Four baptismal dates

Hosford Family,

Well, I arrived in Catania safely. Its a pretty big city and its hard to learn and get used to considering the fact that my last three cities have been relatively small.  The ward is large and actually might be the largest in Sicily.  However, a lot of the problems that we faced in Siracusa we will have here. However, I like it, I missed Sicily and even now I miss Crotone.  Oh well.

I am still facing challenges about what to do when I get home. Another option that I have added is to come home and work for a while then come back and go on vacation here for an extended period of time. I am also thinking about trying to do a semester out here not this next summer but the one following. Just so many things I would like to do.

The work is good here. We have four baptismal dates.  I don't know the people very well, but we have four. We are also doing a good amount of finding which I like and we are getting two English courses going. They will start next Thursday which I am pretty excited about.

We have a car here and I might be driving soon.  I don't know exactly hot I feel about it and I might have to learn how to drive stick which is something I want to learn anyways.  We also work with a small American branch in Sigonella (no I don't have access to the base).  However, the members are very nice.

I do need you guys to send me some things.  I need 3 tubes/things of panoxyl face wash and that should last me the rest of my mission.  I have enough tooth paste and deodorant for the rest, but I need a new power cord for my electric razor.  It's a Remington.  So if you could send these things to the mission home I would greatly appreciate it. I haven't used shaving cream and a hand razor since I got my electric razor 3 or 4 years ago.

Well, that about it for now. Not a whole lot going on. Hope everything is well at home. If Megan says anything about not writing back to her letters, tell her to read mine and she will find something.  Love you all very much.  - Anziano Hosford

Catania Address

Anziano Mitchell Hosford
Via Cesare Vivante, 69
Catania, CT 95123
Italia

Email:

In our Zone we have Siracusa, Siracusa sisters, Catania, Catania sisters, Messina, and Reggio Calabria. When we did numbers we found that even though it was a transfer week, our zone was on fire! We have a ton of baptismal dates in September, and everyone is really working hard. I am really learning a lot from Anziano Hansen.

Back to Sicily!

Dear Hosford Family,

I am getting back on my normal schedule of writing every week. But I have more news that’s a bit shocking for me and certainly will be for you all.  That and I am going to do the top ten countdown again cause it makes writing more entertaining. 

#10 – We went to Taranto again to do splits.  10 hours on the trains and buses trying to get there.  Other than that I had fun and ate some really good food.

#9 – We had transfer calls on Saturday. Even though we spent most of the day on the train, our call came during an appointment with a crazy new convert (who drives everyone nuts) being respectful, we took the call and made her wait.  If you ask me why I can just say you won’t understand unless you know her and such.

#8 – Well, the crazy lady above is named Anna and her boyfriend/future husband of now a little of two weeks, have broken up and gotten back together over 3 times which makes me extremely happy for point # 1 and you will see why.

#7 – This week I finished pretty much a dedica for Sorella Taylor, Sorella Cojan, and Anziano Furia (I just need to write on his).  I spent a boat load on his.  There are over 50 photos.  Why?  Because we had a lot of fun.  That and all my dedicas slowly become bigger and more complicated.  I only need to do two more – one for Anziano Kafel and Salvatore.

#6 – So on the train ride I will take on Thursday, I will take 3 verdini (greenies) to a certain area of the mission.

#5 – Last p-day we had a super p-day and went to LeCastella and other places.  I also ate a great pasta at LeCastella with mussels and clams if you believe it or not.

#4 – Every August 15 is a holiday or a start of a holiday here.  We cleaned the apartment like we were supposed to then we went and spent the day with Salvatore and his family which was a lot of fun.

#3 – We created a new anti-gossip lesson that we are planning to make into trainings and talks.  We randomly came up with it and it was a killer spiritual thought.

#2 – So you all will be proud of me for this one.  When I was in Taranto for splits we went to an appointment and the lady offered us ice cream which I was happy about.  Well in this ice cream there were two or three flavors and one of them was a shady brown.  Having doubt I asked what it was and received the answer coffee flavored which is normal here.  Sadly I rejected it because I knew it wasn’t right and that Mom would kill me if I ate it.  Unfortunately, the other missionary I was with ate it. Go figure.  It bothered me, but it’s between him and God.  After the lesson we went home then after a while he and another Utah missionary came and confronted me about it.  I wanted to tell them a few things, but in the end I just said that its too close to the line and I would rather keep away.  I wanted to say that coffee is against the commandments not because it’s hot but because of the contents.  You have to watch the content of gelato here.

#1 – Last.  I got transferred again.  I was really shocked to hear that I was going back to Sicily.  I wanted to go to Rome, but I love Sicily.  I will be in Catania which is very close to Siracusa and it’s a big city as well.  It will be with Anziano Hansen who is a great missionary.  We have done splits together.  We will see how it goes.  That and unfortunately again I am a district leader and I have sisters.  Nothing against sisters but they are either great or a hassle.  I liked the ones I served with in Siracusa.  But I don’t know the ones in Catania unless they stayed from before.  I hope everything goes well and I am certain I will miss Crotone, but I have plans to return.

That’s all my news for the week.  5^th city and a lot of interesting events.  Hope to hear from everyone soon.  Lots of love.  Anziano Hosford

Top ten highlights of the week

Hosford Family,

How is everything at home?  Well in Utah?  When I got on my email Wednesday morning, I felt like the luckiest person ever ... no emails from the family, no emails from anyone from Church, and no emails from any of my friends. However, I emailed Dad and Amy and we had a good time talking about everything.

This week has really flown by.  I am shocked to see that it is August and even more shocked to see that its mid-August almost. I will try to give you a top ten highlight reel of the week.  Just won't be of football ... missionary work!!

I will be a bit sarcastic so don't take offense.  But at #10:

#10 - We have a crazyish new convert who won't stop smoking. She found this guy like last Sunday and they are already talking about getting married.  We met him, he is nice but smokes.  However, he liked church today and accepted the invitation to take all the missionary lessons.

#9 - We ate kebabs last night.  It was the best one I had eaten since I left Napoli. It was also great cause I was able to talk to Salvatore without Kafel and because of that we had a real conversation for once.

#8 - August 11th would have been my 2nd anniversary with Sunny.  Nothing like a day like that to remind you (me) how dumb you (I) am.

#7 - Anziano Kafel told me that I don't talk enough to him. He doesn't speak the Italino that we use instead its a language he's made up.  I'm tired of him asking me the same questions again every night.

#6 - We pretty much lost two baptismal dates.  They belonged to two women who just stopped talking to us.  It happens.

#5 - On Monday we passed by this referral from Salvatore.  We tried to get out there earlier, but we failed.  They are studying with the TJs, but they said they would like to learn about our Church.

#4 - I did splits in Catanzaro on Thursday and Friday.  I worked with Anz. Wright who is great. It was nice to work with an American again and be around someone that I could relate to.  We also taught 3 lessons that went well and received a number from the only person that we stopped.

#3 - Today in church there were 25 people.  3 visitors from the North, 4 investigators, and 18 members.

#2 - In 6 days we receive transfer calls.  Next Saturday.  I will be interesting to see what happens,

#1 - This was the highlight of my week was when we were walking on Via Venezia this when when Google Earth car passed by.  We should be on google earth pretty soon.

That's ll from here.  Not a lot else going on.  Hope everyone is well at home and look forward to everyone's letters.  Love you all.

Mitchell

Palaces, castles and temples

Hosford Family,

Things have gotten crazy here.  At least for p-days.  Sorry I haven't had a lot of time to write.  That and we don't really do anything fun for p-days anyways. There are 4 things I would like to see here: 2 castles, 1 palace/castle/fort (who knows) and go to this old temple site.  I might have to wait till I come back.  This last p-day I was sick and the p-day before that I was in Taranto.

Things are going well here.  We had zone conference Friday. I saw Anziano Longhurst for the first time in a year and we talked the whole time.  I also had an interesting interview with President Kelly and I might go to another city after this transfer. Or I will have a new companion then go, but I won't be here for a long time.  Its sad cause there are a lot of great things about Crotone; the branch, Salvatore, the work, the city, the beach, and there are lots of pretty girls (yes, I know, don't judge me) but despite all the great things I just am not finding myself the best.  But its alright.

The work has remained, but we are searching for some new investigators.  Its because with a zone leader we are always out of town. For example, we have to go to Taranto again next week to do splits. We don't have lots of time to do our work it seems.  I really don't like being companions with zone leaders and I hope not to become one.

We really haven't seen a change with any of our investigators, but one.  Giuseppe.  We helped him and his mom clean a part of their house.  I was fine with that, but it was sad to see hwo this 22 or 23 year old acted and treated his mom.  Dad would have killed me.  His attitude left me and Anz. Kafel with bad feelings.  I want to leave him.  If he were interested and wanted to change he wouldn't have acted that way.

Well.  Not a lot has changed.  We will be moving houses soon to one that is pretty much on the sea.  I will tell you all when that happens.  For now I love you all and look forward to receiving your letters.

Mitchell

Salvatore

Email conversation:

Brother Salvatore “friended” me on Facebook. Is he the guy who gives you all the investigators? How old is he and what is his story. He said he sees you everyday.

Yes. salvatore is great. he is the guy that runs the church here. like a young unmarried italian nate wheatley. he has a cool story. he was studying to become a catholic priest and passed by the church sign one night and said...this is my church. that being our church. then the rest is history. there is more to the story. i dont remember detail for detail. but he was baptized less than two years ago and is a counselor in the district presidency. he is 28.

So it seems that Salvatore is serving a mission right in Crotone. Neat conversion story. So he’s in the district presidency but not the branch. Does he have a branch calling too? Are there single Italian women good enough for him? From his facebook it looks like he has lots of friends and does fun things. Does the church have any single activities like here? How often do you as a missionary talk in Sacrament meeting? With 17 people in the branch I’m sure it’s often.

In the branch he is the elders quorum president and does all of his home teaching. there are singles activities here...but not very often. we might have more active members in charlotte...with all the stakes...then all of italy. singles activities are hard here and they dont happen often.  i  haven't spoken in church yet. i bore my testimony when i arrived. i hope to be leaving in three weeks. so i might give one talk. 

It’s kind of fun to be a virtual sightseer. Crotone seems to be very old and beautiful or at least the touristy part. Do they have a soccer team or is the city too small? Is Salvatore taking you places today? Where does he work? He facebooked me at 11:00 pm our time so it was pretty late in Italy.

We are going with him to catanzaro today. i dont know at what time though. then for work...he just does odd jobs and he is also a taxi driver and when he doesnt have to give a client a ride...he gives us a ride in the taxi.

even though crotone is half the size...if not less then siracusa...their soccer team is in a higher league. here there is seria A...best league...napoli place 4th this year in. then seria B...Crotone is in this league. Then Seria C...Siracusa...they might not be playing this year for a lack of money. then Seria C2...Seria D...Caserta or they are Seria D2.