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Catania – Week 5

July 4, 2016 By Leave a Comment

Ciao tutti!

Hope that everyone is doing well! This week was really awesome! We had a good week trying to get our work rolling and find those solid investigators that are willing to act on the message that we are bringing. I really hope that we will be able to do our best to really find those that are willing to choose for themselves to come unto Christ through the invites that God wants them to do.

One really cool miracle that I saw this week was when we were park finding. I was having a rough morning and the families hat really looked so sweet turned us down pretty fast when we went up to them, but it was cool to see that the lord puts us through trials for a reason and the last guy we stopped before going back in for lunch was willing to listen to us and was willing to act. He is a very intelligent man and is a sincere guy. He was really happy to meet us and I am so glad that we had he chance to get to know him. He will be coming back to town this Thursday and we will hopefully be able to see him at the end of the week. We really think that he will be keeping to our invites and be willing to search to find the truth. He said intellectually these things don’t sound crazy at all and could be true, but it has to be something done within his heart. Such a great guy though and it strengthens my testimony to know that God gives us little obstacles for our own good and to test us to see if we will continue to do the things he asks when it may be hard or tough.

Last week President and Sorella Pickerd arrived to the mission field and went to 4 different conferences around the mission in 4 days to introduce themselves to everyone. It was super fun to get to meet the, and feel the great love that they have for each one of us. We are all definitely looking forward to working with them and doing all we can to work hard here together in Italy. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Assignments, Catania, Conferences, Cosenza, Missionary Work Tagged With: , , , , ,

Catania – Week 4

June 27, 2016 By Leave a Comment

Ciao Tutti!!

Hope that everyone has been having a great summer! This week passed by pretty fast again. We had a lot to do this week with finding new people to teach and we are still searching for a lot of new people. We had the opportunity to go and visit a lot of members this week that was really nice and good to be able to get to know them. We are looking forward to getting to know them better and start working with them more.

So this week it was really awesome to get over and share the message of the restoration with them. I am very grateful for the members here in Italy that really take us in and are so nice to us. It really makes you feel like you are part of their family and they really help you feel at home with all they do. It was really special to feel and notice that great love and blessing this week. That is one thing that I am so grateful about the mission is getting to meet and make so many strong friendships with others. It really makes everything so special to work side by side with them.

One big miracle that I was able to see this week was that guy that came to church last week we saw him on the bus again and it was interesting to see how much happier he was and more optimistic about life. It was a night and day difference from the first three times we saw him on the bus. It was really interesting to me and I really I have high hopes of him. He didn’t sit down last time when he came to church. He said to the member that was the usher at the door when he insisted him to sit down that he was Catholic. I thought it was funny that he didn’t want to sit down, he is such a nice guy and I am glad that we have a good friendship with him on the bus, and really hope that he will be willing to learn more.

Anziano Albello and I are doing really well! We are still learning the city but it has come pretty much now. We walk pretty much everywhere so we are getting a lot of good excercise in. We are loving our time together and I am really learning a lot from him. He is a super humble guy and a great missionary. Crazy that we have been here three weeks now! We have been working hard together and we are really hoping to see a growth in our work. We are trying to find those that are ready and willing to act on out message. We are happy that we are here and hope that we will continue to be able to see all the miracles that Heavenly Father wants to give us.

Well I hope that you all have a great week and that you continue to have a wonderful summer!

Vi voglio bene!

Anziano Garrett

Filed Under: Assignments, Catania Tagged With:

Catania – Week 3

June 20, 2016 By Leave a Comment

Ciao tutti!

I hope that everyone has had a great week! This week has gone by pretty fast for us and we are really trying are best to find as much new work as we possibly can. We did a lot of finding this week and were able to have a good amount of lessons with people on benches and in the parks.

I am thankful for the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the opportunity that we have to bring this beautiful news to the world. It truly is an amazing and unique thing that we are offering people to come and find out if it is true. We are really trying to work at finding the elect of God here and find those that are truly ready to receive us and will listen with the intent to know and find the truth that we bring forth.

So we recovered well from last Sunday’s nice run and then the next day at zone soccer my callus decided to rip off on one foot and then a nice big blister formed on the other. It wasn’t too bad at all thank goodness though. It was a good time being with the zone and then doing a blitz with park finding and an English group Geso afterwards. It was a lot of fun and we are really hoping to see more people come to English group these next couple of weeks. So then we had to have 17 Anziani stay at the house the night before our specialized training.

It was a packed house for sure and I am thankful that we had enough mattresses for everyone. It was packed hahaha. The specialized training went really well though! It was really bittersweet though because that was the last time that we were able to see Presdient and Sorella Waddoups here in Italy. It was a really special and good conference and I am so thankful for the opportunity that I had to get to know them and love them over this past year. I am so thankful for all the work that they did here for the people of Italy and also for us. It is really awesome to see all of the miracles they have witnessed and  the love they show everyone and especially all the missionaries.

I saw two really big miracles this week that were really awesome. The first was when I was on scambio with Anziano Goode and we did some park finding and we saw these two ragazzi [boys] sitting on this bench and they were smoking and we didn’t really know how it was going to go. We were able to share the whole restoration with them and they were really pumped to learn and know more. We set a return appointment for two days later. I was a little nervous because they weren’t there on time and I called three times and they said they were coming. They finally showed up an hour late and it was cool to hear that they took that much time to come to the park to learn more. We started off the lesson with a prayer and one of them offered it and it was almost just right. It was super special and very heartfelt. They are cousins and one of them commented on how that was better than the one they offered the other night. That was super cool  and the lesson on the plan of salvation went really well  and they are excited to read the Book of Mormon. The other miracle that I saw was on the way to the church. I started talking to this guy and he opened up with me. We ended up sharing a video and testified of the love of the Savior and how he is always here for us. I am thankful for that knowledge. He then said that he wanted to try to make it out to church. Saw him again a couple days later and he said that he would see us Sunday when he came. Well Sunday morning I was really expecting him and he didn’t show up until like 40 minutes into sacrament meeting he came! It was super cool  and I really hope that he will be open to start meeting with us and coming to church more.

Yesterday was Father’s Day and I am so thankful for fathers everywhere. The divine role of fathers is so important and it is a calling that we are never released from. Lately I have been able to see how the characteristics of our parents here on the earth correlate with the feelings that our heavenly parents have for us. I am thankful for the undying love that they have for us and always trying to provide what is best for each of us. I am thankful for my dad and his example for me that has truly changed my life, his love, support, kindness, humor, unselfishness, charity, and so many other qualities and attributes that I have been able to learn from him. He has truly done so much for me and I am thankful that we have a day to recognize all that they do for us as well. Elder D. Todd Christofferson talked about Fathers this past General Conference. I love this quote.

Perhaps the most essential of a father’s work is to turn the hearts of his children to their Heavenly Father. If by his example as well as his words a father can demonstrate what fidelity to God looks like in day-to-day living, that father will have given his children the key to peace in this life and eternal life in the world to come. A father who reads scripture to and with his children acquaints them with the voice of the Lord.

My dad has truly done that for me and aided me in finding my love and testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I will never forget the example that he has set and continues to set for me and for others.

Examples are powerful. I know that we can teach the gospel at all times and then when necessary use words. I am so very grateful for that. I love my dad so much and am thankful that Heavenly Father has blessed me with such amazing parents. My mom and dad truly rock. Well I hope that you all had a wonderful Father’s Day. I would invite you to check out that talk as well as this awesome video.

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2016/04/fathers?cid=HP_TU_7-6-2016_dPFD_fGC_xLIDyL1-A_&lang=eng

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2013-01-002-earthly-father-heavenly-father?lang=eng

Love you all and talk to you next week!

Vi voglio bene!

Anziano Garrett

[Here are some pictures from the Catania Zone specialized training, posted by Sister Waddoups]

Catania Zone, June, 2016

Catania Zone, June, 2016

Catania Specialized Training, June, 2016

Catania Specialized Training, June, 2016

Catania Specialized Training, June, 2016

Catania Specialized Training, June, 2016

Catania Specialized Training, June, 2016

Catania Specialized Training, June, 2016

Catania Specialized Training, June, 2016

Catania Specialized Training, June, 2016

Catania Specialized Training, June, 2016

Catania Specialized Training, June, 2016

Pres. and Sister Waddoups, last meeting with them.

Pres. and Sister Waddoups, last meeting with them.

Our goodbye note to the Waddoups, who leave for home on June 29th.

Our goodbye note to the Waddoups, who leave for home on June 29th.

Filed Under: Assignments, Catania, Conferences, Missionary Work Tagged With:

Catania – Week 2

June 13, 2016 By Leave a Comment

Ciao tutti!

This week went really well and we were able to see a lot of miracles throughout the week. We definitely had a big jump in all the work that we were able to do compared to those first days that we were here together. We are enjoying Catania and we are still trying our best to learn the city and how best to get around. It has been going well to try to find new work.

We have been able to see a lot of awesome things happen this week with trying to find new investigators. We are trying to find a lot of them with using the restoration pamphlet and it is going really well!  We are going to keep trying to use it and try to be able to see as many members as possible so we can start working though them. The lessons that we were able to do with these people on the streets were really sweet and there was definitely a special spirit there when we were teaching and sharing about the restoration. We hope to be able to really find God’s elect here. English club is super small and we are going to do a lot more publicity for that as well because we would love to see more people come to it. Catania is a beautiful city though and the people are super open to talk and it has been a lot of fun trying to find new people.

We had the opportunity to go and do service at a Sorella’s house this week where we picked a ton of weeds and stuff. It was at her beach house that she rents out in the summer. It was super pretty and we were able to go with our ward mission leader and it was great to get to know him and the Sorella. It was a lot of fun, but it was super hot and we definitely had our work cut out for us.

We were able to see another member family this week that are super funny. This guy got back from his mission a couple of years ago and then him and another Sorella from the ward got married a year ago. When we got to the train station where he was going to pick us up I saw him and could have sworn it was him since I had seen a picture of him, but he didn’t say anything to us so I thought ok maybe not. We went looking for him and no one approached us outside and then that guy came out and tried to ask information about the trains since everyone always thinks that we work there. It was funny because he was wearing a Phoenix Suns shirt so I started talking to him about that and I was already 90% sure it was the member so I asked him if he was (name of member) and he was like what? And then I thought I messed up and asked him what his name was and he took a little to respond with a generic Italian named. it was funny and he was bummed he couldn’t pull the joke on us. They are super cool and we look forward to working with them.

Sunday went really well and we were able to meet a lot more members and had an amazing fast and testimony meeting with a lot of really good lessons as well and I was able to learn a lot. I am so thankful for Sundays and as we put more effort and energy in to feel the spirit the Lord truly blesses us with so much. After church a member was out in his van and asked if we could come over to give him blessing at his house but we had a meal appointment already so we weren’t able to go right away. We decided to go later in the day because he said that would be fine. He told us what bus to take and we had his address. So in the afternoon we set out to find this place and on the map I looked up the street and it wasn’t that far away at all, 15 minute walk maybe. Well we messed up. So we went to grab this bus at Lungo mare and we waited for a while but the bus stop says that it was out of commission. We then called the member and he told us to walk down further. We walked down and waited and it never came. So we have to be back in Catania, but we really felt we needed to give this blessing. The street we were going for was in another town and so we started running. Well we ran/walked at times in dress pants and white shirts all the way to the city. Needless to say I was drenched in sweat and my feet hurt a little from the shoes hahaha. Well I mapped it out and it was 6.6 miles from our house. We made it into town and the members picked us up to go to the house. It was a big blessing because we were able to give the blessing to the member and the spirit that was there was so special and sweet. It was truly a confirmation to know that we did the right thing even if it was a long hard walk/run to go and give the blessing that we said we would give.

I am so thankful for the priesthood on the earth that has been restored again through the prophet Jospeh Smith. That the same power held by Jesus Christ and his twelve apostles is on the earth to be able to bless the lives of so many people. I am so thankful for that and know that we have a big responsibility to always live worthy to exercise this authority. There is a video that I would invite you guys all to watch. https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2011-09-005-sanctify-yourselves?lang=eng

I love you all and hope you all have an awesome week!!

Vi voglio bene!!

Anziano Garrett

Filed Under: Catania

Catania – Week 1

June 6, 2016 By Leave a Comment

Ciao Tutti!!

So this week went by super fast! We had a nice busy week, full of fun things going on over here! Monday, Tuesday, and Wedneday I was able to have a lot of lessons with people while saying goodbye to less actives, investigators, and members. It went really well and we were able to have a lot of spiritual lessons with people. I was pretty shocked for sure about recieving my transfer call so I had to say bye to a lot of people really fast. It was really nice though and I am thankful for the things that I learned in Cosenza and for what the experiences that I learned there really helped me to gain things that I needed and helped me grow more into who I need to continue to work on becoming.

I definitely made a lot of amazing friends over there in Cosenza.

So Thursday was the day of transfers and it was a pretty hectic day.  We got down to the station and everything with the help of some ward members that gave us a ride to the train station so that we didn’t have to walk. It was really nice and super awesome of them to do that.

We had to wait in the train station at Paola for a little bit and then my train came. So I knew that my greenie was going to be on the train and I happened to get a picture from my Grandpa [from Sister Waddoups’ blog] of the two new missionaries that had just come in. So I thought they knew I was going to be joining them on the train there. I get on to a cart, but I was supposed to be on cart number 5. Thinking that logically it would make sense that the first one started at the front, I made my way backwards on the train trying to get to number 5. I have three giant overweight bags with me as well. I remember that Presdient Waddoups asked me on my first transfer day if I have ever heard about preaching without purse and script but it seems that lesson has still not settled in for me quite yet. I made my way all the way to where I think 5 should be and I am squeezing past people. Well there comes a point when I can’t go any further and I run into a group of people that tell me I am now at number 2 and happened to actually get on the right one the first time.  But I hadn’t seen any missionaries there at all. So at the next stop I get off the train and race back up the platform with the help of the Crotone missionaries and the senior couple and manage to get on the train just fine, but still haven’t found anyone. I left my bags with a nice lady in my assigned box on the train and ventured off in search of my greenie. Finally managed to find 2 missionaries on the front of the train that were headed to Palermo, but that meant that the front part of that train would split off once we got down to Messina. So then I finally got the information (after a ton of time) that they were sitting in first class which happend to be the very last cart of the train. So needless to say I was finally able to find them and meet my companion who is Anziano Albello.

Anziano Albello is from the Philippines and is a super awesome guy!  He is a little quiet, but he is super cool!! He really has so many amazing Christlike qualities that I have been able to learn so much from all ready! I don’t know why he went to the MTC in Provo, because he lived in Milan for 6 years and then moved back to the Philippines 2 years ago. When he first started talking Italian to me I was super impressed and he told me that he had studied for a year. I didn’t find out until we got to Catania (from someone else) that he lived in Italy for 6 years. He is using grammar that I haven’t even been able to scratch the surface of hahaha. That helps out a ton when it comes to missionary work! He is going to do amazing things here with all the skills that he has. I am excited to be with him and get to know him better! He is from a family of 4 and likes movies, music, to travel, and guitar as well! He is going to be an awesome missionary and we have already been able to see some really cool miracles together! [Read more…]

Filed Under: Assignments, Catania, Companions, Culture, Italy, Missionary Work, Transfers Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Transfer Day

June 2, 2016 By Leave a Comment

Going from Cosenza to Catania!  When Taylor gets on the train in Cosenza, he will meet his new companion (who will have traveled from Rome) and they will travel together to be “blown in” to their area in Catania.  Being “blown in” is missionary-speak for a situation where both companions are new to the area.  Catania is an old city, founded by the Greeks as a colony around 720 BC, and is the 10th largest metropolitan area in Italy, so it should certainly be another Sicilian adventure.  Before the consolidation of the Italian missions in 2010, Catania was the headquarters of the Italy Catania Mission.

Catania Skyline with Mt. Etna (active volcano) in the background

Catania Skyline with Mt. Etna (active volcano) in the background

Only two new missionaries, Anziano Haws and Anziano Albello, arrived from the Provo MTC on May 31st. One of these Anziani will be Taylor's new companion.

Only two new missionaries, Anziano Haws and Anziano Albello, arrived from the Provo MTC on May 31st. One of these Anziani will be Taylor’s new companion.

Filed Under: Assignments, Catania, Transfers
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