Sicilia!

Hello!!! Okay, so starting off at last p-day we played soccer with some members and investigators, I hate to say it, but I am starting to like soccer now. haha Then that evening we had a lesson with an investigator named Riccardo, he is awesome and wants to get baptized, but his parents are against it right now. We are going to go visit them soon and hopefully we can change that. Thursday, we had a morning pretty full of finding! And it started to rain so we were some of the only people out, and when people would see us coming from a distance, they would duck off into stores. haha Then after lunch we had to catch a bus to head back to Catania becuase we had a confrence the next day. There was 18 of us missionaries in this appartment...... needless to say, it was interesting, I woke up at 4 so hopefully I could shower and get some hot water, it was all gone! haha We all headed to the church there, and it is beautiful, an actual building that the church built. This was our zone confrence for the transfer and we had a member of our area presidency come, Elder Richards. It was an incredible confrence loaded with good information and I have already seen the blessings in our work. So of course after, it was back on the bus! We got home and had to go right to church to have a lesson with Costanza, Alessandra, and Chiara, who are our 3 invesigators with baptismal dates. They are 18, 20, and 20, pretty amazing. It is awesome here in Palermo that most of our lessons are in church and we almost always have a member there to help. Although there are 2 wards here in Palermo, and 2 different buildings, most people hang out at our church building and there are to recently returned missionaries that are great to have in lessons. Then Saturday, we did weekly planning in the morning, then met and did a lesson 0 with a new investigator, and also met with Riccardo in the evening, then did a bit of finding! The days here go by so fast because there is so much to do! I love it! We also had a dinner appointment with a lady and her 17 year old son who are both members, she made a salmon pasta that was delicous! And the food just never stops coming here!! haha They were so fun to be around and we talked and laughed for a while! Sunday was church, we had 4 investigators there which was awesome! Then we met with a couple less active members who are awesome, two of them are brothers, one served a mission in England, and the other served in Scottland! And one dated a girl from Louisiana for a long time! wow! Monday morning we had to head to Trapani to do District meeting, and almost all this week I am doing a scambio with Anziano Lopez because both our companions are district leaders and have to go do scambi in other cities. So this week is really busy trying to see all of our investigators, and there are a ton of African immagrants here in Sicilia and we had a lesson with 2 Africans Monday night. It was my first time teaching in English on my mission and it was alittle different, and I got to do the whole lesson because Anziano Lopez speaks zero english! haha It went super well and we set 2 baptismal dates with them. Tuesday we met with some other African investigators and again it went super awesome! We also had Chiara, Costanza, and Alessandra in the evening before English course, and of course English course is always alot of fun! I think that was everything this week! I hope all is well with everyone and I love yall a ton! love, Anziano Bird

PALERMO!!!

Okay I have alot to write about this week, hope I can remember it all! So after I emailed last week I finish packing (which is not fun) haha then we headed to Rome. We had dinner with a member that comes from Rome to L'Aquila to help out the branch. His wife I had never met before was awesome, she is Peruvian and is an incredible cook! She had made this super spicy hot sauce that was just delicious and she is going to make me some! Then we headed to Rome 2 (which is the appartment of Rome 2 and the assistents) but since it was transfers, there were 22 of us in this appartment. Needless to say we didnt get alot of sleep and the sleep we did get wasnt of the highest quality! haha Thursday was fun because I got to go to the misson home or the "villa" and had breakfast there and got to meet all the greenies! Then we headed out to the station where you get to see a TON of people who are getting transfered. My train left Rome at about 11:30, then it is a 3ish hour ride to Naples, which was pretty terrible because we had so much luggage there was no place to put your feet or legs! So the 3 hour ride my knees where in my chin! haha After that is was alittle better, I was hoping to get some sleep on the train, but there was way to much going on! So it was late when we got to the toe of the boot, and since the mafia owns the boat system, then wont let anybody build a bridge, so our train got on a barge and crossed over to Sicily! Our final destination that night was Catania and we got there about 11 p.m. and thier appartment is not very big and by the time we got everyone and thier luggage there, it was 1ish. And there were 14 of us in this house! Needless to say again, we didnt get much sleep. And my bus for Palermo was at 7 a.m. haha caught the bus and got alittle extra sleep, and finally arrived in Palermo about 3 hours later! Met my companion (Anziano Kafel) he is Italian but his dad is from Tunisia but he was born and raised here in Genova. Here the city is seperated into 2 zones so there is another companionship that we live with. Anziano Botalla, who is strait Italian and an ex assistent, and Anziano Lopez, who is from Peru but has lived in Italy since he was 10ish. It is a super sweet appartment and honestly I can tell my language is improving in just the 5 days I have been here! The first night here we had a party in church for Carnival and it was sooooo fun! The members here are awesome and we had a ton of fun, a good way to start off my time here in Palermo! Then Saturday we got to work! Met with some investigators and taught some lessons. No joke, since I have been here I have taught more lessons than my entire time in L'Aquila! Sunday was church and it was awesome! It is a smaller ward becuase they have 2 wards here, and the other church building is one the church actually built! It is awesome to see. We work alot with less actives and Monday and Tuesday we were packed full of appointment! It has been incredible! Already have been fed 4 or 5 times! And we have set 3 baptismal dates! Palermo is an incredible city and we are very blessed with the investigators we have! I am so excited for this transfer! Love yall a ton and hope yall have a great week! Any questions just email me! love, Anziano Bird

Last day in L'Aquila!!!

Ciao tutti!

     Well it kinda felt like this day would never come, I thought I would be in my first city forever! haha It is a very strange feeling to be leaving because it feels like home and I love the people so much.  So transfer calls were on Saturday, and you never know when it is going to come!  We were on the bus (which was very full) and we got the call!  I answered and Anziano Hansen (one of the assistents) said it was a place he always wanted to serve, so I got really excited and he said........................ your going to Palermo!!! Palermo is one of the biggest cities in Sicily and I am more than excited to go there!!!  From what I have heard it is so awesome, and alot different!  It should be warm down there which I am happy about!  And they have 2 wards there and 2 sets of missionaries so the work should be good!  And that means I will be living in a 4 man house!  And the great thing is, everyone but me is Italian!!! Which just doesnt happen because there arent many Italians in our mission, it is going to be an awesome opportunity for me!  And is where I really wanted to go!

     Later today we head to Rome, then tom morning I get on 10ish hour train to Catania, then probly will spend the night there, then Friday we will take another train or bus (6-7 hours) to Palermo!  It will be a long couple of days but I am so excited!  Work here in L'Aquila went well.  We were able to finally meet with some of the contacts we have from doing house, and also met with an investigator that we havent been able to see for over a month so that made me super happy!  The mission is different, you build relationships with people, then the next thing you know your time there is done!  Really just have to take advantage of every moment!  I still have a little packing to do, hope I can fit everything!  Also this week we had the second young man from our small branch leave on a mission, we had the opportunity to be there when he was set apart, it was a good reminder of all the keys and blessings we have as missionaries and how important this work is.  Love ya'll a ton!

Love,

              Anziano Bird