Just so you know, I Love You

Hey Dad, 

     I was writing in my journal last night and it hit me. I haven't really sat down and told you how grateful I am for you. I haven't told you all the things that you taught me and how I'm striving to be a better person because of what you taught me. I haven't really told you how all those hard nights or days or weeks with you, my brothers, sisters or other people helped strengthen me into the man that I am and the one I can become. But only because of the guidance that I received in those times from you (and Mom).  

     I suppose I'll start from when I was very little and from the earliest thing that sticks out In my mind and work my way to the present. When I was very little and we were either just coming back from the New Mexico move or just about to take it (I believe it was after) we went to the Flickingers old house and talked to the man that was living there because Brad had moved out a few weeks before. I don't know why we were there, but I do remember for some reason you brought me along and that I thought it would be a good idea to rip all the Christmas lights off of the little play pen that the man had put up. You both saw me doing that and I was very scared and shy because I knew what I had done was wrong. You demanded that I make an apology but I was to scared or shy to say anything at the time. I believe we went to the hardware store to buy some lights to replace the ones I broke and then to give me the opportunity to make things right with this man and to apologize to him for doing what I did and making restitution for what I did. There are many instances where something like this had happened, but this is the first time I can remember for myself that was the principal being taught. 

     Through my life I have had to use this and especially most recently with all the pain and trauma I caused Natalia and her family. I know there are some things that can't ever be fully repaired or fixed but it's my job to try my best to undo what I've done until the fault no longer rests with me and I've learned two things from each of these experiences. First, how to avoid these situations entirely and second, how to accept the blame for, and try to fix that which I have broken or shattered. 

     The next experience I have after this would be when I was around the age of eight or nine and In rabbitry 4-H. There was a period of about 24 hours where my rabbit was without food or water and it didn't have the ability to forage for food or to get water without my direct assistance. You and mom then told me that because I didn't take care of my rabbit and that it didn't get to eat or drink for 24 hours, neither did I. And so for the next 24 hours I was watched like a hawk by all of my siblings, you, and Mom. I remember going to Cub Scouts and wanting to eat the snack, but grandma passing me because she knew I wasn't supposed to eat either. This taught me the important lesson of being able to choose my actions, but not being able to choose the consequences good, or bad. 

     This has played a huge part in my life. I'm not the best at caring about what their people say I should care about or in showing any outside interest in listening to the things that people say I should or should not do. This includes you and mom over the little things as well. This is not because I don't love you but because I feel like I should be able to do whatever I want. However, because I can choose to do whatever I want, and I always have had that ability, it's blinded me to how much my selfish choices can and so often did hurt those around me before my mission. For example, when I went skydiving and it put Mom in a concern for my very life, and sent Regann off went I got home a few hours later. Not their decision, but a reaction to my choice. 

     A third experience is when I was ten years old and Regann and I really started not to get along while we were at Pi. I treated her poorly and she treated me the same. hen you heard about this, you sat us all down in the TV room in our old house on Hayden Street s a family and talked to us about the importance of family togetherness and used the single stick/bundle of sticks comparison to make it fun for those who were just having a fun time at Family Home evening. It taught me the importance of respect for other people. 

     This one has not really had much shining from me in many forms because I have always been selfish and slow to do things unless I know or can see how they impact or can impact me. But from this point on I had an increased awareness of the importance of all human life which was further developed thanks to your love of scouting and for sharing that love with us. 

     A fourth experience is when I was twelve and I had to tell you what I had been doing in the late hours of the night by myself because you were my Bishop and my Father it was especially hard for me to come to you and tell you everything that I'd done because I knew it was wrong and I feared that you wouldn't ever love me the same or at all. 

     You showed me the importance of being understanding, non-judgemental and taught me more about the atonement so I could grasp the concept of the atonement and the importance of second chances. I have since ad to have these conversations with other bishops but they always echo that which you told me first, those many years ago. Forget yourself and let the Lord work through you. Tis is the best way to Repent, and to be a Saint. 

     A fifth experience that took place when I was thirteen or fourteen and attending 8th grade at school. I was getting bullied by many people because I was awkward, new, and all around an easy target because of my personality and lack of social experience. 

     You taught me how to stand up for myself verbally, and physically and I took your advice. I threw one kid again a locker and made him cry before the teachers saw what was going on and rushed to separate us. You taught me how to use my strength both physically and mentally to help myself and through that and the love of scripture studying that you instilled in me at the tender age of four to five years old I was able to learn how to use this same strength for others help and benefit Ina righteous way. 

     A sixth experience was when I was 15 or so and wrestling in school. You taught me some of the things that you knew from your time on school and also how to mentally fortify myself because you knew that the whole sport for me wouldn't be the physical side, but rather the mental battle. You instilled in me the ability to discipline myself whenever the situation called for it. 

     You don't know this but maybe you have or could have guessed it, but that mental fortifying is the main reason I am able to serve a mission. It's kept me from losing to a very bitter adversary of mine, time and time again when all I had to do was nothing, or almost that. But because of everything that I'd learned thus far, it was less of a struggle for me to remove myself from temptation. 

     Most recently at the age of nineteen, you taught me the importance of temples when you went through with me my first time and were crying. There weren't any resounding words from you that day, but just through the way you treated the occasion and from the way you looked at me as I struggled with my lack of the happenings and technicalities that take place there, was enough to root in my breast a love for the temple and it's importance in this life and the life to come. Also, that actions do speak louder than words, especially if words won't do at all. 

     

     I Love You Dad,

Anziano Anderson

P. S. I can call for Christmas on the 24th, 25th, or 26th but only for one of those days and I'm 7 hours (or 8?) ahead of you. 

P. P. S. I love you

Weekly Letter

     I knew this would have to happen sooner or later, but I have to say that exactly 5 months after starting my journal that I got from my dad and which holds an account of everything I've done from the 24th of June to the 24th of November is full. Not super exciting or anything, but now I'm on journal number two, and I wanted you all to know that. 

Pizzas eaten: 40

- This number hasn't changed much because pizza is not very good here in Sicilia. They prefer to focus on the Canoli and gelato, so those numbers will be climbing quite a bit while I'm here. 

Gelato Eaten: 31

- The gelato here is served on a bread bun. I mean ok, sounds weird, but it's really not when you realize they have chocolate, cinnamon and just sweetened rolls for after you've eaten most of the Gelato. 

Book's of Mormon: 55

- This number will not be going anywhere for a few weeks until we get more book's of Mormon in. Because Sicilia is an island, and we happen to be in a very secluded part of that island, we don't get mail very *surprise!* often. 

1. Not your average week

2. Zone Calcio

3. Mission Conference

4. Catching the Bus

5. Cool thing that happened

Not your Average Week

     This week started off (or ended technically because here in Italy they start their weeks on Monday, not Saturday) with a two hour bus ride from Agrigento to Palermo so we could go to the stake conference that was being held there seeing as church was canceled where we live that day for this conference. We got there with exactly five minutes to spare, carrying all of our bags and such because we planned to stay there for good four nights. 

     The reason for this is we had mission tour that wednesday and also a zone calcio (soccer) planned for that Monday where we played for two hours and I, not being the most apt runner, stayed by the goal and just defended for two hours racking up most of the bruises on either side except for maybe the goalie on the other team because he was there the whole game and we weren't being very nice when it came to kicking the ball softly. Mission tour is basically General Conference for missionaries where one of the apostles or member of the seventy comes and talks to us.

     This time around we had Anziano De Feo come to talk to us. Massimo De Feo, he gave a talk in general conference in the April session of this year. He is a wonderful man and I got to shake hands with him four times. I say that because all of the times except for one were unexpected and a little awkward for me. More on this later. 

Zone Calcio

     So as you might have guessed, Soccer here is fairly more popular than football or basketball is, or any other sport. It makes sense that the Anziani gravitate towards it because there are not many basketball gyms and even fewer basketballs but Calcio (soccer) is in abundance. We pay five euro to rent a pitch (field) for every person that plays and then we get an hour or two depending on how busy they are that day or what they rates are. 

     Nobody got seriously injured but we all got some pretty nice bruises and the next day we were all very sore and incapable of much speedwalking or sudden movements. 

     To end our Preparation day we went to the senior couples house, Sorella and Fratello Smith because they have wifi and they bake cookies every Monday for the horde of missionaries that comes over to use this wifi and send their emails home. The cookies were awesome and I was able to meet the Smith's before they went home. They left on the 23rd so they could have a late Thanksgiving with their family and just finish their year and a half with a good meal. 

Mission Conference

     Mission conference lasted from 8 am to about 4 pm with a lunch break somewhere in the middle. The senior couple that lives on the American base here in Italy brought a whole bunch of Dr. Pepper and A&W because most of the missionaries here had not had one for about a year and a half or longer. I was not one of them, so I let everyone else have the doctor pepper while I had my root beer. Italians really don't like root beer because it tastes like their cold medicine. However, they have this drink called bitter that tastes like our cold medicine that replaces root beer. I laughed a little when I figured that out. 

     Anziano De Feo is a very nice man who an Italian native, from an area in our mission and who also served in our mission so naturally he likes this mission a little more than most all the other missions in the world. 'm not saying that, I'm just repeating what he told us. There were some very good things pertaining to missionary work that he mentioned, but the thing I want to share with you is what he told us about our Mantle as a missionary. 

     He said "I hope you never feel like an accomplished missionary. Say this because, the calling you have is much greater than you could ever hope to fill and if you feel accomplished then you are tricking yourself into thinking you've done all that you can do. That is wrong. There is always more to do."

     Now, he said this with love. But it also translates to any calling in the ward or branch or church where you live and are a part of. If you have a calling, try not to feel accomplished. Do your calling, learn it well, and magnify it. There is always room for improvement, so if your are ever feeling comfortable thinking you've done all you can remember "All is not well in Zion. There is always something to do." 

Catching the Bus

     After conference, we all got our flu shots, said goodbye to all the people that were there, and started our journey home. We had to take the Tram to get to the bus station, and boy did we have absolutely no time to spare. When we got to the bus station, my companion started to sprint, leaving me in the dust because I was carrying a duffel bag and a few other things so I was loaded down. I kept up with him for a moment or two and then h lost me because he's a fast little guy and I am not the most apt at running. 

     If we missed this bus we would have to take another tram back into the city and spend another night in palermo because it was the last bus out of the city. However my companion told me that he felt like if he sprinted the whole way there, we would make it onto the bus. So he sprinted and he caught the bus as it was starting to pull out of the station. He got the driver to open the doors and then distracted him until I could find the bus and get on board. 

     We tried to sleep on the way back but I couldn't even fit in the bus seat so that's how my two hours went. We got home safe and sound, and exhausted. 

Cool thing that happened

     We invited our English course to come to church this Sunday because we were having a primary activity, and they all said they would try but we didn't have very high hopes because we knew it was a half hearted reply. However, Francesca, the lady we helped after course for an hour last week decided to come by because her church gets out a few minutes after ours starts, so she was a few minutes late, but thought it was super cute watching all the little kids sing and hearing everyone talk. 

     After church, one of the members came up to her and introduced herself to Francesca and they hit it off. Francesca also said that she wants to come back next week for church so she can be there for the whole three hours and not just the last hour which for us is sacrament. 

     The whole branch was excited to see someone new and they all told us that we were doing great work and wanted to have us over for lunch or dinner sometime this coming week. 

*bonus*

Your antipasta recipe is this: 

Tuscan tomato soup

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 diced white onions, small

5 cups canned tomatos

1 cup chicken broth

1 1/2 cups heavy cream or milk

1 cup basil pesto

Salt and pepper to taste

Cook onion in oil until translucent at medium heat in a pot big enough for all ingredients to go in. Add tomatos, bring to a simmer. Add broth, simmer 15 minutes. Add cream, pesto, salt and pepper. Blend to make smooth, makes roughly a gallon, and is better the next day so don't feel like you need to eat it all on day one. 

1. My comp and I on the tram 

2. This rose is all over Sicilia

3. We made cinnamon rolls

4. My companion in front of a very strange tree

5. All of us after zone calcio

6. For those of you who have been to my house, you will recognize this spoon. 

Agrigento, the birthplace of Stella

     Ciao tutti! 

     This has been quite a week for me. I know I say that every week, but it's true! every week is more and more involved than the last because I'm able to understand more and more of what's being said and more frequently now, I'm making friends with all the members in the wards I'm assigned to. I want to talk about a few things in this email, some fun, others a little more serious. But overall I want you all to know that I love you, and that I wish the best for you always! 

Pizzas Eaten: 39

Gelato: 29

Book's of Mormon: 55 (this number hasn't changed a lot because we don't have any copies of the book to give out here in Agrigento. We've ordered some though) 

1. Comparison. Stop It. 

2. Audio Recordings

3. English Course in Agrigento

4. Other Things Worth Mention

5. Coolest Thing of the Week

Comparison. Stop it. 

     First off I want to start by saying how important it is that we never compare ourselves to others. Ever. It will destroy you if you do. Mentally, spiritually, just don't do it. However, self comparison is encouraged. Compare yourself, who you are, with yourself, who you were. For me, I did a lot of self comparison this past week with who I was just before I went into the MTC and who I am as of today while I write this email. I will attach pictures of my first day in Italy and then one of today to show you just how much I've changed physically in the four months that I've been gone. 

     Other changes that can't be seen in a photograph would include my ability to speak and understand the language. Never once have I felt like I've gotten the language down, even a little, while I was in the MTC. I knew I was the worst Italian speaker in the whole group, and it wasn't for lack of trying. But since I've been here in Italy, my ability to speak in Italian and to understand other people when they speak has improved to the point where I can almost start telling jokes. I can understand them, but just not deliver them quite yet. Spiritually, I'm doing well. I'm more in tune with the spirit and less and less afraid to act on the promptings that I recieve no matter what they are. 

Audio recordings

     I've been getting mixed feedback on the audio recordings in place of these emails so I think I've found a way to make everyone happy in that regard, which you will see in the end of the email. 

English course in Agrigento

     English course! If there is one thing I look forward to twice every week it's English course. The people here are awesome and my advanced English course likes to debate. That's how they choose to learn and practice English. I get to use my big English vocabulary while I talk (slowly because they are good, not great yet but on their way) and they ask me what the words are that I use. We discuss things like the American culture and then the things like that. After a heated debate on gun control and consumerism however, I decided to start choosing the subjects that we discussed and that way it doesn't devolve into a massive argument like the first time. 

     After our course on Thursday (Giovedì) we were asked to stay a little longer by one person, an older lady by the name of Francesca. She is currently attending two English courses. Ours, and another that a native Italian speaker is teaching. Naturally the two teaching styles and methods clash a little bit, but not too badly. I mention this because we stayed with this lady for an hour after course to help her with her English homework from her other course, and during the whole thing, we got an appointment this next Thursday to teach her about the plan of salvation. She is a wonderful women who is just going through a bit of a rough patch in her life and is trying so very hard to improve herself. 

      I offered to give her a blessing of comfort and she accepted and then started to recite a prayer in Italian but stopped and looked confused when she saw how confused and lost I was. A blessing here is a little different then the blessings in our church, and I happened to forget this fact. But that was alright because it allowed us an opportunity to teach. 

     One more fun tidbit of information about English Course: the English course attendees outnumber our church members by about four to one, almost five to one. 

Other things worth mention

     The rest of this week involved me eating my first Gelato in Sicilia and let me tell you, it's a whole new meaning for the term "Ice cream sandwich" because they literally put to Gelato in a brioche bun and hand it to you with a little spoon so you can eat all the stuff spilling out of it. 

     Another thing I noticed is how this city, Agrigento, is the city of cats. I walk outside and in the few hundred meters it takes me to get from our very nice apartment to our preferred finding area, I see no less than 15-20 cats either grooming themselves, killing each other or just glaring at us. 

     The people in Sicilia are also more ambient. There are less of them here than in Napoli but I've seen more people slap each other in the week that I've been here than in the four months I was in Castellammare. I don't have a whole lot more to say other than my companion, Anziano Tucker, is teaching himself how to play the ukulele (soprano for those of you who want to know) and because of this decision I get serenaded nightly in Italian to a few newly learned chords. 

Coolest thing of the week

     The coolest thing that happened to me this week was after English course on Tuesday, one of the people who has been attending regularly and is also and English teacher who has a great vocabulary but wants to be able to speak faster and with more confidence (which is why he attends course in the first place) saw me struggling to conjugate for reflexive verbs and a few tenses (past, ancient, future, conditional, etc) so he offered to teach me Italian on Saturday and Wednesday for as long as I'm here for the last hour of our day. It's very much Ike the MTC, but I understand most of what he's saying which is new to me. I'm expanding my vocabulary more and more each day, and these courses are really helping me with that. 

*Bonus Section!*

     Thanksgiving is almost here, and I have no recipes other than one for cheesecake and another for stuffed chili's! I love both of those things, but I'm trying to compile a recipe book while I'm out and I need help to do that. Your assignment for the week is to send me one recipe that you love, and I don't care it's for. Cookies, bread, meat, whatever. Here is a recipe for all of you that I found here in Italy for cookies. There are a lot of old cookbooks floating around the mission, so I find these and compile them into the best recipes that each book has to offer. This week the recipe will be for Dolce (Sweets) and next week will be for an antipasto (Starter/appetizer). 

You will need:

4 cups chocolate chips (broken candy bars taste better but it's good as long as it's chocolate) 

2 2/3 cups flour

1 Tsp. Baking Soda

1. Tsp salt

1 cup softened butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 Tsp vanilla extract

3 eggs

Drections: 

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, mix butter, white and brown sugar, and the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Next, melt two cups of chocolate over low heat, or in the microwave using 20 second intervals, stirring until melted and smooth. Mix this chocolate in with the eggs and sugar. Gradually stir in the flour mixture. Once flour has been stirred in, add the other two cups chocolate (not melted). Drop by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 8 - 9 minutes at 375° Fahrenheit or until cookies are puffed. Cool for two minutes before moving to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Makes about 4 dozen cookies. 

Until next week! 

Anziano Anderson

P. S. I can't follow links to sites because Google is  blocked on all our devices.

1. Me, August 8th when I got in country. 258 pounds, no clue what was going on. 

2. Me, today. 244 pounds, still not sure what's going on but getting there.

3. I didn't know batman was part of the avengers! 

4. Markets here in Agrigento. This one was selling honey.

5. My ice cream sandwich

6. I'm too big for Italy

7. All those tags! 

8. A tad bit more information

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)