said already in these last two transfers.
Well, I gotta go teach Felix,
Pace
-Anziano Bushman
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