Anziano Orso Letter July 10, 2013

Ciao! mia Familia e Amici!!!!

 

this has been crazy week! so last week on wed me and my roommates found one of the Narnia Holes here in the MTC! (a hiding place where missionaries put stuff for other missionaries to find. it was inside a vent above our door! inside was two christmas trees, mints, and a note with a missionaries testimony, that has been there since march! crazy we found it, it was a strong testimony and im excited to leave mine for the future missionaries that live in that room.

 

thur we had the fourth of july!! it was nice cause the MTC has a big celebration for us. while in class my entire class sung american songs, messing with my companion because hes from canada and was upset how we didnt celebrate canada day for him.....we're in america so im not really going to celebrate it haha. we got out of class early and has a devotional, then we watched 17 maricles! then we were able to stay up later and watched the firework show that plays at the BYU stadium of fire! such awesome fireworks.

 

on friday there was a huge storm that came in! it was awesome! not like the storms we get in AZ. there was Lightning and loud thunder! i love the smell of rain! plus seeing an actual storm was pretty legit! the thunder was so loud you could hear it through the entire building! crazy!!

 

so i have taken the advice from many other missionaries who have learned a language and i have been reading the book of mormon in Italian. its really helping me learn more on how to pronunciate and recognize words in the language! plus, its the word of God, so blessings come when your really striving to learn through the scriptures. the language is starting to get more difficult....im learning past and future tense, but there are certain words that mean different things, so once i memorize those it will be a lot easier. but im not complaining that much. i feel bad for the missionaries who are learning Russian or Korean haha

 

sunday we had mission conference! it was so spiritual i cant describe how strong the spirit was there. MTC Presidents Wife, sis. Nally talked about how important pioneers were, and how even if you baptize one, their posterity is already blessed! so it got me thinking, even though you arent members i know that from here on my family will be LDS, and yes you will have blessings because of me being a member on a mission. and since i have become a member i have been extremely blessed by the lord. im a modern day pioneer who has changed my family forever!

 

so this week Both of my really good friends had to leave the MTC ): Mark and JD, but im excited for them to get out into the field and start sharing this amazing Gospel, and blessing family with the Priesthood, Holy Ghost, and Gospel of Jesus Christ. they both have strong testimonies and have helped me grow in my testimony! but im really excited to be serving in Italy.

 

so we taught one of our investigators on monday! we decided to talk about families and how the lord blesses us and loves on earth with families. but while we were teaching him i felt prompted to talk to him about the priesthood! and how it is the power and authority of God, that blesses the lives of everyone, but mostly how important it is in families. and how through the priesthood we can be together forever. so amazing how the spirit guides the lesson, i have never felt so close to the spirit, its a amazing how one who is obedient and faithful can recieve revelation on the spot! and what even more awesome was we had a general authority speak to us last night, and at the end, he felt prompted to give us all a blessing, it was so powerful and comforting. i have never had a blessing from a general authority before Elder Kendricks!

 

io so che, il vangelo di Gesu Cristo e vero, il libro di mormon e la saccra bibbia e la parola di dio. un profeta joseph smith restorato la chiesa oggi. mediante il vengelo di Gesu Cristo, Possiamo lebero piccati. noi avere amor per padre celeste. so che il vangelo potere benederci. nel nome di Gesu Cristo Amen.

 

Anziano Orso's Letter July 3, 2013

so this has been a crazy week!!! but im in the normal routine now so its not that bad.... the only thing is sono molto stanco ogni giorno!! (tired all the time) haha.

 

but its so crazy how quick someone can pick up the language, not only by studying but heavenly father blessing you! i have been blessed so much since i have been here, i have met awesome people here and its going to be sad when we actually get to italy and have to split up, but hopefully we will be companions during the rest of my mission(:

 

i cant believe that i have been here for almost a month now! i have three weeks left before i actually get to italy!! which by the way i got my flight plans!! so this is how its going to work. i leave Salt lake at 11:00am, we fly to Chicago and have a 2 hr layover -__- then we fly from chicago to London!! and have a 3 hr layover -__- but i think it will be really cool cause i have never been to london before, i think event the airport will be different and exciting haha then we fly from London to Milan. i leave at 11:00 tue. and arrive 12:00 wed. its going to be a long trip.....

 

we have been teaching our investigators for almost a week now! its definitely different, but in every lesson i can fell the spirit. our first one is Daniel, hes 28 and is agnostic, he believes in something just doesnt think it is God. so we have been teaching him the restoration and plan of salvation, he goes to church and loves the feeling he gets when hes there, but doesnt think its the spirit. i bore my testimony on the spirit and it was amazing! our second is gianlucca, hes 22 and is going to school to be a cathollic priest, but wants to know about are church for academic encouragement.....so we have been talking to him about what he believes and what we believe. we got to the topic about the priesthood and I didnt know what to say, so i told him "i would study and help him get and answer" after studying and learning the vocab to teach him, i talked to him about the priesthood and how we went through and apostacy when the priesthood was taken off the earth, but that God gave Joseph the Priesthood and that is how we have the authority today, i closed with my testimony and he understood all of it!! (i knew about the priesthood, i just didnt know the vocab in italian, so i had to study it)

 

three of my friends are in the MTC now!!!

mark, he is seriously one of my best friends, we see eachother a lot here haha, we mess around, and we go see eachother in eachothers dorms (just like we're roommates again haha) im going to miss him when he leaves the MTC and go to Chicago....i was here two weeks before him, and he still leaves before me -___- ahha

 

i was also able to see JD! one of the nicest people i know! she has the biggest heart and thinks she can always do more...but she doesnt give herself the credit for what she does. she has such a strong testimony and i could see any other of my friends go to Kansas (bible belt haha) she will do great!

 

and finally i was able to see Taylor, hes so chill, and we mess around with eachother all the time. his class is three doors down from me, so when we our classes are gone, we go into eachothers class and leave funny pictures or notes in eachother scriptures. mine are in Italian while his are Portuguese..... we can kinda understand eachothers messages haha.

 

so below, me and Anzi. Andersen met some elders going to PHX AZ!! im excited for them to go to AZ, but i feel bad because of the heat..... they have such strong testimonies and its awesome that theyre serving the lord, especially since 3 of 4 just graduated High School!!

 

the more i give my testimony the more the spirit testifies of the truthfulness of this gospel. i love giving my testimony to anyone i see cause i have seen the changes it has made in my life, i know that this church can bring happiness. i have never been as close to heavenly father as i have here or ever in my life. when i times of need or stress or sadness i pray to heavenly father, and with the power of the holy ghost he brings me comfort(: i do know that is you pray and read the book of mormon you will know the truthfullness of the gospel of Jesus christ and the plan he has for all of us. everyday is a blessing. nothing is a coincidence, and i know that heavenly father has a plan for me(:

 

Anziano Orso's email from June 26, 2013

this week has been so crazy!! the first week was kinda boring just because we were new and were getting in the swing of things, but we arent the new anziani anymore so its a lot more fun.

 

oka to start of! the language is coming a long a lot better! i pray every morning for the language to come to me, and when we teach our investigator Lucca (who is from italy, who we're teaching him about the church) the spirit makes it all come back to me! its amazing how the lord blesses you in timees of need! i can hold a whole conversation in italian!! its legit! i feel like a boss walking about the MTC speaking italian with my roommates and companion. (better than speaking english haha) and because i can speak italian, i can kinda understand the missionaries going to a spanish speaking mission! im excited to actually become fluent in it(:

 

so we met some missionaries below us who are going to the Phoenix AZ Mission!!! me and my roommates Anziano Andersen go down there and chill with them almost every night. all of them are 18! its so crazy cause some i talk to say "i graduated three weeks ago" mama mia! (oh my gosh)

 

so funny story, we were back in dorm and i decided to fo to my friends room in the corner room. all of a suddent i hear my name being called through the entire floor? i was confused and we walked outside and all the anziani said your roommates have been looking for you for 30 min!! so i went downstairs to try and find them, but every room i went to they were like "are you orso? some elders have been looking for you" haha they check the entire campus at 9:30 tring to find me haha, its okay cause it lets me know atleast they cared about me haha.

 

also another crazy story, somehow there is a stomach virus going around the MTC, your either vomiting, or diareaing...... luckily i was only vomiting cause i would hate to be on the toilet all day (which by the way, i dont have a fear of public bathrooms anymore haha) but one night there was 7 of us puking in the trash, it was the nastiest thing ever.....but we're all better now so its all good!

 

well my last thing i want to talk about it the devotional from last night! it was amazing and something i have never seen at a church event in my life. we got to hear from Janice Kay Perry who wrote many primary songs. i never went to primary but the one song i will always life is well bring the world his truth. but since we're in the MTC and missionaries they we sing "and we are NOW the lords missionaries" its so awesome!! i love the spirit with the MTC. anyway to continue the Devo, sis. perry was telling us about the first line her husband said to her, which was; "those lips look like they could do more than just playing the clarinet"!! it was the funniest thing! and then her husband came and kissed her right in front of the podium haha.

also i got to see Mark Pike and Jaime Mortensen!! (elder Pike and Sister Mortensen) it was so awesome seeing familiar faces!! ill get pictures with them during the week for next time!

just a reminder! i love getting dear elders! they make my day(: and i have more time to reply to those!

i love being a missionary and love the spirit of the other missionaries! io so che la chiesa e vero, il vangelo di gesu cristo benedice famiglie, e il padre celeste affetuoso mi, nel nome di gesu cristo amen.

ciao everyone!!!

pic: italian language learning supplies e missionaries in the MTC

 

Missionary Conference June 2013

 

Provo Temple June 2013

 

DearElder.com Instructions

To Clarify how to communicate with Anziano Orso:

Best way while he is in Utah is to use the DearElder.com website. This will get him his notes through the week Mon - Fri before the end of the day, if you do it before noon. It is a free service and he can read your notes as they come in (he can only read his email on Wednesdays and only has 30 minutes to read them all, then reply to them, and that time goes by quickly).

DearElder.com (you will have to set up a user name and password = free)
type in your user email and password and press "Log In"

on the right hand side, drop down box select Provo MTC and then Write a Letter.

you will have to type your address information the first time, but that should populate for you automatically for future use.

Use the "Elder" "Dominic" "Orso"; Next line Unit "93", Mission Code "ITA-MIL" and estimated departure date is 07/24/2013

Then go down to the big box under "Terms and Conditions" and type your letter/note.  Finish by pressing the "Send Letter" button. Done!!

Again, he can only write back on Wednesdays, so be patient.

Anziano Orso's Letter - June 19, 2013

hey Dad 2

 

how are things! thanks for the dear elders! they really do make the day better! keep them coming! so anziano andersen is in my district and my room! hes really cool, we mess around in the dorm and talk about az. hes one of my favorite anziani! so im sending you guys a letter too which explain more things! i love and miss you guys a lot! ill write you guys next wednesday! also yes! anziano andersen is my roommate, we arent companions but our companionships hang out a lot

 

hey guys whats up! this week has been so hectic! the MTC is like a time warp! the days are long but the weeks go by quick! the first day is no joke! your on the move! you get your name tag, you go get your language books, and then your in the classroom! and of course the teachers laughed at me cause my last name was Orso, which means Bear in italian and they thought it was the funniest thing..... they decided to draw me a picture on the board haha all the other anziani (elders) in my district and branch are awesome! full of the spirit! and in my district we have to sorelle(sisters) who are awesome and practically already speak italian, one of their names is sorella smart so i think that has something to do with it. the language is pretty insane! 6 hours of language study everyday! my brain is fried! but i can tell its making a difference. i can give my testimony and pray in italian! its pretty awesome!

 

so its true what they say about the food! its good, but its destroys your stomach! its the worst feeling in the world!

 

one of the best spritiual moment i have had here was when we taught our investigator Lucca! hes so awesome! he talks really fast, but i can now pick out workd and phrases of what hes saying. the missionariese found him when he was walking home and wanted to know more about the church, so that was when they called..... ANZIANO ORSO E REVEREDO! we taught him how the spirit can testify that was we were teaching him was true, we asked him to pray and invited him to come to church! he did both! so when we taught him his next lesson which was how with Baptism we can have the Holy ghost as a constant companion we invited him to be baptized! and he said yes! such an amazing feeling when someone gets their own testimony and knows that the gospel is true.

 

(Brother Inman here: for those not familiar with the Missionary Training Center and Investigators, the teachers portray random people that the missionaries role play with. In this case, a teacher was Lucca. Each encounter will be different and a little more challenging.)

 

im not used to getting up this early, but im starting to get in the groove of it. they say once you make it to the sunday your a champ haha. and let me tell you how awesome it is to be out here serving the lord. i have grown so much in these past 7 days you wouldnt belive it!

 

so ill tell you about my roommates, my companion is from canada his name is anziano Reveredo! we are complete opposites so we are learning from eachother. my two other rooommates is anziano andersen and anziano lembert. anziano andersen is from cave creek az and we have a lot in common, when we hang out we have a good time! every night we sing an italian INNI (hymn) and listen to talks that one of the anziani in our district brought! they are very inspiration.

 

so far i have been able to see my friends sorella (sister) Anderson and anziano (elder) Blake from school! i loved being able to see familiar faces! but eveyrthing else is great, i loved getting the dear elders! so keep them coming! getting mail always makes my day! but im glad i have been given the opportunity to be a missionary and i know that this is the true gospel of jesus christ. ill bare my testimony in italian now!!!

 

io so che il vangelo di Gesu Cristo e vero, io so che il libro di mormon e vero, io so che cristo vivo, io so che chiesa di Gesu Cristo dei santi deigli ultimi giorni dello vere chiesa. nel nome di gesu cristo amen.

 

Anziano Orso's MTC Dorm

Anziano Orso and companion

at Provo Utah Temple

Anziano Orso and his room companions

at the Provo Utah Temple

Anziano Orso and his MTC District

at the Provo Utah Temple

Anziano Orso at the Provo Utah Temple