Weekly Email February 2nd, 2015 ( Only 3 More Emails Left!)

Well here is this week's email. Only 3 LEFT!!!!

Sorry if my capitlization is gonna be off, it's cold and my hands are a little cold as well. It snowed here in Rome yesterday, and last night. My exema's kinda come back, but it's under control (Thank you Gold Bond lotion!).

So, let's start off with things from home. Mom first like always:

Man, you are super busy this week! I am so sorry for you, but it should be okay, things will calm down soon. You got a new car! That's awesome! And as for you being the new chaufeur, yeah right. Dad will never be able to stop driving. Like you said, Dad is a driver, not a passenger, he can't change that aspect of his personality!

I should see Anziano Kenney this weekend for a Bapt interview scambio, so I'll be sure to tell him that Bishop B says hi, and how my mom knows about that.

You like my tie? In truth, I only wear that tie to special events, like baptisms, confirmations, and the like. I thought, since this was my last zone conference I should wear that tie to show that I came into the field with that tie, and I'm going out with it. Also, because you gave it to me, I have to show that I still love it, and you!

Man, honestly it was a really good zone conference, I learned a lot about now having fear and being bold and having faith to expect a miracle. If you saw the pictures, I had to do another trust fall. Luckily, someone caught me this time, but it took a leap of faith this time.

Oh about Kendra's wedding. My waist size, not my pants size, is are you ready: (drumroll please)



39 INCHES! Man have I lost weight, so whatever size that is, you could make the kilt in that size. Well, I'm glad things are going good with all of that. Hopefully things aren't too bad, but yeah, I'm glad I'm in Italy so I don't have to deal with all of this.  (Sending this to Kendra and Marcus as well, so that they can share in the joy of hearing from me. They are family after all)

Okay responses to Dad's questions:

1. I'm coming home with the three I came out with, that way we can use them after I get home. They are still in really good condition. (Dad asked if he is coming home with all the luggage he went with or leaving one item as he had talked about doing that as some missionaries leave one of their bags). 
2. I am perfectly fine with waiting to come back to Italy, as long as we can come back! (We may have to postpone our trip until 2016 since Anziano Eads' sister is getting married and that is a lot of expense). 
3. Cool, already addressed the new car. (Told him about his Mom's new car since we are driving her old car to my older sister so she can have it).  
4. The car will stay clean. My old car was really clean, and it would've been better, if you had given me more of a warning about the sale. (We had the car Nathan will use detailed and it is super clean now and I informed him I want it to stay that way; in the past neither kid has a great reputation regardless of what Anziano Eads thinks he remembers of keeping their car clean; well at least to Dad's standard of keeping a car clean). 
5. Cool. (Dad got a Fiio X3 super hi fi stereo player that puts any iPod to shame for the clarity of the sound. Dad is on an anti Apple crusade right now).  
6. I think I'll be okay. (Dad asked if Anziano Eads will adjust to sleeping by himself and not with a companion).  
7. Will do Dad! (Some real cool connections with other Anziano in the area Nathan is serving. His companion Anziano Jones was trained by Anziano Burton and Anziano Burton who came home last transfer, his mom works at the school where I work and of course we have shared some observations and thoughts.  Then Anziano Kenny who is the Zone Leader with Anziano Kelly is best friends with Tyler, who is Anziano Eads' Mom's boss/owner son.  So lots of connections. That isn't clear: Anziano Kenny is best friends with Tyler who is the son of Todd who owns the company where Lynda (Anziano Eads' Mom) is the Controller.  

Well, what to say about this week. Some nice miracles happened, and then some things kinda brought it down.

Time to start with the bad news I guess I could say: Nabil didn't past his interview. He has some problems with the law of chastity, kinda like we suspected, but he opened up about everything now, and we can really start helping him out with everything, and overcoming his addiction.

We're gonna be doing all we can to help him out. We are going to see if he would let us install blocks on his computer to help him out, and we are also going to try and get him to attend the recovery corse that our ward holds every Tuesday at 8. I think that would help him out a whole lot. But man has he made some changes, and I have no doubt that he'll make more.

So we did have a miracle with Nabil this week. For a while, he hasn't been taking super good care of himself, wearing the same clothes and the like, but yesterday when he came to church, he had showered, shaved, and was in a nice button up shirt and suit! I couldn't even recognize him! It was nice to see some one who is really trying to come closer to Christ, and is willing to make changes for that.

Okay, bad news over, good stuff.

So we met with Robinson, whose another investigator, and he is awesome! He has expressed a strong desire to be baptized, and he is definitely working on that. He has accepted everything that the Roma 2 Anziani have taught before us, and he is willing to live the commandments. He should be having his baptismal interview on Saturday, but that is liable to change depending on the Capis. The only problem would be his work, as he helps an old sick man, and he can't always come to church. But he has told us when he can come, he will.

We also have a lot of referrals to contact, and we're working on getting them to be investigators. We set up appointments with two of them for this week, so by the end of it, we should most definitely have at least 2 new simps, but I feel inspired to say we'll have more.

Okay, well, that was our week in all honesty. Kinda rough at the end, but overall, on my point of view, things can only go up from here.

Next week, love you guys!

NaNa

Anziano Eads Last Zone Conference, Rome West

A HUGE thanks to Sister Waddoups for providing these shots of Anziano Eads at his last zone conference in the Rome West Zone.  He and Anziano Rasmussen came out together in the MTC and have served in the same area before.

Anziano Eads and Rasmussen (they were in the MTC together)

Anziano Eads and Rasmussen (they were in the MTC together)

Anziano Eads and Rasmussen with Sorella singing the Hymn of Rome  The tie he is wearing is significant. It is the tie his Mom got him and to me (his Dad) shows his love for his mother. Anziano Eads has ALWAYS worn a teal tie to zone conferences in the past, but this one was for his Mom as it should be. 

Anziano Eads being Nathan! 

Anziano Eads eating (soon no gluten for him at home!). 

Anziano Eads bearing his departing Testimony at the Zone Conference. At their first and then their final zone conference they bear their testimony (beliefs). These show some emotion on Nathan's part if you really know him and his mannerisms and Mom and Dad do. 

Anziano Eads bearing his departing testimony as he gets emotional . 

Anziano Eads departing testimony (looks to be intense for Nathan). 

Anziano Eads departing testimony

Anziano Craig Jones who is Anziano Eads' companion and Anziano Eads role playing. How grateful we are that Anziano Eads has such a great departing companion who works hard, loves the work and loves being a missionary (as you can tell from his letters on his blog at this LINK I really encourage you to read his blog, it's really wonderful and as with missionaries, you can see the growth over time).  

Anziano Eads role playing with the Sorella leaders. 

Anziano Eads role playing with a Sorella that was hurt. Last transfer Anziano Eads mentioned how he and Anziano Zito helped this Sorella and her companion out as she adjusted to being in the boot. 

Anziano Eads and the back of Anziano Jones' head as they role play or discuss. 

Coming Home

As Nathan's father, I have mix feelings to be honest about him coming home. I fear that I won't be as sensitive to daily miracles that occur in all of our lives if we have the faith to exercise, do the work to bring them about, and listen to the Spirit to know we are where we should be. What a blessing it is to have a missionary out as it rises one's own spiritual growth.  I do not think I can share ALL the many, many blessings that Nathan's service has brought to him, to his mother, to me, and to his sister. I testify that Nathan is closer to our Father in Heaven, having left a spiritual youth and is coming home a spiritual son of of God. 

I am not sure if I have shared this YouTube clips on here, but man, this video sure brings back memories. I remember driving down to the MTC a 30 minute drive, and then walking around and taking pictures with Elder Nathan Eads. I remember driving over, pulling over, opening the back of the Pathfinder and a missionary taking out the bags as Nathan said good-bye. I got in one kiss on his forehead and a love you before Nathan was walking forward, never looking back, anticipating the journey that was coming. I will never forget the grief and loss I felt for the next two weeks until I prayed with all my heart to my Father and He answered me, reminding me that Nathan was His son long before Nathan became my son. That our Father loved Nathan and as with me, almost 30 years ago, our Father had taken care of me, protected me, blessed me, taught me, and transformed my life. Would I deny my son that opportunity? The opportunity that solidified my own conversion to the Gospel and provided the foundation that ensures I cannot walk away or deny what I have learned? There was more but the point was made, and suddenly as I gave Nathan, my only son and one of only two children that were miracles that came into our lives, to my Father, the burden was lifted, my heart was comforted and I knew then that I had to trust in my Father. I had to exercise faith in Him as I have done in the past. 

I remember shoes with holes and have a picture or two of Nathan with shoes with holes in them. I remember working in them in the winter and again in the summer in North Carolina with water seeping in and soaking my socks.  It was a great feeling. 

Finally, I hope we can provide to Nathan the joy of coming home to a family. I hope and I know and testify that the home coming that happens at the airport is a micro experience of what it is like to go home and be greeted by our family and loved ones in the Spirit World. In the end it is family that is the cornerstone of our faith. I cannot wait to give Nathan a huge hug. Coming home in 5 weeks and yes, I admit it, I am SO looking forward to it! 

I modified a couple of words to fit for serving in Italy: 

Coming Home

I said good-bye to my old life, 

Followed my heart, for more than five thousand miles, 

I lived the joy, I've known the pain, 

I felt the hand of God, out on those frozen streets, 

I walk today, on blistered feet, 

And now the echo of these canyon walls 

Make me want to sing, 

I've never seen beautiful, like a journey's end, 

When nameless faces become my best friends

I've never seen wonderful, like walkin on, 

Into this mountain fortress that God made of stone, 

I've never seen trouble rolling underneath my feet

I'm coming home, 

I prayed so hard, my faith would last,

Buried my past on those ancient streets, 

We all had nights, we'd lie awake, 

Prayin we'd wouldn't ever be the ones, who never got to say, 

I've never seen beautiful, like a journey's end, 

When nameless faces become my best friends

I've never seen wonderful, like walkin on, 

Into this mountain fortress that God made of stone, 

I've never seen trouble rolling underneath my feet

I'm coming home, 

I thank my God, on aching knees, 

I raise my prayers, and He hears me, 

I've never seen beautiful, like a journey's end, 

When nameless faces become my best friends

I've never seen wonderful, like walkin on, 

Into this mountain fortress that God made of stone, 

I've never seen trouble rolling underneath my feet, 

Oh, I never seen anything that feels, 

Like coming home, 

Like coming home, 

I've never seen beautiful 

and I'm coming home

Weekly Email January 26th 2015 "Oo I wanna be there in my city . . . "

Tell me if you guys get the song reference! (Anziano Eads is putting a song reference in his email titles from now until he comes home). 

Well, the hectic week of transfers is over, and I had a really different experience. I had to help organize and then move people around for transfers. Not a whole lot, but only a little bit. Just had to have some people come and stay over and then get them where they needed to be. I guess it comes with being one of the oldest missionaries whose staying in Rome.

But things are going good cumunque.  Anziano Jones is a great dude. He likes to work hard, and I'm glad, because I want to keep the work growing here in Roma 6 and he's definitely gonna do that. I'm happy I got some one like him as my last comp (KILLER) (Killer is the companion that sends you home. The missionaries call it dying when you leave the mission and your last companion is your "killer."  Weird reference in our opinion). It's gonna be a fun transfer.

All right things from home.

Wow that be some car deals going down (My older sister's car gave up the ghost and we are getting a new car for Lynda and proving my sister with Lynda's older car). Thanks for getting the car already to go, I really appreciate it (We got the car Nathan is going to drive/have all tuned up and worked on, and it will be totally detailed this week).

Sounds like you guys are keeping Kendra busy and that things should be going okay. The room won't be too bad, So in answer to your questions, yes it is the same color as at the one house and I don't really care about my bedding color. Whatever you want. I was thinking a cool brown or something to go with the color of the room.

 Okay now answers to Dad's questions. This is gonna be long :

1.  Yes Dad I still have my iPod shuffle. I have iTunes installed on my hard-drive, and I use that to change music on the computers, whichever one I need to use.

2. Camera is starting to frick out a little, the screen goes inverted colors, but it's holding out fine. I just have to smack it.

3. Yes (Dad asked if he had kept a journal on his mission). 

4. That is hard. Depends. I really loved Napoli, but I also really loved Ragusa as well. It's a tie. I have learned from all of them though and enjoy each in its own unique way (Question was favorite area so far). 

5. A. Sleep.
    B. Relax
    C. Eat American Food. (What 3 things is he looking forward to doing when he gets home). 

6. I'll need new ones.

7. I wanna see all of you. But as for Coda in particular, false. I really wanna see my Xbox. (Asked if he wanted to see our beagle Coda more than anyone/joke). 

Well, one heck of a week later, and the work is going good.

It was for sure a different experience having to really help out a lot with transfers, that was something I've never done before. But I enjoyed it, helping others out and making sure they got where they needed to be. Anziano Jones arrived perfectly fine, and we started working right away.

So, we've met with Nabil a few times this week, and we answered some of the questions he had about a lot of things. The nature of God, more about the Holy Ghost, and then the temple. He's actually asking some good questions and he really wants to know more about the Gospel, but it's the profound doctrines. We've tended to focus on the basics, so he's doing okay. We did move his date to the 7th to give us a little leeway to get him an interview. This Saturday the interview should go down.

Oh, we have another new investigator. Robinson was an investigator for Rome 2 but he lives in our area so they passed him to us this week. We met with him on Wednesday and taught him the Law of Chasity, and that was an amazing experience. Robinson accepted the commandment without any problems, and now he's been taught everything. He also has a date for the 7th and he is on track for the interview this Saturday as well.

Besides that, it's been finding and trying to contact people. It's kinda interesting every time we call and no one picks up their phone. But we're not giving up hope, still trying our best to keep the work growing, and the Lord is definitely blessing us for doing so.

All right you guys, next week!

Love ya!

NaNa

Weekly Email January 19th, 2015 (Only 6 More to Go!)

Short emails this week. I'm sorry you have a headache mom, But thanks for the info! (Our ward was completely reorganized into a new ward two weeks ago and our Stake was organized into a new stake this weekend). 

I'm super happy about the fact that Seattle is going to the Super Bowl, and it's kinda funny honestly. The Patriots are going as well, and Anziano Calchera is a fan of them, so it's gonna be a rivalry.

Or at least it would be, if he wasn't transferred. Oh yeah, calls came in. As we all probably expected, I'm staying and dying in Rome 6, and I'm getting a new companion. His name is Anziano Craig Jones, (I only know that because there's a lot of Joneses in the mission), and he's coming up from Brindisi. I hear he's a pretty cool guy, great missionary so I think I'll be okay (Anziano Craig Jones has a blog on his mission also and that is located at this link  or at https://eldercraigjones.wordpress.com/) It will be fun to read Nathan's email and Anziano Jones email each week for the next six week. Craig's blog, with Anziano Kelly and Turner are/were blogs that we read each week). 

Congrats to Dad! I'm glad he will have the chance to use his talent of teaching  with everyone, to teach and learn with them, and help them and himself all become better (Nathan's Dad was called to be one of the two Gospel Doctrine Teachers in the Ward). Don't worry about Stake Conference, just get me the information when you can and we'll be okay.

Sounds like things are coming together for Kendra's wedding. Sorry Mom, I didn't get a chance to measure my waist this week, been really busy, running around and the like, but I can get that to you this next week. It's been an interesting week.

Well, Dad, honestly I won't have that hard of a time adjusting back (Nathan's Dad asked if Nathan thought he would have a hard time adjusting to speaking English full time after he comes home). The time we spend with an Italian companion who actually speaks the language is so limited that we hardly ever get the chance to really immerse ourselves in it and forget our English. We're with other English speakers a lot.

Okay so this week we ran around a lot. Anziano Zito has been finishing his mission strong, and we've been running around a lot trying to get all done that we possibly can. We met with Nabil a lot this week, and have been teaching him a good amount. He didn't pass the baptismal interview unfortunately, but we're getting him ready for another shot later this week. We're hoping to have his baptism on the 31st, but we'll see. He's not feeling so ready right now.

We actually have a new investigator this week. Marco has been someone that we've been trying to work with for a while, and we've finally been able to get an appointment with him. We talked about how to build our foundation on Christ, and if we do this, things will work out. He seemed interested, and we've setting up an appointment for this week, to teach him about the Plan of Salvation, as he had some questions about that.

We've also been visiting members, and strengthening them, not that they actually need it here. Rome 6 is a pretty strong ward, so I'm happy about that.

Anziano Zito was a great comp, he really showed me what to do to finish the mission strong, and has been a great friend. He doesn't even realize that he's going home yet, but he'll be okay. So, yeah. Next week family!!!

Love you guys!!!!!

NaNa

Weekly Email January 11th 2015

Well, hey you guys!

Firstly, I would like to say that thanks for Bishop Lindsay's email. That's gonna make the office happy, so that things can go really well and all information can get transmitted correctly. If not, I would not be super happy....

Okay then, here we go: Mom first like always.

Glad that the ward knows each other. That should make the transition easier for every one. At the very least, it will keep the ward unified, which is super important.

The peram-calling stays active!!!!! I don't think that you will ever get moved out of that calling of Primary Pianist Mom. You do to good of a job to ever move out of that.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh stake changes! This is kinda exciting!!!!

Sounds like the downstairs is making progress. Just don't forget that I'll still need to paint that room when I get home! Of course, there's time to think about it, but just reminding you.

Mom, you can take as many days off of work as you like. Granted, I'll probably be sleeping a lot of the time so you probably won't see me too often. As the kids these days put it: #RMproblems.

Honestly, not too sad not to be maid of honor, or the best man. Less problems, and I won't have stress to deal with either. So, yeah I'm content. I'm also happy about just having a nice small reception. Nothing too big. I don't recommend Italian sodas. Their extremely bitter and not that good. Unless she wants what we call U.S. Italian sodas, which are actually more like our sodas but with cream, then that's fine.

I'll let you know about my measurements when I get some time. Probably next week. It will be cool to own a Kilt! (Nathan's sister is getting married and is having the men in the wedding party wear their family tarton kilts).

Dad: Thanks for the Zelda update, and the Star Wars pic and speculation. Can't wait to get home and really start to figure things out. It's gonna be interesting.

Things are going really well. Seeing plenty of more miracles, and things always get better.

Well, I guess I should start with how Nabil is. Nabil is doing good. We've taught him literally everything, and he has his date for the 17th. He unfortunately didn't make it to the interview we had scheduled for Saturday with Anziano Kelly, but he has agreed for another interview on Wednesday with Anziano Hatch. We are confident that he will make it, and make that step closer to changing his life.

Ilenia is doing well. We visited their family and shared the spiritual thought on the Mormon Message: On the road to Damascus, and talked about how conversion comes through tiny steps, and not through something grand and a one event thing. They enjoyed it, and talked about if for a long time.

Besides that, we have a lot of potentials who we are working on contacting, come sempre, but they have responded to our phone calls, and we are going to be meeting with a few of them this week. We have one appointment for Tuesday at 4:30, and another one who is coming to the Family Home Evening tonight that we'll talk with and get another appointment set up for later this week.

Miracles are always happening, and it's all because of faith. That's something I've truly seen as of late. The more faith you put into something, the more miracles come, and the more often they happen. I really think that we should just put more faith not only in ourselves, but in the Lord, and those miracles that we are all expecting as missionaries, will come.

Next week, love you guys!

NaNa

January 5th 2014 Weekly Email

Hey guys!!!! How are things going?

Well, honestly, from the emails I can see that things are going to be changing there really quickly. New Stake, new Ward, it's going to be interesting.

Actually, are we a new stake? Do we have a new stake president? Or are we just a new ward? ANd where's the new boundaries? Sorry, lots of questions. Answer them really quickly, because Sorella Stevens in the office needs to know so that she can send the new bishop travel information. So, if you can get me Bishop Lindsey's email, that'd be nice.

...let's not talk about my travel plans....I also got my two month departing packet...aka the death packet... don't want to think about that until it's here.

Christmas is done, whow! Well, it was about time. Things seem to be going good.

The wedding seems to be coming along great. Hopefully you can get things all sorted out and everything can be ready for the big day. Hopefully I won't prove to be a pain in the butt....at least in Kendra's.....

Piano time begins again! It's going to be so much fun to be home and hear the beautiful sound of piano music flowing through the air! I think I've found my passion for piano again....still like singing a little more though.

I find it interesting, sorry quick digress, that Dad only wrote me something tiny this week. Does this mean the epistles are gone?

So, Mom, 20 minutes on the eliptical isn't bad. If you do at least 20 minutes of excersize on that everyday, you will see some good results. It's what I've done.

Well, another good week! I love seeing how many miracles come at the end of the mission, it just seems double than normal.

So the miracle this week is that we have a new investigator that just fell into our laps. On Sunday, we were sitting in priesthood, when one of the members comes in and is accompanied by a young man, Giuliano, who just wanted information on English Course, but he ended up staying for the full three hours, loved it, asked lots of questions,  We've set up an appointment with him on Wednesday to answer them. He's awesome and is really ready for the gospel.

Then, we met with two investigators, Nabil and Ilenia. Ilenia we shared the Mormon Message about the blind piano player, and talked about our talents. Didn't get much out of her, but she seemed to like it.

Nabil we met with quite a bit this week. We taught him about faith on Wednesday with Jomar, a member who is close to his age. Then yesterday we showed him Finding Faith in Christ, and man was that one of the most powerful lessons I've ever had on my mission! The Spirit was so strong and it touched all of us! Awesome!!!  Nabil truly felt the love of Christ, and truly understands the he has a friend who knows his pain!

Personally, I believe that it was a turning point in Nabil's progress. I think we're going to see him truly skyrocket now!

Besides that, we did finding, and a scambio. So, it was a good week. I'm happy with how things are going, and that the Lord is continually blessing us.

Okay then, I think that's it for me. Next week you guys!

NaNa