New Companion/Bodyguard!

Ciao mamma!


Well, everything here in Padova is going great! This week was transfers, and I am staying here a little longer, which I am excited about! Anziano Lefler sadly, is not. He is heading down to Ravenna to be a zone leader, and he even gets a car. Lucky. But my new companion Anziano Gneiting will be here tomorrow, and I hear he is an awesome guy. When President Dibbs called to tell me about what I would be doing for transfers he said, "Well anziano Vaclaw, I am sending you down a body guard, so you will be feeling safe there in Padova" because I guess Anziano Gneiting is a very tall, big guy. So, if you were worried about my safety for some reason, I am going to be in good hands I guess.


Besides that, things went very great with the work here! Jackson was able to be baptized this Saturday, and I can't say how grateful I am to have played a role in that. There really is no greater joy than missionary work. He does have a difficult situation here in Italy, but he is so faithful and willing. Like this week he had to go to Bari, so he called us to get the missionaries number down there so that he could find the church on Sunday. I think he will be fine. I would send a picture as well, but I forgot the wire at the apartment this morning, because we were in a rush to get to Ferrara and play some calchio with the zone. So next time you will get more pictures!


The little old Russian lady I mentioned is Elena, sorry about that, I didn't realize I hadn't said her name yet. I feel like I am in a race with the clock everytime we e-mail because there is so much I want to say but I don't have the time. She is doing great though! We have had a lot of member present lessons with her, and I think that that is making all the difference. We talked a bit about the plan of salvation with her and it was awesome because she had so many questions about it, and at the end she seemed really content with her answers. She wasn't able to come to church this last sunday, but hopefully she can make it this week.


Another person that we met is Kipepa, and he is awesome. He is from the Congo, and speaks fluent french and Italian, and his kid rocks at soccer. He said that he is really looking for answers because about 4 months ago, he had some kind of "anurism?" I hope that is how it's spelled, it is weird trying to spell English words sometimes, because Italian is just spelled exactly how it sounds, so much easier! Anyways, he had that happen to him, and he was close to dying, but he lived, and now the left side of his body is paralyzed, but it is recovering a little. So we came over to help him out with some things, because his wife is busy with work a lot, and because he has a friend in the church and his friend told us go to see him and help him out around the house. He said that he felt like God let him live for a reason, he is just not sure what that is. As we taught him the restoration and plan of salvation, he was super attentive and asked a lot of really great questions. I know the things we are bringing to him will bring him so much joy, and he has already told us that he feels something different when we are with him. I am grateful that the Lord is working with him, and we hope to invite him to accept a baptismal date this coming week, but we'll see.


That is a bummer that some of the chickens are missing! I am sure Jack and the Christiansen kids will love raising some new ones though. Nicole is leaving though! Wow. I remember hearing she was leaving early next year, and it felt like a month ago I heard about her call. Time is going by too fast! I am already done being trained, now I hope to be a lot more responsible, I basically am one of the resident experts on Padova, so that will be a little fun for awhile. Only me and Anziano Chamberlain have been here for 2 transfers now. She is going to have a great experience. Sacrifice brings forth the blessing of heaven, and I feel like trials come when we aren't willing to sacrifice enough. I feel like I have learned here that we can always give more, and that applies to anything, but especially to missionary work.


Buona settimana, e ci vedremo la prossima volta!


Vi voglio bene,

Anziano Vaclaw