Buon Natale, Everyone!

I got emails from Sister Spriggs and the Moon family, both of which contained adorable pictures that focused me on family and how wonderful--and quick--life is.  I saw Baby Anziano Burton in my super young mamma's lap, and I saw Adri and Lauryn Moon--who in my mind are, like, newborns--riding horses with their little brother.

It's hard to believe how fast it goes.  One Christmas after another, and suddenly you're a missionary.  A few later I'll be a f-f-faaaath... yeah, I don't wanna talk about that.

Before I go, I want to recount to you all a few Christmas miracles!  They both involve me getting really mad or sad, and then being super humbled by God's awesomeness.  Firstly, because someone was a little slow getting out of bed (coughanzianokesslercough), we missed our train to Milan on Thursday by a matter of minutes.  I was...really upset.  We ended up taking another train an hour later and arrived at the Milano Centrale station at 11, which is when we were supposed to be at the Lampugnano church building.

Good will towards men is peace on earth

Well, as far as numbers go this wasn't as good of a week.  But that's okay.  We did teach 10 lessons, which ties for the 3rd best week I've ever had (and that shows how much of a miracle 21 was, eh?).  This week will be even less, but that's because we had Zone Conference all day yesterday, today's PDay, and tomorrow we're going back to Milano for some New Missionary Training.  That'll be so fun.

We're working pretty closely with one young Italian guy we met going house to house.  He has a strong faith in Christ already, but is having a hard time accepting our invitation to read the Book of Mormon.  He likes us, though, and we love him, and as we keep meeting (in a new convert's home!) and feeling the Spirit together, I think he'll change his mind and start to search for the truth.  Anziano Kessler says we'll baptize him.  I don't disagree.

We did it!!

Anziano Kessler and I had one of the craziest and most amazing weeks of my entire mission so far.  What a way to start his.  First of all, he is AWESOME.  I love him with all my heart.  The best trainee I could possibly imagine.  He's funny, goes with the flow, is simple and sincere and eager to learn, and he loves life.  He also loves bread and little children.  So, clearly, I love him.

Anziano Petterborg (who I also love) was a trickster on his bike.  So, not surprisingly, it broke with Anziano Kessler before long.  We happened to be really, really far from home when the wheel seized up and the back brake broke.  We left both our bikes there, tied up to a pole, and walked home in the freezing dark.  The next morning we went back, mounted his bike on top of my bike, and carefully led it home.  It was hilarious, a great bonding experience, and I get the feeling I'll be able to use it in a talk or something one day.  There's gotta be a parable in there.

Super Excited

What an amazing week!  Did I see this many miracles at the very beginning of my mission?  Probably not.  I was sick and bedridden for two weeks instead.  Ha!

On Thursday morning we all headed to Verona's biggest train station.  I said goodbye to Anziano Petterborg who went with a few other missionaries down to Bologna, eventually to head towards his new home in Livorno.  I'm gonna miss him, he is a dedicated Elder and a wonderful companion.

I got on a fast train with a few other missionaries from other cities and headed to Milano.  There were only 13 new missionaries this transfer, thus 13 trainers together in a room in one of Milano's chapels receiving a little instruction from President Dibb.  He talked up the role of a trainer a lot and brought us to a realization of our duty.

The new missionaries walked in, wide-eyed and exhausted.  None of us new which we were paired with yet.  One by one we stood at the front of the group, talked about the cities we are serving in, and then read out our new companion's name from a slip of paper from the Assistants to the President.  Mine is Anziano Kessler, and he's awesome.