Ciao tutti!
I hope that everyone is doing well and that everyone is in good spirits!! This week has been a good one! I got
over that sickness after a brutal afternoon. I’m feeling much better and things are looking up.
This week we have had a pretty crazy schedule. On Friday we went and visited less actives and recent converts and the Bishop in Asti. Another city that we go to once a week. It is where the rest of the
ward lives. well...some of them. And so that day was filled up with appointments and then lots of waiting. Because we don’t want to do any finding work in Asti because we can't really visit Asti more than once
a week. So unless there is someone who is really really really ELECT, we don’t look for new investigators in Asti.
Then Sunday we went and ate at the house of the ward mission leader. He is like 21 and his mom made us the best food I have eaten since I got here to Italy. She made us pasta (of course) and we had meat and
meat and more meat and it was all SOO good. So we will for sure be setting up another appointment to go back there.
Then on Monday we had a Scambio. That is an exchange or splits...I don’t even know in English....anyways I went to Vercelli with Anziano Reynoso (from California) and we did some awesome work we taught 2
awesome lessons and we found this young 14 year old boy who is really excited about the BoM and the Restoration. I’m sad that I won’t be able to teach him and baptize him because he belongs to the Anziani in
Vercelli...but it was amazing anyways! And I learned a very very important lesson while on the Scambio. Anziano Reynoso was stopping EVERYONE to talk to them. And it was different because I was no longer
with my trainer. I was just another missionary and the expectation felt like I should be just as capable as Anziano Reynoso to do anything that we needed to. And as it turns out I was, I didn’t have a trainer anymore...for a day...and I had to pull 50% of everything...it occurred to me that it shouldn’t be any different with Anziano Blaga...So yesterday was probably the best day of my mission so far.
We went to a park and started talking to people and with the confidence I found and the new fresh courage and vigor. We taught 3 lessons in the course of an hour and a half and got 4 numbers and addresses that we are going to go for a second appointment. And Several times yesterday after we finished talking to someone I realized that I was talking in Italian to that person and I wasn't scared or worried about if what I was saying was right or what to say. I was just talking and they talked and I understood at times 100% of what people
where saying and I was fluently speaking in Italian (Very basic and beginner Italian of course, not Shakespeare or anything, but Italian none the less) It was so cool.
Things are going so well right now. Anziano Blaga and I are working hard and he is a great trainer. He is a bit different because he is Romanian and at times there are moments when we don’t understand each other and it takes us like 5 minutes to understand where the other person is coming from or what they are trying to say but then we get it figured out and things are bene... Cultural differences are hard at times but he is a great trainer. He works efficiently and doesn't do things that are unneccessary....yikes didn’t spell that right...anyways he reminds me of dad in that way. He makes things as simple as can be while still getting the job done. No extra fluff and no extra nonsense. I have learned a lot of clever tricks and ideas from him.
I can't believe that it’s almost April this last month has just FLOWN past! It seems like yesterday that I got here. And at the same time it seems like the MTC is a world and half away. Hopefully that means I’m
growing. And I think and hope that I am. I try very hard every day to become the person that this mission SHOULD make me.
Tomorrow we have a training in Milano with all the new missionaries from my group. So I get to see everyone that was in my MTC group and see how they are doing and I’m so excited for that. It will be
interesting to see how each of us has grown and how we are doing. I really miss those guys. You really do make friends for life out here.
And I’m finally starting to feel like a veteran missionary. Even though I’m only halfway through my first transfer. Haha But the training program has the new missionary start to take the responsibility of new
things every week. SO I’m now leading daily and weekly planning and making phone calls and setting up appointments and I teach 50% of everything we teach. And I can finally talk to the members and chat
with them. And I can FINALLY Remember names. It was hard at first to remember names because you have to remember a name you have never heard before. For example if I told you to remember the name john, you could probably do it. But if I told you to remember the name Haquiff... (Really a name of a potential Simp we had) then it’s a bit harder. (Lots of Albainians in Alessandria) or for example Martonello, or Mateo Chitelili or something like that. It’s like trying to remember a made up work...but I’m finally getting used to it and I know now a lot of the members.
The biggest problem I’m finding in missionary work is not that people don’t want to believe in God, or that they don’t think God can help make their lives happier. They just don’t care, its apathy. They believe in
God and Jesus Christ, but they are too lazy to do anything. They honestly believe that the gospel can bring them happiness but they always say that they are fine with the way things are. Nobody cares, nobody wants something more, something that will last. So one thing I have started saying in contacting work when we talk about the Gospel is that it can bring happiness that can last. Happiness that doesn’t come and go like the things of the world. Drinking, smoking, sex, money, partying, all these things bring such a small flick of thrill
to someone’s life. Not happiness, a thrill, a rush, a delusion of happiness. They leave us just as fast as they came. And they leave us wanting more and the more we do them the more we want and the more we
cant satisfy. But the Gospel...oh the Gospel of Jesus Christ, that will never leave us if we choose to hold on. It will never cease to be a source of unending happiness. The happiness we find in the Gospel lasts for Eternity, the Happiness that we find in true happiness that fills us up and lifts us up to a higher plane of living. I want the people to see that.
Anyways, I love them and am so happy to be here serving them. I know that there is SOMEONE In Alessandria that the Lord wants us to find and teach and baptize!!!
Love you all and miss you all SOOOO much.
LOVE,
Anziano Memmott
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Friday, March 23, 2012
Week 3 in Italy
I just love getting his letters and find that every Tuesday night is like Christmas Eve for me as I anxiously await his Wednesday letter. This week was more of a personal letter to individuals. However there are definitely parts I want to share.
I can tell that he thinks in Italian so much that he has a hard thinking of how to say things in English the proper way. I think this is awesome because it shows he is getting immersed in the work.
Also he gave some great advice to anyone who has even thought about sending him a package.
"Okay so a quick thing with
sending me Packages!
They are having a debt crisis here in Italy as you all may know. And I have been told by the office that one of the ways they are fixing this is by charging higher fees on the customs. So the example they gave is this. 2 actually.
1. An elder's dear mother bought him a coat and gloves and some shoes (Notice all things that can be bought here. probably better looking and cheaper too!) and the total was about 300 Dollars. To ship the package was 60 dollars...okay, yikes, but that’s only to ship it....The customs charge for the office was 200 Euros...Euros not dollars I will let you do the conversion. As you can see...WAAAAY better to send money. Oh, and they didn’t pay it either. They called the mom and asked if she
wanted to and she said no and they destroyed the stuff....so Only only only only only send packages on occasions and only only only only only only send stuff that I can't buy here in Italy. Otherwise just put some money on my card. and I can buy it and we save 100s of dollars.
2. This illustrates the customs charge hike. Our name tags. We can order extras and stuff like that for when they break and we lose them and what not. So they cost 3 dollars...the customs charge used to be about 1.5 for each one. ..Yikes already. Now the customs charge is 6 dollars for one nametag that costs 3 dollars.....yeah...Italy is doing everything they can to pay their debt....and we have to suffer...so please keep these things in mind when sending packages
Also! Anziano Blaga told me that the best way to get a package here safely is to put a picture of Mary on it and write Madonna Vi Benedica (Mother Mary Bless you) hopes it works."
So with that being said, If anyone thinks of sending something for birthdays or holidays please contact me and maybe we can combine packages etc. or donate to his fund in some other way.
He did declare his love for everyone and I know he appreciates any support given to him. Please continue your prayers on his behalf.
"Last night I had for the first
time since I’ve gotten here (Yes it took 3 weeks) Gelato! It is SOOOOOOOOOO GOOOOOOD! Also we have eaten at members houses like 6 times this week. They cook really good but once in a while I wish I ate something other than bread, pasta, and pizza. hehe. We ate at a phillipianian's...yeah....family and they gave us food that was close to American and it was very very good. A little taste of home...almost.
We are finding people and hopefully making progress. Hard to tell right now. We have...had...have...had not sure haha ...we have/had 2 investigators with baptismal dates (Timothy & James) but we haven’t been able to contact either of them in like 4 days....so yeah. But Timothy seems frickin golden every time we meet with him. He said he wants to be baptized that he hasn’t yet at all and wants it and he wants to read...but we haven’t heard from him in several days and we worry... but we are pilling up referrals to go visit and hopefully the members will start getting more involved.
We had a Zone Training here in Alessandria on Monday and it was great.
The Mission president came and the APs and we learned a lot and got a lot done."
We are finding people and hopefully making progress. Hard to tell right now. We have...had...have...had not sure haha ...we have/had 2 investigators with baptismal dates (Timothy & James) but we haven’t been able to contact either of them in like 4 days....so yeah. But Timothy seems frickin golden every time we meet with him. He said he wants to be baptized that he hasn’t yet at all and wants it and he wants to read...but we haven’t heard from him in several days and we worry... but we are pilling up referrals to go visit and hopefully the members will start getting more involved.
We had a Zone Training here in Alessandria on Monday and it was great.
The Mission president came and the APs and we learned a lot and got a lot done."
They are having a debt crisis here in Italy as you all may know. And I have been told by the office that one of the ways they are fixing this is by charging higher fees on the customs. So the example they gave is this. 2 actually.
1. An elder's dear mother bought him a coat and gloves and some shoes (Notice all things that can be bought here. probably better looking and cheaper too!) and the total was about 300 Dollars. To ship the package was 60 dollars...okay, yikes, but that’s only to ship it....The customs charge for the office was 200 Euros...Euros not dollars I will let you do the conversion. As you can see...WAAAAY better to send money. Oh, and they didn’t pay it either. They called the mom and asked if she
wanted to and she said no and they destroyed the stuff....so Only only only only only send packages on occasions and only only only only only only send stuff that I can't buy here in Italy. Otherwise just put some money on my card. and I can buy it and we save 100s of dollars.
2. This illustrates the customs charge hike. Our name tags. We can order extras and stuff like that for when they break and we lose them and what not. So they cost 3 dollars...the customs charge used to be about 1.5 for each one. ..Yikes already. Now the customs charge is 6 dollars for one nametag that costs 3 dollars.....yeah...Italy is doing everything they can to pay their debt....and we have to suffer...so please keep these things in mind when sending packages
Also! Anziano Blaga told me that the best way to get a package here safely is to put a picture of Mary on it and write Madonna Vi Benedica (Mother Mary Bless you) hopes it works."
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Getting settled
Famiglia!
3/14/2012
Another week in Italy! My first week was almost like my first week in the MTC, everything was coming so fast I didn't know what was happening and I was just trying to make it to bed each night and try and comprehend what was going on and what to do and all this information that was being thrust at me. BUT now things are slowing down, in terms of new information and new things that I have to adjust to, and I am able to get a grip on this new life. I was able to establish a grocery list and do some shopping. I was able to organize my materials and get settled into the apartment and get the swing of life in that way. Also I am getting used to the slightly different schedule here and all the study schedules and the train rides and all the things we do in every day missionary life. SO, all in all everything is much better than last week and still just as fun. I have yet to forget that I am in Italy and I am always looking around. I think sometimes it marks me as a foreigner the way I am always wide eyed and looking at all the buildings and streets and everything that is so new. It's strange here in a few ways. The things I miss most second to family and other loved ones are:
1. Dryers, we hang dry everything; yes I use a clothesline and a...drying...table...things. They don't have dryers here because they have no way to vent them in these old buildings...so yeah I miss that.
2. Carpet, I miss carpet every time I roll of bed in the morning to say my morning prayer...it’s a cold floor.
3. Knowing what food is. Let me explain. We don't eat anything close to the same meats or cheeses or bread that they eat here in Italy... so I have no idea what kind of meat I am buying for sandwiches and
other stuff... and they have as many cheese here as we have chapels in Utah. I go to the store and I am lost for what to buy to make a simple sandwich...I will learn though. I know last week I told you I eat
nothing but bread...which is still mostly true...although now I have stuff to put on that bread. But still bread for almost every meal. BUT, I am loving it more and more every time I eat it. It is all really good
bread. Nic brings it to us so it might not be like this in future cities but for now he brings us really good bread...when I say bread I don't mean loafs of bread...I mean REAL bread. So I have really good
sandwiches. And I have been taught a few things about cooking pasta and such...hopefully I will learn more and bring that knowledge home with me. Ha-ha
Anyways, things with Anziano Blaga are going better and better. We kind of turned a corner this week, because I am new and don’t know what is going on or how to react to anything the first week was strained but once I got a grip and relaxed I opened up a bit and we laughed and joked more openly and now we are becoming friends. He is also a really good teacher...well in that he really forces me to grow which is a good thing. He doesn't coddle me in any way. It's the old “sink or swim” which is good because I’m...floating at this point ha-ha. But I am learning a lot.
For example:
We were doing some casa yesterday and a very nice older lady opened her door and I said that we are from the church of Jesus Christ and we bring a message of Jesus Christ, Do you believe in Jesus Christ." And she responded and I looked at Anziano Blaga because while I understood what she said I was thrown off because I didn't know what to say next. But he just looked at me with a face that said... "Say
something, what are you waiting for?" And so I just said what came to my mind and before I knew it was having a conversation about religion with a living breathing Italianite. (That’s what Anziano Blaga calls them sometimes) Anyways it was really a cool moment for me to have a conversation where was just talking and I didn't have to think about what I was saying and what she was saying.
Also when I think back to conversations that we have had with people I don’t remember that they were talking in Italian. I only remember what they said in English and it seems like we have the conversation
in English.
We are doing a lot of finding work and trying hard to get new investigators. We met a Nigerian man named Timothy and we taught him the first lesson. Funny enough the first time I taught the first lesson in Italy...It was in English...ha-haa but it was really amazing and really really powerful, when I recited the first vision (which I had to translate from Italian BACK to English in my head while I did it) the spirit was So powerful, maybe one of the most spiritually strong presences I have ever felt. But it was amazing and we are finding a few more people and the work is progressing slowly but surely I hope.
Anyways time is running short so ill give you best news I think I have for you...well for me too.
Anziano Blaga has let me in on the secret that you can send mail directly to me in Alessandria. All we have to do is make sure that we don't have letters sent 2 weeks before the transfer ends...which is in another like 3 months. (Well its 2 transfers but I will be with my trainer for 2 at minimum in Alessandria.) So!! You can write me and send stuff straight here!
Here it is.
Anziano Dustin Memmott
Via Piacenza 66
Alessandria, 15121 (AL)
Italia
There you go! Feel free to write me to that address and I will get it much much much much faster! Ha-ha I will let you know when to stop sending to that address
Oh and send me a little photo album of me and the family and just a lot of random pictures of my life. The members always want to see and Anziano Blaga has a little album. The dimensions of a picture...and he carries it to all the members houses when we have lunch... they love it. So fill it with pictures of me and the family and when I was a kid and all that stuff and send it in the next package. Oh and send all
packages to the office. That is probably better and safer with the packages...
Love you all and can't wait to hear from you next week and everything. I will try and write a few personal letters next week.
Love you all so much and hope that all goes well at home. I am praying for you every night!
Vi Volgio Benissimo!|
Love,
Anziano Memmott
He seems better this week and more upbeat. He is getting settled and learning the ways of missionary life. What a blessing he is to us. Thank you all for the continued prayers and support.
Another week in Italy! My first week was almost like my first week in the MTC, everything was coming so fast I didn't know what was happening and I was just trying to make it to bed each night and try and comprehend what was going on and what to do and all this information that was being thrust at me. BUT now things are slowing down, in terms of new information and new things that I have to adjust to, and I am able to get a grip on this new life. I was able to establish a grocery list and do some shopping. I was able to organize my materials and get settled into the apartment and get the swing of life in that way. Also I am getting used to the slightly different schedule here and all the study schedules and the train rides and all the things we do in every day missionary life. SO, all in all everything is much better than last week and still just as fun. I have yet to forget that I am in Italy and I am always looking around. I think sometimes it marks me as a foreigner the way I am always wide eyed and looking at all the buildings and streets and everything that is so new. It's strange here in a few ways. The things I miss most second to family and other loved ones are:
1. Dryers, we hang dry everything; yes I use a clothesline and a...drying...table...things. They don't have dryers here because they have no way to vent them in these old buildings...so yeah I miss that.
2. Carpet, I miss carpet every time I roll of bed in the morning to say my morning prayer...it’s a cold floor.
3. Knowing what food is. Let me explain. We don't eat anything close to the same meats or cheeses or bread that they eat here in Italy... so I have no idea what kind of meat I am buying for sandwiches and
other stuff... and they have as many cheese here as we have chapels in Utah. I go to the store and I am lost for what to buy to make a simple sandwich...I will learn though. I know last week I told you I eat
nothing but bread...which is still mostly true...although now I have stuff to put on that bread. But still bread for almost every meal. BUT, I am loving it more and more every time I eat it. It is all really good
bread. Nic brings it to us so it might not be like this in future cities but for now he brings us really good bread...when I say bread I don't mean loafs of bread...I mean REAL bread. So I have really good
sandwiches. And I have been taught a few things about cooking pasta and such...hopefully I will learn more and bring that knowledge home with me. Ha-ha
Anyways, things with Anziano Blaga are going better and better. We kind of turned a corner this week, because I am new and don’t know what is going on or how to react to anything the first week was strained but once I got a grip and relaxed I opened up a bit and we laughed and joked more openly and now we are becoming friends. He is also a really good teacher...well in that he really forces me to grow which is a good thing. He doesn't coddle me in any way. It's the old “sink or swim” which is good because I’m...floating at this point ha-ha. But I am learning a lot.
For example:
We were doing some casa yesterday and a very nice older lady opened her door and I said that we are from the church of Jesus Christ and we bring a message of Jesus Christ, Do you believe in Jesus Christ." And she responded and I looked at Anziano Blaga because while I understood what she said I was thrown off because I didn't know what to say next. But he just looked at me with a face that said... "Say
something, what are you waiting for?" And so I just said what came to my mind and before I knew it was having a conversation about religion with a living breathing Italianite. (That’s what Anziano Blaga calls them sometimes) Anyways it was really a cool moment for me to have a conversation where was just talking and I didn't have to think about what I was saying and what she was saying.
Also when I think back to conversations that we have had with people I don’t remember that they were talking in Italian. I only remember what they said in English and it seems like we have the conversation
in English.
We are doing a lot of finding work and trying hard to get new investigators. We met a Nigerian man named Timothy and we taught him the first lesson. Funny enough the first time I taught the first lesson in Italy...It was in English...ha-haa but it was really amazing and really really powerful, when I recited the first vision (which I had to translate from Italian BACK to English in my head while I did it) the spirit was So powerful, maybe one of the most spiritually strong presences I have ever felt. But it was amazing and we are finding a few more people and the work is progressing slowly but surely I hope.
Anyways time is running short so ill give you best news I think I have for you...well for me too.
Anziano Blaga has let me in on the secret that you can send mail directly to me in Alessandria. All we have to do is make sure that we don't have letters sent 2 weeks before the transfer ends...which is in another like 3 months. (Well its 2 transfers but I will be with my trainer for 2 at minimum in Alessandria.) So!! You can write me and send stuff straight here!
Here it is.
Anziano Dustin Memmott
Via Piacenza 66
Alessandria, 15121 (AL)
Italia
There you go! Feel free to write me to that address and I will get it much much much much faster! Ha-ha I will let you know when to stop sending to that address
Oh and send me a little photo album of me and the family and just a lot of random pictures of my life. The members always want to see and Anziano Blaga has a little album. The dimensions of a picture...and he carries it to all the members houses when we have lunch... they love it. So fill it with pictures of me and the family and when I was a kid and all that stuff and send it in the next package. Oh and send all
packages to the office. That is probably better and safer with the packages...
Love you all and can't wait to hear from you next week and everything. I will try and write a few personal letters next week.
Love you all so much and hope that all goes well at home. I am praying for you every night!
Vi Volgio Benissimo!|
Love,
Anziano Memmott
He seems better this week and more upbeat. He is getting settled and learning the ways of missionary life. What a blessing he is to us. Thank you all for the continued prayers and support.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
From Italy
I recieved a phone call from President Wolfgramm last week telling me that Dustin had made it to Italy safe and sound. Then today I recieved the following e-mail from Dustin.
Hello family and everyone! 3/7/2012
Well here I am in Italy! It is pretty darn crazy here; more has
happened here than the entire 2 months I was in the MTC! (Well, more
to write about that is!)
I only have about 35 minutes left to e-mail, this first time I had to
do a lot of stuff to get set-up and to do some other technical things
the mission office wanted me to do the first time I used e-mail. So
now that that is all done I will hurry and write what I can!
Okay, so here we go. There is no way I’m going to be able to tell you
everything so I will just do what I can! Whatever comes to my mind
first here we go.
Okay so when we got here on Wednesday we had a good time, they gave us
some pizza for lunch after the AP's and pres picked us up from the
airport in Milan! We went back to the office and had pizza and a
little orientation on our debit cards they gave us for our monthly
allowance and other technical things. Then we all had a little
interview with the pres and he just asked us about our goals for the
mission and asked him to tell us about our families and so on and so
on. Then we went with the AP's to the Duomo di Milano and it was
absolutely crazy!!! I have a picture that I will be sending you in
about a week I will send pictures anyways!!! I was with Anziano
Collins and he and I went and tried talking to this really old Italian
man and he just talked for like 15 minutes and then we said goodbye
because he had to go and we tried one or two others then one of the
assistants came and helped us and we got an address and a follow up
appointment from this one lady we talked to. Then we hurried and went
through the duomo and then went back to the president’s house for
dinner and it was the single most amazing lasagna and salad and fruit
and bread I have ever eaten in my life. Sorella Wolfgramm cooks good
Italian food! Anyways!
Then we went to a hotel and the next morning we drove to a chapel that
had all our stuff and we met all the trainers and then we did a type
of sorting hat thing to announce who would go were with who. The
trainers didn't know who they would be training yet either. And...
I was paired up with Anziano Blaga, he is from Romania and he is
really awesome! He is a boss at teaching and contacting and there is
a lot I will have to learn from him before my time is up. I think that
is the secret, to absorb all of the good ideas and positive attributes
of every companion you have that way you steal the best of people and
make it a part of you!! ha-ha anyways!
Then we went off to our cities!
Here I am in Alessandria!!! (Alexandria in English)
The city is beautiful. Every one of the streets is just lined with
super old super Italian looking buildings I will hopefully take a good
picture or two to send to you! It's fairly big and I can't wait to go
and make my way around and see what is to be seen!
We ride trains everywhere!!! It has been 7 days since I’ve been in
Italia and I have 8 Train tickets to send for reimbursement already!!
ha-ha it's crazy! We spend a lot of time riding trains or busses or our
bikes he-he. I will send you a picture of my bike it is this old old old
looking bike and it's kind of ridiculous! anyways!
I’m running out of time and Anz Blaga is waiting but I still have 10
minutes so here we go!
Nick...I have to tell you about Nick and then I can explain my eating
situation ha-ha.
So Nick was baptized a member of the church in 2000 but since then he
developed a degenerative brain disease so he is about a 40 year old
man with the mentality of a 14 year old...well maybe a bit older, but
he is the missionaries friend...he thinks he is a missionary! He is
so funny. He comes to all the transfers and meets all the missionaries!
Anyways he lives in Alessandria so he is always with us. Anyways he
knows EVERY members address and he knows EVERY bus schedule and he is a
very...heavy man so the city gave him a pass to ride the bus for free.
I guess if you are overweight enough they let you ride the busses and
trains free so you can get around...anyways...he comes with us
everywhere and talks to me all the time. AND he brings us Bread...it
is some type of Italian bread...i think it is spelled fulcacha and it
is REALLY good...well like 80 percent of it...there are different
types. Anyways for the first few days I didn’t have anything to eat
except this fulcacha and jam and some little little things I bought
the first day... I have been living on bread...nothing but
bread...literally...I eat bread and bread and jam and bread, BUT today
we went shopping and now I have stuff for food....well sandwiches but
yeah.... it’s better than just bread. And I bought some yogurt and
fruit and some other little things as well. Anyways things are going
well...
Time is running out and my comp is waiting. I know I didn't get to
everything but I will just quickly say that everything here in Italy
is beautiful, the streets and the houses and the buildings are amazing
and everyone is so nice. I know I didn’t get to talk about it but the
work is very good here. Anziano Blaga has been sick for the last 4
days so I have been in study lockdown in our apartment so I have only
gone out and done tracting for like 3 hours since I have been here and
we have taught like 6 lessons but it was good. Also dinner at a members house
which was way too much food but I had to eat it anyways! I love being
here and I know that as soon as Anz. Blaga feels better and we find
some people to teach I will love myself in the work so fast.
I love you all and miss you all! Please write me emails!! Your letters
won’t get to me for 6 weeks at a time. I get mail from the mission
office when we have a transfer!! so please please send me emails.
Love you so much.
Well here I am in Italy! It is pretty darn crazy here; more has
happened here than the entire 2 months I was in the MTC! (Well, more
to write about that is!)
I only have about 35 minutes left to e-mail, this first time I had to
do a lot of stuff to get set-up and to do some other technical things
the mission office wanted me to do the first time I used e-mail. So
now that that is all done I will hurry and write what I can!
Okay, so here we go. There is no way I’m going to be able to tell you
everything so I will just do what I can! Whatever comes to my mind
first here we go.
Okay so when we got here on Wednesday we had a good time, they gave us
some pizza for lunch after the AP's and pres picked us up from the
airport in Milan! We went back to the office and had pizza and a
little orientation on our debit cards they gave us for our monthly
allowance and other technical things. Then we all had a little
interview with the pres and he just asked us about our goals for the
mission and asked him to tell us about our families and so on and so
on. Then we went with the AP's to the Duomo di Milano and it was
absolutely crazy!!! I have a picture that I will be sending you in
about a week I will send pictures anyways!!! I was with Anziano
Collins and he and I went and tried talking to this really old Italian
man and he just talked for like 15 minutes and then we said goodbye
because he had to go and we tried one or two others then one of the
assistants came and helped us and we got an address and a follow up
appointment from this one lady we talked to. Then we hurried and went
through the duomo and then went back to the president’s house for
dinner and it was the single most amazing lasagna and salad and fruit
and bread I have ever eaten in my life. Sorella Wolfgramm cooks good
Italian food! Anyways!
Then we went to a hotel and the next morning we drove to a chapel that
had all our stuff and we met all the trainers and then we did a type
of sorting hat thing to announce who would go were with who. The
trainers didn't know who they would be training yet either. And...
I was paired up with Anziano Blaga, he is from Romania and he is
really awesome! He is a boss at teaching and contacting and there is
a lot I will have to learn from him before my time is up. I think that
is the secret, to absorb all of the good ideas and positive attributes
of every companion you have that way you steal the best of people and
make it a part of you!! ha-ha anyways!
Then we went off to our cities!
Here I am in Alessandria!!! (Alexandria in English)
The city is beautiful. Every one of the streets is just lined with
super old super Italian looking buildings I will hopefully take a good
picture or two to send to you! It's fairly big and I can't wait to go
and make my way around and see what is to be seen!
We ride trains everywhere!!! It has been 7 days since I’ve been in
Italia and I have 8 Train tickets to send for reimbursement already!!
ha-ha it's crazy! We spend a lot of time riding trains or busses or our
bikes he-he. I will send you a picture of my bike it is this old old old
looking bike and it's kind of ridiculous! anyways!
I’m running out of time and Anz Blaga is waiting but I still have 10
minutes so here we go!
Nick...I have to tell you about Nick and then I can explain my eating
situation ha-ha.
So Nick was baptized a member of the church in 2000 but since then he
developed a degenerative brain disease so he is about a 40 year old
man with the mentality of a 14 year old...well maybe a bit older, but
he is the missionaries friend...he thinks he is a missionary! He is
so funny. He comes to all the transfers and meets all the missionaries!
Anyways he lives in Alessandria so he is always with us. Anyways he
knows EVERY members address and he knows EVERY bus schedule and he is a
very...heavy man so the city gave him a pass to ride the bus for free.
I guess if you are overweight enough they let you ride the busses and
trains free so you can get around...anyways...he comes with us
everywhere and talks to me all the time. AND he brings us Bread...it
is some type of Italian bread...i think it is spelled fulcacha and it
is REALLY good...well like 80 percent of it...there are different
types. Anyways for the first few days I didn’t have anything to eat
except this fulcacha and jam and some little little things I bought
the first day... I have been living on bread...nothing but
bread...literally...I eat bread and bread and jam and bread, BUT today
we went shopping and now I have stuff for food....well sandwiches but
yeah.... it’s better than just bread. And I bought some yogurt and
fruit and some other little things as well. Anyways things are going
well...
Time is running out and my comp is waiting. I know I didn't get to
everything but I will just quickly say that everything here in Italy
is beautiful, the streets and the houses and the buildings are amazing
and everyone is so nice. I know I didn’t get to talk about it but the
work is very good here. Anziano Blaga has been sick for the last 4
days so I have been in study lockdown in our apartment so I have only
gone out and done tracting for like 3 hours since I have been here and
we have taught like 6 lessons but it was good. Also dinner at a members house
which was way too much food but I had to eat it anyways! I love being
here and I know that as soon as Anz. Blaga feels better and we find
some people to teach I will love myself in the work so fast.
I love you all and miss you all! Please write me emails!! Your letters
won’t get to me for 6 weeks at a time. I get mail from the mission
office when we have a transfer!! so please please send me emails.
Love you so much.
Miss you all and I love you so much! Ask me
specific questions so that
I can remember them next week and stuff I will try and answer! Love
you so much. Loving it here in Italy and loving the work!
Ci Sentiamo il prossimo setimana!
Love
Anziano Memmott
As you can see, he is adapting well. I will post each week as I hear from him and when I get pictures I will be sure to post them also.
I can remember them next week and stuff I will try and answer! Love
you so much. Loving it here in Italy and loving the work!
Ci Sentiamo il prossimo setimana!
Love
Anziano Memmott
As you can see, he is adapting well. I will post each week as I hear from him and when I get pictures I will be sure to post them also.
Keep him in your prayers, and thank you all so much for following along in his progress and for the prayers and support you give to him.
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