JUNE 24, 2015

Buongiorno carissimi fanciulli:
  Wow, it seems like forever ago that I last wrote. Missionaries do a lot in a week! But it has been a great week!
--This past Thursday we went to the Zuppardo's house to do some service for her.  She needed her lawn mowed pretty badly am so I volunteered! It was awesome; it took me back to the glory days! ;P  My shoes are now deep green; it's a good thing I am leaving them here! They have taken quite the beating over these past two years of service.
--Scambio: I had two scambi this past week. The one with one of the Assistants to the President was great. Anziano Anderton is in my group, and so we had a lot of fun reminiscing (spelling??) about the fun times in the MTC. He is hilarious. But i also learned a lot, and we saw some great success, including finding a new investigator!  My scambio with Anziano Kormlyo in Firenze was great as well. He is in his first few transfers, and so for part of companionship study he asked me to share some "Wilson words of Wisdom" that I have learned throughout my mission. It was a wonderful experience, and I hope he will take something I said and remember it.
 --That scambio in Firenze was insane though...imagine riding a bike down the most busy part of the center of town, constantly ringing your bell, hoping people will get out of the way. In the words of Anziano Kormylo "I thought the bell was a universal symbol for get out of the way...but oh no...those Asians don't even flince!" ha!
--We had a really awesome week this week. Miracles abound in this wonderful part of the Lord's vineyard.  We were blessed to find 4 new investigators this week, and teach 27 lessons! I love to teach, and the Lord has helped me so much to improve that ability.
--Timothy and Paul are doing so well!  They both passed their baptismal interviews this week with flying colors, and we are preparing together for them to be baptized on the 4th of July!  Happy Independence Day, America! :)  ....I have noticed recently, that living out of country for so long has made me so Patriotic.  My companion and I started reciting the Pledge of Allegence each morning after Doctrine and Covenants section 4.  So keep them in your prayers; especially that they can get a ride all the way to Firenze where the nearest baptismal font is for the Baptism!  The train ticket costs as much as many people make in a full day of work :(  But we will get them there!
--We went on Friday to help Christian move the rest of his house. Mamma mia I havent seen that much stuff since I was watching "Storage Wars" on TV! :P  I have no idea how he amassed so many things.  But it was a success; hurray for service!
--We went to go visit our Stake Mission leader up in the mountains this past week, and he showed us the prized possession of his little town: A soccer court.  Those poor children in the middle of the mountains don't have much in ways of entertainment, and technically the government wanted to make them pay to use the court...but a bunch of kids cut a hole in the fence just big enough to fit through, and they are always on the court. Good on them, though, it was built with their tax dollars (euros). 
-- I am so glad that I taught myself how to cut my own hair! So here in italy there are a lot of Chinese people...and so the options as far as haircuts go, you have the option of cutting your own hair, getting an Italian to do it for like 20 euro, or going to a Chinese place that will do it for cheap...but they don't speak hardly any italian. They are famous for the "ragazzaccio", or ...don't know how to translate that...the "bad boy" look.  It is shaved sides and a short top.  Basically all of my companions (over 5 of them), insisted on not cutting their own hair, and so, let's just say, it is always exciting when we go to get a haircut. :) Bless their hearts, they only speak Chinese!
--We were in Arezzo this past week a few times, and apparently they have some big cultural event going on with jousting(?), and so all week all the citizens have been getting hyped up about it. There are 4 seperate teams, depending on where you live, and they all got way into it and were bringing around with them flags and talking smack to each other all week. It was hilarious! We didn't ever get to see the joust event, but one of the members told us that is was quite the show! Italians.
--This past Sunday we had over 15 tourists from America visiting! Go Americans!  It doubled the size of our branch.  Translating was quite the ordeal, especially since I had to give a talk, and both the sisters here are pretty new and so it is difficult for them. I just told them to pick out key words and to make it up ;) Hey, that's what I did when I had to translate in my second transfer ;P  So if you ever go on vacation and a young missionary is translating for you...he's probably making it up (but don't call him out on it!) ;)
--The sisters here in Montevarchi were a little bit down on theirselves this week, and so I figured they needed a good laugh. I taught the training for District Meeting this week on " Becoming a Missionary in the [Star Wars] Digital Age"  A few parts are included below for your enjoyment :)
"Training: Wilson
"How Can I Use Preach My Gospel to do Missionary Work in the [Star Wars] Digital Age?"(Missionary Work in the Digital Age pages 23-25)
Include an Invite
15-20 Minutes

Bienvenidos a todos. Hoy tengo una buena messaje para nosotros. Es muy importante, intonces espero que somos listos para apprender. Soy guapo. 

HCIUPMGTDMWITDA (How can I use Preach My Gospel to do missionary work in the digital age)?
   "How can I best use PMG?"
Use Preach My Gospel to meet your needs as a [Jedi striving to bring balance to the force, or as a] missionary. You can spend an entire study session on just [Learning to recognize the force by meditation, but it would be better if you read] a few paragraphs--or an entire chapter. You can study chapters in order or plan another sequence [of Jedi training exercises] that better meets your needs. This flexibility allows you to study what you need when you need it and as directed by your [Jedi master] mission president.


All of the chapters in Preach My Gospel will help prepare you to fulfill your purpose as a  [Ninja Jedi Samurai] missionary. However, as you begin to study chapter 3, you may sense a [disturbance in the force, or a] difference in approach. [Dont worry about the disturbance in the force...you are merely becoming stronger.] Most of the chapters are addressed to you. Chapter 3 is addressed to a more general audience. You learn the doctrines in chapter 3 (a) to strengthen your own gospel knowledge and testimony and (b) to teach others and prepare them to make and keep commitments and covenants. [and c) so that your knowledge may be to you as a powerful light saber in your times of trouble.]


The doctrines in some of the other chapters may also help you teach [younglings and] investigators and new members. For example, chapter 4, “How Do I Recognize and Understand the [Force and the] Spirit?” may help you teach some investigators about how to gain a testimony by the power of the Holy Ghost. Chapter 5, “What Is the Role of the Book of Mormon" [is awesome].


Preach My Gospel focuses on the fundamentals of missionary work. It does not [instantly make you a Jedi. Or a black belt. Nor does it ]answer every question or situation you will encounter. You will be most effective as you follow the Spirit, search the scriptures, keep the commandments, and [Progressively work towards heavier belt/tunics...(remember, the darker the shade of color, the more heavy)...to train in as you prepare to face Darth Vader, while you ] apply what you learn.


Study the chapters throughout your mission [to Naboo and also other various missions]. Apply what you learn. Evaluate your work. Missionaries who strive to prepare themselves daily and seek to improve regularly will receive direction from the Holy Ghost and [slowly but surely become Jedi masters.]

1). We gonna do an activitay:  "in your [planner], list every proselyting activity you have done in the past three days. For each activity, determine if it influenced one of the key indicators. If it did, write yes beside it. If it did not, write no. For each activity with a yes, describe how it had an impact. For each activity with a no, decide why you did it and whether you will continue to do the activity in the future. Discuss your list with your companion, and explain why you marked some activities yes and some activities no. Discuss which activities you may need to stop doing."
 You have 4.25 minutes. No more. No less. Less is not more. More is not less.
 ...more or less

            FINDINGS

2)pg 24 in da book says with great vigor, "...Family history work is [an epic way to get a boatload of investigators that will definitely be baptized]".
----How have we seen using FHW in our finding work TFNSTWBBBTAE (to find new simps that will be baptized because they are elect)?
    "With your companion, [consider] creat[ing] a plan to use your fan charts as you talk with people this week, [and forever in the whole world cuz it's a kickin' tool]".
--let's consider this suggestion from PMG, "...[Anziano Johnson, show us your] fan chart [ and tell us why it's cool]". 
     USE IT...if you want.
        TEACHINGS 
"Become familiar with Mormon.org [and meet a lot of mormons]. Find ways it will help those you teach."
         Why is Mormon.org "the...[cat's pajamas for] teaching...investigators..."? (PMG)
   *discussion*
 "...[Mormon.org] is the...[greatest tool in the] universe...[for relating with 'errbody]" 
   --President Uchtdorf, October 2014, "Receiving a testimony of light and truth [and teaching with the power of the Ancient Elven Scrolls]".
     BAPTIZINGS
Always remember:
   "The missionaries of the Italy Milan mission are the greatest missionaries in the entire world because they dominate in every aspect of the work." -A wise man
Poem time,
      WHERE SHALL I WORK TODAY
"Master, where shall I work today?
 My love flowed warm and free.
 He pointed out a tiny spot,
 And said, "tend that for me".

 I answered quickly, oh no, not there,
 Not anyone could see
No matter how well my work was done;
Not that little spot for me.

When He spoke He was not stern,
But He answered me tenderly,
Little one, search that heart of thine;
Are you working for them or for me?
Nazareth was just a little place.
And so was Galilee."
-A wise man, [probably an ancestor of Anziano Wilson]
   Montevarchi is just a little place, too.

Invite: "Make a list of some great questions of the soul. Use your digital device to [own the answers] by finding them."


--Miracle: This week, apart from the fact that both Paul and Timothy passed their baptismal interviews with flying colors, and are preparing to be baptized on the Fourth of July, (Happy Independence Day, America!), we had a wonderful experience this past week with a South American man we met recently.  He is a really great man, and even though he seems like a "rough character", with a bunch of tattos and whatnot, he is a really tender-hearted guy, and ready for the Gospel.  It was a great miracle to meet him on the street, and when we set up an appointment to meet with him, his sister and mother were there as well! We taught them part of the Restoration due to lack of time, but we are excited to meet them again, preferably at their home, and teach them all about our unique and special message to the world. What a blessing it is to be a missionary!
  Everything down here is really well. The Lord is blessing us greatly, and has especially been blessing me to remember how sacred this calling is, and to work hard to the very end. I am thankful to be a missionary. Thank you all for your support and prayers. I love you all!
Love,
        Anziano Wilson