Still adjusting to Italy......

Ya, I get homesick. I hate it. When I first came to Italy, President charged me to read the Book of Mormon everyday. I told him that I can do that. Every morning we have 90 minutes to get ready for the day so I usually have time to read a chapter or two. It's helped a lot and I feel like I can face the coming day. 

The Italians here are super stubborn! Yesterday, I did an exchange with my zone leaders because collega's the district leader, and I did six hours of straight finding. It was brutal!! We found three people who were interested though. One of them is Muslim, so I don't know how that will go, and another person thought we were Jehovah Witnesses...that was embarassing, and the other person was just confused about what we believed in. So, hopefully some people will listen. I have met someone that is from Bethelem! Anyway, we met a few older people who claim to already know it all and that they don't need any more Bible. That was interesting. There was one guy we met in the park who said he reads five different Bibles and that he already knows God and he doesn't need anymore Bible. I've always read in the scriptures about how people will say "Bible! Bible! We don't need another Bible!" and I never thought that I would meet people who would do that. So, yup, it's been fun. 

The American ward is on top of everything. Collega and I decided, along with our district, that we need to start focusing on the Italian branch, because they are dysfunctional in the sense of missionary work. President Shakespeare (cool name for an American) realized that we have six missionaries, the most ever seen in Vicenza, and that it's time to crank up the work. The Italians on the other hand are just afraid to do anything regarding missionary work. But we do have plans to earn their trust and help them realize that we as missionaries can't do the work alone. We need the member's help to succeed. That is one thing I'm learning when opening up a new area. You need to work with the members! Also, last Saturday, I was able to see a Baptism in the Italian branch! His name is Walter and the Sorelle have been teaching him and he was ready to be baptized! It was awesome! I was there because they needed someone to play. I had to learn two new hymns in 20 minutes. You would've been proud of me!

Franc is amazing but sadly we can't teach him anymore. He lives in Ferrara and he was visiting his sister up in Vicenza so we had to pass him to the Anziani in Ferrara. Collega said we were doing the Anziani down there a favor because I guess finding work down there is tough. But it's been fun teaching him. We have found another person to teach! Her name is Alla and she's from a small country near Russia. Apparently she speaks Italian not very well but she speaks better than I do. Hopefully we'll get to teach her tomorrow!

Tell Aubrey I'm proud of her. She's keeping up on the dances and going out with different guys. Who would've thought that she would be in charge of the group! Good job!

Okay, with the fruit and things. Drawing money out of the ATM here is complicated. A bit. First off, I need my pin number for my card. I always used credit and never debit at home but I kinda need that pin number soon. Second, there's a small transaction fee because of Euro instead of USD. I'm down for buying fruit and stuff because I don't know if I can surivive on pasta alone!! Fills you up and knocks you to sleep in the afternoon but it sure does it's job. I did buy three kilo worth of fruit last week because it was on sale. Good stuff. But I don't know if I need that much money...I also have to carry all of my food back to the apartment. And also water. And the water is heavy. I can usually buy a kilo of fruit for 1 euro or a little bit more. There's this place called Lidl that all the missionaries love because it's cheaper and has good cereal. So we do our grocery shopping there but it's a ways away from our apartment. I did find this stuff that has oats and dried fruit in it. I have that for breakfast. Anyway, next week I'll see what I'll need because I would like that extra money to buy fresh stuff. Getting on the American base is a hassle. I don't really want to buy anything there if I don't need too. President also told my trainer to make sure that I don't get used to the food situations in Vicenza because it's not the Italian experience...collega drinks two cans of Dr. Pepper a day. Go figure. 

Thanks for your words of wisdom!! I know it's a process and I read those same lines in my blessing. I just find it funny that out of the 233 missionaries here I have to be the youngest one. There's some talk that they might split the mission! Hopefully they don't because if they do then we lose Firenze and some missionaries will be placed in the Rome mission. That'll blow. 

Anyway, I love you and the family!!! I'm already half-way done with my first transfer! One thing that I am looking forward to during my second transfer is Thanksgiving...I'll actually be able to celebrate it in Vicenza!

Alright, I need my pin and I'll let you know about my food situation. I might need to buy some gloves and a scarf and maybe a hat or something because people say it gets really cold here. I don't need it now but sometime in October probably. And I'm also a little north near the mountains.

Until next week!

Love,

Anziano West