I couldn't even keep up with it.

ciao tutti

Hey, so for this past week things were way hectic. We had to go to Catania again for another conference with the 1st counselor in the area seventy (Anziano Vinas). It was a pretty cool conference, but again I got stuck with the translation job. It was horrible when he played a video, I couldn't even keep up with it. He taught a lot about repentance. Anziano Vinas really knows a lot about this. He gave us some great insights and scripures about how repentance worked, and it's great importance. It was really stuff I have never heard before. It's funny how sometimes we think we've heard everything about a certain subject, but then someone with tell you a little something and then the Spirit begins to teach you. It's such a cool thing.

So, Saturday night there was this tour for weddings inside this building where we do mostra. Another missionary and I went in to take a look at this huge concert hall. It was really pretty inside. As we were finishing they had this display for helping kids in Cambodia. I figured I would get to know Justin's mission a little bit better. As I was looking at all these pictures the lady there just attacked us. She just started going off on Mormons and saying lots of stupid stuff. I told her she didn't need to talk about things she didn't know, but she just kept on going. She was just saying stupid things, and I finally calmed her down and explained a few things to her. She didn't like my explanations at all though. I just hate when people rag on Joseph Smith, but they really have no idea who he really was.

Everytime I read his teachings the only thing that crosses my mind is a scripture in Corinthians that says.. why is it that not every man has this knowledge. It's so sad. Well, as of now we have a lot of very good potential investigators, and I'm really excited for general conference. It's going to be great. I love you all, and I hope that you are all staying well and in the right path.

Con Affetto,

Anziano Paul

I've never been so scared in my entire life

Wow

So, I can hardly begin to explain this last week. Wednesday night the branch had a suprise party for this couple that just had 50 years of marriage. It's honestly amazing that they are still alive. The best part I would say is that out of no where this crazy member asks who wanted to sing them a song. Then this scemo cretino member yells out my name. Then before I could protest I was dragged up to the front to make a fool of myself. I didn't know what to sing so I did the first thing that came to my mind. "The itsy bitsy spider". You can only imagine how humiliating that was, but all is well.

Thursday night we had an amazing appointment with this part-member family. It was really great. The appointment went very well, and the Spirit was also there. Then Friday and Saturday we were in Mistretta. This city is probably the sweetest city I have ever been to. This place dates back to before Christ. It's nestled on top of this mountain, and it was freezing cold there. It was really great because Mistretta is a tiny town. Shavano Park is bigger. So, logically the missionaries have to travel to other little towns around to find more work.

Well in this little place by the coast they have a contact that needed to be interviewed for baptism. So we went out there with them, ate lunch, I did the interview, then we left to get our train. Well, the trains just decieded to not run that day. So, we call this member to give us a ride down the coast to this other city so we could take a bus back to Mistretta. I've never been so scared in my entire life. These roads are so thin, and windy. This guy was taking sharp turns at 140km/hr(about 90). We were brushing by plants that were growing by the road, and passing people at stupid moments. It was crazy, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy it. It was really fun as well.

The next day we had the baptism, and it went really well. Anziano Petit and I gave a first lesson for the intermission, and the Spirit again was really strong.

So, for the big news now. Monday we wake up at about 3 in the morning, take a bus at 5 to Catania to have a 5 hour enlightenment by an Apostle of the Lord (Elder Richard G. Scott). It was truly an unforgettable expirience. I was in the second row translating for some Italian sisters for the entire 5 hrs. It was intense, and I must say I don't remember a ton, and because I was translating I was unable to write anything down. Pretty much we were instructed by him for 5 hours on how to recognize, feel, and enhance the Spirit. He said some intense stuff, and at the end he said in a round about way that he has seen the Savior. He testified that He lives and that He personally guides His church.

I've never been so touched by someones testimony, also while he was saying these things his face shone. I thought of Abinadi and Moses when the scriptures say that their faces shone because the Spirit was with them so powerfully. I don't think I will ever forget being able to interact and converse with such a man. It was a truly powerful expirience.

So, later that night we had the conference with all the members in Sicilia. Our APs got lost on the way there. For one hour we were just driving in circles in this tiny little town. Then the car that we were following lost us in traffic. So, we were completely by ourselves. It took us about another 20 mins to finally find the way just in time to see the end of the conference. That night we slept in the mission home just near Elder Scott, so we couldn't even whisper.

The next day I had a meeting with all the district leaders and zone leaders and Presidente Taranto. We were in that meeting for another 5 hours. Then after a long 3 hr ride back to Palermo I was done with sitting down. Infact I've been sitting down too long today.

I love you all, I can't wait to see you all. Arrivederci.


Anziano Joel Paul


Here are some pictures that I thought ya'll might like. Enjoy...

Pic 1:if you look closely you can see Elder Scott in the background




Pic 2:if you look closely you can see Elder Scott with his hand on my shoulder




Pic 3:if you look closely you can see a really good looking missionary.