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 2nd 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
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