Anziano Droghei (Christian's ZL) & Anziano McKinnon

10 Jul 13

Dear Family,

This week was different. We had really good numbers but it was really really rough. We taught 18 lessons last week, and set a baptism date, but things are kinda falling apart. Its really sad.

Our bap date for 3 Aug. sent us a text on Saturday and said his fiance wont let him get baptized, and we havent heard from him since.

We set a bap date with a guy from the middle east, but he just got a job and works every day from 10 to 10, so thats going to be really tough.

We tried to set a bap date with the guy who really needs the gospel, but he (like all other Italians) is going out of town for the entire month of August, and doesnt know when hes getting back. So were working with him.

The saddest thing for me, we had to drop this investigator who ive been working with for three months. Hes really old and catholic, and isnt really progressing. So we had to drop him yesterday, and I was so sad. So we are kind of starting from scratch again this week, so hopefully we can find some cool people!

I met some Phillipine Os named Val, George, and Tina. They know Dave Fife really well, so tell him that they say hello! They gave us lunch, and I think ive officially eaten as much Phillipino food as I have Italian food from members.

So they made a new rule for missionaries, we arent supposed to wear backpacks anymore. So I have to buy a "Satchel." I think thats what people who wear them call them, but in realitly, I have to buy a purse. So thatll be exciting, dont make fun of me.

Its saldi! So everything is on sale. Twice a year, everything is like 50%+ off, after summer and winter. So while I may have to buy a purse, itll be cheap.

I also need a new watch. Ive been wearing my only one literally for 5 months strait, and it is starting to smell bad. So I guess im accesorizing this week for P Day. Again, at least its Saldi.

We had a special zone training meeting this past monday with President Dibb. Hes really awesome, im excited to get to know him. Its going to be an exciting time. The mission is going to grow from 165 (from a year ago?) to around 250. He did interviews with us, and he told me that its going to be an exciting time in the mission, where everyone is going to be young. I think transfers will be exciting in two weeks.

The neet freak thing is working Mom! So thatll be good when im home. And im really excited for Jeff to!

Not a big letter this week, not really anything that exciting. It was rough, but im still workin hard! I love you all!

Anziano Christian Fife McKinnon

PS only one photo this week. Its of me and Anziano Droghei, my zone leader. Hes going home after this transfer.

03 Jul 13

Dylan wrote me while I was in the MTC and told me where he served. He said there is a Sister McKinnon is Genova, and I am happy to report she is alive and well. I didnt meet her, but one of the missionaries from Genova told me about her. So thats good news!

 

If anyone reading this ever goes to a lesson with the missionaries, I have a few rules. 1 Let the missionaries teach. 2 Dont teach false doctrine. (maybe dont put this first line of the paragraph in the blog) Me and Anziano Miller did a scambi, where I took one member and he took another to different lessons. I took an older Italian who loves missionary work. I love the effort, but it kinda went... not picture perfect. It was on the day of the martydom of Joseph Smith and this investigator is starting to look like an eternal investigator. Hes 71 years old, and said he believes everything we teach him is true, hes just scared to switch religions at the end of his life. hes also got lots of health problems. So were kinda preparing him so he can make the right decision after this life. Anyways I wanted to read DC 135 with him, and bear my testimony and talk about what he was reading in the Book of Mormon. Short sweet and simple. We were there for an hour and a half, and ended up explaining the pioneers expedition. Different version from what ive heard though. Hes the version that ended up being taught: George Washington (yes, good old George) sent the US army to kill the Mormons, they high tailed it to Utah, and when the armies got there the Mormons sent all their kids, dressed in white, to plead with the soldiers. The soldiers decided that the Mormons are the nicest people in the world and told George that they couldnt kill them. Then the eagles came and ate the crickets. I really am grateful that our member was willing to come with us, and really love his desire to share the gospel. I should have done a better job explaining what the lesson plan was, but thats why we can become better, right?

 

So heres what im learning from Anziano Miller. Hes really teaching me how this mission can help me out as well. Hes teaching me that this isnt just service to the Lord, but I can improve on things that arent necessary for my salvation. For one, hes teaching me how to cook. I told you Anziano Davis taught me how to cook, but Anziano Miller is teaching me how to COOK. Hes also teaching me how to clean. Or atleast hes helping me have a desire to be clean. So were turning me into a "neat freak." I told him that I want this to be my goal, and hes helping me. Ive done a pretty good job making my bed on my mission, but now im doing it military style. And my desk was maybe a little cluttered, but now its SPOTLESS. So im really trying to get into that habit. This ones for you Mom! Hes also teaching me, if I want to do something, go get it. I told when he first got here "Anziano, I want to teach 15 lessons." And he said "Ok, were going to work our tails off, and were going to get 15 lessons no matter what." And it worked! So im learning alot of stuff like that. Plus the whole excercies thing. So hopefully ill not only have grown spiritually in my mission, but other aspects as well!

 

I met President Dibb! Hes an awesome man, im really excited to get to know him over these next few years. I only really shook his hand, then we had to go, so ill have more info next week after interviews.

 

Exciting story that I cant really put on the internet at all. Ill tell you when I get home. Everythings fine and everything, this is just a reminder for myself when I get home. Sorry for the cliff hanger.

 

Dad, remember how we joked about how we should have lived in a tiny town and Utah, so I could be the star of a 1A High School? We should have moved to Italy so I could play basketball. Vernal could do some serious damage over here. "Basket" isnt really their thing here.

 

2 or 3 months ago, Anziano Davis and I met a guy in the park. We gave him a book of mormon a few days later, but he was sick so we couldnt teach him. We finally got an appointment with him yesterday, and he told us he doesnt feel worthy to come to church or anything. Im really excited to work with him, cause this isnt just a guy who is interested to hear what we have to say. This is a guy who NEEDS the gospel and the Atonement. Im seriously excited about him.

 

We have a baptismal date! And I legit one to! The only problem: His baptismal date is August 3rd, the first Saturday of next transfer. Considering ive been in Milano for 4.5 months after this transfer, im probably gonzo. Oh well, im still excited!

 

Speaking of time, its crazy how it flies! After this transfer, ill have been gone for 6 months. THATS INSANE. I remember like it was only yesterday when I couldnt speak Italian and stuff... actually that really was yesterday. No but im getting Italian. I dont worry about it any more. Im working on the harder tenses now, and really trying to master the easier stuff. I dont really know where to start now, because ive got the basic necessary stuff now. So ive been randomly opening 501 and learning those verbs. Like "to plunge" and "to meow." yeah, Italian has a verb "to meow." 

Thats really it for here. Mosquitos are EVERYWHERE. Seriously everywhere. They are attracted to my ankles. I dont know how they do it, but they bite me through my socks. Not cool.

 

Oh, one cool thing. Next week, a thing called "Saldi" is happening. Its like the clearance sale, where everything is 50% off. Im being good and not going to by anything, unless its something super cool. I cant make any promises for next year, but itll be cool to be in Milan Italy during this sale.

 

I love you all! I like Amandas new hair alot, she looks older now. Now people might thing shes my older sister. Oh wait, that already happens. Keep CTRing and reading the scriptures! Ill race you to the end of the Bible, deal? Youve got a head start cause im still pretty early in the Old Testament. Just finished Deuteronomy. Heres my comentary: The Old Testament isnt very fun to read. The end.

 

Love you!

 

Anziano Christian Fife McKinnon!

 

26 Jun 13

Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2013 13:18:59 +0200 Subject: Hello! Hello family!   Thats really sad about Becky. She is an awesome girl, and ill be praying for their family for sure. It makes me think of how important it is that we have the knowledge of the Plan of Salvation.   As usual, my letter is going to be kind of random, but here goes:   Mom, can you do some detective work and get me Janessas email? I didnt do a good job of getting peoples contact information before I left. Thanks!   Italians are funny. They write their grafitti in English. Grafitti is EVERYWHERE here, because my area is the not as nice part of Milano. Theres a gang (or group or whatever they are) in an area we work a lot in called "Rude Boys." I got a kick out of that, just because that doesnt sound very intimidating to me.   Cool miracle from this week, we were at a park in "Rude Boys" territory, and it was FULL of old people. They just like to talk to talk about politics and then they kiss the pass-a-long cards we give them with pictures of Jesus on them. Then we saw a guy on a bench who was only about 35 so we went and talked to him. He said that me and Anziano Davis had talked to him before and he wasnt interested. We still kind of went with it and asked him what we talked about with him. He said we talked about the Book of Mormon. So then we bore testimony about how the Book of Mormon and the Bible are both the word of God. Then everything changed. He thought that the Book of Mormon was a replacement for the Bible, but when he found out we use both everything changed. We had a SUPER spiritual lesson with him, and then saw him again the next day and set a baptismal date with him. We are really excited about him.   I heard that they like cancelled church in Utah and Idaho and some other places one Sunday for a big announcement. What big announcement? Or is it just mission rumors?   The mission is sad. President and Sister Wolfgramm go home Saturday morning. Then on Tuesday we had district meeting at the same time a new missionary training thing was being held. So I saw Anziano Simcox, Anziano Loveitt, and lots of the sisters from my MTC group. It was sad though cause now I wont see them probably for another four or so months. Its sad cause we were with each other 24/7 for 6 weeks and now we barely see each other. Oh well!   Remember that kid that we dragged into watch conference with us? We made contact with him again and are teaching him now! Hes SUPER shy, so its going to take some time with him.   I found a progress record in our area book that was written by an Anziano Griffeth. I hope its Scott Griffeth, if so, that would be cool!   Brandon wrote a letter awhile ago about how hes grown a huge hate for drugs and alcohol while on the mission. Me to. First, because wine breath is the worst smell in the history of time. Second, as I said, we are kind of in the not as nice part of Milano. We were in a park the other day and we sat down and said a prayer, and when we finished, a homeless guy on another bench yelled "What'd you pray about!" So we went and talked to him. He was smoking a cigarette type thing. We talked to him a little, and we got to the point where Anziano Miller said that we could help him stop smoking. He said "No, you cant help me stop smoking. This cigarette is called "The drug of poverty."(more or less) All the people like me (homeless) use this drug. You cant help me stop because its literally all I have." It makes me sad to see stuff like this. We see this drug EVERYWHERE, and its ruined so many peoples lives. Were also working with a less active family whos trying to stop smoking. They are a super nice family, but they just cant stop. We just barely started working with them, and were going to help them stop, but its sad to see this stuff hurt people so bad. Especially because EVERYONE here smokes. Follow the Word of Wisdom!   Pictures! Picture 1 is from zone conference last week. Sorella McCann, Sorella Lopez, Anziano Matau, Me, and Anziano Herrin. I think I got that order right, if not im sorry. Picture 2 is one of the places we go a lot. Its a stop on the Metro called Bonola. One of our investigators live just behind here. A lot of homeless people and poor immigrants hang out here a lot. A really run down part of Milan, but I think the grafitti is cool.   The mission is changing me a lot. Not a lot a lot, but I can tell. One example is before I thought all the EFY music was a joke. Now, I love it. Just a heads up, when I get home im going to be a little Brady Bunch haha.   The work is really picking up here. We got 15 lessons again last week, even though it was a really tough week. With Anziano Miller im learning that if you really want to do something, and are willing to give everything youve got, anything is possible. This week started off really well, so hopefully we will be able to have another good week.   One funny/not funny story. Not this past sunday, but the one before, I had to give a "Hey Anziano McKinnon, our last speaker isnt here, can you give a ten minute talk as soon as this speaker is done" talk. He asked if I could speak on member missionary work. So I got up there and did my talk and bore my testimony and said "There are tons of people who are looking for the truth. There are so many people. You have all found the true Church of God on the Earth. Congratulations! But now, we have to make sure your friends find it to." I dont know why I threw in the "congratulations," and I dont think the members really cared. The other missionaries here always say "Auguri" to me now and love to tease me about it. But, one of the sisters investigators got a huge kick out of it, and now were really good friends. Shes this old lady, but shes super awesome. Thats my one "Why did I just say that" story for the week.   Thats pretty much it for this week. I bought peanut butter this past P Day and it was the best decision ive ever made. I realized that 1. Nutella isnt like healthy, and 2. Peanut Butter is about the same price as nutella. Plus I like it better, so win win. Its not really that expensive, and we found some arabic store that sells it for only 1,50 so thats good!   I love you all! Keep CTRing, and make sure you all give each other extra hugs for me. Continue praying for the Smart family, and let them know how much I love their family.   Love, Anziano Christian Fife McKinnon

Last photo w/Pres and Sis Wolfgramm

19 Jun 13

So this week was CRAZY. And heres why:

New companion. Anziano Miller from California. Plays lacrosse for BYU and did a year in the Army before his mission. I like him a lot, hes got tons of energy and fire. Its been interesting kind of leading around for the first week. Its really not hard though. I know the bus system pretty well and the metro is cake. Anziano Miller trained Anziano Simcox, one of my roomates in the MTC. And Anziano Simcox is training now! So glad its not me. Anziano Loveitt is also training (My MTC district), but those two are the only two Anziani from my group. Other transfer news, Sorella McCann is training, and still in Como. Those are the only ones that youd probably care about so ill leave it at that. 

So our Standard of Excellence is 15+ lessons a week. Lessons only include less actives and non members, so visiting members doesnt count. The highest we have ever gotten was 11 last week. When Anziano Miller got here, we had taught 2 lessons all week. Then we taught one Thursday night. Then Friday we taught 4, Saturday we taught 4, then Sunday we taught 5! 16 lessons for the week! It was hard but it seriously felt so good. In the words of Anziano Miller "We freaking wrecked everyone!" 

Funny story. We stopped a guy on the street and he said no right away. Then he stopped and said "Do you need information?" And Anziano Miller said "Yes! If I were to take a street to the Celestial Kingdom, which one would I take?" The guy wasnt happy and kinda stormed off but I thought it was funny.

This Monday was the most devestating day ever. We had 6 lessons planned, and every single one fell through. Then almost every single back up plan fell through. We ended up still getting two lessons, but it was just a rough day. Heres the worst part. We found a guy doing Casa last week and he is SUPER elect. He said "I believe in God and Jesus Christ, but I believe that churches are corrupt." Boy do we have a message for you. So we taught him the first lesson on Saturday, and everything went perfect. He was so excited to go to Church, but said he couldnt go this past sunday because of work, but would go the next one. The we went to the second lesson on Monday and he said his wife wouldnt let him meet with his, because she didnt want the house divided in religion. I guess shes catholic. Seriously the worst feeling in the entire world. That plus all our appointments fall through made Monday pretty rought.

We had zone conference yesterday, the last one with President and Sister Wolfgramm. That was really sad, I love them so much. Its only been three months but ive learned so much from both of them. So the Dibbs will be here in one or two weeks. President Dibb actually was companions with President Wolfgramm, so thats pretty cool!

We finally got a break through with our pretty much only investigator. Hes super old and grew up in the catholic church. Hes been starting to open up with us. We just passed by his house on Monday for only five minutes, but ended up staying for 40. He mentioned going to the cemetery to see his moms tombstone, which led into the Plan of Salvation. Then we got to resurection and that hit him super hard. Hes got tons of health problems, so the idea of a perfect body really hit him. I feel like hes been interested, but doesnt want us to be right because that would mean his whole religious life would be wrong. But this finally gave him a reason to want our message to be true. I really think this will be a big breakthrough.

We do big excercise in the mornings now. We run every other day (which was rought considering im A. a volleyball player and B. I havent run in like four years) and work out inside the other days. Thats been tough getting used to, but its good.

We only speak Italian. That was a big culture shock. Grandpa Fife told me a story about him and a companion who only spoke French to each other, and they said things like "Pass me that thing" and "Its by the thing" alot. I understand grandpa. I can teach any lesson in Italian, but I cant like talk about cleaning in Italian yet. I havent really learned house hold vocabulary yet. So Im learning how to tell people how to cut my hair and stuff like that (which is an adventure cause I dont know how to do that in English).

Its starting to get HOT here. Anziano Miller and Davis had the idea of bringing a CamelBack, which was an awesome idea. They dont exist in Italy. ALl the Italians think they have health problems, but they arent dying like I am. So I think im going to buy a new backbap that isnt so huge and black if I can find a good one.

I got Audreys wedding announcement. Im really excited for them! I also got Jade Smiths letter. So cute! Tell that whole family thank you. Im in the process of writing them back, I just dont have tons of time. Plus I dont know how to send a letter in Italy. But itll come eventually!

Dad, you asked about our apartment. Normal stove, normal fridge, just pretty small and old. We have a bideau (however you spell it) and to me thats kind of a super gross concept, but whatever. Im thankful we have AC. Italians believe that AC makes you sick, so a lot of them have it but dont use it. They also believe that gelatto is good for you. I wont argue with the second one!

Thats all for this week! The power went out in the middle of our email time today so thats why im writing this so late. I love you all! Sorry if my grammar slash spelling is bad in this, every single word is underlined in red because im writing in English, so yeah. I love you!

Anziano Christian Fife McKinnon

12 Jun 13

12 Jun 13

Hey family! So heres whats going on with transfers. Im staying in Lampugnano at least another transfer. Anziano Davis is going to Lecco. My new companion will be Anziano Miller. Dont know really anthing about him though. Hopefully hes cool! And im not training!!!!! So glad about that. Monday was a loooong day until we got the phone call. I just figured, I know the baptismal invite in Italian, and I can order a pizza so we'll baptize people and wont die.

So here are some of the fun things this week.

We had an awesome lesson with one of our investigators yesterday. Hes like 70 years old and pretty sick so he never leaves his house. Hes read the Bible four times and is convinced that the Catholic church is right (dont know how he made that connection, cause im reading the Bible right now. Lets just say it doesnt really add up. Oh well). But yesterday we talked about prayer. It was cool, one thing ive really been trying to do is listen to the Spirit to know what questions to ask or what to say, and I feel like im getting good. Last week we found out the whole baptizing babies thing has been bothering him, and he is really starting to open up to us. Anyways back to yesterday, we were going in going to talk about how we need to pray with our hearts and not written prayers. Eventually we got to asking "Have you ever recieved an answer to your prayers?" And he said he didnt know. So I said "Look (investigator, cause were not supposed to put names in letters anymore), as a representative of Jesus Christ, I testify to you that God sent us to you. God knows that you are ready to hear this message." And he said "Thats something ive been thinking lately. I think you two are an answer to my prayers." So hopefully well continue to make progress with him.

Weve been working a ton with less active members lately. We have doubled the number of lessons we taught this transfer from last transfer, and hopefully we will continue to teach more cause teaching is 10000x funner than finding work. Which means I need to work on finding work, but oh well.

Some old lady we met doing casa said that its written in the Gospels that Christ said not to go door to door. I guess I missed that day of Seminary. So we said thanks and rang the next door.

Monday was a crazy day. We found out about transfers, and I have some crazy stories to. First thing, we talked to a guy in a park. He was super drunk but he kept talking. I didnt understand him very well cause he was talking about how he fought in the war. I didnt learn that vocabulary in the MTC. I did, however, understand the machine gun noises and motions he was making. One family walked by us while he was doing this, and when we tried to talk to them later, they said no faster than anyone. Anyways he was asking questions about Adam and Eve, and how it wasnt Satan who tempted them, it was a snake. Then at the end, we went to shake his hand. He grabbed Anziano Davis hand and put it on his (the drunk guys) chest and said "This is my heart." I put my hand in my pocket, but he insisted and I got to find his heart also. Alcohol is BAD.

Second thing. We were doing casa that night. Anziano Davis was on the phone and I was ringing the telephone thing (Ci tofono). Some Chinese guys came up behind me and I asked if they needed to use it. They said no and just stood there. So I said "Well were talking about how God has called a prophet." They said ok. So I said "Well are you guys molto credente?" I dont really know what that translates to. Really bad Inglish. But anyways they said "Believers in what?" "In God" and he replied "I am God." So I was like "Ok. Well do you guys need to go inside?" Nope. So I just started ringing doors again and they stood behind me the whole time. Finally someone opened the door and we escaped. We rang a floor inside, then went to the one below, and the Chinese guys were there. So they stood behind us for that floor and finally they went inside to their apartment. Their door was covered with like 50 "Merry Christmas!" stickers. The world is a weird place.

Thats pretty much it for this week! Pray that Anziano Miller will be cool and that ill be a better missionary. Im excited for this next transfer, cause im officially not a trainie anymore. I feel like weve done everything ok these past two transfers, but havent dont anything really good. So im going to try and make this next transfer a big turning point!

Kate, I heard you killed it at your talent show/graduation. Make sure to save that video, im excited to see it! Nice job! And girls have fun not being in school! Make sure to read your scriptures extra! No kissing anyone girlies! And Mom and Dad, I love you both a ton! Love you all!

Anziano Christian Fife McKinnon