MTC district reunion finalmente
(Mission Conference, Rome)
Anyways! This week has been really good. We had our mission conference in Rome (man I love being able to say "oh yeah I want to Rome this week btws" so nonchalantly like this) on Thursday and IT WAS SO GOOD. President Nelson
President Russel M. Nelson
(Source: https://www.lds.org/bc/content/shared/content/images/leaders/russell-m-nelson-large.jpg)
Elder Patrick Kearon
(Source: https://www.lds.org/bc/content/shared/content/images/leaders/patrick-kearon-large.jpg)
elder Hallstrom,
Elder Donald Hallstrom
(Source: https://www.lds.org/bc/content/shared/content/images/leaders/donald-l-hallstrom-large.jpg)
and each of their wives. I'm going to just be writing out a few thoughts from my favorite parts of their talks and then add a few other thoughts at the end.
- today can be something special. I really like this not just in the way that he used it, but in all aspects of the phrase. He used in the sense of "okay. You guys have this awesome opportunity to learn from this conference. We've prepared as much as we can and so have each of you. From this point on though, the rest is up to you. You need to take what you learn from this and actually do something with it." I was just paraphrasing, but I hope you guys get the gist of it. It's a true principle! General authorities and prophets and bishops and stake presidents (anyone, really) can give awesome talks. But what it comes down to is us. I also really like this phrase in the sense that we make each day what it is. Today can be something special, but only if you want it to be. Make each day a day worth remembering!
"Oh wow who's that good looker with the skinny blue tie gosh" ;)
(Mission Conference, Rome)
- Elder Kearon shared a story with us from the Old Testament about Nehemiah. After we talked about it, I went back and read through it over again. It's not that long of a book, but it's really good. My favorite part was in chapter 6 when he says "I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?" He was rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem at the time and people were trying to get him to come down. He refused. We too (not just as missionaries but as members of the church) are engaged in a great work. We shouldn't come down. Let's stay focused and keep our sights set on the Lord!
"Hey fam"
(Mission Conference, Rome)
- We can never say enough about Christ. Sister Hallstrom touched on this point. It reminded me of a question we were posed in the MTC. "If we asked your investigators what they were learning, would they say they were learning about Christ?" That's a question I believe can be applied to every single one of us. In our teachings, in our classes, in our discussions, what are we learning about? What are we teaching about? Just something to think on.
"Mcds with the homeboyyy"
(Mission Conference, Rome)
- We also had a super good conference yesterday and a member of the seventy spoke! He related a story of how he and his family moved to America awhile back and his wife, although she was in America, continued to try to make Italian dishes. She tried for weeks and weeks but it just wasn't possible and one day she actually broke down crying in the store because she was so frustrated. A family friend saw and asked if everything was okay and ended up giving her an American cook book when they'd found out what was wrong. With that cookbook, even though she had to leave behind so many of the things she loved, she was able to be happy again. It is the same for us. We all have traditions that we hold on to that may prevent us from making further progression in the gospel, but if we want to draw nearer to the Lord, we have to be willing to let those things go. If we want the gospel to work as best it can, we have to trust him and grab on to the gospel with both hands. We can't keep one hand on what we want and one hand on the gospel. As elder Holland said, "we can have what we want, or we can have something better." (Source: https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2016/04/i-am-a-child-of-god?lang=eng)
"Trio pic one last time before Anziano Martin leaves (!!!)
(Mission Conference, Rome)
- One more small point and then I'll be done. Every opportunity that we're given, every time we go to church, every time we read the scriptures, every time we hear conference, we should be asking ourselves what we can do better. The point of the gospel is to make us better people. HOWEVER! It is never meant to tear us down. And I love that. We can also ask "what am I doing right?" God will always answer. Maybe not in the way we hope or would like, but he always answers.
"A really terrible picture of Napoli (Naples) from a distance"
"Pic from train back to brindisi Thursday night
"Also
"This termini station in Rome has 30 tracks
"Brindisi has like, 4
"It's huge"
Other things this week: district reunion! Man it was so good to be together with everyone from the MTC again! Saw a lot of good friends at the conference, and I couldn't be happier. We also had a new investigator this week! She's kind of a miracle, actually. I also increased my testimony this week on how extending the baptismal invitation isn't bad! We shouldn't be afraid to talk about it. If this gospel is true, then ours is the privilege and the opportunity to follow the example of Christ, and that's something beautiful. I've also found a lot more joy recently just as I've asked the question "am I doing the right thing?" No doubt the mission is hard, but I know for a fact that it's what the Lord needs me to be doing at this time. Also, as I've focused my sights on Christ and have really made him the focus of what I'm doing, the work has become so much more enjoyable. How blessed am I -- are WE -- to be able to serve our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Vi voglio bene, amici miei!
Buona settimana☀️
Che la gloria sia sempre a Dio
Anziano Hansen
"Scambio pizzaaa"
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