The mission has been a blast!

Hosford Family,

Its’ weird to think that I am coming home in two days.  It still hasn’t nit me. I have pretty much finished packing. I still need to make a couple dedicas for other missionaries, but I am pretty much all set. I have given a lot of talks. I gave one in the Catania ward.  I talked about faith without works in dead. I asked 20 questions after going through the Joseph Smith story. 20 different things that we can do to show our faith. I even would not have gotten all 20.  I also said that we didn’t get 20 then our faith just isn’t strong enough. Then I gave them a why.  Actually two whys. One because of the Church – it’s a restored church not a reformed church. And two, I read from D&C 84 about people who don’t accept the gospel and how valuable their souls are. I really broke everyone’s boxes and everyone talked about it all Sunday.  Then at Sigonella which is an American Branch, I talked about genealogy work and priesthood keys which was a lot of fun. Then I have to given another talk at Veronica’s baptism tomorrow.  I am very excited for it.  Then I will give another talk in Church when I come home.  Then hopefully I won’t have to speak for a while.  I have been saying goodbye to everyone these last couple days.  It’s been hard, but I will be here next year. Its sad that I really do have more friends here than in America. The mission has been a blast.  Well, love you all very much.  I will definitely be some before this letter, but oh well. – Anziano Hosford

Veronica is all set for May 2

Hosford Family,

I wanted to shoot off this letter before I got busy today. Today we are going to Taormina. Yesterday we had zone conference and I spent about 5 hours in the car shipping people around. It was really weird though. I gave my dying testimony. Just so you know in Sicily right now, I am the oldest missionary and the only one from my group. So when I fly up to Rome I will go by myself and I will even drive myself to the airport. Then on my flight home I will fly alone as well.

To be honest there isn’t a lot going on here. We have our typical work and I am just doing stuff to prepare to leave. I’ve been saying goodbye to people I’ve known for 15 months, checking in on old investigators, getting rid of stuff I don’t want.  I need to buy a suit and do a couple of other things.

We did the baptismal interview for Veronica and she is all set for May 2.  Usually her husband is indifferent towards us, but he invited us to eat with them and during her interview me and him talked a little bit. He is nice just got to warm up to him. So she is all set for her baptism.  This last couple of days I have been doing splits with Anz. Longhurst  (MTC companion).  We had a lot of fun.  It rained a lot, but we had a lot of fun and we just talked.  He is going to UVU so it will be nice to hang out with him when I get to Provo.  He is going to teach me to fish.

I read mom’s letter about the beach trip and I am excited for that. Either ways.  I really can’t think of any thing else to say.  Love you lots.  See you soon.  – Anziano Mitchell Hosford

My life is crazy

Hosford Family,

I thought I would give everyone some updates:

1.       My life is crazy

2.       I only have 3 p-days left

3.       I get to see a  baptism my last day in the mission

I thought that I could be leaving the 29t, but Veronica moved back her baptismal date to the second of May. As much as I want to see Rome I would rather see her baptism. Now here are my plans.  I will see her baptism at 5 to 6 pm then go to the airport for a 7:40 pm flight to Roma. Normally we would take the bus, but I talked with President and it’s going to cost more but with these circumstances he will let me do it. Then that night I will miss the dinner and maybe the testimony meeting, but it’s worth it.  Then the next morning I fly out.  Those will be my last days here.

My next p-days will be fun. Today we are doing shopping. I want new pants and maybe a new suit. I am thinking also about new shoes. My shoes now look pretty good on the top, but the bottom not so great.  Then next week we are going to Taormina.  I am looking at going with the Messina anziani. Then my last p-day is still up for debate. I am looking at Modica which is a bit south of Ragusa. I will think about it more later.  I’m not sure it will happen.

The work is slowing down here a bit. We have lost a couple investigators in these last couple weeks. Things are still going fine. We are still busy. We always have some little thing to do.  There are quite a few things that I have left to do here.  It’s going to be a quick two weeks.

Not much else to write.  Things are going well. Either ways.  Love you all very much.  Talk to you next week.  Anziano Hosford

She wants to get baptized ASAP!

The Hosford Family,

We had a real incredible week.  Our work has taken almost a 360 this last week. Even though no one came to church we set 4 baptismal dates and we are hoping to set one more this week.

The first and most important one is with Veronica. It’s a bit of a story. I thought she was going to get baptized after I was gone and after she had her baby. However, Friday we saw her and had a good appointment. We were one away to another appointment when we got a call. My comp took and it and responded. He then put it on speaker for me because I was driving. He also had a very shocked look. It was Veronica and she wanted to get baptized asap. So right now she has a date for April 24 and its’ going to be a great p-day.

After we set a new date with Anna and Mario. Its wasn’t anything great like Veronica, but even her brother accepted a date.  We really wanted a date with them so we could be working towards something.

Then we are waiting to set a date with Emanuele Castorina. They should be deciding as a family this week. I just hope to see the baptism before I go if possible. We  did a lesson with them on Saturday to show the family that he is ready.

Our last date we set yesterday with Valdina. We set a date for July 22.  It seems far away, but earlier can really scare people. We had a great lesson with her yesterday and it also when we set the date. She wants to quit smoking and its going to be hard after 40 years of smoking, but we have the time. She said yesterday during the appointment that she wants to believe in the church and everything. It made me think of Elder Holland’s talk about the young boy who believed or wanted but hadn’t received an answer. Yesterday I also met her granddaughter who is my age…… after the mission?

Things are fun here. My next p-days should be fun. I sent a package home on Sunday. I think the branch president will mail it out next week when he gets back. Our other investigators are doing well. We are trying to find some new ones.  Typical. Either ways.  Love you all very much.  Have a great week.  – Anziano Hosford

He’s only 9, but he wants to get baptized

Hosford Family,

It’s strange.  Technically I have less than a month left. I am excited to come home, but very sad to leave Italy and more than anything Sicily. However, if all goes to plan I should be able to come back here in a year. Hopefully, I can do in an internship or study abroad here.  I think a BYU for the Italian major it’s a class that you can do.  Then today I need to register for classes in the fall.  I shouldn’t have any problems getting classes because I have enough credits to be a junior and almost a senior, but I will be taking mostly sophomore/freshman classes.  I got every class figured out except for one.  However, I have an email in about it.

Stuff here is going well. I spent pretty much Monday to Wednesday at Siracusa. It was nice to see a lot of people that I used to know. I also got an exciting call on Wednesday.  One of my old investigators named Veronica wants to see us and so we will see her tomorrow. If you don’t remember, she had a baptismal date.  I would love to see her get baptized while I am here, her and Emanuele. He needs to come to church more and it’s hard for him because he’s only 9, but he wants to get baptized.

We are still working with Francesca and she is doing well.  She has read all of First Nephi. She is doing well.  We are just trying to strengthen her as much as we can so she can make the right choice when the time comes.  It might be coming soon as well. We are still working with Anna, Massimo, and Mario but we aren’t seeing any real progress. Then I missed several appointments with some of our other investigators. However, everyone is doing well.  We have a lot of new contacts and we are happy to see something come from all of this.

We are having some problems with our ward mission leader. He always wants to do correlation at the last minute and where he lives which is far away and on a big work night. So we haven’t been able to do it for several weeks.   He delegated us to clean the baptismal font which would be okay if he would help us. We really need the members to step up and do more.

Well, stuff here is good.  The summer is arriving and unfortunately I won’t be here for it.  I have 4 p-days and a couple days in Tome left then I will be home. I love everyone very much and will see you all soon. – Anziano Hosford

Effectual door

Hosford Family,

Because I know you all would like to know, I am finishing up here in Catania with Anz. Kasper. We have a good work going and I am very happy to finish up here.  I talked with President and he told me that I could stop in Napoli before I head to Rome. He would also give me a couple days to see Rome which will be exciting. It’s sad to think that in 6 weeks I will be heading home.  I still want to come back here for vacation, but I might have found something better.  I was looking under the Italian minor/major and I might be able to come here for an internship/study abroad.  I would love that to be honest. I would feel a lot better about it.

Things are fun here.  Silla Miles is going home with three of my other companions.  The only comps that are staying are Anz. Longhurst (MTC Comp), Prieto, and Kasper. The sadder part is that no one is going to remember me because I have been in the south so long.  It’s okay.  I am now making a list of things that I need to do before I leave. I am planning a couple of p-days.  There isn’t a lot for me to do to be honest. 

Only sad thing is with the work.  One of our golden families just dropped us.  They just told us that they need to decide about all of this.  They said that they would come to church.  We will see.  At least we are remaining friends with them.

We picked up at least 3 newish investigators this week.  The first is this kid named Santo. He is kind of a negative death-metal guy.  However, if someone can rally profit from the gospel it would be him. He is friends with Marco who is a recent convert and is starting to read the Book of Mormon a little bit.

Next we have Agata who is an investigator that I found with Anz. Hansen. We saw her yesterday for the first time in 4 months. She has read the first two chapters of the Book of Mormon. She also had a dream about her father in spirit prison and linked it right away to the plan of salvation.  We hope to see her again.

Then we are working with the Leanza family. The grandfather just died and we have already been teaching the wife and daughter, but now we are also teaching two nieces and a nephew. The grandfather is waiting because he has already accepted the gospel. They have had some dreams about it already. Long story short effectual door.

We have some good stuff going .  I need to prepare some stuff for tonight.  Talk to you in a little bit via internet.  Love you all very much.   – Anziano Mitchell Hosford

Mitchell with Anziano Daniel Hurlburt (Charleston SC)

Mitchell with his MTC comp Anziano Longhurst

With Francesca, Anziano Kasper, ???

Do you really want to know what this says?

Something has just got to give!

Hosford Family,

I have been thinking about it a lot and I would like to go to BYU and I think I would like to go in June. I have a very good friend here named Andrea.  I work with him and talk to him about everyday here. He is just like me, but 20 years ahead of me. Either ways he has been helping me make the decision about the school.  I love the other school, but I feel more doors will open for me at BYU.

Things are going good here. Last week we went to the home of Vincenzo Bellini who is the famous opera composer. I have the same birthday as him which was pretty cool.  There is also pasta named after him and his masterpiece (Norma). It’s called Pasta ala Norma. It’s pasta, sauce (with basil and garlic), fried eggplant (which is very good) and salted ricotta cheese.  We ate it yesterday. If I can find ricotta cheese at home I will make it for everyone.

To cause I am writing before our p-day has started we are going to Siracusa.  We are going to see Ortigia and the archaeological park.  I am going to see if my permesso di soggiorno is done.

Other than that, not a lot is going on. I will home  in 49 days. I think.  We did have a good week last week.  We saw the Zappala family twice which  is a record. They have pretty much accepted everything.  All the lessons, doctrines, but they won’t commit to a baptismal invite. She still has lots of questions from her parents like about parties and temples.  I am slowly picking them off.  I hope to see them baptized .

Next we had a great lesson about the gospel of Jesus Christ with Anna, Mario, and Massimo.  We just felt so good teaching the lesson and they are feeling the spirit a lot more and I am hoping to see progress form them.

We have also had our little 9 year old investigator in church these last two weeks.  We are going to have a taco night with them maybe next week.  We are on the verge of having like 6 baptisms … something has just got to give!

We finally saw the Allanea family after 4 weeks of not seeing them.  When we go there, they were a bit gloomy, but when we left they were happy and wanted us to stay longer. I really wanted to, but we had English Course.  I hope to see something from them in these next weeks.

That random guy that showed up in church during district meeting actually came to Church. I wasn’t able to talk to him after, but I hope to see him again.  We don’t have his number, but I believe we will see him soon.

There is still more work going on. It’s fun and I am loving it. I am excited to come home, but it’s going to be really weird to be honest. Either ways, love you all very much.  Anziano Hosford