I belong in Catania/Sicilia

Hosford Family,

It’s been exactly 17 months since I reported to the MTC. It’s weird to think that in 7 months and a couple days I will be home again. I received an email from a friend that sked me to describe Catania. I responded Catania’s?  What’s America like?  I remember what home is like, but to be honest, I wish Italy (Sicily) was in America.

Either ways, stuff that has happened in the last week.  We had an activity in church to explain the Plan of Salvation that went well.  We dropped a lot of time in it and a lot of members and investigators came out and saw it. We received a lot of contacts and were even asked to participate with other activities.

Also, the branch president for the Americans is going to be gone for two months in America. So now we have to go to America (on base) for those two months and they are also receiving a senior couple which is exciting.

Once again this transfer has flown by.  Today and this week is week 5 and we will receive transfer calls on Saturday. We honestly have no idea who will go.  I am certain that I will stay, but I don’t know if my comp will go or one of the sisters.

Unfortunately, Salve and Valeria two of our best investigators kind of dropped us. We haven’t been able to see them for a week and they are busy this week. We are sad about them, but we are trying to see them. Our work hasn’t tanked but lots of people are busy and so we are moving on to new people.

Either ways, I really love Catania and Sicilia.  I can’t imagine coming home most days. It just feel like I belong out here and that I should stay our here. Well, I love everyone lots and look forward to your imaginary letters (except mom and dad who write to me).  Anziano Hosford

Enjoying some good old peace and quiet!

Dear Family,

Today is the day after zone conference.  Catania is where they always hold zone conferences and I was dreading having people at our house because they always destroy it. However, this time they didn’t. The missionaries that came were all respectful and I enjoyed myself a lot.  Tow anziani from my MTC group were here – Anziano Green and Longhurst. I had a great time seeing them and I met several other newer missionaries and saw a lot of missionary friends.

The house is nice and clean right now and I am enjoying some good old peace and quiet! To answer mom’s questions.  In the Rome mission there are seven zones – Rome, Napoli, Sardegna, Bar, Taranto/Calabria, Catania, and Palermo.  In our zone we have 12 missionaries and 3 districts – Siracusa, Catania, and Messina/Reggio Calabria which are also cities. We have 2 elders and 2 sisters in Catania.  I am the district leader and my comp is the zone leader.

I went to Siracusa to restart/finish my living documents for the next year. They are done. I just need to wait a month to pick up the card.  Anziano Furia hasn’t finished his mission but will finish on October 5^th with my trainer Anziano Anderson.

This time in Siracusa I saw someone names Oscar Reale who is going on his mission to Manchester. He reports  1^st of November.  The last time I was in Siracusa I saw a lot of friends and members.  (Mitchell was in Siracusa from January to July).

The work here is going.  We need to be more diligent with stopping people to talk.  Some days I really feel it and I just go crazy and some days I don’t feel finding as much.  We are trying to get Salvo baptized.  He really wants to but his mom is being a bit of a hassle right now and is in the way. We haven’t been able to do a lot of work in these last days because of zone conference but we will be getting to work tomorrow after P-day.

Well, I love you all very much.  Can’t wait to hear from people who don’t write to me.  Family you do a good job writing.   – Mitchell

FYI:  I asked Mitchell to clarify a few things and these are the answers to my questions:

1. We teach investigators in many places – at their home, in the park, and at the church.  I have tried to teach in members’ homes but have never succeeded

2. Etna blows smoke every now and then.  When I was in Napoli I met someone who was coming down to climb it even though it had erupted a few days before.  I don’t know if there are any warnings.  I have yet to hear them.  People never talk about Etna either.  It’s been there for hundreds of years and will be there for hundreds more.

3. We were working with a family in Siracusa but when then we never heard from them again.

4. Alessandro and his wife both got baptized.  She got baptized while I was in Caserta and he while I was in Siracusa.  Their son to my knowledge has not been baptized but it’s been over 7 months since I’ve heard anything.  (Alessandro was a man Mitchell found while walking around in Napoli.  They talked to him off and on for weeks before he started taking the discussions).

5. Yes, we have cell phones without texting and we are frequently grilled on the minutes we use.  Our phones are like the old Cingular wireless phones that you and dad first had.  Some are flip phones. 

Summer is officially over

Hosford Family,

The first thing I want to say is that summer here is officially over. It’s still hot during the days but the nights are cooling down. I am going to miss summer, but it’s nice not waking up all night because of the heat.

The work is going well here. Only problem is that we don’t have enough time to see them all cause we are busy and so are they. It’s nice just to have a list of people to call.

Right now the people we see often are these:  There is a kid named Salvo who is about to turn 12 who will be baptized in these coming weeks. We are thinking the 21^st, but it might be the 29^th. He is great, keeps the commandments, involved in the ward, etc. We are also teaching his mother who is supposed to be baptized with him, but she doesn’t do as much. We just want something to click with her.

Then we are teaching this 50 year old (maybe older) named Pietro. He sat a date/goal for the 29^th of Settembre.  We are seeing him about 3 times a week (he became an investigator last week) and is progressing. We taught the restoration and half of the plan of salvation. He agrees with everything but wants to know if Joseph Smith was a prophet or not. We are going to see him today, even though I will be in Siracusa. Hopefully, things go well today.

We are teaching this guy named Jay from the Philippines. We have taught about the restoration and he said he would get baptized if he felt these things were true. He was raised a Catholic, but doesn’t read the bible. So our lesson with him today will be about reading the scriptures and why its important then that will lead to the plan of salvation. We think the key for Jay will be to read.

We have more investigators than those three.  We made a list of all of them and we should be having 4-5 lessons every day. Two a day with investigators and 2 a day with new contacts, and then a member lesson.  Just it’s hard because everyone is so busy and I am glad vacation is over because people won’t be busy or out of town anymore.

Other than that things are going pretty good here.  The city is huge and still confusing, but I am slowly learning it. Thanks for the family reunion letter.  I enjoyed it.  Glad everyone is doing well.  Love everyone lots!

Anziano Mitchell Hosford