Arrivederci Sardegna! Mi mancherà!

Buongiorno tutti! Hey guys! I'm do glad everyone is doing well and that you are all having so much fun! Keep it up! Things are going great here! Like I said in my email, I'm getting transferred! I'm hoping right over to Sicily in the beautiful city of Trapani! I couldn't be more excited and I'm so excited to be engulfed in the Sicilian culture! I have heard so many great stories, and it's a place full of history, and of course, the mafia! I might die from heat though because I think that it is the city closest to Africa, so it's hot. Tomorrow I take the ferry to Civitavecchia, the port for Rome, I'll sleep there for the night, and then I have a twelve hour train ride all the way to Trapani. I'm excited though and I'll basically be able to see all of Southern Italy while I head down so I'm excited! I'll let you all know how it goes!

This past week I've been doing what President told me to do in the interview: work hard and say goodbye to the people. We've been doing a lot of finding and have seen success with more potential investigators. President always want us to work a little harder in a city when we know we are about to leave because we'd expect the same from the missionary who's spot we'd fill.

Saturday we had a lesson with Adhemar, and we actually got the calls right then before we started the lesson. I knew that this would probably be the last lesson that I'd be able to do with him so we prepared well. I prayed hard, and as I was doing my personal study it stood out so clearly to me that we needed to invite him to read the talk from the last General Conference by Elder Holland, "The Laborers in the Vineyard." I love that talk so much and as I read it I obviously found much I need to take from it, but also how it could be applicable to Adhemar's situation with his family and how he feels with his job and work. In the lesson we watched the film The Testaments, and there was a special Spirit there. In the end we bore testimony, but this time was a little different. My teacher, Brother Bulloch talked about the last testimony he bore to an investigator before his mission ended and how he gave it with such might and it was so heartfelt that it was almost like he left or literally gave this testimony for the investigator. I felt like that when I shared my testimony with him. We were both teary eyed, and then he shared something so touching. He said, "Thank you for your testimony. I always feel the Spirit when you guys are with me, and teach me, but today was different. I am happy." They were just simple words, but all the effort, prayer, and time I have spent with Adhemar has been the greatest learning experience I've had here in Sassari, and I wouldn't trade my time here for anything.

Church was perfect. People were so excited for the news that I was heading to Sicily. One of the members even served as branch president there when he did his mission years ago. It was tough saying goodbye to everyone, especially Fratello Murgia and his family. Earlier in the day I complemented him on his tie, and after church he took it right off and gave it to me as a little thing to remember him by. I took pictures with the members, and I got a little emotional, as you could imagine how I always am, but I'm getting better! I really did feel loved that day and I will miss the members so much! We had six investigators in church, including Lorenza and her husband Sergio, the one's who invited us over for lunch on Easter.

The rest of Sunday was a bit crazy. We went to Alghero with the Mangoni family and ate a huge and delicious lunch with them, headed back to Sassari, and the Carboni family had us over for pizza that they make in their wood burning oven. I ate so much! I am just getting ready for all the food the Sicilians might give me!

Monday we had our last district meeting and I'm really going to miss Anziano Schwing and Anziano Ferrero. He served with my future companion, Anziano Simonetta, and said that he is great, and that we will be one of the strongest companionship's in the mission together, so he got me super pumped up! I can't wait to get over to Trapani!

My English course students are so great. They organized this awesome dinner at a fancy Pizzeria for me Monday night. We had a ton of fun and Lorenza even brought me a little present, two blue ties! Her husband Sergio has blue eyes, and she always buys him blue clothing to make his eye's pop, so she did the same for me! They are fancy, expensive Italian ties too... explains the nice BMW her husband drives!

Well that's the sum up for the week! Things are going great and I am so excited for the future! I know I will have a blast at Trapani, and even on the longest voyage one could take in the Italy Rome Mission! I love you all so much! I love you Dad, I love you Mom, I love you Morgan, I love you Brooke, I love you Heather, and I love you Greg! Have a great week and stay safe! Statemi bene! Mi mancate un sacco! Ci sentiamo presto e vi voglio tanto bene!

Anziano Clay Lacey