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?

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

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