Capodanno!

Cara Famiglia,

First off happy aniversary to mamma e papà! Auguri!

This week was Capodanno. That means New Year's. Normally every year on Capodanno the missionaries in the mission do a massive apartment cleaning and stay inside all day, but this year since it was on a Sunday we stayed in all day on Saturday the 31st. Our apartment is super clean!

Torino is doing great! We are having some struggles with our investigators though. It seems as though three of our baptismal dates, Bright, Valentina, and Jose are allergic to setting appointments or something. Basically we are doing everything we can but fortunately people have their free agency. Either way they are still good.

Fun story about our other friend with a baptismal date, Martin. Yep, his name is Martin, not just Matin. We just misunderstood with his Irish accent, it was realllllllllly funny when we found out hahaha. He knows the Book of Mormon is true, that Joseph Smith was a prophet, and that this is the true church of Jesus Christ. But there's a catch! He can't stay in Italy much longer because he has no job to pay for rent with his wife! So he may have to bounce out to Ireland for like 3-4 weeks to earn some money and come back and pay the rent, which would kind of mess up his baptismal schedule. But he still wants to be baptized. We are just going to kind of have to see where it goes, if he can get a job here in the next couple weeks or if he'll have to leave. We really hope he can be baptized here 'cause he's so ready!

We met a cool guy on the street yesterday. He met the missionaries 30 years ago and said he loves the Book of Mormon and wants to read it with his daughters. We were speechless when he said that! But his name is Giovanni and he's cool and we're going to meet with him again.

This week I read a lot in the Book of Mormon about missionary work, especially in Alma 26. I can't decide whether it is my favorite chapter in the Book of Mormon, but it is super good! Verse 12 is always a favorite, but I also really liked verse 16. "I cannot say even the smallest part which I feel." And then verse 35 sums it up really well: "Now have we not reason to rejoice? Yea, I say unto you, there never were men that had so great reason to rejoice as we, since the world began; yea, and my joy is carried away, even unto boasting in my God; for he has all power, all wisdom, and all understanding; he comprehendeth all things, and he is a merciful Being, even unto salvation, to those who will repent and believe on his name." I really liked how much true 'joy' was talked about in this chapter, and how true it is that there is no greater joy than from laboring in the Lord's vineyard to come unto Christ. I know the Lord is working with us and preparing his children to receive the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God, and that this is the "one true and living church" upon the face of the earth! I love my mission!

I love you all lots!

-Anziano Benjamin Smith