Broken and Fixed...and More Things Broken

Hey family!

This week was short between Pdays, but oh man, it was good.

The theme of the last few days is that everything around me is breaking, faster than I can fix it. This week I had a clogged sink, broken bed, and shirts. I started to fix the problems - I fixed the pipes under the sink, readjusted the bed, fixed a shower, and bleached the shirts. Turns out the curse runs deeper, because the bed broke again in a different way, I ripped a pair of suit pants, broke plates, pots, and the buttons of everything I own are unsewing themselves (collar buttons are killing me).  Anyways, let's hope bodies don't get involved with the rampage and less things get broken the next week

So real quick, the work is going really well. We have had a sick miracle with a guy named IG. Here is his story. While finding, Anziano McConkie and I were on a bus. We saw guy around 20 years old, and we struck up a conversation. He was Brazilian and pretty nice. We didn't think anything of it, because he didn't seem that interested in religious things. The next day, we saw him again with one of his friends, who called us over to them and asked us to teach them and touch their hearts. We taught a few basic principles while testifying, but before getting their number, they had to run and catch a bus.

The following day, Anziano McConkie and I prayed to find IG again. As we went out to find that day, we talked to a small family on a bench, whom we made eye contact with. We asked their names, and the first thing that came out of the mouth of the 16 year-old boy was...IG. Not the same IG, a different one. Five minutes into the conversation, we knew the Lord had led us here to meet and teach this IG and his girlfriend. This boy has nothing but a hard life at this point, and has had massive trials in self-worth. As we talked, these people were pretty much begging us to teach them the good gospel standards. The next day, we met again to give them Books of Mormon and teach them a bit about the restaurazione. (The Restoration). 

God is our Father and He knows us. If we need help, like our friend IG, He will provide help for us. When we have a question, He will give an answer. Ask and ye shall receive, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you. (Please see the following scriptures for Anziano Ridd's inspiration: Matthew 7:7 and Doctrine and Covenants 88:63).

I hope you all have a great week!

Love,

Anziano Ridd

ZC and Ferragosto - 8/23/17

"Squad takes the Colosseum" - Zone Conference in Rome

Zone Conference

Hey fam!

This week was pretty lit. Once again, it was the week of the biggest Italian holidays, Ferragosto. As it works, everyone doesn't work for a solid couple weeks and goes on vacation. But here in Pescara, it honestly didn't faze us at all. Yeah, we had some of the investigators that couldn't meet us, but we had a solid week. Side note: Ferragosto is where Mary, the mother of Jesus, ascended into heaven. (Doctrinal side note: this is not our belief). 

The other big thing that happened this week is that we had zone conference in Rome. Strangely enough, this is the first time I have had to travel to get to a zone conference, because in the past it was always in my city. But we got to stay at the Villa with President Pickerd, and that was fun because he is amazing. Zone conference was on fire and we discussed a lot of finding. It got me super excited to keep improving.

We got to go into the new Pescara church this week and it was so nice. I can't wait till it opens in about 20 days. And this week we met with MK. He is going to be baptized in September, but right now he is in Rome. So he is being taught by my ex comp, Anziano Boscan. The lesson we had with him was amazing, because my companion asked a really great inspired question. This led to MK telling us about his experience receiving an answer to his prayers as to whether or not to be baptized. It was a very spiritual experience.

This week, John 15 was really inspiring me. I hope also you guys can find some joy in it. (Click here to read John 15 from the New Testament). 

Anyways I think that's it for this week. I love you all and I'll keep y'all posted for the next.

Love,

Anziano Ridd

Adorable!

Momentum - 8/14/17

Anziano Ridd and Anziano McConkie with their friend, GV

Hey family!

This week was super solid. Anziano McConkie is a stud. We worked our butts off and saw a lot of the fruits.

MK, our man as of Saturday, is now 18. He also has a date for baptism and came to church with us yesterday. He is working on a solid testimony and being self-sufficient. It takes a lot to be converted, but it definitely gives more than it takes. He has a vision of himself and his family being sealed in the Italy Rome temple. I hope to see that day.

Last week, we worked with our elders quorum president to help us out with the missionary work and to become close with him. He is soooo cool and is a convert of 5 years. He invited us back over this week to eat lamb skewers and to meet all his family who are mostly not Mormon, so we can teach them the Gospel. It was awesome. Imagine the difference we can make if we just have barbecues and the missionaries are there to become homies with our friends. Then when they want to ask us all the hard Qs about the Gospel, all we gotta do is say, "Elders, my friend has a question for you." Also, our elders quorum president’s wife is awesome.

The miracle of this week was definitely the P family. Let me tell you the story and how awesome they are. So we met them on the street near their home. When we met, it was the mother, TZ, and the father, PO. They expressed interest in learning about what we believe, and we - of course - expressed interest in teaching that to them. They then told us about their 16-year-old daughter and 23-year-old son. Awesome. So a few weeks later and we find ourselves at their house. We started out and PO had done a bit of research, but knew he could get the real answers from us. He asked us some good questions and trusted in the answers we gave. We taught about the Restaurazione (the Restoration), and the Spirit filled the room. The understanding was there, and TZ starts to tell us that she has seen a light in us she has not seen in anyone else. PO and TZ start to explain that they have had a hard life, but feel that maybe we have something they have been missing, and they have a desire for their whole family to become more faithful. We are so excited for our next opportunity to teach them. They are truly some of the people God has prepared us to meet.

I love this church and know it is true, and nothing will bring us as much joy as the Gospel. Not to mention, nowhere else can you find the authority to make a family eternal, the greatest blessing of all.

I love you all. Have a great week!!

Love,

Anziano Ridd

Anziano McConkie and the MASSIVE new church being built! 

Dripping - 8/7/17

Hey fam,

This week's companionship adjective was “dripping.” Dripping with confidence, sarcasm, and sweat.

Honestly, it was a good week. Starting up a new companionship means you gotta start from ground 0. We worked hard finding and saw some small successes. I expect it will multiply in the next couple weeks. But we found a cool new investigator named GV. The guy is a Greek stud who is very knowledgeable about the Bible.

Sadly, we also had quite of few frustrating experiences - when we taught people that understood the truth, but then they didn't want to act. That was kind of sad, but on the other hand, when we are out teaching and finding, we always meet some interesting people.

That led us to meet HL. HL is quite interesting. When we met her, she told us it was the birthday of Texas. She further told us that she was born in the back of a car, in Washington, D.C., but it was a political thing. She also likes John the Baptist, conspiracy theories, and has "Welcome to London" as her catchphrase. We saw this same lady 3 times over the next 2 days.

Anyways, I guess meeting unique people is kind of common for me now. Training is great. I love Anziano McConkie. The whole house here in Pescara is full of great guys, and I'm sure they will all be leaders in the missions and church someday. It's amazing to see how awesome and prepared the missionaries are who are coming out to the field.

Also, this week was hot. We dripped sweat a lot while teaching the gospel to men walking around Pescara in Speedos. Oh, the joys of missionary work!

Love y'all,

Anziano Ridd

Pescara: Second Son. 7/31/17

Pescara and me

The district gesso. Next to me is Anziano McConkie, and the tallest is Anziano Toronto.

Hey guys!

This week was super busy and crazy. I'll let you guys get a feel for what has been going on.

On Monday night, I received my transfer call, and it's pretty lit. I am opening a new companionship in Pescara and training!!!

So now my new son is Anziano McConkie, who is a straight-up stud. He sings like an angel, and in his own words he is "dripping majesty." I confirm my companion's witness. He aspires to perform on Broadway, and I'll put my money on him. Then in our house here, we also have Anziano Toronto as the district leader, and his new greenie, Anziano Waddell. They are both beasts, and you can easily see that it's going to be a killer 2 transfers.

Since we have been blown in, we don't have much work, but we do have one miracle investigator. MK, who is a nonmember son of a Filipino member of Rome 1, moved to Pescara. So I started teaching him in Rome and now I will teach him here. We also totally do not know the city at all, but it's super cool. Anziano Toronto has been a great help in guiding us to different things in the city. Also, we are about to start teaching a super sick pianist who performs in the city center, and Anziano McConkie has been singing with him, haha.

This week we went to the church and met all the members. They are so sick (cool) . And Pescara went from 2 Anziani and 2 Sorelle, to 4 Anziani and 4 Sorelle. All of us are training, haha. So there was a lot of excitement. The reason why we are all here is because they are about to finish a new HUGE church. It's right next to our apartment. So we are gonna fill up the church with people so Pescara can become a stake sometime! Anyways, this city is straight "on fire." I can feel the excitement in my blood and it also may be because Anziano McConkie is a straight beast who is prepared to bust his butt for the full 2 years. I feel like this new group of missionaries are the most prepared I have ever seen.

To top off the cake, this weekend was a holiday here in Pescara, and our sick neighbors invited us to eat arrosticini with them, which is skewered lamb. It was super cool. They had a big party, and half of the people were our neighbors; the other half was their Belgian family. We were super happy, hahahah.

Anyways, God puts us where people need us. Don't forget to reach out to others around you!

Love,

Anziano Ridd

Ps.  All the guys in my house are sick singers, so we are singing a lot this transfer.

Pps. All of the other Anziani are 6'1"- 6'6" - so I look freaking tiny.

The party from our house hahaha