Addio I'Italia May 27, 2015

Ciao tutti!!!

Well, this is it. This is my last email from the mission field. Honestly, I can't describe how I feel right now. On one hand, I'm super excited to come home. I can't wait to see everyone and continue life. But on the other hand, I'm super sad. I'm going to miss Italy so much. I'm going to miss the Italian people so much. I'm really going to miss being the Lord's personal representative. I never thought that it would be this hard to leave. It still hasn't completely hit me yet, but its getting there. Packing and running around saying goodbye to people is kinda freaking me out. So much to do. So little time.

It's really been such a great week. Last p-day, we hiked to this waterfall that turned out to be way bigger than we thought. It was super cool. And we only had to run for about half of it to catch the bus back home. haha. Saturday night while coming home, the elevator door opened up and our keys fell literally down the crack into the elevator shaft. So we had to walk over to the other Anziani's apartment and spent the night there. We then went to church in the same clothes (gross) and I gave my last talk. They turned the time over to me with 30 minutes left. I talked for 25 of them. I thought it was a really good talk. A lot of members like it, so that's a good sign. While getting pizza one night, we started talking to the people inside the restaurant and after telling them multiple times that I was from California, this old Italian man who had muttered "mormoni" as soon as we walked in, grabbed my arm, looked me in the eye and said "are you Italian?". I said no, and he then told me "No?!?! Well, complimenti, you speak Italian perfectly". I know I know. Don't worry, I didn't let it go to my head, but after 2 years of working hard to learn this language, it was such a blessing to hear that. I never would have expected it, and especially from that man. I love this language so much. I'm really going to miss not hearing it all around me. Guess I have to go find little Italy in LA! haha

After being locked out of our apartment all of Sunday, we spent the night with the other anziani again and we were able to get our keys retrieved by an elevator worker man on Monday morning. How grateful I was to be back in that apartment and to change clothes. haha.

Then yesterday, we had one of the craziest experiences ever. I love the mission. This might sound like a joke, but it seriously happened:

A Buddhist monk, a rogue Jew, a pseudo-atheist, and two Mormon missionaries walk into a church....chaos ensues. It was literally the weirdest hour of my life. Not joking, they talked about (because they pretty much wouldn't let us talk) binary Jesus, female donkeys, and other crazy stuff. You guys have to see the picture. It's so funny. I love the people you meet on the mission. This is way too much fun.

This week we had some really good lessons with our members and were able to get more names of their friends to work with. In fact, we were able to meet with one of these referrals in the home of their member friend and she told us that she's always wanted to "convince herself" that the church is true, but every time, something comes up and stops her. We testified of the Book of Mormon and its power to give her spiritual strength to overcome the adversities that there would be in her search for the truth and she committed to start reading the Book of Mormon again. Then yesterday, we went to visit a new convert and we had been trying to meet with his non member brother for weeks, but we had never been able to. Without knowing it, we ran into his brother outside his house and we were able to speak about the Book of Mormon and how important it was to receive a testimony of the Lord's restored church. The great news is that he told us that he has been praying to know if this church is true, and he wants it to be true so he can be united with his brother and mother who are both members. We then had a great restoration lesson with him at his brother's home and we committed him to read the Book of Mormon and because he lives outside of our area, he agreed to meet with the missionaries of Bergamo 1. It truly was a great week of member work.

I just want to leave you all with my testimony. I know the Jesus Christ lives. I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is His restored church on the earth. I know that it is guided by a living prophet, Thomas S Monson. God is literally our father and He loves us. He listens and answers our prayers. I know this because He has answered mine, and He continues to speak to me through the scriptures. Especially the Book of Mormon. This book with bring any man closer to God than any other book. It teaches us how to find peace in this difficult life and eternal life in the world to come. I love my savior. I am so grateful for all that He has done for me. I don't have the words to describe how much I have loved to be His personal representative here in Italy. I know that this is His work and that His hand is in it. I love you all so very much.

Vi voglio un mondo di bene.

Ci vediamo presto,

Anziano Eric Langlois