Another One Bites the Dust!

Dear Family and Friends,

This week there isnt a lot to talk about. It has been a pretty normal and boring week. We had to stay at the Church for almost all of 3 days because we had the keys and we were the closest to the area. Great use of the Missionaries huh... Anyway its not a big deal. We got a lot of study in this week so we learned a lot haha. The theme (title of the post) is because every day when we are at home we here these explosions and they sound like gun shots but we saw some kids just blowing off little fireworks. We all start singing that when we here them. 

I have been studying a lot this week as I said. I have been reading a lot in the Book Of Mormon. I want to bear my witness of this book. It has the answer to soooo many questions of the world. I know that whoever reads it will know of the truthfulness it contains. I have found that all it takes is a little bit of effort and the Lord does the rest. We just have to read a little and we can find the answer to the questions we have. If anyone wants to get a copy all they have to do is ask. As we study  the words of God as contained in his scriptures we can become closer to Him and know his will for us. I know that this book is a book of scripture that we have as another testament of Jesus Christ. It contains with the Bible the fulness of the Gospel. I have a testimony of Modern day revelation. This is the way we recieve lots of council when we need help in our lives. I am so grateful for this gospel . I wish more people would just put in a little effort using only a little faith and they will recieve more than they can possibly imagine. Thank you for the example you all are to me. Each day I strive as hard as I can to become better. I strive to follow the perfect example of our Savior. He is the only way we can become worthy to enter into our Father in Heaven's presence after this life. I love you all soooo very much. I hope everyone has a great Christmas and please remember the real reason. Love from Italy! 

Anziano Passantino

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Hello from Terni

Wow,

I have a lot that I wanted to talk about in this week's letter but I don't think I have enough time to fit it all in... I will try my best though. Last pday we went to Rome. We get to go there once a transfer and it was super legit. We went past lots of the cool monuments that everyone hears about. Those will be sent in the pictures. We only had a little bit of time to see a ton so we didn't get to linger a lot but we saw a whole lot. Rome is huge though so you can't really see a lot in just 6 hours. We are really blessed to be close enough to do that and to be able to have such amazing monuments so close to us here. 

    In terms of the week it was really good. It seems like the days are going by faster and faster. I am trying to soak it all in. I wanted to share a little bit about the spiritual part of the week. I have been studying a lot about the need for an organized church rather than just a belief in God. The talk Two Lines of Communication by elder Oaks is amazing to clear it all up. Personal revelation is something we need to be using a lot. It helps us to make decisions and to guide us in our lives. I would recomend reading it for sure.

    Also I have been studying a lot about about our work in the church. Here in Terni we are trying to get the members more involved but they lack the motivation. I love Elder Dubes talk about this. This is a lifelong work that we are all a part of. We have to work until the end to bring people to this wonderful message. Just like he said, faith is always pointed to the future. The scriptures that I have been studying are my daily Book of Mormon Study and these in particular. Doctrine and Covenants 58:2-3 and Mathew 11:28-30. Everyone should look those up. They are great. Other than that, my message would be to serve others. Through us God may answer the prayers of others so always be willing to serve when we can.

    Sorry this is just the short message but I hope it brought a little light. I hope everyone is doing well and remembering Christ this time of year. He is why we celebrate Christmas. Have a great weeek!!

Love

Anziano Passantino

Look for the Miracles in YOUR life!

Family and Friends,

   Another week here in this amazing County. We are all doing well. We got a new Anziano this week named Anziano M******n. He seems like a great missionary and we are excited for the work in this city. I am sure he will help there companionship a lot. We have had a good week but not a ton going on. It is getting to the point where the people here are staying inside a lot more or going to different places in the world that are warmer. Our church attendence has droped a lot so thats too bad but it's just because people are traveling all over the place. 

   Today I wanted to write this email a little bit more about some of the things that I have learned this week. I have learned a lot here in Italy about a number of different topics but one of the things that I have learned the most is how much we are blessed when we do the things that we know to be correct. I have found that as I strive to work my hardest and to follow the Savior in all that I do that he blesses me. At times we go through our life and we miss all the little things that we are blessed with. The Thanksgiving season helped me to look for these little things a lot more. I have noticed the little blessings he gives us. Something I have noticed is that when I follow the to the number I am blessed with the ability to speak to these people in the language they need to here. It is something I have seen the opposite as well. When I do not follow the rules exactly and I am lost for words, I don't know what to say and I am really unable to convey the words I want to. It is weird but is a blessing. With the advice from family and friends I have been writing down miracles or little blessings that I have seen in my life.As I notice the little things I am blessed with more big things and can see how much I am being blessed each day. S I have noticed that some people  don't want to do the things of the Lord because they don't see the fruits of it. As we come to the realization that everything  we have is given to us by the actions we make and based on our obedience we are more willing to give back and continue to move forward. The little things are so important, as we look really hard for those little things we will be blessed. I know that the Lord blesses us. 

    As humans we make miracles be something we cannot comprehend, such as the miracles Christ did when he was on the earth such as Healing the Sick and raising people from the dead. The cool thing is that miracles are not something man can comprehend, God knows all things so therefore he creates the rules on what can happen and what will not. As we try to limit his strength by defining miracles as something we cannot comprehend we miss the many miracles each one of us sees. For example the internet that I am using to write this e mail. It is not a miracle in the eyes of many that I am able to write and send the e mail but to me it is. Someone was guided by a God whom I know to be there to create this way of communication. It is a blessing we don't even realize because we use it every day. 

    I would hope that all people would look for these little miracles, these little blessings we have in our lives that we see. It is my prayer that as we look for these we will be able to realize that it wasn't by chance that we are here. That everything we have, we do, we see has some type of heavenly purpose that only God knows the answer to. I know that there is a God, that He sent his son Jesus Christ to Atone for our sins and that He loves us so much and blesses us more than we can possibly understand. He wants to hear from us through prayer and He wants to help us even more as we recognize that all we have is for him. I love you all and hope you have a great week. 

With Love

Anziano Passantino

Staying in Terni

Dear Family and Friends

     Wow I cant believe it has already been a transfer. I got my first transfer calls on Saturday and that was exciting. They joked with me a bit but then they told me I was staying here in Terni. I also will have the same comp follow up train me! I am glad to stay here. I like it here and I like it more and more as I go to some of the other cities, not that they are bad but I am happy here! Hopefully I will get to go down south sometime soon!!

     We had a random conference on Tuesday in Rome with only our Stake and the other Rome stake and the General Sunday School teacher sopke to only us missionries and also a member of the Young Mens Presidency. It was PERFECT. We all needed it and the stuff they taught helped a lot. It was good for everyone, the main message being about Real Intent. How we need to have real intent in everything we do starting from waking up and ending with going to sleep, everything needs to be done with a purpose in mind and we need to always ask each ourselves if what we are doing in purposeful. It made me think a lot about the little things we do doing the day like working out, and those types of things. The other was about how to become better teachers. That was great to but focused mostly just on us misisonaries. It was a great learning experience. 

        We have done a lot of traveling back and forth to Rome these last few weeks and will have to do it a couple of times again this week. We are getting a new elder, Anziano M*******n I think is his name. We have only heard good things about him so we are very exciting to keep moving foreward with the work . 

       I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving. I am grateful for all of you and for the chance that I have to be here. I have seen people become happier as they have learned about the message we have. It is my hope that all people will at least give it a chance. I know if you do then your life will change for the better. The joy that we have is something I wish for everyone because I have seen lots of people lacking that joy. It is one of the greatest things about this gospel. I hope everyone eats a lot this week, we are having a little thanksgiving party for the English class we teach so they can realize all they have. I hope everyone this week reflects on the things they have, and not just the big things, but the little things. Look for the little things in your life that you may not appreciate as much. We all have so much. Hope everyones week is great. I love you all.

Love

Anziano Passantino