Week 26 - Strawberry with Bacon Soup??

Besides burning a batch of brownies on Saturday, I've had another great week in Bergamo! It's been unbelievable how much the missionaries here in Bergamo get fed by the members. We've had a dinner appointment for the past four nights (and a lunch appointment on Sunday). And, considering we aren't allowed to go to a dinner appointment unless a non-member or investigator is present, Anziano Stahali are getting a chance to meet a lot of new people. ;)

It's been funny speaking so much Italian during the past week (during lessons and outside the apartment with my companion) because sometimes I feel like I've been speaking this language my whole life and other times I feel like it's my second day in the MTC. For example, I spent a solid five minutes this past week trying to convince a family in my ward during a lunch appointment that my favorite food was bean with bacon soup. I didn't think it was THAT weird of a food, but no one believed me. I soon realized it was because I was actually saying strawberry with bacon soup.

I want to fill you guys in on some of our investigators. First, I should probably mention that we have a baptismal date... Technically! There is a 9 year-old girl named Feiman who is being baptized on March 5. She's been active in the church for the past few years with her dad and other siblings, but the mom was always against her being baptized until just recently. She is an awesome kid and is beyond stoked to finally get baptized! Anziano Stahali has also been teaching a man named Alessandro. He is incredible! He was a self-referral after attending an single-adult activity and has been keeping all his commitments. At church this past week, it literally already seemed like he was a member of the ward. Vedremo. ;)

It's always been a really amazing experience getting to teach a few really solid, part-member families. There are two families that we teach where the fathers of the household aren't baptized yet. One of the the families in particular, the Ghillardi family, has just been a treat to teach. The father seems to really like Anziano Stahali and me, and we've been doing a ton of preparation and praying before each lesson we have with them. The father has been able to meet a ton of missionaries over the past few years, but has still yet to be baptized. He comes to sacrament meeting every week and lives a very Mormon lifestyle already. Anziano Stahali have been focusing our lessons on the Book of Mormon and praying to receive an answer for himself. I really hope the turning point in his life is nigh.