prima settimana in italia! (first week in Italy!)

First off, you're going to have to tell everyone that I'm sorry I
couldn't send this to them in a group, cause if I did, it would take
forever to add them all. I'll be sure to make a group though for next
week!

Also. Sorella waddoups says to check her blog 

http://romeitalymission.blogspot.com

because she always puts
up pictures of the missionaries. Va bene? Cool cool.

Anyways! To the point. Italy is pretty much everything and nothing I
expected it to be. We arrived Tuesday morning at 8:30 ish after the
flight from JFK, and honestly I was ready to just take a nap. 

If looks could kill... hahaha

(Photo credit: http://romeitalymission.blogspot.com)

(Photo credit: http://romeitalymission.blogspot.com)

(Photo credit: http://romeitalymission.blogspot.com)

I wanted to sleep so badly. We'd gone to sleep Sunday night at 11 ish, got up

at 2:20, left the MTC at around 4, left the SLC airport around 9:30
ish (initially it was supposed to leave at 8:30 but there were
problems so it got delayed), got to NY at around...lunch time? Can't
remember exactly. Left at about 6 ish, then arrived at 8:30! Didn't
sleep very much, so I was super tired.

But yes. Italy is awesome. Anyways we left the airport
after getting all of our stuff and went to the mission home (holy cow
that place is AWESOME) where we got to put all our stuff away. We met the Waddoups (love them!) 

(Photo credit: http://romeitalymission.blogspot.com)

and then had lunch and waited for some

missionaries that were coming from the Spain MTC. Once they arrived,
we went out to go see the colosseum, 

(Photo credit: http://romeitalymission.blogspot.com)

(Photo credit: http://romeitalymission.blogspot.com)

the Roman forum, and a few other
things. Tried sending pics through the camera but it needs some things
to be set up, so I don't know if it'll work. Anyways we also tried
doing some contacting while we walked and imma be honest contacting is
super hard. I've done a bit of it here (Pescara) as well, 

and most of  the time people just laugh and walk away. There are a few people

though who will listen. We'll usually just hand out little cards with
some churchy stuff on it and people will take them. Contacting is
actually whatever you make it. Doesn't mean it's going to be easy, but
it can be fun if you make it fun.

Anyways we woke up Wednesday morning and got right to training at the
church in Rome. We spent all day with the AP's, President Waddoups,
and a few of the senior couples doing orientation things. Not much to
say about that though.

Wednesday night though we got our golden envelopes (a Rome mission
tradition. Tells you where your first area will be and who your
trainer is) and it was soooooo much fun. 

Pres. Waddoups with the golden envelopes (photo credit: http://romeitalymission.blogspot.com)

Photo credit: http://romeitalymission.blogspot.com

Me and Sorella Jarnagin (a
sister from my MTC district) were sent to Pescara! It's right on the
coast a few hours east of Italy. Anziano Cowden from SLC is my
trainer!

Thursday morning we get up super early and get all our stuff together,
say goodbye to the Waddoups, and head over to the train station where
we meet up with all the other missionaries in the east/west Rome zones
that were getting transferred. Said goodbye to the MTC district and
headed over to Pescara.

Italy is so so so so beautiful. Driving through we passed orchards,
cities at the feet of snowy mountains, castles, and tons of other
things. There are so many tiny villages that are just everywhere.
Beautiful country.

Stairwell 

Anyways the work here in Pescara is awesome! My first few days though
were a little rough. My expectations coming into the mission I think
were wayyyy higher than they should've been. I don't know way but I
just felt like every single person I talked to would be a golden
investigator. Not just that, but I'm still trying to get over my jet
lag. I've managed to go without taking any naps so far! President says
if new missionaries need a nap they can take one, but I'm really
really trying to give all I have to this work. It's not easy, but it's
already been worth it. My first day here we had a lesson with Muqing
who's from China. We speak English with her, which is good for me
haha. She grew up with no religious background, so it's been really
hard for her to grasp all these new concepts, but she'll get there! No
biggie. We also had English course that night which is basically just
English discussions. We split it up into advanced and beginner courses
and me and my comp teach the advanced one. All we really do is talk
and ask questions. It's way fun!

Friday we spent a lot of time planning. We also tried to meet with
some less actives. We actually had appointments set up, but they
cancelled on us last minute. Same thing happened on Saturday. Ah well.
Instead we spent some time doing 12 week (the book that new
missionaries work on their first 12 weeks with their trainer) and also
went through the area book a bit to find some potentials. We also went
out later to do some house to house (pro tip they actually don't have
houses in Italy unless you're super rich, which we're not. Carpet is
nonexistent also. We just pushed buttons for apartment buildings to
see if people would listen. Most didn't) which was aight.

After studies on Saturday, we went to help out a blind member (Carlos)
with his home teaching. Finally got to speak some Italian!  We had
lunch and additional studies and then went to the church for another
appointment which was also cancelled last minute. Both the Africans
cancelled on us. Everyone says that's the norm with most of them. Ah
well. Also, it takes us a whole hour to get to church. We actually
live in montesilvanno which is right next to Pescara, but public
transportation takes forever. Anyways we didn't have anything else to
do so we sat down and did some more 12 week and then had a ward
primary party. Super fun! I got to meet a lot of the members. Anyways
the kids all dressed up as princes and princesses and gave little
summaries of their parents and how they met. Then they play Disney
clips of romantic moments from movies with a song to go with it and
the mom and dad would get up and dance. Super cool!

Sunday was also good. I understood a good bit of church, but more than
anything I felt the spirit. Just a few little things I learned:

- Love. That's all I have to do. I know this. It's such a simple
concept that I always forget and must relearn over and over again.
Difficult, but so simple. I can do that. And I've learned that if I
really do have love and charity for the people, I'll try my best to
share what message I can In the simple Italian I know.

- enduring to the end. That doesn't entail being perfect. Christ only
expects me to try. I can do that too!

- the Holy Ghost is soooo so so important. Can't ever forget him. In
fact, we must do everything we can go have him with us because only he
can help them understand the truthfulness of this gospel.

Also a super good talk I read was Ask in Faith by elder Bednar in the
April 2008 conf. Def worth a look!

Spent some more time Sunday night in the area book and also contacting
on the street. One person actually stopped and talked with us for a
good 20 minutes! Potential? Possibly. We'll see.

That's it for this week though. Here's a few pictures! I'll try to
send more from the camera. Also, can you send me a recipe for
cornbread please? Grazie. I don't know if I'll be able to respond to
many personal emails, but I will try! Just know that I love you guys
with all my heart and pray for you always!

May the glory ever be to God.

Anz Hansen