May 30, 2016
This week at DDM our
zone leaders tried to do one of "those" addestramentos [training].
The assistants had called them and told them they wanted our zone to find 30
new investigators this week (the standard of excellence of 3 for 10
companionships). So they tried to pump us up. I've never thought more about
reaching a goal on my mission. We found one, then two... Sunday night we hadn't
had the success we wanted and were just getting down to the wire. It was the
fourth quarter, the last lap, the ninth inning (or the 18th hole as I've become
accustomed to with my current companion). Our goal had been 4 new investigators
that week, but even if we didn't get that, we certainly didn't want to drag the
zone average down. At
like 8:20 we gave one last shot to go to a park. After walking around
the whole park and seeing nothing but teenagers making havoc, we passed by a couple
playing cards... Miracles happen. Restoration taught, return appointment set
up. This week we'll be focusing on helping these new people progress.
Transfer calls! My companion, whose obedience and righteousness, among other things, will be missed, is headed off to Gela, also known as the Jehovah's Witnesses capital of Italy. Even there I'm sure the Lord is preparing people. I'll be getting an "I-don't-speak-a-lick-of-Italian-but-I-have-faith-to-move-mountains" elder fresh baked from the MTC here in Bari.
The other week we finally found a haircut place that is open Mondays. Monday is like the official break day of haircutters here in Italy, so it was no surprise that these people were Chinese. They also are way cheap. We went today, and I was scared out of my mind. Normally guys who cut hair try to keep their own hair pretty stylish and well-kept based on that culture's standards. These Chinese guys looked like they had just woken up and not washed their hair in days. Plus they
spoke like three things in Italian, "haircut", "shorter?", and "va bene". Anyway, it turned out ok.
So basically our work right now is Samuel and a bunch of new investigators or soon to be new investigators. Samuel fasted FOR THREE DAYS this week and at the end was miraculously offered a job through our member friend Emanuel. He basically guards cars from getting stolen. It's a brutal job that he has to walk an hour to, but we are all grateful. We will be doing a fast together this week for him, then he is basically either getting baptized or done. We'll be praying!
Love,
Transfer calls! My companion, whose obedience and righteousness, among other things, will be missed, is headed off to Gela, also known as the Jehovah's Witnesses capital of Italy. Even there I'm sure the Lord is preparing people. I'll be getting an "I-don't-speak-a-lick-of-Italian-but-I-have-faith-to-move-mountains" elder fresh baked from the MTC here in Bari.
The other week we finally found a haircut place that is open Mondays. Monday is like the official break day of haircutters here in Italy, so it was no surprise that these people were Chinese. They also are way cheap. We went today, and I was scared out of my mind. Normally guys who cut hair try to keep their own hair pretty stylish and well-kept based on that culture's standards. These Chinese guys looked like they had just woken up and not washed their hair in days. Plus they
spoke like three things in Italian, "haircut", "shorter?", and "va bene". Anyway, it turned out ok.
So basically our work right now is Samuel and a bunch of new investigators or soon to be new investigators. Samuel fasted FOR THREE DAYS this week and at the end was miraculously offered a job through our member friend Emanuel. He basically guards cars from getting stolen. It's a brutal job that he has to walk an hour to, but we are all grateful. We will be doing a fast together this week for him, then he is basically either getting baptized or done. We'll be praying!
Love,
Anziano Cannon
June 7, 2016
Dang this training
thing is a whole different world!! Honestly the mission lingo of him being my
"son" is a lot more true than you would think (based on what I can
imagine real fatherhood to be like). You could say it's hard for the trainer but
obviously it's a lot harder for the new elder when you're really enjoying a
lunch appointment with an older couple after church and the new elder has no
idea what's going on. Or honestly when
you do anything at all and they have no idea what's going on. It's HARD!! But Elder Haws is hanging in there like a
stud, and I've done my best to adjust my 230 kilometer an hour missionary work
pace to help him get up to speed.
But holy cow I NEED
him!!!! What a champ! He is brilliant. Small miracles and large ones abound.
For example, on day one we are about to walk pass an old man gathering his
cherries into a basket he uses to sell them, and Elder Haws tells me:
"talk to him". Normally I wouldn't, but I did, and it was a nice
experience, he ended up forcing us to take a ton of his cherries. But bigger
miracles are happening!
We went and taught
Gianni in the park again on Sunday. At first he seemed distracted by his son,
and I was kind of bummed. Then I thought
"this isn't going super well, but it's the second lesson. I'm not coming
back here again unless he's going to progress in the Gospel, so we are giving
him the baptismal invite!" And he accepted! And promised to read a lot
from the Book of Mormon this week.
Then last night Ivan
called us. Like I said this guy is 18 years old and a couple months ago pretty
dang less active. Yesterday he went to the dentist for his mission checkup and
despite his fears bore testimony to a girl he met there who now wants to meet
with the missionaries!!! We passed her on to the sisters. Miracles dropping
from the sky; that's what greenie life really is.
Samuel talked to
President Waddoups for 40 minutes on Sunday.
He's not ready to be baptized but he is still a stud. Our less active
new convert Emanuel who gets off work late Sunday morning said "if Sam can
come to church, I can too".
John is doing great,
the Holy Ghost is really a clear blessing in his life!
Love,
Anziano Cannon
This will be Ethan's last zone conference with his current mission president.
Ethan is in the same zone as his cousin Tristan Spencer!
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