3rd Time's the Charm, (Speriamo)!

Carissimi,

The beauty of Napoli is without equal, incomparable even... It's dirty, but full of character, dangerous, but the people are full of charity, don't even get me started on the pizza, I could write a masters thesis on the pros and cons of thick vs. thin crust, and margherita vs. diavola. The only thing Napoli doesn't know how to do is fix an ingrown toenail. 6 weeks after seeking reprieve, a second time, from what can only be qualified as a minor annoyance, the annoyance was back in full force. It took a well placed kick during zone calcio that changed his previously white sock red around the toe, for Anziano Toronto to humble himself enough to seek professional help. Luckily, Dottore Federico had a podiatrist studio directly beneath our apartment, and Friday he was able to squeeze me into his schedule. What followed were some of the most painful minutes of my life, complete with gritting of teeth and squeezing my shoe, but eventually he got it all out. As he was cleaning things up, he asked us what we were doing, who we were, and why we spoke Italian, and we got to teach the restoration, albeit a shortened, concentrated version. As he was opening up my toe a little bit, his heart was being opened a little bit, and hopefully the seed planted in that hole will grow, mature, and give fruit with time!

When I wasn't relishing my painless toe, I was knee deep in zone conference preparation and execution. There were, as always, addestramenti to prepare, missionaries to connect with, panzerotti to eat, and fun to be had! The theme of the conference was love, and developing more of it, something that I certainly can work on, and will be working on for the rest of my mission and life. Sorella Pickerd spoke of love for our companions, and building them up. It reminded me of the oft taught, "You are as strong as the weakest member of the Toronto family, and putting your family down only does the same to you." President Pickerd spoke of the Lord, our love for him, and even more importantly, his love for us, and his children. Lastly we spoke and taught about love for the Italian people. While they are stubborn and unyielding in the traditions of their fathers, they are God's children, and my love for them needs to reflect the love their Savior had for them when he suffered for them. We pointed them to the temple, and the missionaries and members who had sacrificed so much to fill it, on both sides of the veil. I shared of the sacrifices made by Giuseppe Taranto, and the temple he gave everything he had to build. How grateful I am for an Italian heritage, the Italian blood that flows through my veins, (diluted as it is), and the love I have developed for the people among which I have been called to labor!

Misc:
Alberobello, also known as hobbitown, was our p-day destination this morning. We enjoyed trullo after trullo, and fought the crowds to see this wonderful, quaint Italian town. Definitely worth the trip, 11/10 would recommend!

Nicola and Giovanni took some steps forward this week, so that's super exciting. Giovanni, in short is an ex-investigator who would've been baptized had it not been for cigarettes, yet in the few years since he has met with missionaries, a desire to pursue a Michael Jackson impersonation career required him to give up his vice, and he has not touched them ever since. He's already received a testimony in the past, and is looking to reignite that fire once again. Nicola was found by the sisters, and is actively working towards baptism. This was his second Sunday in church, and he is well on his way to taking the next step on the covenant path!

Still grinding, looking for more friends to teach, but that's missionary work in a nutshell!

Love each of you, and I love Bari! Sweet is the work in the Lord's vineyard!

Anziano Toronto II

Inspire Me!

Mamma e Papà,

I suppose asking your forgiveness is a poor way to start an email, but I just lack so much desire to write about the common goings on. There have been few weeks of my mission in which I've worked harder, than in this last week. I loved it, and this week I'll do the same, with pleasure. It's been a lot of fun cruising up and down Bari's streets, ringing citofoni, stopping my Italian brothers and sisters, though it's been less fun as none of them want to "come and see." There's someone out there for us, I'm sure of it, and we're going to go find them!

Dad, I thought about your questions, and I noticed connections to Bruce R. McConkie's my missionary commission. Looking to apply the principles in my missionary work and thereafter!

Mom, loved your talk. I don't think it's a coincidence that you cited Elder Jeffery R. Holland's "For Times of Trouble," just hours after I cited the exact same quote in a talk on the Gospel of Jesus Christ here in Bari. That is my least favorite Satanic suckerpunch, and I love knowing I can change, and can do it quickly.

I need inspiration my friends! I know you've noticed the decline of my emails, and although I desire to give you good news and updates, I just don't have much to write about besides my studies, finding, and missionary life in general. Pray that I get sent to train in a couple of weeks, that my emails might have substance.

I love both of you, and wish I could give you better, and the moment I find people to teach, things will get better!

Inspire me!

La Bellezza dell'Italia 🇮🇹

We all know you just skip down to the pics anyways... figured I'd save you the trouble and just send you some nice ones without an epistle to pore over.

Anziano Toronto

Hear of Anziano Toronto's adventures for the week at the following link:

https://soundcloud.com/user-565039128/voice-003-1

"Anziano, Are You the Missionary Your Mom Thinks You Are?"

Carissimi,

The above question was asked by an Anziano who I deeply respect and love, to an Anziano whom I similarly love, and have had the opportunity to serve around, throughout the course of my mission. The events which led up to the question being asked, are insignificant, and uninspiring, yet as I was told the story, when the above line was uttered, I was taken aback. First at the bravado necessary to imply otherwise, second and more importantly, was the beginning of and inspiration for another one of Anziano Toronto's classic self-reflections, which generally get written about, being among the most interesting things happening throughout a slower weeks. All truth be told, my self-examinations take place daily, you just have the pleasure of reading about them when lack of subject material forces me to be an ever more creative as a writer.

The length of the exposition was admittedly an attempt to make what follows seem more significant. Forgive me if I seem scatterbrained, lack of sleep and spending lots of time in the sun is catching up on me. Here we go...

What I determined to be the root of my self-reflection, was my fear of letting down my mom, or similarly the Lord, President Pickerd, Zone Members, my companion, or any number of wonderful people who see me go about doing the Lord's work. I suppose the sweetest words I could ever hear would be those from the Lord of the Vineyard saying, "Well done thou good and faithful servant." Yet in my fear, I often forget the Lord uses, and has always used flawed vessels to accomplish his great work. These flawed instruments manage to sound out the desired melody, only as they allow the master to wield them. Think Moses, Enoch, and Joseph Smith, with each of their inadequacies, and Anziano Toronto with all of his. Yet each was called, qualified, and blessed in their desires to serve. Joseph was torn apart multiple times by Moroni, other angels, and even more than them, the Lord, in public revelation. Enoch was slow of speech, and hated of men. Moses similarly inadequate in oration, and fearful of the Pharaoh. The Lord shapes and molds each servant on the potters wheel, and eventually they begin to look like a finished product. As a full time missionary, you could say I'm in the advanced stages of production. The clay has been formed, beaten, scolded, loved, admonished, inspired, encouraged, and though it still looks like something that belongs in a 3rd grade art room, it's getting the job done. Just as Goldie took me from point A to point B without fail, (certainly there was divine intervention there), the imperfect vessel was made useful, profitable, and essential in bringing me where I needed to be. In a like manner, despite my occasional flat tire, or lack of oil, a window that needs duct tape to keep it up, and air conditioning that is spotty to put it generously, the Lord uses me, and likewise each of his divinely called and ordained servants, to help others make the trip from Heavenly Father's point A, to point B.

Connecting these thoughts, I know my mom, (and all those who know me), are aware of my imperfections. Hopefully, and almost assuredly however, Mom understands that this vessel is trying, despite his rust. I love the Savior, and am grateful for the special experiences I've had throughout my mission, that have allowed me to know him far more personally and appreciate his sacrifice to a much greater degree. Whom the Lord calls, he qualifies, and that has hardly been made more manifest than in the refining of Anziano Christian Young Toronto!

Vi voglio un sacco di bene,

ATII🇮🇹

(As for pics, Godwin Studios is workin hard on some beauties, so stay tuned in coming weeks)

"No Growth in a Comfort Zone, No Comfort in a Growth Zone..." -- Pres. Pickerd, all the time

Carissimi, 

Though time always seems to be my enemy on p-day, I realize as I try to piece together a halfway decent email, that I don't feel like anything happened worthy of writing this week. We may look back on my months in Napoli as the glory days of Anziano Toronto writing home, cause right now, I lack serious subject material.

One contributing factor to the lack of writing inspiration is the lack of investigators, lessons, or in other words, that which makes up missionary work. After working hard in Napoli for a few months, we got to a point where our work was cyclical, and self sufficient. We taught, new converts brought others to teach, and our finding efforts were no more than a supplement to our teaching and baptizing. It was the dream. As I arrived here in Bari, there was literally not one investigator to teach, not a single one. This has been a major source of frustration for me, as teaching (literally the thing I currently love most in this world), and baptizing has taken a back burner spot to hours and hours of supplemental finding. Throughout, we've seen some incredible people show promise, and I felt blessed and guided in many ways, yet without fail, those we find, inevitably have chosen to reject the message, and the messengers. After a year and a half, I've become accustomed to such, however I'm struggling, cause I'd love for God to override the free agency of these wonderful people, and force them to accept this life changing message, but that's simply not how it works. Sometimes I'd love to shake the ground with a voice of thunder and call all of Italy to repentance, but I realize they'd attribute such to one of their many saints, and become even more firmly entrenched in their apostasy. An aside here, the American Catholic Church, and the Roman Catholic Church are world's apart, in terms of apostasy, blatant apostasy, and I, and any other Great Italy Rome Missionary could write a novel on the subject, however, as I was invited back at Mothers Day, I'm trying to love the Catholics. Bari is a wonderful place, and I feel a deep love for the people I am serving, and I know I always will, however they never cease to amaze me with their disregard for the truth when it walks right up, taps them on the shoulder, and asks if it can change their life.

Typical street convo...

Missionary: Hey, morning, how are you?

Italian: Ehh...

M: Why, what's up?

I: Oh I'm alright, there's just so much "..." (Insert complaint about this or that in the Catholic church)

M: Oh so you're Catholic

I: Yeah, but I'm inactive, I rarely go to church.

M: Why's that?

I: "..." (insert comment about priests, pedophilia, corruption, evil, money, how the church is a business, how they never feel close to God in church)

M: Oh really, let me explain our church's belief about the apostasy... *does so*

I: You know, that is completely true, I'm 100% in agreeance.

M: Sooo, (Joseph Smith... etc, rest of restoration)

I: Wow, that message would change the world if it were true

M: It is true, and you can know for yourself by reading BOM, and coming to church.

I: Oh no thanks, I'm fine where I'm at... or, maybe I'll pass by sometime when I'm in the area... Or even, no thanks I'm Catholic, and that's just how it is...

M: *facepalm*

Literally everyday of being an Italy Rome Missionary, but hey, I'm happy to do it, with the elect who do recognize the need for change, and give us a serious look... makes my day, every time.

Besides that, I've been grateful that my mission has taught me to learn to love every missionary I serve with.  I'm learning much about myself, and how to become an active part in making a relationship work, and will surely be grateful for this "small moment," which if endured well, will exalt me on high with a wife I can love, and communicate with. After all, in my patriarchal blessing, it says that after marriage, I'll spend the rest of my life learning to live together, and putting together an eternal relationship. Sounds like a process, and though it doesn't sound easy, nothing worthwhile ever is. Here's to future Anziano Toronto using his newly acquired conflict resolution skills!

I suppose this email is more of a vent than anything, and does little to calm your worries about your missionary son, but if you could hear anything from this email, let it be this.

I love the Italian's, and in the time I have left I am going to do everything within my power to allow these sons and daughters of God to choose the restored gospel. 

I love you, and I hope to have more to write about in the near future. Hopefully transfers this next week can bring some much needed change. Change is the lifeblood of the mission, and of life, without it, we do not grow, yet sometimes, as Anziano Holland masterfully teaches, we kinda have to languish in Liberty Jail, in order to truly appreciate the miracles God works in our lives, and the people he is asking us to become. All I want in life is to be who God wants me to be, is that too much to ask!!? Ugh, mortality is such a refining process, and yet we couldn't rid ourselves of the impurities without intense heat, and a hammer and an anvil. So here's to Heavenly Father beating Anziano Toronto up on his anvil, cause it means he needs him to grow, learn, and become something greater. 

Love you,

Anziano Toronto II 🇮🇹