Bingo.

Oye, what to write this week.  Things just blur together.  I'm sure I had some cool experiences.

We casa'd into a group of 4 college age kids who actually listened to our spiel on the Restoration and accepted a return appointment to receive copies of the Book to read for themselves.  That was pretty great.

English class was fun, as usual.  We had everyone write letters to each other while I played nice songs on the piano.  They actually loved getting to practice reading and writing.  I love letters.

Anziano Espinosa and I did a scambio this last week.  An appointment of ours was cancelled, so we suddenly decided to hop on a tiny train that passes through the itty-bitty towns surrounding Reggio Emilia and get off when we felt like it.

We landed in a super tiny city and started walking around.  A young boy I guessed was Albanian was standing on the sidewalk using his phone.  We started talking to him and he didn't seem very interested. Then I started speaking the little bits of Albanian that I knew from Anziano Hallulli, and he seemed to like that.

We ended up teaching him about the Plan of Salvation after asking, "If you could ask one question to God, what would it be?"  His response: "What comes after this life."  Bingo.  We taught him.

We're going to bring him an Albanian Book of Mormon soon so that his mother can read along.  He was 14 years old.  Makes me think of Jed.  I love families.

Doing Good

You may or may not notice that I'm writing this rather late.  We went to the mountains today to check out a castle.  It was a great adventure, but also a long one that included missing trains and surprising separations.  All is well, and I'll certainly sleep well tonight.

I'm glad my family got my most recent letters.  My mom asked me how I am -- just like that, "How are you?"  The simplicity makes me think she's worried, but maybe I'm reading too deeply into things.

I'm doing... good.  Not well, but good.  I mean, I'm actually doing good things.  Not all the time, and not as good of things as I probably could be doing, but I do notice day by day how much good I am able to do for others.  It's amazing and humbling and beautiful.  I feel closer to God.

I love Mormon messages.  Anziano Espinosa has downloaded tons of them and we watch them in the apartment frequently.  Some of the more recent ones are terrific!  Especially "Hope of God's Light." video

Prepared People

This week was nice.  It got hot for a few days, but rain swept in last night and cooled my world down.  I'm grateful for that.  I'm grateful for so many things.

An investigator I really love -- the same one who gave me the typewriter -- came to church for the first time this last week.  I was thrilled to see him, and he was touched by several testimonies borne.

There is a great treasure of knowledge to find in the Book of Mormon.  One can read that book a hundred times and get new insights into the mind and heart of our Heavenly Father with each experience.  And what an experience it is!  I love the book and all I'm learning from it.  I encourage those of you who want a stronger relationship with God to study it and pray.

I love September

Wow, so Audrey's in Mexico, eh?  I think that hits me more than it hits any of you who might read this, even Mom.  I pray for her and wish her the best of inspiration.

Pictures!  Sorry, it's been a while.

*drinking from the waters of life (or something) *playing basketball for the last time in Ancona

*the silliest apartment ever (me and Edwards on Carter and Espinosa, respectively) Long live Transfer 12.

*me at a cool well (Anziano Smith loves cool pictures.  He's infecting me.) 

*weird 4th of July pictures in Reggio nell'Emilia *my birthday (WOOOOHOOOO!!!)

I like what my mom said in her weekly email to me today:  "A mission can't be easy.  I am so grateful it's not.  Life is not easy."  At first I lowered my brow at that, but the more I thought about it, the more I agreed.  I am so grateful that the mission is hard.