Pavlov’s Little Mouse

Endurance:
After a rough couple days in terms of eating, I woke up Saturday morning determined to do something about it. I put on my running shoes, and told Anziano Zanini to do likewise. We left, and I started running, a 5K course in mind. Though Anziano Zanini didn't quite make the whole thing running, he did his best, and I took advantage of mental fortitude gained in hours and miles of finding, and ran, ran, and ran. I ended up finishing in about 24 minutes, which isn't the fastest I've ever run, nor was it the pedestrian 31:45 I clocked in my first Cross Country race, freshman year #2ndtoLastButNotLast  Felt good to be running again, though my legs were especially appreciative of the "rest," Sunday provided. Look for more running adventures in the coming week, as I build up an endurance, long lost due to apathy. Speaking of long-lost Endurance, guess who showed up to church on Sunday?! Yup, Endurance strolled in, smiling, and ready to be spiritually fed. Things are looking up for this brother, and his desire to finish this race with a sprint!

New People to Teach=Gelato:
As Pavlov did long ago, so Anziano Toronto is psychologically conditioning his subject. As our finding has begun paying dividends, we've begun "celebrating success," as only Palermitano missionaries know how, Brioscià (basically the OG ice cream sandwich). As Anziano Zanini learns to stop, teach, and help others coming unto Christ, Anziano Toronto is rewarding his efforts with love, gelato, and the idea that we should be doing this out of charity, not only out of love for pistacchio crema and white chocolate!

Soaked at Mondello:
We picked the wrong day to play beach volleyball as gale force winds, and stinging rain relentlessly pelted us. We did get points however, for perseverance, as the sun showed a bit of his face through clouds, and we managed to make a game out of it! Italy Rome Missionaries are undeterred, even if all Italians think we're nuts. They might be right😁🤷‍♂️

Thomas and Mahmuod:
These wonderful brothers, from Ghana, and Libya respectively, were absolute miracles this week. Thomas came up to us as we did a street gesso this week, and asked for a Bible. We told him we had something even better, and gave him a Book of Mormon, and a restoration lesson full of restored truths. Mahmoud was waiting for us as we walked past him in Palermo's Piazza della Vergogna. He was happy to hear us out and even happier to receive an invitation to church! As we stood up to leave, he asked if we had anything for him to read. Laughing, I said of course. Another Book of Mormon given, and another child of God found and shown the way this week! Wouldn't change where I am for all the world!

Last highlight, abbreviated for sake of time...
▪Seeing La Famiglia Rochira, of Catania fame. Boy did I miss Luciano hugs, and Sorella Rochira's motherly love.

All my love from paradise in Palermo,

Anziano Toronto II ❤🇮🇹

Love You to Pieces!

Not an exceptional week, with little to report as far as new news, but just know I love you both, and appreciate your diligence in letters as I near the end, even If I struggle to make it reciprocal! I'll have a more in depth general conference analysis next week, and hopefully some successes to report. I'd appreciate prayers on behalf of those looking for the truth in Palermo, that we'll be able to find them, cause they've been hiding the last few weeks! I dedicate my two zone calcio goals to dad, as it was he who was the youth soccer king, (If I remember right, you gave up piano for it). Don"t worry about shortcomings in that regard, I've played more soccer and piano in the last two years of my life, than in the 18 years previous, yet I still can't profess more than modest mediocrity in the both of them! Oh well, I've got time to perfect the piano, and I don't know how much my eternal salvation depends on the goals i may or may not score during future BYU soccer intramurals!

Again, love the two of you to pieces!

Anziano Toronto II 🇮🇹