I have some AWESOME news to share with you guys and some TERRIBLE news to share with you guys. The awesome news is about the Hydes... They got their new mission call and they'll be serving in the Rome mission! They are leaving Prato in a few months and will be in America for about 6 months before coming straight back to Italy. They are so stoked! As for the terrible news, I found out this week that a guy in my MTC group is going to be going home... Apparently he got dumped by his girlfriend and mission life was more than he could take. I also feel pretty bad for the guy because he told his (ex) girlfriend that he was going to be going home from the mission before he told his parents; and then his parents found out the news from his girlfriend!
As for me, I'll be leaving Pistoia tomorrow; however, I won't be going to America. I got my transfer call this week and I'm going to Bergamo! I haven't heard a ton about the area, but I was told that my companion has served as zone leader a few times and just finished training a new missionary. I'm pretty excited to be in a companionship with such a solid Elder! In fact, I'll get to hear how solid this guy is tonight. The new missionary that he just got done training is coming to Pistoia tonight and then I'm leaving tomorrow for Bergamo (apparently we are just switching places). So, tonight, I'll be able to interrogate the new missionary about my companion. ;)
However, with all this exciting news being said, I've been feeling pretty down since receiving my transfer call... It's going to be fun serving the Lord with different scenery around me and hearing people talk in a different accent, but I am really going to miss Pistoia! Pistoia is the only place I've ever lived in Italy and it really feels like my home. I really love our ward members and my work here doesn't feel finished. Even though Pistoia may not have the same tourist appeal as some of the other places in the mission (Florence, Venice, Lake Como), it's always going to have a special place in my heart. It's been pretty sad saying goodbye to all the friends I've made here over the past few days knowing that I'll probably never see them again.
 |
| These are the Bani's (the woman Anziano Gibbons and I made cry when we left her house before her husband got home)! It's awkward being a missionary because there is never a good place to put your hands... |
There's one man in Prato that I'm not sure if any of his will see again and I've been super worried. The man who thinks he is Jesus started his "mission" on Monday and hasn't been seen since. No one has been able to contact him and he hasn't returned to his home since Sunday night. I really hope he's okay.
On a less depressing note, we've been working a lot with Abel and Paul lately. Abel was starting to become a little flaky (Random side note: I taught Anziano Mastino the word flaky and now he uses it at least a few times per day! ;p) until we invited him to invite one of his friends to a lesson with us. Abel invited his friend, Paul, and now not only has Abel been keeping his commitments, Paul has been keeping all his commitments too! It's been really cool to hear Abel baring his sincere testimony to Paul regarding concepts that he was struggling to believe a month ago. We have an appointment scheduled with Abel and Paul tonight and I'm happy I'll get to say my goodbyes (and the new missionary will get to say his hellos) before I leave Pistoia! :D
All is well in paradise, family. I hope you're living the restored gospel to it's fullest. So many people I talk about the concept of happiness with think that happiness is derived from money. But, as we know from the good word of God, lasting happiness is found in righteous living. We have thousands of choices to make every day and as we righteously decide what paths we are going to take, happiness will come. And hey, God often has financial blessings for his righteous servants too. ;)
0 comments:
Post a Comment