Starbursts and Tithing

This week we taught M______ about the law of tithing and fast offerings. We used starbursts as an example. We gave her ten and told her to pay her tithing if she was willing. She gave us one starburst back. We then tossed a whole package of starbursts (one of the big packs with like 50 or so candies) into her lap and said that God will always pour her out a blessing, so large that she won't have enough room to receive it. It worked out perfectly, because her mother had just fed us an amazing meal, and I don't think any of us had room left to receive starbursts or anything else! We committed her to live the law of tithing and the law of the fast and she accepted! I don't know if I mentioned it last time, but she has a baptismal date set for the 12th of October! We might change the date to the 19th because the 12th is stake conference so it might not work on the 12th very well.

 

 

Elder Brown eating tacos

 

I love apples, and I am jealous of all of the tasties you guys are having. I don't miss American chocolate though. The chocolate here is soooooooooooooo much better! When I get back I am going to miss it! You know Cadbury, like the Easter egg chocolate? It is the most common brand here! Imagine if they replaced all of heresy's and nestle with Cadbury. that is what it is like! EPIC right? 

I am going to be quite fat when I get back.  I have been fed so well that I don't know what to do with all the food! I don't know if I told you guys yet, but when I weighed at home I was about 172 , and when I weighed on my last day at the MTC I was like 184! LOL I haven't weighed since, because we don't have a scale, but hopefully all of the walking has helped me go back down a bit.

 

Eating with Zone leaders

 

 

 Elder Mannucci is pretty funny! I was reading back in the beginning of my journal, from when I first got into the field. The only thing I wrote about elder Mannucci that first day was that he is Italian, and he laughs a lot! He has been out about 17 months. I don't know how I lucked out. The ward here is amazing, I get to go on exchange all of the time, because my companion is the District Leader. I get to work with the ZL's because they are in the same ward, we are getting new elders in our ward on Oct. 2, so we will soon have six in the same ward! It is so awesome! Also we have Dinner Appointments nearly everyday, and sometimes we have one for lunch and dinner on the same day as well. This is the best area ever!

 

Elder Mannucci (district leader) and Elder Brown and other district leaders

 

Elder Mannucci has one brother and one sister. his bro is like 21ish and his sister is 4. Elder Mannucci is like 22. He is from La Spezia, which is pretty close to Pisa and its famous tower! 

His brother went to the branch president to talk about going on a mission. But his branch president said he is not needed because there are already so many missionaries serving. We were all shocked and pretty upset about it. We are going to call our mission president, and we know that because our mission pres. is awesome, he will most likely call that branch president and see what he can do. The Lord needs everyone he can get, and no worthy young man should be denied the opportunity to serve the lord!

 

I have had some crazy dreams, somehow here and home meld together and become one. The possibilities become endless when you have two different areas, and cultures coming together in one strange situation. I have seen so many weird things that I would still be typing at the second coming if I were to tell you all of them! It suffices to say that some people don't understand, and when we offer to explain they refuse to listen. I love knocking doors! THAT IS NOT SARCASTIC! It is so much fun! I love getting doors slammed in my face, and seeing how people react. They are like little children, its hilarious!

 

The pictures are of me and this statue outside of the library here! Elder Mannucci just thought of the idea of making a picture with us taking a BofM out of the wall next to the statue, so maybe there will be more sometime!

 

 

 

 

On Tuesday this week we stopped a guy in the street at about 8:20 at night. His name is B___ We talked with him for about 10-15 minutes in the street! That doesn't happen often. We gave him a chapel card, and he gave us his card with his address and phone number! He seemed pretty interested, but so do a lot of people who we never see again. Well this Sunday was fast Sunday, and I fasted that we might be able to find new investigators who will be committed, because recently most of our investigators, and potential investigators have been hard to get a hold of, or they never give us an exact time for an appointment, and they just haven't been very committed. Well, that man, B___ came to church at 12:30 on Sunday, and we gave him a tour while everyone was in their classes! We talked about the restoration, and the BofM. We gave him a copy of the BofM and he seemed pretty excited. He has read tons of religious texts as well as the bible, and he has always enjoyed them, but he has no clue what is about to hit him.......MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! He is going to be slapped in the face by the spirit, and he is going to finally find the truth that he didn't realize he was searching for. At least that is what we hope. I think that he is going to be a good investigator, because he kept telling us that he really wants to meet us again soon! 

 

I love you guys, and I can't wait to hear from you again.

 

PS: I am super excited about General Conference, and I don't know why, but for some reason I have a feeling that something big is going to be announced, or that something huge is going to be mentioned, or hinted at. I don't really know. It is probably just me getting all excited because I haven't been so eager to hear what the general authorities have to say in well....forever. I can't wait, and I know that it is going to be really good!

 

Elder Mannucci and Elder Brown

 

Dailen and Zone leaders