May 5 emails and photo

Updates from this week’s emails… (yep, that’s plural!)

Two missionaries in the Italy Milan Mission were deported due to new laws in Italy so Elder N and his companion are taking an unexpected “permesso trip” for the arduous process required to remain in Italy legally. (permesso means "permission" or "permit to stay")

Their P-day was bumped up due to this trip but they got special permission to send a quick email to let us know so we could get our email letters sent in time. That was nice! =o)

They were able to visit a member who has been hospitalized for 22 weeks after having a stroke.

They get their groceries at the “Pavi” supermarket and with a membership there are excited about “earning points to eventually get a blender or even a microwave” for their house.

The wife in the family they are teaching had an experience with the Spirit that testified to her the Church is true!! Elder N. was so happy for her and said: “It was so great!” I think we forget too often how great the Spirit really feels! We need to seek after that! "Don’t be satisfied with your last spiritual experience!" I don’t remember who said that but I love it!”

This family came to Church again on Sunday and took tithing slips so they could pay it the next week and the Elders hadn’t even taught that yet! Elder N’s comment: “Man they are such a great family! I love it!!! HOW GOLDEN CAN YOU GET!?!?!?!?!?! They are awesome! We are going to challenge them to baptism for the 22nd of May! We are really excited about it!!”

They watched the international firework show in Valletta from their roof in Swatar where they had a perfect view!

They met a geologist working for Shell that had talked with missionaries in America and had member friends; they challenged him to read Alma 32 and to pray about it and he agreed and said why not!

He summarized the week this way…
“this week has been great!!! In fact incredibly awesome!!!!! I am really excited about everything that is going on right now! the work is going great!!! Missions are the COOLEST thing ever!!!!!!!!!!”

On a side note, he now signs off:
“Elder, Anzjan, Anziano Nielsen”
Here’s why:

“Elder” is used with the British and other English speakers in Malta

“Anzjan” is the Maltese word for Elder, which he is using more often as they perfect that language

“Anziano” is the Italian word for Elder which he still uses when they travel to Catania or run into people in Malta that speak Italian which is usually pretty enjoyable for everyone involved!

For convenience I pretty much refer to him as Elder N on this blog now but in my letters to him I joked that it was taking me too long to remember all those titles and their spellings so I might have to use the acronym of E.A.A.N. which looks like you could pronounce it as the name “Ian” so if you read about an “Elder Ian” that is probably why and now you’ll know who that is. =oP