9 Months Down!

9 Months Down!

Good Morning Everyone!! 

I hope everyone had a great Labor Day and Labor Day weekend. I hope everyone had a good past week of school and work. I hope everyone that had the chance to go to Peach Days enjoyed it. I hope everyone is happy and healthy. I love you all. Things over here in Italy are going very well. The weather is cooling down, all of our investigators have returned home from their vacations and my companion and I are starting to really click. This past week was probably the best that I have had so far in my mission. We are staying healthy, having fun, working hard and enjoying out time here in the wild and crazy Napoli. 

Anziano Lazarte is the man. He finished his mission in two weeks from today and he is still going very strong. This last week we really started to fire on all cylinders. Our lessons are getting better, our finding/tracting is becoming more effective, our time management is clutch... We are doing really well together. I love Anziano Lazarte.

Last week for P-Day we decided to go to Pompeii. It was packed with people but it was pretty neat to see. It was cool to look back and remember learning about Pompeii in the 5th grade and then actually have the opportunity to see the real thing. The buildings, architecture, the way things were preserved....It was pretty incredible to see. Pompeii was a pretty evil place at the time it was destroyed and it is still an evil and corrupt place.....it was a good experience and something I will never forget. This week for P-Day we are going suit shopping. We have been talking with people that own suit stores around town and many of them have agreed to sell us a suit for 50 bucks. So today we are going to see if we can find ourselves some new getty-ups to wear. A nice 50 dollar suit hand made in Italy isn't to bad. 

English Course Update for the week.

Last week we split classes again and we taught the basic course. We went through the lesson for about 45 minutes and then moved everyone in a nice little circle. We pulled up a chair and began to ask them different questions. We asked what their favorite colors where, what their favorite movies are, what year they were born....all those types of questions. The final question I thought to ask was "What is your greatest fear?" We heard many different responses from spiders, to deep water, to heights and a few even said death. As we were going around the circle I made sure that I skipped over myself so I could answer last. The last person to answer before me was Mario, the older gentlemen who had us over for a pizza a few weeks back, and he said.."Death." At this point in the English Course it was time for the spiritual thought and we really didn't have anything in specific planned...but with Mario going last and his response being "Death" we knew just what to do it on. We began to bare testimony that we do not need to be afraid to die if we have done the things necessary during our life on earth to prepare ourselves to meet our Father in Heaven again. We bore testimony that this life, this earth life, is the time for us to prepare to meet our Heavenly Father. That this earth life is a time for us to be tried and tested and pushed to the limit, so we will be ready to receive the eternal glory that is in store for us, that is if we do right. The students then looked at me and asked what my biggest fear was. I replied "That I am not making my Mom who has now passed on proud." We closed the spiritual thought and ended English course with a prayer. Afterwards, there is a mom who has two younger boys and they always come to English course and they are wonderful people, this one mother came out of her way to shake my hand and she said to me..."Trust me because I am a mother. Your mother is proud of you." It was definitely a tender mercy because Tuesday was not the easiest day, but having her come out of her way to say that made Tuesday a little bit better. Might not have been a tender mercy or a miracle for anyone else, but it sure was for me. 

English course is great, our students are great, and we always make it fun. English course is the best! 

We were finally able to get over to Francesco's house again. It had been about a month since we had last met with them, so it was good to finally get over their again and be with them. Anziano Lazarte is kind of a spastic character and doesn't have the best control over his body. He is a smaller, faster and athletic kid.....just doesn't have the best control over his body. As we were doing the self defense and martial arts lesson, there were many time that he came close to laying a nice bare fist on my face...So I would pull off and remind him that we do not have gloves on and that it is going to hurt if he catches me. So the lesson went on and we learned some new things, and then we became to do what the Italians call "Shadow Boxing" or when you work on technique, but don't go full speed because you don't have gloves or protection on. Anziano Lazarte again started to go a little hard and a little harder and a little harder. I reminded him that it was just for fun and we went there to prove anything to anyone. It almost seemed as if I was speaking to the wall because no more than 30 seconds later he came at me pretty hard and caught me right square in the nose with a bare fist punch. The Blood came flowing out, my eyes got all watery and I just stared at him like..."Really?" Haha. I am not going to lie, I wanted to smack him upside the head....but the only thing I could do is laugh. Goodness gracias it hurt so bad and he felt pretty bad but I told him not to worry about it because it was an accident. Francesco's was a good time and it went well with them. They are going to take a little time and a lot of patience, but I believe that they will accept it some day. We just have to continue to take the spirit with us and make sure they know that we love them. They seemed a little happier this time and they didn't seem so weighed down by the stresses of work and everyday life. Made me happy to see them relaxed and worry free. I love Francesco and his wife. They are like family to me. Afterwards I was thinking that, Anziano Lazarte was the first person to punch me, but then I remembered my senior year of basketball and what happened after we beat desert hills. There is a good memory for you for the week!! 

We got ourselves some new investigators this week which is always nice. We got the Ukrainian Mom And Daughter which was a huge score. They are incredible and looking for something. I will give you more on them next week, but just know that they are awesome! Our friend Luigi who came to us last week is doing really well. We met with him a few times last week and he has began reading the Book of Mormon and even accepted a Baptismal Date for Halloween. So if all goes well, I might just get to dress up this year on Halloween. That would be incredible. Luigi is so humble and looking for a change so badly. I love the guy. He can overcome these problems and struggles. I know he can and he will. Salvatore our pizza guy is doing really well. This last week we taught him the word of wisdom and he agreed to stop drinking coffee. He doesn't smoke or drink, so the word of wisdom was something he really liked and understood. His son, who is two years old named Pasquale, got pretty sick the beginning of last week. We told Salvatore that if he would pray for his son, that he would be healed in the morning. Sure enough....Salvatore prayed for his boy and the next day Pasquale was find. He is reading the Book of Mormon and we even got him the gospel library app on his phone so he can always have it with him. I love Salvatore! He is the MAN!! 

This past weekend we had Stake Conference. The Saturday sessions were held at the Pozzuoli Church and The Sunday Session was actually held up on stage at the same movie theatre where they played Meet the Mormons last weekend. It was a pretty interesting session and environment, but it went really well. Everyone was able to have a seat and be in the same room. The Temple President from Switzerland come down and joined us. He is a spiritual giant. He even gave his talk in Italian. He was one of the humblest people that I have ever met. His talks were powerful and he did a really good job speaking Italian. Our stake president is a PowerHouse as well. He is not scared to drop the hammer and make bold statements. I love that about him. He is 35 years old and will most likely be called to the 70 next fall after he has been released from his current calling as stake president. He speaks English perfectly and is one of the harder working people I have ever met. He has changed our stake over here and changed it for the better. He is the man! Stake Conference was great and it was cool to experience it in another country. 

That about does it for me this week over here in Napoli. I love you all. 

Unfortunately we live in a fallen world, which means we will each experience some times of difficulty and pain. Out here I meet people everyday that are going through a hard time or struggling in some kind of way. I know at home that there people going through times of struggle and times that look pretty gloom. Everywhere we look: there is suffering, there is pain, there is heartache, there are trials, there are tears, there is death. All around each and everyone of us, we not only see but we experience what it is like here upon this fallen world we call Earth.

We all have our struggles and trials, no matter how large or small they may be. We have all experienced a little bit of sadness, some heartache, a few disappointments and I am here to tell you that we will continue to have these time of trial for the remainder of our lives. Trials, disappointments, sadness, sickness and heartache are part of this life, but they can lead to growth, progress and refinement. Times of difficulty can either make us or break us. Our happiness depends on how we choose to respond to these times of heartache and pain. We can do one of two things. We can ask.."Why me?" "What have I done to deserve something like this?" Or we choose to say.. "What am I supposed to learn from this?" "What am I to change?" "Who can I help?" Again I repeat...Trials, disappointments, sadness, sickness and heartache are part of this life, but they can lead to growth, progress and refinement. The key word is can. These times of trial can turn us into someone stronger, someone better if we so choose to allow them to do so. We choose to allow our trials and difficulties to make us stronger by asking ourselves the second set of questions above (those are only a few). We must not allow ourselves to become "hard hearted", as the scriptures say, when these times of sadness come along. We must not look to the sky and ask.. "Why me?" Self pity and closing off your heart to God and to others only drags the sting of the trial out longer. 

I have always had a pretty incredible example of choosing to ask ourselves the second pair of questions above. That would be my good ole Papa Jon. Him and Momma Mandee had just gone through the temple. They had become spiritually clean and put God first. Things were on the rise. Less than one month after we had made the covenant to become an eternal family, we were in a car accident that took Momma Mandee. I cannot imagine the scale of his heartache and pain, the absolute emptiness he felt, the fear of raising to crazy little boys while trying to maintain a job. Through all of this, I cannot remember one complaint ever coming from his mouth. Of course there was pain and there was hurt, but there was a complaint. I have many amazing examples of good, strong, faithful and loving people in my life and I thank you all for these examples of how to press forward with faith.

Again, we receive these trials not to harm or to hurt, but to give us opportunities to change, progress and become stronger. Often times we feel that nobody knows what we are going through, that nobody knows the depth of our suffering...but I know that there is someone, and not just any other someone, that knows perfectly the heartache and pain we experience. That being our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He suffered for our sins, but He also suffered for every pain we would ever feel, every heartache we would ever experience, every trial we would face...He endured these as well. Not only did He endure, but He also overcame. He knows our trials, pains, sadness and heartache absolutely perfectly. He knows how to help us. I testify that because Jesus Christ paid the ultimate and everlasting sacrifice. That sacrifice allows us to experience pure joy and happiness, and an amount of joy and happiness that is infinite. We are mortals cannot understand completely the sacrifice He made or all of the incredible blessings that come from His saving atoning sacrifice. I know that "because Jesus walked such a long, lonely path utterly alone, we do not have to do so." (Elder Holland) 

I phrase I often heard when I was young is.. "It doesn't take long to find someone else who is having a harder time than you." Let us all be more aware of those around us, because we have no idea what they may be struggling with at that time. Let us look for opportunities to serve and to love while are we are in our own times of pain. Let us be grateful for these opportunities to grow and to become someone better than we were before. Let us have faith in Jesus Christ and the truly healing power of His perfect sacrifice. Let us press forward with a smile on our face, no matter how hard it may be. The Savior has promised angels on our left and our right to bear us up (D&C 84:88). We must ride out the storm, and ride out the storm with a positive mindset. Being negatived envies us the opportunity to learn and progress from these trials. Again...We must ride out the storm. In some cases comfort comes soon, in others it comes a little while after, in some instances complete comfort will not come until heaven....but for those who have faith in Jesus Christ and trust in Him....The comfort will come. 

Alma 36:3

3 And now, O my son Helaman, behold, thou art in thy youth, and therefore, I beseech of thee that thou wilt hear my words and learn of me; for I do know that whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day. (Substitute your own personal name for Helaman. If you are a lady.... Tyke that includes you, change the son to daughter.)

D&C 58:2-4

2 ...He that is faithful in tribulation, the reward of the same is greater in the kingdom of heaven.

3 Ye cannot behold with your natural eyes, for the present time, the design of your God concerning those things which shall come hereafter, and the glory which shall follow after much tribulation.

4 For after much tribulation come the blessings.

Mosiah 24:14

14 And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs,....that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.

Romans 8:18

18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

There are some amazing promises from our Father in Heaven found in the scriptures about trials and what will happen if we remain strong and true. I testify that these things are true. I testify that Jesus is the Christ. That He suffered, bled and died for each and everyone us. I testify that He lives and because He lives we can overcome any difficulty, any hardship, any trial and any weakness. Jesus is the Christ. I testify that He loves us perfectly and that perfect love with never fade or never dim. 

I love you all so very much. Thank you for all of the love, prayers and support. Every have a good week at school and work. Be safe. Take care. Stay healthy. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for everything. You are all incredible. I will talk to you soon.

it is worth the pain,

Anziano JarDee Nessen

 

Meet the 6 am BALLER KREW of NAPOLI. 

 

From Left to Right.
Anziano Jake Flynn, Anziano Joshua Nomellini, Anziano Gaspar Lazarte
and ya boy....Me.

Most deacon church ball teams would most likely beat us....We are
pretty rusty and the court conditions here are far below par.....but
we do what we can. ( The green square on the backboard is duck tape,
that we put there so we would have something to at least aim at.)