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Roma 1 – Week 24

September 28, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Ciao!

OK, sorry this email will be pretty short this week but I don’t have much time! I hope that everyone is doing well!

OK, so this past week we didn’t see a ton of people, unfortunately. We only got to see one of our investigators, but he brought a friend which was super cool! He hadn’t been answering the phone because he was sick, but then we got ahold of him and were able to meet with him once. He is doing well but hasn’t been answering the phone again. I hope that everything is going well with him though.

We got to see 3 of our less actives which went really well and they are doing well. We are still trying to find new work right now.

Anziano Rasband is doing better now. He had a doctor’s appointment but had been feeling better a little before we went. He is finally eating normally again, which is great.

So today I had no clue what we were doing for pday but the whole district did. We had to go somewhere, but the metro was broken for a fair amount of the A line and we had to take a bus from one stop all the way across Rome which took forever. It was crazy hahaha. We went to this place called Escape Rome where they put you in a room and you have to find clues and try to get out. It was really neat. Definitely made me feel a little dumb for sure. They gave us a lot of help sometimes hahaha. I don’t know if I wasn’t in the right mind set and not knowing how this all was set up or anything. I was a little confused and they didn’t even let me know what the place was when we went in hahaha. It was neat but I wonder if they didn’t help us if would have got out. They only give you an hour to do it. There was like a Vatican themed room and a CSI themed one.

We were in the CSI room with Sorelle Rossi and Nagliati. It was fun and I think that we all felt a little dumb from getting the help and finished with 5 minutes left hahaha. We then went and ate a really nice meal. I had a a mozzarella di bufalo pizza it was super good.

They then gave me some cream puffs with a candle and then we got gelato to finish it all off. It was a super fun day and the whole district had a great time. It was cool to see Sorella Nagliati before she goes home tomorrow.

I am really excited about General Conference and really looking forward to hearing from the prophets, apostles, and other general authorities. I really enjoy hearing the messages that we need to hear in this life. I am really excited to hear from them all.

I like this scripture in D&C 1:38

What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.

We are hearing these messages from the Lord and they are all specifically for us and I am really excited to hear the messages and hope to be prepared to receive them. I was sad to hear about Richard G. Scott. Having three vacancies in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles will be really interesting to see if they will all be filled and who the Lord will call to fill them. I am really pumped for this weekend.

Ok and last, but not least transfer news. I am going to be leaving Rome 1 and I am heading down to Trapani in Sicilia! That will be a lot of fun! Anziano LaPray will be my new companion. I am excited to be going down there but also a little sad to be leaving some people here.

I will leave this Thursday and I am excited to head down there. I will be taking a plane so it won’t take as long, but I will have to watch my weight limit which is going to take some skillful packing I think hahaha. I received all the birthday cards and am really thankful for them! I haven’t gotten to read them all, but will be sure to do so tonight! Thank you all! I hope that everyone has an amazing week, and I am sorry I won’t be able to get back to everyone today! Take care!

Vi voglio bene!!

Love,

Anziano Garrett

[Taylor’s new companion in Trapani will be Anziano Lapray.  He is just completing his 12 weeks of training.  This photo is from Sister Waddoups’ blog]

Anziano Lapray

Anziano Lapray

Filed Under: Recreation, Roma 1, Transfers, Trapani Tagged With: , ,

Roma 1 – Week 21

September 7, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Ciao!

I don’t have a ton of time to email this week. We had a busy day and we have to head out a little early so we can get to a family home evening. We had a nice pday though. We went for some groceries this morning and then we headed to the church and downloaded our emails before heading out to centro. We wanted to go get some granita (shaved ice) that we had tried before, and I made sure I knew how to find that restaurant I went to about 4 months ago with Anziano Calvagna. Then we walked toward the forum and we were going to go to a church that has the chains that held St. Peter during his martyrdom. We found it by luck because the stairs and the building looked cool so I decided to walk up and it ended up being the right way. We got there and then it was closed for the pranzo hours so we couldn’t go in. We had a good walk through the forum though and got “Hey Eldered!” twice today which was cool. We went to a tie shop and got companionship ties which are Phoenix Suns colors (that’s for Wyatt). I got an orange one and he got a purple one, we are going to wear them to District meeting tomorrow to see if anyone notices.

We didn’t get to see a lot of different people this past week but we had an investigator that was willing to meet with us 4 times which was super cool. He really has a desire to learn more and sincerely find the truth. I am really enjoying getting to meet with him and get to know him as well. We were able to have a few more people we hope to meet with more this week. We had a great week, though, and some awesome lessons with our new investigator. One that we had with a super cool member helped so much. He really answered the investigator’s question so well and he brought a testimony that was super good for our investigator. I have really high hopes for him. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Food, Roma 1, Tourist Sites Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Roma 1 – Week 17

August 10, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Ciao!

I hope everyone had an amazing week and that everyone is enjoying the end of their summers!

So I really don’t have much to report on from last week. Last p-day we saw some really neat things. We went to this place called the keyhole where they say you can technically see 3 different countries because you look in this keyhole at the Malta Embassy and then you see Vatican City and then of course Italy as well. It was pretty sweet! We then had a nice view of Rome nearby which was really cool. We then went and saw Circus Maximus which was really big but nothing too spectacular at all either. We then finished up with La Bocca Della Verita (the mouth of truth). It was pretty cool, but I don’t really know the history behind that at all. We of course finished up the day with some gelato too which always hits the spot especially when it is this hot. We finished up the proselyting day with some finding in the park. We had some good conversations but unfortunately they didn’t pan out beyond that.

Tuesday we had our district meeting and it went really well and then the Memmotts had us for lunch and that was a lot of fun. They are so nice and I really enjoy getting to know them and talk to them. They are so sweet and are truly disciples of the Lord. Tuesday evening we finished up with our English course and I really started to not feel too good that afternoon. By the time we got home I really wasn’t feeling to hot at all. So Anziano Rasband and I ended up getting food poisoning and we have had to stay home for the past 4 days. It’s definitely been hard but that’s ok I think we are finally getting through it. I feel better today and I hope that just lasts. So sorry I really didn’t have much to report on this week at all!

I really enjoyed reading 3 Nephi in the Book of Mormon when Christ makes his appearance to the Nephites. It really would have been amazing to be there and experience that. He manifested himself to the people because he loves them too and I am so thankful for the Book of Mormon and the ever flowing knowledge we can gain from it. It truly testifies of Christ and shows that Jesus is the Christ and that he lives. It stands as another witness of Him and the things that He did in the Holy Land truly occurred. I am so thankful for our Savior Jesus Christ and the infinite love that he has for every single one of us. I am thankful for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the faith I was raised in. I am no where near perfect at all, but I try to be like my Savior and I have to just keep on working to be like him everyday. I know we all can have a place for Christ in our lives and that he will become the center of our lives as we live by his teachings and live in the manner that he did.

Love you all and I hope that you all have an awesome week!

Love,

Anziano Garrett

Sorella Gates sharing with some tourists

Sorella Gates sharing with some tourists

View of our area in Rome

View of our area in Rome

Roma 1 District selfie, plus Sorella Nagliati and Sorella Gates from Roma 5

Roma 1 District selfie, plus Sorella Nagliati and Sorella Gates from Roma 5

Roma 1 District selfie, plus Sorella Nagliati and Sorella Gates from Roma 5

Roma 1 District selfie, plus Sorella Nagliati and Sorella Gates from Roma 5

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Roma 1 – Week 16

August 3, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Buongiorno!!

I hope everyone had a really awesome week and that everyone is doing well! I hope that I can get this email in and it all make sense to everyone.

I forgot to mention that we got “Hey Elder!”ed (When someone sees us and yells for us or runs into us and we get to have a nice conversation) the other week and I am not sure if the family were members or not. They were from Charleston, South Carolina, but were just at Mattoon not too long ago for a funeral so they knew Charleston. I thought that was pretty cool. They were talking up Monicals pretty big.

Last P-day we had lunch with a member and it was really good. It was chicken, rice, and noodles. It was really good and a good time with the district and the members. After that we went and visited this church near the Baberini Metro station which would be close to Fontana di Trevi and this church is nicknamed The Church of Bones [It is actually called the Capuchin Crypt]. It was really interesting. I wasn’t allowed to take pictures so I didn’t get any at all. But it was a church that sometime in the 18th century, if I am not mistaken, they started to make art with bones. It was quite interesting and it was really weird all the same haha.

After that we had a family home evening in the park where we invited members, investigators, and English course students. I thought we were going to have a good turn out but only 2 members and an English course student came. I was glad that they showed up though. We had a good time, but we tried to get this English course student as an investigator and it didn’t work out like we had hoped. I was really hoping it would because he is super cool, nice, and funny. He really likes music too so I always love talking music with him. Maybe it just isn’t his time and we will have another chance in the future. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Food, Roma 1, Tourist Sites, Transfers Tagged With: ,

Roma 1 – Week 12

July 6, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Ciao tutti!

I hope everyone had a great week! It’s been nice and really hot here.  I really wouldn’t mind the heat too much if I could wear shorts and didn’t have a collar choking me, but I can’t lie it is pretty hot here.  It’s nice though!

Ok first things first.  TRANSFER CALL.  So we had transfer calls last Saturday on the 4th of July and we got our call at the beginning of companionship study.  So the big news is I am…. Staying!  I am staying in Rome 1 with Anziano Rasband and surprisingly Sorelle Nagliati, Cano, Kennedy, and Harmon are all staying too!  We are the only district in the entire mission that doesn’t have a single change!  I thought that was pretty sweet.  The Sorelle here in Rome 1 are really hard workers.  They get work done that is for sure.  They have awesome work going on right now and have some really cool investigators.  So yeah we will all be here for another whole transfer.

I am looking forward to this next transfer and I really want to keep working hard to do all I can do to help those the Lord has prepared.  This work can’t be done alone.  We have so much help and I am constantly seeing miracles and blessings that are always coming our way.  We see miracles that are made up of mini miracles and it just leads to things that are so rewarding and so cool to witness and experience.  I know that when we do all we can to live righteous lives and do all we can to follow Christ and obey God’s commandments He will bless us.  No sacrifice goes unnoticed.  He works on His own timetable and in His own way, but He will always follow through.  He blesses us with way more than we even put in sometimes.  I know that this is true for all of us.

We are still working to try to find some new investigators and we are really working to press forward and continue to find people to teach.  We only got to meet with a couple of people this week.  We are hoping to meet with some new people we have found and talked to earlier this week.  I am really excited to talk to some of them.  I have a super good feeling about some of these new people. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Conferences, Roma 1, Transfers Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Roma 1 – Week 10

June 22, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Ciao tutti!

This week went well!  I forgot to mention for last p-day we went to the Colosseum and it was really awesome!  I have always wanted to go inside so that was super cool to be able to do that.  If I do it again I would love to have more time to read and learn more about it.  We had a good time there, but didn’t have time to go to the Roman Forum afterwards, unfortunately.

Today was really awesome too because we just got back to the church from the Vatican and there is so much to see there and to learn about.  I got a lot of good pictures I will be able to send later.  It was really neat though.  Tons of really cool art, and I especially liked the rooms done by Raphael and in Michelangelo in St.Peters Cathedral.  It was super awesome.

So my grandpa had a few questions and I will answer some of them on here so others can no know.

So for food we usually eat at home everyday.  We will eat out occasionally, and then we also will get invited over sometimes for meals.  We usually make just simple things like pasta, meat, and what not.  We will get fruit from fruit stands that I still haven’t got a ton of luck with on the fruit I pick.  We will make pizza sometimes as well for dinner to make when we get home.  When we go out to eat it will be pizza and other things here and there.  There is this french fry place that started in Amsterdam, I think, and it is super good and cheap as well.  The food the members make is super delicious.  We had lunch yesterday with a member family and it was super good.  We had a little sandwich platter, then some fish and rice dish, then Sicilian pasta, sword fish, watermelon, pineapple, gelato, and flan with some fruit.  Needless to say it was a good meal.  The members are super awesome here and I am really getting to love them more and more every week.

Anziano Rasband and I have started to run.  He ran track and cross in high school so that’s what we do in the mornings.  We usually go just 4 but today only 3.  It’s been nice.

Well back to last week.  After the p-day was over we went on a scambio (companion exchange) with our zone leaders.  So Anziano Calvagna and I were together again for that night and the next day.  It was super fun to be back together again.  We had 3 appointments that day and so we were busy after our District Meeting and pranzo [lunch time] hours.  It was a great scambio. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Food, Roma 1, Tourist Sites Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Roma 1 – Week 9

June 15, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Buongiorno!

Hope everyone is having a good week!  Definitely pumped to hear the Blackhawks are doing well.  One more game and we got it.  Sorry, but I had to start with that.

This week has been a little slow with the work, but it is all looking good and we are really working hard.  We are trying our best to work with the members to find referrals and people to teach.  We were really having trouble having investigators keep commitments and it is a little hard knowing that this can bless their lives more than they may realize or know.  It is hard, too, when you see someone and get to know them, but sometimes not seeing them for a little can help change their desires and help them to get working.

We really didn’t get to see too many people this week.  One of our investigators got a baptismal date for next month so we were really excited about that.  At district meeting Anziano Rasband shared on the power of prayer and we all picked about 3 investigators to pray specifically for as a district each morning and night.  It is really awesome seeing the miracles that come through prayer and how the Lord will bless us if we ask and continue to press forward in faith.  He is willing to grant us blessings all upon us asking. I love these two verses. From Matthew 7:

7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

It doesn’t rule out the fact that we also have to seek, and that sometimes seeking takes longer than we may want or think that it will.  But as we work diligently we will be able to find those things that we are looking for. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Assignments, Italy, Roma 1, Tourist Sites Tagged With: , , , , ,

Roma 1 – Week 8

June 8, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Ciao tutti!

So this week went really well and was a lot of fun.  I hope that everyone else had a great weekend that you are all enjoying life.  Summer is here, no doubt, and I  hope that everyone will make the most of their time off school and enjoy the summer.

Last Monday on our p-day we didn’t really do much, but just kind of walked around and I saw some things that I hadn’t seen yet but it was fun all the same.  We then had a lesson that night with a new convert family that was super fun.  We shared a lesson on the importance of the Book of Mormon and they said that they would try to have us over for family home evening and get a referral for us.  Super awesome!  Their little girl is super cute and super funny, even though I don’t always know what she is saying, due to the lack of my vocabulary.

We had a lot of things and lessons planned out this week and it all just kind of went wack and fell through, unfortunately.  So Tuesday we didn’t have any lessons, but we went and set up our iPads that day with the assistants.  It was cool to get them and I am sure that they will help us a lot to be able to share messages with people and help us bring people unto Christ. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Assignments, Conferences, Missionary Work, Roma 1 Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Roma 1 – Week 6

May 25, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Ciao!!

This week has been really nice and sorry I don’t have a ton of time to write today, but I will tell you about my week and what all we did.

Well last P-day was a lot of fun and we just walked around Rome and saw some things, since Sorella Arnold is headed back home this week from her mission.  We ate at Subway (which was really expensive for Subway), but it hit the spot for sure.  We then just went around to some other significant places and such and didn’t do anything too new, but I still love just getting to walk around.

We received a fair amount of biedones (where we get a lesson cancelled), but that is OK and we just keep on working.  A lot of our investigators are about the same as last week.  We only got to see a couple of them this week.  We saw Riccardo and he is just still struggling to find his faith and it’s hard.  We are trying our best to help him find it and understand that faith is action (Peter 2:17).  We have to have action to exercise our faith.  Without it we won’t receive testimonies or answers if we never pray and ask Heavenly Father.  He wants to hear from us and has so many blessings in store.  We just have to sincerely ask for them with real intent. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Companions, Food, Roma 1, Transfers Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,