It's time to get caught up with our favorite missionary Anziano Trickett!!!
And when I say "get caught up" I mean that literally!!! This morning was the 1st p-day since the announcement from the church stating that "effective immediately" all full time missionaries could now communicate with their families weekly through email, text, phone calls, and video chat weekly on their p-day!!! This announcement is literally going to CHANGE lives!!! It already has mine!!!
When my phone began ringing with a face time phone call this morning through Facebook, my heart raced and I squealed with excitement to get to see and talk to my son! I could feel the love and was so happy to have a heart to heart conversation with him...He is such a good boy and is doing such good things and I love him so very much!!!
He is in the historic Italy Rome mission during the most exciting time in the history of the church! He is living and breathing the most amazing experiences of a lifetime!!!
He was able to go to the Rome temple and have a private tour with his mission president President Pickerd.
The temple is "perfect and beautiful" and I believe that the people will literally feel of their Heavenly Father's love for them as they visit this beautiful place and learn of the eternal nature and purposes of the temple.
Carew snapped all of these photos while he was visiting there...
This olive tree was brought here to beautify and add significance to the heritage and beauty of everything Italian here...
...and this amazing sight is the direct view of what visitors will see as they walk from the temple to the Visitors Center...the pictures are priceless but don't do the real thing justice I'm certain...
Inside the Visitor's Center stands this life size statue of Jesus the Christ surrounded by His original 12 Apostles...
...absolutely amazing, beautiful, and breathtaking...
Carew was so happy to have his picture with Jesus...:)
I am so happy for him too...for ALL of these amazing experiences that are shaping him into who he is meant to be...
During his visit to the temple and Visitors Center Carew was able to reunite with many of his friends and companions...This picture is with Carew's current companion Anziano Mayer.
Anziano Smartt is Carew's "son" in mission terms...:) The one that he trained from the beginning of his mission.
These elders were some of the ones that entered the mission field at the same time as Carew...
...and the cool thing about this is that these young men have created friendships and bonds that will last for the rest of their lives and into eternity...
Here is Anziano Trickett with President and Sister Pickerd and their entire zone.
The genuine smiles on their faces literally make me sooo very happy for these boys...
Anziano Smartt, Anziano Trickett, Sorella Hope, and Sorella Salas make up the district that Carew was just transferred from. This is the district where Carew's very favorite people were baptized...Massimo and Rita! Carew is hoping to return after his mission to attend the sealing of these two and experience the pure joy that will accompany that eternal union...THAT is what missionary work is all about!!! Creating eternal families!
On Carew's p-days lately, he was able to do some amazing things!!!
Things that he only could dream of as a boy...like climbing Mount Vesuvius...
...and visiting Pompeii...
When I look at the growth that I have seen in my son it makes me even more grateful for the gift that I believe I am already the MOST grateful for... for the gospel of Jesus Christ.
He is gaining a relationship with his Savior, his Older Brother, and gaining a deep love for the brothers and sisters that we share this mortality with...especially in Italy...
His view and outlook on life was positive before, but now he is literally seeing the bigger picture from a greater place with a better perspective.
He is happy, being "exactly obedient", and witnessing miracles right in front of him...
He is reaching new heights and finding joy in the journey staying on the "path" and helping others to find their way on it too..
I love you Carew! Thank you for choosing to serve a mission! I believe that it will bless your life for the rest of forever and your future family that you will raise in it too!
Continue to work hard and do good things and endure to the "end" my sweet and funny boy!!! :) :) :)
