I LOVE WEDNESDAYS

I am sure that I have written on more than one occassion how much I love Wednesdays. Giovanni doesn't work on Wednsday so it is nice to have him home one day during the week...(true...he then works Saturday, but what can you do!)....
But the main reason that I love Wednesday is because it is Robert's P-day and we get email from him! And it is such a treat!
For those of you who are not LDS or maybe are not familiar with full-time missionary service and how it works...here is the Readers Digest version...
6 days a week are spent proselyting....looking and teaching people who want to know more about the LDS (Mormon) faith. This is done through members who refer names to you...theirs friends, neighbors, colleagues at work, etc...The other ways come through knocking on doors and meeting people wherever you go or whatever you do.
Young men, usually ages 19-21 whom are called Elders and young women, usually ages 21-22 are called to serve. The men go for two years, and the girls for 18 months. It is full-time missionary service and you can be called to serve anywhere in the world where the church is....Robert has friends in the US, Mexico, South America, Africa, Japan, Greece, etc...And, you are not paid for this service...in fact..you pay to go. 
You go to a Missionary Training Center (MTC) for 3-12 weeks...depending on the language you learn....
Robert went to the one here in Provo by BYU and was there for 9 weeks to learn Italian.
Serving a mission is such an amazing experience. When else will you have the opportunity to dedicate your life full time to the service of God and others. It really is an amazing experience...I know because I did it...I served, in Italy...and love it! And now Robert is there...
Anyway...so for 6 days you "work", then one day during the week is your P-day...that is when you can write home to your family via email, you do your laundry, clean your apartment, sight see...play, etc...
Now you have to understand..while you are on a mission you have no contact except for letters. You only call home on mother's day and Christmas....no TV, music, facebook, etc...you live in the world, but you are not of the world...
It is a sacrifice, however....worth it...
So...today we got and email from Robert...He is so happy! And loves his mission!!
He has been called as a trainer...he will have a new missionary to teach...he is nervous...
But I know that he will do great!
I am so proud of him and what he is doing and also thankful for the experiences he is having and what he is learning while he is out there.
There is a saying about missionaries....
"They leave as boys and come back men"....I am slowly seeing that transformation take place.
I'm thankful for example...and because of him I feel like I am becoming a better person as well.....
Thank you Robert!
We love you and we are so proud of you!