Trip to San Luca

Email: November 27, 2013

I am staying as zone leader with Anz. Warnock for this upcomming trasfer. President went crazy! Like he is nuts! He talked about trying to align all the mission zones with the local Italian stakes and districts...its basicaly impossible, but he did it...he cut our zone in half and created a new zone, the Modena Zone. And now the Bologna Zone is Bologna (with sorelle now :)), Ferrara, Padova and Vicenza(my first city!) We are a zone of 4 cities but have 8 companionships and plus the Sr. Couple in Vicenza Military, The Arbogasts! They are the best. We have three district leaders, so its perfect! We are thinking we will get a car because the Mestre Zone is now half as small so the Bologna zone is now bigger in area so it makes more sense for us to have the car, Vicenza is like 2.5 hours away...basicaly FOREVER! 

I honestly dont think I will survive tommorrow because we have to stay in Bologna Centrale(the train station) for the day, we will be there from the morining until my guess is about 15.00 as we have to make sure all the traveling missionaries get on the right trains and then we have to call ahead and let the next city know their arivial time. Plus we cant screw up other wise people are alone...president would kill us probably. Its stressfull to say the least. Bologna will basically be a hub for missionaries to change trains and change travel groups/companions along the way. Wish me luck! (side note, Anz. Pagano who I trained will be in Vicenza now so I get to see him often :)

Because the American family is doing thanksgiving in their second "mansion" up in the mountians, they have agreed to had a second thanksgiving at their home in town for all 6 of us missionaries on Saturday! They are the best! Thanksgiving on Saturday! Whoot whoot!

Yes the new sorelle appartment is all good to go. We have been confirmed they are arriving...I forgot their names though...they are both young in the mission, i think a 6th and a 5th trasnfer. boh. Their apartment is WHITE The walls, floor, all apliances, cubbords, bookshelfs, desks, everything, even the floors! Its so weird! Worst appartment to clean each week! Glad its not my appartment! haha

Well this week was a better one. All I can say is mom has super powers, angie a bit too. It kinda freaks me out that mom knows so much even when I dont say anything...Last week was just hard, we taught like 4 or 5 lessons, no one came to church.

This past week we didnt do much that was crazy to note wortrhy. It was a week of missionary work. Pday on the 20th, we went on a hike kinda, we walked up ramps and a billion stairs to get to a place called San Luca. It was cool. There is 666 arches along the path. (picture attached).

Thrusday our Russian investigator who is 22 droped with us. May have been the saddest I have even been to hear some one say "non possiamo incontrarci mai. Ho trovato la verità è la mia risposto da Dio. La vostra chiesa non è la vera chiesa. Tutte sono false." That is what he told us. We passed by his house to talk with him but he met a homless type guy who "knows all religions" and told him all are false, just live a good life. I was quite upset and it really just felt like some one punched my heart when he told me that the three kingdoms are false and just a fairy tale. It is so hard to see a progressing investigator leave like that. Weirdest part is Anz. Thompson promised him as he reads and prays with real intnet about the BOM he will feel someting in his heart, like a fire. The nexst lesson he told us the weirdest thing happened the day before meeting us, he said I read and prayed and then I felt something I have never felt before. He explained it has a hot fire in his core. We helped him recognize the Holy Ghost. He loved it. He knew it was true. Now, he never wants to meet us. :(

On a happier note, our less active member beat his cancer and cant wait to come to church. He also expressed a desire to give a talk in church! He is supr cool and will take us to lunch for some more local food and a steak from Firenze! Only the best he told us! haha. I am just greatful. He is super great.

English class is twice a week now and they are the funniest people ever!

Con amore,
Anziano Edwards!

Ciao! 

San Luca Arches 

San Luca
(Picture from Google -just to give you an idea of what Anziano Edwards hiked on P-Day)

Keep On Keepin' On

Email: November 20, 2013

I have no clue if I will get trasfered. its up to the Lord. :)

The assistents came for a scambio last wednesday so our p day was changed to thursday (just last week).

Well Thanksgiving is on transfer day so it messes things up. In Bologna, we have one one American Family who have invited us up to their second home in the mountains if we have time with all the trasfer confusion. There is another American who married an Italian, our ward missino learer in fact and they alway combine thanksgiving with the other family. On pday, the day before trasfers, so next p day, we are planning on maybe having some type of thangiving with the Anziani in the zone and maybe play some football. Nothing is confirmed yet though.

Well not much to tell you this last week....it was kind boring. We have not been teaching much due apartment stuff. The Sr. Couple from Milano, The Burgers (she is Italian, he is American) called monday morning and said we had to help them ove in and set up the entire new appartment for the sorelle.that will come next week! Bologna gets sisters! It has been 15 years since there were sorelle in Bologna. I was on Scambio in ferrara so I didnt have to put together all the Ikea stuff, but this weekend we have to supervise the kitchen workers and then another time we have to deal the the plumbera and electrical guys so the appartment can have utilities. I an mot looking forward to dealing with them...it will take basicaly our whole day because we have to travel to the new appartment and wait for the keitchen delevery guys and make sure thy dont ding the walls ect, and make sure it gets put in the richt place in the kitchen. Thy will arive 'sometime in the morring...' on friday...who knows if they will ever show up...I will let you know how it goes!

Other than that big news, I was cold, but then it heated back up and it warm today. Chruch was cool. Life is good, trasfer news on MOnday for leadership positions, it not, we will hear on Tuesday.

Love you tons and tons!

Anziano Edwards

Ciao!

sorry, compuer sucks so no pictures this week :(

Mission Leadership Council with Elder Teixeria. A.J. is in the center just behind Elder Teixeria; next to Sister Dibb
Picture borrowed from the Milan Italy Mission Blog

Best Experience of My Life

Email: November 14, 2013

Well about the "hot chocolate" as they call it here, it just different. I love it, but it is super rich so you cant have much of it at a time. Also it is not really liquidy, you can drink it but it is better to eat with a spoon, I miss american hot chocolate becuase it is a perfect thing to just sit and relax with that warms you up. I love sipping hot chocolate. So I guess I would perfer american hot chocolate over Itlain just becuse its more relaxing, and you can have a much of it ever day, where as teh itlaian type if more a a treat every now and again.

Dad, we eat sandwhiches here, but they are super super basic. They never really use sandwhich bread, it is some sort of a roll or personal size peice of bread with one slice of meat, one slice of cheese and sometimes it will have a tiny bit of mayo. Very simple. I love sandwiches with a buch of tomato and lettuce and meat and cheese. Both are tasty though!

I never pack a snack or dinner. I just never am hungy. its weird. Sometimes at night I will have a little snack before bed, but not usually.

No they do not eat those hero/giro greek sandwich that we get at the art festival, i hve never seen them. I have seen a arabic food called a kabap or kabab that are tasty and similar to the sandwhich you are thinking about I think...BOH.

Random stuff that I am not sure if I ever told you...

There is bologna meat here that is super tasty, but its real meat here :)

I was called on in the missionary leader council last week that all the leaders met with preasident dibb and also Elder Teixeria to give a stewardship and best practice report. talk about super scary!

Cool blessing that Elder Teixeria gave to us in the zone confrence, he said " I bless your familes that they will feel the influence of your mission" Question now, do you all feel it?

Well love you tons and tons, sorry the email sucks this week.

Ciao!Hugs and kisses to you all!!!!!! XOXOXOXO

Anziano Edwards

Saluti da Bologna 

I all most forgot to tell you the best news probalby of my mission. I cried.

William went to the temple last week!!!!!! Anz. Pagano called me and told me one evening and yes I shed a few tears standing at the bus stop in the evening waiting for the bus home. I am so happy for him and all I want is to go to the temple one day with him! :D

This is the best experience of my life. I could and NEVER would trade it for anything else. I can not describe it. A mission is just indescribable. I have never felt the love of God, the power of the Atonement of Christ and the desire to help others more than I have for the past year and 3ish months. It is truly incredible. 

Firenze Cravatte!

Email: November 6, 2013

It is not that cold, its weird. Super sunny and warm. The evenings are cold though. our low is like 7 degrees C.
“la conocenza avra col temp” traslates to 'The knowledge with come with time' Where did you hear that from?
We will be making REAL Itlaian food for sure when I get home. Its easy for the most part too!
Our mission phone is just like dads backberry, but mine is samsung brand. The new phones in the mission are touch screan. We can not access the internet on them. They are not a true 'smart phone' but cool and nice, wasy to use so its good.
Also, alfredo sauce! are you kidding me! That is 500% NOT italian! Gross! Shame shame! bad! It traslates to of the cold sauce! haha
Italy is amazing, and I am great!
Thanks for the love and prays, I will send a bunch your way too!
Anziano Edwards! 

Me in a Frecciarossa Business class

The Anziani I live with.Anz. Miles (closest) and Anz. Hillyard.
Riding in Business Class in a Frecciarossa train to Firenze

I was in Firenze for zone conferece/mission tour so I bought some ties....I couldnt resist! Temptation was too big! hahaha 
This time I only bought bright colored ones! ;)
I bought 17 I think so now in the mission, I 60ish ties...and I am not even sad or worried I have too many!

This is the market where I bought ties in Firenze. the tie shop is way down the street, you cant see it.