01 May 13

So this is going to be a funny letter. At least I think that its funny. Lots of stories to catch up on.

This was a really rough week for us numbers wise. We had three total lessons, lots of traveling, and lots of people cancelling. I did a scambio in Busto this past Friday/Saturday. They use bikes there, so that was exciting. Dad you didnt want me to ride a road bike in Utah because it was dangerous. If you could see me now haha. No the traffic didnt bother me. The breaks on the bike didnt work very well though. The front brakes didnt work at all, and the back ones didnt do anything until it clamped on the wheel and didnt let it spin at all. PRetty crazy, but im alive so thats good.

So remember that conference I got to go to with Stephen B Allen or Henry B Allen? Another two elders stayed with us the nigh before cause they travelled far. ONe was from Romania, and he has a hilarious story. His bike got stollen one day, so he decided to go look for it. He took his companions bike and they split up (which is a no no). He was riding and saw some guy riding his bike. So he chased him down, ran into him, punched him in the face and kicked him in the croch. Then took his bike back. Hearing him tell that story in his Russian sounding accent is the funniest thing. 

Yesterday, we were going to our bishops house (awsesome guy, ill tell you more in a second) and we see some guys running to a train. One of the guys hamstring cramped up and he hobbled his way to the train. I thought of Dad when he tore his hammy at the Turkey Bowl. I felt bad for him, but I also thought it was really funny. I guess I have some work to do with the Christ Like Attribute of compassion haha.

So with transfer day, you find out on Monday where youre going. Im staying here in Lampugnano and so is Anziano Davis. My guess is that he will leave after this coming transfer and ill stay and train. So I could be here for awhile. There are tons of new missionaries coming in, especially sisters. So three sisters from my group have to train. Two already speak Italian, but one doesnt. I am SO glad im not her. Im probably using the wrong "train" but oh well. Is there another one?

So today we helped take the new missionaries to the Duomo to do strada contacting. I was put with a new guy whos MTC comp went to Rome. Aka I was flying solo. But I was able to talk to a lady for twenty minutes on the street and explain that we werent Catholic, Protestant, or Amish. We get asked if were Amish a lot here. But it was a big confidence booster for me to be able to do that. It was cool for me to see the new guys and see how far ive come. So hopefully ill continue to get better. I felt like a hypocrite though telling the new guys not to worry about the language haha. Oh, one of the new guys who came in played volleyball for Olympus, and played a little with Elite also. I didnt know he was coming to Italy, so its cool to have a friend from home.

Last night two new missionaries from Spain MTC stayed with us. They both know Rachel and says shes awesome. They both speak Italian, English, and Spanish. So we did a scombio with them so I was senior companion for a day. We got a solid contact and phone number that I think will be really good, so hopefully that works out. Both of them are super cool though.

We have a mosquito zapper in our apartment. It looks like a tennis racket, but when you push a button the wires get electric and you zap bugs. We have ants everywhere so weve been having a hay day killing all of them with it. But one of the new Elders picked it up and said "is this like a toaster thing?" So we said yes and he walked around with a piece of bread on it for ten minutes until he figured it out. Still working on my Christ like attributes.

So I talked about how we ate with Bishop right? It reminded me of a story from my first Sunday I forgot to tell. On that sunday, bishop came up to me and said "Ciao, sono Vescovo Reterolli" (I am Bishop Reterolli). And since I didnt understand, Anziano Davis said "He said hes Vescovo Reterolli." Only problem is our Bishop cant say his "Rs" so he thought Anziano Davis was correcting him. So he said "Yeah, I have a little problem" haha. Poor guy. 

What else happened this week? Oh yeah. The sisters in our ward had a baptism and Elias (the investigator) picked me to baptize him! So I had my first baptism on Saturday! It was super cool. It was hard with his name cause hes from Ecuador and has like four of them, but still cool! It was right after my scambio so I didnt have my camera, but ill ask the sisters to send me them or something. So dont worry. 

Its been a rough week though investigator wise. We made contact with these two named Roberto and Silvia, who REALLY believe in the bible. There lesson lasted for two hours (which is super not good, should only be 45 min. tops) arguing about baptism and if its required or not. That was a hard lesson because they talk really fast and I dont have the vocabulary yet to contribute.

Giovannah, or Juana, we havent seen in two weeks. She ran off with her ragazzo to the Mountains, but we should see her Friday. The kid Matteo stopped talking to us, so thats a bummer. We do have a good investigator with a guy named Anrea. He is dating our ward mission leaders daughter. Hes super cool and keeping commitments, but hasnt recieved an answer yet. But its still good. We meet with him every Monday night and have FHE with the Lauriola Family. They always have sea food. This past monday, there was pasta with baby squids in it. THere was one that was two inches long, and I just looked at it and thought "at least im not eating cow brain or something" and ate it. Still have finished everything given to me Mom. 

One more story about food. Yesterday with the new guys we ate at a Kebab place. I got a Kebab PIzza. Kebab is some sort of meat (dont know what kind, dont want to know) and I ate all of it but like 1/6. Anziano Lopez looked at me and said "Anziano. Per i bambini in Africa" and I finished it. I wanted to die after but i finished it.

Nothing new other than that! This has been a crazy crazy week, but its been good. Hopefully the work picks up. Our zone vision this past transfer was counting how many rejections we got every day. Ill have the total next email, but we should have over 2000. The glamerous life of a missionary!

I love you all, and thanks for the updates. Hopefully Ill get Kates letter soon, but it might be awhile. Hopefully ill be able to speak Italian by then haha. Im glad Ziggy got drafted high. Kate do super good in your choir performance! And crazy that school is almost out again. Time is flying by! It feels like I havent been gone very long, but in one more period of time from now since I left home, ill be a quarter done. Hopefully that made sense haha. Anyways I love you!

Anziano Christian Fife McKinnon