Barba (Whiskers / Beard)

Buongiorno tutti,

     I have seen and experienced many great things this fine week. I had lots of fun and also a lot of just life lessons for the mission and life in general. But before I begin with the stories, my mission tally of Pizzas and so forth :

Pizzas : 20

Gelato : 11

Books of Mormon : 10

     Alright! My first story begins on Monday, after the heavy rainstorm I mentioned last week. After the storm, Sunday afternoon, our drains got clogged and everything except the toilet was backed up for four days. I had a lot of sponge baths. We got Plumber to come down and fix our drains on Tuesday night, and Wednesday morning the neighbors below us grabbed us because water was leaking from their lights after we both grabbed a very long shower. So back to sponge baths for thursday, but plenty of threats from the landlord of the owner of the apartment below us to call the police and a bunch of other stuff because he was blowing the story out of proportion. We got it fixed and now there's no issue. 

     Wednesday afternoon however, I did a scambia or a companion exchange with another pair of missionaries for the night of Wednesday and through lunch Thursday. I came back to Castellammare di Stabia where I live and brought the missionary with me and introduced him to all the ragazzacci (punks) where I live and then arm wrestled all of them, one at a time and then all together five on one and I won. They then agreed to come to English course this coming Tuesday because that was our deal. 

     Thursday at lunch we went straight from one scambia to another, so I was with anziano Blanchard. He's from Pocatello Idaho and was in my MTC group so neither of us actually speak Italian. We still managed to have fun and get three numbers so we can contact people that showed interest in the gospel and it's restoration. We talked to more ragazzacci headed back to the apartment. 

     Friday was normal, just a train ride back to Castellammare di Stabia from Napoli where my companion was waiting. While in Napoli we stopped by a pizzeria called Pallones and while we were waiting outside, an older woman with one tooth that stuck out almost horizontal and with one of the most impressive five inch long goatee's I've ever seen walked past us. Then we got some pizza fritta and I got a Margherita. 

     The next day I lost my very first arm wrestling match since I got to Italy to a fifteen year old with a full beard. The match lasted about two minutes because we couldn't outdo the other and then he finally got the leverage because he pulled and rolled his wrist. Two very good tactics. I found out he was fifteen afterwards and that he does nothing but canoe around vesuvius maybe three times a day so his triceps were massive. We're good friends now though 😁😁 and yes, I've redoubled my push up and exercise routines for a rematch this coming month. It was close before.

     I love hearing from all of you during the week and love to hear about what's going on back home!

P. S. We have a baptismal date for the 15th I'll let you know how that turns out