Langlois and Juliet April 15, 2015

Ciao tutti!!!!!!

This has been a tiring week. I don't know if its just me getting more and more tired ever day or the ever increasing heat, but I'm tired. My body is just kinda tired. It didn't help that this week, we had Stake Conference in Verona (finally got to see it!!!!) and to get there in time we had to wake up at 4:30 to catch the train. That kinda threw off my sleep schedule, but I'm surviving. Don't worry, I'm still enthusiastic for the work, even though its not going super great right now. I know that there are still people for me to find here in Bergamo. Anz Lingardo and I were talking about how we want to improve for this next transfer together, and we are going to work our butts off. This is my last one, so there is no time for screw-ups. I've only got 6 short weeks left and I want to make them count.

A miracle from yesterday. We had a lesson cancel during the morning, so on our way home to do 12 week, we stopped this man. After talking to him for a little bit, we found out that not only did he used to come to church, but he had also been to a baptism before here in Bergamo. He told us that he had a Book of Mormon, but he had lost it. When we told him that we could get him another copy, he was more than willing to exchange numbers and meet us again. We also found out that his sister also used to come to church and still lives here in Bergamo. We will hopefully be able to bring both of these siblings back into the gospel.

Like I mentioned earlier, we went to Stake Conference in Verona this past Sunday. It was so awesome. That city is gorgeous. It's just got such a cool feel to it. Super touristy, but I liked it. I got to see "Juliet's house", which was pretty cool. I think it would be worth a a quick stop by on our trip. But the best part of conference was the area 70, Elder Kearon, who came to speak to us. He is such a cool man. It was really weird to hear him speak in English and then have it translated into Italian. It's odd to hear the same thing is two different languages that you understand. haha

He gave some really powerful talks, especially his Saturday evening talk during the adult session. After the Sunday session, I had the opportunity to go and talk to him for just a few seconds, but he was very nice and grateful for us as missionaries.

In a more touristy sense, last p-day, Linghi (Anz Lingardo) and I went and hiked to the top of the mountain to the Bergamo cross (Canto Alto). It was a pretty hard hike. Got pretty slippery and steep in a couple spots, but nothing dangerous. The view from the top was amazing. Looking straight out into the snow covered alps. I love nature. I'll try and send some pictures.

I'm excited to see you all in a few weeks. That's totally crazy.

Well, I love you all so much and I wish you all the best in these next few weeks.

Sorry this email is kinda lame, I'm really tired right now. haha. I'm like falling asleep at the computer. haha

Anziano Langlois

I'm Running Out of Catchy Titles April 8, 2015

Ciao tutti!!!!!!

Just wanted to let you all know that I love you all! As many of you know, this past weekend was General Conference when we have the sacred opportunity to listen to the Lord's prophets and apostles speak to us. There was an underlying theme of the importance of the family, so I just wanted to let you all know that I love you a lot. I really appreciate everything you do for me and the support that you have given me these past 2 years while I've been out serving the Lord. I'm very grateful for all of you.

Well, what happened this week....

We had some cool miracles this week. One came from last week, like Thursday or something. Anz Lingardo and I had all of our lessons cancel on us and so we spent the whole day during finding work. We walked A LOT that day. We tried everything to find people to teach. We stopped people on the street, we did pass bys, phone calls, and nothing was working out. At around 7:30 we decided to suone this palazzo where a less active "lives". The first person let us in subito. Super cool. Turns out to be a really nice old lady who didn't want to listen to us, but just wanted to know who we were. So we went to the top floor and knocked all the doors on our way down this 6 story building. No real luck, until the 2nd floor. We heard a kid literally screaming his head off behind this door, so we knocked it. The father came to the door and invited us to come back the next day. We then looked at the clock and it was about 8:00 and we needed to start getting back home, but we decided to just finish the rest of the doors. Good thing we did. We then met this African man who let us in. We watched "Because He Lives" with him, bore our testimonies, and set up a return appointment for the next morning. We kept on going. The next door told us to come back when the husband was home on Saturday. It was super awesome! Even though we were tired and wanted to give up, we kept on pushing and the miracles came. When we called President Dibb to tell him about our miracle, he laughed and told us that he wants to know when we've baptized the whole building. haha.

Then another miracle came from a scambio I did with one of the missionaries in my district. He goes home next week, so we were a pretty experienced companionship. haha. That morning, we went out to this park and we found this man sitting on a bench. We just started a casual conversation with him and he told us that he met with the missionaries in Nigeria, but he had lost contact with the church when he moved to Italy and was searching for it again, but could never find it. We then sat down and taught a quick lesson and bore our testimonies about how God often answers prayers through other people and how us meeting on that bench was an answer to his prayers. We are going to see him again tomorrow, so we are excited.

Well, time keeps going by and we're still working hard. My body is kinda at its breaking point, but I think it will survive a few more weeks. haha

I love you all so much and I really appreciate all that you do for me. I'll see you all in a few short weeks, so behave yourselves. haha

Anziano Langlois

Spring Time Is Finally Here April 1, 2015

Ciao tutti!!!

Pack away the sweaters and break out the short sleeves, because spring is officially here and its beautiful. I love spring in Italy and what a city to spend my last spring. Bergamo is gorgeous. With the mountains right behind the city and flowers everywhere, it's definitely the place to be. haha.

Wow. Lots of emails this week. haha. I guess that's what happens when you have a birthday on the mission. That's weird. I'm 21. Don't feel like it. Oh well. It is what it is. haha. It is weird to think that for the entire time I was 20, I was in Italy. That's pretty cool. I can't really complain. haha

Well, lots of stuff happened this week. We still don't have gas (it's been almost 2 weeks), but we should have it today. A guy is coming by to do something, so hopefully that means we will have gas today. I've also had a couple meetings this past week, so that's been kinda weird too.

Basically our situation here in Bergamo is that we have a lot of potentials, but none of them answer their phone, and we can never see any of our investigators, but we are still working hard. We are currently in the 21 lesson week challenge. We had a great first day, teaching 4 lessons, but yesterday was kind of slow and we only taught 2. We are still on track, so things are looking good for us. In fact, last night we did some less active pass bys because there are a ton here in Bergamo and we had two families tell us to come back when the mother was home later that night. We passed by later and got into the first house and found this part member family that is really cool!!! Then we stopped by the next house and set up an appointment with this other family. Super cool! That was really a blessing because its been hard to find people to teach regularly. A lot of lessons on the street and then we never see them again or stuff like that. Lame. haha. Oh well, people have their agency after all.

More miracles! We had two little miracles during a scambio. While doing some strada, we saw this young man sitting on a bench, we decided to put our teach to find that he had talked about that morning in district meeting to the test. While testifying to this man, I felt the spirit very strongly and he let us sit down next to him to talk more about the Book of Mormon. He was very interested and we invited him to come to General Conference this weekend. Then at the end of our scambio, we were on the funicolare coming down from Città Alta, and we started talking to the man who was on it with us. We started up a conversation and when we got to the bottom, he asked if we could walk together to where ever he was going. The whole time, we talked about the gospel. He asked about Joseph Smith and the commandments. About the temple and eternal families. We walked him all the way to his bus and then got on a rode it with him, because I was determined to get his contact information to give to the missionaries in Sardegna (where he lives). He gave us his business card willingly, but as soon as I asked him if I could pass his info to the missionaries there, he closed off and actually took the business card back. Weird. And sad. He was a cool guy. Oh well, not much we can do about that. We tried our best!

Mom, as you can probably tell, I made it up to Città Alta this week. It's beautiful!!!! I was going to send you pictures today, but the sorelle jacked the church computers and so we are at this sketchy internet point and I don't want a virus. Next week. Sorry!

In other random and cool news, while going to Milano for a meeting, I ran into randomly an old friend from Pavia. She was a student in our English class and she lives in Bergamo. I've been looking for her, but I kinda forgot about it and she found me on the train! Totally crazy right??? haha

Thank you so much for the birthday wishes everyone. I really appreciate it. I love you all so much. Thanks for the pictures mom and the cake that I didn't eat. haha. Don't worry, we went to a member's house for lunch on my birthday and they made me an awesome cake. Super good. I love members. They are the best.

OK, so I successfully registered for classes after a nightmare of running around and doing stuff. I got president to do my ecclesiastical endorsement the night before I had to register and then after waking up early to go register at the church, we got all the way there only to find out that we left the key at home. After getting the other anziani to meet us halfway with the key (in the rain, might I add), I found out that I had to wait for a "decision" on my acceptance. So I couldn't do anything. Today, I got an email saying I got accepted, so I signed up for my classes and everything is OK. For the most part. I wait listed one class, but signed up for another time for it too, so if I can get into the one I want I will take that, if not, I still have the class anyway, just not at the time I want. But I did find out that two of my classes have the same final time. Like literally the same day, same time. What do I do? Aiuto!!! haha If you could find out some info on that, that would be great.

As for our trip back to Italy. I will really think hard about it this week. I've already made a list of things I want to do and people to see (which is way more important to me). I'm leaning towards the counterclockwise path, but I will let you know for sure. Because, after really thinking about things, I really want to be in church at Ravenna. I miss that place more than I thought I would. There are a lot of people I want to see too and they kinda live outside of Ravenna, so seeing them in church would be the best thing ever. Speaking of places to buy a hotel. Definitely in Genova. I know for a fact that we have a place to stay in Ravenna. I'm pretty sure I have some members that want to house us in Pavia and Prato, but I will have to check on that somehow. Bergamo....I don't know yet. We will probably need a hotel here too. But like I said, I will let you know next week, the super details.

I miss you guys a lot. It's a really bittersweet time for me right now. Only like 8 more emails or something crazy like that. I'll keep working hard. Keep praying for us and I will see you soon enough. I hate the end of the mission. I'm turning into an emotional wreck. And as you know, I'm not much of a crier!!! hahaha

Well, thank you again for your love and support. I wish you all the best in this upcoming week of Easter. Happy General Conference. What a blessing to have a living prophet!!

Con tanta gratitudine,
Anziano Langlois

PS. "Buon compleanno" is how you say it in Italian dad. haha