I Did it [His] Way

Carissimi,

And now, the end is near And so I face the final curtain - As the curtain closes on what has been a glorious two years, allow me to use Frank's words, along with my own, to pay homage to a few lessons learned in my mission.

My friend[s], I'll say it clear I'll state my case, of which I'm certain - Well there's one case of which I'm certain, and that is that Italy, and this mission has been God's greatest gift unto Anziano Toronto.

I've lived a [mission] that's full, I've traveled each and every highway - Highways, vicoli, vie, strade, you name it. From Catania to Pescara, Napoli to Bari, and finally to Palermo. I've been blessed to see structures that are thousands of years old, and marveled at art and sculpture preserved from similar ages. I met Catanesi, Pescaresi, Napoletani, Baresi, Palermitani, Romani, Rumeni, Musulmani, Nigeriani; in short, people from just about every walk of life imaginable. I've walked those streets with companions from Peru, Ecuador, Brazil, Utah, Idaho, California, Maryland, South Carolina, and Washington.

And more, much more than this I did it [His] way.

Regrets, I've had a few But then again, too few to mention - I believe it's impossible to engage in the Lord's service without experiencing regret, heartbreak, loss, or frustration, and certainly my mission has had it's fair share of each of those, yet in the end, as I look back on the two years, it's not the people I didn't talk to, or those who chose to reject the message, (etc), that I will remember, rather those who listened, and joyfully responded to the call to action. It's the Luca's, Kelly's, Louis', Maxwell's, Ceasar's, Vivian's, Caputo's, Robin's, Giovanni's, Joseph's, and so many more that will remain forever in my mind. Regrets and sorrow don't hold a candle to the joy I've felt seeing these choice and precious souls come unto Christ.

I did what I had to do And saw it through without exemption - The Great Italy Rome Mission requires dedicated servants, and while again, I was an imperfect instrument in the Lord's hands, I certainly strove to do his work, and accomplish his will with the time given. I'm grateful for every second spent on the streets, in their homes, in their parks and on their basketball courts. I'm grateful for every moment of my mission.

I planned each charted course Each careful step along the byway - My companions reading this will laugh as they picture me leaned back in my chair, not really wanting, or even sometimes downright despising the idea of planning out every minute of every day, yet I included it on my list of "30 Blessings From the Mission." Not because I loved planning, but because it taught me in the end who's work this is. Try as I might, just as William McClellin couldn't invent a revelation, (despite being educated and well spoken), I simply couldn't invent the Lord's will or plan for the day, and doing things my way should never be in the question. I've developed a greater reliance on the Lord, and his guiding Spirit, as I've strove to humbly include them in what is in fact, their work.

And more, much more than this I did it [His] way 

Yes, there were times, I'm sure you knew When I bit off more than I could chew 
But through it all, when there was doubt I ate it up and spit it out - Whether it was a Napoli pizza, arancini/e, cannoli, arrosticini, mozzarella di bufala, tagliatelle, panzerotti, foccacie, or any other wonder of the Italian kitchen, I sometimes did bite off a little more than I should've chewed. Yet I loved every minute of it, and did much less of "spitting it out," and much more of "eating it up." I will dearly miss Italy and their food. (understatement of the year)

I faced it all and I stood tall - I stood tall, 2 meters tall, every centimeter being analyzed by the thousands of Italians who would gape in wonder as I passed them by. 2 meters tall, yes, the weather is great up here, a joke, sure to get a laugh out of just about anyone, but definitely out of Italian grandmothers.

And did it [His] way

I've loved, I've laughed and cried I've had my fill, my share of losing - I have done exactly that... loved, laughed and cried, sometimes all at the same time. This people has become my people, and my heart theirs. I can't bear the thought of leaving them.

And now, as tears subside I find it all, all so amusing - Amusing, I'm not quite sure about, in retrospect, I'm sure there will be nothing but laughter and amusement in reflecting upon my years here in Italy, yet the tears still haven't quite subsided... I'll let you know when I start coping with the idea of leaving.

To think I did all that, And may I say, not in a shy way, Oh no, no, not me I did it [His] way.

For what is man, what has he got? If not himself, then he has naught To say the things he truly feels And not the words of one who kneels - Allow me just a moment to say a few words, the things I truly feel, and have come to know. I know my Father in Heaven is so aware of me, and concerned about, and has taken thought for the most minimal details of my life. I know my Savior, similarly, knows me perfectly. That he died for me, and rose again that I, and the entire human race might do the same. I know the Book of Mormon is true, translated by the chosen prophet of God, Joseph Smith, and that it stands as a witness of God's love to all nations, here and forevermore. I witness the church Christ established has been restored, and that his priesthood is once again on the earth. I know Russell M. Nelson is the living mouthpiece of God, as were Moses, Abraham, Noah, and others in Ancient times. I know that despite my imperfections, Christ has become the Author, and will always be the Finisher of my Faith, and that salvation comes, in and through his holy name.

The record shows I took the blows And did it [His] way - "For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness." I hope, that like Paul, when called to report on my mission, I will be able to declare these words wholeheartedly to my Father in Heaven. I have tried my whole mission, to lose myself, and do things His way, and I pray that God will consecrate my labor in his vineyard.

I love each of you, and will see you soon!

Dolce è il lavoro nella vigna del Signore

Anziano Toronto II  🇮🇹

A Labor of Love ❤

Carissimi,

I will miss Thanksgiving festivities with you this week, and surely my Turkey Bowl overall rating will suffer for the 2nd straight no-show, (relegating me to at best a 3rd or 4th round selection behind superstars like Abraham "Lenny" Toronto, and Kate "Cam Fig Newton" Toronto, he might still have an edge over Lonzo "Sticky Fingers" Torontino, and Hingle McCringleberry). Yet as I reflected on that for which I am truly thankful, I felt overwhelmed with the love I have for this mission, and the gratitude I have to my Father in Heaven for giving me the chance to learn and grow in his Italian Vineyard. It truly is and has been, a labor of love, as the apostle Paul calls it, and as the sun sets on what is one of my last P-days, I wanted to share with you a few things I've come to love, and have loved about my time as a missionary.

I love President and Sorella Pickerd. They have been both instrumental and fundamental in my spiritual growth, and have been stalwart examples of love, diligence, perseverance, faith, and humility. I will dearly miss learning from them and interacting with these two Christlike leaders.

I love my companions, every one. Each has taught me a different attribute of Christ, and in our service we have become brothers in Christ. They have taught me to be patient with those closest to you, to repent, forgive and forget, to love unconditionally, to work hard and use the time allotted us, to enjoy what you're doing, and love the people we're serving. They have lifted me up when I was down, even if often I was to prideful to thank them for it, or allow them to help more, independent as I am. They have endured countless hours of Anziano Toronto's favorite hymns, belted at the top of his lungs, and some even joined in to augment the music. They have taught me a love for study, and knowledge. They have instructed me on the doctrine of christ both in companionship study and in example. I dearly love each companion I have been given.

I love the Italians. I love my Italian brothers and sisters, but maybe more than anything my Italian mothers, fathers and grandparents. They have treated me as family, and filled me up with enough pasta to last a lifetime. They allowed me to teach and learn from them. They opened their homes, and hearts, and welcomed in an American stranger. They taught me their language, and forgave my mistakes, though hardly missed a chance to help me be better. I love their verve, they are gregarious to a fault, and I will forever miss their hands. My friends, they speak an entirely different, perfect language with their hands. I will miss the signs that say, "don't speak to the driver," which hang above train and bus drivers, often engaged in passionate conversations with passengers. I will always love them, each of them, even those who despitefully used me, or persecuted me. Those who wagged a finger as I tried to share the gospel I've come to love. I love their faith in Christ. I love the love they so freely gave me, their long lost figliolo prodigo.

I love finding, sharing with the elect and non-elect alike, the buona novella. I love their tradition, and only wish their forefathers had been a little less liberal in their interpretation of the scriptures, or in the determination of doctrine and belief. Again their faith, even if sometimes misplaced, is formidable, that often results in miracles. I love being rejected and persecuted for Christ's sake. I appreciate the strength I've developed in thousands of no's received, and the joy obtained in the yes' likewise given. I love the honest seeker of truth.

I love teaching, expounding, and exhorting all to come unto Christ, regardless of skin color, heritage, personal belief, origin and creed. I love sharing to me what has been freely given, and the truths revealed to ancient and modern day prophets. I am grateful for the testimony, borne to me by the Spirit, that the work I've been engaged in is true, and of God. I love bearing that testimony, and seeing the Spirit work in others through me.

I love the Book of Mormon. I devour it's truths daily. As I read it I am called to repentance and obedience. I am exhorted to believe in Christ and to strive to become like him. I love the witness I have received that it is true. I offer you that witness. It is true, every word.

and, I love each of you... Distance makes the heart grow fonder, and nowhere does that apply more that in my heart. I love you, and I love that we will see one another shortly, yet I love that I have three more weeks in his service. May God bless each of you to love deeper, speak sweeter, and express your gratitude, until we meet again.

All my love,

Anziano Toronto II ❤🇮🇹

Anthem to the Unfound Investigator

Go to the link below to see Anziano Toronto sing his "Anthem to the Unfound Investigator".
https://youtu.be/elZsYMgPBvQ

Cari,

Little did Herbert Kretzmer know as he penned the words to this oft sung musical classic, that he was writing a passionate missionary's inspiration in finding, teaching, calling others to repentance, and bringing them forth from darkness.

"There, out in the darkness
A fugitive running
Fallen from God
Fallen from grace
God be my witness
I never shall yield
Till we come face to face
Till we come face to face

He knows his way in the dark
Mine is the way of the Lord
Those who follow the path of the righteous
Shall have their reward
And if they fall as Lucifer fell
The flames
The sword!

Stars
In your multitudes
Scarce to be counted
Filling the darkness
With order and light
You are the sentinels
Silent and sure
Keeping watch in the night
Keeping watch in the night

You know your place in the sky
You hold your course and your aim
And each in your season
Returns and returns
And is always the same
And if you fall as Lucifer fell
You fall in flame!

And so it must be, for so it is written
On the doorway to paradise
That those who falter and those who fall
Must pay the price!

Lord, let me find him
That I may see him
Safe behind bars
I will never rest
Till then
This I swear
This I swear by the stars!"

I wish I had time to fully expound upon the lyrical intricacies, but I'll have to let my voice attempt to do it for me. Enjoy these performances, courtesy of Toronto/McConkie Productions, and have a fantastic week!

Lord let me find [them], that I may see [them], not behind bars, but in baptismal and temple white. Till then, I have no time to rest, and so I will never do so,

Con Affetto,

Anziano Toronto II

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 🇮🇹

Coming Full Circle

Carissimi,

200 years ago, in 1818, Giuseppe Taranto, a little toddler at the time, waddled off of a boat into the beautiful Sicilian seaport, Palermo. He would spend nearly all his youth in the city, and it shaped him into the man who would one day accept the gospel, and change generations, and generations of Taranto children.

Flash forward to Thursday, 20 Sept. 2018, when his great-great-great grandson stepped off of a plane, blinking under the Sicilian sun, and reclaimed his place on pride rock. I was beyond excited to come back to my Sicilian home, and am positive when he's not working on his family members on the other side, he's walking the streets he knows so well right next to Anziano Zanini and I.

Anziano Zanini, my wonderful new missionary, fresh from the MTC, hails from Rio di Janeiro, Brazil, which means I have the chance to help him learn both English and Italian. Luckily, he's already a wizard at both, so I don't have to do too much in that regard!

We're serving in the Palermo 2 Ward, and Palermo 3 International branch, which means we have a lot of work to do, members to know, and area to cover, but we're already getting started, and it's already been a blast!

Un saluto caloroso dalla Patria,

Vi voglio bene,

Anziano Toronto II ❤🇮🇹

C'est la Vie!

Used up my email time today trying (albeit rather unsuccessfully), to find out what I want to do with my life post mission, and what major I want to head into. Got a better idea of what I'm looking for, but I just can't dedicate the time necessary... c'est la vie! Had a much better week in a lot of ways, and we're starting to pick up a little momentum, (hopefully like our cougars!), and we'll be right back on the grind this week!

Love you, wish I could write more, but I tried to be an adult... still welcoming any advice in that regard! :)

All my best on this Labor Day!

ATII