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