Trio follow-up training

     Good morning!! The time change has been greatly appreciated here in mission life, I got a whole new new hour to sleep so I got 7 hours of sleep instead of six this last Friday or Saturday, whatever day that was! That's a blessing in and of itself. 

The Stats: 

Pizzas Eaten: 39

Gelato: 23

Books of Mormon: 51

The Week: 

- Castellammare

- We Be Broke Boys

- Miracles and Blessings

- Giuseppe the cousin of Giuseppe

- Weekly obligations (Photos and stuff) 

Castellammare

     The thing about being in a trio and then being the greenest missionary in the bunch and also the supposed ''Expert'' of the area in which we are serving, is you are expected to know the city like the back of your hand. Also, you need to know the names of every single ward member and their birthdays and anything else that is slightly relevant. I know where the church is. And where the food stores are. After that, Google Maps to the rescue! 

     This city is beautiful and I will send pictures of some of the sunsets that we had at the end of this email. They will also include my two new companions, Anziano Baker (the senior companion and also the shortest one I've worked with so far) and Anziano Officer from Canada (who is a quarter inch taller than me, we had to measure with a level and a board) and they are both very awesome people. We all have a decent grasp on the language and Anziano Officer is only one transfer ahead of me. That means when I got t the MTC, I rolled in to the bed that was still warm from when he left for Italy that morning. We were 24 hours or less apart from seeing each other in the MTC. 

We Be Broke Boys

     The last week of the month is always the hardest. There was no money between the three of us so we had to get creative with three onions, some probably expired salsa and all the noodles I bought with the last 8 euro I had for the month so we wouldn't starve. I'll say that for lunch we had Hotdogs, Couscous onions and some other spices. 

     After that (We have enough for a few days) we had a few lunch appointments this week which were lifesavers because I couldn't eat much more of our ''delicious'' concoction. I'll see if I have a picture. 

Miracles and Blessings

     This week I gave my first blessing in the mission. It was one of comfort, and it's amazing how the spirit guides those blessings. I was trying to think of what to say when I was asked for it by one of the people we are teaching, and my mind was racing. But when I put my hands on her head and was joined by my companions, the Italian flowed. All of us were crying at what was said and I was very bold in what I promised and said, but it was not me talking in that moment. I heard myself speak, but I wasn't saying a thing. 

     Later that night we were heading back to the apartment after an awesome night of finding, talking to the Ragazzacci and just having a great first few hours, we ran into someone that we hadn't seen in almost a month. Her name is Sisi and she's from Brazil. She speaks Portuguese, Italian, English, and that nightmare dialect Napoletano. She loves speaking in English so that's what we used when talking to her. She saw us and we saw her at the same time. She ran over to us and threw a surprise hug on me, but stiff armed my companions. We ended up praying for her on the street and then heading back to the apartment but she told us her story and why she hadn't been talking to us these past few week and it's a sad, very personal story. Being here in the mission has allowed me to have the opportunity to see lesser privileged people struggle to do what's right and then get spit on by the world. 

     The third miracle of the week was this: we went finding for the last 45 minutes of the day on Saturday night. We got lost and prompted to stop moving forward and to stay where we were. After a few minutes a stray dog trotted up to us and then it sat and stared at us. It walked a little ways away and sat and stared again at us. I started to follow the dog and it waited for all three of us. We followed this dog for about 10 minutes and ended up in front of our apartment. After that, that dog has been following us around for the better part of most days since. It waits in front of our building for us and actually opens a lot of finding doors for us. 

Giuseppe the cousin of Giuseppe

     After church yesterday we were asked to help one of our investigators move out of their ouse into a new one by a member, who's name is Giuseppe but we call him Pepè because it's what he prefers to be called. Anyhow, we moved stuff from one house to another and it was fun, mostly because Anziano Baker ost his tag while we were moving stuff. It had fallen into a box of stuff that he had been carrying, so it was easy to find. 

    We moved them into government housing which basically means that the building had been abandoned and the government said they could live there without having to pay rent but they had to deal with all the problems the house had. Like no electricity, water or heater. Little things like that. Makes me mad, because he has nine kids and this is how they are forced to live. So needless to say, we help wherever and however we can. 

Weekly Obligations 

1. We are with some guy and his bike while being guided by a dog

2. Us with Pepè after the move

3. My companions posing

4. The family of 11

5. The sunset here in Castellammare 

6. Us being lit with the ragazzacci

7. Me with Padre Pio. Supposedly he suffered for a third of all our sins. That's what they believe here. 

Mamma

     Mamma,

 This email is a little late. I'm sorry. The Wi-Fi at the church was very faulty and wasn't working well enough to send emails or do anything that requires an internet connection. Anyhow, I hope you are enjoying all the photos that are in my online library, I found a few more that were saved to my phone and not in my online library which I believe I transferred over. I'm not sure at this point.

     I love you Mamma and I wish you the best with your work and with the family. As I'm writing this, my temporary companion is reading me his journal from a year ago today, and he had some very cool times hunting. I don't know exactly what to say in this email so I will just say what I feel and a little about what is going on here in Italy. 

     Firstly, I'm happy for my companion who just went home and is probably on his plane home at this moment. It made me realize that I've been away for about four and a half months already and that's impressive I think because I hardly even noticed that this much time had passed and it just hit me today during an English course that I was teaching how much Italian I now have the ability to speak. 

     Secondly, I notice that I am slowly but not too slowly, becoming a much better person. I'm more emotionally sensitive, in a good way. My receptivity to the spirit is much better than it was when I left, and almost tangible. I'm eating very well here, and budgeting is a breeze. Don't worry about me starving to death, it won't happen. I have actually lost 5 kilo since I got here and I plan on losing about 5 more. There aren't any gyms here really, and I certainly can not afford a membership to any of them. I was looking at pictures of me just out of the MTC In front of the Coliseum with an extra 5 to six pounds of flubber on my face that really was only there because I was sitting for most of that time. 

     I have picked up the habit of just thinking of all the things that I can do better when I get back from the mission with my life. I'm thinking a little bit about what I want to do with my life, but not a whole lot because I don't want to get distracted by a time that will come on its own. If there is anything you want me to do while I'm here in Italy or some trinket or perfume, let me know. I'm thinking about buying some PI by Givenchy while I'm here because that is some quality cologne. I don't know why dad stopped wearing it, but I'm fine with that because it means that I can wear it now and not have to worry about stealing his smell. 

     I write my journal entries by candlelight every night. I noticed that there are so many pornographic ads here, and nobody cares. Nipples and the like, because everyone loves women. However, they don't body shame like they do in America, they love all people and don't attack they way they look. They attack your personality and you as a person. So that's a fun conversation when they don't ve anything to throw at you because you give them nothing but kindness and they try to come up with a valid reason for them being offended by something you did. 

     If you want any specific pictures, please let me know and I will do my best to take them. I try to take a picture every day, and usually more than just one because I know how important photos are. If I could get the cheesecake recipe that dad uses for cheesecake, I'd love that tremendously, along with some family photos maybe, because I do miss you all but not enough to lose sleep or be distracted by it while I'm here. Also, tell dad he was right. I can answer almost any gospel question but I have the hardest time telling you what I did today and how I'm feeling. 

Anziano Anderson

Transfer Calls

     I'm getting this one out a little bit later than I normally do, but that's alright because I have a valid reason for doing so. As you read the title of this email I'm sure you can gather roughly what my day consisted of but for those of you who don't know, a transfer call is the call we get every six weeks on a Monday morning around 8:30 for the Anziani (8:00 for the Sorelle) here we are told where will be spending the next 6 to 12 weeks of our mission. 

Pizzas eaten: 36

Gelato: 23

Books of Mormon: 49

Sections: 

- Life with a "Dying" Missionary

- So Much Food and Gifts 

- Cleaning house and rearranging things

Life with a "Dying" Missionary

     First and foremost my companion was not actually dying. That's just mission slang for "going home". The whole time Anziano Daniels has been training me, he has been "dying" because he was in the final two transfers of his mission. He went home today, and it was a little surreal watching the train pull out of the station at 7 am with the rest of my zone standing with me because there were three other missionaries on that train as well that were finishing their missions. 

     These last two transfers (and my only two in the field so far) I can tell are full of experience and obedience to the mission rules. When I started the mission, all I saw were rules and restrictions that kept me from what some might say "experiencing Italy to it's fullest". But, I've noticed that being 95% obedient to what the lord wants and then 100% obedient brings different amounts of blessings. Not just 5% difference, but a very noticeable and very useful difference that can't be quantified in numbers. 

     About half an hour after I watched my Companion leave, I had the opportunity to watch all the Anziani and Sorelle in my Zone receive their calls that told them some of them were going to Sicily and others to Rome before my phone started to ring. I'll get to where I was called in a minute. 

So Much Food and Gifts

     During this week, I cooked a total of Zero times. We had a lunch or dinner planned every single night for the last week we were here and usually lunch AND dinner every day. Needless to say, I gained a pound or two. This week has also consisted of buying gifts for the family of Anziano Daniels and the stuff he got was kinda awesome. Unfiltered olive oil, Parmigiano cheese blocks, Salami and a variety of trinkets and perfumes for different members in the family. I can't say I won't be doing the same thing for my family in two years, because that's a brilliant Idea. 

     During his last meal here in Castellammare before he went home, the person that we baptized my first transfer here, Liborio, invited us over to his house for a very authentic Italian dinner. During this colorful and very tasty meal, some gifts were brought out from under a table for Anziano Daniels. A very expensive tie and a book that caused him to start crying. Why? I don't know. It's been a very eye-opening week this last week for me emotionally, and it's made me that much more appreciative of the people I left back home. 

Cleaning House and Re-arranging Things

     In my call today, I was not transferred anywhere. I get to remain in Castellammare but, I don't get one companion. I get two. I'm in a trio starting this Wednesday for at least six weeks with an Anziano Baker and Officer. Fun fact, Anziano Officer came in the transfer before me. When I got to the MTC, he had left that day at 6 am or so and was on his flight out here to Italy when I was in my first language class so he's also a greenie like me.

     When I got that news I decided to re-arrange things so when they get here on Thursday the apartment is already prepared for three Anziani. The only thing I can do at this point is wait and see what my new companions are like and hope that I don't get any companions that don't want to do anything. But if I do, it'll make a great story. 

Spiritual Thought:

Wo to him who thinks all is well in Zion 

2 Nephi 28

I invite all of you to read this chapter in the Book of Mormon. You can download it in the Google Play or iTunes Appstore if you don't have a physical copy. There is always something that we can be doing, and usually something better that we should be doing. 

Pictures: 

Anziano Anderson

4. The dinner I mentioned

1. Amerigo Vespucci. Look it up, it's a really cool ship I got to walk around on

2. Anziano Daniels as we were headed to the station today

3. Me waiting in a sea of people to get on this boat

5. The party we had at Anziano Daniels last English Course

How Does the Mission Actually Work?

     Recently I've been getting questions from all of you as to what actually happens during my mission that constitutes a mission aside from all the wacky or super cool stories that crop up during the week. I will discuss that after all the wacky and super cool stories that cropped up during this week. 

Pizzas Eaten: 30!

Gelato: 19

Books of Mormon: 46

Sections: 

- What I Consider to be Another Miracle

- My Scambio: Anziano Andersen Addition

- The Rattos

- I Got Asked on a Date

- Almost got Fed to Death

- Missionary Work

What I Consider to be Another Miracle

     Oh boy! I love pizza, and the only thing I love more than pizza is free pizza! last week on Monday I was waiting in line with all my Anziani buddies and a man from the front of the very long line to get in to the pizza resteraunt we were waiting for to open it's doors for the lunch crowd came back to talk with us. After we talked with him for a bit he told us he was a returned missionary (albeit 20 years returned) and then he just got to know us a little better. He left and we thought it was funny how quickly we got recognized on our Preparation day but as we were discussing it, he came back and tried to give us 50 Euro to pay for our lunch. The three Anziano I was with didn't want to take the money saying it was alright, we were OK but Ivan persisted to give the money to us. 

     I ended up with 50 Euro and the bill at the end of the meal. I don't regret anything and the pizza was awesome. The resteraunt also had the most expensive pizza in the world on it's menu costing around 8,500,000 Euro. Don't know what was on it, but I'll let you know if anyone does buy the pizza. 

My Scambio: Anziano Andersen Edition

    Come Wednesday, we have a thing called "district council" where one of the missionaries in our district gives a lesson on something we all asked for more information on or even to just teach us something that usually can only be learned through experience. Anyhow, after our meeting with The Ratto couple, Anziano Andersen and his companion who was in the MTC with me, Anziano Blanchard, and my companion and I, we switched companions. It was Anderson and Andersen (that's really fun to explain to people) and we headed back to Battipaglia. It's a little town a few hours away from anything super fun but with some of the best Mozzarella in all of Italy. I was happy. 

     Well, Battipaglia is very small so everyone who lives in the city knows us if not because we've stopped them three times to ask them a different question, then because we are always wearing white shirts and messenger bags with a blue book. We taught two people with interest in a lesson the hour I got back and it was really cool because one of them didn't have any thumbs but had really nice handwriting, and she loved to write. She also has dyslexia and loves to read, so we said we would give her a copy of the Book of Mormon the next time we had a meeting and she was ecstatic. 

The Rattos 

     The Rattos are the senior couple in my Zone. They are from Argentina and were supposed to be in Brazil for their mission in the first visitors center for the temple they were building there ever. But because of reasons, the center was not going to be done for a few more years, so they were instead told they needed to come to Italy after they already learned Brazilian. They love to cook for us and they try to do that at least once or twice a transfer when they know we're running low on food and money to buy more. 

     They are some of the funniest and most christ-like people that I know with hearts of gold. I'll include pictures of everything I've mentioned so far at the end of the email. 

I Got Asked on a Date

     I love Italians as a people, I really do. They're very honest, upfront and don't like to waste time with unnecessary niceties when a simple "Wow, that sucks! " will suffice. Of curse this does hinder my efforts to teach when everyone I try to stop just puts their hand in my face and says "Non me interessa" and then walks away thinking we were Jehovahs witnesses. But sometimes we get some awesome people who listen ad want to know more about what it is that we do. This happened late at night on Saturday when we ran into a group of Raggazzaci who were all part of a band. They were all about 17-18 years old and had interest in the English course we taught. 

     While my companion was talking with the guitarist and drummer, their singer started talking to me, in as much English as she could muster, which was impressive because she only needed a few words from me to make complete and sensible sentances. After we had been talking about music and other things like that and how we were missionaries, Antonella asked me if I liked dancing. "I'm not very good at it, but I do enjoy a dance every now and again." was my reply. She was super happy and than grabbed my hands and asked if I wanted to go dancing with her in about an hour at a Bar just across the street. 

     It was at this point my companion looked over and saw me holding hands with this girl and my somewhat confused expression that turned a little into fear when I saw him looking because I knew what this looked like and I would have to explain it to him afterwards. (I did and he gets it so we're all good). I then re-explained to her how we are missionaries and are not allowed to do anything like that for the next few years but we would love to see them at English course. Disappointed but understanding, she invited us to a show they were having in the coming weeks. We then excused ourselves to make it home in time for the curfew of 9 that we have and invited them again to come to English course. 

I Almost Got Fed to Death

     Italians love to eat. Literally so much, and for a period of like two to three hours at a time for their lunch. I used to wonder why it took that long but now I know. After church yesterday we were invited to go to lunch with one of the bishopric counselors and his family. We got there and for the first course we had  heaping pile of pasta (and it was heaping for me, that's not just an expression it was a ridiculous amount of food) and then seconds of similar size after that. I thought we were done. I was very wrong. Following the pasta was a ull sixed chicken fried steak with a plate of salted and oiled lettuce. Still not done. Then there was a dessert of pound cake. Still not done. After that we had a couple oranges dropped on the table in front of us. 

     As my Mom knows I'm not much of a fruit fan. Or anything that is technically considered "not meat or carbs in some way" but I really liked these oranges. They were so juicy it was ridiculous trying to take two bites a slice, and it was easily fixed with just dropping the whole slice In your mouth. After this meal appointment I had trouble sitting, let alone breathing. But that was when my companion (who goes home in about 8 days) told me we have 4 more meal appointments like this planned for the coming week at various members houses. 

Missionary Work

     The way work here goes is fairly simple. We teach about 10 lessons a day, missionary discussions that is, to people we find on the street and then try to get their numbers but almost never succeed because they don't want to do anything that involves learning or changing. Or so they think. I hand out roughly 20 English course cards every day and almost nobody shows up to the course and if they do, it's only for the one time. I've mentioned English course before, but I don't believe I've told you how they work. Basically, my companion and I ask what the class wants to learn today, see where they are at skill-wise and then teach something that everyone can learn from and nobody feels over or under-whelmed by what they learn. 

     I don' t teach May formal lessons because the people here have a tendency to forget or to put something more fun oooooooover a meeting with the missionaries but I usually teach one or two lessons a day on average in a formal setting (excluding church because I teach the youth). 

     I've found telling people that claim they love God but don't go to church or follow his commandments that "faith without works is dead" they get really quiet because I'm using the Bible to call them to repentance. They try to bruxh us away because "you're too young to know what you're talking about" but when you can quote from memory more Bible than most of them have ever read in their lives they stop talking condescending and start walking very quickly. "Be bold but not overbearing" is a fun way to say "call them out but offer your help and don't cross the line".

Pictures: 

1. Me in front of one of the many castles Italy has to offer

2. Literally all of Battipaglia

3. Sorbillos pizza

4. Me just after getting asked to dance

5. The most expensive pizza in the world (menu edition) 

The Amazing Race

For those of you who aren't members of the church that I am a missionary for, we just had a worldwide conference that we call General Conference. I'm not going to talk a lot about it in my email because it's an accumulated 10 hours over the period of two days that consists of a living prophet speaking to all the people of the world about anything and everything they feel inspired to discuss by the Lord. I urge all of you to watch it even if you're not religious because I know you will receive answers to any questions that you may have about who we are, why we're here, where we came from before and where we are going after this life. 

Pizza's eaten: 28

Gelato Io ho mangiato: 17

Books of Mormon (not eaten): 44 

Sections:

1. Tourists 

2. My first miracle 

3. My Scambio

4. GYPSIES

5. Pictures I choose to include (feel free to request certain ones as I'm very ok with taking pictures)

Tourists

     One thing you all need to know about Italy is that it's very popular with every country. Not just America. I went to Pompeii last week on Monday after I sent out all my emails. On our way back from Pompeii after a few hours of wandering ruins and supermalls and a very screwy train schedule which I'd rather not remember but consisted of us being stuck in the middle of nowhere for about two hours before the train decided that it was going to show up 2 hours late. 

     The stop after we got on the train, literally 50 German students who were on a trip with their class from high school got on. They all spoke really good English so it was fun because everyone could talk to one another. The stop before I got off (one hour later) a fight broke out in the other end of the train car I was in. Some very angry women and a man that was around her size were throwing punches and some nasty Italian words at on another. This lady got off with us on the next train stop and her boyfriend had to grab her by her hair to keep her from umping back onto the train with a hefty rock to finish the guy off. I don't know how it started but there were plenty of cameras going so I'm sure it'll crop up somewhere. 

     I've also helped tourists during the week find their Air BnB's and we've had a few great conversations with them. Last night it was an Anna from Georgia. Not the state, the country. I kid you not. It's near Germany and Switzerland and places similar to that. Anyhow, she took a card and said she would look into general conference because it interested her. Tourists are so fun. 

My First Miracle 

     In this church we believe in the gift of tongues. Basically that means we will be aided in understanding, learning and speaking any tongue that Heavenly Father sees fit for us to learn or have need of through our effort to learn it and when you don't know what to say, he gives you the words in the very hour that you need them. This happened to me last Wednesday. We stopped a group of ragazzacci (it translates literally to Bad Boys but means punks) and we started talking to them. I have mentioned the Napoletano dialect before and it still is a bunch of crazy and nightmares to me but it's all that these boys spoke. 

     The thing is, I didn't realize or even notice that was all they were speaking. They would say something and I had the answer or a response for them. Occasionally I wouldn't understand a word or two but that is normal for me. We ended up getting two kids that had serious interest in what we knew and they are still talking to us through an app called WhatsApp which is what they use to talk down here. 

     Anyhow, after an hour of talking with them and after we had left them to go home, my companion turned to me and told me how he was having a heck of a hard time keeping up with what they were saying because it was all in Napoletano. Told him I was sure it wasn't because I was having a full conversation with the two he wasn't talking with and then gave him the number I got from them. He told me all he heard coming from the two kids I was talking to was straight dialect and how I understood it was beyond him. The church is true, and the book is blue. That's all I have to say about that. 

My Scambio 

     Alright. The Amazing Race I mentioned in my title. Here it is. Every day we are issued a challenge by one of the two missionary companionships in zone leader positions. The challenges can be anything and we have to send a picture of some random thing after we complete the challenge. Whatever that may be. The first day it was a picture of us heel clicking. Etc, there are no rules for this. Well, I exchanged companions with the Napoli Zone Leaders on Friday and I stayed in Napoli with them. 

     The challenge for that day was to make a delicious lunch for your companion and then send a picture of it to the group chat we have. I made four Vietnamese sandwiches because we were joining the zone leaders for lunch and I offered to cook. They made corn dogs as a side dish and that's what we ate. They live on the seventh floor of an eight floor apartment and they have a party elevator. 10 cents a ride. You get around that by hitting the box you would put the coin in and it thinks you paid.

     I pet a parrot that scambio and ate a whole loaf of bread. The things that happen on a mission are really just awesome.

GYPSIES

     On the way back from my scambio with Anziano Haws, I was stopped by a gypsy. She was walking with a guy and we were walking towards each other when she looked me in the eyes, held the stare and her hand out. She looked like she was 20 and not in any desperate state. I'm not allowed to give money away like that as a missionary and in the moment I was just confused. 

     She just held her hand out and didn't say a word. I tried to move past but she stepped in front of me. This happened for a few seconds before I asked her what she wanted in English without at least a lot of annoyance in my voice. She just continued to stare and hold her hand out and never said anything. I pushed past her and went back to the apartment. Most gypsies are from Romania and they all act like this one but they usually use more words.

     The day after this thing happened again but with two kids. They offered their hands for a handshake so I gave them mine. Then they clamped onto my hand and started asking very loudly for "1 monies please! 1 monies!" after I wrested my hand back from them I went to a members house to watch the General Conference morning session at 6 in the afternoon. Hooray for being 8 hours ahead 😁😁

Pictures

1. Graffiti in a train tunnel for their favorite Italian actor. I don't know who he is. 

2. Anziano Haws and me 20 minutes before gypsies takes place

3. Seafood pasta made for us by a member. Yes that's a whole crab. There were many.

4. Me 2 minutes before I had to get this bike on a train that barely had room for me.

5. Anziano Haws and IK. We teach IK how to read and then he asks us gospel questions. He's learning to read because he wants to read the book of Mormon. 

An attempted stick up and some free food

Ciao all! 

I don't have a whole lot to say today except that I do. I know I said last week was the craziest week I've had so far, but then this week happened and, well, it's not the craziest week anymore. I'll start off with the tallies and then move on to the good stuff! 

Pizza's I've munched: 27

Gelato I've scarfed: 17

Book's of Mormon I've given away: 42

Sections: 

- English Course and the fun to be had there

- Our newest member 

- I haven't cooked in almost two weeks

- A family of 11 

English course and the fun to be had there: 

     Alllll right. I had a feeling something like this would happen to me sometime on my mission I just didn't know it would be this soon. I've heard stories from newly returned missionaries, others who have been back for years and have families and then missionaries out here in the field with me. Somebody will try to rob you, there will be weapons involved, you will be up the creek without a canoe and in piranha infested waters. Something to that affect. Well, I was on my way to English course Tuesday evening with my companion (obviously) and something that fits the criteria for this happened to us. 

     We were walking to the church where we d English course and we were going to be almost 15 minutes early because we planned it out and we wanted to prepare the room for an activity we wanted to do to make the class more fun. We got almost 3/4 of the way there when we were stopped by a man who was asking us for a euro. "if you really represent Jesus, you'll give me money because that's what Jesus would do!" This was his logic and he wasn't letting up. I'll paint a picture of the man I'm talking about. He was about 55 years old, small and hadn't had the opportunity to bath in a while. He had a very worn bag hanging from his neck that had a puppy in it and a few other things I can only assume we're cigarette boxes. He was smoking his fourth cigarette since we'd been talking with him but at the rate he was going it was definitely not the fourth cigarette he'd had that day. 

     We were trying to tell him we don't give money away ad we really don't carry much anyways and that we had to teach an English class in the next few minutes when out of the Cafe we were standing in front of comes a person that we had met on the street a few days previous and he offered to buy us a drink. We accepted and used it as an opportunity To go inside and get away from the man. Anziano Daniels got a power ade and I got a coke because they actually taste better here than in America by a lot. We thanked the man who bought our drinks and then went outside again. Immediately after setting foot out the door, my companion was fighting with the old man for his powerade. The old man had grabbed it and tried to run off with it because he claimed he needed the salts in the drink. For three minutes I watched a hard stare down between the two of them as they gripped the drink and told the other to let go.

     The old man let go and then asked what we would do if he pulled a gun out of his bag and asked for the powerade again or some money. We stared at him and called him out saying he wouldn't shoot us because of he loved Jesus as much as he said he did then he wouldn't shoot his representatives. We then offered to buy him a drink, went inside and bought another powerade and I handed it to him. He hugged me for an uncomfortably long amount of time for a number of reasons and even if I knew you it was still wayyyyyy to long. After that and an awkward hand holding session I would rather not discuss, we made it to English course 10 minutes late.

Our newest member

     Liborio! Man, this guy is the best! He was the one who got baptized recently and he's a lawyer. Just yesterday he got the Aaronic priesthood and he wanted to be ordained on his knees just like the apostles were when Jesus Christ gave them the priesthood. We ran into him after church last night and he wanted to buy us Gelato but we told him we couldn't because we don't participate in commercial activities on Sunday. Well Liborio is an advocate lawyer so he used that trait that all successful advocates have and bought us gelato anyways while justifying it as a celebration of him receiving the priesthood. 

     I didn't want to argue so I ate Gelato. After that for the next hour he came with us as we went finding and called a bunch of ragazzacci out on skipping school and then invited them to church and to improve their lives through self application. This man is definitely going to be a force for good in this work and world.

I haven't cooked in almost two weeks

     Shortly after we said goodbye to Liborio we went to a bar. I used the bagno and shortly after I returned the owner told us that we could have anything we wanted off the menu. I got a chicken sandwich and a soda, my companion got fries. This kind of thing has happened almost every day for two weeks. I don't know why, and I don't care to know. But I love the teaching opportunities it brings.

     The members gave us whole loads of pizza, fruit and gelato for helping them with the church and bringing people to church. We extended probably 7 baptismal invites this week and I extended my first in complete Italian. The work here is awesome!

A family of 11

     To finish off my email I will tell you about the family of 11 people that we are teaching. There are 2 parents, and they both love the Book of Mormon. Five of the nine kids can be baptized and they all love hearing us teach and the kids love climbing me because they've never seen someone so tall before.

     Every time I talk even though I'm not super fluent yet, they all listen because they want to know what we teach. Jehovahs witnesses knocked while we were there, and the kids let them in so they could hear us talk. They left immediately but I love the enthusiasm of the kids. 

     After that, we just talked with them and invited them to church. Most of them came by some couldn't because of life and what that brings. But hey, it was an awesome week!

Anziano Anderson