June 4, 2014

Ciao tutti!

Lots to report this week.  It really was a great week.  Our numbers didn't show it but we really did a lot!

Sunday, the Giro D'Italia finished here in Trieste.  Giro D'Italia is a big bike race that happens every year and is comparable to Tour Di France...I think that's how you write it.  In the middle of the city there were tons and tons of people to witness the end of this race.  Anziano Gardiner and I saw this as an opportunity to do some missionary work.  We stamped tons of pass along cards.  We each had a stack about 2 inches high....and we passed them all out.  Every single one.  Now we'll wait and see what happens.

On monday our ward did a hike.  It was beautiful and it was great to get out into the wilderness a little bit for some fresh air.  We had a couple of ward members bring friends that weren't members of the church.  We were able to explain a little about who we are and we have plans to try to see them this weekend.  Church activities are missionary activities!!

Yesterday we had an appointment with a man that we haven't known for very long.  We had taught him the first two lessons in a park that is close to his house.  Yesterday we asked if we could go to his house to teach him.  Luckily, his girlfriend and son were home.  They offered us dinner, so we had the opportunity to talk about who we were with the girlfriend.  After dinner we taught the restoration.  They both seemed on board!!  Really cool.  However, they both have a lot of problems that they have to sort out.  We will pray for these things and hopefully see some miracles happen in the next month! 

I would upload pictures of my adventures but the computer wouldn't allow it this week...maybe next week...

Well hope you all have a great week!  Love you all!  Ciao!

-Anziano Cody Petterborg

May 28, 2014

Cari miei,

Trieste is beautiful!!  What a cool city!  And it is just full of miracles!  We see several everyday.

This week happened the greatest miracle of my mission so far!  Sunday night we were planning and we found a spot on the map that we had never explored before.  So we decided to check it out.  We climbed on a bus that we thought would get us close.  The bus took off up into the mountains in the middle of nowhere.  We had no idea where to get off.  I prayed that Heavenly Father would guide us to know where to get off and that this situation that we had gotten ourselves into would turn out to be a good experience.  We got off where we felt it was right.  We then pulled out the map and decided where we needed to go.  We had to do some wandering but we eventually got to a street that we thought would get us where we wanted to go.  The street was pretty much empty and we had to walk for a while.  Eventually we saw these men talking on the side of the road.  One of them left and the one that remained yelled out to us, "How are you?" in English.  We of course stopped to talk to him.  We found out that he knew about the church many years ago but didn't join for lack of time.  He has lived in Italy, New York, Switzerland.  He speaks 5 different languages.  He told us that he has read the Bible 30 times and the entire Book of Mormon once.  He thinks it is a fantastic book!  He says now that he's older and has more time, we would like to join our church.  I am super excited to see what happens with him in the coming weeks.

Last week for P-Day we went to a big cave called Grotta Gigante.  It was super cool!  I heard it's the biggest tourist cave in the world.  Cool stuff.

This week the ward had an activity where they invited African members of the church to present the African Culture.  It was super cool.  The sang and danced and then we ate some typical food.  Super good time.  Pictures attached!!

Well gotta go!  Love you all!  Ciao!

-Anziano Cody Petterborg

May 21, 2014

Ciao tutti!!

Trieste is beautiful!!  I don't have much time to describe it this week...maybe next week!

This week, we finally got ahold of a referral that Anziano Gardiner has been try to reach for some time now.  He texted us sunday after church and asked us if we could see him that night.  So we did!  The lesson went pretty well.  He seems kind of nervous about talking to us, but our questions very well.  He accepted an invitation to see us again next week.  We also invited him to be baptized but he told us it was a little early.  We are excited to meet with man who seems ready for the gospel.

Love you all!  Ciao!

-Anziano Cody Petterborg