So on Monday morning we woke up at 2:50 am to fly from Salt Lake to Atlanta at 7:00. We stopped in Atlanta for 4 hours before flying to Paris and then to Milan. While in Georgia I had the chance to call my mom and talk with her for a few minutes. Her words of confidence in my abilities were very welcome to my doubtful and nervous ears. By the time we arrived in Milan it was 9:00am on Tuesday and I had only gotten about 30 minutes of sleep in those 14 hours of travelling. We got to the mission office and did some training with Presidente Dibb and received our iPads (though we don't get to use them for a week) before heading to the Duomo di Milano for some good old fashioned proselyting. At first I was super nervous and needed to be prodded a bit by Sister Dibb to talk to someone but after awhile we were talking to anybody who would listen and got quite a few phone numbers. There was one Italian man from Napoli (which isn't in our mission) and we were surprised because he was a very well educated man who was Catholic but Tantissimo faith and knew doctrine and scriptures very well. He talked to us for about 20 minutes about what sets us apart from Catholicism and we discovered that he already agreed with many of the things we were saying, even the stuff that contradicts Catholic teachings. He left us with a number and seemed very interested in meeting with missionaries back home. It was obvious that the Lord had prepared him for us to teach. There were many people who said rude things to us or gave us dirty looks but after talking to that man from Napoli, none of that mattered because I knew that I did my best and helped people to come unto Christ that day.
We got back to the mission home and after some more training, my first Italian Italian meal, and even more training, we fell asleep. It was the most glorious night of sleep of my life. I didn't even have time to take my white shirt and pants off before I fell asleep (don't worry mom, they aren't wrinkled). In the morning we had yet another session of training and then met the trainers. I was given Anziano Hansen as a trainer and was assigned to the Cimiano area which is the northern part of Milano. Anziano Hansen is also relatively new to the mission as he has only been in for 7 months. Apparently there is a lot of diversity in our ward which includes a large South American population. Right away we are teaching a family that Anziano Hansen met in Disneyworld before his mission and who he now has the opportunity to teach. I am so excited to serve with Anz. Hansen and teach these awesome people but I have to go now since you are now up to date with what is happening with me.
Vi voglio bene
Anziano Younce
mom, apparently we cannot do the thing where we send multiple emails back and forth on p-day so you can't expect me to send a bunch of emails in response anymore.
Mom and Dad, I love you so much and I thank the Lord every day for the blessing I have had to be raised by you. I see people missionaries who have not had that same opportunity and need to figure out how to be a decent person on their own and I'm glad that I've had your amazing examples to shape my life. Just know that I am alive and well in Italia. pictures will come next week when I get my iPad set up. until then tell people to go to the Milan mission blog where the Sister Dibb will be posting pictures soon. Just google it and you should find the blog.
No comments:
Post a Comment