Transfer to Florence, Zone Leader

Tiziano, Daniela, and kids (Ivan is biggest, then Vincenzo, Francesco and Margherita

Rodriguez Family: Brenda in pink, Roberto, far left is Frida, mom in white

New converts Wilfred and Austin (Anz. Barnes trying hard not to smile so he could match the Africans that never smile in photos...!)

Ward members, Calio Family

Ciao!

So, I received some news (I don't know whether to call it good or bad) - I'm getting transferred and I'm going to Firenze (Florence) to be a zone leader.  I have absolutely loved being in Pavia; I loved it all - the ward and members, the investigators, my companion, the wonderful successes we shared together, and even the place itself!  However, I'm also really excited for the new opportunity that I will have to serve in a different place in a different capacity.

Anyway, this week was great!  I'll give a quick update:

The Africans: all doing amazingly well.  Of all of the things that I have to leave, these wonderful brothers will be one of the hardest - I love them so much.  It has been cool to be a part of their total conversion to the gospel (from ground zero to member) and then to see how much they've grown in the couple months that they've been a part of the church.

The Rodriguez family: they're doing pretty well.  However, they didn't come to church last week.  However, we had probably the most powerful lesson we've ever had with them yesterday.  What did we do?  We read from the Book of Mormon in Alma 32, briefly talked about their testimony/knowledge of the truth, and then sang the primary song "Search, Ponder, and Pray."  Even the mom was touched this time!  Beyond that, because I had to leave, we were able to express a lot more love than we would have normally done, which helped to bring the spirit a lot.  We hope that this will help spark some things in the mom, Frida, and the cousin and rekindle the fire that Roberto and Brenda had. 

Tiziano, Daniela, and the kids - they are doing super well.  Last week I said that there was a tricky situation - that we couldn't go because Daniela was using her health sort of as an excuse that we couldn't go.  Well, last Wednesday we were supposed to have an appointment, but Daniela cancelled on us again because she didn't feel super well.  It had been about a week since we had seen them!  We felt powerless in the situation but we really wanted to do something.  But then an idea came - pass by and leave something on the doorstep.  We thought about what we could take - and it turns out that the thing that we had prepared to teach that day included a bunch of pictures that Anziano Boscia drew as well as a diagram we made (the pictures were to explain the word of wisdom and the diagram to review the gospel).  We decided that we should leave those things with a little note.  In that way, they could still "learn" the things that we wanted to teach them that day.  But then, some other brilliant ideas came to mind (I don't think they were generated by our own minds - they came from a higher source).  Let me explain what we did and why it was a miracle - We made the long journey on bikes (an hour).  We left the stuff on the doorstep (making sure that they didn't see or hear us) and then we left (without even knocking or ringing the doorbell).  We got on the bikes and started back and went about 5 minutes to a nice place where we sat down to call them.  We gave them a call, Daniela answered, and we said that we had passed by and had left a gift for them.  We knew that she wasn't doing super well and didn't want to have to get up or have us at their home, so we decided to leave a little something behind for them.  Then she said "oh, anziani, you shouldn't have came out all this way for us.  Where are you now?"  We responded that we had started heading back but that we thought it would be a good idea to call in case something happened to the things we left.  Then she said "you should have at least knocked - I can afford to give you 2 minutes."  We replied "but we didn't want to disturb..."  They persisted, "Why can't you come by for a few minutes, I can give you 10 minutes without any problems."  So, we went to the house and were able to teach (and we were there for a little bit more than 10 minutes...).  We were able to bring a great spirit into the house and I think we helped Daniela feel a lot better (and she realized that it wouldn't be too much if we came to teach...).  The cool thing is that we had planned all of this out in our heads - even the things that we should say in the telephone call (and we already knew how they would respond).  So, after a bit of strategy and inspiration, we were able to help this family out a lot!  We've been continuing to help them and now the kids are changing and becoming much more like the angels that Daniela desires (that is also a miracle - we had the idea to make some calendars, inspired in part by the "job charts" that I used to have at home, that have helped the kids get a lot more excited about reading the scriptures, praying, stopping swearing, and doing nice things for their mom).  I'm going to miss this family a lot as well!

I've been really happy this week, even though it was a week of battles inside of me.  I felt a lot more opposition than what I usually feel.  However, as I have turned to the Lord and trusted in Him, I've been able to overcome.  In part, I'm sure this opposition is coming because I need to grow and I need to be prepared for the new responsibilities that I will have.  I've noticed that if I don't immediately seek divine help I do not do so well.  But, in the moment that I sincerely repent and search for guidance and support, things go much better.

Anziano Boscia has been an amazing companion for me.  I love him so much!  He really has helped me to change - I am much better able to express my love for others, I am much more open, I am able to open up more, I am able to give myself more fully to others, talking/making conversation is something that I find much easier and much more fun, and he's helped me to improve a lot my capacity to teach the gospel to others in a way that they can feel the spirit much more powerfully.  Not only has he been an excellent example to me in all of these aspects, but he's made extra efforts to help me with these things (he knows that I want to get better in these areas and he's gone the extra mile to push me).  Words can't describe what I feel for Anziano Boscia.  He's made an impact on me that will change and improve the rest of my life.  He's made me a better person and servant of the Lord.

Thanks to all of you!

-ANZIANO BARNES