Some of the Lord's elect children

We have been teaching some wonderful children in our ward here in Pordenone Italy, Venice Stake.  First there is Charlie, he and his sister Mimi came in August to join their father and new stepmother. He is almost nine years old.  The children have been living with their grandparents in Honduras for the past four years. Blake and Carrie Smith, who were both missionaries in Guatemala have been helping us by teaching him in Spanish.  It is so amazing to watch them give him a concept and then his parents to reinforce teaching him in Spanish. His father was baptized in September, but it is beautiful to watch him teaching his children. As soon as Charlie is convinced we won't baptize him by "sprinkling" he will be baptized.   

We have also been teaching Brady who is ten years old.  He has a very outgoing happy spirit and is fun to teach.  His family has been inactive for most of his life, but he stayed with a family in the ward this summer for a month and attended church with them.  His father is now bringing him to church and getting ready to baptize him December 15th. Brady is dressed in the red costume. The other little boy is Samuel Adams who's mom is a member but father is not.  He is very supportive of his family and often attends Sacrament meeting with them.

Brady's father has had a back problem throughout the summer and they had a phantom lawn mower (looking somewhat like a certain Anziano Martin) that they say helped them to feel loved and missed, and helped to soften their hearts about Brady receiving lessons.

When we first arrived we tried everyway we could to get in to visit the Brandley family.  They have two children that have not been baptized.  Patrick is 9 and Summer just turned 12.  We finally told their father if he decided he wanted the church's help raising his family to please call.  Last month the mother, Tracy came to church and now they have asked us teach the children, preparing them for baptism. They are very sharp kids and very open to the lessons. Their mother was the volunteer of the year hear at Aviano AFB.  She has volunteered 20-40 hours a week in the Pediatric ward of the hospital, and was just hired full time.  Quite a special lady.

One of the benefits of teaching children is all the kids that  come to say "Hi" while we volunteer at the base Elementary school library.  The children we teach, the ward children, and even some little friends we have met at the laundromat and school come up for cheerful "Hello's".