January 13, 2020

It's officially been six months and time has flown by. It's also strange because I've been in my first city for my entire mission haha.

I'm learning stattarúle, the dialect in Statte, from a guy in my English course. It's basically a ten minute class after English course. It's crazy because the dialect comes from Italian but sounds nothing like it. The grammar is kind of the same but also the grammar also doesn't exist in dialect technically. It's very weird. I've only learned simple phrases like bè wagnù! Shamene ca ije tarde. Which you can't pronounce just by reading it, and it's nothing like Italian . It translates basically to alright boys! Let's go because it's getting late. Things like this just keep the language interesting so it's not awful to study every single day. And yes learning a dialect does help with my real Italian.

I'm still learning guitar and stuff so that's cool too. I had exchanges in Bari so I got to serve there for another day. They have an African investigator who knows the doctrine and covenants better than I do I swear. He's literally the definition of elect. 

In Statte the work is currently focused on less active members and their families. It's pretty awesome being able to create these strong bonds with people who speak another language haha.

But yeah not too much going on. Just out here grindin'. Vi voglio bene e ci sentiamo fra poco! 

January 6, 2020

New Years is awesome in Italy. We were on top of the highest building in Taranto and saw the whole city exploding with fireworks. I also bought a new leather jacket because Saldi started the 6th (today). The language is soo much easier now. Now I can tell people in stores that I speak Italian when they try to speak English to me haha. And we can have normal conversations without the whole, what? I don't understand you. Like you just said you speak the language bud like come on. So yeah that's cool. I don't know if I said this but i'm learning guitar. By the end of two years I might be half decent. And I eat a lot here. Like a lot. I'm starting to take working out more seriously. I did 300 pushups last night. Not all at once but in like 25 at a time. I really don't want to let myself get fat out here haha. 

This is my blackout year? Apparently that's the year that you actually serve the entire year. So that's cool too. Time flies yet I feel like I've always lived here. Maybe because I've spent the entirety of my mission in one city. There's really not much to say because it's hard to remember every little thing from the week haha. For those who still know I'm alive, I'm doing great!! haha.

Ciao tutti! Vi voglio bene.

December 30, 2019

So Christmas was 5 days ago and places are still playing Christmas music. Is that the same back home? Also it's actually pretty cold now. Like 7 degrees Celsius but the wind is like ice. So yeah I'm waiting for saldi to get a nice jacket.

I'm learning guitar finally so my fingertips are badly calloused.

Domenico came to church and loved it so I just hope he'll want to go when I'm gone. He didn't even go to my ward so that's a good sign. We do have other potentials to teach right now but nothing too solid because of the holidays.

But yeah nothing much else to say. We had an old guy (91) come up to us in the store today. Since I can understand people better i could tell he was swearing like a sailor and telling us what old age does to your body. Some old people here can be pretty vulgar.

On that note! Personal revelation is super important everyone. Seriously, if you can't say you know how to pray and receive guidance from the Lord you should consider devoting some time to figure out how you personally receive revelation. Everyone is different but the need for it is consistent. Buona giornata tutti! Vi voglio bene.

December 25th, 2019

Merry Christmas!! Buon natale! Auguri!

Thank you everyone for all of the love and support. This email will be short but the message is important. Family is the greatest part of the Hollidays but they should be the center of everything year round. 

So hug your loved ones and sing a Christmas song for crying out loud! Haha

December 16, 2019

So I finally changed my phone to Italian and can actually get around on it. That's a big win for me haha.

We made a lasagna and to combat the pasta sheets sticking together we tied strings all around the kitchen. I said "Italian Christmases be like..." I'm also sure that that joke is very old now haha. 

Italians go crazy for nativities and construct their own as big and complicated as possible. I sent a picture of one at a member's house.

Our investigator Domenico bought me a guitar for Christmas after I asked to borrow one for a talent show. So I have a guitar now and am teaching myself how to play again haha. We went fishing today for pday and I caught a little fish and played a lot of guitar by the ocean which was really nice.

So yeah.... I'm staying in Statte for at least the next 7 weeks so I'll gave Christmas and new years here. It also means I still get to play guitar at the ward Talent show. I hope nobody knows how to play so I look decent. But yeah. Life as usual and the language is always better. Thank you to everyone who reads these! Vi voglio bene! Ci sentiamo! 

December 9, 2019

Life out here is feeling pretty normal now. Like it's just life and I go to work every day and have Mondays off. But only most of Monday lol. Life back home is like a distant memory at this point. Missions are weird man haha.

We're currently heading to Bari to play soccer with the whole Puglia zone. Before we play tho we're gonna check stores for any saldi sales that have started. 

We had a delayed Thanksgiving party and like 50 people came. We cooked so much food for this thing.

I'm trying to keep working out but it's honestly hard haha. I'll just grind right before I come home. 

So basically after 4 months I can finally talk to and understand everyone most of the time. I'm trying to become actually fluent like I don't have to think much while I talk. It's crazy to see how the gift of tongues works because I've met people who've lived here for like 8 years and barely understand SOME of what people say. Others get nothing and can only say ciao and grazie. I know that I wasn't any good in Spanish class either so this is honestly insane.

So even if I leave before Christmas I'll be able to go the the ward Christmas parties so that's cool. I think I miss the special Sunday though. 

Anyways that's it for now. Vi voglio bene! Ciao! 

December 2, 2019

So president sent out an email saying that we should expect to be in an area for like 6-8 months with one companion. If that's true I might be here to the end of January haha.

On another note. Thanksgiving was kinda not a thing, but the next day us and the other Anziani did our own. I'll get the pictures out as soon as possible. This Friday we're doing a big party for Thanksgiving with anyone we can invite. I'm hoping it goes well haha, italians will hear about an American holiday party and get pretty excited. Apparently they teach kids in school about Thanksgiving lol. 

I had a pesto lasagna yesterday and it was amazing Haha. I might have to ask Domenico's wife to teach me how to cook lol. 

I realize these emails aren't actually very exciting lol so I guess I need to add something more exciting. A guy we had an appointment with had a pellet gun thing and went outside and shot a bird . And no I'm not sure how legal that is here but I'm just a missionary. I thought olive trees were rare and that's why they're expensive. There's more olive trees here than any other type of tree. Like orchards on orchards of them. I guess it's because it takes forever for them to grow. Yeah that's definitely it. 

I love seeing the progression of my language skills of Italian and English meeting in the middle. Mi sono spiegato?

I think I'll speak itanglish because some Italian words are just better. Eventually people will just understand what I'm saying. 

I'm gonna raise my kids to speak Italian so they'll understand me. 

Ciao tutti! Vi voglio bene!