Buon Natale (Merry Christmas)

Buon Natale Friends and Family,

I've asked a few people how I can get a quad of all four scripture books in Italian, and they keep telling me, You'll paper cut your eye out kid. (They dont have an Italian quad here, they kind of have a weird bible thats almost the same)

Language: I'm now at level 2(ish). Everyone laughs when I speak from how I say things and how it makes sense, and I can communicate sort of.

A man we are teaching is interesting. He got baptized a while ago. He has a wife and two daughters. He's a bit two faced in the fact that he is really nice to us and the members, but not very nice to his wife and daughters. I hope that we especially during this time of Christmas, can be the most nice to those who matter most.

Another man that is Italian, married a woman from Ecuador that moved here. For a few years, they decided to move to Ecuador and she moved a few months ago and he is saving up to move when he can. She got baptized in Ecuador, and he's now looking up the church here and trying to learn more. We've only met with him once, but it's a pretty cool story and we are hoping for the best. He says that he doesn't want a house divided against itself, hence hes investigating the church.

Some more fun things I think I forgot to mention. Cars here if you dont have legit parking somewhere, you flip on your hazard lights, letting everyone else know you'll be back in about 5 minutes and go do what you want to do.  Its kind of legit. Also stop signs are more like guidelines here haha.

We do caroling quite a bit which during we hand out pass along cards. One was on the ground as we were walking by. This woman picked it up (it had a picture of Jesus on it) she says to herself, who would ever throw this away? Kind of some wisdom type of thing there.

We went into Milan yesterday for new missionary training, basically they want us to do better among other things. We did 7 lessons last week and they asked those there that they wanted 21. Which for us (I don't know if I'm of little faith or what, but) its not really possible at all. We'll see what happens I guess=). Goals aren't too useful if they are impossible though haha.

I think I was shell shocked the first week out here. I feel a bit better and everythings working out ok. Its kind of funny. We have encountered a few people who only like the bible, from what I've researched recently anyone who thinks that is a bit foolish, which is a bit hard to say tactfully or if they don't want to talk to you, but who is anyone to restrict Heavenly Father on what he wants to teach us etc? There are lots of other things as well, but if this is holding anyone back back at home, I suggest you don't let it. Someone said that I really liked at the training from a non member.

I don't generally have any answers from my prayers, like concrete answers. I generally just feel peace. Which I can heavily relate to and which I've grown to love even more this week.

 Thank you all for helping me in my life. Remember what is important and have mercy like the Mr. Miyaugi in Karate Kid. Be grateful for what you have=). I hope my absence helps bear testimony of some semi hidden important things of life.

With Love,

Anziano Gridley