The First in Battipaglia

Well this has been a good week. We finished last week teaching a total of 24 lessons. We are on track this week to replicate the same kind of numbers, although we need to get some new investigators. I don't think I have ever taught this many lessons before. It is pretty amazing how Anziano Nancollas and I are pumping out lessons. It is fun working with him, because we just started off the first day like we hadn't missed a beat from the MTC. The senior couple here are the Marlor's from Rexburg. Elder Marlor was a professor at Ricks College for something like 43 years before the mission. They are really cool, but it is different being a district leader over more than just your companion. It is a good experience.

So here there is a family that is half baptized. The family is composed of a father, a mother, and three daughters. The dad and one of the daughters are baptized. We want more than anything for the whole family to be baptized. So pray for them. They are really great. I think it is because the dad has kind of stopped progressing. He was baptized two weeks ago and still doesn't have the priesthood. His only problem, that we know of, is that he doesn't understand why we need the priesthood to perform blessings if people can be healed by faith alone. So this brings me to a rare thing. Question of the week - and I expect answers - so for you all, "Why do we need the priesthood to perform blessings if people can be healed by faith alone?"

I saw a member from Castellamare last night, and he told me that the Amendola family was endowed with the Melchizedek priesthood on Sunday. The Branch President gave it to the dad, and the dad to his son. Then the Branch President gave it to the other boy, Gennaro, also. It must have been absolutely beautiful.

As far as World Cup action goes, everyone is disappointed in Italy's performance thus far. But they also say that their team is too old for World Cup competition. I like to ask people how America is doing because someone told me that they might do pretty well because they have a younger team. We'll see. I guess they pulled off a close call tie with Slovakia the other day. They play again today. We might watch it since they play during p-day.

And for the changing of mission stuff, it is weird cause we are the farthest south in the Rome mission right now. So we don't hear anything from anyone about things that are happening at Rome or things that are going down. So zero updates other than the mission will change July 1.

Well until next time, don't do dumb things and do good things. Julie, stop getting operated on. I can't wait for the 4th of July...oh wait, I am in Italy. Speaking of that, our big celebration will be on July 15th, the day Anziano Nancollas and I arrived in Italy. So we are going to plan a good meal for that one. Anyway thanks for everything you all do!

Love,
Anziano Hatch

We saw a Pucinella show. Kinda weird. But exactly what you see in the movies with these puppets. It made me think of "The Hunchback of Notre Dame."

This is Battipaglia