Last One

Hey guys!!!!!!

   Well here it is.  The last email.  I have been running around like crazy this last week making sure everything was ready for the baptism.  It almost didn't happen.  But we were able to do it.  

   So Monday we skyped, Tuesday we had our district meeting and a scambio with the APs that carried over to Wednesday, then Thursday we had Moses's wedding which went well.  Friday we had a branch activity about the pioneers.  It was fun. We got bolo ties and sang a couple country songs, and then me and Anz. Bates shared some stories about our ancestors that crossed the plains. 

   And Saturday we had the baptism!  It went well and there were a lot of people.  Most of the Branch was there, and then there were all the relatives of Mimmo and his wife.  I made cinnamon rolls for after and I guess they were pretty good 'cause they were gone in 2 minutes!  There were a couple people who wanted the recipe so that was cool.

   That is what we did for the week. We didn't have very many lessons because we were running around so much dealing with all these crazy activities!  But it was good.  The week went by really fast.  We said goodbye to everybody yesterday at church because they were going up to the temple this week and because I am leaving to Rome on Saturday.  We have a scambio again this week so we won't be back at our house until Wednesday afternoon.  Then I need to pack, write everybody, and print out pictures to give people.  It is going to be a crazy week. 

   Looking back, I think one of the biggest things I've learned on my mission is that the gospel gives you what you put into it.  If you are going to church and doing what's right, that's great.  Good on ya'. You can go through life pretty happy.  But if you are anxiously engaged in the gospel, if you are constantly looking for more, looking to learn, and looking to help others and follow the counsel of the prophets, you will gain a lot more.  You will be happier, and the Lord will use you to complete his work.

   I am glad that I have served a mission.  It has been hard, but I am glad.  I love you guys very, very much and I can't wait to see you!  I will see you next Tuesday!!!

   Love always, Anziano Rigby

Mother's day & Conference with Elder Bednar

We enjoyed Skyping with Elder Rigby the day after Mother's Day.  In fact, it was the highlight of our year so far!  He is doing great and will be completing his mission in two weeks.

Also, on April 28, 2015 all the missionaries in the Italy Rome Mission were brought together for a special conference on technology with Elder David A. Bednar and two members of the Quorum of the Seventy, as well as their wives.  

According to President and Sister Waddoups' blog, "Very little was said about Ipads, but much was said about obedience,  listening to the spirit, avoiding evil, and learning the importance of using technology properly so when they go home they will continue to use technology to bless their lives and avoid the pitfalls that can be associated with it."  Skyler also told us that Elder Bednar spoke a lot about marriage and families.

Elder David A. Bednar

All Italy Rome Missionaries together for Elder Bednar's Technology Conference

May!!

Hey y'all!!!

   Wow time is flying by!  It's crazy.  So this week we taught Mimmo, and he is getting ready for baptism on the 16 of May.  He is a really good guy, and he is ready!  We also have Moses that has a bap date for 30 of May.  She is just waiting for her marriage papers.  But it's all good.  We also got a new investigator named Carlo.  He is so cool.  I love him already!!!  He is so sincere.  He is the friend of a member and he has been coming to church for the last 3 weeks, and this last week he even bore his testimony in sacrament meeting.  We are going to invite him to be baptised on the 6 of June.  I think it will go through.

   Other than that, we are doing some finding and we are also teaching other people. They just aren't really progressing that much...but that's okay.  We are also teaching a couple 7-year-olds in the ward who are getting ready for baptism.  It's pretty fun.  Haha, I've never done it before in any other area but it's good.  I enjoy it because I can practice teaching really simply.

   Other than that, I have nothing.  The work is going well  and I am excited to see you guys on Monday!  10 o-clock your time!  :)  Take care my friends.  Have a good week!

   Love, Anziano Rigby

Bednar Conference

Hello Y'all,

   Alright, so this week and a half has been a pretty crazy one!  Haha, we've been busy with work and finding, and just missionary life in general!  Haha, and then Sunday night we went to the Anziani's house in Taranto to sleep the night and then we were off Monday morning to Rome.  It took pretty much all day.  We were put in an old nun convent. Haha, so yeah, kind of interesting.  Funny if you ask me.  :)  I was reunited with my son (Mika).  It was a huge reunion...200 missionaries.

   Tuesday we had the conference, which was great!  There was Elder Bednar, Elder Texciera, Elder Allen, and all their wives. We really didn't talk of iPads that much, maybe for an hour.  The rest of it was pretty much a question session.  Some from Elder Bednar to us, and then from us to him. And not just about the iPad thing.  It was about everything and anything.  It was pretty awesome.  I learned a lot.  And I have a new drive to be even better than I am now.

   Other than that, I don't have much to say.  Haha, I'm sorry if I'm not writing much.  I'm just so tired, and there really isn't much new.  Missionary work is pretty much the same from day to day, and week to week. 

   I love you all and hope you are doing well.  It sounds like you are!  Take care!

   Love, Anziano Rigby

Statte

Hey guys!

   Alright, so we have been working hard here in Statte the past couple days. Anziano Puff (the missionary that I replaced here) did some awesome work here.  So we have a lot of stuff to do.  The branch members are way awesome, and way into missionary work which is cool.  I'm still trying to get my bearings on everything and what not, but   ( ? )      it's working.  We have a car here because the area is pretty spread out, and so that's fun.  Anziano Bates drives and I navigate.  But really I just act as the DJ   :)   Haha. 

   So, Yeah. Anziano Bates is from Arizona and he is awesome.  Way good at the language, smart, funny, haha and he does some pretty sick voice impersonations.  All in all, a great guy.  We get along well and that's cool.  We have a couple bap dates for May and we are pushing hard for those.  Moses from Nigeria, Mimmo who is an Italian, and... yeah, I can't think of anything else right now. 

   Statte is really cool.  It kind of reminds me of Idaho a little bit... it's pretty windy, there's a lot of farms and orchards. I t's beautiful. Overall, I'm doing good.  We are preparing to go up to Rome for the conference with Elder Bednar. ...Did I tell you about that?  Hahah, boh, well yeah.  He's coming to introduce iPads to the mission next Tuesday.  So we will be up there.  We will also be doing P-day on that Thursday instead of Monday.  So next week it's Thursday.  

   I love you all and hope you are having a good time.  Take care and we will talk next week.  

  Love you, ciao!!!

Last Transfer

  

Saying Goodbye

 

 

 Well, I am now going into my last transfer... What the... ?

  Haha, that's all I'm gonna say about that.  Next subject!

  This week was good.  It was full of....finding! We had a ton of lessons planned, and none of them went through!  Oh man.  It was always the morning of, they would call us to tell us they had something come up and they couldn't meet.  It was a little discouraging, but we were able to hit the streets and meet some cool people.

My African friends

  

  Oh, so I've been transferred to Statte!   It's outside Taranto.   My new comp is Anziano Bates.  I'll be follow-up training him.   I'm really excited to see what it's like there.  I've never been to Puglia before!  :) 

  Giordana, well, Lia, was not able to meet us either.  It was a slow week.  But we were tracting and we felt we should know this one Palazzo so we went in, and we came out with two return appointments!  Haha, it was pretty cool.  That doesn't happen very often! 

The Bonners

Cool pics from the church

   

   I do know that this gospel is true, and that God loves each one of us unconditionally.  He just wants us to be happy, and he is there waiting for us.  And as we heard in conference, he doesn't even ask us to make the walk alone.  But just that we turn around.  

  Alright, I love you guys!  Have a good week!  You are all the best people ever!!!   :)   Take care.

   

  Love, Anziano Rigby

Easter

Hello guys! 

   Alright, well Happy Easter!  Haha, I hope everybody had a fun time, and that you were all able to think about Christ's sacrifice a little bit more throughout the day.

Okay, well the first one I just think is funny!  Haha, I like the little Pucinello.  :) 

   I had a good week. It started out playing paintball! Woo-hoo!  Haha, it was way fun.  It was a nice little change up from what we normally do.  Then we went back to work. We did a bit of finding this week which was fun.  Haha, I am always grateful for the Lord's help in that aspect.  It's awesome to see the difference.  If you go out with a smile on your face and a goal to be happy and to say hi to everybody, then you are going to have a fun time.  If you go out grumpy, you're gonna be grumpy.  It's your choice. 

And then there is the undergound.  It was used as an aquaduct for the city
 so these caves were filled with water. 

  We taught Pietro on Wednesday and he committed to come to General Conference. But he didn't end up coming.  It was a little discouraging.  But we also met with Giordana. We taught her the Restoration, and we set a bap date with her for the 9th of May. Woo-hoo!  Haha, so that was cool. This next week we are supposed to meet with her at a member's home which should be really exciting!  :)

   Other than that, yesterday, because it was the day after Easter, we were supposed to do a deep clean on the apartment.  So we did that.  Today was our P-day.  We decided to go to the Napoli underground which was actually really cool!  Haha.  I took some pics that I'll send to you.  It's crazy the things that are under the city.  It's really funny because I've talked with old timers who talked about their younger days and how they would go down there with friends to play.  Crazy.

  

During WWII, the peolpe hid down there as protection from the bombs.
But I think a couple of them got through...

  So this week we receive our transfer calls!  Haha, my last one... Yikes!  I really don't know whether I'm staying or going.  I think it could go either way.  Anyway, we'll see.  :)

  Alright, well I love you!  Hope you are having a good day!  Ciao! 

   Love always, Anziano Rigby

Just hangin' around in some caves... :)

We needed to go through a really thin, really long tunnel. So they gave us candles :)