Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Ok Sup

So this week came the blessings. We have been working very tirelessly to try to have appointments with people and to have new investigators much to our avail. Finally some wind in our sails.

First we got a referral from Church headquarters in a town called Anzio, just about the most southern part of our area. We exited the train, got a map, and started walking. We walked for two hours and arrived at the house. Much to our surprise, the house existed. We rang the doorbell and a lady answered, also to our surprise. We walked in and saw a BYU Bookstore bag...turns out she was a member and she was visiting her sister in Orem. She was at the Joseph Smith building and signed the "guest book" which turned out to be a request-a-missionary visit list. So we talked and chatted and we are going to end up teaching her son.

Then we go to church on Sunday and an old investigator that was dropped here two transfers ago showed up and told the bishop he was ready to be baptized. So the bishop told us that, and we quickly set up an appointment. So two new investigators.

Then a member of the bishopric from Rome 2 (we are in Rome 4/Ostia) called us and said he had an appointment with some friends that he wanted to bring the missionaries to. Turns out that family had run into Jonathan Scoville when he was here, so we talked about him. The mom isn't that interested but loves us. But the hopes from this member are that we get the 17 year old son interested and then next year when he turns 18, he can get baptized, cause his parents are divorced and the father wouldn't give permisison.

So the blessings have been flying in here, just like the pattern in Nephi. Before they find the land Bountiful, they suffer much in the wilderness for food. Nephi's bow breaks, and his brothers try to harm him. But by faith and looking for what the Lord wants, Nephi is able to bring blessings. So it is said that after a trial of our faith come the blessings.

Well, other than that I have one more fun story, and that would be found in my other email.

Love,
Anziano Hatch

So we went to go see the Vatican today...and I guess today was also the day that the pope felt like speaking to the people. So...

...the first is of the Vatican and me,

then a panoramic of the Vatican,


and then the pope himself. I got a video of him but can't send that. Haha, my companion got a picture of him holding out the Book of Mormon as he drove by in his Pope-mobile.

As you can see, there were a lot of people there. That is no small piazza. The pope spoke in Italian and talked about the love of Christ. From what I understood from the times I was paying attention, it sounded like a good talk - a little off on a few points. But heck, what can you expect? It ain't no General Conference.

Love, Anziano Hatch

1 comment:

  1. I enjoy reading your letters. Sounds like this was a very good week, indeed. gwh

    ReplyDelete