Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am in Italy! All I can say is WOW. Yeah it is crazy for sure. It's what I expected but not it that makes sense. My apartment is tiny but good. I just wish it was a little bigger, I love open space. The kitchen is extremely small but hey we never cook really so its fine. We have lunch appointments most days and then the other days we have been cooking at the church and having a lesson there. This week we taught 16 lessons and reset a baptism date with Lilly. She is from central/south america-speaks Portuguese and Italian. She is super bravo! She watched one season of conference and cried during it as it was so great she said. Her husband sleeps or leave the house when we come but doesn't hate us I guess. haha so that s good. Her date is for Nov 3rd. Investigators always get baptized on sat and confirmed on sundays. We have about a dozen people we are teaching which includes progressing investigators less active and just other lessons.
Well I got here at noon in Italy and after sitting with Sorella Hansen, from other MTC district, and she puked upon landing, got through the small airport found Pres. and Sorella Wolfgramm waiting for us. They are so awesome! Pres was holding his il libro di mormon like a last name sign so we knew it was him. :) He is super great, I love him already for sure. Had meetings at the mission office and talked with brother and sister lynch-the office couple who know those people in our neighborhood they were happy to see me and are great as well. Slept in a hotel that was very nice and little meeting and then meet our trianers! Mine is Anziano Moore, and is super fantastic! Great trainer I love him! We took trains to Vicenza that took for ever! I guess there was in earth quake so trains to and from Venice were delayed and canceled so we finally got home and hit the beds. I now know what a lumpy pillow is....yeah time for a new one ;)
We have a italian branch as well as an English branch, can't call them wards as they are not big enough yet, next week I will let you know how they are. I have met some members so far and always wanting to help and come to lessons. They are so fantastic. We have a US army base so thats why there is an english branch here. I know the is a branch in another city where the airforce base is and maybe a few more somewhere else in Italy. I am so blessed to have my first area in Vicenza! I have taught most lessons in English and have only had one lesson in Italian thus far which is not what I expected at all! I am learning alot very quickly and have had the opportunity to get into housing complexes where you have to get buzzed in then you have access to the doors of the houses. I assume I speak ok as I get by. Some times people have no idea what I am saying but yeah, Italian is fantastic.
Each new missionary puts in 100 euro into the bike fund and my city already had bikes. I will never have to pay for a bike ever again, its a 100 euro one time thing, then use theat mission fund as needed basically. We have just normal everyday bikes, but in bad condition....mine broke the first day just a few blocks from home, chain came off and got jammed under a random screw, got it fixed at home and we were late to our appointments which people especially Italians
Italian food is amazing! I love it! I am emailing from the army base as elder and sistter Maughn was in the air force so they can take us on for american food and free internet so next week we will see how it goes for email as they are leaving next week. Today is our last p-day with them I think. They are amazing sr. couple and work with the english branch.
Confrence was in italian and english, we watched english. It was just us and one other young man who just turned in his mission papers, he is like 20 or 21 years old as baptized a year or two ago and is from Africa. Most english lessons are people from africa, mostly Gahna. Confrence was awesome! 18 and 19 years old!? Wow! Crazy! I think I would have come at 18, but not sure. I really like a year of schooling in before my mission, but I can see benefits from leaving at 18 and at 19 for elders. Now 19 for sistrers is a fantastic idea I think.
Can't attach pictures here so next time hopefully.
Schedule is up at 630, exercise for 30 min, an hour of getting ready. Personal study from 8-9 and companionship study from 9-10, additional study from 10-11 then out the door. nightly planing from 9-9:30, bed at 10:30. We only eat lunch and breakfast which is weird but I have been perfectly fine that way, not hungry or headaches so yeah its a crazy day each day and I love the work. Oh and lunch is from 1-3, with an hour of language study then. :)
I am doing fantastic and loving every second! Lots of hard work and bike riding around! Its so great!
With all my love,
Anziano Edwards
