"The Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ Brings Happiness"

First.. I am disappointed the Utes lost but....i guess it's USC but still that sucks. They better kick butt against BYU though.

Second. I totally asked mom or dad(don't remember) last week about what I could buy Hillary but nobody responded. That sucks. I'm just gonna send a card. I realized that if i buy something it's gonna cost some amount but with the sending fee...it would just be way to much. Plus I haven't got a clue what to buy. I'm therefore going to send a card! yay.

Well it has actually been a pretty boring week here in Modena I'm not gonna lie. We have worked hard and taught lessons but nothing really exciting. Wah wah... Scusate! We did have Zone Conference which was very fun and full of ideas for things I can improve on. I also got a sack of letters which was soooo sweet. I think there were like 3 envelopes from Aunt Carol full of sports stuff, a few from Dianna, Jake McNeil and one from Lisa(dated back to last February???. I guess it was the lost letter.

We have recently started teaching a less-active member, Fabio. He's been a member for about 1 year and is just super cool. We met with him about two weeks ago and he was in great need of the gospel. He expressed his appreciation for the lesson and invited us to come back again. He's been super depressed lately and actually before our next appointment with him he checked himself into a clinic.

The stress from not having work was too much for the guy. We have started passing by like 3 times a week though and teaching him the gospel. He's super nice and super cool, he's struggling with a few commandments but he wants to change. He even asked us if our bishop could pass by(which was funny because that same lesson we wanted to ask him if he could meet with bishop).

He hasn't been able to come to church yet because he's been in the clinic. We are really hoping and praying that when he gets out that he can just be active again. His family basically doesn't want him around(he's like 26 yrs old and super smart). He told us the first time we met that the ward is basically his family. He needs your prayers!

Something small that has been a miracle for me is the growth of our investigator Ettore. You know we have been teaching him for a little over 2 months now and he's just a stud. Up until the last week or so we just haven't seen any excitement from him about baptism. He's had a date for awhile now but never have we seen the dude really smile or any real emotion toward this baptism.

Finally he is prepared for baptism and it's this SATURDAY! Yeah yeah. We are so excited and HE IS TOO! In the last week or two it's like when we see him in church he's smiling. When we ask him.."are you ready for your baptism?", he smiles and says yes. It has been super cool for me to see this and to see how much happier he seems, following the commandments and changing his life to be in line with that of our Savior Jesus Christ.

I know that it's just a smile but for me it has really shown that he does want to be baptized. It shows me that he knows it will change his life and bring him closer to Christ. We are excited and I know he's excited and it shows. It's simple, the restored gospel of Jesus Christ brings happiness.

Our buddy Edmond(Ghana) is also progressing too. He has come to church the last couple weeks and we have been teaching him like crazy. We have a date for him for the 24th! We are hoping he can be ready for that date. His only problem is that he can't meet with us super often so were having to teach lots of lessons in little appointment. We are hoping it wont overwhelm him. If we have to we will move his baptismal date but who knows yet.

It sounds like everyone is doing great! Oly soccer is kicking butt, Savannah is just owning everyone it seems like, that is super dope. I bet Lisa loved how in the newspaper article, it didn't spell her name right.

It sounds like Ashley to be upset about her role. I can't believe (R)Ashley is already in 8th grade and that Hill is turning 17.......This is crazy, this is crazy, as Clark Griswald would say. Well I am praying for you all and hope all is well.

Fill me in next week with the BYU game, how the cousins are doing in football and everything. Let me know if there is anything you want to know.

Next week is transfer ah.....the 29th is my year mark...yikes...I might have another companion..."ohhhhh boy".

Love you alll....clam CIOWDY

PS

Another thing...wow I don't want to complain but being Senior companion sucks ahahahahahahahaha. My Italian totally got better last transfer because I was having to speak a lot lot more but know I have not gotten better at all. haha. I need to just speak more and really work on it, but man it's tough when the person you're with doesn't speak better than you.

Cross my fingers...maybe I will train an italian...DESIDERO (I want to)

Tuck-a-luck

Hold the press......I just got a phone call from the office in Milano...We got a referral and the person's name is BOAT....haaha such a cool name...Boat. I also might be going to FIRENZE next week because my companion has to get his Permesso di Soggiorno (Visa). Firenze has the best deals on cool looking ties so I might buy a bunch for myself and you guys. Pray that I will be able to go hahaha.