HADES IS GOIN' TO THAILAND 🇹🇭 - 4/10/17

We had the wonderful baptism of OS on Saturday.

Zone Conference, 4/2017

Ciao ragazzacci!

What. A. Week. We literally had so many things happen it was crazy. But I want to start my initial shout-out to Hades Ridd, who is going to the Thailand Bangkok mission. What a beast. Now we will just have to see who cooks noodles better after the mission. Love ya, Hades!

This week we had a sick zone conference. It was awesome because Anziano Spencer, one of my great friends on the mission, is now an Assistant to the President. He and Anziano Battaglia taught a truly inspired training on using the Book of Mormon. Now, I watched the talk from President Monson about the Book of Mormon just before this, and felt something click. Here in Rome, sometimes I have been pulling out a lot from the Bible - due to the fact that people often already believe in it - but I realized that I want to use the Book of Mormon to answer any question people have. So because of the advice from the prophet, and an amazing training on using the Book of Mormon, I have committed myself to read the Book of Mormon every day of my life, and know all I can about it. That's a big commitment, but it brings so much happiness in my life, and I know it can do the same for others.

Then Saturday we had the baptism of OS. That went well, even if I was hoping for a bigger turnout. He was really happy and showed up real early to get ready. It was a cool experience to see him progress toward Jesus Christ.

The Angel Moroni, being lifted via crane to the top of the Rome LDS Temple

Ok, avanti. This week started with a strange twist. The family of four Italians I talked about a couple weeks ago hadn't been able to meet with us for a while, because the mother was not doing well at all due to cancer. Then I decided to call them on Tuesday to see how they were doing. I talked to the father, and he told me realllllly sad news. The mother had passed away. So last Wednesday we attended the funeral, and I'm gonna be completely honest, it was so sad. It was held in a Catholic Church, and the people there were just all so heartbroken. The family was crying and so sad. I was also sad that she passed, even if I had known her only a month or so, but all I wanted to do is stand up and teach these people the Plan of Salvation. I know this week we will teach it to their family, but I feel so blessed to know that God has created a plan for us. Knowing this plan is not going to make death painless, and it's not going to stop us from missing loved ones, but I know that death is not the end. I know that we will see our loved ones again, and it gives me comfort to know that. I know our Heavenly Father exists, and His son Jesus Christ is our Savior.

This week we are playing B Ball next to the Colosseum for P-day. I love the Rome life.

Love you all!

Anziano Ridd

The Anziani at Zone Conference

The Sorelle

Note from Mom: I received texts this week from 2 different people 
(whom I don't know!) who were in Rome and saw Anziano Ridd!  
They were the sweetest ~ they took pics of him and texted them to me! 

He is at the train station in the pic above, and below (the next day) he is at the airport.