Buon to the Giorno everyone!
Well, it is getting kind of ridiculous how fast time goes now. It literally feels like yesterday I was just here writing home for last week! But we have had a wonderful week, full of miracles!
--Right off the bat, let me share one of the greatest miracles! We went CHRISTMAS CAROLING!!!! And it was a HUGE success. We handed out around 300 pass along cards to people in a little under an hour!! To give you an idea of how awesome that is, we usually go through maybe 75 every 6 weeks, depending on how willing people are to listen to us. So, yeah, it was amazing! We also (prepare for a genius idea) wrapped up a bunch of pamphlets and multiple copies of the Book of Mormon (did you like that? I didn't say Books of Mormon or Book of Mormons...because in that never-ending argument of what is more correct to say...I am like Switzerand...always neutrall! ;) ), and handed them out to people as Christmas gifts! Brilliant, right? We had us four elders and the two sister missionaries singing together, and one person would go around and talk to people while the others would sing. It was so much fun, and the people loved it! 3 or 4 people stopped and started filming us. (Italians, bless their hearts, just aren't the best singers, and so it is pretty rare to see 6 people all singing on-key and actually sounding good, ha.) They loved it! Christmas time is just the greatest! We are definitely doing that again.
-- I had the opportunity to do a scambio with the district leader in Genova, Anziano Lindley, this past week. He is a great missionary, and we were able to find two new investigators in the morning by teaching the Restoration and then immediately setting up a return appointment with them. It was a great experience for him to see that it is possible to do that,and we hope that it will help him motivate the missionaries in the Genova district!
--You have no idea how difficult it was to find an open internet place today. We rode all around the city, searching for something that was open between 12:00 and 3:00 (which is like NOONE). The Italian culture is great, but sometimes it's just like ".....GO TO WORK!!!..."
-- Cars are so expensive in Italy. I would never be able to have one. Gas is like $7 a gallon here, so I'll just leave it at that.
--Transfer news!!!! Nothing exciting, we are still going to be here in Alessandria, me and Anziano Taylor. But 3 of the other 4 missionaries are getting transferred...and one is going to RIMINI!!! I am going to send him a letter to give to the ward down there from me. They are so great.
--So we were talking the other day about Christmas, and were just like "Man, noone has even invited us over yet! I hope we get invited!" And then the next Sunday we got mobbed by like 20 members right after sacrament meeting like "YOU TWO MUST COME TO MY HOME!!" "NO WE WANT THEM OVER!!" Etc, etc. By the end of it we organized breakfast, lunch and dinner appointments for both Christmas and Christmas Eve. Merry Christmas!
--Oh! I saw an AMERICAN TRUCK the other day. How does that thing get around? It literally must ONLY drive on the main roads. It took up like 3 parking spots. I got pictures of it beside an Italian car, so you can see the difference, don't worry!
--We got new "Mission bedding" for each missionary. It is like a comforter (which is so warm!) with a cover and a newpillow with a decorative pillowcase (which is purely for decoration...and also really uncomfortable even if you wanted to use it). I'll just say, if missionary apartments were featured in Better Homes and Gardens or Check Out My Crib...I'm pretty sure we'd make the cut.
--Miracle: This week's miracle was definitely Daniele. This past Sunday in the GANS (Giovane Adulti Non Sposati...or YSA) family home evening, we (all the missionaries in Alessandria) started a Hogwarts/Harry Potter event with the youth, which consists of the GANS being put into different teams, or houses, and them having to get the most points for their house by the end of next January. The way they get points is by doing missionary work! There are things like: Bear Testimony to someone-1 point, Invite someone to come with you to church-2 points, and, share a mormon message on Social Media-1 point for each! They were SO excited about this, especially Daniele, our 19 year old invetigator who will be baptized THIS FRIDAY!!! We are so excited for him. He went around to all the GANS saying things like "I'm going to be baptized this Friday, that's 5 points! And then I'm going to invite my friends, for 2 more points each!!..." He was one of the most excited. And then, while we were setting up the tables and everyone was waiting, Daniele realized that he hadn't read our reading assignment for him (Moroni 7). He immediately went out in the hall, sat down, and started reading...We recently heard from the Mecca family that last Monday he went over to their house for Family Home Evening (his girlfriend is the daughter) and he did the entire lesson on Moroni 7. If that's not someone prepared to be a future leader in the church, I don't know what is! What a blessing!
We have been seeing some amazing miracles here, and we are excited for the new transfer, and the opportunity and blessing we will continue to have to try to motivate and inspire the missionaries in our zone. I thank you all for your support and your prayers, I remember you all! Have a wonderful week! :)
Love,
Anziano Wilson
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