622 Days

February 20, 2013

This week on Thursday we saw a less active then waited for everyone to show up for ward council but no one showed up because they don't send us messages or tell us ever so we wasted time waiting for ward council. Also the dad of are ward mission leader died so we went over to his mom's house to see what we could do be cause no one is a member except for his family.

Friday morning we went to the funeral and it was just a regular mass with a dead person in front and man it was just one boring service. You get an exercise because you have to stand up and sit down like 40 times and they "pray" a ton. The priest just says "let's pray" and doesn't even have it memorized, just saved in his huge bible and reads it. Also they had the nerve during the funeral to ask for offerings! Then at the end he re-baptized, or sprinkled water, on the coffin so one thing I learned is catholics do baptisms for the dead! Sort of any way! so if anyone tries to argue with me I can tell them I saw it.

Saturday we had a Valentines Day party and it was pretty good. An Italian actually made good cake! I say that because Italians are great cooks but not great bakers, unless its bread. Then I saw cupcakes and I thought "I haven't had a cupcake for almost 2 years this is great". But instead of frosting they put a hard sugary thing on top and it is super bad so i was kind of sad. But the party was fun and members were making fun of us because it was a couple party but obviously we were  there to get referrals. But in Italian the word coppia means companionship and couple so I just told all the members that we are a coppia of anziani meaning  in the sense of companionship.

Anz Jake and Anz Merrill

 

Sunday I got an ingrown toenail and couldn't walk; it's better now and doesn't hurt that bad but it did and I also burned my hand on the oven while I was making pizza and so I have a huge scab on my hand haha bad week for health I'd say.

Monday we had zone meeting/interviews and my temple recommend expires next month so I was interviewed again in Italian and my card is also in Italian, it's super cool. Then we had to clean the apartment because our landlady had someone come to look at it. We had to cancel an appointment because my toe still hurt. Yesterday everyone canceled on us and we went to English class hoping someone would come/ We just put out 1500 flyers the week before and 3 people came so it went ok. Then we had ward council.

Today we didn't do much except go to the black market again. I can't wait to come back to Italy with everyone again and come back to Torino and buy everyone stuff on the black market. Today my companion bought a Gucci, watch it is awesome.

We didn't have more snow but it is colder today. I can't wait for spring! After this transfer I can throw out all my long sleeve shirts that I don't want! For our baptism we will see, but my district is on fire for these last couple of transfers. This transfer we have 14 baptismal dates. When I became district leader we had only one. I won't take all the credit, I give God the glory, but I would say I did something to help. I hope I will be training the next transfer. We have 30 new missionaries coming to our mission. For food at district meeting we make a pot luck. Tell Dad I will destroy him at foosball so he better start practicing. Instead of basketball in church they have foosball because they don't have room in the churches for a basketball court. So if I can beat Italians who are members and they play all the time you better tell him to watch out! Kaylin's already 6, holy cow! Oh what was my SAT score again, I don't remember?

Well love you have a great week.

Jake