Thank you Nono

Dear family and friends,

Feed me woman.

Kingsley one of our investigators is doing really well. He is trying to learn Italian.. He is from Nigeria and has been here for a few months. He lives at a camp and the three ladies there love him. We came to see him and he invites us in where he is doing work on a computer for the ladies of the camp (they are in charge of the people there).. He is basically like Joseph of Egypt. He has become the favorite. He also has this Italian lady wanting to marry him. He is awesome.

Recently I guess we have been going quality over quantity. If we are having a street conversation with an African. I will invite them to do at least something.. But the goal is to invite them to be a great investigator and to get baptized.. I try to make sure they would like that so we don't waste their time and they don't waste ours. We found two guys this way. One is named frank. He is basically a sweet heart. He used to drive buses in Nigeria.. He is this smaller guy who just has a good heart. He is also trying to learn Italian. He collapsed on Saturday so he was in the hospital and didn't come to church. This guy is great though.. And then there is osaro. There were a group of six Africans talking.. We had some time as we were waiting for someone. So I picked the one I  could see getting baptized.. Osaro. Last night we invited him to baptism etc.. He told me he could tell from the first time we met the things I was telling him were true. Some moments are really incredible.

We met this guy named Robin at Parko Querini the bunny park. There was no one there that morning and I made a mental note to not go back because no one would be there cause it's too cold. We talked to about four people. The last person is this guy named robin. He is basically Italian. He is looking for work. His mom is from Morocco.. His dad is from Brazil. The first time we met him I asked him if he believed in God and Jesus Christ.. He said he was atheist. (He wasn't really super atheist).. This last lesson we invited him to be baptized.. He is going to prepare.. He told us after meeting with us a few times he has a bigger testimony of God and Jesus Christ in general. Win. Yes. He is super cool. Super accepting.. The word of wisdom may be difficult.. We hope for the best.

I am a firm believer that everyone needs the gospel.. There are obviously the elect already ready. But I do believe you can help someone basically become elect. Some of the guys we have been working with to one degree or another are definitely elect.. But there are problems with changing and becoming better which is natural. It's just awesome that we built a good relationship with a lot of them.. So they don't usually run away at the first sign of trouble. We can help them with the problems. But some do run off even when we are good friends. If there is a member friend, we are good friends, and they are super elect.. The odds of helping them with a long term good change goes drastically up... If you have a combination of the three it's a powerful force.

Christian is doing good. These last two weeks he hasn't come to church cause he didn't want to walk. He is either going to get a bike soon or Trek with us.. It's just hard cause if someone isn't willing to walk to church before baptism they won't be willing to after words.. And sometimes it's necessary. Christian will make it though. He is the best.

Merry birthday Grandpa Gridley, and Riah!

Merry birthday... Merry thanksgiving. Remember most things are not about you. Most of my people not coming to church.. It's not about me. Someone that does something that hurts you. It's not about you. You get In a car accident.. It's not about you. You don't want to do the dishes.. It's not about you. Let us be more thankful and less selfish this next year. Obviously there are balances in all things. But just cause something bad happens.. Or someone hurts us very deeply. It's not about you. We thank the almighty for the sunny days and the rainy ones. We thank him for the hard and the good times. Find a way to cope with the rainy days and then enjoy them with the sunny days. We are still human and this is easier to say, harder to live.. Feel your emotions, we are human.. But eventually you need to use your umbrella and stop drowning in the rain. The almighty is good to us.. We are made to have joy:).

Oh bob.. That was my favorite arm.

Vi saluto (to mom.. I have been saying farewells that African say.. But you can say I salute you in Italian.. But normally you say something else just like in American English..(if you still haven't picked a gift.. You should pick the Pokemon and the ds (for the children obviously) I tell you what the urge to play Pokemon is strong right now haha..also I'm going to send a picture of an American you can ship a package to if you want to send it in a safer easier less expensive way.. The American postal service)).

Anziano Gridley