Transfer Calls

     Every five to seven weeks we receive the long awaited transfer calls that tell us who our new companions are going to be, where we go and what to expect for the next month and a half. We found out this past week who our new mission president is going to be and this morning we learned where we are going and it's kind of nice. 

Pizza: 45

Gelato: 39

BoM: 59

Tuesday

     Alright, where to begin... I suppose I'll start with our first lesson in these two transfers!! Agrigento is not known for "flowing with milk and honey" when it comes to new people to teach. So, when we received a call from a Sorella in our branch that she was doing member missionary work and that she wanted us to teach her friend on Tuesday, we gladly accepted. 

     This coincided with a meal appointment that we had made the Sunday prior and was literally around the corner from this house of this particular Sorella. The lesson went well, it was a little short because our bus never came when it was supposed to the first time. So, we had a shorter lesson that what we had hoped for but we managed to give her a book of Mormon. 

     For lunch, it was Cordon Bleu and a great conversation. Nothing super crazy, but the five kids running around was very reminiscent of my home life because I could see all the antics and it was kind of a "through the looking glass" moment for me. 

Wednesday

     Scambio! I knew the day was going to be weird/memorable because of the greeting Anziano Tucker and myself received not even fifteen seconds after leaving the apartment. We were greeted by an angry Italian that offered us cigarettes and then exploded on us about how we don't smoke and with a level of venom and sarcasm I hadn't heard used by an Italian since we got here he said "hope you live a long, smokeless and delightful life!" which would have been touching if it wasn't so ridiculously angry. 

     After our encounter, we went to the church for district council and then, after those three hours were one and completed I remained in Agrigento with Anziano Oliver. He is one of my zone leaders and he's from Sequim! So we talked a lot about Washington on this scambio and we even saw some scambio miracles. 

     There are three people I want to talk about, that we encountered on this scambio. First, Lilo. Second, Liliana. Third, Rino. Lilo used to be a member of our church, and then he fell away due to some personal doubts. We did our best to answer his questions and to do our job as missionaries, but he wouldn't stop talking long enough for us to ay more than a few words at a time, and Italians have this fun little habit of talking to one person and then ignoring the other. So I was already being ignored and then talked over. This is fairly common, but it's usually not so relentless. After an hour of us being told that he wasn't interested and then having him explain the catholic beliefs that we already knew about, he took a book of Mormon and said goodnight. 

     We had barely gone 20 meters when a very large dog jumped out from behind the stairs that we were planning on taking up to the main road and to a lesson we have. Hackles raised, growling dog. Very big doggo. While Anziano Oliver and I tried to panic think, the dogs owner jumped out from behind that same staircase and told us not to worry. Almost immediately after that, he started sniffing around and then ran off. He thought we were cats, and that's why he jumped. We then had a lovely conversation with the owner of the dog. The dog's name is bello, her name is Liliana and she also took a book of Mormon. We got her number and we are in the process of getting an appointment for sometime this week. 

     After Liliana and her much needed spirit lifting chat, we then headed off to find the home of Rino (pronounced like the city in Nevada) ad that was a 2 hour long and some odd minutes nightmare of trying to navigate the tricky Italian street systems. We climbed so many hills before we finally found the right house, and it was the exact opposite way that we had come. We arrived to our appointment about two hours later than the original time of 19:30. We talked about the restoration, read third Nephi chapter 11 with them, and when we had to leave about an half hour later, Rino called the elevator while we talked to his wife and then when the elevator made it, he opened the doors for us and told us to call them whenever we wanted to talk about christ and they would make time for us. 

     Definitely the spiritual highlight of the week. After this, my companion came back from his Scambio and caught some superbug so he was down and out for the rest of this week until about Saturday, that's when I bought some sweet pants that I'm going to wear for tracing, but they are being hemmed and fitted right now so there are not any photos to share. 

Transfer calls

     I awoke this morning to the sound of Darth Vaders theme going off. That is our ring tone for president Pickerd. My companion got transferred to Malta, and I'm staying here in Agrigento for some follow up training. I'm one of two of the oldest missionaries in my district. We have someone here training in his fifth transfer, and another training in his fourth. He is the youngest trainer that we have ever had in this mission.

Photos!

  

1. I got a package from America! it's from the laurels in my parents new ward! I ate most of the candy already.... 

2. Anziano Oliver on our scambio. Being beautiful as always. 

3. It was stormy one day randomly. Nice. 

4. A tagalog bok of Mormon. Boh. 

5. A sweet photo i took of the coast from a bus.