I'm getting sick again. pray for me.

Anziano Benjamin Jolley

Via XX Settembre, 37

16100 Vercelli (VC)

Italia

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, Sep 15, 2010 at 8:02 AM
Subject: I'm getting sick again. pray for me.

My dear family,

This week has been wonderful. I won't say much this time, because I usually use my planner to remind of things that happened, and I am carrying my new planner instead. hence, this may be shorter.

On friday, Candide got baptized. I mean... CANDIDE GOT BAPTIZED!!!! scuse me, I was a little confused. the baptism was awesome. Candide brought three of his friends who said they might be interested in hearing our message if we work through Candide. it was awesome. I now have done what anziano Jones wants too, cioè to baptize someone I found. On Saturday, we taught Edwin again, about the tree of life, and about Nephi's vision. He still wants to be Nephi. we also taught Candide about the priesthood. On Sunday, Candide was confirmed by Anziano Jones, who was SUPER nervous. he shook like a leaf. literally, as he was giving him the blessing, his hands were shaking hard. But it was good. He said something about finding a wife and getting married in the blessing, which Candide was pleased about, and which several of our YSA's took notice of. It was pretty funny when he told us later what he thought about it. Sunday night, we did a LOT of finding work.

Our Bishop, Walter Zafarana baptised Candide. He also directed. we sang Choose the Right, and Joseph's first prayer. Anziano Jones and Sorella Accardo, a member here, gave talks, about the holy ghost and baptism respectively. They were both good. after being baptised, Candide gave an awesome testimony, involving the dream I think I mentioned earlier. He is so cool. He was totally serious then, though. AND, he wore a sweet suit while he gave his testimony. I don't know where he got it, but it was good looking.

On monday (I have my planner now.) we had district meeting in the morning, to which Anziano Bona, from my MTC group came for the first time, which was a lot of fun. That night, we taught Candide, and then we had our serata familiare, where we found out that one of our members essentially doesn't have a testimony. So.. we taught a lesson about how to find one. It's unfortunate, that.

Tuesday, we taught a sister and her mother, about the family, and found out that their family situation is not a happy one, so we'll be teaching them the gospel, which should improve said situation. we taught Edwin again, about baptism, and what it is. he said he'll come to church when he's free. that will be fun, when he does. later, we had the best ward council meeting I've had here. it was awesome. we got everything we needed.

Today, we picked up Anziano Brawdy from the station, because the mission leadership (including his companion) are all in Milano doing a leadership conference till friday, so we're in a threesome with two areas till then. we went to the church, where we had an appointment, which fell through, so we instead talked and found a man named Mauro, who is interested, and I got his number, after giving him a tour of the church. We then had lunch with a family here, the famiglia Simoncini. they're awesome.

I don't remember the rest of my week. but Anziano Jones got sick, and now I'm getting sick. pray for me.
--
Vi Amo!
Anziano Benjamin Jolley

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Excitement and not excitement

Anziano Benjamin Jolley
Via XX Settembre, 37
16100 Vercelli (VC)
Italy

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, Sep 8, 2010 at 4:03 AM
Subject: Excitement and not excitement

This week has been really exciting, because Candide is set for his baptism on Friday the 10th, at 8 PM, so around noon your time. Also, we got a referral this week from the assistents of a man who is just about ready to be baptized, named Jerimia, from Peru. (I love you Elijah!) In due povere parole, quello è la nostra settimana. oh... also, I didn't get transferred. Neither did Anziano Jones. In fact, this transfer didn't change much at all. Just the people going home changed in our zone.

In longer words, it went like this:

Giovedì, (thursday) we taught Roberto again, who is just swallowing the Book of Mormon, reading it once quickly and at the same time once slowly. He's at the beginning of Alma in his quick reading, and at the end of 2 Nephi in his slower reading. We then taught Candide about the baptismal interview, going over the questions with him. He's super ready, it's awesome. He's finally getting baptised, a month after we originally planned. It occurs to me that in this email, I've used two different spellings of baptised/baptized. That's funny. Anyways, we then found some members in Novara to teach and get to know.

Venerdì, we taught my friend Edwin, who is on house arrest. He's always home. He's got some cool dreams, and when we taught him about the tree of life, he said, "I wish I could be Nephi. He saw a cool vision." That was a fun lesson. I love teaching him. he wants his firstborn son to be a pastor, or maybe even a prophet. Later on that day, we taught Simonetta, a friend of a member, Sorella Martorana. Simonetta is a long talker, and interrupts, but in her head she's come up with mostly right ideas, she just needs to listen a little more, less than explain to us some of the false doctrine she believes. Time for the Tactfully Take control Triangle that Sister Dunaway taught us! I'll look over that before I teach her again. We then started a scambio, with me and Anziano Shill, my district leader working here in Vercelli. We did some casa together, and found a really good area. How do I know it's a good area? people listen and windows are broken and it's in the middle of nowhere. The only problem with such areas is that there are generally a lot of muslims, who we can't teach. but Christians who live with Muslims usually listen to us more readily. In that area, we found a man who smokes 5 packs of cigarettes a day, and tried to get him to respond. when he didn't, we left him with a prayer and our number. It was depressing, and he was hooked up to two 20 gallon things of oxygen. It was kind of depressing to see. We'll get back to why this matters later. Later that night, as we made phone calls for the next day, our peruvian friend Alessandro biked by, and told us to come over in an hour when they'd finish dinner. So we did. And we finally got a response. The one daughter told us she wasn't sure she believes in God, and the mom told us that she feels something different when we come over and teach. That was a special experience.

Sabato, we did Candide's baptismal interview, he's getting baptised. During his interview, I waited outside and had an interesting study of the Book of Mormon, reading Alma chapters 27-29. I especially liked Alma 27:17-18. I want to be Ammon. that is all. We then went back to Biella, and riscambioed, missing the first train back by 30 seconds. But that's ok, because it gave us some time to talk and think. Later that night, we taught our friend Sunday again, about faith, and what it can do for us. He told us once again that he still wonders about the existence of God.

Domenica, we had church, to which Candide, Maria, and Paolo showed up. It was a good sunday, we taught Gospel Principles with Anziano Shill and Brawdy, and Candide explained very clearly what baptism means to him, and he was dead on. He said something like "I'm not doing this for them or for anyone else. I understand the importance of my own baptism and I'm doing it for my own relationship with God." That was cool, because it helped our other investigator Maria a lot. She had a lot of questions, and she understands much better now. Later on that day, we first met Jerimia, who opened up to us, explaining to us his whole story, and praying at the end that he could be on the right path, with our help instead of Anziano Biddulph, the first missionary that taught him, saying that it would be the same because we're from the same source. It was way exciting.

Lunedì, we put up a bunch of ads for our english class, and then in the afternoon, we taught Jerimia again, reviewing with him the 1° lesson. He remembered everything. He expressed to us several concerns that he has about his girlfriend that he lives with and wants to marry. We explained to him that he will have to marry her or live apart if he wants to get baptised. We'll see how that turns out. We also invited him to Candide's baptism. Later, we finally contacted a referral from a member, Merlee, who is Peruvian, and very good. It was special for me, because as we taught she was pretty quiet, but when I asked her questions, she'd answer in a way that I know she understood. At the end, when I prayed, I prayed that the Holy Ghost would be with us, and she said after the prayer, "I feel something... different... in my heart." This was the first time that I have told an investigator what they were feeling was the Holy Ghost. It was really special.

Yesterday, we gave a blessing to a member's non-member sister, who is suffering with a severe disease. As I talked with her before, I told her, if you believe in Christ, this will work. Do you believe? her response was to break down in tears and say... I don't know. Anziano Jones anointed, and I sealed. It was really special. Later on that afternoon, we taught Edwin again, teaching him about the concept of faith, and I understood better, as I was teaching, the concept that moroni teaches in Ether 12. It was by faith that Nephi saw the vision of the tree of life. The angel asks, what do you desire, and then do you believe, and then says that he will get what he desires because he believes in Christ. (1 Nephi 11:1-6) That was cool, and Edwin is awesome. unfortunately, being under house arrest makes it very difficult to get baptised. We later on taught Candide the concept of missionary work, which he already understands, specifically inviting him to invite his friends to his baptism. So... his baptism will be awesome! on Friday! Then we had Ward council. We then got the phone call for transfers, and I found out that I've been called to serve as... Junior companion to Anziano Jones in Vercelli! Woot! I would have been rather upset to have been transferred. I would have missed Candide's baptism by a day. but I didn't. I'm pleased.

That's my week!
--
Vi Amo!
Anziano Benjamin Jolley

NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.

20 lessons! 20 lessons!

Anziano Benjamin Jolley
Via XX Settembre, 37
16100 Vercelli, (VC)
Italy

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, Sep 1, 2010 at 5:34 AM
Subject: 20 lessons! 20 lessons!

As you may have guessed from the subject, this week we successfully reached one of our standards of excellence for the first time since I left Alessandria. We taught 20 lessons last week. I love weeks like that. Instead of knocking 5000000000 doors in a week, we actually TEACH people. I love that. This is primarily because we have investigators again. It's awesome.

Because someone asked, I will give a short description of all our our investigators. 1. Candide, from Ivory Coast, who will be getting baptized the 10th of September. He's ready, not looking for work, and everything is set for his baptism. 2. Sunday, from Nigeria, who we haven't seen for a while and is still struggling with cigarettes, but he's making progress. He's down from a pack a day to 4 cigarettes a day. 3. Pedro, from Peru, who came to church and is making good progress, and should hopefully be baptized the 25th of September. 4. Roberto, Italian, who is reading the Book of Mormon from start to finish, with the footnotes. He really likes the footnotes. 5. Edwin, from Nigeria, who really likes Mormon.org. 6. Jolly Monday (Jolly is the first name, Monday is the last name), from Nigeria, who is part of a very active church. He goes to church 3 times a week for several hours. 7. David, from Nigeria, who really likes the Book of Mormon, because it teaches the same things as the Bible. 8. Davide, from Italy, who is a hippy. 9. Salvatore, Italian, who really loves the Bible and doesn't see the need for the Book of Mormon. 10 Alessandro and his family, from Peru, who have lots of health problems. 11. Prince, from Ghana, who is a soccer player that is hoping to return to soccer after an injury. 12. Emiliano, Italian, a recovering alcoholic. 13, Maria Rosa, Italian, who has had all of the lesssons at least once. Other than these 13, there are 4 or 5 potentials, primarily spouses of members.

There you go. We're working with 12 people and 1 family, of whom 1 is french african, 5 are english african, 2 are peruvian, and 5 are Italian.

As I've taken to the habit of telling you about my week in chronological order, I will continue in this way. On Thursday morning, we gave a blessing to a member's non-member daughter-in-law, and taught her a modified version of the restoration lesson. We then did an exchange with members (Is the word splits in english?) I went with Paolo out to Novara, and we taught Prince about the Doctrine of Christ, which climaxed with a baptismal invite, which was not accepted, because he will not have enough time to see us for a good while. We then went to Candide's and taught him the Law of Chastity, a lesson I've taught once, and wasn't really sure how to teach. Thankfully, Paolo, our member, is an ex-missionary to London, and has taught it many times, and so the elements of the lesson I forgot, he was able to fill in. We then ended our exchange, and Anz. Jones and I went out to do some finding work.

On Friday, we woke up early early again, to teach my friend Pedro, about gaining a testimony of the Book of Mormon. We taught him with our members in his city, who are also both ex-missionaries (It occurs to me that I'm using the Italian terms. In English you say Returned Missionary, right?), and helped us a lot, and also provided him a ride to church on Sunday. We then went to this member's house and had lunch with them, and taught their family, which is half-active. We took a train back to Vercelli, and then to Novara, where we taught Jolly about 3 Nephi 11, which I love, by the way. Unfortunately, we had to be kind of short in that lesson, because we found out we were double booked, and we rushed to our next lesson, with David, about the plan of Salvation, which was also rushed, and then we hopped on a train back to Vercelli, barely in time, and went to a member's house, with whom was Maria Rosa, who we taught a rather interesting lesson with one of our member's disrupting a lot and making a lot of reference to deep doctrine, that was entirely unnecessary. I have said this, and I will say it again. Let us teach. Missionaries KNOW how to teach the doctrines of the gospel, which to teach, and which not to teach. For a buddhist woman who hardly knows anything about the bible or the Book of Mormon, the concept of who is Jehovah, or even the concept of Jehovah at all doesn't matter and cannot help. (that's what our member was explaining.) As you can tell, I was a little frustrated with our member. Later, we went to church to teach Salvatore. As we waited, our constantly drunk friend Mario passed by, so I gave him a quick tour of the church, and taught him a short lesson. He has very interesting beliefs. "I believe in Jesus Christ, but in God, no." How that works, I'm not going to ask. That's called a drunk man who has read the bible 4 times. Anyways, we then taught Salvatore, reading with him 3 Nephi 11. He started to understand better why the Book of Mormon is useful. (By the way, yes, we did teach 7 lessons in one day.)

On Saturday, we taught Candide the Law of Tithing, and then we had lunch with him, of baguettes, cheese, delicious meat, and such. It was good. We then had to cancel an appointment and received several bidoni. It was a decent day.

Sunday, in church, Candide, Pedro, and Maria Rosa came, along with one of Maria Rosa's friends, Paolo, the husband of one of our members who agreed to take the lessons starting in September, and the parents of one of our members. It was a really good Sunday. Later on, we taught our friend Edwin the Plan of Salvation from start to finish, and then did finding work.

Monday, we had district meeting in the morning, before which, I talked with Anziano Gallacher for a good bit as we waited for the Biella Elders. Anziano Gallacher took my place in Alessandria, and is currently teaching nearly all of the same people I taught there. He's from Salt Lake City, and goes home in February. He's a good guy and I enjoy talking with him. Thought I'd mention him because I think someone may know him... maybe. Anyways, later on that day, we taught our member, Favour, who we're trying to help get ready to be able to officiate on the Sacrament. He's got a lot of put right in his life though. We then used a map we found in our apartment that missionaries in the past made of all of the members in Novara. We went to about half of there houses, and met a sorella Bonezzi, who reads the Book of Mormon every day, but hasn't come to church since the church left Novara because it's too hard. She lives with her non-member son. Later, we taught our friend David about the promise in Moroni 10, and he commited to put it to the test. We then went back to Vercelli, and taught our Family Home Evening, with about 10 people, 2 of which were Candide and Maria Rosa. That was really good.

Yesterday, we taught Candide in the morning about Confirmation, and talked about his baptismal service's program. He's really excited, and 3 of his friends should come. It's going to be an awesome baptism. I'm superbly excited. (I hope I don't get transferred, because if I do, I'll miss his baptism by one day.) We then taught Edwin about the promise in Moroni 10, and very surprisingly and pleasingly found him checking out Mormon.org. That was exciting. We came home for a delicious lunch, and then went out again to teach Sunday, who is really struggling with his belief in God and why God blesses wicked people. We took the next train to Vercelli, and had Ward Council, followed by teaching Salvatore again, this time about 1 Nephi 13. He understood, I think, the importance of the Book of Mormon.

This morning, we taught Maria Rosa about the Doctrine of Christ, contained in 2 Nephi 31, with a failed object lesson. We tried to baptise and confirm and egg into a glass jar labeled the Kingdom of God. I think it was too rich of an egg. The object lesson is supposed to suck the egg into the jar, but it didn't work. oh well! Maria Rosa has a lot of questions, and is reading the Book of Mormon.

It's been a really good busy week. I'm happy.
--
Vi Amo!
Anziano Benjamin Jolley

NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.