Sassari, Sardinia - 12/21/2011

Carissimo tutti e BUON NATALE!!

Well my beloved friends and family! Merry Christmas! What a wonderful time to take a little break from our crazy lives and sit down and relax, enjoy a nice hot cocoa by the fire, spend time with loved ones and family, and …. oh wait that's what you guys get to do..... I guess more like running around in a suit and tie proclaiming repentance to the inhabitants of Sassari to prepare them for the second coming of our Lord is more like what I'll be doing. WOO!!! So I guess you guys all are excited to talk to me this next week huh? I could say that I also am excited. Thanks for the Skype info Dad, I'm pretty sure I remember my password on my account I'm surprised I never gave it to you guys before I left, I gave you a little list with all me accounts and passwords on it. I really hope you still have that because I've forgotten everything facebook, e-mail, you name it. Also I have fantastic news. The Italian mail system pulled through quite fantastically. I received quite a few letters this week including: a letter from Grandma Nancy, one from Scott and Kristin, the one from all you guys with the family Christmas card in it, and one from Mom's beehive class. Oh and sopra tutto the package arrived!! It came Friday and I picked it up Saturday morning. We have made A TON of cookies and are still in the process of distribution. The Italians are NUTS about them. Like total maniacs. We left some in the church that we were gonna give to an investigator that lived nearby. We left a note on them and behind our backs some member ate the whole thing haha. Sneaky little boogers these Italians. The members have been taking really good care of us this Christmas season with a ward meal list. All wards here in Italy, unlike America, do not have a missionary feeding program and it is INCREDIBLY rare to eat at a members house, but our branch president here in Sassari is taking really good care of us for Christmas and we have dinner appointments booked for like the next 3 weeks =) Christmas will be nuts because we will eat lunch (largest meal of the day here) at a members house and then leave right after that to go eat dinner at another family's home. We are gonna be stuffed like turkeys.

So I watched the little YouTube video. Awesome, amazing little thing you guys made for me from my cousins. I was laughing my head off. I probably looked like a crazy person because we do internet here in a library. I miss all those little guys so much. Actually many aren't that little anymore. The trips look way older, and little Brandon isn't so little either. Thank you so much again for that It made my whole year =) Buon Natale Daniel, Abby, Lindsey, Matthew, Brian, Laura, Nicole, Nora, Ricky, Brandon, Hannah, Eliza, and Sophie!! I hope I didn't miss anyone.

Well I'm not quite sure what else to write that I won't be telling you next Tuesday haha. I guess I can say see you later, literally, like in less than a week. Or in Italiano diciamo così, Ci vediamo fra un po. Buon Natale di nuovo e Vi voglio bene. Arrivederci!!!!

Con Amore e Buone Feste,Anziano Kyle Hill

P.S. Attaching Some photos =)

Also I almost forgot. It snowed here last sunday night haha. It's incredibly rare here. I sent some photos. It's alot like california where it only snows maybe once every 15-20 years.

Sassari, Sardinia - 12/13/2011

Caro Famiglia,

Okay I have news for you about my phone call thing =) I'm so excited to talk to all you guys =) and remember there are no restrictions on who I can talk to or any set time limits by president so if family and friends want to come they are very welcome. Cousins, Aunts, Uncles, Grandmas, Travis, Dani and Pedro… mis tres amigos major. And anyone else haha =) ci siamo?

So, as for Christmas day I will go to church. Then I have no idea what I'll be doing. If a member wants to have us over for a Christmas dinner we'll go to that. Or we will go around wishing people Merry Christmas. I have a question for the missionaries back home when you get the chance to talk to them. I want to know if everyone thinks that they are Jehovah's Witnesses when they go around. Because here they all think we are J.W.'s. Their approach to missionary work is different than ours. With Christmas and holidays it makes it a lot easier for us though because all you have to do is say Merry Christmas and they go wait a minute you aren't those guys because they don't celebrate holidays. Okay that's enough about the J.W.'s, they are good people too.

So back to what I'll being doing for Christmas. President has given us a day of Riposo where we are allowed to chill and relax which is Monday. We will probably have the Anziani from Olbia come up here to hang out with us so we don't feel so alone and shut off from the world and can have a little district get together and maybe cook a feast or something. We also get the choice of watching 2 movies!! Oh snap! PG Disney/Pixar movies or Church films. If you have any good ideas for movies that have come out recently let me know in your e-mail next week. I was wondering if any of you have seen Cars 2 yet because that was one that caught my attention. So yeah. That will pretty much be my holiday. And for New Year’s we will have a deep cleaning day where we stay at home and super clean our apartment.

I did get some mail this week though!! This Monday I received a letter from Home. One from Mom and another from Kristin inside the same letter. As for the Package... still waiting but no worries, it will make it I'm sure!!! I'll be sending some pictures from my new camera with this email. I hope you enjoy them.

As for our investigators things have gone well this week. We found 4 new investigators last week. Not bad huh? We'll see how that goes. As for Enoc we met with him last Saturday and he’s doing great. Still ready to be baptized and everything. What a champ. That’s about it for the work though, but it's not too bad.

I hope you all are having a great holiday season. I miss you all. Hope you all have a great week and stay awesome n'stuff. I'd like to see our family Christmas card for this year maybe you could take a picture of it and send it to me. Buon Natale, Bon Noel, Feliz Navidad and Merry Christmas. Ci sentiamo, Vi voglio bene, e Alla prossima!

-Con Amore, Anziano Kyle Hill

Sassari, Sardinia - 12/7/2011

Carissimi Famiglia!

Well I guess this letter will be a big question answering one haha. I don't mind though. So let’s see… no packages or letters. NOTHING! =( oh well. That's just the Italian mail system. Give it some time and just make sure you guys got the right address.

I'll be sending you a couple Pictures of me and Anziano Harris in this E-mail no need to worry.

And as for the one on facebook…why did you cut out F.llo Giardina =( haha put that guy back in there. He’s my best friend.

The teaching with Enoc is going amazing! We set a baptismal date with him last Sunday so yeah it’s going way awesome. Nobody new though. We are doing a lot of finding n stuff.

Yes in Italy they do decorate for Christmas. Trees and wreaths and lights on the house, however the lights on the houses are not as crazy as ours in America. They eat a lot and party pretty much all winter. The Italians are holiday animals. They have about 10 different holidays in December and January alone dedicated to certain saints or random religious or cultural events.

I will have more info for you guys next week on the call because transfers are next week and I'll see if I'll still be here with Harris or I'll be with someone else. Most likely though I will call Monday night here which will be Monday morning for you guys. And yes Skype. I will need my old Skype account info if you still have it, or your own Skype info to make the call to you guys. I need to find a member here who will let us use their computer or has Skype because internet points are closed during the holidays. I’m sorry that the elders at home don’t get to use Skype, but they’re not that far from home. As for me on the other side of the world, I'm a little more shut off from America than they are haha. And also phone calls are WAYYYYYYYYY more expensive than if I used Skype. That’s the main reason.

Tell Matthew to do his school work and stop using me as an excuse, that little punk haha. I owe everyone letters. I really stink at that. I will get those out soon; I have a ton of post cards.

You asked me dad about whether I have a zone in my city or not. I think I should clarify some things about missionary work in Italy that I haven’t really explained yet .You can share this with the elders back home too, it might blow their minds. My Zone is the WHOLE ENTIRE ISLAND OF SARDEGNA. Yes there are 10 of us for the whole island making us the smallest zone in the mission. My district consists of us and the city of Olbia, making 4 of us. Now for me and Anziano Harris's proselyting area? Get ready for this. It consists of the whole north-west quarter of the island. It’s pretty stinkin huge. Our area in Catania was huge too. In America and South America I understand your proselyting boundaries are drawn by blocks or streets. Here in Italy we us providential boundaries. So our area is the providence of Sassari. Maybe you could Google that or something and it would show you how big my area is haha.

As for the language; I'm far from having it down but I can communicate and understand at least. That's what’s important right? I realize though how much I've grown in the language since I first got out here and wasn’t able to understand pretty much anything. So I would say I have progressed quite a bit.

I know we have been in the news for our economic problems here in Italy. The truth is economically and politically this country is a mess. Their President Silvio Berlusconi stepped down from office a couple weeks ago because he couldn't take the heat. But the Italians all hated him anyways; he was a pretty bad dude. Other than that though I try to avoid political discussions and stuff. It's not missionaryish.

Well that's about it I guess. I hope you are all doing great. I miss you all and wish you the best in all that you do. I hope you're all having a great holiday. I hope you are all reading about Jesus’ birth during this season because I know I am. There's no better time in one’s life to really think about the birth of our Savior than during Christmas, on a mission when you are closed off from all the craziness of the world on that day. Vi voglio bene, bouna natale, e ci sentiamo alla prossima

Con amore, Anziano Hill

Sassari, Sardinia - 11/23/2011

Caro Famiglia.

To start this letter I'll answer a few questions. Yes it rained a ton in here in Sassari yesterday and Monday. It was pretty crazy. This is the rainy season though for Italy just kinda like how it is back home. So you can assume if it’s raining at home it’s raining where I am because we are the same climate. We have no car here either. We take buses and are on foot most of the time. Sometimes members give us rides back and forth places but not too often. The buses work pretty nicely here. As for Thanksgiving they do nothing here. I explained the story of Thanksgiving to my English course last night because they had no idea what it was. I couldn't remember however the name of the famous Indian dude who helped the pilgrims haha. So if someone could fill me in on that because it’s really been buggin me. So for Thanksgiving we will do nothing =( maybe eat a lot or something haha.

As for mail... still nothing. But I'll let you know when the package arrives. I hope the Jesus stickers hold up, and I get my good cookie stuff. Thanks again for it. You guys are awesome. I'll let you guys know if I get any mail soon too also. Haven’t gone camera searching yet. But I did do some window looking and saw some pretty good looking cameras for around £80-£100. So let me know what I should do.

As for this week. It’s gone pretty well. I've found a new favorite proselyting technique which involves us getting rid of excess materials we don't usually use by standing in a populated piazza and handing them out to everyone. We have over 1000 The Testimony of Joseph Smith pamphlets at our apartment and have been working our way through those because missionaries don't really use those on a normal basis. It's quite successful too. If someone is in a hurry they have something to read later and if they aren't they will actually stop and talk to us a bit about what it is. Thank goodness Joseph Smith was such a good looking guy or I don't know if as many people would have taken his pamphlet haha. One guy even told us after grabbing it that he was just gonna throw it away but then he noticed that this is a good looking guy so he'll read it. As for investigators nothing too much.

We'll that's about it from me this week. Oh I wanted to tell Dad I had a similar tie giving story but I told the guy it was one of my favorites but he wouldn't take it because he thought I liked it so much. I had to beg him to take it from me and finally he did. I love you guys and miss you all. Also I love being a missionary here in Italy, even if nobody here wants to listen to me! Which most don't, but whatever, life goes on. Have a good week and stuff and I'll talk to you guys later. Ya'll strait up legit fo-sho haha, I still got my gangsta talk, just don't try to repeat that phrase out loud mom or you'll just embarrass yourself, haha I’m just messin.

Con Amore, Anziano Kyle Hill

Sassari, Sardinia - 11/16/2011

Carissimi Famiglia,

Ti voglio bene. A simple phrase that I hear quite often here. It literally translates “To you I want good” which doesn't sound very cool but what it really means is I love you, in the non-affectionate but more friendly sense of the phrase, because in Italian if you say “I love you” as in “Ti amo” which literal means I LOVE YOU it is incredibly intimate. So, Ti voglio bene famiglia mia e anche amici miei. Stay awesome haha. Oh and when you pronounce italain the “gli” in a word is pronounced like the double L thing they do in spanish. As in Tortilla. It’s not a hard g or else this language would sound disgusting, which it isn't. Maybe another cool phrase, how about “Che cavolo fai!?!?!” It means “what the heck are you doing” or literally “What the cabbage are you doing”. Haha. You yell this at people when you are driving and they do stupid things while moving your hands up and down. There's a lot of Italian hand language that I guess I'll have to show you guys when I get home. Yes they do all talk with their hands and I'm pretty sure they would be incapable of communication if their hands where tied up. It’s quite funny sometimes but unfortunately I have started to pick it up.

So another week in Sassari. I'm starting to get this city down too (you guys know how I am with directions) Ultimate domination. Nothing real interesting though, as I a told you last week the work here is way slow. We have a couple investigators but none are really progressing. Not much is going on, we have this crazy guy named Benedetto who speaks really broken English to us the whole time and wants us to find him a job in America so he can get money to buy presents for his father. He wants to work over the internet so he can stay home haha. I was thinking maybe Mike could have him do his homework or something over the internet and then mail him like 10 bucks every week haha. We will start teaching a way awesome guy though this afternoon. His name is Enoc, and of course he is an African from Cameroon. I don't know what it is but I am almost sure that this mission baptizes more foreigners than it does Italians! We are sent here to baptize people from Africa and Romania I guess. I guess it doesn't matter whose soul it is as long as it's another soul brought to Christ whether they are native or not. Enoc speaks english too. Its funny because we started talking to him and offered him Book of Mormon in italian but then asked him if there was a better language to read it in, being that Italian is a second language to almost all Africans here, and he said english and then we paused and were like “wait? You speak english?, We do too! We're Americans!” haha it was way funny.

So about the Camera, I will do some looking around today and get you some prices. I would like to know where my price range is so I don't blow to much on one or spend to little on a piece of junk camera. As for the baking goods I should probably tell you what I need in case you haven’t sent it yet but if you have oh well. I need Brown Sugar, those crisco butter things, vanilla, chocolate chips and the recipe. Everything else I can get here in Italy but as for those things they are incredibly hard to find or non-existent here. And I need a lot. I'll be making ALOT of cookies so we can have a very happy palazzo and maybe a few new investigators =)

I miss you all have hope you are all doing great. I loved the email from Mike. It seems like so much crazy stuff is going on back home. Tell the Harris's I pray for them. And…JK's going to Iowa! Way neat. I'll see him in 2 years I guess. Marisa's home already? Man it feels like yesterday she left. This mission stuff really blows by way fast. Her picture was in the Ensign a while ago and our ward here happened to have it posted on the wall and I walked past it and had to double take “is that... holy cow that's Marisa” haha. I told everyone she was in my ward but no one believed me. Renee had a baby? That blows my mind too. I never even remember you telling me she was even pregnant. How's Tommie Norris taking being a grandma now? Just think. Give it 4 or 5 years and you'll probably be a grandma too mom! You guys can all hang out in knitting circles, go to garage sales, make tons of cookies, and ride scooters around Carpentaria together!! Haha I'm teasing. You guys aren't that old.........yet. =)

Well I love you all and am running out of time on this stupid Library computer so I hope you guys have a great week and be excellent to each other. Ci sentiam più tardi

Con Amore

Anziano Kyle Hill

Sassari, Sardinia - 11/9/2011

Carissimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii Famiglia!!!

Como state!! Dang do I have quite a story for you guys! So as you know Wednesday night I got on a bus and headed to Roma. I almost got stuck on the bus alone with 3 sister missionaries =P that would of stunk but honestly as the bus was getting ready to leave the Anziani that were leaving Sicilia showed up from Palermo. We had a nice group heading up to Roma but the trip was long. They played a very strange Italian film on the bus that even though I could understand what they were saying the movie still made no sense. It was just a very badly made movie. The world should just leave it up to Hollywood to make the movies. After the 10 hour bus trip we arrived in Roma at 6:30 in the morning. We were picked up by the APs and headed to the mission office. We hung out there for a while and got all situated and I got my tickets for the boat which didn't leave til 6:30 that evening. So, having a whole day with nothing to do in Roma.... wait did I say nothing to do in Roma? Haha I grabbed a couple other missionaries who were waiting for trains, buses, planes, etc and we went and saw some of the good old eternal city. Coliseum, Vatican (which is HUGE), Roman Forum and Spanish steps. I took a ton of awesome pictures with other peoples cameras and than just to my luck I lost the Scada on the boat =( but most likely I will see it all again before I come home because everyone serves in Roma at least once on their mission here so you will get pictures sooner or later. After that adventure we headed back to Termini (the central train station in Roma) where there are tons of missionaries and I got to see old missionaries, new ones and it was just a great reunion of old friends and making new ones as missionaries got off trains and waited for ones to come. I recall a story haha. There were 3 sister missionaries who where taking a train down to Bari. 2 were greenies and the other was only in her 2^nd transfer so they were a little slow with the language =S I remember helping them get on their train with all their luggage seconds before it was getting ready to go. They all had no idea what to do or where to sit or anything and I really hope they made it to Bari safely because they kept asking me for help or to talk to people but the train was leaving so I had to jump off haha. At least they got on the train and that was what was important I guess =) My travel Comp Anziano Errante, an italian, was my travel buddy on the boat to Sardegna but his bus came in late. We ran and barley caught the train to Cittavecchia (the port city for Roma). When we got off the train it was 6 and we had 30 min to get to the port and grab the boat. We ran with all of our luggage but Anziano Errante's stuff kept falling over. We found a nice bus driver who drove us as close as he could to the boat but still we were about 300 yards away. As we got out of the Bus it was 6:30 and I noticed that the boat WAS PULLING OUT OF THE DOCK. I dropped my bags and started running. I ran faster than I had ever in my life. I jumped off the platform, over open water and into the boat as it was pulling out. I used my excellent persuasive skills to convince the crewmen to call the captain and stop the boat for me and Anziano Errante haha. They being INCREDIBLY nice Italians waited for us. =) They were probably just amazed at my awesome epic movie status long jump onto the boat haha. I WAS DETERMINED TO MAKE THAT BOAT! After getting on the boat (which might I mention was HUGE) it was kinda like a mini cruise ship with about 15 floors, many rooms and huge lobbies and restaurants on it, we settled into our cabin and fell asleep. Little did I know that this 12 hour trip would turn into an 18 hour trip thanks to these wonderful storms we have been having here recently. I got pretty sea-sick going through that storm. It was a BIG storm and it felt kinda like being on an elevator for 18 hours. Not very fun. We made it to Cagliari at 1 o'clock Friday. There I met Anziano Harris again. We were then attacked by an old gypsy lady who didn’t speak Italain and was trying to get into the port past the guard with a 10 euro phone card to try and get a boat back to Croatia. I felt bad for her but there was nothing we could do other than give here a picture of Jesus and tell her to have faith. If she could even understand us =( its sad all the poverty I see here and how helpless I feel to it. Most people here are in these situations because it’s there own fault but others (like Samuel and Rose) are victims of circumstances out of their hands. And all we can do as missionaries is teach them to have faith that God will help them but reading the Epistle of James we learn that what does faith serve if a man asks for food and you leave him hungry, is naked and you cloth him not. Faith doesn't help people without good works. It’s our job as followers of Jesus Christ to help those in need =) and I really like how well our church does that and how generous many members are when we see someone in need. It reminds me of those times when we would see the hobo on the street and give them our del taco or a sandwich or something. I even learned that giving someone here a picture of Jesus can make them the happiest person in the world and forget their problems.

So after arriving in Cagliari we had a 5 hour train to Sassari on the complete opposite side of the Island. A arrived at home around 7 at night which made for about 48 hours of travel. I knew this was gonna be a crazy transfer and boy was it.

Now a little about Sassari. The Sards (short for sardegnins) are VERY different than the Siciliani. The city of Sassari is MUCH more tranquil and peaceful in comparison to Catania. There is much less poverty much, much less. People here though are a little more closed than the Siciliani. The Siciliani could talk to for hours on the street about whatever. The sards not so much. Also the Sards do not cook anything like Siciliani. If there is one thing I miss most about Sicilia it is the food. I brought some recipes though so I think I'll manage. There's a lot of work to be done here. We have a small branch of about 40 members who are all way awesome. But as for the work here it’s been pretty slow for the last few years =P but whatever, I'll do my best and see what comes of it! WOO!!! I've been completely desensitized to rejection. When people say no (everyone) I ask them why. People here are just not very willing to listen but I'm just looking for that one guy or one family that’s ready.

So it’s been nasty weather lately. Tons of rain, nice little apartment though. Anziano Harris is a great guy. Served with him in the MTC for a bit. He was in the group above me. Learning the city is going ok (you know me and directions haha). And mail works quite well here so I hear.

As for packages I would suggest against it now that I don't have the U.S. military base but if you must send go ahead. I have to pay a nasty little 10 euro fee though for every package that comes in for me but I think I can get those reimbursed. It takes a couple of weeks too. And if you are sending a package I would like a ton of ingredients for Chocolate Chip cookies and that awesome little recipe we have at home for them so I can make some good old American treats for all our neighbors for Christmas =) I made some in Catania off of supplies we got from the base and the Italians FREAKED OUT over them telling me the cookies are a gift from God and that they should be made a saint and prayed to haha. You gotta love Italians. OH and make sure you put a sticker of the Madonna on the seal or stuff WILL GET STOLEN. Use Mary because they like her the most and no Italian in the right mind would rip a sticker of her.

So that’s about it. PLEASE WRITE ME LETTERS haha I love them. You have my address so you have no excuses! HA! I love you all and miss you all. I hope you have a great week and have just tons of fun and stuff. Vi voglio bene e ci sentiamo

Con amore,

Anziano Kyle Hill

Catania, Sicily - 11/2/2011

Hello-

WHAT A WEEK!!!!!!!! I probably had one of the best weeks I've had so far in the mission! I also have many pictures I will be trying to send today so we’ll see how that turns out.

So the highlight of this week was really Saturday. We had Samuel and Rose’s BAPTISM!! It was beautiful!! I baptized Samuel and Anziano Andersen baptized Rose. He was the first person I have ever baptized. Woo!!! It was way awesome and they brought a ton of friends! I think every African in Catania was there. Samuel says he wants to bring every African to the Church of Jesus Christ. He is so great. Especially when he prays. He prays way intense and gets you all pumped up during his prayer haha.

After the wonderful baptism we did another way fun thing. A SOCCER GAME!! President Kelly approves one soccer game for every missionary and we decided that the Catania vs. Napoli game last Saturday would be the one. We live about 1 kilometer from the stadium so we can hear the games anyways, but this time we got all dressed up in our jerseys and headed down into the stadium with a member and his son Fratello Rizzo. The game was amazing. Napoli was in 3rd place in the whole league and was chosen to win and it seemed that they would when they scored in the first 40 seconds of the game (something that never happens) HOWEVER,Catania made sure that was the only goal that Napoli scored. After that Catania made two goals and we beat Napoli 2-1!!! Catania is doing amazingly well this year because we are usually an underdog but we are taking out all the big guys this season and upsetting a lot of pocket books in the betting stands.

After the game we received our transfer calls from the assistants, I am going to Sassari in Sardegna! I will be serving with an old MTC buddy, Anziano Harris. It’s about as far as one could possibly be transferred to from Catania so I have a huge trip ahead of me. Tonight I leave Catania on a bus to Roma, I get there tomorrow morning at 6:30 and then get to spend the day there until 7pm when I get on a boat and go to Cagliari the capital of Sardegna. I get there Friday morning and then get on a 3 hour train to Sassari. I'll let you guys know my new address next week. Sending stuff to Roma isn't that bad either. I will get stuff from there every 3 weeks or so, not bad.

We met with out new adventuring sea sailing friend Silvio again. This time he gave us another book, one he wrote HIMSELF! A book of his own sea sailing adventures. I can't wait to read it and he still remains very interested in the church. He’s way cool. It was sad saying good bye to everyone but I have made friendships here that I don't think can ever go away. Our investigator Massimo (the crazy guy) started to cry yesterday when I told him I was leaving. Samuel wasn't happy either I was going but I will stay in touch with these new friends for sure. I can't wait to go to Sassari and make even more new friends!!

Mikes drum line thing was the coolest thing I have ever seen. He made me think kinda of the Blue Man group show in Las Vegas. Future career? Haha just kidding. I got E-mails this week from Dad, you, Aunt April, The Fenns, and my good old adventuring buddy Uncle Gordon. I would like to know if I could have his address actually so I could write him cool stories and adventures about my mission that I'm not allowed to tell you guys =) The pictures of all my cousins in their little costumes was cute. I miss all those little guys so much.

Well I got a bunch of photos to upload. Tell the Harris family in our ward that they are in my prayers. I miss you all and hope you have a great week. Vi amo, Vi voglio bene, e Ci sentiamo piu tardi =)

Con Amore, Anziano Kyle Hill

Catania, Sicily - 10/26/2011

Salve tutti!

So this week has more or less been kinda awesome, haha. The best day though was by far this Sunday. After those long 7 hours of church we have, me and Anziano Andersen felt inspired to cancel our plans to track down a referral and instead go by a house we had found a couple days before where the man told us through the citofono (intercom) to comeback on Sunday, which usually means here, “I don't want to see you ever again go away, but in a nice way.” However we went by anyway not having much hope of getting into this home. It was a walled off palazzo with a huge yard inside, from what we could see over the massive wall which surrounded it. It was actually one of the largest homes in the area especially because most everyone here in Italy doesn't live in a home but live in large apartment complexes. To our surprise, however, after ringing the citofono the man let us in. We walked through a huge beautiful garden, up a stair case and then into one of the most beautiful homes I have seen so far in the Country. This man introduced himself as Silvio. An older guy maybe in his early 60's and very, very warm and welcoming. After talking for only maybe 2 minutes or so we felt incredibly comfortable there. We noticed along the walls many model ships, sea charts, maps and pictures of the ocean. It happens that Silvio is a retired sailor. He has sailed the whole world in wooden cutter ships. He was a great adventurer and now lives in retirement at home with his wife and children. He was curious a bit in who we are and what we teach so we dove head first into a 1st lesson with him. When we got to the Book of Mormon he sat with an incredible curiosity on his face. We explained to him the story a bit and he was incredibly interested. He brought out one of his favorite books for us to look at. It's called the Kon-Tiki Expedition. It’s a true story, non-fiction book, written by a man who went about to prove a theory that Polynesia was settled by ancient Peruvians who crossed the sea on a raft. In this story the man builds a raft out of ancient materials only known to the Ancient Americans and sails to Tahiti. A great story and you guys should check it because OUR CHURCH TEACHES that the inhabitants of Polynesia are actually decedents of Hagoth the boat builder found in the book of Alma. These things made Silvio incredibly excited and I'm sure he isn't hesitating to read the book of Mormon. After this awesome experience we were walking and on our way back home from the car I glanced to the left, just to look up a street to see if there was any traffic, as I peeked I noticed a red glow in the distance but didn't think much at first. But after a second I did a double take and noticed that it was the mountain in the distance SPEWING OUT A GIANT RIVER OF LAVA THOUSANDS OF FEET INTO THE AIR!!! I almost exploded with excitement at what I was seeing. Through the darkness of the night we could see the volcano in the distance with a bright red spout at the top and a thick orange river flowing down the side of it. We climbed up to the roof of our home to get a better look where I took a video on my camera. But just to my luck it will not let me send it to you! It's too large of a file!! So I will try and figure something out. But if not just go online and you can probably look it up because it was quite spectacular. I was living a dream haha. I sat outside and watched it for maybe an hour or two, it was amazing. It was really a once in a life time kinda thing. And it really topped off an excellent week. =)

As for pictures I am sending you one of me and our wonderful member/fruit man Fratello Giardina. He honestly has the biggest heart ever and every time we stop by, he makes sure we have our fair share of fruit to eat. He’s a great guy. We are going to have an amazing Saturday this week also. We will wake up early to start prepping the font for our baptism of Samuel and Rose. I will be doing the Baptism, awesome huh? It will be my first time baptizing someone so we'll see if don’t mess up. After the baptism president Kelly approved for us to go to a...catch this!... A SOCCER GAME!!! Catania against Napoli! We are going with some members and the Anziani from Messina. It's gonna be amazing. It's a once in a mission thing, president said, but I think this will be totally worth it. Both teams are doing very well and it should be a very good game. We are Catania Fans btw haha. After the game we go to the ward Halloween party which here in Catania is supposedly legendary. The whole city apparently comes to this thing. It's gonna be a big day Saturday and I’m pretty excited to say the least. Now other than that we have done a lot of searching and finding to no real avail, but we go on. That’s how it is here. When we search we usually spend our time in the park talking to people on benches or we go to houses which is very difficult here because you can only talk to people through a citofono because they are all apartment buildings. And if you sneak into them people usually run you out with a bastone.(stick) That’s what our finding really consists of.

As for your questions mother:

1) How does Anziano Andersen like Catania?

1) Andersen loves Catania and doesn't ever want to leave haha

2) Have you been able to teach anyone this week?

2) Yes

3) What experiences have you had this week that have strengthened your testimony?

3) See first paragraph

4) Have you served anywhere besides Catania this week?

4) No but we did go to Agrigento for P-day today

5) Do you have any new pics this week?

5) Just this one and the volcano video but that isn't working =( sorry

6) Do you know how much we pray for you? Scott actually prayed for you to be safe TWICE in our family prayer tonight. Haha

6) Tell Scott to do it 3 times in the next prayer. Haha =)

I miss that guy I can't wait to get home and shoot him with that nerf bow and arrow thing I got for Christmas again. Ohh the funny little things you miss while on your mission.

As for letters I really can't remember =S uhhh. I got one from you and maybe one from Kristin I think, but really I’m not to sure.... =P I'll try to keep better track this week. Sorry.

I LOVE YOU ALL AND MISS YOU TONS!!! I home you guys keep being awesome and doing awesome things and stay excellent to each other! VI voglio bene, vi amo e ci sentiamo!!!

Con Amore!! Anziano Kyle Hill

Catania, Sicily - 10/19/2011

Hello tutti,

I really am not quite sure what to write to you guys this week. Things are normal here and everything is just well... fine. Teaching goes good and so does finding. Nothing crazy happened this week really. Just normal missionary stuff.

We did scambi (exchanges) this Monday. So I was with Anziano Perry the zone leader from Messina which was really great.

We had a baptism for the sisters this Saturday for a lady named Lydia and she thought asked me to talk about the Holy Ghost during the baptism which was my first discourse in Italian but it was went by awesome. WOO!!

The refugees we have been teaching are doing awesome. =) They are actually from Ghana originally so they aren’t really Libyans. Samuel needed paper work to get his documents so that he could start working so he went to Rome last week and was able to get some help from his embassy there and it looks like everything is starting to go very well for them now. =) It’s really, in all honesty, a miracle how well things are going for them now, after what they have been through.

The Italians are great people just some are really not interested in us telling them that we don’t believe that Mary is a God and that we also don’t believe that saints do miracles. It’s a sensitive subject and their whole culture is based around this doctrine so it can make people very upset at our message.

Anziano Andersen loves it here. He has only served in little cities. Catanzaro in Colabria (the toe of Italy) and Olbia in Sardegna. So Catania’s a big change for him.

We haven’t seen Silvio anywhere for awhile, but I pray everyday that we will just bump into him.

President Kelly made sure during our last interview that I was aware to not trust that I would be staying in Catania for another transfer which in other words means I’m gone. So I should be leaving Catania in early November around the 5th so if you guys could plan mail accordingly so after October 26th send all mail to the mission home which is;

Anziano Kyle Hill

Missione Italiana di Roma

Piazza Carnaro 20

00141 Roma, Italia

So after the 26th mail stuff to that address instead of mine here in Catania. It will take a big surprise for me to stay but just know that I am probably gone. In all honesty I have done more time in this city than most missionaries do in any city.

As for letters and stuff I got an email from dad’s cousin John Keysor and emails from both you,mom, and dad. I got letters this week from you mom, Kristin my sister, and grandma Carolyn all very good stuff =) Thank you everyone for the letters I love them all. Oh and I got an email from aunt Kathryn, and that’s about it for this week. And thanks again I really love the mail. The port-man of our apartment who collects it all can bear witness of it.

I’m glad to hear those missionaries back home are committing those lazy bum brothers of mine to write me. Those missionaries must know what it’s like to not get mail from people. You guys should try and look up my old companion Anziano Medina and talk to him. He can tell you probably better than anyone how I was these last 5 months.

For this P-day we went down to Siracusa (Syracuse I think is what it’s called in English) We stood on the steps of the very temple where Paul taught the people there. Holy cow is it amazing to be in the same place as those guys and you can read about it too and it’s the same exact location. And to be doing the same thing in the same place just in a different time period. It all kinda blows my mind. I think I’m in the greatest mission in the world!!! I wouldn't give this up for anything!!! To stand along side the ancient apostles and bear testimony of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and the son of the Living God and how he suffered for all of our sins so that if we are baptized we can be saved from fault and be made perfect. That's about the basis of our message in a nut shell right?

Well I’m gonna go now. Nice to hear from you all and I miss you all. Vi voglio bene, Mi mancate e Ci sentiamo Più Tardi

Con amore, Anziano Kyle Hill

Catania, Sicily - 10/12/2011

CIAO!

Well I got ALOT of letters and stuff this week. Two packages this Sunday. One from home full of amazing stuff and great little letters. =) I loved them all and I've already eaten half the stuff in there and thanks for the sweater that will be sure to keep me warm this winter. The other package was delicious snickerdoodles from the Lindsays. I got a letter from Grandma Nancy too. As for emails: you, dad, Aunt Kathryn, Aunt Kristin, and Aunt April. Thank you so much for the letters and emails guys they are great. I especially loved the pictures Aunt Kathryn sent me. There was one of me as a baby with Grandpa Howard. It made me cry a little. I always like to think here on the mission that while I'm working, grandpa is right there standing next to me encouraging me. The truth is the spirit world is not too far away, in fact its right here around us, and sometimes like Brigham Young said the veil can get very thin. I always like to think I have an army of ancestors guiding me around. =)

So as for the work, we are doing pretty good things here. The sisters had a baptism last Saturday and will have another this week. Things are going very well here. As for Samuel and Rose we are honestly seeing miracles. As I told you last week he doesn’t have anything but faith that God will help him. He needs to get to Rome to go to the embassy to get his documents but the thing is that he has no money for a ticket to Rome. Us as missionaries can give him nothing which at times is very hard but it’s the rules. So we told him that by faith and prayer he will somehow find a way to get the 100 Euros to get to Rome. Well this is where it gets good. After a week of trying and trying, the embassy calls and says they will buy his ticket back home. And then on the same day a man at the hospital gives him money to by the rest of the ticket! The way literally just came out of no where. The guy has more faith than I have ever seen in my life. We will see good things come from him and his wife Rose. And God does provide a way and bless his children no matter how hard or impossible things may seem "YOU ARE NOT INVISIBLE" -Elder Uchdorf, he gave a great talk Saturday morning last conference. I'm amazed at how anyone could possibly believe there is no God when miracles happen everyday right in your face. You might as well live your life blind. Open your eyes and you will see his love anywhere at anytime in anyone or anything. He is there. =)

Here in Italy I have learned how to drive stick and do not want to ever go back haha. The brakes were broken in our car and we had to go get the discs and pads replaced at a mechanic. I asked the office if I could do it myself and they freaked out at me. =P I could have saved the church a couple 100 Euros but they'd rather have a professional I guess. I love you all and miss you all tons. I had a great birthday with the missionaries here and the ward. Vi voglio bene e mi mancate!

Con amore, Anziano Kyle Hill

Catania, Sicily - 10/5/2011

Ciao Tutti!

Come state voi!!! I am doing great. I am going up to the top of Mt. Etna again today!! WOOO!!!! Another awesome volcano trip!! I’m so excited. We have zone conference again tomorrow. I'm very excited for that also. This week has been pretty great. Me and Anziano Andersen have been doing work. We are going to start working with the ward list because we have about 110 active members here but 500 people on this ward list so we have quite a bit of contacting and finding to do. It’s pretty crazy. We found awesome new investigators this week too. Things are starting to move forward here again. Samuel and Rose our refugee investigators are getting ready to be baptized not this Saturday but the next one. I have never met someone with so much faith in my whole life. They are honestly in the worst situation they could possibly be in. Losing everything because of a war, escaping to a foreign country where you don't speak the language and literally having nothing. Finding work but not being able to be hired because you are waiting on documents through the Italian bureaucratic system, which if you thought the bureaucracy in America was bad you won't be able to comprehend it here. No food, pregnant wife, horrifying living conditions, they are honestly brought to the most humble level I have ever seen anyone be in my whole life but over it all they do not care about their situation. What they want to be is be baptized because they hope, no they know that if they are baptized the Lord will bless them and that they will overcome these hardships. They have more faith than anyone I know. They are truly putting their lives in the hands of the Lord. They are an example to me of true humility, true faith, and true and complete trust in the Lord. I aspire to be that faithful one day.

We were able to watch a bit of conference this week. I saw both Saturday morning and afternoon. I will have to watch the others at another time or read them in the ensign. So another temple in Provo? That blew my mind a little that they are turning the old tabernacle into a temple!!! Way exciting. Also the temple announcements sort of testified of the growth of the church in Africa. 2 new temples there. If there's one thing I know about Africans is that they are a very humble people and those are they that accept the gospel. My favorite talks were the ones by Elder Scott about memorizing scriptures because they all become like little friends you can always count on, and the other one I loved was Elder Uchtdorf's about how even though God has created every little thing in the universe and it seems that man is nothing, God's real purpose and all he wants is for us to return to him, he created it all for us!! I really liked those talks but all of them were great and I still have a lot more to listen to.

As for emails and mail this week I got one. An email from you mom haha. That was it. I'm glad to here that everyone is doing great back home and hope you are all doing well and having fun. It’s strange that kids can move onto our street and still have to go to high schools that are so far away when Hart is literally just down the street. Its way better too. I miss you all. Vi voglio bene e ci sentiamo

Con Amore, Anziano Kyle Hill

Catania, Sicily - 9/28/2011

Ciao Tutti

Hows it going? By means of letters this week I received one from my wonderful little sister. She’s really a great little girl and I miss her a ton. Miss you guys all a ton though. Got the awesome Race car video, haha go mom!! And the addresses and an email from dad. Me and Anziano Andersen are doing work down here. He’s served in 3 cities already with 3 different companions. He’s been moved all over the place. He started in Olbia on Sardegna and then in Catanzaro in Collarbria and now he’s here. Haha and don’t fret about the questions mom, you can ask as many as you want just make sure they are all organized at like the end of the emails you send me instead of just scattered through out the email so I don’t have to go searching for them that’s all. As for my birthday you guys can surprise me. A nice tie maybe, a sweater, I'm still short a pair of black slacks since my little bleach encounter haha. If you want to tell the Baes to keep an eye out for my package you can probably just tell them yourself because I know that sister Bae is friends with some of the sisters’ moms on facebook. We are going to their house this Sunday to watch conference in English. Not a bad deal huh? Well other than that, that’s really all I want.

I was not aware that dad would not be going back to Philly anymore! Where does he go now? Don't tell me he has to go to Europe more now? That would stink. I hope Scott and Kristin have a blast there though. You know how I love history and Philly is full of it.

I’m sending some photos of my last day with Anziano Medina. Excuse the P-day cloths, it was P-day and we had just got back from playing some basketball. There's one of me and Anziano Medina and another of me with Anziano Shaw. He lives in Pinnon Hills which is supposedly relatively close to us in Valencia. He goes home with Anziano Medina. (Unfortunately none of the pictures were in a format my computer recognized.)

Well I miss you all and hope you guys all have a great week. Vi voglio bene e Mi Mancate.

Con Amore!!

Anziano Kyle Hill

Catania, Sicily - 9/21/11

Hello

Another week and so another email for you guys. Got email from mom, dad and mike this week. I got the awesome little package this Sunday and that’s about it for this week. You still never sent me the addresses I asked for so I'm still waiting on that because if anybody wants letters I need addresses so its kinda important =P The wedding pictures look great.

Funny story haha. One of those. only on a foreign mission stories. I don't know how it was in Brazil for dad but were their certain drinks members drank that maybe shouldn't be drunken? haha last night we were having a little dinner with a member named Maira. She’s a great member and is subbing in as our Mission leader in our ward while we wait for the ward to call someone else. We were drinking this apple stuff and after a couple cups I noticed a peculiar scent. I asked her for the bottle and written on the bottom sure enough was exactly what I thought it would say. Totally alcoholic. Bene. Not a lot but enough. We had no idea. Not to mention there’s alcohol in like every flavor of gelato here too. Italians are crazy and I gotta be more careful before I start drinking things members give me.

My companion leaves back to San Diego today so I will be picking up my new companion tomorrow. Guess who? Anziano Andersen my old companion from the MTC!!! Crazy huh? I will be the district leader here too. I’m up for the challenge, just way stressed out. Anyways, I'm still just totally psych’d to be with Anziano Andersen again and we are gonna DO WORK here. I’m sad to say good bye to Anziano Medina but that’s how the mission works. I told him to hit you guys up when he gets home so we'll see if he does =)

I don’t have much time today and i gotta go so I wish you all the best. Thanks for the package and all the little letters. I miss you all. E vi voglio bene!

Con amore, Anziano Kyle Hill

Reggio di Colabria - 9/14/11

Dear Tutti,

I'm sorry but this is gonna be a relatively quick e-mail. Today I am in Reggio di Colabria. It is in fact the very same Reggio that Paul stayed in on his journey to Rome. This is by far the most beautiful city I have seen so far on my mission. Anziano Medina served here for 8 months and since he goes back home next week our President approved a super P-day here with some of Anziano Medina's old member friends and tomorrow we will do an exchange with the anziani here.

As for letters this week: I got a package from Dani and my friends this Sunday which was awesome, a wonderful letter from grandma Carolyn and I didn’t know you wanted me to mention emails too. I got one last week from Aunt April and about 3 or 4 weeks before that from Ashley. This week I got the 2 from you and 1 from Dad. Dad’s e-mails are the best things ever. I print them out and save them. And when you send me pics from your phone it works just fine don’t worry about it, actually send them more often. Hey and also I need Addresses of like EVERYONE. Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Grandmas, All of them. I got a ton of awesome postcards but I need addresses before I can send them off. So if you could send me all that stuff next week that would ROCK.

Hey if there’s any cool Italian phrases you guys want to know or anything you want to be able to say in the most beautiful language in the world just let me know. Italian is the language of love. If Mike and Scott are interested in flattering the ladies I can help them out a little bit, haha just kidding, but really if there’s anything you want to know, let me know. I miss you all and wish mike HAPPY BIRTHDAY LITTLE BRO!! He is all grown up now! 17 MUCA SACRA!! That’s not an Italian phrase just a translation of an English phrase. Have a great week everyone and I will talk to you all later =) Ci Sentiamo

Con amore, Anziano Hill

Catania, Sicily - 9/8/11

HEY everyone!

I'm so sorry about not emailing yesterday. We sat down to do email but I only had time to send my email to president because we received a call from our new friend brother Wolfgang from Germany. He’s a member from the Munich Stake in Germany and he came to Italy to try and by an old fiat 500 to restore it because you can buy then cheaper here than in Germany. He is a mechanic and loves restoring old cars. The problem is he doesn't speak Italian haha. So that’s where we come in. We went around with him yesterday from dealership to dealership translating for him to try and buy a quality car. He is way cool, but that is why you guys did not get an email yesterday. I am sorry.

I'm happy to hear I am getting my glasses =) It’s very hard having to keep my contacts in until the very second I go to bed. Soccer fever has taken over Italy now. You guys realize you are all Catania fans now haha. I bought a jersey for them just the other day, along with an Italia FIFA World Cup jersey even though we have a couple of years till that starts again. So yes FORZA CATANIA!! My favorite player is David Suazo.

Etna Blew Its Cap Today!! We woke up looked outside and everything was all chill and then half an hour later we go outside and there’s a pillar of fire shooting miles into the sky blocking out the rising sun over the ocean. It was crazy! I hear that its natural disaster madness around the world right now. Thought I’d tell you about Etna just to add to the chaos. Signs of the times my friends. Signs of the times. I hope everyone is okay though.

We have a way awesome investigator for the American branch named Samuel, a refugee from Libya but originally from Ghana. Him and his wife Rose got here from Libya 2 weeks ago and found our church while waking by. They recognized the LDS church because they had seen it in Ghana. Living in Libya they have not been able to practice Christianity for the last 5 years because of the Muslim population there. They are so humble and have been through so many trials. Especially with this war in Libya and losing everything there. Rose is 5 months pregnant too so life is very difficult for them here in Italy not having work, but Samuel says God will always help him. He is incredibly faithful. He has a contrite spirit and sincere heart and is full of humility. The gospel is for EVERYONE =)

Well vi voglio tanto bene. You guys are all awesome and I miss you all. Thank you for the glasses mom you rock. And I'll talk to you all next week.

Con Amore, Anziano Hill