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