Ciao famiglie e amici!
I don't have a ton of time to write so I'll give you just a couple quick updates:
The work - awesome. We teach the most amazing people. We've had a hard time getting people to church, but most are progressing well in the Book of Mormon! We're tagging this awesome man (who we're going to pass off to the anziani if all goes well this week) but he's so sweet and see s to be genuinely interested in learning more. We're also teaching this family that are just the best. The dad is a little scary, and he speaks proper Napolitano, which means I can't understand him at all. But he's awesome. We had a brownie baking competition with him, and he just destroyed us, his brownies were amazing.
English Course - oh boy. English course. Here's what I've learned I English course:
1. Italians never stop arguing.
2. Italians will always think they're right and you can never convince them otherwise. (even when you're trying to tell them you know how to speak English)
3. In the end, all arguments can probably be settled by eating food together.
4. I'm an Italian.
Funny experience - we had an awesome service experience. I loved it because I felt right at home. To preface, for those of you who know my family, you know yard work doesn't mean weeding or planting flowers. It means digging in the mud like the delinquents in Holes, sifting rocks like people at labor camp, or moving a 1000 pound piece of granite using only your bare hands and some logs. This family has the same work ethic as my family. Basically, their driveway was made poorly, so when it rains, all the water piles in this huge pool where their cats live, and then their cats can't eat or sleep comfortably (side note: this family has 13 cats) so they asked if we would help get this water out of their drive way. So using dust pans, we scooped the water into buckets, then walked the buckets around the side of the house and dumped them down the hill. It was a strange strange project that took a long time, but it was fun. The I out problem is that it's rained again, which means we'll be back at it on Tuesday. Hopefully we can think of a more permanent fix.
Food - I have to talk about food, this is Italy! I love the food culture here, it's always always about sharing. For example, we were out finding and we stopped this random lady and while we were talking with her, she just offered us her fresh homemade zeppole. A complete stranger. Also every time we visit people they give us food. Its amazing.
Spiritual thought- we had a lot of interesting conversations this week about why we need a church organization. This was something that I've never really had a clear explanation about, but I found this great scripture in Ephesians 4 that says
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
I just love that this church gives us clarity of doctrine and a unity of faith. We don't rely on the church for personal revelation, but with it, we can all build each other up and practice and understand the true doctrine of Christ.
I love you all so much!
Sorella Maxfield
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