October 10, 2011

Dear Mother,

I jut got back from the internet point where I promised I'd write a written letter about my week and how I'm feeling. So I'll start with Conference.  How conference worked was that Saturday night we went to Modena, about a 30 minute train ride away from Bologna, and we watched the Saturday Morning Session at 6:00 pm.  Looking over my notes, I really enjoyed Richard G. Scott's address.  He is always one of my favorites and then Pres. Packard's talk was very well done.  I like how he talked about a young people growing up in enemy territory and then going on to talk about how everyone with a body has power over those who don't.  Meaning we have power over the adversary and then of course I liked the powerful end, that "this war started from before the beginning of time is not in question.  Lucifer will lose."  Super powerful, gives me goosebumps.  Which actually was a reoccurring sensation all throughout conference.  So after that session we returned home.  The following day (Sunday) priesthood session was held at 11:00 and then Saturday afternoon at 2:00 and the Sunday morning live session at 6:00 pm.  After that one we had to return home.  I'm sad I can't watch the last session, I guess I still will be able to read it.  But like I already said, I really enjoyed Elder Hales' talk.  How true that everyone in this life will have occasion to ask "Where art thou?" when he said that I thought about myself back in Pisa after Riley died.  And then I thought of Alma and Amulek in Alma 14:10-11.  Seeing the women and children in the fire and God not stopping it. Elder Holland in Priesthood session threw down hard.  Did dad tell you about it?  Was this Justin's first priesthood session?  How did the boys like conference/priesthood session all together?  The 3 boys! And then of course I loved Pres. Monson's talks.  I left feeling very edified and re-charged just like I wanted to happen.  So we returned home ready to work harder.  Especially because Ferrara needs a lot of help right now.  So my companion and I set some new goals and for now we are doing very well with them.

Monday was district meeting, like usual.  And as a district vision we decided we were all going to work on developing Christlike attributes this transfer.  So the first one my companion chose to address was Diligence.  Something I think the whole district needed.  We had a great district meeting and after went right out to work.  We taught this German guy on the train out to Ferrara who is working for the French Foreign legion and has been in Iraq for the last 7 months.  He was really cool.  Swore a lot and wasn't really good at it either. Ha Ha.  I thought to myself, "this guy needs to get XBox Live and learn how to swear."  Then we got to Ferrara and went to a park that we visit often.  I didn't find many to speak with.  Pretty much on the way out of the park we saw a middle-aged couple and just said Hi.  They said hi back and said they were good and here's the strange part...they then asked us how were were doing.  Really strange.  So we jumped on that opportunity to tell them who we are and what we are doing in Italy and started talking to them about the Gospel and restoration.  Pretty normal stuff.  The part that made it not normal was when their 7 year old kid came up and started listening to us and then one by one more and more lil kids came over to where we were talking.  All in all it probably got to be about a group of 7-10 kids and then the couple.  We were preaching the gospel "Suffer the children to come unto me." It was really fun.  The lil Italian's Italian was so cute too.  So I would say the work in Ferrara is starting to come along.

I had a scambio with Anz. P, the zone leader who took D's place yesterday.  Oh my goodness it was so much fun.  We had so much success together.  We taught 7 lessons that day.  Finding sweet people who need the gospel left and right.  He is a really cool guy.  I like the way he picks up the people around him by example instead of being a self-righteous aspirer.  So my scambio with Anz. P was a big success.  Ferrara really needs the work.  Right now our problem is turning all these sweet new contacts into investigators and then get them progressing towards baptism.

I love you mom.  Your love and support sustain me. Through hard times, moments of trial, doubts and temptations, I think of you.  Yu help me through the thick and thin.  Your love and testimony are my rock.  I love you so much.  Thank you eternally for the sacrifices you make and made for me. I know this work is the work of the Lord.  I'm thankful to be a missionary at this time.  I pray I can learn to magnify my calling to the best of my ability.  Talk to you soon.