Update from Italy

September 18, 2013

We have had a really good week. This week. We have seen the love of God a lot and we have been blessed by him exceedingly. Anziano D. is doing  pretty well. He is being a trooper even though for him, this is probably pretty difficult.

On Thursday we were in Modena for a zone meeting. It was really good. We met with Jerry from English class. He seems to really be searching for truth and meaning in this big old crazy world. Please pray for him. We had English class and it was fun. We played Taboo and they had a ball. I remembered how much fun the family has playing that game, especially mom and grandma ;)

We taught Revindar and Stive on Friday (They are both growing a lot and it is really good to see) and planned our week. We realized that thing will be picking up a ton here in Bologna. We are excited.

On Saturday, our investigator, Prince introduced us to his friend, Joshua from England. That was a really good lesson. We explained the Restoration of the Gospel and I feel like both of them are so prepared and ready for the truth!

Sunday was good! Four people came to church on Sunday! Three of them for the first time! Yay!

On Monday, we had district meeting. I love my district! After that, we met with Jerry, Revindar and Lucky. All of those lessons were really good. I am especially excited for Revindar because he seems close to the goal we made together for his baptism which should be on the 28th of the month!

Yesterday, We had a lesson with Stive and it went well. We talked about priesthood and baptism and serving others. We learned a lot together and I also feel like Stive is close to baptism.

I love you all a lot and I am looking forward to hearing from you! Stay well!

September 25, 2013

This has been a good week. A lot has happened. It has been fun.

Well on Thursday, I went to Ferrara for Scambi. We taught an investigator of theirs who ended up getting baptized the next day in Catania. I gave him a baptismal interview and it went really well. I was excited. We did a ton of finding work which was actually really refreshing. We had a bunch of really stimulating conversations mostly with non-Italian European tourists. A piece of somewhat disheartening news... Anziano D. called me that night and told me that President Dibb had been in contact with Anziano D. family and Stake President and they had together reached the conclusion that Anziano D. should go home to rest up. He left in the morning of the next day before I was back in Bologna. Pray for him. 

On Friday, we went to Modena for interviews. And I joined the companionship with Anziano T. and E. until Monday. (Its was like February of earlier this year!) That was pretty good. Sorella Dibb fed us some really delicious soup. It is always a pleasure to talk with President and Sorella Dibb. We taught Stive again that day which was good and also a new convert named Elizabeth. Both lessons were great.

Anziano T. has this project going where he is recording Moroni 10:4-5 in the native languages of all of our investigators, members, and new converts! It is cool to listen to it! I found out about that on Friday.

On Saturday, we did a lot of work with the Cappi's investigators. We had a lunch appointment with some members which was nice. That day I weekly planned by myself. Weirdest. thing. ever. It was good though.

On Sunday we had a super good day at Church. We all moved into our new building. An English School through out the week. We taught Revindar and that was great. I love that guy.

On Monday, I went to Reggio Emilia for their district meeting with the cappi. Our Zone is so small now since it was split two transfers ago, that with mine and the cappi's presence it was one coppia short of a zone meeting. That got a few laughs from the other missionaries. After that, i made lunch and then ran around the train station in Bologna like a chicken with its head cut off looking for my new cellphonless companion....

Speaking of that, Introducing Anziano H. from Idaho Falls! He is great. He is my new companion and he is in his 4th transfer.

Well together, we taught Stive and then got him all unpacked

Yesterday was a good day, We had district meeting after which I made a good old southern style home cooked meal of biscuits and gravy, eggs and taco potatoes. It was good and surprisingly low in price. Between lunch and bedtime we were running around the city between lessons. We contacted a referral which turned out to be an American Family from North Carolina here fir an extended (several years) business stay who invited us back on Wednesday! I am SO excited to FINALLY teach a family! They were super nice. We also met with some less active members and had an impromptu lesson in the park. It was a good day. 

Today, I showed Anziano H. around town. I also got my whole weeks groceries for 8.26 euro. I can hardly believe it myself. It gets sparse towards the end of the month out on the mission. We have three lessons planned this evening.

It been a great week and a great time to be a missionary! :)

October 2, 2013

Hello Everyone!

What a great week it has been! Anziano H. and I are growing together and we are seeing so many miracles! I am loving it! It has been a lot of fun.

On Thursday, We had a lesson with a potential investigator. It didn't really go anywhere and he said that he showed up just to be polite, and that he wasn't totally interested in anything of the religious sort. But he listened politely and thanked us when he left. We had English class that night and I gave them a Spiritual thought (something that I had been trying to test the waters on for a while) from Romans Chapter 8 (the last few verses that talk about how God loves us and that nothing can separate us from that love) That was a really nice and I am pretty sure that they liked it.

We taught Stive on Friday and did a lot of pass-by's and finding work. It was still a good day.

On Saturday, we taught Revindar. That went really well. We are trying to get him to come to church which he said he would happily do if he didn't work. We are trying to get him to ask his boss to give him the time off. Also that day, we taught Elena and Givanni our Family from Romania that Anziano H. and I taught at the beginning of our time in Bologna. That was awesome! They all accepted invitations to be Baptized on the 5th of November! Yay!

On Sunday, we had church and Anziano H. and I did a ton of Pass-bys and a trip to the hospital to visit a member.

Monday was fun, we had District meeting and I hosted Anziano R. who is serving in Ferrara for Scambio. That was fun. We taught Stive again and then we taught the Romanian family again.

Yesterday, we got stood up, so we went finding and taught an impromptu lesson to a girl from Bangladesh. She was awesome! Super Prepared. We gave her an invitation to be baptized on the 5th of November as well. We then taught Revindar and then you guessed it, The Romanian Family :)

Today we will see Stive and the American Family. I am super excited!!

I love you guys and I am so thankful for you all! I hope that you all are feeling close to God and knowing that he loves you. I have felt this love as I have been here in His service and I know that all we need to do is repent and come unto Him and he will bless our lives!

October 9, 2013

The title sums it up. It has pretty much rained every day of this week but it has been fantastic. Every little bit of it!

Well this week had a lot happen.

We met with that American family, and they wanted to take us out to dinner, so we did. We answered a lot of their questions and ate some pretty good food. We are returning today and we will teach them about the Restoration of the Gospel. I am excited. They are way nice.

On Thursday, We taught Stive, our Romanian Family and Had English Class. All of it was really good. I love my English class! They are awesome. We talked about food that brings us memories. Also that day, we dropped off some Books of Mormon in the only room left open in our Chapel. That place is totally wrecked because of all the construction. But they are going to make it a lot better, so I am glad.

On Friday, we talked to Stive, the Romanians, and Revindar.

On Saturday and Sunday, We went to Modena for General Conference. Rocking! Whoever hasn't seen this round of General Conference need to go see it now. You won't regret it. I especially like the talks that President Uchtdorf gave.

On Monday, We had district meeting, and then we taught Stive and the Romanians.

On Tuesday, it rained a lot and we were in the middle of a park and got totally soaked! We still managed to teach the Romanians and Aiuni, (an investigator who was given to us as a referral from the Capi from Palestine) 

Today, we are going to go take a bunch of pictures from high points in Bologna and then teach Stive and the American Family.

I am going to Ferrara on Saturday to give a baptismal interview.

That's been my week!

I love you  all!

October 16, 2013

Well I actually have news for you all! The Lord has called me to Trieste. Trieste is really far away from Milano  pretty much a stone's throw from Slovenia. so the joke is that I am being "exiled" My companion will be called Elder Poole (I actually have no Idea if I spelled that right) I am super excited! Leaving Bologna will of course be a little bitter sweet as leaving a city always is for me. I have learned a lot from my service here in Bologna. I feel like I have grown a lot and have felt the Lord shape me and help me grow. Well That is cool.

This has been a really good week! We have had alot of fun this week.

Wednesday night after P-day we went to see Stive and Also the Kernan family! They invited four friends over. Two of which came form Portland. One of which works at Lewis and Clark College and has offered to help me get in to L&CC! that will be super great! We had fun and we talked and we gave them a spiritual thought. Super nice!

On Thursday, we taught a less active member and we had English class. That was really great. The bread and cinnamon rolls that Anziano H. and I made for them turned out great! I love my English Class!

On Friday, I went to Ferrara to do a Scambio with them and pass by a lot of their members with Anziano C.

On Saturday morning, I gave a baptismal interview for their investigator who will be getting baptized this Saturday!! We taught the Romanian family after I got back to Bologna which was about 5 that evening.

Sunday was a good day. Church was definitely nice. I had a scambio with the Cappi. That was good. I went with Anziano E. and passed by a bunch of less actives and former investigators.

On Monday we very thoroughly cleaned our house and taught our Palestinian Investigator, Aiuni. He is so amazing!

Yesterday, we taught Stive and a man named Aftab.

That was essentially the week! I love you all. Next week from Trieste!

Love Always,

Anziano John Colin Cook