Catania – Week 3

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]