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Oh goodness…. What do I say about the last week. It has finally hit me that this experience is coming to a close. My time is limited. I’ve held it out of my mind for the most part as best as I could but the calendar doesn’t lie! I’m going to miss Italy! It hit me hard as we were coming back from the Ward Activity on Monday. We were driving on the highway and as we came out of a series of tunnels the road turns to face the sea as we descend from the hills. Beautiful view!! Is cheesy as it sounds… I can see myself in tears as the plane takes off from Rome in a few weeks, knowing that it could be a while before I return. From this point forward I prepare to leave, start saying goodbye to people and planning my time carefully so I can accomplish the most possible. It seems so long at the beginning, but oh so short from where I stand now.

Easter was great. A family we know (not members) invited us over to join them and their extended family. They live just down the street from us and have known the missionaries for a while. We had an 8 course meal, tons of good food and I think I threw out my back because I ate too much. It was so Italian… that is the only word that comes to mind. I loved it! (continue reading…)

[Insert generic opening line here.] I’ve run out of things to say to open my letter, so pick your favorite and have some fun. Think of it as some ad-lib type activity.

This one has blown right by and I’m not exactly sure where the last 7 days have gone. Thursday we went and saw Laura and Fram, taking the bus this time instead of having Fram pick us up. The drive out there was very pretty and is a different route because we pass through a city called Penne. The time passes very quickly as we are there, too quickly because they are awesome people. Lynette passed by as well with her daughter Heather. Good memories

Saturday morning we went up to Chieti to visit a lady named Adalgisa (aah-daal-gee-za). She is a member but hasn’t been to church for a while because of health issues. She’s 81 years old, but such a sweet person and is very witty. The elders quorum asked us to go visit her to see what things they can do. I will definitely go see her at least once more before leaving!!!

Monday the Zone Leaders were here to do an exchange with my companion and I. Anz. Lisonbee was with me after lunch so we went and found Clemence, one of the men who came to church a week ago. He was busy working but had a moment to talk so we did. We then went out and visited a few other people he knew when he served here over a year ago. Before long the night was up and we went home.

Tuesday morning President Acerson was here for interviews. My last in the Field. Next time I see him it will be in the mission home….. wow! We didn’t have much to talk about, so we just chatted for a moment. Other than that it was a normal Tuesday.

There you go!

Thought: This week’s spiritual uplift is rather simple. This Sunday much of the world will celebrate the resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ. Let us remember him and focus on his atoning sacrifice even though it can be easy to think more about what the commercial world has created for this holiday. There is a difference between “Holiday” and “Holy-day”.

Have a great week, enjoy spending time with friends and family!

Sincerely,
Anziano Christopher M. Sant
Italy Rome Mission

This last week was really long…. in a good way.

Friday we mapped out this week, I prepared a training for our District Meeting and then we were out and about to visit a few people. We passed by a lady named Concetta, a less active member. She was happy that we passed by but was busy with guests at home so she asked us to stop by another day. We finished the evening going to visit Enzo after he had closed up his shop at 8:30pm.

Saturday morning we had a fun experience. As we were going to find a few other less active members that the Ward has asked us to contact a man stopped and waved us over to his car. He is a man from South Africa that has meet missionaries in the past and had given them rides as well. He believes in God but doesn’t consider himself a Christian because he doesn’t live his life in the way a good Christian would. We talked for a bit as he gave us a lift out to Montesilvano. Grabbed his number and I said I would call him later this week. As far as the family we were trying to find…the address on file ended up being wrong. They live in that area, a few houses down we later came to find out. Either way… we’re moving forward. We also stopped by and saw a member family that lived out that way just to say hi and ask for a drink of water. He was helpful in providing further info about these people we were trying to find. That evening we went and visited Matt and Beauty.

Sunday we had church and 2 men from Nigeria that the sisters met, came. John and Clemence. Nice guys, very religious and so I translated for them since they have only been in Italy for less than a year and don’t understand much. Came home, had lunch and then hopped on a bus to Rome for the 2nd time this week, this time for Zone Conference. Arrived in Rome just after 7pm, caught a bus to the Mission Home. I went with President to pick up the Elders coming in from L’Aquila and so he and I had a nice chat.

Monday was Zone Conference. The main topic throughout was bearing testimony and the importance of such. I was asked by the Zone Leaders to sing a musical number after lunch and so I sang “What Is This Thing That Men Call Death.” The words were written by Gordon B. Hinckley and the Music by Janice Kapp Perry. S.lla Fairbanks was kind enough to accompany me on the Piano. Then shortly thereafter I was standing in front of the other missionaries giving my departing testimony, and a few words of advice to those that will continue their service. That was a weird experience! All my mission, for each of the 16 transfers, I’ve seen missionaries get up and do the same. This time it was me. Then others in my same group that are serving in the Rome area got up and did the same. Wow… When the conference was over, I took pictures with alot of people and then we made our way to the bus station in the rain. Caught the bus and got home around 9:30pm

Yesterday was rather calm. We had our service, lunch, our district meeting and then English Class. Not much more there.

The work goes forward. As I tell everyone here, I’m fully aware of how much time I have left. I know that it is limited, but I keep pushing. I’ll have plenty of time to think about home come the last week of my mission as I pack and such. I’m slightly afraid to return home seeing as though I don’t know what the future holds for me. Oh well, another adventure awaits.

Thought: I give to you the words to the song I sang…
‘What Is This Thing That Men Call Death’
By President Gordon B. Hinckley

What is this thing that men call death,
This quiet passing in the night?
‘Tis not the end, but genesis
Of better worlds and greater light.

O God, touch thou my aching heart,
And calm my troubled, haunting fears.
Let hope and faith, transcendent, pure,
Give strength and peace beyond my tears.

There is no death, but only change,
With recompense for vict’ry won.
The gift of him who loved all men,
The Son of God, the Holy One.

Ponder those words, I find great hope in them and I hope you do too!

Love you all!

Sincerely,
Anziano Christopher M. Sant
Italy Rome Mission

Welcome to March everyone! A new month, a new transfer, new companion, new (colder) weather. YAY!

My companion rolled into Pescara around 6pm on Thursday evening along with Anz. Pratt. We took them home, had them unpack and then Anz. Funk and I went searching for a new bedframe. Anz. Auna’s broke 2 days before transfers and so he had been sleeping on the ground. I gave my new companion my bedframe so he wouldn’t have a terrible welcome to Pescara and so I needed one. Problem? The stores were all closed already so I ended up sleeping on the floor. In the end it was one of the best nights of rest I have ever had so I wasn’t complaining one bit.

Friday we ended up getting me another bedframe, finally went shopping for the week and then sat down to plan for the next week.

Saturday we went out and I showed Anz. Funk some of the city. Sat. Evening we had an appointment with Matt and Beauty but Matt got home really late and we had very little time to do anything so we rescheduled for Sunday Night.

Sunday was good. We have a new gospel principles teacher, S.lla Fairvail. After church we sat down to talk with the counselor of the Elder’s Quorum about helping them contact a few less active families to see if they need anything and if the ward can help them, and show that even though they have chosen not to come or participate that we are there with open arms.

Monday was rather normal, Tuesday as well. Tuesday evening we had to catch a bus to Rome because Anz. Funk had to go to the police office to complete his stuff for his residence permit. We stayed the night with the Rome 2 elders and got up early the following morning to head off to the police station. Arrived at 9am, left at 12:30pm. Not too bad. Went back to the office, had a bite to eat, and then went to the bus station to catch a bus home to Pescara. I was very very tired.

That was the week.

Thought: President Howard W. Hunter, who served as president of the church for the short span of 9 months before passing away said the following. He is talking to Fathers. “Your leadership of the family is your most important and sacred responsibility. The family is the most important unit in time and in eternity and, as such, transcends every other interest in life’ (Ensign, Nov. 1994, 50).” So… if your priorities are out of place and family isn’t coming first…. change! Families are very important and the adversary is constantly attacking them because he knows that if he can destroy them, society will fall. I’m very thankful for my family and all they have helped me to learn, especially my parents. I’m grateful that they have made family a priority even when I didn’t want to participate or when it would have been easier for them to do otherwise.

Have a good week!
Sincerely,
Anziano Christopher M. Sant
Italy Rome Mission