Headed to Catanzaro

Dear Family and Friends,

How is everyone doing this week?? We have had a good week. We have seen a little bit of a drop off in our ability to see people in this last part of the week but we think it is just a temporary thing in which they are a little bit busy right now. We also have recieved a little bit of news. I will be leaving this week to go down and serve in the city of Catanzaro!! I am very excited for this new adventure that I get to be going on now.  Terni has been really good to me. I am going to miss it, that is for sure, but I am very excited for this new adventure in the mission. I am excited for the change and for the chance I will have to grow in Catanzaro. Anziano M******* and I will be sad to leave each other because we have become good friends but I am super excited to go and meet Anziano K**** I have only heard good things about him and the work he is doing. Catanzaro is in Calabria and down south. It is quite the change in places in terms of distance. It is almost like being sent from Chico California to San Francisco or Dallas to Houston. Even a little big bigger than those. Plus the cities will be a TON different. It will be small branch instead of a big ward and the work will be different but I am super excited for the new chance to work in this area. 

This week here in Terni we were also able to do a Scambio with the Rome 5 anziani. I really enjoyed it and I learned a lot from both Anziano S***** and G*****l. Both of them are great. Anziano S**** to came with me in the morning and taught a new member lesson with Stefano. It went really well and I learned a lot about teaching from one short lesson. He seems to connect really well and come up with great examples to help others understand a little bit more about the gospel and what they need to be doing to recieve the blessing of it here on the earth. Then I taught and did a lesson with Anziano G*****. We tried out a new finding technique. It was called spiritual finding. He told me to think about a person, what he was wearing and what he looked like, then to picture a place and then we would pray and go find that person.On the basis that we had to be exactly obedient and we had to stop the person when the Lord put them in our path. I did this and it worked. I found this person wearing exactly the same thing I saw and at the exact spot. He didn't want to hear anything but we were able to leave a little pass-along card and who knows what will happen. I did reviece a stronger testimony of how when we have faith and when we invoke the powers of heaven he will bless us with miracles. Of course everyone has there ability to choose but we can only do our best to help others come unto Christ. 

It is so amazing how we see miracles every day. I am able to grow, learn, and continue forward each day. 

I hope everyone has a great week and everything is going well. thanks for everything!! I love you all

Love Anziano Passantino

Elder Kearon comes to visit

Well we have been really blessed this week.Today we were able to go to the Waterfalls here near Terni. They are one of the biggest in Europe or something. I am not really sure but they are famous around the world I guess. We got completely soaked but it was lots of fun. Also it was freezing cold plus the water but totally worth it. Oh and it hailed for like 20 min while we were doing the hike. Just another fun story to share.

The work is going very well also. The other day we were looking in the area book and I felt like I needed to call a certain person. I called him and we set up and appointment. During the appointment he told us about how three times in his life when he needed help and asked God to help him in some way the missionaries contacted him. The first time it was a really hard time and they gave him a picture of Christ. The second time they called him twice. And the third time was us. He met with us and came to church this Sunday. He also brought his companion. He really wants to change his life and is really doing great and we are really looking forward to working with him.  I feel so blessed to have the chance to serve as a missionary. 

The conference with Elder Kearon this week was really inspiring. It was a little different than normal in the fact that he didn't really go to hard on us (breaking boxes as they call it here in Italy) but was very loveing and sincere I was able to learn a lot and recieve many answers to my prayers. I loved how genuine he was and I felt like he was speaking directly to me. He talked a lot about finding out who you really are and this is something I hope to be able to figure out here on my mission. It is a subject I have studied a lot but I now realize that fasting and even more fervent prayer will be necessary this week to get the answer I need at this moment. Don't get me wrong, I know that I am a son of God and I have felt that in my own life, I am just now trying to move that knowledge into some way in which I can help others feel of that love. I hope to find that with lots of scripture study, prayer, fasting, and pondering. 

The week here has really gone well. Everything is going well and we are still working hard. It has seemed like this week has gone perfectly in the sense that everything is moving along very smoothly. Our investigators are moving forward and progressing well. We hope that they will be able to make some very big steps in the coming weeks and really get them to come closer to Jesus Christ. We didn't see a slow down in the work even when we missed a day on wednesday to come to Rome, the work is still moving forward plus we were given an extra push from Elder Kearons words. 

I have really been focusing on something different in my studies the last few days. I remember Elder Kearon saying something about having softend hearts. I wrote in my notes that I needed to find out how I can soften my own heart before the spirit can soften the hearts of others. I didn't really understand the true meaning of a softened heart until I began to study. I really feel like by softening our hearts we can become more in tune with the spirit. We must be more humble. I have always desired to be one of those people that radiates with the spirit. I feel like those people who radiate with the spirit have soft hearts and are willing to follow the spirit in every case. We have to be able to invite the spirit and then accept in into our lessons. 

I love the fact that the spirit is so strong in all that we do and say as missionaries. We can really really learn from the spirit if we are willing and humble enough to accept the teachings that we are given by the spirit. I have learned a lot about myself and about how I can help others from the spirit in these short 6 months and will be eternally grateful for that and for all I will continue to learn from those I meet each day. Have a great week!! Thank you for everything you all do. 

Love

Anziano Passantino

Our Mission President Came to Church

Dear Family and Friends,

How is everyone doing this week? Everyone having a good Saint Patrick day? We got my comp today because he only had one green tie and I asked him if I could use it today so we were able to get him on the green trick .Anziano M****** and I are doing well. I am learning a lot about myself from being with him.  We have had a good week. We have seen some amazing miracles as we are striving to help others learn and grow. I have always heard from lots of different people that the more you forget about yourself the more you actually find. It is really true. I have seen that as I focus all of my thoughts and actions in serving others and helping them that I see miracles and the spirit teaches me and helps me grow in strength and testimony during the process. 

We were blessed to have our Mission President in Church this last week. Unfortunately none of our investigators came for the first two ours but 3 of them came during Sacrament meeting the spirit was very strong. It an important meeting not only for the members but also for our investigators. 

Yesterday was especially important for M******. M****** is one of our greatest investigators and is really striving to learn and find the truth in his life. He was able to speak to President a little bit and President invited him to a baptismal date within 30 seconds. Something that wasn't really brought to the attention of President is that we were doing a fast for him and his baptismal date on Friday and Saturday. He told us he felt good but didn't really have the answer to his questions yet. Then President was able to meet with him and talk about that date. I think this really gave him a goal. Exactly after that, he went and was talking with a member who had joined us in the fast for Michele. During their discussion the member mentioned that we can find all the answers to our doubts and fears through the scriptures. At that moment he opened the scriptures to 3 Nephi 17. There were two verses that were underlined in this chapter. We saw him read these two verses then run out of the room crying. We didn't really know what had happened. We went to comfort him and we found an empty room in the church where we could meet together. He explained to us through sobbing that these two scriptures were the answers to the doubts he had. He explained to us about how he had never felt the spirit so strong in his life. He explained how he had been praying and fasting with all his heart trying to find the truth and in that moment he knew it was true. I saw this miracle or prayer in fasting happen right in front of my eyes. I felt so much love for him and was so happy for this moment in his life. He was striving to find the truth and God blessed him with an answer just as promised. I know that God responds to our problems and is always there to helps us in times of need and when we are HUMBLY searching for an answer and or a guide in our life. I am so very grateful for the love my Heavenly Father gives to me and to all of His children and for the chance I was given to see that in my life this week.

 My advice for the week would be to try and do something for someone else every day this week. If you will do it you will see the blessings.Elder K***** is coming this week and so we are going to Rome on Wednesday morning. We are all super excited. Have a great week! I love and Miss you all. 

We will not give up!!!

Dear Family and Friends,

How is everyone doing? I am doing very well this week. We have had a good week. This week has been a little bit slower but we are still working towards our goals every week. Anziano M******* and I are getting along well. We had to travel a little bit this week and so we were not able to get as much done as we would have hoped but our travels to Perugia went well. We have a new investigator there that is great. He accepted all that we have taught him and he really wants to know a lot about the Book of Mormon. He is great and just wants to help others in all he does. We have been doing a little bit of house to house this week. We found an apartment building that we thought was great and we knocked doors for an hour or so. We knocked about 40 doors and no success but we are not giving up hope there because both Anziano McClellan and I felt like it is a place where we needed to be. Some have been asking about the language. I have realized that I haven't talked much about it. It is coming very well. I feel comfortable with it now and can communicate with others well, now I just need to keep on building it up stronger and stronger. But like I said it is good and I have really been blessed.

This week I have seen many miracles. I have been searching more than usual for the small ones that we sometimes miss if we are not looking really closely. I love seeing the many blessing that we are given as we give our hearts to the Lord. In my scripture study I have been reading about Ammon. He is a hero to me and an amazing example of how we need to be as missionaries. As Preach My Gospel says, the way he teaches the king about God is amazing.Somebody who doesn't have a knowledge of who God is or what his plan is, is actually more common than I thought. I have been trying to keep him in mind and learn from him as we are teaching an atheist who doesn't believe in God. This man did come to church this week and that was great. The only thing holding him back is that he is not willing to pray for an answer. We have and will continue to tell him that this is the way we can receive this answer he is looking for. When we feel the spirit, and our testimony of that confirmation grows, there is nothing and nobody that can take that away from us. 

Also another thing that I noticed was that the more I teach the more my testimony is growing. Sometimes as we talk to people on the street or we teach people from other religions we sometimes are put down for our testimonies. We sometimes get put down for what we know and what we have a testimony of at such a young age. My Testimony is really growing each and every day, I have defended my knowledge about religion and the gospel of Jesus Christ and it is a little sad to me that others will try to put you down for it. I KNOW without a shadow of a doubt that what we are doing is the Lords work. Satin is working hard on these people but the Spirit is so much stronger. He cannot stop us if we are united in bringing people to Christ. Like I said before we are doing well and always moving forward. I love you all soooo much. Have a great week.

Love

Anziano Passantino

6 months already?

Dear Family and Friends, 

How is everyone this week??Well just like always, we have had another amazing week. I don't think it is possible to have a bad week here on the mission. I get to spend every minute of every day serving the Lord Jesus Christ. He has done so much for me and the one little thing I can give to him is my heart. Everything I do and have done in the past little while I start by asking, would this help me to represent my Savior Jesus Christ. 

This last week we had a visit from Elder Allen who is in the head of the Department of Missionaries. He was a major factor in writing Preach My Gospel and making The District videos. He really ripped into us this week but I think we needed it.  I have been really trying to work my best this past week at talking with everyone and sharing this message with all who I meet.  I have seen my love and desire to preach the gospel grow in only a few short days. I have been so blessed to have this gospel in my life and I really don't have the right to keep that from others. They can choose but I must give them the oppourtinity to choose. Anziano M******* and I are doing well. We are striving to work together to be better Preach My Gospel Missionaries. The work is also going well. I have seen that this week was one of our best. Like I said last week, when we do our best, we will be blessed. Yesterday was very crazy in the sense that we had a lot to do but it was an amazing day. We taught two lessons with two different members, in two different cities and both went very well. Also we had 4 people that we are teaching in church this week. I can see the blessings of this work in my life and the lives of others. 

I loved the scripture that our mission president shared with us. It is D&C 29:4-7 I read it only in Italian but I love verse six. I have such a strong testimony of praying with faith and recieving. Also when it says "essendo UNITI nella preghiera secondo il mio comando, voi lo riceverete." I think it is really important to be united in this work. Unfortunatly sometimes as missionaries I have seen a little bit of contention or competition. I really believe that we need to be working together because we are all on the same team working for the same purpose. Whether it is the language, or numbers, we need 

to be happy when others are doing well and put in everything we can to help others to grow instead of comparing ourselves. This is something I struggled with and really worked hard at in the MTC and have seen the anwsers to my prayers here in the field as I ask for the help to develop these Christlike attributes. It has been my goal to really strive to obtain christlike attributes and to share those with others. I am so grateful for the many examples we can find from the scriptures and from the life of Christ himself. I am doing really well. I am loving everything. This is amazing. I hope everyone is doing well. Thank you all for everything. 

Love

Anziano Passantino

Narnia

Dear Family and Friends

We have had another good week here in Terni. Today we went to Narni. The old city that CS Lewis took his story from. We found a lampost that looked exactly like the one in the movie. Then there was a door in a rock wall just like the house Tumnas in the story. You will all have to look that all up. Plus we saw a lot of Lions in the city.  The place is really beautiful but then again, I see so many beautiful things every day. It is becoming sad because I don't want to take them for granted. It is really amazing.

Anziano M****** and I are doing well together and in my opinion we get along very well. We are very different in many ways but that makes for a great thing in the end. The work is going foreward here. We were happy to get Anziano P**** and he came in and fit in right away. He seems like a great missionary. The work has been going very well. We have an 18 year old investigator named M****** and he is great. His parents are against what he is doing because it goes against the tradition of the family but he is trying to find his own personal path and he is striving to find and follow God in his life. He just wants to get better each and every day so with that being said, he is perfect. Yesterday we had a baptism for a member, this turned out to be really good as M****** was able to come along with his girlfriend. He is really golden.
Other than that, we had a great lesson with R******. R****** has been meeting with the misionaries for a long time now and he was starting to fall back. We brought him to a lesson with our Ward mission leader and it was amazing. He let out his heart to us and you could tell he needed it. We were able to teach him about how when you put God first in your life, He will be your guide in all things. He really needed some guidence in his life. He has seen that as he reads the scriptures, everything gets better. He is able to deal with the problems in his life much easier when he is following the principles of the gospel and study out of the scriptures. We were able to give him a blessing at the end and he said he felt the spirit stronger than ever.
It is so true. When we put the Lord first in our lives, we don't have to worry about anything. 

Sometimes I have little problems come into my mind about the future but I have the comfort of knowing that if I give everything to the Lord, He will never leave us alone. We don't have to worry about what will happen if we are following the priciples of the gospel. So I am doing well. I have never been happier in terms of where I am and what will be happening. I have been trying to keep a mindset about the future and now I know that it wil all be okay. I am so grateful for the gospel and the joy that it has brought into my life. I am also thankful for all of you. I hope everyone has a great week.

Love

Anziano Passantino

St. Valentine

Dear family and friends

Like always I hope that everyone is safe and well. We have had another great week here in Terni. The trio is sad to be splitting up but we are happy to be getting another Anziano, Anziano  P****. I am happy to be working with Anziano M******* this next transfer. He is a great missionary who has the language down very well. His grammer is fantastic so I am looking foreward to being able to learn from him and the hard work he has put in and be able to grow myself as well. 

This past week has been very exciting in many different ways. We started with our Pday in Rome. We saw some of the big cites. We were able to see the Vatican and a giant Castle as well. Just like us Americans we had lunch at the only Subway I have ever seen. I had a normal sandwhich for the first time in 5 and a half months haha. The funny thing is it smells exactly the same in Italy as it does in America. Oh also, I forgot to tell you all. This week for Valentines day, we were in the city where Saint Valentine was born. He is the Patron Saint of the city of Terni. It was a huge party here so nothing was open and everyone was packed in center. There was people from all over Italy here trying to sell different things.It was a big festa. 

This past week we have been trying hard to bring the members with us to all of our lessons. I have seen that when members bear testimony along with ours the spirit is even more strong. I love when others are able to be there as well because in that way we can learn from other teaching techniques. As I have said before one of the greatest things about being on the mission is growing along with those you are teaching. I see the truth grow in others but it also grows in me each time we teach.  

We are having a little trouble with our new convert S******. We are trying to help him in everyway but he has this idea in his mind that some of the members have their own personal objectives in mind when they make decisions. It makes me sad to see. I will continue to pray and hope that his heart will be softened to know the truth about these members. I am also frustrated with the fact that others have been planting these thoughts in his mind recently. I know that the Lord is in charge so that makes everything more assuring knowing that I am doing all I can to help. In the end his will will be done. It is also hard because I know the prayers, fasting, and revelation that goes into this work and he just 
can't see that as of now. I know that with faith he will be able to see that. 

Other than that, this week has been good with work. We have all been feeling a little under the weather this week, especially Anziano W******, but it seems to be getting better.His fever was at 102.6 but it is going down.  Hopefully we can avoid it for the next little while so the work can go on here. I am so grateful for this work that we are doing. I have NO doubt that it is the work of the Lord and that it is being hastened for a reason and that we are definatly in the last days. I love seeing this work go foreward. Thank you all for all you do for me. I love and miss you all but I am doing well here. Have a great week everyone!!

Love,

Anziano Passantino