This week was pretty amazing.... this Saturday we are having a baptism of at least 3 people of this family

JUNE 22th, 2011


Hey!!
so this week was pretty amazing....

THURSDAY- we had zone conference. We went to Verona and listened to our mission president give us council on how we can be better and we also heard from our assistants and our zone leaders. This zone conference was a lot about revelation, so revelation through prayer, church attendance and the book of Mormon. Like for us but also this is how we can help our investigators get answers to their prayers so yeah it was way good and I learned a lot. I always love zone conferences and things like that because we just learn soooo much it's awesome.

FRIDAY- today we taught a bunch of lessons! it was awesome we were just running all over the place. We went to this African's house named Henry. He wasn't there so we did casa and got in so that was 1 lesson taught. Then we went to centro to meet another African named Wisdom we got there early so we taught this guy on the stairs of the church. He was so legit but he lived in another city so I just got his info to pass on to other missionaries. Then we taught Wisdom and he brought his brother so that was one referral so that was sweet. Then we had to teach this guy named Ebram.  We got there early so we stopped at the park and talked to this one guy and taught him a lesson and then we went and taught Ebram.  He is also African, he is progressing very well and is way excited about the book of Mormon. Then we had our Brazilian family and we taught tithing, they accepted it greatly so no worries. It was just a really good day because we didn't spend the whole time trying to finding people but we taught a bunch of people it was sweet.

SATURDAY- Saturday was just like Friday jam packed full of lessons. We started off by teaching Wisdom at 9 in the morning haha  That was the only time he was around so we taught him and his brother the restoration. They read and enjoy the book of Mormon a lot and even said that they agree that it is the word of God. (I wanted to serve in Africa but I know that the Lord has sent me to Italy to teach his Africans children here :))  Then we taught English class and taught with spiritual thoughts so in the end that was another lesson. Then we taught Ebram and this other guy named Sarfo they are both African. Then we went to park and found someone else to teach a lesson to. Then we went to the Brazilian's house to teach them, they are progressing very well towards baptism I'm so proud of them. We did a practice interview for the baptism and they all passed. They have been taught everything and are ready for baptism the real interview is Sunday.  They are ready but they are way scared only the 14 year old says that she knows she is ready for this Saturday. The rest of them want to wait but they know its true so we have to work with them a little bit more. Then after we taught another lesson to this other African haha we are teaching a lot haha its way awesome.

SUNDAY- good day, we went to church and the Santos family came and they enjoyed it a lot. After church we all ate together like a party it was awesome. Also my comp and I bought white shirts and ties for Pablo and Clovis so they came to church all legit it was sick i loved it :) Then after we went to there house to do the interview with the other Anziani and they all passed they felt better able to baptism, but still real unsure but we will continue to work with them. Then we went and taught this African named Sarfo again he is doing awesome and it really interested in the gospel. We have so many investigators now it's hard to keep track haha it was a good day. Over all by the end of the week we had taught like over 20 lessons in less then 3 days so I was a great way to end the week :)

MONDAY- we had district meeting and I taught about how we can have better inspired planning sessions which was good. We watched a clip from the district videos and talked about it and we talked about things we can do better. Then we came home and we had a lesson with Wisdom in centro. He brought more friends to hear to gospel so we were teaching like 3 Africans and then this other guy comes by and we start teaching him too. So we were teaching like this little group of just super humble Africans and I love it. They love the book of Mormon. Then we were going to a members house but he cancelled on us which sucked, p.s don't ever cancel on missionaries haha or at least try not to at least don't do it an hour before your appointment haha but then we just worked it was a good day.

TUESDAY- SICKEST DAY EVA!!!!!!!!!! first we went to the bank because the members live so far from the church. They ask the missionaries to do some banking stuff for them. So I went to the bank and got these envelops to put tithing in and also to got new check books and stuff for them anyways so we got all the stuff done with. Then we came home because we needed to clean really badly because we have some assistants doing like a 2 day scambi in Mantova. They are here to help us grow, so we needed to clean and get ready for them. Anyways that wasn't the best part of the day, the best part of the day is when we got to teach the Santos family. They were all there except for Clovis because he was working in Roma for the week. Anyways we read and taught about Alma 32 about faith and the seed and I'm really trying to get them to be sure about their baptism. Then the mom just comes out and says yeah we 3 have decided to get baptized this Saturday which was suchhhhhhh a relief for me now we just have to work with the father. The mom wants Wener to baptize her, then the 12 year old kid said my comp can do his and I'm going to baptize the 14 year old girl. So this week we really need to work with not only this family but more Clovis like call him and get members to call him. The thing is he is ready he knows everything is true and he is living the commandments he just wants to "know more" . He knows everything essential to be baptized we just need to encourage him and not to scare him and let him know we love him and know that he is ready for this.

So this Saturday we are having a baptism of at least 3 people of this family we are still working with the father and anything is possible keep praying I know your prayers have helped. I'm so excited and I know this gospel will bless their families forever! I love you all and I'm so grateful for you and your examples have a great week my family :)

Love Anziano Glowa

I stepped on a nail it went right trough my shoe and in my foot and we got a baptism commitment all in the same week.

                                                          JUNE 14th, 2011

hey!!!!
So this week was pretty good, I'm learning so much i love it :) I'm glad you were able to go and help the helping hands. I remember doing that and I miss it. We don't get to do as much service here as we would like. But I do miss doing service projects even if I am a little lazy or used to be.  Thanks for the story about your ward mission leader dad, this week hasn't been the easiest, just in terms of people standing us up, and getting our bikes stolen and just like everything going wrong. I want you my family to know that I know that I have trials because they help me grow. If I didn't, if this mission would be too easy, I wouldn't learn a darn thing. The Lord gives us these trials to test us but also to help us grow. I have a testimony of this and I'm glad for the chance that I have to learn and to grow and to go forward with an eye towards faith and that in the end the Lord will help me. More importantly than Him helping me He will help me grow and change.  I know that's true because I've experienced it on my mission even if I haven't been here a long time. The Lord loves us and wants us to learn and only He knows how we will be able to learn. Thank you for your love and your encouragement and for your support.  I'm so grateful for you my family and I know that I picked you in the pre-existence, and I know that I picked wisely. I am so lucky to have you and sometimes I take it for granted but you my family have literally changed me life and I thank you for that. Have a great week and dad have a great fathers day, I'm sorry I didn't get you anything but I'll do my best in giving myself to the Lord. Thank you for your great example and for literally being THE BEST DAD EVER!!!! and don't you EVER forget that we are a wolf pack, the GLOWA PACK! I love you so much. Thank you for everything I pray for you always and I know that the Lord is not only growing me but you two are also growing. You two still have lots to learn and that's why we all have trials, I love you both and wish you a great week and will talk to you next week, love you.....

WEDNESDAY NIGHT- So I was walking in Centro and I stepped on a nail it went right trough my shoe and in my foot, it wasn't too bad but I still treated it so it wouldn't get infected, haha random story that's pretty much all that happened that night :p

THURSDAY- Today we went to the branch president's house and ate with him. It was very good and I ate a lemon for the first time. I took a video so you can all see haha. I'm not the best at sending pictures but I've been better at taking them. I'm going to send a package soon and you'll get them then. We also taught the Brazilian family, the father was there so we were able to teach the whole family it was awesome. We talked about the plan of salvation and the dad was taking notes and everything the lesson was so spiritual and awesome. We had already given a baptism date for the mother and daughter but not the father and son . That night we set a baptismal dates with the whole family for the 25th of June its so exciting :) they know its true, they are a little worried about baptism, because it is  a big choice. But they know its right and they are excited for it, the daughter especially knows its true and she's like the Joseph Smith of the family its pretty awesome to see.

FRIDAY- We had weekly planning and then we had a lesson with a less-active Margharita it was good we did a practice lesson for my companion where he taught the plan of salvation. It went really good, then that night we went to Wener's house (the member helping us with famiglia Santos ( that Brazilian family) We taught them Italian and ate with them it was good. I find it funny teaching Italian when i'm still learning myself haha but I guess you learn things better when you teach it so there you go :)

SATURDAY- Today we had English class and we talked about the book of Mormon and it was really awesome. Our English student Carla  is going to Washington DC for a month so we won't be having English class anymore because she was our only student so we will have to find more people that want to learn English :) Today we taught this African guy in the park that we met last week we gave him a book of Mormon and told him about it. He said he would read and pray about it. It's so weird teaching in English, haha I'm going to come home and I won't be able to  communicate at all. I'll go out with the missionaries at home and won't be any help at all haha so yeah it was fun teaching in English but almost felt wrong haha joking.  Then we also taught this other Brazilian family that we did casa into last week. They told us to come back so we did and they let us in and we taught them about the book of Mormon too. They had been here for 5 yeas so they spoke Italian very well. Then that night we taught famiglia Santos and we watched the Joseph Smith movie with them and then we bore our testimonies it was awesome and they really enjoyed it. They told us they were coming to church before we had the time to invite them it was awesome haha :)

SUNDAY-We had church and we had famiglia Santos came. The whole family and they loved it, I talked to them later and they said they felt the spirit so strongly and they are learning so much. I know that they will get baptized and that the Lord is prepared them for this moment. We also had another Brazilian investigator at church. Not that family we taught on Saturday but another one...there are a lot of Brazilians in Mantova.  Famiglia Santos is getting in so good with the ward that Wener invited them over for lunch after church. They are such good friends, its awesome!  Then we taught this other African guy in Centro his name is Wisdom, is that a sweet name or what. We did another book of Mormon lesson it was really good, he was just way humble. it was a good Sunday.

MONDAY- Did some casa and then we had a lesson with this guy name Samuel, he is african. He wasn't there but we talked to this  other african who was born in Italy we gave him a book of Mormon and told him we want to play basketball with him and that we should teach him the gospel.  He seemed pretty legit so we will see what happens.  We taught famiglia Santos again and gave them the word of wisdom, the lesson wasn't long because Anziano Reynoso and I went to Verona for a blitz. We got them to except the commandment it was awesome, and then we went to Verona with the zone leaders.

TUESDAY- We did a scambi with the zone leaders and we did a lot of contacting. I went with Anziano Bulnick and we went to Centro and talked to people and taught lessons to africans. A member of the church from American came up to us and started talking to us it was sweet. I took some video of Centro and of us walking so you'll get to see Verona it was way awesome. We decided to stay the night here in Verona and that's why we are doing email there haha.  On Tuesday I got pooped on by a bird for the first time in my life haha I've been trying to avoid it my whole life and i did so for 19 years but they finally got me

Anyways that was my week, I'm sorry this email is a bit shorter, I'll write more next week

LOVE YOU Anziano Glowa

Train Strike and my bike stolen !!!

                                                          June 8th , 2011 

Ciao!!

so this week was pretty crazy haha ill start with wednesday night...

WEDNESDAY NIGHT- after p-day we went to teach that brazilian family, i dont know if i told you there names or not but the mom is sandra the aughter is bruna and the son is pablo the father is cloves but hes down south working. so we went to sandras house with the 2 children and taught the restoration, we brought wener with us, he is a brazilian member here in Mantova.  the lesson went really well and they all understood everything and seemed the except it very well, im really excited for their progression, keep them in your prayers.

THURSDAY- we had leadership training part 2, it was really inspiring and helpful, we talked about a lot of stuff, first President Wolfgramm taught about the doctrine of Christ and how we need to teach the points of doctrine an then we read a bunch of scriptures that talk about the points of doctrine, then the assistents taught us about using inspired questions, about following the spirit and about teaching people not lessons, and to slow down in lessons and to let the spirit talk to you and tell you what to say it was very good, and then the zone leaders taught us about using the 10 point in chapter 10 of preach my gospel under the heading when you begin teaching.  they told us to memorize those and to use them in lessons because they bring power and conviction.  this training was very well done and i did learn a lot. it ended with President Wolfgramm saying something and i wrote it down he said "everyday we are faced with an obstacle and everyday we over come those obstacles ad we grow from them" its nothing i didnt already know but its nice to hear it every once and awhile. 

FRIDAY- we went to a members house because we were invited for lunch, so we went over and it took an hour bus ride... the members live so far away, it was good we ate this meat pasta stuff it was delicious, then we came home and used our personal time to go to weners home to teach him and his fmaily italian, we went over some verbs and how to conjugate them it went well.  them we went to a less actives house her name is margharita, its not her fault that shes less active really, maybe ive explained this but her sister in law has cancer and she goes over and helps her and she needs to go over on sunday anwyays we taught her and talked with her just to give her strength. it was a good day but a lot of running around from like busses and the bikes, but it was a good day.

SATURDAY- we had english class in the morning with carla and she is reading the book of mormon but she still doesnt want us to come over and teach her, but she agrees to coe to church haha, she said that she needs to read the book of mormon first before having us over to talk about anything, but she is willing to talk and loves talking about the doctirne and learning at church, so i dont understand her... then after we had lunch at that amerian restaurant that we found it was so good again hahaha just like home....i know its a sin because im in italy and i should be enjoying italian food, but i eat italian food so often that i need a break every once and a while and i need to eat american food haha anyways its all good :) then we had an appointment with sandra, but wener couldnt come, we went over anyways but sandra was still at work, so we told them that we would pick them up for church the next day.  then we did some finding work and nothing... but we will continue and work hard and the Lord will bless us. 

SUNDAY- was such a good day! we had church in the morning and we went with our ward mission leader cyro ( the one that added you on facebook) and we went to pick up sandra bruna and pablo, and they all came it was awesome, for us sacrement meeting is the last hour, so when they got there is was the 2nd hour so wener taught gospel principles class, we were hoping that it was only going to be us wener and the brazilian family but them some other italians came like new converts. anyways wener really only knows how to speak portuguese, so i told him that i would translate, portuguese to italian for everyone else, haha i dont know why i told him i would do that because i dont even remember or know portugese from brazil... but them something cool happened, i understood everything wener was saying, pretty much and i was able to translate brazilian portuguese to italian so that was pretty sweet. then it was the third hour...testimony meeting. it went really well. my comp bore his testimony i bore my testimony it was awesome and there were no crazies haha and sandra actually started to cry, it was awesome! hahaha they are so awesome! so church was great, after lunch and all that we went to the town lunetta which is a 20 min bike ride from home, anyways we did casa there and got let in this guys name is stefano and he said he has been taught by the missionaries years before, anyways long story short we got a retur appiontment with him after that it was time to go home....but the problem was it that it was raining CATS AND DOGS!!!! haha for real it was pouring down so hard and we were a 20 min bike ride from home, and i had my camera and the phone on me, i thought for sure they would get destroyed, we said a pray that the rain would slow down and that our stff wouldnt get destroyed. i think the rained just about got worse haha but we rode home and it was sooooooo fun! haha i cant explain why but i just really enjoyed myself i would going in the puddles and just enjoying myself, haha in times like that if you dont enjoy yourself you just get mad but who wants to be mad haha anyways i got home and my bag was soaked, i open my bag and get my stuff and not a single drop of water was on my camera or my phone but my pass along cards were soaked, it was truly a miracle haha :) 

MONDAY- we went to Verona for district meeting it was really good we listened to a talk about member work and bore our testimonies, the spirit was so strong, after we went back to the train station to get our 1:57 train, but there was a STRIKE!!!! so non of the trains were running, we waitted for the 2:40 train...nothing then the 3:20 train...nothing then we saw the capi zona in the trainstation and we decided to go to thier home and we just did a blitz and slept over, i went with anziano anderson hes a cool guy hes from texas we got let in doing casa and we also taught this new convert, it was a good blitz and then we came back and ordered pizza and all hung out it was fun. 

TUESDAY- probably one of the most un-pleasant days of my mission hahaha but i did learn from it... so we get back from verona in the morning to find that our bikes which we left over night at the train station, were not to be found haha someone jacked them... which was just soooooo annoying because there was nothing we could do because of the strike, i called the church office and they told me i wouldnt have to buy a bike with my own money because i already bought a bike and it wasnt our fault that the bikes got stolen so we spent the WHOLE day looking for bikes and couldnt find any under 180£ and the church only wants us to spend at most 130£ so we looked and looked, and nothing, we had to cancel 3 of our appointments so we got to do like no work and because we are in Mantova we walked for like FOREVER! haha but then i called a member to see if he could drive us to this one place i knew about and so he did and i found a bike there for 130£ :) i didnt buy it because we were going to be late for our last appointment and it was with sandra so we will come back thursday, we told them to put it on reserve so its no big problem. then we went to teach sandra and bruna because pablo wasnt there but thats okay next time, anyways we read 3 nephi 11 together and talked about baptism nd gave them a bap date for the 25th of june, it seems a little soon but we felt good about it and then accepted so thats awesome! i am really excited for them, so the day was a little frustrating but in the end it was a good day! then we went to cyros house our ward mission leader to talk about the missionary work here it was a good day :) 

so that was my week i love you all sooooo much! for my b-day package i cant think of anything i really need maybe just some american money so that i can save it for when i go home because i have some money here, like what grandma gives me and im saving it for when i come home, so maybe just some money, buy as in terms of stuff also maybe dads tape of him singing put onto a cd that would be so awesome! anwyays i gotta go time is a running out i love you soooooooooooooooo much!!!!!! and im so grateful for your love and for your examples :) love your baby bend boy Anziano Glowa

Love Anziano Glowa :)