Carissima bellissima famiglia mia

So, we're just finishing some stuff up for transfers. It's INTENSE!!!  We stay super busy. I think you can count on me wanting some down time right after my mission (at least for the first couple of days).

Tomorrow is when the 9 new missionaries show up. 7 Anziani and 2 Sorelle. I love new missionaries. I just wish that there were going to be some Italians (this group is all from the Provo MTC).

I know I haven't shared much about my personal study since the MTC (because that was pretty much the only thing I had to talk about when I was there), but I thought that I would tell you about an AWESOME scripture that I read this morning. 

Lately I've been really busy and it's kind of tiring (but I love it), but sometimes things just work out that we have a lot less time than we would like to have (our problem is that we wish we had as much time to do proselyting as normal missionaries, but we just don't). So anyways, I was looking to figure out what I can do so that I won't feel stressed.

2 Nephi 9:3

Behold, my beloved brethren, I speak unto you these things that ye may rejoice, and lift up your heads forever, because of the blessings which the Lord God shall bestow upon your children.

I was actually reading it in Italian, and the part that hit me is when it says "I speak unto you these things that ye may rejoice", and I thought to myself, that's all I have to do! I just have to rejoice (In italian: gioire). Which says to me, Don't worry, be happy.

hahaha.

That was pretty great.

So this last week we’ve been meeting with President a lot so that we can give him suggestions on transfers. Then we helped him make some of the transfer calls. The coolest things that happened are: we're staying together, Anziano Shipton is becoming District Leader, Anziano Destefanis is going with Anziano Marzolla, and Anziano Vitali is training in his fourth transfer. Anziano Rowland is still the Zone Leader for Napoli, Anziano Mercado is still a Rome Zone Leader, Anziano Cox is coming up to Rome to be a Zone Leader. . . . and that's about all the news. Things are going well.

Lately we've been getting a ton of referrals. It's kind of like a snowball effect. Right now we have 7 that we need to contact (we just got three yesterday), so if you know anyone in Rome that you think could be interested in meeting us, just let me know. =)

I can't remember what all we did this last week, so I'm just going to send you some photos now. Alright?

Love,

Anziano Banks

 

 

 

So this  photo is me just chillin in the doctor's office (we go with missionaries when they have health issues).

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is us with our district, and Fratello Malara (it was for the baptism of Irene, one of the sister's investigators).

 

 

 

 

So this last one is our district lunch which was SWEEET.  Anziano Mercado made pasta al forno and it was super delicious, plus he made cobbler (which I didn't get to try because everyone else finished it (read: my companion) because they thought that I had already had some.