Fantastic Life!!!

Email: March 26, 2014

Well this week has been once again, fantastic. 

Glad the packages arrived and most of all you loved the letter! I have grown to love writing, well that is a lie...I enjoy writing sometimes, more than I used too. You are all SO dang special and I LOVE you all tons and tons! I just cant describe it. Maybe I will be able to do so in words in person.....Aug. 2014....super close! Crazy huh?!

MOnday I was in Piacenza on scambio and spoke Italian for the entire time. It was fun. I would LOVE a native companion! 

Thursday we had a zone confrence in Verona. Pres. Dibb was fanastic like always. The new assisstents are just weird. I like them though. Yeah, I learned alot. 

My companion ate fufu for his first time. He did great! I was impressed because he is a picky eater. 

We are teaching a man named kofi that the sorelle first found. Weird part is, he is so super similar to W! Its werid honestly. But he is progressing and such a humble guy. All of our investigators are miracles. I have never seen so many miracles in a city, Reggio Emilia is something special and I already love it so much!

Two weeks ago, the Mission Consecration week, we broke the record for number of lesson taught during one week, exceeded 1700! Fun stuff is going on in Italy!

The church is true. I love it and I know it!

Love your favorite, 

Anziano Edwards!

Spring is Here!

Email: March 19, 2014

Well this past week had been fantastic! Out apartment is full of the best people on the planet! I love them all and we have SO much fun adn maybe eat way too much pizza....but you only live in Italy as a missionary once right?! haha

We ride bikes here or just walk. The city is small, so we only use the bikes when its more than a 20 min or so walk. 

The weather is getting warm. Everything is blooming and I wish I could wear shorts. The evenings are all ways cool and jacket or sweater weather. I like it. Perfect weather for missionary work, if it gets much hotter.....well lets say its not going to be fun. I am scared of the summer. I know it will be incedably hot and dry here in Reggio Emilia.....40 plus degrees with no ocean breeze like I had last summer in Genova. I will keep you updated of how misserably hot it gets!

This past week we had ANOTHER baptism! His name was Stanley! I had the blessing to interview him and he KNOWS this is the true church! Mamma mia! He has such a great heart and willing to follow Christ. Picture next week. Baptims, or not, I am just so happy to know of the fullnessof Christ's Gosple and even happier when others find out the same for themselfs! Che grande! Sono contento. 

Monday I spent the day in Piacenza on scambio. City sound fammiliar? That was my second city in the mission, but was only 7 days. Good to relive my past city :) I was with Anziano Mendoza who is Santa Domingo blood, but born and raised in Udine! When I was in Udine last year, he recived his call to Uraguay. but is stuck in Italy for a few more weeks becuase of Visa problems. It iwas fun to speak 100% italian all day long. Learned alot from him, in missionary work and of course the language. 

The two investigators we have, one hasnt talked to us for a week, found out he went to the hospital...so that was a bit scarry. and the other one is moving to London(he is Italian) in a few weeks. They are both some of the most prepared  childen on God. The one moving to London, is the perfect example of meekness and eager to learn more! He is bringing his friend to church this sunday too! 

Thomas, new convert, is doing fantastic and loving church. He got glasses and can now read the BOM a lot easier. We are goingto begin teaching his friends and sending his family info to Ghana as referals! 

sorry I suck at emails latley....I will try to add some stories next week. There are so many, funny and spiritual and everywhre in between! I LOVE my mission and cant belive its almost done. My companion reminds me constantly saying "do you realize this is your last March 19th in the mission?" Yeah I might just kill him...haha jk.

With love, your favorite!

Anziano Edwards

Ciao Tutti! 

We ate this. We all about died. 99% who would've guessed...

Anziano Finnerty and I the first time we met in Milano!

Pizza Makes Life Great!!

Email: March 12, 2014

Life is great, I honestly am loving Reggio and my appartment. Anz. Bert, Carter and Finnerty are all fantastic missionaries and great to live with. We eat pizza too often...its so good and the pizzeria loves the missionaries becuase we order pizza often...life is great!

Thomas. What more can I say, another amazing man from Ghana. He is humble and a really funny guy and just happens to be the newest member of the church of jesus christ of latter-day saints here in Reggio Emilia! The baptsim as flawless. Just wonderful. Simple and beautiful. The baptimal font was huge! I havent seen one this big in a long time! It was a temporary style one, but big. Anyways, I gave a talk on the Holy Ghost, S.lla Jones gave the other talk on baptims. His member friends, baptized him and confermed him on sunday. Afer church he was given the preisthood too! So fantastic. Bishop Carrus, who is one of the most dedicated and most spiritual men I have ever met is truly happy and greatful for Thomas, he already is an active member and add so much the this fantastic ward! I feel like I am on the clouds! We have good work, not a large teaching pool but the members are awesome. A mission goal is to be in members homes 4 times a week. Family home evening, a short passby lesson or teaching an investigator in a members home all count. Anyways, the first 10 minutes of preisthood is dedicated for us missionaries to get members to all of our appointments and set up member visits. I have never had such a on the ball ward or branch. The members here are so strong. No wonder why Reggio Emilia was the highest baptizing unit (ward/branch) in the mission last year! These members have humbled themselfs, repented, and support one another and to the Lord sees that and is more than willing to bless their lives. So many incredible members and even better testimonies from them. I hope I stay here until Aug! 

Cool thought from Bishop Carrus that I never thought of. Home teaching prepares you for your mission. 

Anyways, of course I love you all!

Statemi bene!

Ciao

Anziano Edwards

Il mio collega!! 

Thomas' Baptism

Incredible Missionary Members!!!

Email: March 5, 2014

Well this week was great! I went to Bologna on Thursday for a zone leader/district leader/sister training meeting. My companion stayed in Reggio and worked in a trio. Learned a bunch about how to be a better leader in the mission and how Pres. Dibb is directing the mission. 

We had a fantastic day at church, our companionship had 3 investigatiors in church, and one was his first time. The members here are INCREDABLE! I have never seen such missionary minded members ever! The first 10 minutes of Preisthood is for us Anziani to set up lessons to visit members and also to schedule member pressent lessons with all of our investigators. Huge success! 

On p day we went to Parma,, they make amazing cheese! Parmigiano Reggiano! We went to this old museam of old Italian stuff. I took so amny pictures so when I get home you can see all of them. Some are a little weird. I feel like "art" is somethimes just a bunch of naked paintings and statues...its kind a really akward. But cool none the less. I guess...

Anz. Finnerty and I went to Milano on Tuesday after ebing aon scambio with the Zone leaders in Modena. I stayed in Reggio, and Finnerty went to Modena. In milano, we had the "new mission ary meeting". We learned all the basics on life in the Italy Milan Mission. Good refresher for me. We caught a train at 8 in the morning and arrived back home at 8.30. Train times did not work out inour favor...but worth it. Pres. is such an inspired man! I cant put it any other way. Incedable.

Baptism this saturday! I will be sure to send home some pictures!

I saw Anziano and Sorella Mackey again, the sr. couple in grandma and grandpas ward becuase they inspected out appartment earlier today. Tell grandpa hello in thier behalf. 

Well have a fantastic week!

I love you all tons and tons!

Anziano Edwards!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! baci!

The Museum/Stage/Colesseum thingy...yeah... Gotta love Italy even if you don't understand why art and old things are famous! ;)

Fancy Art Stuff 

Mostra stradale e il piano do salvezza
EVERYONE teaching someone! The members and missionaries!
(A.J.'s Favorite Picture)

Mostra di nuovo (reattachment of picture from this post)