Well this week was a week shorter than last and I don't have much to report on. Thursday (Thanksgiving) we were in Bologna for p-day. I love Bologna, it's such a good/fun(?) city. I played some spikeball, had some kebab, and got to talk to my family a lot. It was great! Monday we had a Thanksgiving dinner in Ravenna and got to interview with President. I'm so excited to see The Wood's again at 12 week training (which for us will only be 10 week). They're some of the best people I've ever met. We also said goodbye to the Howe's. The senior couple that's been serving in our area. I'm sad they're leaving but happy they get to be home for Christmas. Anziano Howe was telling some stories of when he was here in the 70s. There were basically no churches here. In one city the chapel was the apartment that they slept in. And there still is a lot of growth to come. We're the only city in the district that has a standalone building (the old house). All the others are in office parks/buildings, or in apartment buildings too. It's cool to see but very different from what I've seen before. We also heard how each city has less missionaries now. Bologna used to have 8 and now it's down to just 2! All of Italy is down missionaries. Which is sad to hear. I think they said we have ~130 missionaries currently in our mission, a bit more in Rome. But they used to have 3 missions (I think at one point 4) with about 180 in each. I don't think it's a unique problem; mission all over the world may have similar stories.
This p-day we don't have anything exciting planned. We went on a good bike ride this morning to different toys stores. Our town is still preparing for Christmas. Lights are hung above the streets. There are 2 main squares. One has a real tree and the other has a fake tree of lights they're putting up today. We've seen them test lights and other things but I can't wait for it to all come together.
For my spiritual thought I will re-tell what I talked about to our amazing friend Massimiliano (if you remember the trip to San Marino). I talked to him about hope. I find it interesting that in everyday conversations we use the word hope when we don't have assurance. When we really don't know, or think something won't happen. But that's not how the scriptures use it.
Alma 34:41
"But that ye have patience, and bear with those afflictions, with a firm hope that ye shall one day rest from all your afflictions."
A firm hope. After I came across this verse I starting thinking some more about what hope really means. What separates it from Faith? So I found some more and don't really have time to tie it all together. So here are some verses that explain what to have hope in:
Moroni 7:41 "And what is it that ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise"
Ether 12:4 "Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God."
I feel like this is what I want to study more this week so feel free to send your thoughts to me! But I do like this line in preach my gospel that helps me understand hope even more. "When you have hope, you work through trials and difficulties with the confidence and assurance that all things will work together for your good". And after reading that I felt like I have A LOT of work to do.
Love you all!! Merry Christmas (as most of the places seem to say it around here....not very italian but hey I understand it)
Foto:
-saying goodbye to the Howe's
-Thanksgiving dinner
-P-day in Bologna (did I send that last week? Oops if I did)
-I can't add it but I'll try to add a video of A Frecciarossa coming through the station in Fano to show why I've have nightmares...
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