hey guys, just wanted to give you an update on whats going down here in Italy, we just got a report from president Kelly about our baptisim goal and unfortunately we're only at 33 out of the 240 so far, but, we have hope that things will turn around. Also, on the 7th or the 8th of May i'll call home on skype.

Easter was great, an awesome family invited us over to eat, and man, how much food was there! In Italia, you eat a lot and good no matter what time of the year it is, but hollidays are something else. I dont have the words. It was just good...

Other than that stuff, the work here in Foggia has been doing alright, we have Favour who is supposed to be baptized this Saturday and we had a small problem because yesterday our DL came down to do the interview but something came up during the interview and the DL said he had to call President to see if he needed to do the interview, so, instead of calling him there on the spot, he waited until he got back to his cit that night, about 2 hours away. Then after he called president, he called us and said that president doesnt need to do the interview, so, we asked him to come back down, mainly because i dont want Favour to have to wait another week to get baptized, and he needs the Holy Ghost, so, hes coming down today and after email, we're going to do the interview. Other than that, we dont have much work, we have Anna and Emilio who will be baptized, we're just not sure when we can do it.

We gotta do a lot of finding. It's a little tough sometimes, but, if you want new investigators you gotta go get them, it takes effort. But, it's completely worth it. There is nothing like seeing a baptism, like Denver told me before i left on my mission, "Baptism's are great, it's like catching a 50 pound king bass fish... it doesn't happen very often" I thought that was funny, but its true and it's way better that catching a 50 lb fish, it's salvation and a life and eternity full of happiness. It's amazing what happends to people when they put Christ's face directy in front of their eyes and base all of their decisions on how he would. Its the best.

I dont have much else to say, but, i love you guys you are the best people i know, you're incredible examples in all that you do, you are my heros.

I'm grateful for Dad for all of his hard work and efforts in not only providing, but spoiling us. Always helping us live our lives just one step higher, at the next level. For an example of how to be a great brother, son, husband, father and friend.

I'm grateful for Mom for her unconditional love, that christlike attribute that is so important for everyone and that just shines off here all the way from America to Italy. Her support and selflessness and service she renders to everyone.

I'm grateful for Marcus and for his determination, for the example that he set for the 4 born after him, and also the example that i needed to be able to serve a mission, and for his courage and love for God to serve a mission

I'm grateful for Emily for her desire to Follow in the footsteps of Chrsit and not the natural man. I'm grateful for her giving up her dream, to put Christ first in her life. For the house that she built upon a rock, that surely wont fall.

I'm grateful for Dallin, for the inspiration that he gives me every week in his letters. For him being proactive and getting things done. For his will, which is that of God's. I'm grateful for his example and for the way he lives his life.

I'm also grateful for Anika,like the rest of the family, Anika is one of God's special, chioce spirits, of humility, love, and innocence. For standing up for whats right and refusing the bad. I'm grateful for the care she has for everyone.

Well, i got 3 minutes left, i gotta write quick. You are my best friends in the world, I cannot stress enough the importance of the gospel of Christ. Simply, just live it, in all that you do. If you go on vacation over a sunday, find a church and go, you will see blessings. You will see blessings in every aspect of your lifes if you just put God first and live according to his commandments. Love you guys, and have a spiritual-filled week

Hey, i just wanted to let you know that bishop sent me a letter the other day and he said that you guys are all doing great and that you're awesome examples to everyone in the ward. So that made me really happy. So, at district meeting on Monday my zone leader brought down the birthday package that you sent me and then when i got home from Bari that same day, there were 3 mor packages sitting in front of my door. It was one of the best days of the mission. So, dont worry about the packages, they're all in my apartment now. So, just wanted to thank you guys for all that was in them, like the Arizona shirts, the disney cruise shirt and hat and pictures and the toothbrush heads (which are awesome) also the pajamas and the little toys and the sweet tie and the thing that holds the tie to my shirt, also all of the easter stuff and stickers and all of the candy, it's gunna take me a long time to eat all of it, its a ton, but, it will last a while and it was nice to get. Also the videocamera is pretty sweet, i took it to the isole tremiti (the islands of tremble it translates to) and i took some really cool videos there. They're just a few islands out in the adriatc sea between italy and Albania. I'll send you at least the memory card from my camera next wednesday when i print out pictures again so you can see the pics from the past few months. But, you dont need to send me any more stuff for a while, im pretty much set for a long time. You guys are the best though, you do too much for me. but it's all appreciated, so thanks a bunch for all of it.

i gotta go really soon, we were out of town all day yesterday at the islands, so i can only write you guys a little today, but just an update on the work here in Foggia... It's going good. We have 2 baptismal dates for the 30th of April and another a few weeks later. One is for a lady that has come to church for many years but hasnt found the need of being baptized until sunday. We went over to her house, ate lunch and then the spirit convinced her that it's something she needs to do. We're really excited for her. Also for the 30th is a young man named Favour, he's from Nigeria, and he's the man! he keeps his comitements and he just wants to be baptized. He's come to church 5 weeks in a row and he's the first time we saw him he basically said, when can i be baptized? Anyways, he's doing great and we're hoping to have him baptized next saturday as well as the lady, Anna.

My time's about up, but i want to get you some qucik pictures...
Love you guys,
Anziano Lane

3 months ago when i got to Foggia, i met Paquale and Angela D'Antonio, a beautiful, recently married couple who had been coming to church for the previous 2 months but had no misisonary contact (dont ask me why). Then we started meeting with them and their baby Federica, who is 18 months old. For Pasquale and Angela, Federica is a miracle beacuse before this baby, they had 4 miscarriages and Federica was almost the fifth as she was born early and had some difficulties, but, the Lord showed his hand to them and now she is very healthy and awesome. Anyways, we starting teaching them and things weren't going very well, so, we had a make it or break it lesson with them and we asked them what they really want, and we told them what this church has to offer, one thing we mentioned was the Temple, and that they as a family could be cealed in the Temple forever. This was the thing that really hit them hard, especially with the babies they've lost in the past, and they agreed to be baptized. They made incredible progresion up until the night before their baptism and then they hit a bump in the road. They had a problem with tithing. The problem wasn't that they didnt agree with it, it was that they didnt think they could pay it, and they make very little money and they wanted to be secure with the baby. So, they said no, at least for a few years. So, we were pretty distought. Not discouraged, but disappointed. I remember i prayed so hard that God would provide another miracle, maybe help them feel the absence of the gospel in their lives. 2 days later, a miracle. Bishop came up to use crying, he said that Pasquale and Angela want to be baptized, they received a testimony of the tithing. It turns out that the day of their sceduled baptism, Pasquale only worked half-day becuase he was supposed to be baptized, and as he was leaving work, his boss paid him, but, he paid him more than normal, for the other half day that he didnt work. And Pasquale told his boss that there was too much money, but his boss said, just keep it. So, Pasquale and Angela got their testimony of tithing and that night we went to see them and we set a new baptisimal date for the week after conference. They came to conference and felt the spirit and the reality of a living prophet, and the following saturday, this past saturday, they were baptized into the true church of Jesus Christ, La Chiesa di Gesù Cristo dei Santi degli Ultimi Giorni. Mo, sono membri della chiesa, restaurata, di Gesù Cristo. Now, they are members of the restored chruch of Jesus Christ, and they are receiveing many blessings already.

Well, this work is incredible. I love it, there's nothing more satisfying than seeing a lost child of God returning to their Father, or in this case, a family returning to their Father in Heaven.

I better get going, we have to renew anziano Packer's residency papers for italy. Love you guys

well, not much happened this week, i had an awesome birthday, I got to do a lot of missionary work and it was good. But, for the things that did happen, on Saturday we got our transfer calls and me and Anziano Packer are staying together for another transfer, so, this will be ur 3rd together here in foggia, but, it will be another god 6 weeks and we'll definiely do a lot of finding, teaching, and baptizing. Also on Saturday and Sunday we had general conference and it was really good, there were a lot of great talks that were perfect for our members and even investigators and one of my favorites was from President Monson, talking about something monumental, the greatest thing going on in italy right now, the Temple of God being built. So that was awesome, then on monday, we did and exchange, I went to the city of Bitonto and i gt back today because we had some miscommunications with the trains yesterday and us and the bitonto Anziani ate Lunch at Bishops house and we are still feeling the pains of eating more than is physically possible, but, we're in italy and when at a member's house you really dont have any choice but to eat everything they give you. Also, last night Anziano Packer called Pasquale and Angela to see if everything was allright and i guess, once again the adversary jumped in. At the moment, we're not sure what's up but, we're gunna go see them tonight help them out with this difficulty. So thats basically it, it was also nice getting the pictures of the family, its amazing how much everyone is changing. It looked like in one of the pictures Anika was wearing make-up, i tried not to beleive it, but, at least to my eyes it looked like makeup. I also got some other pictures with mom posing with what looks like could be a prom picture, however, it's taken with a zebra and the other is with a lion. well, i thought it was funny. Anyways, ci sentiamo la prossima settimana e spero di aver buona notizia a quel tempo. Comunque, ciaooo, Anziano Lane