A Hug to Remember

Dear Family,

At times I get really overwhelmed to sit down here and write all of you because I know that the words and the short time that I have can't express thoroughly the humbling, learning, and growing experiences of this mission and this life. I'm thankful that we have eternity to talk about such things and I promise you that I am doing everything that I possibly can to help others to have that same eternity. I want to share with you a story from this past week that touched my heart more than anything has ever moved me in my entire life. For weeks I have felt the need to call a less-active member named Jon Zammit. Many times we have talked on the phone and he has expressed his desire, or lack thereof, to see us. Finally, after much prayer and help from the Lord, we were able to pass by him this Monday afternoon. We arrived at the address he told us which was a halfway-completed, four-story apartment building. From the moment we stepped in the unfinished doorway the Spirit and the rainy weather was telling me that the Lord needed us in that house for him that day. In broken English, Jon expressed that he is absolutely alone his life right now. After much discussion and trying to cheer him up, some of the following details were uncovered. A family that has left him, four kids within a stones-throw that haven't come to see him in years, without a job and working on the very apartment building by himself for about four years, in which every part of his earnings will go to the bank. The list goes forward; with a garage that he calls home, without utilities, has not had a shower for more than months, zero income, three sets of clothing, and just about as big of a broken heart and a contrite spirit that I have ever witnessed in my life. As he showed us around the apartment and all that has to be done I was just brought to tears. I've been around construction, I know what it takes. He has another solid three years working by himself until that apartment building will be finished. I just felt terrible. I prayed so much on how we could help him. Of course we started loosening up the tie right then and there and looking for ways to help out. But Jon needed something else. We told him that the Church is here, that we want to and are willing to help in whatever possible and the Lord had sent us there at this time as an answer to his prayers. But still, Jon needed something else. So I went to Heaven with a question about what it was that Jon needed. The Spirit whispered to me to do something so simple and so easy. The Spirit told me to give him a hug. So I did... and Dad, Mom, Tanner, Wyatt, and Hayley... Words cannot even begin to give a description of how much Jon Zammit needed that hug in that moment. The Spirit came so strong to both of us and as I recall back on the experience it almost seems to me that I was the third person in the situation. That it was the Lord that hugged Jon that day, because it was the Lord that knew he needed that, and the love that we felt was something indescribable. I am so humbled to write to you this week family. We have SOOO much and I feel your love from so far away. Whether it be a hug, a prayer, a friendly smile or a wave, in whatever way possible I hope we can all find someone to lift up and to find in their time of despair. That's what the Gospel is all about family. I can sincerely say that I have given up two years of my life for that hug... and that one hug, from just helping one of God's children find peace, brought me more joy and satisfaction than I have ever felt in my entire life! I love you all. Mom, I hope you have the most wonderful Mother's Day and I miss you so much and I hope family that you can pass a hug onto Mom from me this week. Thanks for all that you do! I'll talk with you this Sunday!

con amore,

Anzjan Gatchell

Easter Bunny's Week!

Good morning family!

Well, a lot of great things this happened this last week. In every branch that I have served it has been a recurring theme, even at the MTC, for the first Sunday to be fast and testimony meeting and then the following week I have given a talk. It came as no surprise when this was the exact way that things transpired yet again here at Malta. I spoke about the tree of life in Lehi's dream and the love of God. I noted throughout the week on many ways that we can feel loved, but I also learned that there is one thing that every single person has within them; that is, the infinite desire to feel loved. Thanks for all of your prayers and letters because I always feel loved from all of you. The highlight of the week was probably yesterday on a companionship exchange with Elder Garvin, who is from Elko, Nevada. We saw more people yesterday than I saw in my first week-and-a-half here at Malta and we worked really hard, I learned a lot. We went and saw a kid named Raul. He's fourteen-years-old and is investigating the Church, a pretty remarkable thing. He's a big gamer and loves to talk about just about anything. It was really cool because our lesson and message with him was sort of all over the place and it was hard to help him understand what we were trying to teach. Then there was a small pause and he explained to us that he spends his days playing a lot of video games with the newest graphics to make things seem real. He says it gets pretty cool sometimes because it feels as if you are even there. Waiting for a Sonic the Hedgehog comment or something to that effect we waited carefully. Then the Spirit moved into the room with us and he said, "But when I read the Book of Mormon, I can just feel it... I know that this is real. It's something that is actually real." It was so strong and it was undeniable that he had received that testimony by the power of the Holy Ghost. I was so amazed to see how infinite the capacity is of the Holy Ghost to guide us in all things. Another sign was last night on our way home when we were afraid of missing our bus but needing to hurry to make it to a certain stop. We would race from bus stop to bus stop in hope that the bus would not arrive while we were walking speedily in between them and thus leaving us without a ride home and on the street for the night. After a good twenty minutes of this nerve-wracking return, Elder Garvin and I both stopped and hesitated at a bus stop, we knew we needed to wait there. So we did, for five or ten minutes we waited. Then we shoved off what we knew we both felt and continued to walk until the next bus stop. Sure enough, like it always goes when we second guess a prompting by the Holy Ghost, right as we were smack-dab in the middle of the tunnel the bus passed, having no bus stop to stop it. It's incredible the gift of the Holy Ghost. From helping Raul to know that the Book of Mormon is truly the word of God or from trying to help two stubborn Elders trying to get home on time, there's never a situation that we can't look for the help. This week is Easter and you all know how much I LOVE EASTER!!! The Maltese people also love this season and the island is packed and filled with Easter exhibitions and small processions with the Holy Mary and whatnot. It's definitely a different experience, even more-so than that of Christmas time in Italy, but I read something this morning that really stumped me. Elder Christofferson explained that,"Without a knowledge and a testimony of the Lord's Resurrection...there is no meaning to life." It's hard for me because so many people are celebrating the Lord's Resurrection this weekend and so many festivals are being done, but again I ask myself, "What are they really celebrating?" I hope I can help someone find the love and joy that I have found in this Easter season. The culture here is extremely Catholic. You can go to a different church here every day for a year and still not visit them all. But there are families to be found and work to be done.... thank goodness! I love you all and I just want to share with you how thankful I am for our Savior, Jesus Christ. The beauty in the words of, "Oh death, where is thy sting?" just ring in my ears during this season. We've been away from each other for quite some time now, but I know with a certainty that because He laid His life down to take it up again, that we too can be together forever! How great is that! It's true... it's all so true! Have a great Easter! I miss you!

from the middle of the Mediterranean,

Anzjan Gatchell

And My 2nd mission begins!!

Here’s his first email from his new mission! I think he needs mail..

My new address...

Elder Gatchell

Quatre Filles Hope Street

Mosta MST 03

Malta

...actually it is the address of the Church, but that's where we receive packages and mail.. Can you paste this into that mass email before sending it out? Due to the fact that we are rarely in contact with the mission home and WAY far away, it's definitely recommended to send all mail to this address instead of the mission home if that can be added in, too... Love you Mom!

Anziano Gatchell

Bongu' familja!

Well, this last week my world has been completely turned upside down. Leaving Brindisi and saying goodbye to Anziano Errante was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. As I took the train up to Rome and spent some time talking with President Kelly about the situation here at Malta I was overwhelmed with a pressure to keep this work moving forward here. It was a great experience, also because I was able to see Anziano Haberl and Anziano Russell, two missionaries that I haven't seen since we left the MTC. I sat alone in the Rome airport waiting for my plane to Malta and it seemed really weird. In a very real sense it gave me a scare of what it would be like to be going home and it made me grateful to have so much more time to serve the Lord. The plane ride down was very fun. I talked with a kid from Malta, but who spoke fluent English. After a small stop in Sicily, it was over the Mediterranean Sea to the small speck of island amongst the waves. When I arrived there my new companion, Elder Sturges from San Diego, was waiting for me with Elder Tilley, a senior missionary from Manchester, England. From the first point of view the island was different just because we were driving on the left side of the road on the way to my apartment. Little did I know, that was one of the many minor changes that I would have to get used to! The people here are from all over the world. This island is absolutely BEAUTIFUL! If I could describe it I would say it is a mix of Oahu, Hawaii with Florence, Italy. We speak in English every single day, but we are learning the Maltese language. The most part of the Maltese people speak English, but are not as able to speak and communicate like in their own language. Maltese is incredibly different than any other language I've ever even studied. It definitely is from an Arabic background! There were many new characters and people that we met. The buses here are from the WWII era and are so epic. Tourists are beginning to flood this island and I have heard that they will continue to do so until the streets are full for the entire summer. It's been a HUGE change for me. I feel as if I'm starting all over again; which at times is a bit hard but completely motivating. This place is so incredible I can't even describe it. Everywhere is a boardwalk and a party. The people here are definitely here for vacation and holiday, but there are definitely those families searching for the Gospel. The branch president here is a stud. His name is President Bateman and he's from Seattle, served in the Hiroshima Japan mission about 10 years ago, and works for the U.S. Embassy here at Malta. Hoping for this to be a casual gig of 3 years on an exotic island, he's now been thrown into a complete and hectic situation with Libya. Sunday was such a good experience in Church. We had fast and testimony meeting and all made me feel right at home. The branch consists of an American family, many Maltese members, many elderly people from England (who are awesome!), our branch mission leader Brother Foster from Pennsylvania (more to be said on him later), and many others from the likes of Austria, Ivory Coast, and much, much more. It was so strange to hear and see all of these people share their testimonies in English but it made me feel a little bit at home and a small part of me was found again in the Church that I once knew. The Spirit was so strong and yet again I received an undeniable testimony of the truth of this incredible Church! There are four missionaries here, along with a senior couple, the Tilley's, here at Malta. There is A LOT of work to do here and it doesn't take more than a week to figure out the many missionaries in the past here have taken advantage of a few transfers on a vacation island during the spring and summer. There is so much that I want to talk about! This place truly is a hidden paradise and I don't know how we have never heard of it before. I feel at times like trying to do missionary work on the Las Vegas strip, or the Newport Beach boardwalk. It makes it really fun! However, having all of the language skills that I want is a big help and I absolutely LOVE talking to people. We take the buses everywhere and the people are so much fun to talk to. My companion has been here for about three transfers and is a great guy. If I could describe him as someone from The Office I would say he's a definite Toby. We're going to have a lot of success together and the work is going to fly forward. Just sitting here in the internet point we have a couple speaking Arabic, someone speaking Russian, and another speaking Maltese. How much I love the Lord's promise that they will all hear the fullness of the Gospel in their own mother language! The history on this island is something else. At parts there are temples dating back to before the pyramids in Egypt were built. Words truly can't describe the world I'm living in right now and the people that we share the Gospel with. I guess you all will have to come and see it for yourself someday! Nothing goes by without thinking of you all and how much I'd love for you to be here with me, but there's a time for all things and right now is my time to work. I can honestly say that there is no other place in the entire world for a missionary to serve like this island. It is a twenty-year-old's paradise, a Mormon missionary's worst nightmare, and my biggest challenge yet. I'm ready to work, that's for sure. As I start what feels to be like my second mission I ask for your prayers and to help us find those that are ready for our message. The Book of Mormon is trying to be passed to be translated into the Maltese language and we REALLY need your help. Please, anything that is possible to pray for us to find someone to help translate this book and for the miracles to take place that need to happen for these people to know this message is true! I love you all, I'm safe, happy, and ready to work. The Lord truly does love the obedient and always chastens us to get the best He possibly can out of us. Where much is given, much is required... And I've been given a whole lot in my life. There is absolutely no reason we can't have success here and it truly just comes down to my desire and my faith. I promise I'll do my best so we can all come back here someday! I love you!

Anzjan Gatchell

"il Knisja ta' Gesu' Kristu tal-Qaddisin ta' l-Ahhar Jeem"

On the Road To Damascus

Famiglia mia,

As Paul set out on his mission to bring the word unto the gentiles, he left the Greek islands in hope of finding the Italian mainland. As he was tossed upon the seas with his small ship, the captain was unable to keep the control and the Lord ended up crash-landing the boat of Paul upon the shore of the small island of Malta in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. At the end of Acts it explains all of this story and how Paul went through some of his most brutal afflictions in his attempt to preach the Gospel that he knew to be true. I come this week very humbled to tell you that my mission has been changed. The Lord and President Kelly have come to a conclusion that the time has come that I go to this island of Malta to finish the work that Paul began 2,000 years ago. Last Saturday morning was a morning that I will never forget. At the end of every personal study I conclude by reading a chapter from Paul, whether it be a letter to Timothy or a chapter from the Acts of these great disciples. Saturday I read the last chappter of Acts that speaks of this incredible journey that Paul made. Moments following, President Kelly called me to break the news that I would be transferred to this island. A few small facts about the place that I am going, and then maybe all of you can go and look at the incredible history of this place.

- I am called to learn two new languages, including Maltese and another middle-eastern language.

- It is an indepent country

- English is spoken often

- Italian is spoken seldom

- During WWII there were more bombs dropped on this speck of an island than all of Italy combined due to the utility of the island in gaining way to the entire Sea.

- Where the film Count of Monte Cristo was filmed.

- Internationally re-knowned for it's incredible diving and scuba opportunities.

- Last, and I don't want to give any of you a scare, but on a clear day we can see the coast of Lybia from the island. I don't say this to worry Mom to the point disability! But I am now the closest missionary to the war in Lybia!

With all of that being said... I know this is what the Lord wants. I feel I am going home, and so does President Kelly. He has felt very impressed to send me there from when I came into the mission. These last few days have been some of the hardest of my entire life. Yesterday I had to say goodbye to Giuglio and Lina Brancasi. I thought leaving home was difficult, but the absolute heart-wrenching feeling from saying goodbye to the two people that I left home to find is a feeling that I will never forget. But there are those at Malta that await me. It's been hard to say goodbye to all of the members here, also. But yet, somehow there will be something that will be more difficult and that will be to say goodbye to my companion Anziano Errante. My best friend in the entire world. I'll see him again, but words can't describe the friendship we've had together. A memory that I will have for the rest of my life. Conference Weekend and this week was not a better way to leave Brindisi. The guidance and the answers received from the Lord during Conference Weekend will guide me to the island of Malta, and I hope to make it a little bit more easily than a crash-landing! Tomorrow morning I leave on a train from Brindisi to Rome and then I will take a small little AirMalta plane to my new home! I have never been so excited. My mind's at Malta but my heart is here at Brindisi. We'll see how it goes! It's so good to hear from all of you at home. I'm so glad that you all had a great experience at Salt Lake. I'm so thankful that we can continually move forward on this grand voyage of life together, with the Prophet to guide us and show us the way to eternity in our families. As he spoke this weekend I could only think of one thing, that he is the father of the earth, as is expressed in the scriptures defining a prophet. I know he's that prophet and I'm doing all that I can to share it with others. Hayley, CONGRATS!!! My companion and I prayed for you all week long! Good work! I know this e-mail is long, but it's been maybe the most exciting and self-finding week in my entire life. Paul went his way from Malta to Pozzouli(Napoli) untill he finished his mission at Rome. As I arrived here in Italy I landed in Rome, following his steps to Napoli and the Pozzouli bay, and now I set out, instead of on a boat but by plane, to the island of Malta. I'm thankful for your prayers, please help me to learn this language and share this Gospel with those that are waiting for me. I'm retracing the steps that Paul once walked here, and I'll continue to do so in writing my own mission story "On the Road to Damascus." I love you all!

Anziano Gatchell

In a Place Called Deseret

Where to begin....

This week was such an incredible week. I love the Brancasi's with all of my heart it makes me ache at times. PLEASE family, pray for them. We will see them at the Rome Temple some day. Please, your prayers are being heard! Please continue to pray for them to know that these things are true. I thought that you all might appreciate to hear the experience that they had in Church this last week. After making many sacrifices to go to Taranto the see the Church, the Lord rewarded them openly with so many blessings this past week. Lina is a woman that would slide right in with all of the Julie Beck's in all of Utah, always ready to serve, help, uplift, and give her all. When she arrived to the Church it was a bit funny how she described the scene, a saying that we from Utah know all to well. She explained that "you all are like a bunch of busy-bees working in a beehive! Everyone with something to do!" After all, it was President Hinckley that explained, "Activity is the genius of the Church". I began to laugh at her comment. Giuglio expressed the humility, the absolute love and unity of the members. I told him that the lesson he heard in Gospel Principles as well as Sunday School was heard in the proper language in every part of the world by every member of the Church. He said to me, "Anziano, I think that's the definition of unity." They are so incredible, but after all that they observed and noted from the way things went in the Chiesa di Gesù Cristo dei Santi degli Ultimi Giorni, was highlighted when Lina partook of the Sacrament for the very first time. She expressed to us how an emotion came over her to the point of tears and she couldn't hold it in anymore. The same thing happened just yesterday with Giuglio when we went to go see him. He knelt and thanked the Lord for having brought him to know the true church of Jesus Christ. They know that this is true. It's a bit interesting talking with them due to the fact that they have a great testimony in this Church already. In a very funny mode, to show how Giuglio is, we explained to him that on one hand we have a piece of a cake that he can have, on the other hand we have the recipe, an infinite amount of ingredients, and also the Chef to show him everything he can do, what would he rather have? (In hopes to show the difference from the Church that he has known to that which he is finding) An intelligent man, he knew exactly what we were getting at from the moment we started the example. With a big grin he looked at us and said, "I'd eat the cake first and then make my own!" hoping to avoid leaving behind the traditions and the joy his beliefs has brought to him. It's going to be a lot of fun to see how the Lord uses the Book of Mormon to strengthen their testimonies to the point of baptism. They will be baptized, and we will go to the temple with them some day. I am as sure as it as I have ever been in my entire life. Another great experience that happened this last week, that absolutely built my testimony so strongly about the love of God for all of us. About a month or so ago we were with Sara. We were talking about the love of our Heavenly Father and how much He cares for each and every one of us. Sara was having difficulty in believing that. We shared that He cares about each one of our necessities and cares with every bit of His endless and divine love. She still couldn't believe it. I asked her what her necessities were and her cares in this moment. She said, "I need to find work and I need to build a relationship with my family, I need to stay close with them." We said that the Lord always works through small means to bring great things to pass. The Spirit prompted me to promise her she would find work and that her family would be united if she would read a chapter a day. I shrugged off the prompting with a big lack of faith. Italy is no place to find work and her family is already divided through divorces and contentions. It came again, "Promise her this." Again, I shrugged it off, thinking that I wasn't capable of doing that. In the mercy of the Lord, it came again, "As My servant, promise her this in My name." It hit me so strongly and I did so. She accepted the invite and we moved forward, being that she had a couple of interviews at Rome and the only opporunities to find work were there, dividing her family. As we left the lesson I just said now what? How will this happen? What can I do to help her find work? I remembered the promise the Lord made to her that evening. I fasted in that moment that she might read those chapters we had talked about. The weeks passed. The interviews came and gone. The phone never rang for her. The hope was being lost. She got to the point that she wasn't even answering our phone calls due to the stress and the anxiety from the situation. I continually thought to myself, "How could I make that promise? Now what's going to happen?" The Lord continually pushed us all forward. This last Friday Sara called us to see us in Church. When we got there she explained she had some bad news. She finally received the phone calls. The first, from the company telling her that she didn't get the job. The second phone call from the girl that did get the job and describing how lucky Sara was for not having received the job due to the fact of high hours, low pay, and the distance from home. Then a third call came... From an old teacher in High School that thought of Sara for an opportunity this Summer. Out of the complete blue she recieved this call to go to Spain this Summer with her mother and that teacher on a paid three-month teaching experience of the Italian language. Not only had the Lord blessed her with work but had brought her family together in a way that she could not have ever comprehended. My heart began to pound within me when she started to share this with us. Family, I leave with you my one-hundred percent conviction that the Lord lives and loves us. That He is so aware of what we need and how we need it that He will do ANYTHING when we do the small and simple things. I love you all... Thank you for teaching me the little things.

Anziano Gatchell

Family Of Mine

Buon dì!

It was really good to hear from all of you this week. We had a wonderful week here at Brindisi and are continually trying to improve all things that we do. While I am writing this to you, you all find yourselves in the sunny Scottsdale with the Duke's. Tell them all hi and that I miss them! Tell Ty I said that he's the man and that he needs to wait for me! The week started by setting a baptismal date with Sara. Sara's 18 years old and is incredible. It took a bit of convincing and helping her to understand the importance of these things, but she commited to make that covenant with our Heavenly Father so that she can return to Him someday and enter into the Lord's flock. This Sunday was another normal Sunday at Brindisi. Arriving early, setting up chairs, teaching Priesthood, teaching Gospel Principles, administering the Sacrament, playing the piano, giving a talk, and closing up and putting away chairs. How much I love this work! Sundays are definitely the best in the mission, without doubt. Just the other day we returned to the Brancasi's for lunch and to visit with them. They truly are incredible. I've found a second family here in them and they have found two sons in us. We spoke a lot about baptsim. They have so many ties to the Catholic Church, please pray for them to have the strength to follow their testimony! Lina expressed to us that while she was reading the talk given by President Monson to the Relief Society that it was almost as if she could imagine his face, hear his voice, and feel the Spirit with which he spoke. They have a strong testimony of the Restored Church, they just have so many traditions, callings, friends, and lives with the Catholic Church. We are doing our best to help them with that. It's awesome to have a companion that was Catholic, due to the fact that he knows when they go to Church and when are the moments to help them not go. To say the least, we utilize those moments to our advantage, giving them a call or passing by to help them! Cruel? I think not. Clever? We think so! Anyway, with the jokes aside, it was a great week, capped off yesterday by Zone Conference at Bari. I learned a lot, but what was even more entertaining was translating for all of the Italians. Anziano Errante, Destefanis, and Mangifesta stationed up around me and for the whole day I had that chance. It was a blast! Also it was an opportunity to keep them in line! We learned a lot about the importance of members in this work. It's so true. The work moves forward when the members catch this fire! I would love to hear from all of you at home a story in which you invited someone to hear a message of the Gospel in this week. Make it a challenge with the Duke's this weekened that you are together. Just someone. I'll wait for the results next week! Because honestly, there is no other joy like that to share the Gospel. Spring Break is a time to enjoy and find happiness. I don't see why there's any reason we can't give it a shot?! Anyway, I thank you for your prayers and I want to share with you again how much joy I feel from this work. It's so hard, so long, so exhausting, and SOOO WORTH IT!! All I can ever think about is football practice during the week. Always looking forward to Friday night with the lights and the crowds when all the memories were made. But now that I look back, not only was it the Friday night moments that made the memories, but every practice, struggle, up-down moment that we had throughout the week. Man, I miss practice! Maybe that's why our modern prophet Thomas S. Monson exhorts us to find joy in the journey. It's all true. Just accept it fam! The Church is true. Share it with someone!

con Steve,

Anziano Gatchell

Lo sto ancora qua!

Buon dì!

Hey family! Good, great, and fantastic news. The good news is that I am still here at Brindisi. The great news is that I am still with Anziano Errante! The fantastic news is that we set a baptismal date with Vita this past week! We're all very excited to be able to be here for another transfer. The miracles we have seen in this week are incredible and the Lord is preparing the people to accept His Gospel. President Brigham Young said that when a Temple is announced that "the bells of hell ring". Just as important, and a testimony of this work is what Alma explained that angels are administering to all people in preparation for the word. What a testimony that the light of Christ will always shine through the darkest times of all of our lives. After visting with Vita the other day for just the second time we had presented a baptismal date for just a few weeks, a way that she can show her Heavenly Father that she is willing and ready to act upon on answer. She accepted and is absolutely dying to gain a testimony of these things so that she can know that they are true. She speaks constantly about the search for that Light of Christ and that every time that she seems to find it that the darkness moves in around her and all things begin to take a turn for the worse. How many infinite amount of lessons that we can learn from the First Vision of the boy prophet Joseph Smith. We shared with her that it is by the obstacles and the opposition that we can continue on that search for the beeming light that seems to always come to those who continue in the faith. We will see her again tonight and she can't wait to come and share what light she has found. A cool experience happened yesterday when we went to a neighbooring city to find a man named Luca. We met him on the street a couple of weeks ago, where he gave us his humber and told us where he worked and invited us to pass by. After praying for an answer about what we could have done to help him accept our message, something came to mind. The Spirit told me to "call him when you're at the train tracks." I thought twice about it and moved forward. We went to go find his work and when we arrived two other men were there. We introduced ourselves and asked if there was a Luca that works there, that he had told us to pass by and gave us his number. They told us that Luca used to work there but had moved away and that it would be better off if we had left. As we started to walk away we noticed that his store was backing the train tracks... so we gave him a call, just as the Spirit had illustrated to do. Turns out he was on his way to work and he told us to wait there. The two men thought that we were undercover financial guys and told us to scram for that reason. We went in and began to talk with them. As all conversations go when someone is living the Gospel right, the discussion was changed to the Restoration and we began to teach them all in this refinishing garage. Surrounded by paint thinners and molding spack, we shared with them the message of a boy Joseph Smith and how the Church of Jesus Christ is restored through him. Luca, knowing the Bible and that such a vision and testimony can only be sealed with one's blood, asked if Joseph was persecuted following that encounter. My companion and I unavoidably began to chuckle. Anyway, it went incredible. All thanks to all of your prayers. Thank you so much. Please, please, please plead with the Lord to help these my friends gain a testimony through the Spirit. I love you all. I'm very happy and ready for the spring to arrive! We'll hear from you again next week!

con amore,
Anziano Gatchell

Marzo è arrivato!

Mornin' Fam!

A great week here at Brindisi. The work is flying forward and it's hard to get my head around everything that is happening here but we have a great vision and are very excited for the blessings and miracles we are seeing. Last week we had the chance to cross the Italian peninsula to see a small city on the coast called Gallipoli. It was pretty incredible, I hope the pictures come through. It was our last week together as a district as one of our Anziani has been transferred to Napoli (I couldn't be more stoked for him!). We took a small, one-cabbed train across the olive tree-scattered fields to arrive at a beautiful coast for our P-day. I'm spoiled here, I know, but I'm a big believer in work hard and play hard! As for the work this week... we surely are thrusting in our sickel. This Sunday we went with Vita and Maria Grazia by train up to Bari to see a baptism. It was pretty incredible. They both absolutely loved it and received a very strong testimony about the Church through the Spirit that they felt. Both of them are moving towards the waters of baptism every day. I'm really loving this language now. It's amazing what an Italian companion can do to effect that. I often get discouraged about the inability to share what it is I know and then I "remember, remember" that it's how I feel about what I know, and not about what it is that I know. We had a big storm come through this week that not only wiped out the Italian cheery attitude but also left us to a little bit less time to find someone to teach. We move forward, however. Yesterday I had a pretty special experience. Maybe I have spoke of Sorella Sciurti in the past. They live out in the country in small little home that is something Mom wouldn't bother putting on her listing sheet. They are without a car and Fratello Sciurti has trouble coming to Church because he doesn't have shoes. (Hope you don't mind Mom, but I am buying him a pair today) Anyway, yesterday while we were talking with her about "how to give a talk", and while our Branch President was snoring himself to sleep at her kitchen table, the Spirit came in so strong as Sorella Sciurti shared with us about her testimony of the Restored Gospel. Elder Holland's phrase came to my mind when he spoke this last conference that "us leaders hope to some day enter into the Celestial Kingdom where you followers already are" or something to that effect. Another scripture came to mind that "the meek and lowly of heart will inherit the kingdom of God". I saw in that instant what it truly means to be "true believer" of Jesus Christ. Sorella Sciurti's knowledge may not be large, her experience may not be that of fairy-tale, but I learned in that moment that the Lord looks upon the heart. That a heart so pure, so humbled, and a yoke so easy is what the Lord means when He speaks about a "broken heart and a contrite spirit". I guess I join Elder Holland in saying that I pray someday to stand at the same place where I KNOW Sorella Sciurti will be. The Gospel is so real and the love of our Heavenly Father is infinite, but yet conditional. We are seeing His hand in so many things. My companion would like to thank all of you for your prayers about his family. Not only is his grandmother doing much better, his mom has declared her date for retirement, they are both reading the Book of Mormon, his dad went to Church this last week, and both of his parents are taking the lessons from the missionaries, in which they have set a baptismal date. The blessings are endless! The Lord's love is incredible! The Church is true! There is so much this Gospel provides in our lives. Again, I'm thankful for all of you and all that you do. The work is hard and some days impossible, but the Lord's promises are certain. The winter is over, the spring is about here, but it is always harvest season here in Italy, just one thrust at a time. Love you all! Arrivederci!

con felicità, gioia, e amore,

Anziano Gatchell

THE #20 TURNS 20!!

Buona bellissima giornata famiglia!

Where to even begin from what has happened this week. This work is incredible. I can't express to all of you how much I am thankful for your prayers because they are being answered with every step we take here in Brindisi. Last night, after a week without seeing them due to a trip they had planned, the Brancasi family returned. We went there and talked for a while and shared with them our message of the Restoration to make sure that they had comprehended it all before we moved on to other lessons and principles. As we began to talk the Spirit came into the room like an absolute fire and pierced my heart like never before. How the Spirit spoke to me was within a simple verse that President Anderson shared with me before leaving in the mission. President Anderson always asked where to find that verse. I could never find it! So I asked my companion for his Bible and opened right up to Acts 2:37-38. I love it when that happens. The scripture ends with a "What shall we do?"... as I read those verses in regards to how they can receive their answer, the very words came out of Lina's mouth, "We just don't know what to do." There was my answer. I can't even begin to tell you how strong the Spirit came flowing into each one of our hearts as we invited them to be baptized, as it Peter explained in Acts following the people's question. Giuglio said he would is ready to show his God that he will be baptized. Lina spoke of the necessity to our baptism, in which Giuglio turned to her and explained the importance of our authority and the Restoration of all things. Wherever you are President Anderson, thanks for planting that seed for me. We spoke also of the First Vision and the incredible manner of prayer that a young boy showed to each one of us of how we can receive an answer to every question that we have. How grateful I am for a boy that acted on a prompting to pray! I guess you can say that my message to you this week, in the moment that I have passed 20 years of my life is that this stone will roll forward to fill the entire earth, just as Daniel prophesied. There truly is nothing that will stop this work if it isn't ourselves. We saw this again Sunday evening with a woman named Vita. I truly wish I could describe to you family the feeling that I get when we first sit down with someone that we have never been with before and there is a love within me burning to share this Gospel with them with all the Italian vocabulary that I know. Vita expressed to us something that there is missing. That has always been missing. We told her why she was feeling this way and expalined to her the Restoration. Again, the power of the First Vision. She expressed to us that the "empty part of her heart" is starting to fill up again. My heart did the exact same. We asked her what she thought about Jospeh Smith's experience. She looked at us and said, "Anziani, why shouldn't I believe it? Everything that I feel in this moment is telling me to believe it." The Spirit prompted us to invite her to be baptized. She said with a resounding voice, "YES". She is reading right now and praying to know for herself if these things are true. Tomorrow we will set a baptismal date with her and from not too long I'll send you a picture home from her baptism, as she continues to prepare to enter the Rome Temple also. Family... This Gospel is so true. The Lord is doing everything that He possibly can to bring it to all of His Children. This is a bit of discourse, I know. Bus as Ammon exclaimed, I stand with him in expressing that I cannot explain the slightest part of what I feel. And that's what it all comes down to is that feeling. In the season of San Valentino we find ourselves in a perfect situation for a "February of Love". I think of all the small gifts, cards, and sweets that I have thought of throughout the years to show towards a special loved one during this time of year. I guess I have finally realized that there truly is only one way to show our love to our brothers and sisters and that's to share with them the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the true and endless love that He has for each and everyone of us. I am so thankful for all of your love and your prayers. I love each and everyone of you. As I spent a couple of days with an Anziano in my district that has recently received his "Dear John" just a transfer and a half into the mission we both saw how the losing ourselves for the good of others heals any heart. I am so thankful for the Healer that we have in our life, the Physician that can heal any ache, I promise you all that I am doing everything I can to let Him work here in Brindisi. Thanks for the birthday wishes, you all sound great at home. I love you, have a great week!

con 20 anni,

Anziano Gatchell

Pictures!

Message from the Mediterranean!

Buona giornata famiglia mia!

Like a river the weeks roll on by, the only way to go with the flow is to jump in! And is it finished there? Then we survive by paddling our way and avoiding all objects ahead. I'm finding the objects to be a bit more than a stuck-out branch, but more of the likes of a whirlpool or an under-current. But at the end of the journey, when we finally hit the calm, peaceful, and big open sea, why is it that all we can do is look behind us and talk about those difficult moments? Because that's where the memories we're made. That's where the lessons were learned. I learned a lesson this week about finding joy and peace in the voyage. I am so convinced that it is through our difficult journey that we can come to the knowledge of our Commander, the Prince of Peace. It all comes down to receiving the direction from Him for not only the objects ahead, but those objects that are weighing us down in this moment. Last week I left with you a story about the Brancasi family and receiving the Lord's direction. I love the beginning of that word direction..."direct". When I think of that I do not think of a map that we used to make our trips through the Arizona Strip, but I think more of the direct GPS that we find in locating a store for Hayley to buy shoes in the chaos of Las Vegas. The direction of the Lord, not to be confused with a shopping spree at Vegas, is direct. Sometimes our problem is to ask for an answer in a direct manner. This week we really looked to receive his direction in every aspect of His work and to see what would happen because of it. Last week as we met with the Brancasi family we had a wonderful lesson with some members that came to help us from Taranto. It went really well and we left the lesson happy, uplifted, and progressing. They are reading the Book of Mormon and the wife, Lina, is beginning to find every hole that she has ever had in heart filled. It's incredible, the Book of Mormon. Giuglio (Giorgio) is absolutely incredible. He worked as a secret defensive agent for the Italian Marines and I'm trying with every part of me to pry a story out of him! They're absolutely incredible and we ask for your prayers in their behalf. With the blessings of baptism, eternal marriage, and the Gospel going to all of their family waiting in the balance, I would ask all of you to pray for one simple thing... and this goes for all of my friends that I'm trying to help. Pray that they will know the Book of Mormon is true. Please I plead with all of you to pray just this simple fact. It's direct, and the Commander will show them the open waters, I promise! I saw it at Napoli, and I've seen it here. Our Lord uses that Book for all of the answers of life. To avoid all of the many obstacles now, and in the future, all of the answers are included in the Book of Mormon. I test it daily, I try to prove it wrong, but the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the ship that never sinks.I'm so thankful for all of you and I hope my e-mail can be somewhat of a booster for this week. I love you all and am safe and happy here. Pray hard, act quick, let Him direct.

con affetto,

Anziano Gatchell

Family, we found them!

Buon giorno famiglia!

When we spoke at Christmas I pleaded with all of you to pray for us to find someone.. From the moment that I arrived here in Brindisi there was someone waiting for me, I felt it from the second I stepped off the train.. For weeks we have been searching and searching and searching.. We talked with a lot of people, received a lot of numbers and interest, yet there was still a hole.. I left my home for two years to find this person and I knew that he was here somewhere.. About two weeks ago in a lesson with Sorella Jones she shared with us her story of conversion and the miracle that it was of how she joined the Church.. The Spirit was so strong and it nudged me to ask a referral from her.. Sorella Jones isn't from here, nor speaks the Italian lanuage.. I asked anyway and she began to cry that the only friend she had, lived at San Vito and had passed a way a few months ago the very week that she was to give him a Book of Mormon.. There was our answer. San Vito. As this small city is outside of Brindisi and it takes a little hurdling to arrive there, we planned for about a week to head that way.. We didn't know the city, but took the bus and went for it.. On the bus ride I prayed.. I've never prayed so hard in my life that we might find that person.. It had been a long time and a lot of slammed-doors and I invited the Lord to show us where to go.. So we got off the bus and found a map.. A certain area stood out to us so we headed that way.. The first door was a man who yelled at us and exclaimed that he is a convinced Catholic and not a single soul could change him from that path.. After a slammed door my companion and I looked at each other and we said that we know we are there for a reason.. The next woman we stopped on the street invited us into her home.. We ended up teaching the Restoration to them and the sister really took to our message and agreed to pray about it.. After leaving there with a plate full of pasta that they gave to us we started our way towards the bus stop.. My companion said to me that we had found who we were meant to find.. I don't know family, but there was something still there in my heart.. That hole was not yelled filled and the Spirit told me to do something.. As we were only a half hour from our bus time I suggested to knock doors at one more palazzo that stood out to me.. We hid the pasta in a bush and began to knock doors.. A woman invited us up and at first she seemed alone.. As we entered her home she expressed that during this week she and her husband had been praying for Christianity to come to their home.. As I asked if we could sit down and talk for a moment she called for her husband to come into the room.. When Giorgio walked in that hole in my heart began to burn like a wildfire as I knew that I was there.. After eight weeks of searching I FOUND HIM!!! And I thank you for your prayers that guided us there.. We taught them the first lesson.. As I recited the First Vision the Spirit came into their home and testified to each and everyone of us the truth of these things.. We expressed directly to them that the Lord had sent us there to find them and that this message was what they have been searching for their entire lives... they agreed. The lesson was absolutely incredible and these people are some of the most humble and prepared of the elect.. As we invited them to read the Book of Mormon they both exclaimed with resounding, "We'll read it and we'll pray about it!" Following, we knelt in prayer in which my companion prayed for this family and for the Lord to give them an answer.. We all began to cry and they thanked us for having found them.. The husband asked to give us a ride to the bus stop in which this point the amazing story turns as I remembered of the pasta that we had hidden in the bush!! After all this, I thought, they will think we are crazy hiding our dinner in a shrubbery outside of their palazzo so that we could go up!! To be short, all went well and we made it out of there without them seeing us as Giorgio walked us down there my companion blocked his vision while I darted into the bush to retrieve the goods.. With that being said, I just want to let you know that the Lord lives.. That He loves us and that this is His true and living Church.. He guides us according to the prayers that you have all offered in our behalf and according to the action we take to follow a prompting.. As we road the bus back I poured out my Heavenly Father for having guided us there and a feeling came over me to about say, "Ian, you knew they were there, you knew I would lead you".. The promises of the Lord are real family.. It may take eight weeks, may take a lifetime, may be in an instant, but He always fulfills His promises.. Family, tonight we will go back to San Vito where we will invite them to be baptized and prepare to be married in the Rome Temple.. Again, I thank you all so very much.... We found them, family.. There's work to be done, but we found them...

With my humble appreciaton,

Anziano Gatchell

One Step at a Time

Buon giorno!

Good to hear from everyone this week.. Thanks for the letters and all that you do. Big congrats again to Tanner.. Three kids by the time I'm home is my bet...any takers?? Grandad? Anyway, the work is moving along here very fast.. It seems to be a common theme to take two steps forward and one step back, seeing that all of life is based upon progression maybe that is a good thing that it's always two steps forward.. We had a few wonderful experiences in this past week that I would like to share.. Just yesterday we had planned to go out to another city, Mesagne.. In years past there were missionaries that served there and we felt that there was someone still there looking for us.. We took a bus out there yesterday morning and this bus left us truly in the middle of nowhere where we wanted to be or had planned to be.. So we decided to start our work there.. Moving through palazzi and the homes we kept feeling that there was something more.. After much rejection and a lot of slammed doors, it was just about the hour of lunch where everyone goes into WWII hiding and a great hibernation after their pasta.. We tried one more palazzo before we had to head back and sure enough it was the one.. On the third floor was a woman named Luisa who had lost her husband and was in a time of difficulty when we arrived.. As we sat at her doorstep and explained to her our message she told us that she knew our message that she was just waiting to talk to us.. Turns out she was ready to join the Church about thirty years ago in Germany when she had to move back to Italy for her family and with her husband.. We expressed to her that we came to this city today to find her and now that we had if we could return to share more of that message she once knew.. She agreed and we will head back that direction next week! I was definitely strengthened by the Lord's ability to place His imperfect servants in the perfect situations to help His children receive His help.. It's incredible to hear the amount of stories by the members of the Church and the boldness that the missionaries had in the past.. It strengthens my testimony every single day of the miraculous work that this is, not only here in Italy but in all the world! Just the other day I received a package of letters by all of the youth and some leaders back at our home ward in Tonaquint.. Absolutely melted my heart to feel of their love and their support for us missionaries.. Tell them all thanks and for Sister Schaffer for pulling that together for me.. Also tell Kameron Kershaw that our number one goal right now is to find a Catholic Cardinal to be our next Branch Mission Leader here at Brindisi, if he has to know.. I'm so thankful for all of you and all that you are doing.. Please pray for my good friend Sara.. She reminds me exactly of Hayley and we're working with her right now to find that identity that she is a daughter of her loving Heavenly Father.. A simple knowledge that we have had for our entire life and a love that can sustain someone into eternities.. I thank all of you again and I'm so grateful for all that you do.. I love you, let's all keep making these two steps forward, the step backward will always come.. But when a step goes backward, a knee goes down and we find that strength through prayer to that loving Heavenly Father.. Have a great week!!

con felicità e amore,

Anziano Gatchell

Staying Here!

Buon giorno famiglia!

Good news all around. Tanner that's awesome that you are asking her to marry you, you know my criteria... Is she cool with me bumming it on your couch from May 31st 2012 to August 10th 2012 to watch every single re-run of the Jazz and Patriot games?? She'll say yes, that's for sure. As for us... We found our own amount of yes's and no's during this past week.. No to a baptismal date, yes to a pizza, no to a ride to Church and yes to teach someone in their home.. The rollercoaster of life goes on.. This week has been one of the craziest in the mission, with transfers and all sorts of other stuff.. I ask you all to pray for my companion's family as they are dealing with and issue with his grandma.. I had to translate for him with President Kelly during the week and with the issues that were coming up and I can just say this.. President Kelly is called of God! Talk about having solutions and being guided.. Anyway, all is well here.. I must have done the right thing by talking with him and figuring out this situation for my companion because shortly after he re-called me to tell me I had been assigned to be District Leader of the Puglia.. Humbling, but I'm excited for more opportunities to serve.. Right after my companion said, "Oh yay, you're mother would be so proud of you!".. So there you go, Mom, from Anziano Errante.. I'm starting to find myself in my work.. It's incredible in this work how one finds themself while losing themself to find others.. It's been pretty tough and not really pretty to try and find someone in this city, but it's incredible the opportunity to rely on the Spirit and go where He prompts.. You all sound great at home.. Thanks for the Dixie Elders.. DIXIE ELDERS: Shout out from Italy, we're praying for you, keep the success stories coming from your part of the vineyard, I show them to my district and other missionaries all the time so we can find that strength and that power you're bringing to all the people on the other side of the world.. And to Anziano Eames, I'm packing it on big guy, not so sure where I stand in pounds but I'm floating in the Adriatic at about 90 kilograms right now. Thank the pizza and my Italian companion.. Anyway, family.. This week has been really good and Sunday was an incredible day in which our friend Maria Grazia found her answer about our Church and found a family in us here.. The work is all over the place right now, members of 40 years that don't know Thomas S. Monson, and leaders that pass out tithing receipts during Sacrament meeting, however! The Church is young and we are all doing our very best.. I proposed that we read the Book of Mormon together and prepared all of the things to accomplish it, including firesides and such.. The Branch really took to it and we're already seeing the power of the Book of Mormon change the lives here.. Want to change your life? Read the Book of Mormon, it's really that simple.. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is simple, family.. That's one thing that baffles me in Italy.. All of these people that pray to these saints, to the madonna, that believe we won't be saved, that we are already saved, that God is a little man, that the Godhead is a giant man.. As soon as a question that is asked such as, "How do you know God loves you?" all knowledge, experience, and influence falters and the testimony comes out. Truly we are seeing daily the "small and simple things of the earth confound the great".. I love each and every single one of you and I'm so thankful for this Church, the only true Church of Jesus Christ on the earth and the only true means in which we can all be together forever.. If it's okay to say, I top off a mazeltoff for Tanner!! The road begins for you big guy, thanks for the example.. Even though Nana keeps letting me know that I promised when I was little to be a doctor in Scottsdale without a wife, I'm glad you're being such a good example for me.. All of you are such great examples and thank you for your prayers.. They don't go unanswered and they don't go unused.. Love you!! Have a great week!

Con felicità,

Anziano Gatchell

Happy New Year!

Famiglia mia!

Wow it was incredible to talk to you all at Christmas and I want to say thank you for all of your cards, gifts, and prayers!! It has really been an incredible Christmas for me and one that I will always remember.. You all sounded great and I hope the hour lasted long enough to get you through for the next call.. I know it did for me!! I will have to be somewhat short today, but I just wanted to let you all know of the wonderful work that is going on here.. We are working with our friend Maria Grazia right now.. Just the other day we had the most incredible lesson with her where we felt the Spirit of the Lord uplift and testify to all of us.. Following the lesson Maria Grazia offered up a prayer in which she recognized us as representatives of the Lord.. I've been in the mission for a little bit of time now, I've been studying the lanuage, learning the doctrines, doing my best to be the best representative of the Lord in all that I do.. At times it's hard, at times it's the most difficult thing in my entire life.. When Maria Grazia said that the other day and thanked her Father in Heaven for having sent us there everything else in this world just hit me like a blind-side crack-back.. I have never felt such happiness and joy in my entire life. Without fail there has never been a moment more rewarding, self-satisfying, and ultimately humbling in my entire life. I felt there for a moment what truly comes from the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the great opportunity that we all have to become like Him.. That He is the Master, the Captain, and He set the perfect example for us and as we continue to strive to change and alter our lives through repentance and following the commandments, we truly do begin to taste on the happiness that He has for each and every single one of us.. Being that this week is the week for reviews and for resolutions, I invite all of us to put the Savior and what He would think of our decisions in each of the goals and evaluations we make for this upcoming year.. Each and every year we become amazed by the fact that our resolutions and our goals are those of the same from the year before.. I promise by doing this that not only will you find the goal more easy do to the fact that it was made with the consent of our Savior, but that throughout this upcoming year we will have the continual help and guidance from Him, our Brother.. We know thoroughly that the Lord gives us commandments and obstacles only with that relating to Spiritual matters.. Make this New Years Resolution a spiritual matter by putting the Lord first through a prayer, the scriptures, and the commandments and this following year will be one that not only will you remember for the rest of your life, but will change the rest of your life entirely.. Again, I'm so thankful for all of you and for all that you do for me.. I'm humbled for your help and your prayers and for the amazing opportunity we had to talk.. I love you all and I wish you all a Happy New Year and a Buon Anno!!

Con felicità e una preghiera,
Anziano Gatchell

Snow in Brindisi??

Buona sera famiglia!!

Well, another week has passed here in the beautiful city of Brindisi.. What is new?? Well it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas that's for sure.. At least that's what everyone is saying.. For me however?? This is the first time that I've spoken and thought in English in two weeks and I can say it feels nothing like Christmas! It's incredible how the Lord turns you upside down to get you right-side up sometimes.. I'm figuring this out right now.. Anyway, I was sort of rushed from last week due to our crazy schedule.. I'll let you all in on a little more details of the place here at Brindisi.. It's all going really well here, there's just a lot of work to do.. I'm so happy to be with my companion.. It is SOO different to be with someone that speaks the language and is from the country.. It makes all of the difference!! It's been a struggle to say the least and at nights I just leave my head under cold water to cool off my brain from the days work, but I couldn't be more happy to be here.. He is a convert of just over a year and is absolutely incredible.. We are learning and doing so much together.. The cultures butt heads at times but we don't let that get in the way because we're focused, I pray we keep this focus throughout the Feste.. Here in Italy it isn't the Holidays, it's the parties.. Beginning now and ending in mid-January there are holidays just about every other day, celebrating another "miracle" that a "saint" did to pull people "away from Christ".. (I try to hear out the beliefs of these people, I really do!) This last week has a been a little bit more settling.. Sunday was quite the experience to begin with.. To teach Priesthood, Gospel Principles, arrive early to set up chairs, pass the Sacrament, give a talk, and then close the building up afterward gave a whole new outlook on the scriptural reference to "A day of rest".. I'm happy though, that's for sure.. The language is coming along really quickly as you might suppose, being that I am speaking it all the time.. Today we went out in to the country side again to help a Sorella gather her olives.. Believe it or not, in southern Italy, we received snow for about a period of twenty minutes!! You should have seen the people in awe of the whiteness falling from the sky.. Of course many believed it to be a miracle credited to San Francesco, my companion and I were too busy laughing to think twice.. Once that brief "blizzard" had passed, I was able to think about and reflect on the Atoning Sacrifice of our Savior a little bit during our morning.. Surrounded by a garden of olive trees I pondered about the importance of this season and what role our Savior can play in our life.. I'm slowly finding out the importance of all that He has done for each and every one of us.. I'm humbled by His Atonement, I truly am.. It's infinite and incomprehensible, however, that doesn't mean we can't use it each day of our lives.. I can't hardly believe it's another Christmas and another time to reflect on the year and the love that our Savior has for us and our families.. Yesterday we had the opportunity to go to the city of Taranto to meet with a family that has been called to serve as missionaries in our branch here at Brindisi.. The Casti family had us in their home to talk about the work and our plan for Brindisi.. Their son, Stefano, came out with his missionary agenda from his mission and showed us the very page where he met with a "Claudio Errante".. Sure enough, that very same Anziano Errante was now sitting in his living room with a name tag on just four years later.. We talked for a long time about when they met and everything that happened to led up to my companion's conversion a year ago.. Just a pretty incredible story and a testimony to my heart of the importance of this work.. Stefano also served with Tony Nelson and we had a good long talk together.. Anyway.. Miracles happen.. I'm excited to hear from all of you this upcoming week and I hope all is well at home right now in this Christmas season.. I would like to ask all of you to pray for a "White Christmas" here in the mission of Italy and for all of the missionaries in all of the world.. I love you all so much and I will HEAR from you next week..

Con amore,

Anziano Gatchell

Ian's letter this week

Buon giorno famiglia!!

I'm definitely a few days late this week.. Let's just say I have yet to find the internet point in this new city!! Where to start off... It feels as if it's a been a month since I was last at Napoli!! Hard but rewarding week.. My new city is beautiful and I am still trying to get used to it being a normal city.. Due to the fact that Napoli was chaos for a few months of my life, this city is wonderful and smaller, but still a city.. There has been so much that has happened in this last week.. From the move to the arrival to the Zone Conference we had yesterday with our Area Seventy in Elder Causse'.. I don't have much time because we have to leave to go out into the countryside for an appointment.. My new companion is great and we're working through this language barrier like Wyatt through the defensive secondary.. I'm really enjoying it here to tell you the truth.. A very hard week that has resulted with me seeing my best friend in the world Anziano Dugdale yesterday at the Zone Conference.. From when I entered the mission I had not seen anybody from my district and had always wondered how they were.. Wish I could express how much it meant to get a big hug from that stud yesterday.. Anyway.. For the Branch here at Brindisi.. This situation is going to be a test.. There are about 10 members and all are retired.. They are all really great and nice, just tired!! I love each of them and our first Sunday here was Fast and Testimony Meeting and again my own testimony was strengthened by the Spirit of the Lord to dwell in all places of the world.. Having talked with President Kelly yesterday about this area here at Brindisi there is definitely a change that needs to be made and my companion and I are doing all we can to help that change take place.. My companion is fun to be with.. The cultures are so different!! So many little things we do differently!! It's a learning experience for both of us, in which patience is being developed in every step.. I love him dearly and we are having a lot of fun as we work on this part of the vineyard for the Lord.. My first day here included of gathering olives in a TRUE olive garden.. Many hours we spent doing that, unfortunately.. However there will be a bottle of oil that I hand-picked that I can hopefully send your way!! Everything sounds great at home, I'm happy that all of you are happy.. This Christmas will definitely be one to remember.. I ask all of you to prepare for these people at Brindisi.. Pray for that soul that we can find and I promise that we will do our best to find them.. This city is rich with history, being that it is where the Appian Way exits into the Adriatic Sea and is called the Roman Gate to the East.. From Mussolini monuments to an incredible country side of olive trees I couldn't be more excited to be here.. Change is change and it takes patience and diligently striving forward as President Uchtdorf explains.. I suppose you all are wondering why I am writing on Saturday also, rather than Wednesday.. Well, turns out that we had planned on our regular schedule for our preparation day, however on our way out of the house we received a call from a member of the Church.. She is from Texas and lives clear out in the country with her husband, who is from Whales.. Anyway, their electricity had been out for almost two days and neither of them speak Italian and cannot talk with the company to get it turned back on.. After a few hours of trying to "explain" to the power company the situation we decided it would be best if we just go out to their small little farm house and try to solve it ourselves.. For the watered down version, the very moment that we stepped foot into her small little barracks in the fields the light turned back on and all things regained order.. She expressed to us her thanks and to her it was a miracle! I don't why I felt so inclined to share this story with all of you today, perhaps because I have wondered for this last week if what we have been doing is our absolute best and not just good.. I learned from this experience that nothing can turn out badly when we just drop all of our plans when the occasion arises and just serve.. It was a testimony to me that although we may have important things to do in our lives and that we all have a schedule to maintain, there's another agenda that we need to pay our attention to at times and that's the prompting of the Spirit to serve others.. I challenge us all in this Holiday Season to find an opportunity to drop everything that we have that seems important to us and "go out into the countryside to find someone in need of your help".. I love you all, thank you so much for all you do and for your letters!! Untill next week, arrivederci!!

Con tutto del mio cuore...

Anziano Gatchell

Una bella settimana!

Ciao famiglia!!

How are all of you?? Everything is good here in Napoli.. Very rainy
and wet today.. I never feel more like a missionary than when it's
raining, that's for sure.. I'm loving the work here and I love this
city more and more everyday.. Thanks everyone for the e-mails and the
updates.. Letters are trying to find their way home, but there's a
little problem called the Napoli and Italian mail system.. Oh well,
there's always e-mail.. This week was a really good week here in this
incredible city.. Last week had a Branch Pizza Party (which is quite
common here in Italy).. We were doing some less-active work in the
most brutal part of Piscinola and we weren't having much luck.. Street
addresses here in Italy sort of don't exist at all.. So when we
finally found the correct palazzo, it was to no surprise that there
were no names on the intercom.. We decided to go up anyway and try to
find this woman.. When we knocked on the door she just became
stunned.. "Chi vi ha mandato qua??" Which means who sent you here.. We
began to tell her what work we were doing, she immediately recognized
as her missionaries, and that we felt that today was the day we would
come and see her.. Let me explain a little more about Piscinola.. A
Christian missionary doesn't search for broken down palazzi at
Piscinola past daylight.. It's the most brutal part of one of the
worst cities in the world.. But circumstance led to circumstance and
we found ourselves there well past the sun going down.. With 550
members in our area and a whopping 25 active, it's really hard to know
who to see and where to go.. She told us how she hasn't been to church
in over twenty years but just that morning her grandaughter, a member
from Milan, was visiting and asked her about church.. Something surely
touched her about that conversation and she prayed for the
missionaries to come to her house that day.. The night ended up with
all of us going to the Branch Pizza Party and having an amazing
evening.. It's those small little miracles that I love about this work
and that I'm learning so much about.. We've had quite the success here
in Napoli and with Zone Conference yesterday it was only that much
more motivation to be better.. I'm learning a lot here and I
absolutely love this city.. There is no more of a better place be in
this world! You all sound great on the other side of the world,
however.. Make sure that all of the Dixie Elders know that I love them
and their experiences in their spots of the vineyard strengthen me
every single day.. Right now in Napoli it's beginning to look a lot
like Christmas.. Christmas in Napoli is a party to say the least..
Everyone from Italy comes here to walk the streets and see the amazing
decorations, events, and collections.. We walked around a little bit
today for P-day and I was blown away at the amount of effort they put
into all of this! Christmas is called Natale here, with Papa Natale
being Santa Claus.. Anyway, I know that it is a bit short this week
but I want to let you all know that I love you and I'm thankful for
each and every prayer that you give in our behalf.. We feel them every
single minute of every day and what a great blessing you all are to
us.. This work is the work of the Lord.. He's in the details of not
only this work, but in each and everyone of our lives... Let Him take
the wheel through sincere prayer.. I love you all, have a wonderful
week!!

Anziano Gatchell

In His Hands

Buon giorno famiglia...

How blessed we are to have the Gospel of Jesus Christ.. How incredibly
watched after, cared for, and completely encircled in the arms of the
Lord's love each and every one of us are.. The Lord is in the details
of each and everyone of our lives, and will direct us in every
decision if we let Him.. I'm learning a lot out here.. It's amazing
how I can be so far away from my family but yet learn so much about
each and every one of you and especially where we are going.. I'm
caught up a little bit by the comment about Justin Ence's dad.. My
heart goes out to him and their family.. I think back to pregame of
senior year against Pine View and just wanting to do anything in my
power to make that the worst day of Justin's life.. I've come to
realize that the little things like that really don't matter in the
grand scheme of things and how much my prayers go out to his family
right now.. How blessed we are to have the knowledge of this Restored
Gospel and the little reassurances in our lives when things go
unexpected.. This week was an incredible week here in Napoli and we're
doing our best to share the opportunity to have these reassurances
with all people that we come in contact with.. I want to tell you all
about the Lucchesi family.. This is a part-member family that the
other Anziani in the city are working with.. Absolutely incredible
family and the Mom is a member from Peru.. For weeks they had bounced
around from house to house, job to job, with the result of being
thrown out of their most recent apartment on the street.. The dad,
mom, three boys (21, 9, 7), with no where to go.. The Church was
quickly there to find a roof to go over their head, but long-term
solutions were scarce.. It has just been a really hard situation and
these people have brought so much joy into my life in the short time
of knowing them.. After many fasts and prayers, they received their
miracle of both work and a house in the same day.. This past Sunday I
had the most incredible opportunity to hear Israele, the
nine-year-old, bear his testimony in Church.. The Spirit that that
little boy brought to that pulpit, as a non-member who speaks broken
Italian, was as strong as I have ever felt in my entire life.. He
shared with the entire congregation his knowledge that God is in
control of our lives.. That He has a plan for each and everyone of us
because He loves us.. It truly hit me how much we need to strive to be
as this stud little boy is.. It truly all comes down to that family..
That God loves us.. That He is that loving Heavenly Father that ONLY
wants the best for us.. It's against his character in each and every
way to not do what's best for us.. What peace this brings to each and
everyone of us as we go through this life and encounter the many
heartaches and hardships that come.. Surely they come, and surely His
love will attend us afterwards.. What an opportunity each of us have
at this time of the year to truly show how much we love Him by serving
those around us.. There truly is no greater joy.. It's indescribable..
I'm absolutely loving being in His service at all times and I'm
finding this joy to be never-ending.. The seasons are changing here
and Christmas is slowly starting to show.. The city is more fun than
ever, the people are just as wonderful, and I feel each and every one
of your prayers everyday.. So thank you!! I'll write more next week
and be sure to send pictures.. Know that I love you all and I will
talk to you again soon!!

Anziano Gatchell

What a week...

Buon giorno la mia famiglia!!

Another wonderful week in Napoli.. Everything from rainstorms to a baptism this week, and maybe my hatred towards the holiday Halloween has changed!! Everyone sounds great at home.. Wyatt that's awesome that you are taking care of your Eagle, I remember when I did mine.. There was just so much joy, so much satisfaction, nothing better! But really, way to go.. I hope all is well at home, that's great news about the Pheasant Run house, go out and celebrate for getting that taken care of! How was the trip with Nana and Grandad? I sent them a post card so hopefully it was waiting for them when they got home.. As to my week this week... Where to begin! So last week was the baptism of Anna Pernozzoli Di Martino.. We found her the last week of my first transfer and I could not be more happy for her and her family right now.. Her husband was killed just a year ago.. She is the most wonderful Naptan woman and she has a heart of gold.. We joke nonstop with each other and to say that the Gospel has changed, is changing, and will change her life is to say the least.. When we first met her she was so distraught, overwhelmed, and stressed about life.. We tried talking with her about everything, putting every teaching principle to the test and hoping that the Spirit would help her along the way in understanding and finding peace in her life.. She has a condition with her eyes, though. We couldn't find her a Book of Mormon in Italian that was bigger.. When we finally went to great lengths to spend the thirty euro and make one at a copy center, everything changed.. I want to share with all of you my testimony of that book and the absolute power that it has in the lives of each and every individual that reads from it.. Anna was distraught, she has three girls, no income, and no one to help her....Then she began to read the Book of Mormon.. 1 Nephi, 2 Nephi, Alma, Helaman... Within only a few short weeks she had finished the entire thing and has just restarted it to comprehend more fully.. Anna bore her testimony that the peace she was searching for, the broken heart she never thought would be fixed is now the strongest aspect of her life.. As I sat there and listened to her share with us about her experience I felt the most miraculous feeling in the world.. For a moment there I felt a little piece of joy that I had never felt in my entire life.. This work is the work of the Lord and He is in the details.. He has prepared Anna for many years, He showed her along the way, He brought that peace into her life.. Please, family, I plead with you to read that book. I'm starting it for my fifth time in the mission right now and there are so many blessings to take from it.. It truly is the "most correct book on the earth" and " a person can get closer to God by abiding by it's precepts".. It's the truth.. Just yesterday we were meeting with our friend Alessandro who is about twenty years old.. He explained to us how he doesn't know why but when he reads this book he has joy.. He feels something that there is no where else in his life.. Alessandro will be baptized in the upcoming weeks.. Because of this book I know my Savior.. Because of this book I know that we can be together forever.. I know that I can have my own family someday and have more happiness now and for eternity because of this book.. I can't express to all of you the power that it has, and it's so real.. Please continue to feast upon those words! And when you have eaten the whole thing, keep your fork and call for seconds because the Lord will guide you in ALL aspects of life through the teachings in the Book of Mormon and through the Spirit of Revelation that we are entitled to each and every day.. I'm so thankful for all of your love and your support.. Know that I am doing great and that I have never felt so much joy in my entire life.. Elder Neal A. Maxwell said that "the first principles of the Gospel are for the last days." President Packer also described a miracle as "putting the basic principles of the Gospel into practice." I know this is true and I am seeing the miracles every single day.. The Italian people are ready for this message, they need your prayers.. I love you all and I'm thankful for your prayers.. I feel them every single day and I couldn't help in the Lord's work without them.. If there's anything that anyone at home needs from me let me know!! I'm only a soccer throw away (wait what?? soccer??) Arrivederci!!

Con amore,
Anziano Gatchell

La Settimana Scorsa

Buona sera famiglia!!

Well... Good news.. All around.. From the last time I e-mailed you my fever
has dropped from 102.3 to a perfect 98.6.. I went to the most incredible
soccer game and a night that I will remember for the rest of my life... To
making preparations for the baptism that will be taking place this
Saturday.. To having the Prophet make an appearance here in Italy for the
ground-breaking of the Temple.. To seeing one of the most beautiful Italian
cities called Sorrento today.. The work just moves forward!! Let me rewind a
little bit, though.. The soccer game.. The security guards, the mad-masses
of fans, the fireworks, bombs, and chants went back and forth for ninety
minutes and there was only one thing that came to mind.... Utah State
Basketball. The game was incredible, it was truly something I will never
forget and the fans for soccer here in Italy and to be more exact here at
Napoli are more passionate than any other fans in the entire world.. With
that being said, the Utah State basketball games can contend.. They truly
can!! Although with less individual bomb-making, and there's no need for the
nets around the opponents' fans so that they don't get hit with flying
object.. But the game was incredible.. More importantly though was what
happened Saturday at Rome.. President Monson visited the temple site where I
stood not three months ago and dedicated myself and my two years to building
the temple.. He gave an incredible talk about the fact that we are doing the
work that Paul and Peter commenced so many years ago and that there are
saints in Heaven right now that are counting on us.. It was so crucial to
hear the very first thing he said, that the missionaries are the most
important part of this Temple being built.. What a work that must go forward
and how much better I need to be! Anyway... Surrounded by members of the
Church at the building where Paul landed at Pozzouli, it was an incredible
evening to have spent and the joy that will be brought to each of these
members as the temple is being constructed.. To have a temple in Rome..
Think about it for just a moment.. It truly is phenomenal.. This work is
true, this IS the only true church of Jesus Christ on the earth today and we
as members everywhere should be so grateful that the wonderful people of
Italy and of Rome can have this wonderful blessing.. Each day we run into
people on the street that ask us if the world can be saved, where has the
truth gone, and is there still light for this dark world.. The answer is
yes!! The answer is the Restored Gospel.. The answer is Jesus Christ.. The
work will begin to light like wild fire as this message gets brought to the
homes of these wonderful people, but they definitely need all of your
prayers.. Italy is ready family.. The Prophet has declared it.. What a
blessing it is to be serving here at this time.. You all know that it is my
favorite time of the year....Halloween. Let me be the absolute FIRST to
say.. Italy does NOT celebrate Halloween and for that I can be even MORE
grateful for serving here.. Anyway, today we went to the beautiful town of
Sorrento.. Mark it down for somewhere that I will bring all of you back to..
An absolutely incredible town on the Amalfi coastline where tourists come
from all over the world to see.. The entire town was exactly like what I had
imagined Italy to be.. Being born into Napoli, with the streets on fire and
the buildings awake all night, it's been a bit different for me here in
Italy during these first few months.. Needless to say, Sorrento was
beautiful and we'll definitely return.. I got the Dixie Elders and I
absolute LOVE hearing from the other Elders.. What a bunch of ballers, I'm
praying for their success, I'm thinking of them all the time.. I'm grateful
for such great friends and the example they have on me, something I haven't
been entirely grateful for in the past.. But even more so, I'm thankful for
all of you.. I love you family.. Thanks for always being there for me..

Con tutto del mio cuore....

Anziano Gatchell

Sick Anziano

Buon giorno famiglia...

Well, this week could have gone a little bit better than it did.. I got sick Sunday.. I don't know how, or why, but oh well, I've been sick.. I completely slept through Tuesday entirely, never even saw the day.. Being sick in the mission is absolutely no fun whatsoever.. Oh well, we have our tests for reasons and I just need to be more obedient and get better.. Don't worry Mom, everything is fine here, everyone is taking care of me and while it's not home, I'm doing just fine.. The time here in the mission is absolutely flying and it's sort of scaring me.. It's already been five months...I don't wanna talk about it.. Anyway, everything at home sounds really good and I'm happy to hear from all of you.. Tell Wyatt to tear up this last game and to not take his pads off after.. Tell him to take that extra time alone with him and his pads.. He will never get another opportunity like it in his life, I think about the moment in the Mountain Crest locker room almost every day.. Wyatt, do something tomorrow to remember forever.. Whether it be three touchdown catches or absolutely working your butt off every down and needing to be carried off that field at the end, just work hard and enjoy every second of it.. I'm jealous that Nana and Grandad are out there right now! Tell them hi for me.. I was going to send them a post card but I guess they won't see it for awhile anyway! Oh well... So tonight is the Napoli vs Liverpool soccer game.. We bought tickets and the entire city is just buzzing about it.. As of last night I wasn't going to go.. But this morning I feel great and it's a tender mercy from the Lord because He knows how much I would love this game.. Anyway, that game is tonight and I'm really excited, but still feeling a bit under the weather.. I'm still a little confused on if I should go, I think it would be a selfish move on my part to go to the game and get more sick and make our work suffer because of it.. I hope I make the right decision.. I'm really beginning to love this work everyone.. The language is soooo difficult but soooo much fun to learn.. There's truly nothing better than actually being able to communicate with people! For the last few months I've been in the absolute dark and the light is starting to come through.. It's such a relief but I can't get complacent.. Anyway... This past week we set a baptismal date with Anna DeMartino.. She's as Naptan as they come and is an absolute crack up.. I love her dearly and we found her the end of my first transfer.. She will be baptized in the next week and I could not be more happy for her!! It's been an incredible story with her and I wish I could just talk to all of you about it for hours but I guess that's why we have so much time together after the mission.. Anyway, weather is starting to change here and I absolutely love it.. I forgot what it felt like to actually be cold!! It rains here alot, too.. Hopefully not tonight for the game though! Sorry I'm not writing a ton today, still a little under the weather and it's not too fun to write.. I hope you all know that I love you and I'm praying for you.. Tell Jess I'm glad she's home and to give each one of you a hug from me, she's been closer to me geographically than any of you for the past couple months save it be Nana and Grandad!! I love you, I'll send pictures next week and I'm sure I'll have much more to say!! Don't worry about me, I've never been better..

Con amore,
Anziano Gatchell

I'm staying here!

Buon giorno famiglia!!

Well.. I'm staying here!! I'm very excited for it too.. At times it's difficult because I'm still in my "Greenie city", but I don't let it get to me.. Coolest city, in the coolest zone, in the coolest mission, in the world! Not trying to brag... Just sayin'! I'm staying with my companion, Anziano Mikesell.. We're going to try and be a lot better this next transfer, I'm looking forward to the challenge! Everything seems to be rolling along at home just nicely.. I'm so thankful for the e'mails and the love that I feel all the time.. I miss all of you and pray for you.. This past week has been incredible.. From Capri last Thursday, the confermation of Antonella Sunday, the announcement of the Rome Temple Ground-breaking!!!!, Zone Conference at Pozzouli Monday, and here I am now.. The weeks just fly by!! I don't know what to do about it! But all is well.. Just about a month ago Elder Ballard and a couple other General Authorities made a stop at Rome to make some last remarks regarding the Rome Temple.. They left a message with us and Elder Ballard said something that really stuck with me.. All the time we are exhorted to come unto Christ, to learn of Him, to walk in His ways, and to literally know Him better.. Elder Ballard took it from the other perspective.. As we do these things, we are allowing our Savior to know us.. We are showing Him how much He can trust us with His precious things on the earth.. We show to Him that we are dedicated servants, that we will keep His commandments, and will be an example of the believers in all things.. I loved what Elder Ballard said and it really was just what I needed.. The work continues to go forth here.. There's so much to do and so little time.. The Lord needs more missionaries and not only that, but He needs more stud missionaries.. The ones that won't come home because it's still a little early, the one's that talk to the person sitting next to them even though they're tired, the one's that take obedience and look at it more as a challenge, rather than a burden.. I promise I'm trying to be this type of missionary.. Today I restarted reading the Book of Mormon.. Chapter two, verse three.. Obedience... The Prophet Joseph Smith also said, "I made a rule for myself, when the Lord commands... do it!".. How happy we would be if we would take this at face value and do the things that He asks of us.. Namely, tithing, scripture study, FHE, prayer... All the things are necessary for our own well-being! President Monson even said it this past week, "It's easier to be 100% obedient than it is to be 98%." I'm learning a lot out here.. I would be crazy to say I don't miss you all, but I can't believe I'm rounding my 5 month mark and it seems like I just hit the MTC.. Oh well!! So the Temple Announcement.. So incredible!! They will break ground in two weeks and President Kelly is trying to get approved that all missionaries can attend.. President Monson and I think the entire First Presidency will be there.. That would be incredible if I could go.. We'll see what happens.. On another temple note.. Hartford, CT!!! Do Nana and Grandad know that if they won't come back to Utah that we'll just come to them!!?? That's so awesome though, I was smiling from Italy when I heard that.. Today for P-Day we are going to try and see all that Napoli has to offer.. There are so many castles and museums that we walk by daily during our work that we never have time to stop and see, so we are trying to deal with all of that today.. I'm loving the work here, I'm trying my absolute hardest.. Days take weeks and weeks seem like a day.. I'm adjusting just fine to this culture, the Italian people are the most wonderful people in the world... hands down.. I miss you all and I love you.. Although, I don't miss you that much because you're going to be on a houseboat next week listening to Toby Keith and Fleetwod Mac.. Buon viaggio!!

Con amore,

Anziano Gatchell