"[We] need to influence more than we are influenced."

February 26, 2018

  It's been a really rainy week but good though! Anziano Daniels and I are both staying here in Cosenza so we are excited about that! It should be a good transfer! This week was pretty dang fast. On Tuesday I had a Permesso appointment in Napoli so that was sweet! We woke up pretty early and made our way up to Napoli and were there for the most of the day then came back down. We got to eat a pizza which was super good! We also baught some super good Napolitani pastries. Man I miss the food in Napoli. 

  We had a couple of good meal appointments this week, one was with a Russian member from our branch and her friend. It was good. She just kept bringing out food it was crazy! We had some Borshch, I have no idea how to spell that but it made me think of my brother Cortez's mission. I can't imagine trying to learn Russian haha. 

  Italians don't really like the snow so that made the work pretty hard but we kept going till the end. Sunday night we saw some pretty cool miracles. We were able to bring a member in the hospital the Sacrament and give her a blessing which was a great experience. After that we had about an hour left of the night and it was still raining. We went out do to some finding and ended up teaching the restoration a number of times with people and finding 3 people that want to meet up again and learn some more. It was definitely a miracle. The lords hand is in his work!

  This week I've been reading in the the Book of Mormon where one man causes multiple cities to fall into wickedness because of his fraud and unrighteous dominion. It's pretty crazy to see what a cascade effect that wickedness can have on people who are not fortifying themselves against it. In church last week we were talking about how there is so much wickedness around us and there was a quote that was shared that said "[We] need to influence more than we are influenced." I like the scripture in Luke 12:35 "Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning;" then in John 1:4 "In him was life; and the life was the light of men." As we protect ourselves from evil and let the light of our righteousness shine to the world the reality of a living Christ will shine brightly through all of us! We can see more miracles and a cascade effect of righteousness because of this. I know that Jesus Christ live and loves each and everyone of us. He wants to fill all of us with the life of his light. 

Vi vogliamo bene!

Love Anziano Ruiz

D&C 84:45 For the word of the Lord is truth, and whatsoever is truth is light, and whatsoever is light is Spirit, even the Spirit of Jesus Christ.

Come una volta" - Anziano Daniels, Cosenza   

- The moments leading up to the purchase were filled with anticipation. We got our pizzas and opened up the boxes in the fresh (Garibaldi) air. A cloud of steam carrying the history of centuries of culinary tradition escapes and opens the pores of our faces. Though clogged from a cold, my nose tingles from the sensation.     I carefully fold the pizza to ensure maximum tomato soup. The first two bites were like the first time I had tried a Napoli pizza; steaming.. soupy.. like my mouth caught hold of the original pizza DNA, untouched by genetic modification.     I felt helplessly lost and alone in a sea of marinara soup with mozzarella cheese as my life raft and sausage as my flare gun; the crust on the horizon is my only salvation.     Two bites which last an eternity but don't last long enough.  🇮🇹 Anziano Daniels

Current view of the Rome Italy Temple

(not taken by Anziano Ruiz)