Wednesday, October 15, 2014

é un po' presto, no? October 7, 2014

Ciao tutti!!!

I bet you are all wondering why I'm writing you on Tuesday, but don't worry, I didn't go all apostate and rogue. haha. We just had to change our P-day because the AP's are coming to scambio us tomorrow. Silly AP's, making us change p-day. Oh well. 

Before I forget, Dad mentioned at the end of his email that Mom had a lot of things to coordinate with me. Are there more things than just the license thing? If so, please write me back subito and when I finish checking my email tonight around 8am your time (wow, that's early) I will be able to see them and figure it all out. If not, it will have to wait until next week.

Well, p'days are fun again here in Ravenna. After being in Pavia for 7 months, I pretty much got to see everything in our zone. Now I'm in a new zone and boy does it have a lot to offer. Last week, we went to the famous mosaics in Ravenna. There are these really cool churches with really colorful and interesting mosaics. Basically, in one of these churches, there is a remnant of temple worship. It's kind of hard to explain over email, so I won't, but I we will definitely go see them when we come back to Ravenna. 

OK, random culture experience that I am literally right now having. We are sitting in this internet shop and there is an African man sitting across from Anz Polson listening to African gospel music, and he is making farting noises and then every now and then he sings something like "praise God" or "oh me!". It's pretty funny.

Back to p-days, today we are going to San Marino, so I am officially leaving Italy. That's right. I'm going to a whole different country. I heard it is beautiful, so I'm excited to go. It's also really nice because I get to drive now. I drove home from Milano this past week, and it was so great. I love driving!!!! I've been driving this whole week and it's so much fun. I missed it so much.

General conference was great as always. I really like President Uchtdorf's talks. They were all so good!!!! I really want a copy of some of the talks. However, I'm just like Dad. I'm still not done studying last conference's talks. haha. Like father, like son. 

Speaking of conference, the other night after we were finished watching conference, we were cleaning up the church when we saw this man through the window. We didn't recognize him, so we went to go greet him. He was this ragazzo that often walked by our church, but every time he tried to go inside, it was closed. He finally found it open and he said that he would be interested to learn more about our message and the church. We gave him our phone number and invited him to conference the next day. It was such a great little miracle to see how the Lord is really preparing the hearts of the people here in Italy. Hopefully we will be able to get into contact with him soon.

Yesterday, I was on a scambio in Pesaro. This city is gorgeous. We didn't really get to look around it during the day, because we were busy doing missionary work, but after FHE with the branch, the Branch President (who I had met before when he came up to Pavia to visit Anz Erickson who served here in Pesaro) took us out to get a gelato and then gave us a giro of the city. It was dark, but the city looked awesome. It is right on the mare and it is amazing. There was a light house that we wanted to go see, but it was too late and dark, so some other p-day we'll go. We also saw the house of Pavarotti (did I spell that right?) the famous Italian tenor. Pretty cool stuff. And also he told us that there is the house of Rossini here.  Anyway, Pesaro has some cool history.

I don't want to comment on the sports update other than the fact that I will go and cry. That sounded like a horrible week!!! Anz Polson is super excited that Utah State won. He just turned to me and asked me for a high 5.....I punched him in the leg instead. haha. 

I'm sorry that its so hot at home. You guys should go to the beach! Because I can't and its killing me! I miss just sitting in the sand and playing frisbee and diving in the water to catch it and what not. Oh well, it will come soon enough.

Well, I hope you all had a great week and that this next week is full of joy and happiness. I know mine will!! 

"Come what may, and love it!"

Anziano Langlois

A Trip to California October 1, 2014

Ciao tutti!!!

Well, for all of you troopers that are still reading this, I hope all is going well. For those who are getting bored, let me know and I will try and spice things up a little bit. Italian style.

Well first of all, SEND ME PICTURES!!!!!! I love seeing pictures of everyone. So I don't care who you are. If you're my Mom or my friend or just a random person who found this on the internet (I doubt there are any of those), pictures say a lot, so I love 'em!

OK, business time Mom. I need you to send me ASAP SUBITO ADESSO a copy of my motor vehicle report. I don't know what that is, but I need it. I don't think I have one, because I've never been in an accident or got a ticket or anything, but the mission needs it, so please send it ASAP. 

Next, happy birthday to Jason and Jude this week!!!!! WHOOOO!!!!!!! Tanti auguri!!!!! I love you guys so much! Also, speaking of Jason, can I get his email, I want to send him an email directly. Awesome. Thanks

Life goes on and on here in Ravenna. Time is flying!!!!! Holy cow, we are so busy!!! This week, we went down to the farthest city south in our mission, Ancona. And let me just say 2 things. 1. it's freakin' in the boonies!!!! SO FAR AWAY!!!!! and 2. it looks almost exactly like San Francisco. It was so weird. Super steep hills and everything. Minus the bridge, but still. It was really cool. And then the area around it seemed like Northern California with pine-looking trees and then the mare right there. It was so pretty. Tomorrow we are heading up to Milano for consiglio with all the capi, so it will be really fun. Long day of driving though. But I'm excited to drive back (I hope they let me). So basically, the days go really fast here. I love it, but it's also annoying. I never have time to just sit and think. I barely have enough time to do everything I need to before I have to go to bed. Fun stuff.

Miracle time. Last p-day, after internet, we ran into an old friend of the missionaries here. We talked with him and went and got some lunch with him. We were sitting in the park eating, when a man came up to us and started talking to us, because he knew our friend. We started talking to him about the Book of Mormon and set up a return appointment. He is this 21 year old Italian. He is very interested in getting to know God more in his life. We brought a member to the next lesson and turns out that they had already met each other. We had a great lesson, where we were able to set a baptismal date for the 1st of November. He was ready to come to church the next day, but had something come up at the last minute. But he wants to keep meeting with us and he is reading the Book of Mormon. It really was a humbling experience for me to see how the Lord places people in our path at all times. Yes, even during lunch on p-day.

We are working really hard to help our members with only the Aaronic priesthood prepare themselves to receive the Melchizedek priesthood. We are also really focusing on being full tithe payers so that we can grow our area here in Ravenna. We are hoping to become a Ward before the end of 2014. 

I love every day. It's so great. 

Thank you so much for the sports report dad. Go Dodgers!!!!! Let's hope we can actually do something in the playoffs. The cards will be hard, but we can do it. I really wish I could have been at the game when they clinched, it would have been so much fun.

Thank you also for the spiritual insights from church this week. I really love going to church and learning more about the gospel. Everyday my desire and thirst to know more grows and grows.

I know how importantly and closely missionary and temple work is related. They are the same great work, so we must always search to move this great single work along. The Lord is helping us always and we much search his guidance in all things.

I love you all so much and I hope you all have a great week. Siete bravi. 

Vi voglio tanto bene,
Anziano Langlois

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Et Capii? September 24, 2014

Ciao tutti!!!

Well...I'm tired. So so so so soooooooo tired. We are always busy here in Ravenna. Holy cow. I walked into the best place EVER!!!!! Our coppia has taught at least 15 lessons every week for the past 6 months. We have a ton of work to do here. We are literally always running from lesson to lesson. The biggest problem we have is trying to fit everyone in that we need to see. Its so cool and so much fun. We would literally die without our car. It helps so much. It cuts out so much time between lessons. Every now and then we use our bikes, but we are usually in a hurry so we take the car. Which is really nice by the way. I can't drive it yet though. I have to wait until I'm "trained" next week at consiglio. Let's just say, I can't wait till next week. Anziano Polson is a great driver, we just have different driving techniques. Anyway, a little about him. He's from Rigby, Idaho...and you can tell. haha. He cracks me up. He is HUGE!!!! And just sweet as can be. He says the funniest things. I'm almost always smiling for one reason or another. He's in his last 2 transfers, so I think I will end up "killing" (term for being the last companion before a missionary goes home) him here in Ravenna, but who knows. We'll see what happens.

OK, since I've been in a car for the past week, I've really realized why almost no missionaries have cars here. 1. gas is SOOOOOO expensive!!!!! Holy cow. 80 euro to fill up our car. That's ridiculous!!!!!!! And 2. the streets here are RETARDED. Oh my gosh. Every street is a one way, and they just wander and you have to go almost 15 minutes out of your way to move 1 kilometer forward. It's ridiculous. But, I love having the car, so I'm done complaining. haha.

A little bit about Ravenna and our zone here. Ravenna is gorgeous. There are so many tourists though. Dante's tomb is here (ooooooo....ahhhhhh) It's not really that cool. Then there are the mosaic churches that we are going to see soon. It's about 15 minutes from the beach, so it kinda feels like home. haha. Our zone stretches from Ravenna to Ancona which is super far away in case you were wondering. It's just right along the Adriatic and it's awesome. We drove to Rimini to do a scambio and it was gorgeous!!!! Everything Pat and Cheri talked about it is true. The church is so cool!!!! It just feels like a home. I got to ride through the streets and go see the beautiful skyline with Anz Mata'u (who served with Anz Windley). It was really fun. Then a huge storm came through and it made me miss Genova. Ahh..the good old days.

This next week, we are going out to Ancona and Pesaro and Milano for consiglio so we will be putting some kilometers on the car. We are also going to see San Marino. That's right. I'm leaving Italy.....sorta. haha. I heard its super  cool, so I'm pumped. Everything is cheaper there too because they don't have taxes. Benefits of being a city-country I guess. haha. Basically, I love it here. It's just tiring. Working hard and at the end of the day, I'm pooped.

My miracle this week started on my first night here in Ravenna. We went to AMM (youth activity) to help the giovani and a less active came. Anz Polson told me that recently he has made changes in his life to better follow the gospel and he is really progressing fast. We immediately made a strong friendship. He then came and helped us with a lesson a few days later. And then after church, he offered to help us with any lesson. He is really making leaps and bounds in solidifying his testimony of the gospel.

It's a good week in BYU sports. Right on. Dodgers are doing great so that's a miracle. haha. World Series here we come!!!!

I'm glad you got the memory card. There are a lot of pictures there. Don't worry, I've learned the importance of having people in pictures (thanks to Anz Salmon). I still have a million more, so just get ready. But honestly, the pictures don't even serve it justice. This country is amazing.

Well, I hope you all have a great week! I'll keep working hard and you guys keep on being awesome! I love you all so much!

Anziano Langlois