Week 15 - Ragusa, Sicily, Italy

It was a good week in Ragusa.  On Monday, the elders from Gela came to do laundry at our apartment because their washer was broken.  On Tuesday, we had district meeting and then Gela went home.  That night I believe we walked the streets talking to people.  The rest of the week was a blur.  The Anziani from Catania came to do a split on Friday and Saturday.  Sunday we walked down to the bottom of Ragusa and back up to church so that we could meet up with and walk with Samson (member) and Lucky (investigator).  Later we ate at the bishop's house with his family.  It was a typical Italian meal with appetizers, pasta, meat, fruit, and then gelato. 

We were able to meet with some of our African members this week who haven't been able to make it to church because of work.  It is crazy and motivating to me how hard-working and faithful these members are.  They work from sunrise into the night getting paid for only a fraction of the hours they had worked.  Then their bosses make them work on Sunday when they are supposed to have it off.  And still, they praise their God and pray that they will be able to come to church and perform the duties of their callings.  I guess there are no worker's rights here.

Today we went to the navy base Sigonella south of Catania.   We went with our friend Salvo and his mother.  Google maps took us on a crazy trip on this seriously warped canal road so it was an interesting trip.  The mother kept saying mamma mia! hahah  Anyways, we got in and out of the base with our American goods without any problems.  On the way back, I saw like twenty African women on the side of the road in heavy make-up.  I didn't know this was legal.  Things can be crazy here in Italy.

The work is going pretty well.  We have one investigator primed for baptism and some very good potentials that we will be able to work with more beginning in September when they can meet with us (In August, everybody is gone on vacation.)  On Sunday, we had like 10 nonmembers in church which is unusual. Basta così for now.