Feb.!!

   This week has been really rainy here in Napoli.  It even hailed a little!  Haha, not many people knew what to do on the road!  But it was a good week for missionary work.  We are working towards our vision of a family and we are also working towards working with/ helping members come closer to Christ in their daily life, but also through missionary work!  I really have a testimony of the importance of this work.  I also have seen and come to know that even solid members that have been part of the church forever need a boost every now and then too.  There is no one who is above learning and growing in the gospel.  I truly believe that when we understand the gospel more fully, we have the natural desire to share it because we are more converted.  I have to say that my desire to share the gospel with others has grown a lot during my mission as I have become more converted.

   So this week we were going out finding and we ran into this man we had met a couple weeks back. It was funny because we had tried to call him the day before but he didn't answer.  But anyway, he remembered us and said he was free that morning and we could come to his house so we went with him.  We began to see that he wasn't all together.  He had gotten into something that had affected his brain but he was still a really good guy.  So we went to his house and he rung the doorbell and nobody answered...apparently his mom had left and he didn't have any keys.  He started to freak out pretty bad as he began to cuss and think of what he could do to get in.  After a couple minutes Anziano Pope suggested that we pray for help.  The man was willing so we stood there and said a prayer, after which this man calmed down substantially.  And a couple minutes later his mom came walking around the corner!  He soon realized that God had answered his prayer and he was very grateful.  His mom is Catholic but nice.  It was a cool experience and you could see the difference that the gospel makes... not even the gospel, but just prayer alone makes in our lives. 

   Pietro is reading and praying, and he is doing well.  We taught him the Gospel of Jesus Christ this week and he agreed with it, but as we talked about the lesson we both felt that we didn't explain well enough that this means that his baptism in this church is vital, or the fact that the other churches don't have authority.  So this next time we go over we are going to talk about that.

   Francesco is doing better but sadly he will not be ready for his baptismal date the 14th of February. He still has quite a bit to learn and do before he is ready for baptism.  One of the biggest problems is his obedience to the word of wisdom.  He needs to start following that.  We are working with him a lot and, step by step, he is improving.  We are getting him to read and pray everyday and then to come to church every week.  You can see a difference.

    We are trying to find more ways to get investigators to church because it seems to be a big problem here.  We are all having a hard time getting them in church.  So, yeah, we are working on that!

   Me and Anziano Pope are doing well. We are looking for new investigators and trying to contact the people we have talked to in the last couple weeks.  No one will answer their phones!!!  Lame! :( Haha, It's okay.  We keep trying.  But, yeah, that's pretty much it.  Life is good!  I'm glad that I can be here.  It really is a huge blessing.  The church is true!  AND IF YOU HAVE DOUBTS, PRAY ABOUT IT!  :)  

   Love you guys! Have a good week!

   Love always, Anziano Rigby

Questions and Answers

1.  Do the wards over there have many 8-year-old baptisms when their children are of age?  Having gone to a baptism this weekend, I began wondering if the Church is growing much in Italy due to     8-year-old baptisms or if the growth is mainly coming from converts still? 

You know, it really depends on the area.  There really aren't that many little kids.  There are a couple but I don't think I have ever been in a ward when an 8-year-old has been baptized. Just because there aren't any!  Haha, so I would say new converts are the majority.


2.  How is English Course going in your area now?  

It's going well.  It is slowly growing. We have around 20-25 students.


3.  Being in a ward with great diversity, do you get to translate much? 

Haha, oh yeah.  I translate a lot.  Especially now since there are two missionaries that don't speak English that much.  Plus newbies, and then Anziano Pope.  Haha, I translate a lot more now.  But it's good.  It's really good practice!