February 27, 2008

Buongiorno Tutti! I am doing well. We got our transfer calls on monday at 1:15. I am staying another transfer here with Anziano Breen. Anziano Funk who has been here for 8 months is going to Pescara which is on the other side of Italy on the coast. Anziano Silva, our district leader is staying and is training! yeah! I am so excited. We dont know who it is going to be yet but we know that it is either: Elder Bryant (from Mesa), Elder Mondragon (from South Jordan), or Elder Middleton (from Sandy). We think it is going to be Anziano Middleton but we have no idea. Anziano Breen and I are going to deck out the room and make signs that say WELCOME TO OSTIA and things like that. Guess who is the new AP? Anziano Scoville! My Babbo/trainer. I am so excited. I am super excited to see him again. He will be great. Such a stud he is. Well, everything is going well. I am learning a lot. I have learned many times that the ways we become stronger are through our trials. They are blessings in disquize. We have them for a reason. Our role is to find out the reason, to accept it and learn from it. If we dont do this, then we are just going through pain and heartache but if we accept it and make the best of it we gain so much that we cant gain in other ways. The mission president before President Acerson was here, President Rhein, said that our lives are full of hills and valleys. We are either on the top of the highest hill or in the bottom pit of the lost valley. Through the gospel of Jesus Christ he can help us get to the next hill-- to the next mountain. It isnt determined how long we will be in the valley-- we determine how long it will take us, whether we rely on our Savior or whether we try to do it on our own. I have experienced that these past couple of days. This morning i had a great personal study and a very heart felt prayer. I know that he is lifting me up and strengthening me. When we dont have the energy to go on He aids us as much as we have need and then we have to push and give it all our might. i know that He loves each and every one of us. I do not just say that. I know. I really do. I see every day people who are being helped by the Lord when they trust him and put themselves in his hands. So often we draw ourselves away from his love and then we blame him for our misery and heartache but really he is always there with arms wide waiting to embrace us. I hope you know that and realize that. I have also learned a lot this week about Repentance and Forgiveness. Forgiveness is not just for big wrongs done but for every tiny thing. I need to forgive more and when i do i am so much happier. Sorry if i am blabbing, but i felt that i needed to share that. I love you. Have a great week and remember the things that are most important, those things will bring you the greatest joy. Love, Anziano Brewster

February 20, 2008

Family and Friends, I had the neatest experience on Monday. i dont know if you all know but during my first transfer my crown broke so i am in the process of fixing it. On monday i was leaving Ostia to go to Rome for my dentist appointment. I am so glad that Heavenly Father knew that was where we were going and that he put a man in our way. The metro arrived and as it passed i saw Claudio. He waved to me and i ran to his section of the train. We met him 2 weeks ago, exactly and gave him a book of mormon and taught him on the metro, outside of the station and while walking to his house. He gave us his number and wanted to meet with us but we called many times and his phone was always off. So i talked to him on the train and he was so happy. I saw a great change and i didnt know what it was. Guess what? He read the whole book of mormon in 2 weeks. He finished that sunday night at midnight. He also compared all of the references to the bible. We were on the metro for about 45 minutes and the whole time he talked to me about the teachings of the book of mormon, stories, references, everything. I was so amazed. We met with him later that night because he wanted to talk to us that bad. We had many challenges that night so we werent able to teach a sit down lesson but we did that yesterday. He wants to be baptized once he meets more of our members, comes to church, learns more about it, and is ready to take on this great responsibility. He is incredible. It took me 1 year and 1month to read the book of mormon, and he probably understood much more than i did. I prayed so much in gratituted. I know that God answers our prayers this is one example. I love my Savior. I know that He lives. I love you all. Love, Anziano Brewster

February 13, 2008

Hello my Beautiful Family, As usual i used up much time emailing my mom and dad that i dont have a lot of time, which is a good thing, no? I want to tell you of a great experience we had on sunday night. We had zone singing in Piazza del Popolo in rome where we sang and talked to people that stopped. We had to leave early to make it to our dinner appointment with the Wanyama family. We got to their area at about 705 and our appointment was at 715. we waited at the bus stop for 45 minutes and come to find out that it is the wrong stop. The right one was down the street so we took that and got to the house. This isnt the experience but it leads up to it. Heavenly Father knew that we would miss the bus and knew that we would be home late so he put a woman in our path who was searching for this light and love. We met her on the metro on our way home. She came up to us and talk with the four of us. She is from California, doesnt speak a word of italian and is searching for God. We were able to teach a little and talk with her. She was so happy. She was starting to cry because she felt so alive, the spirit was very strong. She missed her stop so we told her to get off on the next and go the opposite direction she was a little confused so at the last minute i felt to go with her and see her to her stop even though we were going to be home very late. I am so glad that we got off with her on that stop because we found out a lot about her and her situation. She is so ready and prepared for this truth. We knelt on the dirty Metro station floor and said a prayer together. She held our hands and through out it she gradually squose with all of her might. She has 2 daughters (18 and 15) and an abusive boy friend. She is going to make a lot of life changing decisions and it wont be easy but it will be so worth it. We are very excited for her. I know that God loves each of us. He wants to bless us and does every day. He puts many things in our lives to bless us in the long run even if they seem to be awful to us they are exactly what we need. I love you all. Love, Anziano Brewster

February 6, 2008

Hey everyone,I doing very well. We have had the neatest experiences in finding people. One was on our way to an appointment where he was looking at our name tag about to stop us and i said hi and we talked and we taught him much and gave him the book of mormon and pamphlets to read. He is from Romania and we will meet sunday. Another was with a man named Claudio two nights ago. We had 40 minutes to work until we had to be home so we did metro in one direction (no luck) so then we did it the other and found Claudio. This is cool because he is very interested. That night he bought a bible to find himself. We gave him brochures and pamplets and asked him to read that night and we would call him. It was incredible how we found him, the little steps we took and the miracles that happened. We just found another this morning on our way to do internet. He stopped us and said that he really likes our religion and wants to be a member. That never happens! he is busy with remodling his house but he lives really close to us. We are going to call him and he is going to come to church. He is Italian but lived in England. The Lord works miracles. I know He does. If we ask, listen, and follow in Faith they will happen. If we dont seek them we may not find them. And if we do seek them we WILL find them--we have that promise. And guess what... I left my scriptures on the metro talking to a great guy named Fabrizio. He called me and said that i left them and he gave them to the security gaurd there in anignia which is way out of my zone so i asked the other elders in Rome 3 to get them and they werent there but they are going to go back. Good thing that i have another pair here. ha ha you have got to love me! Some things never change... but i am changing a ton just not my absent mindedness. ha ha Love you all, Anziano Brewster