Reflections over Ravioli: The Missionary Blog of Anziano Cannon: Week 8

July 20, 2015

Ciao everyone! This was a crazy and at times delicious week. Remember that just because it was made in Italy, the food isn't necessarily amazing. Unless it's gelato. Then it IS necessarily amazing. On Thursday we taught a lesson to a guy we accidentally met (no joke) at a bar. Don't worry - bars here are different. But we saw Fratello Menino there and he bought us some gelato. Then we talked with this guy who turned out to be evangelical. We were sitting there trying to end the conversation for like ever because he was just going crazy about all this doctrinal stuff. Then he bought us more gelato, so there was a bright side I guess.

Here it's a little difficult because of the different religions. There are tons of Jehovah's Witnesses. They proselyte too, which is kind of awkward. The Evangelicals, the Muslims and often the Catholics are typically pretty opposed to our church. The Africans are a different story. There are very few of them here in Bagheria, but there are tons in Palermo so they have their own ward. I love seeing them in the church and telling them my grandparents served missions in Ghana, it's a quick way to become friends. Also, the Italian kissing thing is kind of weird. Like you don't know what it's like to touch your cheek to a sweaty drunk guy with a beard until you do it. Thankfully, you typically only do it with good friends.

Thursday we invited Filipo to be baptized, and he said yes! I was the one who asked him the question, but…. In the MTC I got so used to asking that question and it took so long that it came out more like a statement than a question… so, unfortunately, Anziano Borner had to re-ask him to be baptized.

There was a big low when we had Lorenzo, Filipo, and another family tell us Saturday night that they would come to church on and then they all bailed. We teach lots of other people too but the church is so far away that only the most serious investigators come. On Saturday also we had this pretty cool experience. We walked past this house where we could hear people yelling inside, but I felt prompted to go back and knock on the door, despite the fact that my companion says they essentially never get let into houses that way. Anyway they said we could come back and teach them later! It's super cool, one thing I am convinced of is that never in our lives has God been more behind us with what we are doing than he is now.

Love, Anziano Cannon