Some Pictures from Italy

From Anziano to Lindsay

 Hey, y'all this is Lindsay.  This is a letter I got from Andrew last week that I want to share...

Ciao!

   That is correct my dear Sister Missionary.  Ciao is "hello" and "goodbye" in italian, and "goodbye" in portuguese ("hello" is "hoy").  We learned that a couple weeks ago from this really energetic door contact ha. 

   That's awesome that you and Pat got called to be ward missionaries.  You guys will be a great help to the missionaries in your area.  You don't know how grateful the missionaries are when the ward is ready and available to help!  The leaders of the Church (and Preach My Gospel) say that the ideal way to do missionary work is 100% with the members.  Don't be timid in your calling to aid in the Gathering of Israel!

   Speaking of the Gathering of Israel, we made a small list of the countries from which we've invited people to the Gospel:

1.Italy

2. France

3. England

4. Romania

5. Albania

6. India

7. Nigeria

8. Ghana

9. Nepal

10. Ecuador

11. Peru

12. Mexico

13. Argentina

14. Brazil

15. Canada

16. Australia

17. New Zealand

18. The Philippines

19. Congo

20. Senegal

21. Portugal

22. Ivory Coast

23. Morroco

24. Ukraine

25. Russia

26. Iran

27. Iraq

28. Korea

29. Japan

30. Macedonia

31. Estonia

32. Libya

33. Bangladesh

34. Thailand

35. Bosnia

36. Eritrea

37. Ethiopia

38. Tunisia

39. Pakistan

40. China

41. USA :)

42. Cuba

That's about as much as I remember, but there are more.  How's that for gathering huh?  Right you are, it is a wonderful thing to be part of the true Church of Jesus Christ and to do the Lord's work here on the earth. 

  In the Spirit of your new calling, read Alma 29: 9-10 for me will ya?  It's one of my favorites :)

   Sorry I forgot to write you last week before Pat's birthday and your anniversary . . . I had even written it down!  But hey, you both know I love ya.

Ci sentiamo presto.  Ciao!

- Anziano Proctor

September 7, 2011

Buon giorno tutti!

  It has finally started to cool down here in Piacenza!  In the mornings when Anziano Wilkins and I run it has started to feel cooler so we're doing better.  Although, it's not cold enough for all of the Tiger Mosquitos to go away.  I don't know if I've told you about those.  They are basically the most evil thing on the face of the planet.  They're just like regular mosquitos except for their tendency is to bite you 5 or 6 times in a row, and their white and black striped (hence the name "Tiger", or in italian "le zanzarre tigre").  My first couple days in Italy I woke up with 5 red mosquito bites right in a line on my forearm.  Anyways, within a couple weeks it should be too cold for them!

   So this last week there were some great happenings in Piacenza.  The Lord has blessed us in some very very interesting ways.  It is a mission goal to teach 20 lessons every week, a goal which Anziano Wilkins and I had struggled to meet until this last week.  Our Area President, Elder Kopische promised us that if we taught 20 lessons every week our baptisms would double and we would see miracles.  With everyone gone on vacation it was very difficult to get 20 lessons with solid investigators who made solid progress towards baptism.  Anyways, this last week we had just committed ourselves to doing it, no matter what.  By Sunday night with very little time left before we had to be back home, we had only taught 18.  We met one of our investigators in the park to teach him right as it started to rain.  We had an awesome discussion with him.  Then as he left under his umbrella, the rainstorm turned into a tempest.  The park was emptied within 20 seconds.  We knew we still lacked that last lesson for the week and were about to turn in.  But we knew we had to do it, so we strapped on our battle-bike-helmets and mounted our 2-wheeled-steeds and set off into the rain to find that last person who we could talk to.  We had ridden maybe 30 yards and around the corner walks one of our investigators who we hadn't been able to reach in 2 weeks.  We slid to a stop and asked if we could teach him.  So we stood under the pouring rain for the next 15 minutes and shared our testimonies of the Book of Mormon, the weather conditions obviously adding to our conviction that the book is true, as we were not going to leave.  What are the chances that we would just find him 2 weeks later under the pouring rain, when there was not a soul outside.  The 20th lesson came by a miracle. 

   Like promised, having taught 20 lessons last week, we have been seeing so many blessings.  We have found a couple very strong investigators who are all very possible (and we think probable) converts.  There is a man named Biju, a cristian man from India.  Then there is Sassan, a former Muslim from Iran who is searching for the truth (who has a date to be baptized October 8th).  Also, there is a young man named Jonas, a Pakistani med student (who used to live on the street where Osama was killed) who we soft-invited to baptism and he accepted.  We're taking him to a baptism in Modena on saturday so that he can see what it is like.  Who says we don't do missionary work in the Middle East? 

   Anyways, we've got to go so I will sign off!  Mom, can you let those select few who I wrote to know that I wrote them?  In your birthday email to Elder Olsen, wish him happy birthday for me because there is no way my handwritten letter will get there on time :/

   Okay, love you all and will hear from you next week!

August 31, 2011

Proctors-

   August is over!  This week is starting off with a lot more people in town, so that's good.  Like I explained, everyone in Italy just disappears from late July to early September.  I think a good amount of them have returned, although not everyone.  Our District Leader in Reggio Emilia told me they haven't had there bishop in church for about 6 weeks! 

   The backyard concert sounds like it was fun.  It's hard to believe that I've missed the last 2 (and will miss the next one as well).  I have never seen the Joseph play, but Alexa told me she was trying out for it back in March.  I'm sure it was fantastic.  That's too bad about Park City losing to Stansbury.  I hope Jono is okay!  Did him and Brian get that letter I sent them in the MTC?

   We met a guy this week in the park who used to live in Greenville, NC.  He was an Italian (southern italian by the sound of his accent), who lived in Africa when he was little and then moved to the States when he was younger.  He lived in Greenville and evenutally went to some sort of Navy Academy (although not the Navy Academy in Anapolis).  When I told him that my sister and brother-in-law had just moved to Greenville, he got all excited and said they were lucky.  Do Lindsay and Patrick love it there as much as this guy does?

  This week we got to play basketball with some of our members and one of their friends they wanted to refer to us.  It was a lot of fun, but we soon discovered that Italian basketball is kind of like... American pizza?  Pretty terrible but you eat it (or play it) anyways.  We also saw that our own athletic ability had kind of escaped  from us in our first couple months here.  Anyway, it was a ton of fun and we got to bond with some of our younger members.  It's fun to see the Church in it's younger stage here in Italy.  It really is an opportunity to build the Lord's Kingdom on the earth.  You see all of the members and how they were brought into the Church, all of them either being converts, or children of converts.  You get to see this tiny little "branch family" build itself up one by one.  It makes life a lot more worth it when you put your own love, sweat and hard work into the building something great.  I read a chapter in the Book of Mormon this morning that explains how I feel about it all: Alma 12 (especially verses 5-7, 12-14).  Look it up!

Comunque, tutto è a posto adesso.  L'unica cosa che posso fare è di andare avanti e fare fatica ogni giorno di servire il Signore.  So che ognuno di noi possiamo fare quello e ricevere benedizioni bellissime.  Grazie di tutto!

-Anziano Proctor

P.S.  Mom, can you tell Cash he needs to write me back?  He told me that I have to remind him every once in a while.  Also, can you find out if Cole got the letter I sent to him, Max and Kimber?

August 25, 2011

Ciao!

   Hey there all, how's it going?  It sounds like you guys are just having a blast back there in Utah with your lakes and boats and pirate crusades.  It's still hard for me to believe that Searle is back home!  You'll have to read him some of my letters, since I hardly kept my promise to write him on the mish!  Anyways, it was great to hear all of the fun news about Brittany and Katie.  I'll bet that was fun for Katie to come play in her home town.  I always wanted to play in the Salt Lake Valley when I was at Dixie State.  Also, I love hearing about how the PC team is doing, so keep letting me know.  I remembered this week that Matty Moore is a freshman now, and I think he said he was going to play on the freshman team.  Is he?   That's amazing about Alexa!  Tanti auguri a un amica stretta! 

   We went to Verona again for P-Day because Anziano Jolley (our district leader in Reggio Emilia) and my comp Anziano Wilkins had never been.  It was fun to go there again, although I think after 3 times I basically have seen all that there is time for on the mission.  We saw L'arena, which is kind of like Verona's Colloseum, La Casa di Giulietta and Torre dei Lamberti, which is the tallest tower in the city (I think).  It's the tower that I'm on in the video I sent home on my SD card.  Anyways, it was a lot of fun to see all of the street actors that they have here.  All along the streets they have people dressed as knights, gladiators, egyptian statues, etc. who kind of just interact and take pictures with the people and basically act in the strangest ways they can to make money.  My personal favorite is the man who masquerades as a newborn baby.  He has this bright pink stroller that he sits under and pokes his head out of, and has some sort of doll for a body.  He uses some sort of device to make his voice super high like a baby.  It's quite ludicrous :)

   Things are beginning to run smoother here as the month of september comes closer.  Like I'd told you we had been working and working without seeing (or maybe realizing) many miracles.  However, this week we met up with a man we met about a week ago.  His name is Biju and he is a converted cristian from India who speaks english (and who lives in Italy... what a combination of cultures)!  At first he didn't seem super interested, although he was very friendly.  But then we met with him this week, and something changed in him.  He all of a sudden had a very large interest in knowing what we believe and what we do as missionaries.  He said he was struck by our faith and dedication to come here to Italy to share our testimonies, faith being a very important characteristic in the Indian culture (according to him).  He had a lot of questions about Joseph Smith and the First Vision, so we sat down and explained more in depth that he wasn't the founder of the Mormon faith, but that the Church of Jesus Christ was restored through him and that we now have a living prophet on the earth.  Once he understood exactly what it is we believe he told us that it was almost exactly in line with what he believes.  We met with him again last night and he already has faith that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God.  He asked us how being baptized into the LDS Church would change his life, and upon hearing our response we could see that he was putting some serious thought into what baptism means to him.  He has a wife who is 2 months pregnant who is cristian just like him who we want to teach as well!  Once again, this man kind of just came out of nowhere.  Who knew that Christmas comes 2 weeks in a row?

Sono contento di aver sentito da voi e tutte le buone cose che mi avete scritto.  Mi mancate e penso di voi sempre.  Ma sono grato anche di essere qua in Piacenza predicando il Vangelo di Gesù Cristo.  Sempre lavoriamo and facciamo fatica nella vita di raggiungere le nostre mete, e pensiamo che le benedizioni non veranno.  Ma c'è una cosa che mi ha detto un altro missionario, che forse le benedizioni non sono venuti ancora... ma la parola importante è <<ancora>>.  Se perserveremo e andremo avanti avendo fede in Cristo, le benedizioni veranno.  Il Signore ci ha promesso questo e ci credo.  Comunque, devo andare.  Vi voglio bene!

-Anziano Proctor

August 12, 2011

Proctors-

   It is almost 6:00 on Wednesday night and boy was it a long (but fun) day.  We went to Maranello to see the Ferrari Factory again today because Anziano Wilkins had never been.  It's a pretty cool place if you're into cars (which almost all 19-21 year old missionaries are).  Anyways, we've still got to do our weekly shopping and then teach our English class tonight. 

   Things are still going fantastic here in Piacenza.  Transfers were this week but Anziano Wilkins and I are both staying together here for another transfer, so we're super excited.  It's brutally hot here in Italy in the summer, and certainly a lot more humid.  If you thought I sweated a lot in Utah, you should see me here.  Or maybe not?  All I know is that those hankerchiefs that Mom said to pack, that I said had no use, now serve to keep me sweat free.  Thanks for keeping me Eagle-Scout-prepared Mama.

I'm glad that Nanna got my letter.  Me and my companion were talking about how much we neglected our grandparents (and even our parents) before the mission.  When you are a missionary and you see how some people don't want to listen to you just because of what you portray with your white shirt and black nametag you really see how important it is to take a minute to stop yourself, and listen to what someone else thinks.  I don't know if we notice how often we tend not to REALLY listen to what others are saying.  We both were saying how we just want to talk to and learn from our families.

   Have fun at the Utah/AZ game and in Lake Powell you two.  Try not to rub it in too much :p   It's funny how we as missionaries become accustomed to life here in Italy.  It really is very different here.  How people dress, how they interact, what they do for fun, what they value.  I hopefully see myself coming back more deeply cultured . . . Although, I will still love America more! :)

   I got some letters sent out this last week to people who had written me.  I think there was Cash, Ellery, Alex, and Sami Myers... So I did respond to those.  Ellery told me that you and her had been super busy but that you finally were able to meet up ha, so thanks for that.  Cash told me that you guys chat every once in a while, that's great.  I know he loves you all so keep it up okay?  Oh also I forgot, I wrote a letter to Cole, Max and Kimber cause our letters back and forth haven't been going through very well.

   There were some other last minute things too.  If you do end up finding a need to send me that package, the best place to send it is to the mission address in Milano.  Sometimes packages get to the missionary apartments late or after transfers and then it's just difficult for the box to get into the right hands.  So if you send one, send it to Milano:

      Missione Italiana di Milano

      Via Gramsci 13/4

      20090 Opera (MI)
     Italia

Anyways, all temporal things aside, I'm still super excited and blessed to be here in Piacenza.  I love it here.  I can feel so strongly the love of our branch members here and the power that it has to work miracles.  Every day I think about what this message means for the world and the people in it, and the power that it has to change their outlooks, their experiences and their lives.  I know that this Gospel is true and that when we endure to the end we see the blessings that come from our faith.  In Mosiah 4:27 it says, "For it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength.  And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize."  We must always strive and press forward, putting our faith in him who gives us strength to run faster.  I love this Gospel with all my heart.

-Anziano Proctor

July 28, 2011

Hey all!

 

   The letter this week will have to be pretty short!  Like I told you I have that ingrown toenail problem and Anziano Wilkins and I have to catch a train to Milano for a doctor's appointment.  Sorella Wolfgramm authorized this appointment to see this American doctor to see if I should just keep treating it myself at home or if we have to have the doctor fix it for me.  Anyways, I'll try to write as much as I can!

 

  This week was a pretty good one.  We taught a lot of lessons, but not to a lot of people that are clinging onto the message.  There are a lot of people that are out of town (in Italy EVERYONE goes away for vacation in late July and all of August) and a lot of people who are just sincerely not interested.  It's okay though, if everyone were interested you could barely call this missionary "work"! 

 

   Mom, when you have time will you write me a couple notes about Grandpa Schettler's life?  I've written in my journal what I remember my self but specifics such as birthday, place of birth (SLC?), date he and grandma were married?  Just a few notes :)  Also, I cannot for the life of me remember the sibling of Karl Lester whose initials are O.P.  Help?

 

   Have fun this week with all of that stuff you have planned!  Say hi to the Hawkers and to Linds and Pat for me okay?  I'm glad that Connor got my letter!  Is he going to write me back?  I had a dream last night that I saw him, and we were both back in Utah at a family function of some sort.  One day it will be a reality!  I got Alex's and Sami's letters this week.  It was great to hear from the both of them.  Let Cash know I'm still waiting for his next letter! (I love my big man).  As far as getting the book to Ellery, if it's easier for you to wait until school starts when their family is in town that's fine.  Don't want you to stress yourself out :)

 

   Anyways, I've gotta book it!  Love you all!  Fino al giorno in cui ci rivedrem!

 

-Anziano Proctor

Info about Italy

Dear Family and Friends -

   I just found a blog for the Italy mission.  It has a couple photos of the "new" missionaries that includes Andrew.

http://missionemilano.blogspot.com/

Also some info on the temple in Rome.


http://www.ldschurchtemples.com/rome/

Hope you enjoy as much as I did -

Love,

Sue

July 15, 2011

Proctor Family -

This week has been so crazy! There's been a lot that's changed since the last time I wrote you. I can't even start to tell you about the miracle that we saw yesterday night! Okay maybe I can...
Monday night Anziano Minà and I were teaching a lesson to an investigator when we received a phone call from our Branch President, President Malderizzi. I took the call out into the hall and he proceeded to tell me that an investigator of 2+ years, named Nicola, finally decided that he wanted to get baptized the next day. He began investigating the Church forever ago, has given 2 talks in church, comes to church every week and even has a "calling" in Sunday School. He's read the Book of Mormon, D&C, Pearl of Great Price, the Bible and a bunch of other Church literature, a few times over, at that.

Missionaries all around the mission have taught Nicola all hoping to help him to see the importance of being baptized, but he refused to. Anyways, President called us and told us that something inside of him had clicked and we needed to have our Zone Leaders on a train that instant to Piacenza to do the interview that night. He told us that we had to make all the baptismal preparations for the next day. It was the most hectic 24 hours of my life, I think. The next day at the baptism Nicola was very emotional... It was fantastic to see him so touched by the Spirit. His friend Lucia spoke about their friendship and the long path that he had taken to follow the Savior. He just cried and cried. Finally, the time came to hop into this rickety portable font with President Malderizzi. It was a beautiful baptism.

To think that we were blessed to see the fruit of more than 2 years worth of missionary work is so amazing. He was confirmed a member of the Church and given the Gift of the Holy Ghost on the spot because he leaves today for America. In fact, he leaves today to go to BYU, in Provo. It would be so awesome for him to meet our MTC instructors who go the Y and speak Italian. He definitely needs some friends there in Provo!

Unfortunately, I no longer am with Anziano Minà. He was space transfered to Torino where they don't ride bikes. We're always on bikes here and it makes it hard for him because he has asthma... So I lost my Italian companion :/ Shucks! That's okay though because now I am with Anziano Wilkins who was the group ahead of me in the MTC. President Wolfgramm made me the Senior Companion even though I've not even been here 2 months. We are the youngest companionship in the whole mission! He is a super awesome farm boy from Idaho, and we're going to kill it together. He is full of energy and all he wants to do is work hard. My type of guy!

We're going to have another baptism this Saturday! I think I've already told you about Winter from Ecuador, haven't I? He is so ready. He told us that even though the baptism is at 5pm on saturday, he's going to be dressed in his all whites and waiting by the font at 3 o'clock. He's so great. And hilarious too ha.

I haven't yet recieved anything from anyone at home but I'm sure it will get here soon. I affectionately(?) call Piacenza "il buco nero." The black hole! When the Kraegels come to Park City you should have them write me a little note here on the email. That would be fantastic to hear from them. I haven't heard from Uncle Bill in forever! That's pretty scary about that Elder in Guatemala with the lions... it wasn't Searle was it??

  Also, I just sent a letter to Grandma and Grandpa last week. I sent one to Dad also with an experience I wanted to share, but it's for the both of you to read together. Thanks a bunch for all of the support that you give me. I love you all so much and miss you every day. I know that the Lord blesses each one of us to be strong, and to press forward. I am so blessed to be a missionary here in this beatiful country!

-Anziano Proctor

America Day: July 5, 2011

Happy America Day!!

   Okay I'm a day late . . . That's pretty good for being on the other side of the world though isn't it?  In fact, we DID remember it was the Fourth of July.  Mostly because July 4th is an Italian holiday for the Piacentino Saint, San Antonio, but also 'cause it was Independence Day.  I mean come on, how can you forget the liberation of the greatest country in the world??  We had the new Travel Assistents in Piacenza to work with us from Sunday night til Tuesday afternoon, so there was 4 of us in our little apartment here in Piacenza.  We celebrated the day with a Kebab, a granita (kind of like a slushy), and a nice glass of Coke!  We recited the Pledge of Allegiance to the American Flag on Anziano Bolnick's backpack (you better believe our hands were over our hearts and our chests were puffed out).  We sang the National Anthem, Amazing Grace, some American folk songs, some more National Anthem.  Anziano Minà was so embarrased ha.  The only thing he said all day was "Che scema, che embarrazzato" and "Padre, perdonami."  Translation: "How stupid and embarrassing" and "Father, forgive me" haha.  You better believe we are proud to be Americans!

   I don't want you to think I didn't learn anything on this scambio though.  In fact, I learned tons.  The older Anziani in the mission are just so far ahead of the game.  The truly know how to inspire everyone else to realize their purpose every day.  Before the mission I always thought that the battle would be to remember my purpose.  That's not it at all.  If you ask any missionary in Italy what their purpose is, they will all tell you it is to help and invite others to come closer to Jesus Christ.  The hard part is always acting to fulfill that purpose.  The hard part is truly realizing your potential on the mission.

   This is something that President Wolfgramm told us: We all have imperfections.  All of our bodies have scars, diseases, or malfunctions.  Some may not have an arm.  Some may not have a leg.  Some may not have hair (Dad :))  Thanks to Jesus Christ's Resurrection, these things will be fixed one day.  Everyone will receive perfect bodies.  But not everyone will receive perfect faith, or perfect belief.  What we are doing here is much more gratifying.  We are not changing people's bodies, we are changing people's hearts. 

   Anziano Minà is such a blessing.  In a lot of different ways.  When I heard I was getting an Italian companion, I was way too excited thinking about the chance to speak Italian 24/7 than about other things such as cultural differences.  I'm still adjusting to the initial shell shock ha.  I know now that when you make pasta, you shouldn't put olive oil in the water to prevent it from boiling over.  Especially if there is an Italian present!  I think one of the hardest parts about it is just the differences in each part of life: the humor is different, work ethic is stressed in different areas, common sense is viewed differently, amongst other things.  How blessed am I to be able to see those differences and get myself used to them and to become more cultured while I am young, before I've fully developed as an adult.  One thing though that is always the same is the Gospel.  That is for sure.  Because we all speak the same language of the Spirit.  We all feel the same peace and comfort that comes from the Lord's companionship.  We all come from the same loving Heavenly Father.  That is why I am blessed. 

   I've got to go now unfortunately, but I will write you next week.  It seems like P-Days come and go like that (*snap).  Until next time!

  Love you all!

-Anziano Proctor

P.S.  Before you send back the tape recorder, I would love for Scott Fielding to record a little bit in Italian if he doesn't mind?  I would really enjoy that.

June 29, 2011

Hey all-

 

   How is it going this week?  That was so cool to be able to see all of the wedding photos!  So exciting.  It was way strange to see everyone as of recently, namely Chris' short hair and lack of facial hair, Dad's goatee is back, and Pat's hair is gettin' way long.  You'll have to send me some of the photobooth pictures people took.  I'm trying to figure out how to get pictures to you all so you can see my adventures here in Piacenza but I haven't got a chord to put pictures onto a computer, and also my camera is dead.  I got Aj and Ashley's letters by the way, they helped a ton!

 

   This week has been a pretty exciting one.  We've been making a lot of progress with 3 of our investigators towards baptism.  Rosario is that awesome guy from Napoli.  Then there is this hilarious big hunk of love named Winter from Ecuador.  He loves salsa music and blasts it in his car whenever we're with him.  Then a 21 year old Ecuadorian named John.  He said that his whole life he's had faith in Jesus Christ, but that he felt like he was missing a huge chunk of it.  All 3 of them are ultra prepared.  They all just understand and fit perfectly to the Gospel. 

 

   Also, we got our transfer calls this week.  My trainer, Anziano Nielsen is going to Verona to be a Zone Leader and I'm staying here in Piacenza.  Here's the exciting news though:  I'm getting an Italian companion!  His name is Anziano Minà and he's from Sicilia.  So I will be speaking almost 100% italian starting tomorrow afternoon.  We're going to Milano tomorrow to switch up and all that. 

   I heard just now about a film that came out back in the States called "17 Miracles."  It's supposedly about the Martin Willey Handcart Company.  Info please?  :)  Y'all will have to make a list of films/music/news for me when I get back.

 

   I'm jealous about the golfing y'all get to do . . . they have a small driving range next to the missionary appartment in Modena.  It's relatively cheap to go to (maybe €2) but the only problem is what kind of missionary just has a set of clubs?  Haha, none.  Anyways, we've got to go pack Nielsen's bags and and all that but I wanna leave you all my testimony.  Seeing that I haven't done it in italian in a while, I'll do it like that.

 

   Sono così grato di essere un missionario del Signore.  Ho visto delle benedizioni che vengono dalla missione, tutte e due nel campo missionario e a casa mia, a Park City.  Io so che il Signore ha un piano per noi nella questa vita.  Ho scoperto questa settimana che c'é una ragione per ogni cosa.  Non ce sono le coincidenze.  Veramente, siamo amati da un Padre Celeste chi vuole il migliore per noi.  L'unica cosa che dobbiamo fare è di avere la fede in Lui.  Philippians 4:13.  Vi lascio questa testimonianza nel nome di Gesù Cristo, amen.

 

-Anziano Andrew Proctor

June 23, 2011

Salve tutti,

 

   How is it going this week?  I don't know why but it feels like it has been a super long time since I wrote last.  I must have been busier this week.  It was a pretty full week with a bunch of lessons, lots of knocking casa, some companion exchanges, amongst other things.  We did a companion exchange in Reggio Emilia on Friday night through Saturday afternoon, so I was there with Anziano Ellsworth from Cali.  We did some service for a member (helped him move his furniture down 5 flights of stairs . . . whoo!), went to a ward foosball activity (Italians LOVE foosball) and then did some more casa.  We knocked on the door of a family who was to have a wedding the next day and we gifted them a Book of Mormon and talked about Eternal Families.  We also street contacted this guy named Solomon ("Like the king in the Bible," he said) and his wife.  Anziani Ellsworth and Strobelt taught them later that night and had them both wanting to hear more.  Apparently it was such a strong lesson, the wife was crying. 

 

   Then this last monday and tuesday we did a companion exchange with the traveling assistents to the President.  In our mission we have regular APs, and then we have 2 more traveling APs.  So we did an exchange with them, Anziani Newton and Mosley.  They are both way good missionaries and both have 1 transfer left.  With them we set another baptisimal date!  And then almost 2 more after that.  So by the end of this week we might have 4 dates for baptisms.  Super super exciting stuff ha. 

 

   We've made ENORMOUS progress with Rosario.  I swear, there is no one more elect in all of Northern Italy.  Every single thing we have taught him he understands and believes for himself.  He is the most humble person I think I've ever met.  His 2 most common phrases are "andare avanti" and "per aiutare gli altri" which mean "to press forward/ continue on" and "to help others."  He must say those phrases 10 times every time we meet with him.  He's to be baptized in 2 weeks.

 

   As far as Church goes, it is about a 7 minute bike ride from our house.  It is on the 3rd floor of a little palazzo on a packed, cobblestone street in the middle of Centro.  I don't have to play piano for the branch because we don't have one ha, only an organ.   And one of the youth, Fabrizio, takes care of the organ.  Basically on Sundays we arrive early, prep the Sacrament (sometimes we bless and pass it), and then we just fellowship our investigators and members.  It's pretty fun.  This saturday we have a ward activity where we all have to represent our country of origin with some sort of food, game, act, etc.  I was chosen to represent America's musical aspect . . . AKA I get to play guitar this saturday :)

 

   That's terrible that Grandpa got hurt . . . man that stinks.  I'll definitely keep him in my prayers.  I feel bad I haven't really written specifically to them.  Tell them I love them and am mindful of them always.  One thing I noticed in the mission that is true both for missionaries and for people who have missionaries in the field is that even if you don't write someone, it doesn't mean you aren't thinking of them.  In fact, in most cases you are thinking of them more often than they think.  For instance, Elder Vincent is about to return from Guatemala in the next month or two?  I think his whole mission I've written him 3, maybe 4 times?  And yet I thought of him all the time, how great of an example he is, how good of a friend he is and the things he is capable of doing.  You'll have to tell him this train of thought that I'm having, that even tough I didn't write him, it certainly did not mean that I wasn't thinking about or missing him at all.  The same for Grandma and Grandpa.  I love them and miss them dearly!

 

   I did get the 2 wedding announcements from Aj and Ashley 2 weeks ago but I haven't gotten any letters?  I DID get Cash's letter, and it was so far one of the greatest blessings I've received on my mission.  Tell him to write me back soon!  Other than Cash I haven't gotten anything else in the mail so I'll keep an eye out for the others. 

 

    I didn't even know Father's Day had passed!  Sorry Papa, you know I love you.  I haven't gotten an email from you in a bit.  What gives big nose? 

 

   And then to Aj and Ashley: the couple to be wed in about 24 hours.  I cannot express my excitement!  During our weekly temple visits at the MTC I was able to stand proxy in some family sealings and also was able to see some sealings of married couples.  I marveled at the beauty of Heavenly Father's plan for us and at the multitude of blessings that await us when we make this Holy Covenant.  I am so excited for the both of you to take this glorious step toward Celestial happiness, and to take it together, as husband and wife.  Always remember this feeling of love and respect for one another and you will be eternally blessed.  Never forget your Heavenly Father and the blessings that come from living His Gospel as you begin this new life as a family.  I am so excited to go to bed tomorrow night knowing that you two will have been joined for time and all eternity in our Lord's Holy Temple.  I give to the both of you every blessing that I can muster!  I love you both and will see you when the time comes!

 

Dal vostro fratello, figlio, amico e missionario,

           Anziano Andrew Proctor

June 16, 2011

Ciao tutti, belli e brutti!

 

As it's only been about 4 days since I sent you my last email, there's not a whole lot more to write about ha.  The work is still moving along in our little branch of Piacenza.  Every second Sunday of the month we all stay for about an hour after church to eat with one another.  It's really an awesome idea because it gives us and the members a chance to grow together and it helps us to fellowship our investigators into the ward.  We're making awesome progress with an Italian man named Rosario.  We found him on a comp exchange and after our first lesson we challenged him to baptism and he said yes!  We set his date for July 9th.  The coolest thing happened though when we met with him last Saturday.  He thought we said June 9th and was all worried that he'd missed his baptismal service.  You can see how excited he is for it, it's way too cool.

 

I had my first legitimate, full Italian dinner last night.  Boy was it amazing.  The coolest thing about Italians is that when they have you in their home, all they want to do is feed you!  Nothing could bring them more joy than watching two American boys emptying their plates ha.  You get to the point where you're pretty much sated and then they offer you more and more and more.  They bring you your meal in courses: antipasto (appetizer), pasta, meat, maybe some cheese or salad, and then fruit or dessert.  And then the whole time you have bread.  It was magnificent.  I haven't been that full since before the MTC!  Although I will say this, Italian cereal is terrible.  Worst stuff ever haha.  Anziano Nielsen's family sent him some Raisin Bran Crunch and I had a bowl this morning . . . never before have I tasted such amazingness!  Or rather, never have I before noticed how many preservatives and unnatural things we put in our food ha.  Nevertheless, 'twas delicious.

 

Also, we're been hearing a lot lately about this play on Broadway that's coming out about Mormons.  From what I hear, it's from the producers of South Park (is that good or not?)  What's it about?  How is it perceived?  It seems that it goes one of two ways: 1. Pretty unfair and offensive or 2. Funny kind-of-half-truth jokes but not really intended to hurt anyone.  I know I shouldn't really care about it, I'm just curious.  I'd love to hear what different people think about it.

 

Once again, I'm super excited for Ash and AJ.  Every time one of our members or investigators comes to the knowledge that my brother is about to get married they ask me, "But you aren't going to be there?  Well, why not?"  Haha, they just can't even begin to grasp the concept.  But hey, Ashley is entering the temple tomorrow!  That is way too awesome.  Especially because it's the Salt Lake Temple.

 

That's kind of depressing that the Molinaro's are moving . . . what am I gonna do without them when I get back?  One of the first things I planned on doing was walking up there to see them!  (I know it's dangerous that I've even thought about when I get back.  Don't worry, it's not too intently thought out.)  We'll have to figure out some sort of agreement where we visit each other.  That family is way too awesome to let a couple hundred miles separate us.

 

Time to sign off again.  We're going to Parma for our P-Day today, once again with the Anziani from Reggio and Modena.  I'll take some cool pictures . . . which I will eventually get to you somehow.  Once again, my testimony is simple:  There is no work too tough, no rain too heavy, no old Italian skull too thick that cannot be conquered here.  The Spirit of the Lord works through each and every one of us, and as we find and show our faith in Him, there is nothing we cannot do.  I have learned to put my trust in Him.  And only after we've done that can He put His trust in us.  Vi saluto, vi voglio bene e ci sentiamo presto!

 

-Anziano Andrew Proctor

June 1, 2011

Hey all-

  How's it going this week? Tutto a posto? (S'all good?)  I'm currently writing from a little internet point in a town called Reggio Emilia with my companion and another companionship who is based here.  We had a leadership conference in Modena yesterday and we decided to just stay the night in Reggio because it's closer than Piacenza, and we had planned to return to Modena on P-Day to see the Ferrari Factory.  So we're about to head there after this.  Super excited to see some cool cars.

  My companion's full name is Tyson Nielsen and he grew up in Saint George like I said.  He says he doesn't recognize Suzie or Daniel's names though.  I actually forgot to tell you about the Cummings ha.  That first night that we were in Milan when we had the two groups split up, after we had gotten back together Sorelle Bowman and Jones from my MTC district said that had met Erin and her family.  I was upset to have missed them but it was awesome that they saw them at least.  I did get AJ's and Ashley's wedding invite and it was awesome ha.  In fact, I got two so I was double excited.  I'm way jealous about Yellowstone, it sounds so fun.  Those were some crazy numbers though ha, that's a lot of fish!  That's awesome that Cash came to get his letter though... tell him to write back asap!  He can use my Piacenza address if he wants or he can use the Mission Home.. either way.  Like I said though, I should be in Piacenza for a while.

    Dad- I'm loving the area.  It's a lot of hard work, we do a lot of door knocking.  We have like 15 people we're teaching and 3 or 4 people we're trying to re-activate.  Problem is that not a whole lot of them are progressing because they don't have time to meet with us.  Some of them are kinda weefy (popular missionary term for "flaky", I think).  My comp is awesome though, he's not a weirdo or anything.  Lui non è pazzo.  My health is good.  All the stuff from the MTC is gone and I'm feelin good.  Except my stomach ha.  When you don't work out your arms, they don't get fat, they just get small (I'm okay with that).  We ride bikes all over the place, so my legs stay in pretty good shape.  But my stomach.. ha he's not getting any exercise.  Sorry pal.  You just get to the point where there is no energy left in your body to do even 10 sit ups.  Your mind just needs a rest at the end of the day.  And that thing I called you before was "Babbo".  Kind of the italian slang for "Papa."

     Anyways, we had some cool stuff happen on saturday.  We got 3 bidone, which means canceled appointments.  Wait. Maybe I already told you this story?  If so just skip the paragraph ha.  But we got canceled on 3 times and had nothing to do but go knock doors or teach a member.  So while we went to teach this member we got a phone call from this random number.  This African man is on the other side of the line looking for some guy named Pastor Ben.  "Hello Pastor Ben?  Oh this isn't Pastor Ben?  Well, can I talk to Pastor Ben?"  He must have been good friends with Pastor Ben or something.  Anyways, he tells us that he's looking for "men of God". We replied, "Yes, that's us!"  So we meet up with him and his friend at the park and take them to see the Ward Building.  Turns out they are super interested and they asked if they could come to church the next morning.  As we talked there for like half an hour, he was just so eager to share with us his testimony about Jesus Christ.  He was Evangelical I think and he just loved the Savior so much.  The interesting thing was though is that almost everything he said sounded as if was coming out of Preach My Gospel.  It was awesome and he was so willing to stand up and share with the members his testimony about any subject the next morning.  His name was Elias and his friend was Samuel.  Loro sono forti!  I think the coolest part though is that he was trying to call some other pastor, and mis-dialed and happened to call us.  It wasn't a coincidence I don't think.

   Anyways, that's my cool story for the week.  Tell me more about what's going on at home.  I'll be sending home a package hopefully today with some stuff I don't need anymore and the voice recorder. 

   Amo quest'opera così tanto.  A volte è dificile, ma certo.  Ma io so che crescerò da questa.  Io so che mediante questa missione, imparerò tante cose di cui avrò bisogno.  Il mio Salvatore è vicino a me cuando ho bisogno di Lui e Lui sa ogni cosa di cui ho bisogno.  Lui ha sofferto ogni cosa, così che avrebbe potuto sapere come aiutarci.  Sono così grato per il mio Redentor e io so che ci rafforza.  Nel nome di Gesù Cristo, amen.

Andrew