Buongiorno everyone!!!
I am half way done with the MTC and in just 19 days I depart for Milano! We are all so anxious to get out there and serve the Italians. The Italian has gotten so much better!! At times it can get hard, but with the spirit and faith, anything is possible here. I have taught about 20 lessons already- all in Italian of course. It definitely gets frustrating at times because I am unable to fully express myself but I a can at least get a meaningful lesson across which is great! Here I have learned that we cant just expect to receive the gift of tongues because we are set apart missionaries, we have to study intensely and learn as much as we can. I have been working so hard each day because I know that Heavenly Father will make up the rest if I try my best. And I have seen that so many times!
My comp next to me, next to him is elder esmay, and next to him closest to the camera is elder Anderson.,, the famous youtube cat kid.
This week was a week of many challenges and also miracles. So on Thursday of last week, I woke up and both of my eyes were SUPER red. I seriously looked like a zombie. Later that day I decided to go to the medical clinic there and ask if they could tell me what was wrong. They said it was a side effect from the cold I had last week. They ordered me a prescription which I was so thankful for. Nothing is worse than having to teach a lesson in Italian with both of your eyes looking like the eyes of zombie. My companion and I went to pick up the prescription which helped a ton!
When we got back to the classroom I could not find my wallet anywhere!! I ran back to the travel office to ask if I had maybe left it in the shuttle and they said no. So I ran back to the clinic at BYU to see if I had left it there and I could not find it anywhere! I was devastated because I had everything important in that wallet. The next few days were full of phone calls to home(pretty happy about that), the bank, and the DMV(I was on hold for 2 hours). I was able to replace almost everything accept for the $90 in my wallet. I prayed over and over again. I fasted for 24 hours on Sunday and prayed even more. By Tuesday I had accepted that maybe I wouldn't ever find it. Well, this morning while at the temple, I said a prayer and thanked Heavenly Father for helping me get all of the important items replaced. After the temple I had read a letter from my mom saying that my little brother, Jack, had fasted for the first time last Sunday so that I could find it. Sure enough, the front desk called me up and they had found it in one of the VANS!! I couldn't believe it. I know that fasting and prayer works. Although most everything in it was cancelled( because I thought it was stolen) I am still grateful for having it. My mom told me that maybe this was Heavenly Father's way of telling me that I need to be careful in Italy because something much more valuable could be stolen or lost and I should be more careful.
This week, Bishop Causee ( the man who handles the finance of the church) spoke to us. His brother-in law is the mission president of the France Paris mission! That made me think of my cousin Jamison. He told us that we need to be bold missionaries and never forget to open our mouths to people. His wife told us that it is okay for us to feel inadequate as long as we rely on our Heavenly Father. That is so very true. We all have inadequacies and weaknesses but only to make us stronger. In Ether 12:27, it reads " I give unto men weakness that they may become humble" And if we humble ourselves He will make the week things become strong unto us.
Before I end, I just want to say how grateful I am for all of you. I am so happy to be serving a mission. I have found out already that it is and will be the most difficult thing I will ever do but the most rewarding thing I will ever do.
I started reading the Book of Mormon last may and I fisished it yesterday! Evertime I read it, I know that it is the most true and correct book on this earth. I am not sure how many of you read my emails but if you have time, do yourself a favor and read it and pray about it. It will change your life as it has surely changed mine. I miss you all and love you so much. I would not want to be anywhere else. Till next week! ( read: Moroni 10:4 Ether 12:6 and 3 Nephi 11)
-Anziano Hogan
Thank you grandma!!!!
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