Happy New Year!

Ciao Mama! Happy New Year to you all too! This is going to be my one e mail today because we do not have a lot of time. One New Year's resolution I made was to start acting more and to turn outwards instead of inwards. I got the thought from a talk I read by Elder Ballard called the Character of Christ. I realize I am really guilty of turning inwards when I go through rough spots, and instead I need to turn outwards, meaning think of others before myself and serve them. Speaking of rough spots and turning outwards, I went through a little one right after the skype. Not that I did not love the skype chat because I did! But I started thinking of home for awhile, and worrying a little bit. So I was not really feeling like going out and doing much. But obviously I did anyways, you guys gave me plenty of practice at sucking up and doing things I do not feel like doing. So we went out to do some finding work. And it was especially bad because we only had 30 minutes, so I thought a lot, "why are we even out here in the cold, 30 minutes is not nearly enough to find anyone." And I will not lie, I had a bad attitude about it. But as we were biking to Prato, still thinking of home, I remembered Sawyer's email about how when it got hard he thought of how much support we had at home. So instead of thinking about all the negatives that come from thinking about home, I thought of all the positives, like how many little cousins are looking up to me, and friends and family I have back home providing love and support. That seemed to boost my spirits enough that I decided I wanted to try really hard to find at least 1 person to share a message with, and to get a return appointment with them. So we arrived there, and immediately a guy a little older than us came up and just talked to us, and we got a teaching appointment. And then we kept going and we talked to a lady who had two awesome little kids, and we made a teaching appointment. So within that 30 minutes we actually had more success than the past 2 days. It was an awesome experience. Jack.. plus a go kart. I am not sure you guys thought that one through. Haha. Just kidding. He is going to be a pro at that thing. Cole's project sounds like a great Eagle project actually. I am glad Jack worked so hard, those service projects are great things, and by the time I got here on my mission it seems like I did not get enough of them. Speaking of a huge racket, Italy goes mad at 12! Everyone on our street was outside banging pans and stuff and fireworks were going off around town, it was awesome. I was actually laying in bed and I heard all that stuff and I was like "what is going on??" And the Italian missionary in our building comes in with pots and pans and is like, "Buon Anno, 2014!" and a bunch of other Italian words I don't know and then goes back out still banging them together. Italians really get into it I guess. Your New Year's party sounds like it was a blast! We had a ward party and a pizza making party in our apartment. We could not be on the streets at 5pm, so we had a long evening with celebrating. I am so glad these festivities are over, because now I do not have to eat so much anymore hopefully.. I have been getting stuffed like the 2 days prior to New Years by members for lunch and dinner and my stomach is like "make it stop" but my tastebuds are saying "More Pandoro!" I love it here in Italia. It is already starting to feel more and more like home. But my heart is still back in Oklahoma, and I do not think that will change. I love you all! Hope everyone has a great year, and holds on to those resolutions. Goals are great things, they are a measurement of progress! Buon anno! Ti voglio bene, Anziano Vaclaw