L'Espiazione - Week 33

Hey everyone how's it going? This week went by pretty fast and there are a lot of good things that happened I am really excited for the work going down here. So this week I went on an exchange in Rimini with my district leader. We had a full day of finding work. I was first upset because usually on exchanges we try to set up appointments so we can teach with different people and learn from them but when we got to work I had some really nice discussions with some people and learned some things from my district leader that could only be learned from finding work.

We met with Kim and Thania again this week and things seem to be going really with the. We still have a lot of work to do with them but I have faith that they will continue to grow in their faith. Maurizio has been struggling with his tobacco and coffee but still shows the desire to quit. I was also able to make American treats for English class and it was a small piece of joy that I was able to share from my culture as an American.

This week I have been studying about sin and the atonement oh Christ. God is a just God and in order for God to be just there must be a law on the earth. That is where agency is involved. We have the agency to choose between right and wrong. When we sin we feel as if it is the end of the world. God however is also a god of mercy and wants to give us that forgiveness we seek. That is where Christ steps in. In order for there to be justice and mercy there must be a mediator that can perform both. The atonement of Christ is the only way we could receive the mercy from God but still execute justice

Also last thought on the atonement. Christ suffered everyone's pain and sin in one night. It is hard for us to imagine the severity of the pain he took upon himself. After he suffered in the garden he did not have to actually die in the manner he did. He had already suffered for the cause he came to the Earth for. If he wanted to die peacefully he could have (Of course he would have been resurrected still). He willingly suffered lashings, abuse, and dying on the cross so we could have just a glimpse of the knowledge of the suffering he went through.

This has really helped me appreciate the atonement so much more, and has helped me understand the power of forgiveness and getting over sin. It may be hard on us, but when we think what Christ went through on the cross, even more how he suffered in the garden, makes me realize I have it so good in life.

Sorry this email is a little short, but I hope everyone enjoys there week and can see the power of the atonement in their lives this week!! 

Tosse - Week 32

 Hey everyone,

This week I spent the majority of it in a bed. I am pretty sure I had bronchitis most of the week, and could hardly talk without coughing. It was really frustrating and by the end of my sickness I was super glad to finally be able to leave the apartment.

A couple of cool things, we had a zone training where we were told that at the end of April we will be getting ipads to use for missionary work! It will be a big change to the way we do some of our files and reporting, and will make accessing information so much easier. It is the reason why Elder Bednar is coming to Milan to speak with us.

Sunday while I was in bed laying down we had an interesting experience. Anziano C. was making some lasagna for lunch and we hear shouting and banging outside our door. An old Italian lady came in and just started yelling some vulgar things at us asking if our water was flooded. We told her no, and she showed us in her apartment below ours, that water was dripping from the ceiling. It was really freaky, so we called a plumber to check it out, and in our water heating system that was just installed, had a hole in one of the pipes in the wall , so it would occasionally leak into the ceiling of the apartment bellow us. After she found out it wasn't our fault she became like the nicest old lady you could ever meet. 

We had to stay in all Monday though because the people who came to fix took forever and we couldn't leave with them there. After the two men finished we had a really good conversation with them, and were able to give them some book of mormons before they left the apartment.

Yesterday I was feeling much better, and we met with Maurizio again. I love hanging out with him. He just is always so bright and happy to see us. We will call him and ask when to meet, and he will always say whatever time you can be there, I will be there. He truly sees that we care about him.

We also have been fellow-shipping a part member and less active family. Thania, Kim, and Moreet. They are from Peru, and are all in their mid upper 20's. They really enjoy hearing about our experiences and about who we are as individuals. I have come to appreciate this because it really helps create a bond that truly means something. They are coming to church more regularly, and Kim who is not a member has started to open up more.

I would like to leave with a scripture from John 7:17 that says "If any man shall do his will, he shall know of the doctrine" If we put the will of God first in our lives, we will truly understand what his plan is for us and the teachings behind it. As a servant of God, I know this to be true, and it is true to all those who Seek, and Do his will!

Have a great week everyone

Anziano Chase

Pesaro - Week 31

Hey everyone, all is well, the sun is out, and Pesaro is doing me well.

My companion, Elder C., is just awesome. I got down to Pesaro late Thursday night and it was as if I was coming to see an old friend, except this time it is to be as companions. Pesaro is a really beautiful city. Elder C. took me on a little tour of the city and he took me down to the port and beach. I will admit it made me miss home a little bit, but it is really nice down there. The city is small around 90,000 people but everyone is so nice.

The branch in Pesaro is very small, with the 4 missionaries there were a total of 12 people in church. The branch president is really awesome, though. He loves the missionaries, and we have a nice ward mission leader who loves to share the gospel.

We are teaching this older man named Maurizio. He truly has an interesting story. Many years ago he was addicted to drugs and wanted to take his life by cutting off both his hands and bleeding out. He cut his hands, but someone saved him and sewed them back on. Now he wants to change his life around. We have been helping him stop doing the bad things in life and act as a support for him. It is truly amazing to see how far he has come from what he was.

The English class we teach in Pesaro is also really awesome. Elder C. and I teach the advanced class and each individual is just so genuine and sincere. They truly appreciate our desire to help them.

It is been quite a week of getting adjusted to the area but I am so excited to get work down here in Pesaro.

I'd like to end with a little thought on the 3 steps to personal revelation. The first is to ask. Pray with diligence to receive the spirit. This enables you to be more open to the promptings from the Lord. Second is to seek. Read, ponder, study, and meditate on the scriptures. 3rd is to knock. Act on your feelings and be a doer. Always act positively with the true hope that you will receive answers. Through these steps I promise it will be easier to recognize when the Lord is giving us those feelings and guidance.

I know this gospel to be true and I hope everyone has a fantastic week

Anziano Chase

Leaving Vicenza on a High - Vicenza Week 30

Hey everyone, thanks for all the birthday wishes! Also little shout out to the cousins who go 1,2,3 on birthdays with me, Brandon, and Hayden!

Well, I am finally leaving Vicenza and going to my next city, Pesaro.  Pesaro is down south near Rimini along the eastern coast. Part of me was extremely sad, but I was mostly optimistic. The strangest part about my transfer though, is that my companion is none other than Elder Cameron, who was in Vicenza with me for 3 months in the other companionship. Needless to say, I am extremely excited for this upcoming transfer. I can't wait to get started on this next step of the mission.

Eddy was also baptized this weekend! He was just engulfed with the spirit the whole time. After he was baptized he just stood there silently. After a minute or two, we asked him how he was feeling and he replied saying he was just taking it all in and that this was the wisest decision he has made in his whole life! The following Sunday I had the privilege of conferring the Holy Ghost to him, and after he bore one of the most heartfelt testimonies I have heard. I was so grateful to have been in EVERY step he took towards baptism. From the first day he met us 6 months ago, to now, it is just a miracle in my eyes.

The rest of the week was spent saying goodbyes. There was a member family, the Browns, that took us out to lunch on my birthday because I happened to share a birthday with Brother Brown. After that I said my goodbyes to as many investigators as I could. It was a little bittersweet to have to say goodbye, but I know there I will see them again, whether it is in this life or the next. There are so many people here in Vicenza who have molded the person I am now, and I have so many people to thank.

(Sis. Brown made this carrot cake for their birthdays)

(a Hostess cupcake we sent him with candles)

A little spiritual thought I would like to share is about how we gain knowledge. When we are reading scriptures we need to think in this perspective. The Physical knowledge comes when we read, ponder, and study the scriptures. The Spiritual knowledge comes when we have the faith and belief to receive it. As we study, the desire has to be there. We only reap what we sow, and part of the sowing has to include the faith that we will reap something.

Anyways I hope everyone is able to learn something new this week and have the desire to continue in their growth as individuals, with the amount of information there is in this world, temporal, and spiritual, we don't have enough time to learn everything. We must take as much time as we can to learn to better ourselves. I know these things to be true with all my being!

Buon Settimana tutti!!

Anziano Chase