Letters from our missionary grandchildren

10/3  Anziano Pinnock

Milan Italy

I loved that letter from the Bishop, a lot of the things he said I could relate too and I think that a lot of the ideas will work really well.

So the language.  I feel like I can talk a little better but understand hardly anything.  The problem is that hardly anyone talks to us in Italian.  The ward members don’t talk to us and most of the Italians don’t want to talk to anyone so most of our lessons and things of the same idea have been in English but I do feel like it is getting better.  The thing I love about Italy the most is that they are all super nice to each other.  They aren't nice to us but when I look around I

see old ladies kicking soccer balls to kids and just an overall

kindness.  At least that is true in the older not really the younger but the old guys are my favorite.  They walk around all day hunched over with their hands clasped behind their backs.  Every time I see one I can’t help to smile. Not doing any service yet but we are talking to the Bishop tomorrow so we'll get something from him. 

P-day is weird.   All we do is walk around and look in shops.  I hate shopping so I'm learning patience.  We get gelato on P-day so I'm happy about that.  I had my first bike crash yesterday.  I was following my comp too closely so when we went off the road onto a sidewalk my reaction time was a little slow so I turned right into a curb.  I was lucky enough to fall on the sidewalk and not on to the road so all I had was a bloody knee and a scrapped up arm and side.  I laughed for forever but then I was sad because we missed an appointment.

This last Sunday we went to a member's house for lunch and it was amazing.  I don't know how they make something so simple taste so good.  It was just pasta with red sauce and bread but it was the best thing ever.  They made me google earth home so I saw the house.  It was during the summer with all the flowers and it was so beautiful.  The truck was in the driveway being emptied of mulch. 

This last week was kind of retarded.  Every single lesson but one canceled right when we got to the meeting place.  We had about three lessons planned everyday and only one came through last week.  It was really hard but we shook it off and started anew this week.  

We also found the best way to stop people.   You take a whiteboard and draw a sun, moon and star on it and ask people what they see and then what does it stand for.  It works almost a perfect 50% of the time which is a huge improvement from before which is about 2% of the time.  So we will use that a lot more and hope that gets us more investigators.

Thanks again for all your support and be happy because I should finally be able to send pictures home!  Live Long and Prosper.

Josh

10/9  Anziano Pinnock

First thing, and I know it might sound weird, but I need your donut recipe. Our bishop's wife is opening an american sweet shop and I thought that she might like it and then they will like us better. Include the recipe for the chocolate and orange frosting.  Thank you for the cookie recipe I will use it.  I also need some recipes for meals too not just dessert. Anything that is easy, filling and cheap. Thank you! Now for my email.

This week has been a lot better than the weeks before. More than one of our appointments came through so that was amazing. We had lunch with a member family and a less active family who came to general conference this sunday so that was awesome. We also went to the bishop’s house and had a great meal and lesson with him and even helped him move some stuff so we think that he trusts us more now. Conference was amazing and I was so happy when I found out that we could watch it in English. I was so scared that I was just going to sit there confused the entire time so I was happy. It was hard to see temple square because the second I saw it my mind started to figure out ways how to get home, so ya, I love the way my mind works. 

I loved all of the talks during general conference and so many of them will help us. The members don’t think they need to share the gospel with their friends so it made me super happy when three of the talks were based just on that topic. Then we had some amazing lessons. 

On monday we had the best miracle. We were going to teach a lesson to a man who we haven’t even seen when we ran into a member which is super hard and almost impossible. We talked with him for a little bit and told him where we were going and he offered to come with us! It was my first lesson with a member and it was amazing. The spirit was super strong and when we got there we found out that this man has a wife and is a father of 5. Holy cow, we will be so happy if we can get them to come to church! The ward might start trusting us. So we taught the lesson and the guy was super into it and said that we could return. So next time we are going to watch the restoration with him and get the rest of his family to participate. Heck ya! 

9/30  Hermana Pinnock

Tempe Arizona, waiting to go to Argentina. 

Oh Heeeey!!!

So this has been a solid week.

My companion and I did A LOT of less-active work.  I wish we were teaching more regular humans but these less-actives need to come unto Christ just as much so I guess it's all good!!!  

In my neighborhood there are us, a few regular guys, and a million senior citizens because right now all the snow birds are coming and they are taking over!  It's just thousands of motor homes and trailers.  All of the old ladies have a million pets and all the grandpas think that a gold chain counts as a shirt.... it doesn't.  They are so funny!!!!  I guess Heavenly Father knew I loved old people so he surrounded me by them.  Anyways, needless to say, the roads are more dangerous and my companion and I am slightly terrified but it's all good because we have Heavenly Father on our side!!!!

I want you to know I love the packages!!!!  I know I haven't really said this yet but I LOVE THEM!  Thanks Mommie.

Spanish is hard but I just tell myself, "I'm not learning Japanese.  I'm not learning Japanese.”  And it helps.  I really do love speaking in Spanish!  My companion and I make up songs in Spanish in the car when we have to drive to Welton... It usually turns out super ridiculous.  But we had a Spanish activity last week and it rocked!  The sisters from the ward brought us Spanish dresses so we got to dress up all traditionally (with our name tag of course) and it was the best thing!!!  I LOVE Spanish humans!!!  They are the best!  I also ate that Nacho Libre corn and it's way way goooood!

We are looking for new investigators right now so we are doing more member work!  We are still teaching our investigators.  But let me tell you something Satan is working on them hard!!!  Right now I can really see him throwing out all his strings.  I thought that when I got out here I would just become this super groovy human that would baptize the world but I realized that I'm actually pretty powerless, BUT I have also learned that Heavenly Father is even more amazing than I thought before!!!  Everything good that I have comes from him... EVERYTHING!  Every success that I have is his!  I'm so lucky to be a missionary!  I love working with God and Jesus because they know things and I don't.

Sorry this letter is short but my computer is failing!!  LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!

Sister P

10/7  Hermana Pinnock

Family!

So we got a lot of new investigators this week which is a way good thing because we needed them bad!  We have a lot of investigators in Welton right now which is unfortunate for our car miles because it's eating all of them!!!  Haha but it's all good!  We're also teaching a few people on Yuma Proving Grounds which is a military base!  USA!  Unfortunately most people that work for the government are not working right now because of the shut down but it's good for us because everyone is home.  I think the only people really working right now is border patrol.  It's funny because I literally have no idea what is going on in the world until someone tells me, so me and my companion just barely found out about the shut down.

We are still teaching Javier and he's still not drinking which is way good but everytime we go to teach him he has some new scripture in the new testament that says something about wine and we're like "Javier no!" haha we aren't exactly like that but in my mind that's what i'm saying so ya.  He also went to Conference at the stake center in a white shirt that he swore he would never wear.... I guess the church does something to you haha!

Brother Grubbs is finally praying!!  One of our new investigators is Elina!  She only speaks spanish which is a way good thing... we should be teaching her today!

Wasn't Conference the best thing!!!!!  I LOVED IT!

Well I don't have tons of time to tell you all about every investigator because I want to tell you that this has been an awesome week!!!  Like the best thing of my life!!!  I am soooooooo happy!!  I want to let you all know that this church is the truest thing of my life!.... and your life... and every humans life!   I was reading in PMG and it said something about discouragement is the opposite of faith.  I wasn't way discouraged but it can be hard when you look at all these humans you want to give the greatest gift to and they don't want it enough to change.... it's sad but I decided that acting discouraged wasn't showing Heavenly Father my faith in HIS plan and HIS ways.  So this week I decided to be more diligent physically and mentally.  I also decided that when ever I had a question I was just going to pray about it..... no matter how silly it was..... and holy it was the best thang of my life.  And on top of all of that we had a kick bottom zone conference about being a 'finding missionary', there was General Conference, and my companion got sick on tuesday so I studied all day and got blasted by the spirit!!!!!  This is what I want to tell you all... this week I have felt like Christ has been beside me! I can't explain it really but my heart has been so full it's been over flowing.  My prayers have felt more real, my faith in this area has grown, and I have been sooooo happy!!!!  My companion even talked about it one night..... We were saying how we're always laughing... like always.  And I want to say that part of the reason is we're hilarious but I know that's it's mostly just because I feel so close to my heavenly father.... and I'm sooooo happy!!!  I don't want this feeling to ever end.  And I know that this joy is only from living the Gospel.  Wow sorry I'm rambling but this has been a super spiritually uplifting week!

I love you all so much!  I have the greatest family in the world!

 Sister Linton and her missionary companion

Sister Linton has this thing for Tobago men on lawnmowers

When I get home I will get a new rider lawnmower and a blue bonnet