VERONA!
Verona is SO cool! This is probably the prettiest city I have been in, it is so awesome! We have had an awesome week as well,so I'm doing great! First off, my companion is Anziano Anderson from Lubbock, Texas. He's a stud! He's only in the group ahead of me, so we knew each other for a little bit in the MTC but he's awesome! I love him! Zone Leader life is crazy, there is so much stuff we have to do! This week we have a scambio (exchange) just about every single day. Monday we were in Mantova, yesterday we were in Modena and Piacenza, tonight we are doing a blitz with Padova, tomorrow we have a leadership training conference thing, Friday we are exchanging with the assistants: its just crazy ha! I barely even get to be with my comp the whole first week- ha it's nuts. It's super fun tho we have some awesome missionaries that I have never even met before ha so i'ts way cool getting to know them all!
We have had a lot going on the past week. There was stake conference and a member from the area 70 came to speak, President and sorella Wolfgramm also spoke, it was great! and I got to see some members from Bergamo, too, which was way weird! I can't believe it's been over a year since I was there! Crazy! Then we taught a ton of lessons and have been having a lot of success, too. We had the coolest thing happen to us the other day too which is probably one of the coolest and most fun experiences of my mission- ha its an awesome miracle...
So Friday night we have an appointment with this guy named Jeffery, and then we're supposed to have an activity thing in the church at 7 o'clock. We're in the lesson and as we're closing we realize that it's currently 7:02. We are about 20 to 25 minutes away from the church on bike, and needed to be there 2 minutes ago. So as we finish with the lesson, we start booking it over to the church, on the bikes, we were soaring through the historic streets, avoiding traffic and obstacles from all around, and make it to the church in about 10 minutes or so. The activity turned out to be kind of a waste of time for us, and it was a little discouraging.
So here we are, in the other part of our city, about 20 minutes outside of our working area, and it's about 8 o'clock. We really wanted to do some more finding work and get some new people but we were still pretty far from the areas we had planned, but we started our journey back nonetheless. We were looking forward with hope that we would find someone. So as we're riding our bikes down by the river just pass this famous bridge, this kind of crazy guy starts yelling "Anziani Anziani!" so we stop and at first I thought he was just not a normal person. But as we're talking he starts explaining how he used to meet with the missionaries about 10 years ago, and was about to be baptized, that they had the font filled up and everything but then at the last second he couldn't do it and backed out. He said he loved the book of Mormon and that Joseph Smith was on his heart, but he said that from that point that he made that choice, his life just got horrible, He was showing us how he got involved with Satan years ago and had all these cuts on his wrists and chest and everything and how he feels like Christ had just abandoned him and he felt like he was just completely alone and lost.He told us that because of everything that had happened in his life he feels like God doesn't love him and that he has no purpose and will never receive forgiveness, and that at that very instant, was walking to the bridge mentioned early, to jump off and end it all.
As we talked with him, we sat him down and helped him out. He was 100% set on doing it at first, because he wanted to just commit suicide and end it all. We talked and shared some scriptures and he turns out to just be this absolutely amazing and hilarious guy named Lorenzo. He's a prince of somewhere (he is Italian although) and he is an heir the the Romanov family. We talked with him on a bench for about an hour or so and it was just amazing to see how much his attitude and everything changed, we read some scriptures that struck so powerfully in his heart that it made him cry. He said he knew the church was true and wants to take all the lessons again, get his life back in line, and to be baptized! It was absolutely incredible, if we had left even a minute later he would have been dead, but we were placed right in his path and actually saved a life. And he wants to get baptized as well! How cool is that! Plus he is the funniest man I have ever met in my life! It was so awesome!
Well that's definitely the highlight of the week! I have to get going now tho but I will write more for next week! I'm sure there will be much more to write! ha. I hope you all have a great week! I love you all! ciao ciao!
Anziano Bolnick
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
On to Verona
Week 6 has already come!
So there is a lot to talk about this week! There has been so much going on!! I'll do my best to get everything in! So we had an awesome week in church this time! We saw a couple of less actives and are trying some new things with them to help them come back to church, and all the ones we saw came this week! It was really cool! Then we also had some of our investigators in church which was awesome too! I'm super stoked for them all! Me and my companion had to give talks this week, too, on short notice but it was all right! And Sunday was also the clearest day it's been since we've been here! We were able to see all the mountains and everything. It's so beautiful! I think that was definitely part of all of our success for the day. So then in the afternoon there was the baptism of a little girl in our ward which was awesome, and afterward we had an appointment with a new contact named Samuel who is awesome! The first thing he told us was that he hadn't been baptized and hes been looking for the right church to do it with. And the whole lesson as we were explaining the restoration he was so fascinated and was asking tons of questions and was super excited! We invited him to baptism at the end and he accepted! So it was an awesome day!
Then on Monday night, we went to go see one of our less actives, who has a 10 year old daughter that isn't baptized yet because the Mom didn't want her to, and we talked with them and we set a baptismal date for the daughter too! Her name is Cristina, and the Mom is totally down for it now! So we got a reactivation and a new member coming along which is awesome!
We also had another great district meeting last week. I really love being with this district! I've learned so much from them all and I have had some really good spiritual experiences with them as well! But, unfortunately I will not be staying with them any more! I will be going to Verona now to be a zone leader. Our whole district is changing haha there is not one companionship that is staying the same. It's weird. But I'm stoked! Ive been to Verona and it's a really pretty city! My companion will be Anziano Anderson, and he's in the group above me and he's awesome, too. So I'm way stoked! And, Anziano Glowa will be my new district leader over there. Sorella Smith will also be joining us in the district, so I get to stay with some of the same people still which is awesome!
Anyway that's about the most important parts of the week, I'm short on time tho so I have to get going. Hope all of you have a great week! Take care!
Photos:
Explanation of Torino
Torino Water Fountain
My district
Paramount Mountains
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
May 4, 2011
Man it has been a crazy few weeks! There has been quite a bit going on! Last week was super busy!
So let me first talk a little bit about Torino. It is the ghetto. Period. Haha it's crazy but it's way fun-- it definitely spices things up a little bit. We have a really pretty view from our balcony. We can see the hills and the mountains from the paramount movie logo (well at least when it's a clear day) and it's pretty! It's really nice because the church is literally right behind our house!
So white washing is crazy too, there was still basically no one so we had to start it all over. There were these two guys with baptismal dates, one named Michael.We hadn't even heard from him. There is also this other crazy guy named Fabio who I'm pretty sure has something wrong with him (ha) so we're not even sure he can get baptized. But we'll see what happens. We need to find out more about him. So those were our investigators when we got here. There were 2 baptismal dates, and because we dropped one, there was only one. So, now, we have 6. :) so let me just say we've been a little blessed haha.
So it all started on our first day here. We got a referral from a less active lady. It's her sister who has been having some family problems and wanted us to go over and bless her house or something. She said she knew that we had something special and knew we could help. So we go in to this sketchy looking apartment to see this lady we've never met, thinking she's probably kind of crazy, when it turns out to be this beautiful, humble amazing family! They've definitely been having some problems, especially with their son, but I wont go into details. It's a family that is just falling apart and is one of the lowest parts of their life. We asked if they could have one thing for their family in this time what it would be, and they said more faith, which is not a normal answer. So we talked for a little and explained the atonement and the power it has to help each and every one of us, and they said they were willing to do whatever it takes to strengthen their family.
So we had a cool lesson, went back the next day and found some more stuff out, talked a little more and what not. Then, the scambio (exchange) miracles start coming out. Anziano Glowa and I from Montreal Canada (He knows Trisha Fletcher) had one of the best exchanges I've been on.
We meet up and talk a little bit about our day and what not, and I explain to him the lesson with the family, but we didn't really talk about what we were going to do. We were basically unprepared (not good?) haha. So anyway we teach a couple lessons, then we go to this family, planning to talk about the book of Mormon and watch the restoration film. It was such an amazing lesson! For not being prepared, we just completely followed the spirit, we were just going off of each other, bearing testimony, promising blessings, finding out who they are and telling them what they need to hear, it was so cool!
And the cool thing is that we incorporated the restoration in with it and it made it even more powerful! In the end we invited them to be baptized (just the husband and wife) and they both accepted! They are such cool people and seriously need help right now. It's cool that we happened to meet them for the first time-- our first day haha. It was awesome.
So that night we finish up, and then the morning we have another appointment with the newlywed husband of another less active member. Yet again, we had planned something totally different because we didn't know the guy, and we just followed the spirit and changed it up, and set a baptismal date with him as well! So we set 3 dates alone in less than 24 hours before we even re-exchanged it was way cool.
We had a lot of fun on the scambio, too. Anziano Glowa and I get along super well. So anyway, Guisi and Pompeo, and Max are these 3 new dates. THEN on Monday, we have an appointment with this guy we talked to on the street named Tokumbo, from Nigeria, and we set a date with him as well! My comp was super stoked because he had missed out on the other 3. So we set one with him, then after lunch we go to teach this referral that was a guy the sisters in my district had been teaching that had moved up to Torino, and we ended up setting yet another date with, yes, Elvis Presely. hahaha. That is legit. That's his real name haha, and he's from Guinea.. It was a super awesome week and those are now our investigators! 60 hours of knocking doors the first week finally payed off haha.
So that's the investigators, but there's also a little news about our district. It is so cool! We have the biggest district in the mission, 10 people, 2 companionship's of sisters, and 3 of elders. Its HUGE! But it is so cool! The past 2 district meetings I've had have been the best of my whole mission. They have just been super strong. At the first one, all we did was talk about our miracles and problems with investigators and what not. I didn't get to do any of my trainings or anything, but it was the strongest and most helpful meeting of my life ha, it was so cool! Everyone was just helping each other out and bearing super strong testimony and it helped everyone, it was a little different than normal but it was so great! Then a couple days ago was really good too. I absolutely love everyone in my district! They are all so great! I'm super grateful to be able to work with these people!
So that's about the most of what's been going on lately, and I'm almost out of time so I better get going. I hope you all have a wonderful week and a happy Mothers Day!
Arrivederci!
So let me first talk a little bit about Torino. It is the ghetto. Period. Haha it's crazy but it's way fun-- it definitely spices things up a little bit. We have a really pretty view from our balcony. We can see the hills and the mountains from the paramount movie logo (well at least when it's a clear day) and it's pretty! It's really nice because the church is literally right behind our house!
So white washing is crazy too, there was still basically no one so we had to start it all over. There were these two guys with baptismal dates, one named Michael.We hadn't even heard from him. There is also this other crazy guy named Fabio who I'm pretty sure has something wrong with him (ha) so we're not even sure he can get baptized. But we'll see what happens. We need to find out more about him. So those were our investigators when we got here. There were 2 baptismal dates, and because we dropped one, there was only one. So, now, we have 6. :) so let me just say we've been a little blessed haha.
So it all started on our first day here. We got a referral from a less active lady. It's her sister who has been having some family problems and wanted us to go over and bless her house or something. She said she knew that we had something special and knew we could help. So we go in to this sketchy looking apartment to see this lady we've never met, thinking she's probably kind of crazy, when it turns out to be this beautiful, humble amazing family! They've definitely been having some problems, especially with their son, but I wont go into details. It's a family that is just falling apart and is one of the lowest parts of their life. We asked if they could have one thing for their family in this time what it would be, and they said more faith, which is not a normal answer. So we talked for a little and explained the atonement and the power it has to help each and every one of us, and they said they were willing to do whatever it takes to strengthen their family.
So we had a cool lesson, went back the next day and found some more stuff out, talked a little more and what not. Then, the scambio (exchange) miracles start coming out. Anziano Glowa and I from Montreal Canada (He knows Trisha Fletcher) had one of the best exchanges I've been on.
We meet up and talk a little bit about our day and what not, and I explain to him the lesson with the family, but we didn't really talk about what we were going to do. We were basically unprepared (not good?) haha. So anyway we teach a couple lessons, then we go to this family, planning to talk about the book of Mormon and watch the restoration film. It was such an amazing lesson! For not being prepared, we just completely followed the spirit, we were just going off of each other, bearing testimony, promising blessings, finding out who they are and telling them what they need to hear, it was so cool!
And the cool thing is that we incorporated the restoration in with it and it made it even more powerful! In the end we invited them to be baptized (just the husband and wife) and they both accepted! They are such cool people and seriously need help right now. It's cool that we happened to meet them for the first time-- our first day haha. It was awesome.
So that night we finish up, and then the morning we have another appointment with the newlywed husband of another less active member. Yet again, we had planned something totally different because we didn't know the guy, and we just followed the spirit and changed it up, and set a baptismal date with him as well! So we set 3 dates alone in less than 24 hours before we even re-exchanged it was way cool.
We had a lot of fun on the scambio, too. Anziano Glowa and I get along super well. So anyway, Guisi and Pompeo, and Max are these 3 new dates. THEN on Monday, we have an appointment with this guy we talked to on the street named Tokumbo, from Nigeria, and we set a date with him as well! My comp was super stoked because he had missed out on the other 3. So we set one with him, then after lunch we go to teach this referral that was a guy the sisters in my district had been teaching that had moved up to Torino, and we ended up setting yet another date with, yes, Elvis Presely. hahaha. That is legit. That's his real name haha, and he's from Guinea.. It was a super awesome week and those are now our investigators! 60 hours of knocking doors the first week finally payed off haha.
So that's the investigators, but there's also a little news about our district. It is so cool! We have the biggest district in the mission, 10 people, 2 companionship's of sisters, and 3 of elders. Its HUGE! But it is so cool! The past 2 district meetings I've had have been the best of my whole mission. They have just been super strong. At the first one, all we did was talk about our miracles and problems with investigators and what not. I didn't get to do any of my trainings or anything, but it was the strongest and most helpful meeting of my life ha, it was so cool! Everyone was just helping each other out and bearing super strong testimony and it helped everyone, it was a little different than normal but it was so great! Then a couple days ago was really good too. I absolutely love everyone in my district! They are all so great! I'm super grateful to be able to work with these people!
So that's about the most of what's been going on lately, and I'm almost out of time so I better get going. I hope you all have a wonderful week and a happy Mothers Day!
Arrivederci!
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