I've Forgotten Myself and Gone to Work!!

Hey!!

First I’ll talk about Merlan, we found him last Saturday the 16th of July. I think I told you about him but it was such a miracle about how we found him. My comp’s bike was broken and it took us an hour to fix it then we had planned to do some casa in Centro area but on the way there his bike broke again. We went back home just to drop it off and then decided to go to a park that was way closer to home and we knew that Heavenly Father was doing this to my comp’s bike because there was someone in this park. Well we were right there was Merlan. So we met him the 16th he came to church the 17^th. We taught him all last week and he came to church this past Sunday. He is so elect! I asked him to bear his testimony about the Book of Mormon and he was like well I have to start from the beginning and he explained the church of Christ, the apostasy, the restoration and everything perfectly. We have been teaching him in his second language. We had a baptismal date for him for the 6th of August, but we felt prompted to move his date up a week, the thing is he needs to come to church 3 times if not we have to call President and ask for a special request. So I did that and told President how elect this guy is and that there is no reason for him to wait. So I did that yesterday and so we moved his baptismal date to July 30th... and we are baptizing him at 11 am; the time I was born! Haha it’s going to be such an amazing day!! We are baptizing him exactly 2 weeks after we first met him, he is just sooooo elect. :) And he’s 20 so he’s going to go on a mission one day. :) 

I don’t have a lot of time to email this week, I'm sorry and it wont be a pattern I promise, but I'm going to talk about some things that are important...

EXTENSION...president has given me a one year extension.... he said because of my residency card I need to re-new it and I have to use up all the time on the card (does that make sense?) so I guess I’ll be a missionary for a total of 3 years. I prayed about it and felt really good; I hope that’s not a problem. I really see the blessings this will bring our family and also my future family but there is just one thing...I’m joking!!! Hahaha no I'm not getting extended for one year but President was totally positive about it, and told me he wants me to be here another transfer (that’s how long it would be) I would come home the 15thish of November. But he said it’s not so much of a spiritual thing as it is more of a logical thing. So it all depends at the end of my mission, if I were to stay and make the number of missionaries odd (which means one companionship would be in a threesome) he wouldn’t do it, the first presidency wouldn’t agree to that. If the mission is going to be odd and if I stay that would make it even; I would be able to extend no problem. President said that it’s good that he knows who wants to extend and that he would love to have me here longer. He said just to bring it up again at the end of my mission like when I have like 3 months left. I asked about my residency card because it expires and he said that wouldn’t be a problem and that he would work it out for me. :) So that made me happy! If it’s really what the Lord wants, then the mission will be odd at the end and I will stay and make it even. Did I scare you with the whole “I’ll be here another year?” Hahaha that was pretty funny eh?

There isn’t really much else to say, I got my package and I didn’t open it. I got a shoe box from Courtney and I didn’t think it was for my Birthday and I don’t know if it still is or not but I opened it and I got some SWEET ties. I'm actually wearing one of them right now...THANKS BABE I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But I will open the bigger package on Saturday. I am so excited to be baptizing on my birthday!

  

So when you think of me on my birthday and think of me at the time I was born remember that I’ll be helping someone else be re-born. As a follower of Jesus Christ, I love this work so much and I know I was born and sent here at the time that was right for me to help push this work forward. I love this work so much and I'm so humbled that I have the opportunity to do this work and to be a representative of Jesus Christ. I know this Church is true and that Christ lives, that Joseph Smith saw God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ face to face and that we have the true Church of Christ again on the earth. How great of a blessing we all have to live together forever! I KNOW these things are true. Thank you for accepting me into our family and for raising me right so that I was able to find and baptize Merlan. Thank you, thank you, thank you; I am forever in your debt. I love you my family and I hope you continue to have a great week, just know that I am happier then ever and it's because I've forgotten myself and gone to work! I love you all!!

Love Anziano 20 year old Glowa :)

"I'll change everything for Jesus!"

Bongiorno famiglia mia! :)

First to answer your question: I will receive my package on Friday,

THURSDAY- Went to a member’s house for lunch and then taught our baptismal dates after. Job and Shiko, they are cool, but not as legit as I thought. I think they will get baptized but I don’t think it will be on the date we first planned for them, but we will see what the Lord has in store for them, then we went to a new convert’s house, called the Singhs, we were going to go and watch the testament with them but brother Singh started opening up to us about how he has lost his faith because it’s hard with his health and living situation and nothing is getting better. We shared some scriptures and talked about them and bore testimony. I didn’t know what else to do I’m only 19 years old.... so we went to the church to pray and find an answer for what we can do. I felt truly humbled because I didn’t know how to handle the situation, I mean you learn in church how to gain faith, read, pray and go to church, but those answers don’t suffice when you are talking to a family who doesn’t have work and their living conditions aren’t the best... like I said, I felt truly humbled when I felt the sprit bear witness to us that we need to get the members to help them and that there friendship would go a longer way than our preaching to them about how to get faith. It was a good humbling experience.

FRIDAY- We went to Wener's house to teach his family Italian. I feel good when I help people and it’s weird how much of a hard time I had with French and now I’m teaching people how to speak Italian haha!! I’m not perfect or anything but it’s just amazing what I can do with the Lord’s help. After we did our weekly planning, it was fine we just planned like usual, then we went to Cyro's house to talk about the situation about Singh family. We felt really good that Cyro and his family would be able to help, they took the situation well and knew what they had to do, in terms of them going to go over and talk about how everyone has trials and talk about their trials. I’m just glad the Lord helped us by telling us what to do, and I’m grateful for Cyro and his family. They are really awesome and I know they are here in Mantova to help the missionaries. I really feel part of their family! :)

SATURDAY- We had English class but no one showed up... but that’s okay we got some stuff done that we needed to. So this past week Anziano Reynoso and I have been playing this Italian game. We only speak Italian and if one of us messes up, the other gets a point. The one with the most points at the end of the week gets to pick a restaurant and the other has to buy lunch. I won! :) So he bought me food at this Americanized restaurant. It was good; I got chicken tenders. :) Then we went and did parco and found this guy named Merlan. He is 20 years old and is from Congo. He speaks English though but he is a miracle. He said that he has not been to church for 3 years but that he wanted to go with us this Sunday. We taught the restoration and he agreed and knows it’s true. He has accepted the Book of Mormon with the Bible. It is amazing and he is learning Italian fast because of his French, it’s awesome. Then we taught some other lessons in the park but no one was really awesome like Merlan. I know the Lord guided us there to find Merlan! :)

SUNDAY- Went to church with MERLAN!!!! He loved it so much and was just way on top of things like answering questions, asking questions, just so happy that he has "found the truth" as he says, he is just such an amazing and willing person, I felt prompted to give him a baptismal invite for the 6th of August, and he accepted saying, "I’ll do everything to be prepared for that day." I love Merlan, he has been prepared by God for the restored gospel. Then we went to Mara's house, she is the cousin of Sandra the family we just baptized, they are sooo awesome! We went and ate and talked and had fun. Anziano Reynoso and I had to go on splits because there wasn’t room for both of us in 1 car so I went with Cyro and he went with Wener, so we agreed that we had to leave so I left first with Cyro thinking that Wener and them were going to leave right after us. Anyway we get to Cyro's house and no one was coming, so that’s when they called Canada, I heard your voice mom, and I understood everything you said, I understand Portuguese like perfectly anyways. I was in the kitchen while they were talking to her. It didn’t make me trunky or anything so don’t worry. Anyway, the other car finally got back and my companion told me that he was able to talk to their 20 year old son, Carlos, about the gospel and that he was interested in learning more. Carlos is just an awesome kid! He's fun and cool and super nice! So we had an appointment to go back and see him on Tuesday, it was a really good Sunday. :)

MONDAY- We had to go fix Anziano Reynoso's bike in the morning, then we taught Merlan in the afternoon and talked about the gospel and more about baptism, he is so excited. He understands everything so well, and he understands the priesthood and authority and everything so well. For example I told him that he could serve a mission, and he said, “no I am not baptized and I don’t have the authority from God to do so, maybe one day but I must wait to have authority like you”, it was sooooo legit! You have no idea how ready this kid is for the Gospel; I’m so excited for him! :) Then we taught some other people in the park but again no one really legit or interested, I’m just soo excited for Merlan he just loves the Gospel and just wants to follow Jesus so bad, he just keeps saying, “I’ll change everything for Jesus I just want to follow him,” he is so humble and amazing.

TUESDAY- We went to meet Carlos, taught and talked about the restoration a bit more, and we talked about our testimonies and how we came to this point in our lives. He is interested in learning more and he is just really open; he is just such a humble nice kid. Then we came home and got ready and went to Verona because today we went and looked at more of Verona sites like ruins and stuff. It’s way cool! I’m going to send pictures :)

Sorry this email wasn’t that long, I hope you all have a great week, I love you all sooooo much!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you for your support and your love. LOVE YOU!

Love Anziano Glowa

July 13th 2011 - Loads of Works!

La mia famiglia!!! :)

HEY!! So it sounds like you all had fun last night. That’s awesome that you surprised Courtney, I'm glad that she enjoyed it. :) Haha I can’t believe Young Men's camp was already last week...do you remember when I missed YM's camp because my birthday was at the end of the month... haha that seems like forever ago. That’s so funny that Tim had to feed everyone… oh the good stories Young Men's camp brings. I'm glad that the youth were able to either bear testimonies or share a scripture. That makes me miss the guys who are still at home, like Jordan and Cody. Tell them I miss them and I love them thanks :)

MY WEEK.......

THURSDAY- We taught our new converts, the Dos Santos family, it was nice. I really love them and it’s so awesome that we will be friends forever. It’s so crazy to think that a pair of 19 year old boys changed the life of a family for ever hahahaha doesn’t that just sound weird?? Well I'm so grateful for this family and their faith, they are truly amazing in all they do. They are great examples for me.  Then we went to Wener's house to teach them Italian. They are improving well; Wener speaks very well because he works, but his wife stays home and takes care of the children so it’s harder for her to practice so it’s taking her a bit more time, but we will continue to help them.

FRIDAY- We did our weekly planning and know that miracles will happen, the Lord helped us with our vision for last transfer and I know that he will for this one too.  After weekly planning we went to the park to do some contacting (we call it parco), we found 2 Africans, they are way legit. We found Job who is from Nigeria and Shiko who is from Congo. They met each other here about 2 months ago. Job speaks English and French, and Shiko only speaks French, so I teach and job translates because I have forgotten ALL my French!!!! Oh how I wish I would have actually paid attention in class now.... anyways we taught about the Book of Mormon and got a return appointment with them for Saturday (the next day) to bring a French Book of Mormon for Shiko. Then we went back to Wener's house for a bit to help Erika (his wife) with her primary lesson because it has to be in Italian. We helped her and she practiced on us and it was great! Then we went and had an appointment with Margharita, she is a less active who is only less active because she takes care of her husband’s sister who has cancer, I think I've already explained this. Anyway she is way awesome and I love just talking with her. We taught her about the Gospel of Christ and the lesson went very well.

SATURDAY- We had an appointment with the Chinese guy names Fabio (I’m sure he changed his name when he got here) he has been in Italy 10 years. We found him last week contacting at a park. He said he was Buddhist and he wasn’t the most interested in the restoration but he said maybe his wife would be so we got his number. When we went to see him he gave us the address to the cafe he works at haha. Anyways his wife wasn’t there, we taught a quick lesson because he was working and we said we would call later to see when his wife would be available. Then we had English class and we have 2 new students Aniss and Daniela. They are cool they are a couple I’m pretty sure but anyways we will try and share the gospel with them as much as possible. The lesson went well; I taught about nouns, verbs and adjectives. Then that day we taught Job and Shiko in the park. We taught more in-depth of the Book of Mormon and Christ, and they accepted everything and said that we are their brothers because of the good word we share. Anyways they asked if they could come to church so we arranged to pick them up for church on Sunday. These guys are really legit and I’m getting a lot of my French back....well not the part that I can speak but I can understand everything, pretty much which is good :) Then we went to Cyro's house because it was his birthday Friday and he had a party and he invited a few people from church and a work colleague so we were able to talk to them a bit it was good. :)

SUNDAY- So we went and picked up Job and Shiko and they were legit, shirt and ties, and they loved church. It was hard for them because they don’t understand Italian and I can’t really translate; not because I can’t but because we are in a little room with like 30 people and I would translate to English and then Job would have to translate to French and if we did that, no one would be able to hear the speaker, so I just relied on the spirit to touch their hearts and it did, then I taught them with a member present. It was the uncle of the branch president, I forgot his first name so we will call him brother Zambonini. :) The lesson was awesome, I taught the restoration and then the member bore his testimony so we were going from Italian to English to English to French haha it was awesome the spirit was so strong, and there were tears and anyways it was just awesome, they loved church and want to come back. Then after church we went to the Dos Santos cousin’s house for dinner. They live on a farm so it was 45 minutes away by car, but they are solid referrals. We made a good friendship and taught a really good spiritual thought at the end. Anyway we are going to go back next Sunday and will teach more. It was a really good Sunday! :)

MONDAY- We had district meeting and I talked about giving a solid baptismal date and the importance of making sure the investigator knows it’s a big deal and not just something that’s in the air. I hope that made sense, anyway then when we got back we got our apartment checked for cleanliness by some senior missionary couple called the Fullers. They are way awesome, and we passed with flying colors, and that’s not because we didn’t stay up way late cleaning the night before.... :p Hahaha anyways then we went and taught Job and Shiko again and gave them a baptism date for the 30th of July!!!! That’s right I’m baptizing on my birthday what a great gift! :) They accepted and said they will get baptized when they receive a testimony that it is true which is awesome because they already know it’s true. We will continue to work with them for that date. :) Then we went to the Dos Santos family’s house for a last lesson because they are going to brazil for vacation for 6 weeks. So we watched the testaments with them and I made poutine, which reminds me.....MORE POUTINE SAUCE PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hahaha it was a nice evening and I will miss them a lot. :)

TUESDAY- We taught 2 Africans this morning names Daniel and Charles. They are really cool and interested but the only problem is that they live an hour away. We went to their house and they were way cool and want us to come back but it’s and hour there, an hour lesson and then an hour back so it takes a huge part of the day. We will judge us going there if they are willing to come to church. So we will see how this goes, we did teach about Joseph Smith and they accepted the apostasy and the restoration. :) Then we taught, guess who…you got it haha, Job and Shiko, we taught about the plan of salvation, and they loved it. They love everything we teach and everything we tell them. They love that we are young people spreading the word or God and my French is slowly coming back. :) Hahaha then we went to a new convert’s house to teach the plan of salvation to them all it went well. They are the Singhs and they are Indian, way awesome, they are just so solid in the gospel I love them! Then we came home to write the progress record (a record that we need to fill out for each investigator that we teach) so we filled that out for Job and Shiko and the Dos Santos family.

It was a good week! I won’t get my package this week it will be next week when I have interviews. Pray for me :) Have a great week! I love you all and I’m so grateful for you both of you and for your love for me. :) Thanks! LOVE YOU SOOOOOO MUCH and I’m so grateful for your example :)

Love Anziano Glowa

Trip to Lago di Garda

HEY IM SENDING PICTURES TO YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hahaha just before I write about the week, I’ll explain how these pictures are from when we went to Lago di Garda. It’s the biggest lake in Italy but there was also a bunch of cool castles and everything, the best part is that the missionaries in Verona know this catholic deacon and he drove us there and brought us around and told us all about the sites it was way awesome, I have more pictures but ill just send those when I send a package like next week, if you cant see my name tag its on my jeans because it was soooo hot and humid I couldn’t put it on my shirt and because it kept falling but hopefully you can see it. It was way fun! :)
 


Now to my week....
 


THURSDAY- we went to our branch presidents house for lunch, that was really good :) it was pasta sooooo amazing :) and then we came home and I saw this store that I've never been in. I was thirsty and looking for something to drink, I went in the store and found.... grape fanta soda!!!! They don’t have that ANYWHERE is Italy; I was sooooooooooo happy it was amazing :) so I was pretty happy about that. We had a lot of lessons planned but got stood up for most of them which wasn’t the funniest but it happens: P haha we did have an appointment with the Singh family, they are Indian and got baptized 6 months ago, they fed us and the food was soooo good again.... I didn’t throw up but I almost did :S they had this really weird yogurt stuff haha anyways I ate it but it was soooo sour :s hahaha anyway it was good non the less, you must try it before you hate it haha :)
 


FRIDAY- we started off the day by making our transfer vision, we prayed separately and then talked about what we felt then we prayed separately again and then talked more and then prayed together to confirm what we felt and we decided that the Lord has prepared 2 people to be baptized this transfer and then we can get 5 baptismal dates for next transfer :) I feel really good about this vision and imp excited to see what will happen :) then we did our weekly planning which took a while, we didn’t get to teach a lot of lessons today but we really set ourselves up good for the up coming transfer and week and I know the Lord will bless us for that :)
 


SATURDAY- today we taught English class, Carla is in America, so you must be wondering who we are teaching, we teach Pablo and Bruna our new converts, they are way good at English and way fun to hang out with so we have a fun time in English class :) then we taught this guy named wisdom, he's from Ghana has a way cool guy but has just not progressing because he cant come to church, because he just got to Italy he is staying at this hotel thing, and on Sunday morning, they cant leave the hotel, anyways we pretty much dropped him he was a good guy and when he gets documents to get out of the hotel we will meet with him again, then we went to the Santos families house because there was a surprise birthday party for Bruna so all the Brazilians from church us and some of there family was there and it was just a fun evening, I really feel like I'm family with the Santos family :)
 


SUNDAY- we had church which was awesome, I really love have church in Italian and now that I understand everything its way more enjoyable I don’t really even have to par super hard attention, so church doesn’t hurt my brain anymore :) then we went to work and worked our butts off to get 20 lessons, so we went to the park and talked to EVERYONE and taught a bunch of good lessons, by the end of the night we reached our goal and got 20 lessons it was awesome :) that night I got a text message from this guy saying  are you in for a 4th of July BBQ tomorrow? I feel really good about this vision and I'm excited to see what will happen :) then we did our weekly planning which took a while, we didn’t get to teach a lot of lessons today but we really set ourselves up good for the up coming transfer and week and I know the Lord will bless us for that :)
 


MONDAY- this day our ward mission leaders son Cyro who is 17 came out with us all day, he came to district meeting with us and I think he learned some stuff which is good :) and then we came with us to eat with this American peter, peter met us at the station, we began talking and asked where he was from, he said he was born in Montreal Canada, and that he left when we was 23 and got a green card and became American, he was way cool, he was English too and then I explained how I  was from Montréal and I asked him where he lived and he said Brossard, and then I said that’s where my school is pretty much, and he said he graduated from Champlain College in 1982, haha anyways it was crazy!!!!! We talked all about Montréal, about poutine, and he even had poutine sauce powder at home and gave me one for free :) it was just soooo weird how it happened, the BBQ was sooooo good and it was just sooo crazy that 1) he was from Montréal and was born in the royal vick and 2) he wasn’t some crazy guy he was actually normal haha I took a picture so you’ll see when you get the package I send. Then we came home and went to some appointments with Cyro and taught him how to work as a missionary, he said he was dead tired, I guess I'm just used to being dead tired, because I didn’t feel anything different haha anyways it was good for him to know how much hard work but also how much fun a mission is :)
 
TUESDAY- was a good day, we started the day by going to a members house that lives an hour away on the way we met this African who was way cool we took the same bus so we taught a lesson with him and gave him a book of Mormon the only thing is that he lives an hour away, we are going to go tomorrow (Thursday) to investigate so see where he lives, so we ate lunch at this members house so good it was a meet pasta and it tasted sooo good, then I sat on their couch for a second... bad idea....I fell asleep and so did my companion for almost an hour, when I woke up, the member had also fallen asleep, I felt sooo bad, I don’t even know what happened... haha I just passed out, I guess that’s what you get for working so hard in like a close to death heat hahaha its seriously super hot here, sometimes I think I'm going to die.... I come home and ring my shirt because my back is all sweaty...but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Haha its usually like 30 or 32 but then there is like 100% humidity haha but its awesome, anyway so we woke up taught the member a lesson and then took the bus home, we went and taught the Santos family and watched the prodigal son its such a good movie, a little old but I love it, I have it in Italian, I cant wait to watch it with you in Italian :) then we went to our ward mission leaders home and made.... POUTINE for them :) they all loved it and I'm proud that I was able to make it haha, I forgot to take a picture of it but that’s okay because I have another pouch of powder and ill take a picture then.... I MISS POUTINE!!!!!!!!!!!!! Haha it was soooo good I almost shed a tear when I took a bite and it tasted like poutine haha it was a wonderful experience :) then we took a 9 o’clock train to Verona because today we went site seeing
 


WEDNESDAY- it was sooooooo much fun, I don’t really know the names of all the things we went to go see but it was sooo beautiful, I've been here 7 months, I LIVE in Italy and I still had one of those... I cant believe I'm in Italy moment :) it was so much fun and I took a bunch of pictures, I hope you like them, we saw a few churches but mainly castles and they were way legit! And super cool, some of the castles we went to see inside people still lived there, like there were houses is were awesome! But it was one of the most fun culture things I've done here in Italy :) if you want to know more detail tell me what you want to know and ill write you about it next week :)
 
 
I love you my family sooo much and I'm soooo grateful for all of you and all you do for me! Thanks for writing me, dad, I really do miss going on our adventures, I cant wait till the Glowa will reunite and continue the traditions and even when we get sons, there will be no backing out for you even if you are as old as grandpa haha :) thanks for all the great experiences and especially for that blessing you gave to Jason and I that night we did that awesome camping trip, I will always remember that I will be protected until my purpose on this earth is fulfilled, do you remember saying that :) thanks mom and dad for you Love and your support :) I love you both soo much and I'm so grateful for you! :) Love you!

Ciao la mia famglia! :)
Love Anziano Glowa
 
 


P.S tell Happy Birthday to Kim! :) Brooke! and Tristan! (Courtney’s cousin!) and anyone else I missed I know I'm late but better late then never :) :)

3 words...BAPTISM BAPTISM BAPTISM!!!!

June 29,2011

Ciao Titti! :)

 

so not going to lie this week was way awesome!! I'm sure you are all wondering what is going on at transfers... we're staying the same :) I'm pretty happy about that. I love Anziano Reynoso and I love Mantova, its my first transfer in my mission that I've had a companion for more then 1 transfer :)

 

THURSDAY&FRIDAY- so in our mission we have assistants that work with president and we have something called travelling assistants who go around the mission and do scambis and teach the missionaries. So Thursday we had the travelling assistants come to do a 2 day scambi with us. I really learned a lot during these 2 days. I was with Anziano Newton, he is just about to go home. He finishes in August, so he's been in the mission for a while. I really improved on contacting, I was pretty good before, I could teach and then get a phone number. But Anziano Newton showed me that I could use the first vision when contacting. Not that I didn't know that it just never came to mind. I just always thought about getting the return appointment and then bringing up Joseph smith. So we did that a bunch of times I've never given the first vision so many times haha . But it is really so powerful and then people are more likely to be legit and be really interested. We stopped this one guy in the park named Emiliano, he got really excited and opened up about how he has been searching for the truth. We felt inspired to give him a baptismal date right there in the park when we just barely met him, so we did and he totally excepted :) It was such a powerful experience and now I have such a stronger testimony about sharing the first vision as soon as possible. We have this amazing message that no one else has why not share it? It was just a great learning experience :)

 

SATURDAY- 3 words...BAPTISM BAPTISM BAPTISM!!!! yeah that's right. We baptized the Santos family. We baptized Sandra, Bruno and Pablo, Clovis wasn't ready for baptism yet. He came but he didn't get baptized. We will baptize him soon enough though.  It was one of the more spiritual experiences on the mission that I've had. Wener baptized Sandra, I baptized Bruna and Anziano Reynoso baptized Pablo. To see the tears roll down their checks as they came out of the water was breath taking. To see the 3 of them just hold and kiss each other all showing tears of joy, just barley being baptized. They truly understand the importance of their baptism. I just felt the spirit so strong and really felt like I had helped someone. I know the Lord put me in Mantova for that family and to see that I was an instrument in the Lord's hand was amazing. I will be forever grateful for that experience and I know that they will be so strong in the church. Now we just need to get Clovis, he knows its true so that's not the problem he just wanted some time. So just keep him in your prayers. Thank you so much for praying for this family I know it really helped. They are amazing and I know that we will be friends forever.  After the baptism is was 9 at night and we missed our last train home so we went to sleep at the zone leader's house by the time we cleaned up and got there is was 11. We had to wake up at 5 the next morning to get a train and to go to church...not the funniest things I've done on the mission...

 

SUNDAY- after waking up at 5 we had to walk 20 mins to the station and I had 50 pounds of stuff from the baptism with me. It wasn't the best but I didn't care because we had just baptized 3 people, a family. And we were going to church to see them receive the Holy Ghost :) it was so amazing and the spirit was so strong again. Wener did the blessing in Portuguese for Sandra and Bruna and the branch president did it for Pablo in Italian, it was so awesome. I know that through this family many other lives will be changed, both Pablo the 12 year old son and Bruna the 14 year old daughter want to go on missions and I know that this family will just keep growing in the church. I thank Heavenly Father everyday. Multiple times a day that He gave us this elect family to bring the gospel to, so awesome :) After church we only had 12 lessons taught and we wanted 20 for the week, so we went and taught a bunch of lessons. Some investigators, also we went to the park, I used what Anziano Newton showed me, to use the restoration. At the end of the night we taught 20 lessons, do you know the promise behind the 20 lessons? It's a promise to all the missions in Europe, that if we consistently get 20+ lessons a week our baptisms will double from what we got last transfer. So we got 3 this transfer, we should be expecting 6 if we keep teaching 20 lessons :) I love teaching the gospel and doing everything the Lord asks of us :)

 

MONDAY-we did our weekly planning in the morning because we didn't have time last Friday or on the weekend because of everything, then we taught a few lessons. We taught this African lady name Matilda about the book of Mormon and got a return appointment. Then we taught this Brazilian named Jonas with his friend name Paulo about the restoration and we got a return appointment. Then we taught this girl named Rosa that was found last week during the scambi by my companion and the other travelling assistant. It was a good day, got 3 solid lessons in. If we get 3 a day we will have 21 by the end of the week, it was a good day.  Also maybe I didn't really explain what must be done to count something as a lesson, so pretty much you have to teach some kind of doctrine and you have to have at least 1 prayer with the person. haha Sometimes its a little awkward in the park to ask to pray, but I don't make it awkward. We teach them and then I usually say something like this in Italian..before we leave we want to say a prayer to bless you and your family... Then its like not awkward and they are pretty much asking me to pray for them, deepening on how the person takes the lesson is how I decided to pray or not because I just don't want to do meaningless lessons. I want to teach lessons that mean something and to teach lessons to those that actually want to learn more. So don't think that I just do this not care about who I'm teaching and just caring about the 20 lessons. I care about the 20 lessons but every lesson I teach I discern if i should count it as a lesson or not. If I feel the person didn't get anything out of it and don't want to learn more and didn't understand it then I don't count it even if we pray with them.  It's great to teach people all day instead of doing casa all day and teaching maybe 2 people haha

 

TUESDAY- went to Wener's house in the morning to teach them Italian and get fed lunch, it was way good! :) yum yum. Then we came home for language study and my companion made brownies and I made tiramisù for our ward mission leader Cyro, its his daughters birthday her name is Cynthia. So we made that and got that all ready, and then we had a lesson with the de Santos family. We went over and looked at pictures and taught a lesson and they found my blog on the internet haha so I got to see my blog a little bit because they were on it haha thanks for all the hard work you do with it I really appreciate it :)You guys are the best :) Then we came home to get the stuff we made and but it in our basket on our bikes (because our bikes have baskets ;)) And we rode to Cyro's house it was a little shakky but we made it haha. We talked about the work a little bit and then had dinner with the family and celebrated his daughters birthday. Then we got the phone call about what's going to happen at 11 at night haha so like I said we are staying the same. I'm pretty happy about that because I want to baptize Clovis and with the 20 lessons a week the work here is just going to explode :)

 

Thanks for everything my family I love you all soooooo much! I'm so grateful to have parents like you and to have you in my life, Thanks for all you do and for your get example for me, I love you with all my heart, and guess what...I'm almost 20 :) hahaha have a great week my family LOVE YOU!

 

Love Anziano Glowa