Mission accomplished STOP
vi voglio bene STOP
See you soon ;) FULL STOP
Over and out.
17 July 2013
Chapter Six: The 16th Epistle of Anziano Stewart to the People of Italy
Anxiously Engaged
I heard a quote from Anziano Holland, explaining that a missionary
when he/she goes home, that they should go home having given it all, and how
they should be so exhausted that when the come off the plane that they collapse
into the arms of their mother. Mom, I'm just warning you, get ready.
This week has been really busy, holy moley!
The conference in Napoli went well. It was cool that I was
able to bear my testimony where I did 2 years ago when I started. (we
also got some mozzarella di bufala!!!!)
Then over the weekend, we had Anziano Evens of the first quorum of
the seventy visit. It was super cool to be with him and to hear what he
had to say. Especially about hastening the work because he is in the
missionary department and he presented the facebook idea to Anziano Nelson.
There really are a TON of benefits of making the changes that they
are working on. It will help a lot more with correlating with the
ward/branch, it will help teach people how to use the Internet as a tool to
help uplift and inspire, and so many more things. He is so excited!
It was really cool, we had a lunch with him and we spent the whole time
just asking him questions trying to learn as much as we could about the changes
that are being made.
Then we had the amazing and special opportunity to go on to the
temple site, only 2 other missionaries have been able to do that. It was
really special, its incredible the spirit that is just on the site. Even
though nothing is dedicated or even completed, it is already a really special
place.
Then early Monday morning we left for Bari. It was really
great because after the Mission Leadership Council, we were able to go to
Bitonto and do some short exchanges. It was incredible!!!! We had planned
to go to a Family Home Evening with a family and it somehow worked out that
almost half of the ward showed up.
It was amazing, words cannot describe the love that I feel for those
people. They are all having some rough times, whether in their own lives
or in the whole branch. I was able to give a couple of blessings and to
share my testimony with them actually I was really surprised at how well they
remembered me.
When I served there I was not able to speak Italian very well, but
we did work hard. Several of them still have pictures on their refrigerators
and other things from when I was serving there. Honestly, it really
surprised me. I feel so blessed.
In sacrament meeting, Elder Evens, actually quoted some parts of a
letter that Anziano Nelson wrote to him talking about the former day saints and
the journeys of Paul. He said that Paul had the right idea when he wrote
to the Corinthians about how our lives should be in stark contrast to the
world. It's hard but it's so worth it.
I love you all!
VVTB!!
--
"Look inside yourself, you're more than what you've become.
Remember who you are." The Lion King
Anziano Stewart
10 July 2013
Chapter Six: The 15th Epistle of Anziano Stewart to the People of Italy
This will be fast
Ok, so we have had quite the week. But first things first, I'm
doing great. I'm not trunky, not even a little bit (even though all
everyone ever talks or writes to me about is how little time I have
left.)
We have started the Zone Conferences and we haven't stopped!! The
Fourth of July was good, sadly didn’t do anything in particular, we went to Sardegna
for the Leadership Council and had Zone Conference the day after. It was
quite the success! We have a small group there and they are so
powerful. I love their enthusiasm!
Then we had church, which was great!!! Our bishop here is so
missionary minded! After he watched the work of salvation broadcast he
met with the Bishopric and they made some adjustments to the Ward Mission Plan
and on Sunday he presented it to the Ward Council and to the missionaries and
we are all really pumped! Basically one member from every auxiliary
organization every month will receive the commitment to give a Book of Mormon
out and to invite them someone to Family Home Evening with the missionaries or
to church. That’s 7 solid member referrals each month. We are
really excited. Soon they are going to have to split the ward again.
Then on Monday we went to Catania for interviews and for the
Leadership Council there and yesterday we had Zone Conference and then me and
President went out with the Zone Leaders and did exchanges. I love getting
to work in Catania! It was great to be able to see the chapel where we
attended as a family one last time.
Then we arrived in Rome this morning, I never thought that I
would fly so much while on a mission. But in an hour or so we have to
leave for the Napoli Zone Conference and I’m using this time to write home.
I'm sorry that I don't have any pictures... I'll see if I can send
some to you when we come back.
I'm glad that Abby is well, aside from the heat and cockroaches.
Keep up the good work, Abby. Make sure you are setting meaningful goals
and that you have a way to reach them.
You guys are the BEST! I love you so much. You mean the world
to me! Keep up the good work. And just like our new mission motto "Bee the
best you can bee!!" =)
Vi voglio tanto bene!
--
Anziano Stewart
03 July 2013
Chapter Six: The 14th Epistle of Anziano Stewart to the People of Italy
Its July!
Abby sounds great! Keep up the good work, make sure that the lessons don't become too routine. There was a time in Messina that we were teaching a lot and that happened to me. We just got into too much of a rhythm and we stopped relying on the spirit.
Yesterday we had our first Zone Conference of the transfer and I had to bear my death testimony (last of time testifying of the truthfulness of the gospel while on a mission)..... AGHHHH I really wasn't ready for it at all, i was talking/translating for Sorella Waddoups and then everyone was looking at me. While I was up there it hit me really hard. I'm really excited to see you again, I miss you!! But I really am going going to miss the mission. It's a really great time to be here, there is a really great energy with a new president. He is so incredible! It's really interesting to see two different styles of leadership both great, just different.
It's been a week of miracles. We found two new investigators, the first Moses. He's from Ghana. We found him outside of a store begging for money. He's super prepared, we invited him to come to a baptism that we had that night and he came and loved it! He said that he felt the spirit the strongest ever in his life. Then he came to church the next day and we found out that he lives outside of our zone, in the Rome 3rd ward. So we did a "transfer investigator lesson" with the Rome 3 Anziani.
Maren, I'm sorry about the iPod touch. You are still pretty young to have your own. I don't think that it's a good idea that you have one just yet. Don't worry, your day will come
I love you all, and can't wait to see you! Ciao!
--
"Look inside yourself, you're more than what you've become. Remember who you are." The Lion King
Anziano Stewart
We're sad to see him go, he's an amazing man with a ton of faith. The second is a man that just came to church because he felt like he should come. He is a little strange but he is really great.
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