Week 57

Well, it's been really nice here in Tràpani. However, I think it's time for a change and we will receive transfer calls this Saturday morning.  Today I had to do all this stuff for my permesso or passport of Italy.  I was able to cut the entire line of Africans and went around the gate because I knew how to speak Italian! So that was cool, I didn't waste any time. We also had a lot of success this week with lessons and with investigators. We had this one family from Africa come to church this morning which was sooooo cool.  Everybody loved their one year old baby, she was so cute! The branch was really welcoming, even though they spoke no English!   This week something really sad happened also. One of our investigators needed help with this thing in Italian, so Anz Lapray and I helped him out and then we walked back to his camp and when we got there we saw one of our members. I asked him how he was doing and he didn't respond, I couldn't really tell what was wrong until I saw blood on his shirt and on this clothes, he started yelling to our other friend in this African language and we walked outside a little worried, Later his friend came outside and told us that he had been in a fight and the cops had hit them to break up the fight. I couldn't really believe it until I talked to someone else and heard the same thing, So I was really sad for that reason this week.. After hearing about him I just decided I needed to go outside and think and relax for a minute. The Lord was able to talk to me and comfort me and assure me that everything was okay with him and that I was fine and not in danger, so I was grateful for that quiet time to think about life and things around me in this world, It is so true that we are in the world but not of this world. We are the salt of the earth and need not loose our savor or we have no use, I love to help others, this is what has carried me through hard times is the service and joy I have when I am with others and teaching them about the doctrine of Christ, I know I am not perfect by any means; however, the Lord has called me at this time because he wants to bless me as I bless his other children.  I feel the Savior's love when I love others and that is what is so great about this gospel, that it blesses everyone! 

Well I think this week will be even better as far as success, and I am excited to see where the Lord needs me next! 

I hope everyone can find joy in the simple acts of service that come every day, if we will look for them and pray for them! 

Love, Anziano Goode

Week 56

I love this soo much, oh my goodness!  I'm soo happy, it's hard to describe! I have truly been blessed by serving on my mission.  I have been able to understand many things and have a better attitude about everything, Even though I am a year into my mission, I am still learning things about how to be truly happy, and how we can choose to be happy and it's not up to others or outside circumstances!  We can also learn from others regrets in life! So this week was really good! We were able to meet with a few members from our branch and they were really excited to help us, in fact there are already some appointments set up with our members for this week which is really good news!  I have also just tried to focus on being the best I can be, being the happiest I can be and still focusing on serving others! It's much nicer to lose yourself in the work than to be stressed in the work! In fact, I have realized that I am a natural leader and that when I do things then others will follow, and so I have really just tried to take that knowledge and bless the lives of others as much as possible.  Also, a really cool miracle that happened was that after district meeting in Palermo this week, everyone asked me where we should go to eat, I don't know why they look to me to make the decisions because I have been serving the last 5 transfers in Trapani, not Palermo, but nonetheless they asked me and I chose this good sandwich place! We walked into the restaurant and there was this lady sitting behind us, of course seeing ten missionaries walk in the room speaking Italian but looking like Americans draws some attention and some questions... so this lady, Katerina is her name, looked over to me and asked who we were! That's my favorite question to answer! Anyway, we set up an appointment to meet that night with her and her kid! The sister missionaries met with her twice last week and she even came to church, they then asked her if she would be baptized on november 7th and she accepted, easy as that! So the sisters will be working hard with her to prepare her for that. I have just seen lots of miracles due to righteous actions and our example! I hope you all have a great week thanks for the letters and emails they are great! 

Anziano Goode

P.S. Nathan is getting huge! He looks like a man already! and Ty looks so happy and healthy!

Week 55

Hey!! Thanks for all of the emails!  

I had zone conference this week, it was super good! I had the mission president give me a blessing for some things I have been struggling with and to boost my spirit and it totally worked! This week was great! My comp and I are getting along really well! We are also working well together! His Italian is not quite there yet, but he is learning and is trying his best, which is important.  I also need to do my part to help him by speaking in Italian all the time with him!  We get our next transfer calls the last Saturday of the month this time.  I will be shocked if I stay in Tràpani for another transfer! 

I got to watch a little bit of the Formula One race yesterday at a lunch appointment! It was good to be able to understand what they were talking about in Italian and to hear, I think Sebastian Vettel speaking Italian and understanding everything! Tonight we will have a serata familiare (Family Home Evening) with some of our members in church! We will pick a topic, give the members time to search for scriptures then we will discuss their scriptures and it should be pretty fun!! 

I had a thought I wanted to share, God knows we are in need of many things, He created us, so he can supply enough for us to survive and thrive if we do His will.  Also, God can work mighty miracles. He can bless us according to our faith, if we trust God, he will trust us with much more than just earthly blessings because He knows the things that are best for us! 

You asked what I want for my birthday, well, just a reminder, the mission president sent an email and said again to remind our parents not to send huge packages because they have to get them all the way to our areas and it's a bit hard!  Also, I would much rather just build up some cash so I can get some cool things, like Italian suits and stuff before I come home.  Well anyway, thank you for everything you do! I have truly been changed this week and am so grateful for this mission experience of serving others! I love you guys so much! I'm so grateful to be part of our wonderful family!

Love, Anziano Goode

Car Fire...

My comp, Anziano Lapray

The Africans have been coming over by the boat load!