Happy 4th of July!!! Tomorrow, we have zone conference, so our zone is
having a special 4th of July p-day here in Rimini today. We have a
grill, lots of meat, and a football. I don't like eating large
quantities of meat and I think football is only okay, but I'm glad I
get to celebrate our country's Independence with some great American
(and one Italian) friends!
I've entered the last month of my mission and I've noticed two things:
people try to feed you a lot more and everyone gives you relationship
advice. The whole getting fed thing more often has been pretty
pleasant, but some of people's relationship advice is ridiculous! We
have a less active member of the church we visit who owns an American
store. This dude is the biggest American fan you'll ever meet in your
life. If there is a memorabilia item with the word Trump, Texas, or
cowboy on it, he sells it! When we were visiting him earlier this
week, he was very adamant that my wife needed to be a cancer or fish
or the marriage wouldn't work. He's in his 50's and unmarried, but the
man did know a lot about horoscopes!
I'm lucky I could even hear his words of wisdom though because my
hearing has gotten terrible. I don't want to lament about my hearing
considering I can hear (a phenomenal blessing in itself). But, boy oh
boy, my hearing is not good! The missionaries in Ravenna called us and
invited us to their baptism earlier this week and we gladly accepted.
Then, on the phone, one of the elders told me something that I didn't
quite get. After asking him to repeat the phrase, I still couldn't
make out what he said. I assumed it was nothing important based on his
voice inflection and was a little embarrassed about not being able to
understand after two tries, so I played it off cool and ended the
conversation. Ten minutes later, I got the feeling I needed to call
them and find out what they told me. When I called them and explained
the situation, they said they had asked me to give a talk at the
baptism!! Hahaha, nuts right?! Well, after preparing the talk, they
called me at a later point and told me they were kidding about the
talk and in reality, couldn't remember what the inaudible phone phrase
was... Anziani Montalto and Leavitt (two companions that have
particularly noticed my bad hearing) will be happy to know that I have
decided that a hearing check when I get home is on the to do list. 😅
As for missionary work, can I just say I love members? Thanks to an
inspired bishop, members have been encouraged to give an hour to the
missionaries every week to help us teach/find. There is nothing better
than a lesson in the presence of a member. When visiting a less active
man with the bishop this week, bishop asked three questions to this
man before the lesson started and I kid you not, the less active man
talked for thirty minutes about his marriage and work problems. We
don't get that kind of openness (normally) when it's just us meeting
with someone. Then, fast forward to the next day, Brother Canutti (a
member of the bishopric that was baptized 5 years ago) bore the
PERFECT testimony to Paola after she expressed some doubts about the
church.
I was reading in Alma this week and wanted to share a verse with you
all. In the 26th verse of Alma 5, Alma proclaims, "And now behold, I
say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart,
and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask,
can ye feel so now?" I loved this verse because all of us have felt
that that change of heart and have felt to sing the song of "redeeming
love" at one point or another, but Alma asks a question that is a bold
call to repentance. Can ye feel so now? I think sometimes we can get a
little sloppy while walking on the pathway of discipleship. But, Jesus
Christ wants us to repent and get better! If we don't, those sweet
feelings we had will become less sweet over time. We are only going to
feel that change of heart on the basis of our continued
faith/sacrifice.
At the baptism this week in Ravenna, I had one of those change of
heart moments after I exercised faith! At the beginning of the
meeting, my thoughts were everywhere than what was being said at the
pulpit. But, I soon realized my laziness and started trying as hard as
I could to concentrate on what was being said (my act of Faith). Then,
during the baptism itself, I felt the Spirit (my change of heart). I
left the baptism with an increased desire to be better and more pure.
I know this is the true church and I know that faith and repentance
are the first principles of the gospel for a reason.
Vi voglio bene,
Anziano Anderson
1. With Noah the Cat!
2. Hi
3. When comp gets that fresh cut
4. Volleyball with the squad
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