Chapter Four: The 18th Epistle of Anziano Stewart to the Calabrians/Messinites

Hello from Messina?

Ok, Ciao tutti!! All right, we're actually in Messina right now.  There was a problem with a missionary in Messina and he had to go home, so now we are three with Anziano Giovita until next Thursday transfers (Transfer calls are this Saturday)  so things are going to be pretty crazy the next week or so.  We have to split the work in Reggio and Messina...  But it's great to be with Anziano Giovita, He's a funny guy. 

Last night at English course I was able to see some of the great new members and English course students that I taught while I was in Messina in June.  It was great!  I love being able to go back to visit where you've already been.  Leona was particularly excited to see me, she's doing pretty well.  She's become great friends with some really solid members and her husband is also making some great progress.  We also saw Pina and she's been coming to church and she's stopped smoking!! Yeah boy!

That's great about Mattie and Sara running for office. It sounds like you need to make more of those strips!!  Let me know how it goes.  That's great that you all are really enjoying soccer! Do you three ever practice together?  Also, Maren and Sara sang in church?! Wow Bravi!! I can't wait to see if the video works!!  

So last month I started the Book of Mormon and as I went through it I marked any and every reference to Christ and I just finished it and last week Sorella Kelly invited all the mission to read it before Christmas.  And that as we read it we should focus on Christ...obviously, my head is a little too thick, once wasn't enough.  Hopefully (I'm sure) that this second time around I'll discover something new and my testimony and appreciation for Christ will be strengthened.

So, I already shared this with dad but it's something that I think we forget often and so we need to be reminded frequently

"Without sacrifice there is no true worship of God." Gordon B. Hinckley  

Sacrifice is something that the Lord asks that we do so that he can bless us. So if we aren't willing to do it then the ways that he can bless us are much more limited.  This week I studied the beatitudes a bit.  And I found an explanation of meek that I really liked.  It explains how we can be meek and still be strong. In Argentina, they don't break their horses because they don't want to break their spirit. Instead they work with them patiently until they are "manso" or meek.  Then, they are still full of fire, desire, drive, strength, and spirited; not timid or afraid of anything but at the same time they are obedient and very well trained and will do whatever the rider asks them to do.  

I think this is a great way to describe meekness because when we talk about it normally, it has almost a negative connotation; that it means to be weak. But these horses are in no way weak or less than what their potential is, they just have a high level of obedience.

Are you guys excited for general conference?!?! I am, I can't wait! I think that we might have to miss the priesthood session and just watch it the next day because the closest city that has a working satellite is 3 1/2 hours away.  But that's not a big deal.  Man, I can't wait; it's like Christmas for missionaries! =P Make sure that you all get some good questions ready so that you can look for the answers in what the Apostles and Prophet say.  

Alrighty, that's about all I got.  You guys are so great! Thanks for all that you do, I love you!!!!!!!!!  Stay safe. VVB.

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"Look inside yourself, you're more than what you've become.  Remember who you are."  The Lion King 

Anziano Stewart

Chapter Four: The 16th Epistle of Anziano Stewart to the Calabrians/Messinites

Captains log 19.9.12

Reggio After the Rain

Allora! Man it's great to be a missionary!  Sara, Mattie, Maren it sounds like you all are doing great at soccer! I'm glad you all really enjoy it.  But Maren, don't forget that the goal is to kick the ball in the goal and that the rest of the team needs your help!  And Mattie, mom tells me that you are a great goalie! Have you been diving for the ball?  Today we played tennis again, it's a pretty fun game but honestly I really miss racquetball, it's absurd that they don't have it here!

Yesterday was zone conference.  President Kelly had a crazy weekend because Elder Nelson came to Italy and it was conference after conference and he (Pres. Kelly) was ready to come to Zone Conference but at the last minute sister Kelly told him that he needed to go get rest and that she would share his message for him.  It was weird not to have him but it's a good thing that he stayed because Mission Presidents in their 3rd year are known for just being tired all the time and slowing down.  It's hard work.  Serving in the church in any calling is hard work.  

Sister Kelly said something similar yesterday, she said that most of the work that is done in this church is done by people who are tired.  Just imagine Elder Nelson who just did a week long trip all through Europe.  Shaking hands, in meetings, holding conferences, always smiling, traveling from one place to the next for 7 days without a break and he's 88!  No doubt he was tired.  But in the end that is the sacrifice that we have to be willing to make.

The biggest things that I took from conference are actually 2 things. 

1.  "Thee lift me, I lift thee, and we'll both ascend together" (John Greenleaf Whitier.)  We have a responsibility to help those around us to be better people and we also have the responsibility to ask those around us for help.  The Lord puts certain people in our lives for special reasons, if we don't help them and ask for help then we might never know why we met them.

2.  The second thing was similar, it's something that President Kelly says often.  "If we cannot learn to love imperfect people, we'll live a life without love."  

That's kind of the key to life and the first point.  Everyone is imperfect, the quicker we can get over the little things (or big things) that aren't perfect with others, the quicker we'll have a life full of love.

So yesterday at 11.30 in Rome the church was officially recognized as a religious institution, and not just a charitable organization!  They also created a second Stake in the city of Milano over the weekend.  And the outside of the temple is almost completed.  It is such a great time to be able to serve in Italy!! There is so much potential!  It's so exciting!

I also was thinking about what mom said a couple weeks ago about how this mission is to improve myself and how I had said that it was too selfish to say that this was only for my own improvement.  If improving myself makes me a better missionary, then it's something that the Lord wants me to do so that I can be more effective.  So, it's not selfish at all as long as it's done for the right reasons.

Things with our investigators are actually slowing down.  Tamara started school this week and she is a really great student, she's number one in her class and she's not even Italian!  Plus, we had 3ish investigators that really didn't make progress so were going to start meeting less frequently with them in order to free up more time to find the elect!  

I love you all, I miss you, I pray for you, and I can't wait to hear about all your crazy adventures this next week. =P VVB

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"Look inside yourself, you're more than what you've become.  Remember who you are."  The Lion King 

Anziano Stewart

Chapter Four: The 15th Epistle of Anziano Stewart to the Calabrians/Messinites

Smile! It's free, makes every situation better, and it's even good for your health!

Allora, how the heck is everyone?! I'm sure you're great, even if there are thunderstorms already. =) Things are good here.  Oh Sara, before I get started, I found something that you might like.  Get your bible and go to Genesis 17:15 then, when you get to footnote a, look at the bottom of the page for what it means.  Just don't rub it in Maren's face too much because she might get jealous. 

This week, or at least from Saturday to yesterday, it was "La Festa Della Madonna" (the festival for the mother of Jesus) in Reggio.  MAN! It has been so crazy!  I didn't know that Reggio could be so busy and alive.  There have been concerts, (a couple by the castle which is right by our house, it's been hard to sleep) parties, shows, fireworks, and all kinds of people selling all kinds of things.  It's been cool to see but it's made missionary work a little hard. =/

We’ve done a ton of publicity for our English course; hopefully we'll be able to recover from the summer vacations and the fact that there weren't missionaries in Reggio for a month before we came here. (It’s working! I just got 3 phone calls in a row for the course! Score!) About Tamara, she is doing great!! With the fest and everything it's been a little difficult to see her and for the weekend she went to Catania for a dance tryout.  But she has started the Book of Mormon a third time and is making great progress!  

Anyways, on Friday, we also saw a member who is starting to come back to church.  It went really well but the best part of the visit was at the end when he gave us a bunny.  Now you might be saying to yourself, but missionaries can't have pets.... don't worry, we are planning on eating it on Saturday.  It was skinned and frozen solid. =/ We’ll see how it turns out...

 Hmm, what else, for over a week now, at night when I write in my journal, at the end I add a tender mercy of the day; It’s been helping a lot with recognizing the hand of the Lord in this work and my personal life.  True sometimes it is kind of difficult to find something but as you sit and think about it, tens of examples come to mind and then it's hard to pick just one.

I hope you enjoy the pictures.  I especially like the one with the pig. =)  I love you.  Have a great week!!

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"Look inside yourself, you're more than what you've become.  Remember who you are."  The Lion King 

Anziano Stewart

Chapter Four: The 14th Epistle of Anziano Stewart to the Calabrians/Messinites

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1 Kings 18:21

Looking toward Sicily from the church in Reggio

Hello! Thank you for all the pictures!! They’re great! You all had a week full of fireworks and fun! And the girls look so much older! Holy cow! I miss you! What in the world was Mattie doing with a book at the Mandersheid castle? Time and place girl!  Hey, fun fact, I'm not sure if I've shared it with you yet; Anziani Patanè and Bitseedy both served here in Reggio!!! Cool huh?  Have you heard from either of them?

Anyways, this week was a finding week.  We did the mostra (something that is regular now, every Friday night baby! =P ) and we've been trying  to find as many people we can to meet with.  We’re seeing a lot of results, I think it helps that now, people are coming back from vacation and reestablishing their normal lives.  Most often we use a "survey" of 5 questions that establish a belief and understanding of God, and introduces the Book of Mormon as a book comparable to the bible that speaks of Christ.  It works really well, mainly because a survey isn't very forward and, because it's a survey, they can't talk (as) much.  Which if you've ever met an Italian you can appreciate the ability to keep their talking to a minimum.

This week I found a scripture that I really liked because it applies really well to missionary life but it works really well in all of our lives, especially Abby as she's at university, and you all because Germany is temporary (hopefully =P ).  It's Doctrine and Covenants 51:16-17.  The saints knew that they wouldn't be in Ohio forever, the Lord told them that.  But they were told to act "as if for years" until the Lord sent them elsewhere.  It's easy to say, "well I'll only be in this city for 3 months, I mind as well not try to do my best at keeping the area book in order" or "I'll be in this ward only for a year, what's the point of getting to know the members?"  We need to BE where we are.  

Mt Etna in the background

Sunday we had a pretty cool surprise, a contact (Andrea) came to church!  Right during the middle of the second hour,  afterwards we were able to have a member lesson with him and Presidente Pipolo.   He LOVES to talk and has some strange ideas but he's a cool guy, and it's obvious the Lord is preparing him.  Federico, is leaving today for London.  He's going there to study for 3 weeks so things will have to wait with him.  However, before he left, he told us that he (finally) decided to start reading the Book of Mormon from the beginning.  This is the best news ever.  In Preach My Gospel it explains that the Book of Mormon combined with the spirit is the most powerful tool in conversion.  Also, things with Tamara are going great.  We had a really powerful lesson yesterday on the Plan of Salvation.  Also, she told us that she threw away all her mini skirts!!! Score!! Piano piano. =)

Well, sadly, my time's up.  We need to go get ready to play tennis! I love you all,  you are the best!

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"Look inside yourself, you're more than what you've become.  Remember who you are."  The Lion King 

Anziano Camron Stewart