Faith, sacrifice and hope

Cari Miei!
 
I hope this letter finds you all well!
 
I hope that everyone is healthy and happy and is having a good time. Things are the same here in Alessandria. There isn't a lot to report this week. We continue to look for investigators; I'm learning lessons about Faith, Sacrifice, Perseverance, Hope, and Patience. Most days it is 100 degrees or more. The skies are clear 80% of the time and we just bought 2 more fans for the apartment. The members here in Alessandria are just as great as ever and everyone is doing good. Anziano Mendel is the best and he keeps me smiling and makes things easier. I know that the Lord is preparing someone to accept the message we bring and shortly we will have someone to teach. I hope to hear from you all soon. Some good letters with what's going on in your life individually. I read this in the latest Ensign and thought I would just make it known...
 
"We can write of Christ by writing letters to those who are away. Missionaries serving, sons or daughters in the military, and those we love are all blessed by letters we write. Letters from home are not just quick e-mails. Real letters provide something tangible that can be held, thought about, and cherished." -Elder David F. Evans
 
I do miss you all a lot and hope that you are doing well. I'm struggling with something to write about. The language is coming good and I’m 1\2 way through the BoM in Italian. We haven't done a lot this
last P-day or this one. We actually have to pick up my Permesso Di Sogiorno today, that is like my immigration card type thing so I can stay here and don’t get deported...also I’m going to get a haircut to
try and fix this mess I made. I'm really craving a Pizza right now. I will miss pizzas a lot when I leave here. They are just so different in Italy, I like them better, but they are just SOOOO different. Also,  I'm learning to make some cold Italian food. For the summer it's not good to eat hot pasta. I'm learning how to make some different cold pastas and different stuff. It's really good.
 
I've been thinking a lot about family and missing you guys to tell the truth. I blame it on the Ensign; there are a lot of talks about the family in this one. It's made me think about our family and the family
I hope to have one day. The irony of the gospel and my current situation is that the Gospel blesses families, I am separated from mine, bringing that message to others, and when I take that message to
them it just makes me miss mine even more. But the sorrows are always swallowed up in the joys of the Gospel.
 I really am happy. I think I could honestly be happy being anywhere doing anything, because I’ve found that source of unending happiness, even in trials and times of growing. I am so glad I chose to come here and do this. To serve a mission, was one of the best choices if not the best choice I’ve ever made.
 Vi voglio bene, e mi mancate un sacco!
 
Love,
 Anziano Memmott

As you can see he is doing well. I do know the importance of letters from home. Please write to him on a regular basis. He is so grateful for the support and as my dear home teachers taught me the other night... by doing things such as this and praying for him... we are sustaining him.

still hot

The letter this week contained a lot of personal notes to family. However, I wanted to share some updates about his work and well being. He writes:

"Cari Miei!
   
Hope everyone is good. Things are good here in A-Town. Like last week, it's still really really hot...I'm the most tan I’ve ever been in my life. We sweat a lot...ha-ha. I usually change my shirt when we come home for lunch. We have 1 beat up old fan in the apartment and we love it. It is our most prized possession. Also I think I’ve already mentioned the bug issue. If not, let's just say that there are plenty of bugs here. And when you ride your bike through the streets or shade, you act as a net to scoop all the bugs onto your shirt...I'm getting used to it all though.
 Been teaching a few people, we taught a man named Ernesto, Italian, very humble. We meet with him a second time tomorrow. We had a very powerful first lesson and I could feel the light of Christ burning within him. Other than that. We do a lot of finding work. We have taken to doing a lot of street contacting, and then Casa when we are in Spinetta. I just realized that a lot of everything I’m saying sounds like I’m whining...The bugs and the heat...yeah a little. But I really don't mind doing finding work. Of course that being said it's obviously 1000 times better to be teaching and baptizing people...but it's all the work of the Lord and as Anziano Blaga always said "The Lord is the Paymaster and he will give us our just pay in the end." I firmly believe that this is true. And I’m happy; above all else, I’m happier than I’ve ever been. That is thanks to living the Gospel and doing the Lord's work. There is still plenty of work to be done in the vineyard my friends. And I’m glad to be here doing it.
 With the conference came some things I ordered from the office. One of them being the D&C Church DVD's with the Joseph Smith Prophet of the Restoration movie and also The Mountain of the Lord movie and also the John Tanner Story film. All really great things and as missionaries...they are great for P-day and evening down-time. Also I've almost finished reading the Teachings of the Presidents...Joseph Smith. Great stuff. Joseph Smith has been my inspiration during some hard times. As have many of the Pioneer stories and the people from the early church. Which is funny because I used to get really annoyed with all that pioneer stuff...now I love it and appreciate the things they did."

as you can see he is happy and doing well. So proud of him. I just looked at the calendar I use to track his away time and in 10 more days he will have been out for 6 months. I encourage everyone to write him. He loves getting mail.

getting hot outside

The Missionaries are (From left to right) Anziano Frustaci, Anziano
Sciarretta, Anziano Mendel. They are the Zone Leaders that we met in
Torino and hung out for the day. Awesome guys. It was super fun.

I'm surrounded by building that look like this all day every day. So...yeah...it’s cool I guess.
 This is the Mole in Torino. One of the things Torino is most famous for. There is a Museum in the building but we didn’t go in.
this was in a HUGE Piazza. Cool Statue. just a few sites I see.

Hi All,
I wanted to include the pictures this week and his explanation from them. It looks so amazing there.
He is doing well. This week he writes:

Hello,
 
I hope this letter finds everyone healthy and well rested. How are you all? How are things at home? Hope you are all eating lots of Cafe Rio for me.
This week has been pretty good. We are doing a lot of finding work and trying to build an investigator pool. But it's been a bit slow. We have the beginnings of one and we are starting to find some people who might be interested, but as usual we will push on and have faith that there are the elect who are ready to accept this Gospel. We have decided that everyone here in Alessandria has talked with the Missionaries at some time or at least the missionaries have come to their door. So we are starting to go outside the city a bit. We found a small town called Spinetta, and it’s about 10 minutes by bus. We went there yesterday for the first time and we found instantly a new investigator and taught 2 lessons in like 1.5 of finding work. Which is really good. And the best part is that everyone we talked to has never heard of the Church or our message. So we have fresh area to work with. Nate will appreciate what Fresh Area means I think. Nothing is worse than people opening the door and knowing who you are and what you want and cutting you off before you can say anything meaningful.
 It's starting to get pretty hot outside. I bought a pair of pants last week at OVS here in Italy and I just need a sister in the ward to tailor the ends a bit to fit the length. They are a bit lighter and hopefully that will help. Anziano Mendel Is a great cook and awesome companion. We laugh a lot and have plenty of good times.  I have come to LOVE to study the Gospel. Or the words of the prophets or the scriptures, we have 1 hour of personal study every day. I usually get ready fast and do all my morning prep fast so I have 30 additional minutes to read in the morning and then at night I usually spend 30 minutes. But I wish I could spend days studying. I love to study the word of God. It’s RIDICULOUS. I hope that you are all doing your daily study as well. Nothing brings greater happiness and knowledge than these things.
Hope that you are all doing well and hope to hear from you all soon.
 
Love you all tons and hope that you are all going to church and being happy and praying and doing all that good stuff.

Anziano Memmott

My American Companion

Family! Friends! Others!
 
Sorry this letter is coming late! We went to Torino early this morning, and we have been there all day. We met the Zone Leaders in Torino. (Their City) and we walked around and saw a few things. Took a few pictures. Did some shopping.  Ate some Pizza Kebab.  And got a Gelato. It was the best P-day ever! Anyways... hopefully not the next P-day, but the NEXT we will go play some B-ball with them in Torino.

I hope this letter finds you all well and happy. Enjoyed getting letters from Mom and Karlee this week...really loved the pictures from Karlee and the things you guys sent. Keep sending stuff like that. I love it. Best thing I can get as a missionary.
 This last week has been crazy, Thursday we had transfers and I said goodbye to Anziano Blaga. It was sad to see him go, he was a good missionary and he taught me a lot of good things. I’m sure that he was the person that the Lord wanted to be my trainer. That being said, Anziano Mendel is freakin awesome! It is SOOO nice to have an American companion, from Utah, who talks like one of the guys. SOOO nice to be chillin in the apartment and talk about things and just to have someone who is super chill. So cool, good missionary, gonna be an awesome transfer.
 Also Thursday, I got to see my District from the MTC; it is always SOOO nice to see those guys. You form bonds in there that are just crazy. Talking with them, telling stories of things that have happened to us in the mission. I love them so much. I really hope to do a transfer with Anziano Money, Treadway, or Gibbons. I would be so happy if that happened. Anyhow, I just love those guys so much.
 
This week has been a rough one in terms of missionary work. We have 0 investigators again. Estuardo disappeared completely and Anna is now a New Convert. So...back to square one I guess. Like I have said in the past. There might be a few referrals coming out of the wood-works but for now it’s a little slow. Just finding work and taking Anziano Mendel around to the members to introduce himself and such.
 Anziano Mendel is just so great. I am going to be so happy this Transfer. Plus he knows how to cook really well. Better than some Italians in fact. So he is going to teach me a few things. Super nice and just super chill.
Anziano Mendel paid me a very nice compliment this week 2 or 3 days after he arrived in Alessandria. He said that I speak the best Italian he has ever heard from someone in their starting their 3rd Transfer.
(There are 16 transfers FYI) This made me feel very good. Language study has been something I have gotten very serious about lately and also I’ve began asking people to repeat if I don't understand, also asking what things are called. For the first 2 transfers I just shook my head and tried the "Fake it till you make it" thing. But now I’m learning better and now that I have the basics fluent I can start fixing some smaller errors and learning new more complex things. And vocab that isn’t solely Gospel related. Because now I have the Gospel vocab down and can move on to everything else. So, now the fun starts! Ha-ha
Well, I’m loving it here with my new companion. The summer is here and it is getting hot. We have a fan in the apartment but that’s about it. So we open up the windows turn on the fan and sit there and drink cold water and try not to be hot. He-he it's fun. I would complain but then I think of Nate in Peru and he probably had worse. You own suffering can always be made less by the knowledge that someone else had it worse and still came out of it happily.
 
Hey!! Mom!! Please send me the recipes, and how to make the following
 
Shepherds’ Pie
Meatloaf
Gravy without gravy mixes...if that exists...I’m ignorant in these things
and also what to add to Potatoes to have good mashed potatoes...just
milk and butter... or what??
 There comes a point in the mission where Pasta and Ready Sauce (The sauce already made) and Sandwiches, they just need to stop. So I’m going to try cooking a few other things.
 Anziano Mendel really likes movies so we have been talking a lot about them. I hope that you have a running list of all the movies that have come out since I’ve been gone. Then we can watch them when I get back.
Anyways, Not really tons to report this week...Like I’ve said it has been a little slow with the work....Transfer weeks (when your companion changes) really really slide by.... Lots of change and messy moving and getting settled in...This next week will be better. Love you all and hope you are all doing well. Hope to hear from you guys shortly.
 The USB port on this Computer is broken, so I will send pictures next week, if the Computer with the good USB port is open...ha-ha love you all
 
Miss you,
 Love you,
 Love,
 
Anziano Memmott
 

Sorry to all that this post was late this week. I have a lot of people wondering where it was. I was out of town to my step-son's graduation. thank you for following Dustin along on his mission and for all the prayers and support that you all give to him. I know he blessed because of you.

One more

Found one more picture he sent. I wanted to put this on here. I miss him so much, but I am so proud of the work he is doing. keep him in your prayers.

Baptism, lightening and transfers

Cari Miei!
 
Hello,
 
Family friends and loved ones! I hope this letter finds you all well.
 Lets get started shall we...
 
Last Wednesday was the baptism of Anna di Santo and it was a bit hectic. We got to the church 2 hours before the baptism was to start and no one had come to clean the font or to fill it up. So... The Family Senigaliesi and Roberto (Anna's husband) along with Anziano Blaga, and I. organized ourselves to fill up the font. By the time the baptism started it was full enough...they had to go pretty low but, all the same it worked. (Should be a picture attached of Anna, Anz Blaga, and I at the baptism.)
 Then that Sunday in church (the 27th, the same day as Pentecost (the day the Apostles received the Holy Ghost)) Anna was confirmed and given the Holy Ghost. Unfortunately she didn't start prophesying or speaking in tongues, BUT it was great nonetheless. She is going to be a strong member and I’m really happy for her. You can see that she has changed. If you look at her countenance, you can tell there is something different than when we first started meeting.
 We went also to visit her yesterday. We gave her a Picture of Jesus in a frame that we bought from a Chinese store, and as we walked in here house, it had a prominent place in the entry. That made us feel really good. I really love going to visit Anna with the Family Senigaliesi. They are more like friends than members. We always eat good and have a good time and always a good lesson. Anna is very elect and she was very ready to enter the church and be baptized.
 Also, this last Friday, Fratello Senigaliesi took us on a tour of Acqui Terme, It is 1000 times prettier than Alessandria. And it has a hot spring. The water coming out is like 74 Celsius and the Romans built this fountain thing for it...it was really cool. Later that night we went to a member’s house for dinner. And it was raining pretty hard, in fact he came and picked us up because there was some thunder and lighting and it was really really pouring hard. So we got to his house and we walked across the street and in the house and about 10 seconds after walking in the door. We all heard what sounded like a bomb. I just happened to be looking out the window at that moment and saw the lighting that struck just outside the building and went down the street. I saw lighting hit the ground, or redirect, I’m not sure how lighting works, but I saw the lighting outside in the street. We went out after a while and some of the windows of nearby vehicles were ruined. Like turned funny colors with cracks and then one nearby building has all its power out and it was pretty crazy. And it was not 30 seconds ago that we were in that street. Pretty crazy experience.
By the way, the earthquakes have hit but we haven't felt anything here in Alessandria. As far as we know, all the missionaries and members are fine in every city that the earthquakes have happened. Alessandria has been unaffected.
 AND!!!
Transfers!! We got transfer calls last night! So...

I am staying here in Alessandria (as I expected I would) and Anziano Blaga is headed to Livourno. It's down in Tuscany. And that should be where he finishes his mission. His companion will be Anziano Fiorentino (I was in the MTC with him)
so...
 Coming here to be my new companion is Anziano Mendel. He is in his 11th transfer, which is 2 under Anziano Blaga. And I have NO idea what he is like. Anziano Blaga knows him a bit from some scabmio's he has done. But other than that little info. No idea. So we will see. We go to Milano tomorrow and then we change companions.
 We have spent a lot of time this week visiting members so that Anziano Blaga could take pictures with them before he leaves. And so we have eaten a lot. And we have just spent most all of our time with members.
 Estuardo has disappeared. He gave us 2 bidones and doesn’t answer his phone. So... not sure what happened there.
 Anna is now baptized so...
 we have no investigators anymore...ha-ha back to the good ol days. BUT Fratello Senigaliesi said that he has more people for us to teach! And his brother is preparing someone! AND there is another referral from someone in the ward. So hopefully ONE of these turns out to be someone who is ready to be baptized!
 Other than that. I’m doing good. Health is good. Learning and growing. Loving the work.
Hope that you are all happy and healthy. Oh! Hope you like the Pictures, The guy in Red is Fratello
Senigaliesi...you should be able to piece together the others.
 Can't wait to hear from you all.
 
Love you and miss you all so much,
 
Anziano Memmott