Turned 19 and a Quarter Down

Turned 19 and a Quarter Down

Morning Everyone.

What a good week it has been. Turned 19. I am almost a quarter of the way done. Time is really starting to fly by. It feels good, but at the same time is doesn't feel so good. Mission life is the best life. 

So My Birthday was one to remember. I went on exchanges that night with one of our Zone Leaders. Anziano Molnar ( He is from Germany and sounds just like President Uchtdorf when he speaks English.) It was so fun. We went into the heart of Napoli and just started to talking to people. We found many good people and handed tons and tons of pass-a-long cards. After we did that for a little while we went to a member's house for dinner. This member and her young family are truly amazing people. They were so kind and treated me so well. We left them a spiritual thought and I was able to bare my testimony of forever families. I felt inclined to share that with them, because this family has not been through the temple yet. I hope and pray that they will go to the temple and be sealed for time and all eternity. The blessings of the temple are surely a beautiful thing. 

English course is much different here in Pozzuoli than it was in Crotone. There is only 5 people that come in Pozzuoli. So the next few weeks I am really going to get people to start coming to English Course. On Tuesday we had one lady completely blow up on us for no reason. She was mad that we were speaking English and an English Class. She was yelling at us for speaking English at an English class. I was astonished. So I kindly reminded her that this a SERVICE that we do, and that IT IS FREE. She was pretty fired up, but she came back on Thursday. Haha.....I was just laughing when she was yelling. I was thinking....This lady cannot be serious right now. She looks like Ezma from The Emperor's New Groove. That is the honest truth. On Thursday it was my turn to teach English Course so I decided that I wanted to make it as fun as possible and include everyone. Everyone was laughing and having a good time. At the end I taught the students how to play Family Feud as a review game. So for the last 10 minutes we played Family Feud. It was super fun. I love English course. 

On Saturday Night Anziano Fullmer ( My New Comp. ) found a football and when down on the boardwalk to play catch, and to talk some people. I have found that it is much easier to talk to people, and this way they actually want to talk to us, when we are doing something normal. Like throwing a football or playing basketball. It makes it easier for people to open up to us. So Saturday night we played some catch and talked to some good people. After we played catch for a little while we walked a little further until we found a basketball court where there were some older guys playing. So of course I wanted to play. Slacks, White Shirt and Tie and Church Shoes.....I walked out and played basketball with some of these 20 year old guys. It was good to get back into something that is competitive. We will for sure be doing some more "Sports Finding" in the near future. 

Yesterday in church I had a pretty amazing opportunity to be apart of something pretty special. Like I said Pozzuoli is near a Military Base and so lots of Military Families come to church. There was this one young boy who just turned 12 and he needed to have his interview done so he could receive the Aaronic Priesthood. The Branch President here in Pozzuoli speaks no English, so we have to translate for him. He asked me to step into his office and translate the questions from Italian to English as he asked the young boy. I was honored. While we were walking in the young boy grabbed my hand and said..."Elder I am nervous." I just smiled and said......"You are ready my friend. God gives His special priesthood to only the strongest of His soldiers....and you are one of His strongest." We walked in, sat down and the interview began. After it was over the young boy shook my hand again and said....."Thank You Elder." Those three words made everything around me just stop. I couldn't stop thinking about what exactly I had just taken part of. It took me back to my interview and me receiving the Aaronic priesthood. After I exited the Branch Presidents office the young boy ran over to his dad and his dad gave him a big ole hug. After their hug was finished the dad had a tear in his eye. It was touching for me to watch. I love the church. Being missionary is the best. 

This week I wish to talk about Angels and I am going to start with two paragraphs from Elder Holland. 

"When Adam and Eve willingly stepped into mortality, they knew this Telestial world would contain thorns and thistles and troubles of every kind. Perhaps their most challenging realization, however, was not the hardship and danger they would endure but the fact that they would now be distanced from God, separated from Him with whom they had walked and talked, who had given them face-to-face counsel. After this conscious choice, as the record of creation says, “they saw him not; for they were shut out from his presence.” 1 Amidst all else that must have troubled them, surely this must have troubled them the most.

But God knew the challenges they would face, and He certainly knew how lonely and troubled they would sometimes feel. So He watched over His mortal family constantly, heard their prayers always, and sent prophets (and later apostles) to teach, counsel, and guide them. But in times of special need, He sent angels, divine messengers, to bless His children, reassure them that heaven was always very close and that His help was always very near. Indeed, shortly after Adam and Eve found themselves in the lone and dreary world, an angel appeared unto them, 2 who taught them the meaning of their sacrifice and the atoning role of the promised Redeemer who was to come."

There are always Angles among us. Usually such beings are not seen. Sometimes they are. Seen or unseen they are always near. Sometimes there purpose is to warn and protect, but most often it is to comfort, to provide some kind of loving attention, or to guide in difficult times. I know that this world is a world that continues to grow darker and darker and darker as each year, month, week, day and minute go by. Believe me, in Italy, I see it every single day. I do know with all of my heart that no matter how dark this world becomes or how evil this world turns....Angels will always be sent to our aid. Just like they were sent to help Adam and Eve, and just like they were sent to The Savior. This Heavenly Help has been on the earth ever since the first father and the first mother were asked to leave the Garden of Eden. This Heavenly Help will be on this Earth forever. God will never leave us comfortless. He never leaves us unaided in the challenges we face. " Nor will He, so long as the time shall last or the earth shall stand, or there should be one man or one woman or one child upon the face thereof to be saved." (Moroni 7:36) 

I testify that there are always Angels near both on this side of the veil and those who have passed on to the other side. I was lucky enough to know and call one angel "Mom" for just over 4 years. Now she watches over me every single day. I may not be able to see her, or hear her, but I know that she is there. Again not all Angles have crossed over to the other side of the veil yet. There are angels that walk among us, talk to us, drive down the road along side us....but more often than not....The Angels here upon the earth are the special ladies that cook our dinner for us, Fold our laundry for us and are always there for us. I am lucky and blessed enough to know 2 of these Angels. One who has passed onto the other side and one that is still with me today. 

There are Angels among us. So go unseen, while other we see everyday. Some Angels come without a sound, while other Angles we talk with often. The next time a rough patch comes or there is a bump in the road....Take heart....and know that God will not let your heart be troubled. Nor will He let it be afraid. There is always help very near, whether that be Heavenly Help that goes unseen or a random phone call. God will never leave us alone. 

"And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and your left, and my spirit shall be in your hearts ù, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up." (D&C 84:88) 

What a beautiful promise from our Loving Heavenly Father. In closing one last scripture....Psalm 46:1......"God is our refuge and strength, a very pleasant help in times of trouble." 

My challenge this week is to have us be more aware of the beautiful and amazing angels in our lives both that we see and do not see. My challenge this week is to be more grateful to our Father in Heaven for being gracias enough to always make sure that we are alright. I pray that we will all be more aware of the constant aid we are constantly receiving from the other side. This week lets look for n oppertunity to be that Angel here on the earth for someone else. 

The Lord of All.....is always very near. 

 

I love you all. Have an amazing week. Be safe. Be Believing. Never lose Hope in our Father in Heaven who loves and cares for you more than you can comprehend. He is there. His aid is there. Yesterday, Right Now and Forever. 

I love you. 

Anziano JarDee Nessen 

it is worth the pain