11/28/2012 - Pescara, Italy

Ciao Tutti! 

         Well I think I'd like to start maybe explaining the fotos I sent. There'a a picture of me thanksgiving with are nice little turkey =) i got to make the first cut. Than there is a panorama shot of Pescara from the top a huge bridge over the riviera. And last the president says we are doing such a good job here in Pescara that we get to upgrade the mission car to a......... yeah, so tell those missionaries back home that if they do a good enough job maybe the church will let them drive one too =) 

          Looks like you guys are all having a blast back home. There is one thing that made me flip out a little was how big everyone is. Don't tell Mike but Scott is HUGE is he has tall as me yet? I'm 6'1" so I'd like to think I'm still the tallest but in that family foto just kinda blew my mind. Anyways everyone looks a lot older except Mom and Dad haha you guys seem to not age. When I show people here fotos of you guys people think you guys are in your 30's and that its impossible that I can be your son. Your thing about me looking Italiano and stuff that you mentioned a while ago is something I seem to be noticing more and more also. People don't seem to believe I'm American anymore and I have to show them my California drivers license to prove it. Not only do I look it but apparently I'm acting like it a lot too. My companion says that I act more Italian than he does about some things. I ran into a very rude British lady the other day who tried to argue with me and I couldn't respond very well and sounded stupid because I don't speak English very well anymore. We are going to have a fun conversation in a couple weeks. Be sure you have google translate ready because I might say words you don't understand in my Englishtalian. Being with two Italian companions in the last 3 months has really had a toll on my English vocab. Maybe it would be better if I just stayed here after the mission and lived the rest of my life in Italia because I don't know how well I can integrate in to life back home in America =) ,.....just kidding. 

           We are going to have a baptism here this Saturday of a young boy named Andrea  I think I mentioned him last week though. I heard from Anziano Visintin yesterday that Fabio got baptized in Taranto. Here it's been raining a lot and I have only seen the sun for 2 days in the 2 weeks I've been here =( not something a boy from southern California is very used to. Work here is a bit easier though than, for example, Bitonto, We do a lot less finding work and the members take good care of us. We received 9 referrals last week (which for us is a lot). Me and my companion get along real well and have some fun. He's not a real risk taker though and is always worried about stuff that's not really important so I tease him a lot by putting him in uncomfortable situations =P 

          Well I hope you all have a great week and tons of fun. I'll keep my eye on the mail box for what shows up and don't send anything to crazy. You can never really trust Italian postage, It's run by the mafia. I blew up our microwave last week, this is the second microwave in 2 months =P Long story. I love and miss you all =) 

           con amore,     Anziano Kyle Hill

11/21/2012 - Pescara, Italy

Ciao tutti!

        

           Only one picture =( this is of a couple of my friends in Taranto the day I left. It’s all the young single adults and the Vescovo. I'm gonna miss that ward so much, I had a lot of fun there. Anyways I'm sure you are all curious about my new city Pescara. Well it’s another big ward full of bomb members just like Taranto! President is being very nice to me. I'm with Anziano Alessandro who I already knew from my Bitonto days because he was in Bari. He’s a funny little guy. He’s way Italian but at the same time not at all. He doesn't like cheese or fish which I find very strange because these are Italian classics. However he’s a strong believer in colpa d'aria and other strange only Italian sicknesses and is very concerned and picky about what he eats. We have quite a bit of fun. He's pretty excited also to be with me because his last companion was only a couple transfers with his American trainer and didn't really speak Italian at all so they never were really able to communicate with each other, and if you know Italians, that's a really important thing =) haha. He has a funny Bolognese accent too. I'll try and describe it to you when I call you all Christmas. Which is coming REALLY FAST =O holy cow. The members here rock and we have eaten at somebody’s house almost every day since I've arrived here and are getting to know everyone. Another thing is that I haven't seen the sun yet since I arrived here =( it has rained every day; 5 days straight. I hope by the end of the week I'll get to see my good friend the sun again. It's also getting quite cold here. Winter is gonna be rough. We have a scattered English course full of old people but we had fun yesterday. We are having a baptism on the first of December of a small boy whose has an interesting family situation but is practically already a member. There are quite a few investigators here and a bit of work. I just need to meet everyone first and know them and then I'll have a much more detailed update for you guys next week. We spend quite a bit of money on travel here too. We have a pretty big proselyting area. It’s all of Abruzzo except for L'aquila. We went to L'aquila Monday for district meeting which is a beautiful city in the mountains. It’s all destroyed though from a HUGE earthquake about 4 years ago. They are still rebuilding and many of the buildings are still abandoned and crumbling. Got to see my good bud Anziano Bradshaw again too. He's in Terni which is part of our district. A quick funny story, I honestly had the worst meal in my life here in Italy this Sunday that my companion almost barfed on his plate. I have always eaten the best food in the world here in Italy but this was defiantly not so. This member is notorious here in Pescara for not knowing how to cook really well and the members tried to warn us but being the nice missionaries we are we did what we had to do. We had uncooked pasta made with uncooked shrimp =P and then a plate of Fish that was not cooked so it was pretty much raw with raw potatoes. It's the thought that counts and I was able to get it down without any problems but my companion was green when we left, poor kid. The member who made it for us though did it with his heart and it’s the thought that counts right? He’s a nice guy and we didn't offend him and ate everything =) you would be proud of me mom. Okay I’m running outa time so have a great thanksgiving. We will be eating turkey tomorrow at a members house =) lucky us. Make sure to give Mike a good teasing about his girl friend and I know he’s meeting with the bishop and stake president about the priesthood but he should really talk about starting his mission papers asap. The sooner the better. And if he wants to wait for me all he has to do is put his availability date for April. I love you all and hope you all have a great week. I got an email from president that he sent you all an email about sending packages and stuff for Christmas. In the end don't send me stuff. I don't need any packages and I don't wanna risk anything getting lost.

Vi Voglio Bene! e ci sentiamo

     Con amore,   Anziano Kyle Hill

11/14/2012 - Pescara, Italy

Ciao Tutti, di nuovo =)

            Well I've been transferred again. Now to Pescara which is in Abruzzo. It's on the opposite side of the boot as Rome on the Adriatic Sea. I will be serving once again with another Italian, Anziano Alessandro who I know pretty well actually. He's from Bologna which is about an hour and a half train ride from Pescara so it should be interesting for him serving his mission so close to his home. I'll be sure to get you my address and everything asap but I’m in the Rome zone now so still mailing stuff to the office in Rome isn't a problem because I'll go there every once n' a while. I've heard many good things about Pescara and it has a pretty good sized ward there of about 100. Still I am gonna miss Taranto. I didn't think I would get so attached to a city being only here for 1 transfer. Every moment I get with president I'm actually gonna try and see if he'll let me come back down here to finish my mission, I still have 3 transfers left =) I forgot my camera at home so I can't send you guys any pictures this week =( sorry, you'll get a ton next week I promise. 

             I'm glad you think I look Italian mom =P it’s because I haven't cut my hair for a while because I've been a bum this transfer, I'm cutting it tonight though and I will look totally American again =) and people don't notice I’m American from the way I look but from the way I talk. It’s almost impossible to master the Italian accent, especially for us Americans so I have an accent that they can pick up pretty fast. There have been a couple times though when I have to take out my driver’s license to prove to people I'm American. I have issues teaching English course every once and a while because I can't remember words in English or how to spell things. Last night I couldn't remember door bell and chandelier. It was a disaster. Oh and tell the Carpenters that there isn't much yellow here and I have no idea why the Macaroni Grill painted themselves yellow. It has nothing to do with Italy =P Maybe I could get a job there after the mission singing for peoples birthdays in Italian =) haha.

           I can't think of anything else to write. I'm having one of those blank moments. The work here in Taranto goes forward and there isn't really anything new from last week. I hear that the week I arrive in Pescara there is already a baptism and work is exploding there so I’m pretty excited. I miss and love all of you. I got a letter from grandma and the Quirroses this week. Always love when my cousins draw me pictures =) have a great week everyone and VI VOGLIO BENE.

     Con Amore,  Anziano Kyle Hill

11/7/2012 - Taranto, Italy

Ciao tutti,

      Well I'd like to make it clear that I did vote and I did mail my ballot in okay? That's what’s important right? Obama won in California by one vote huh? Must of been mine, haha. Didn't know you gave birth to a liberal?  I thought you would of figured it out by now! mwhaha! No, I voted for Romney but I think Obama winning isn't the end of the world. I think we have a tendency to blow things out of proportion sometimes. Saw also the results of the propositions. Looks like un-regulated unions are still running the state of California.  Maybe us Californians will figure it out sooner or later that they’re the reason our state is such a mess. There were some weird things on the ballot this year too haha. Me and my companion had a good laugh about some of the state and county measures, the ridiculous things some people manage to stick on ballots. 

       Okay enough silly politics talk. I'm glad to hear everyone remembers sister petroni.  I'll be sure to let her know asap and try and see if there is any facebook or way to contact her. Her name sister DeGorgio now though. She's been married for quite a few years and has young two daughters. Her husband is in the Bishopric here in Taranto and they are ace members. She'll be happy to know that people back home remember her. It is funny how these things happen. It really is a strange coincidence because I'm not supposed to be here in Taranto anyways, president told me it was a last minute thing that popped into his head. BTW speaking of transfers, they are this week and it is very likely that I am leaving Taranto =( already. So once again. Letters should go to the office in Rome the second you get this email. I'm most likely going there anyways president said in our interview that it’s most likely, however he has been known to go back on his word for transfers every once in a while and be a little unpredictable so who knows. 

       This week has been very interesting. In the fotos you will see some of me running around with some anziani at a service activity. We pushed people around in wheel chairs at the cemetery for 2 days. Last Thursday and Friday were  national holidays here in Italy, the day of the dead it’s called. So every year the 2 wards out here get together and since the cemetery is loaded with people that day we stand outside with wheel chairs and offer to push old people around. The cemeteries here in Italia are huge and like small cities full of thousands of tombs and chapels and all kinds of things. Here they don't bury people like we do in the Untied States, but they entomb people here above ground or in giant catacombs. So we spent the whole day doing that. I got a cool Italiano "Helping Hands" hat =) 

        As for the work here in Taranto things are going pretty well in my opinion. We should have several baptisms the end of this month =) First being a little Romanian boy we are teaching named Adrianno who is 11. He's a funny little kid but wants to do everything. He even, to our surprise, randomly stood up this Sunday in church and bore his testimony about how he hopes his mother lets him get baptized because he loves this church. The other baptism we have to see still but it’s one of those random little miracles that happens sometimes. Last Sunday these two random guys showed up in church named Fabio and Vesco. Vesco is a member from Bulgaria who served a mission in Germany and Fabio is his co-worker who’s Italian.  Actually originates from near Taranto. They have been traveling and living in Bulgaria for the last couple years but Fabio has received all the lessons and a testimony in Bulgaria and Spain with the missionaries and the only thing he's missing is baptism. Now that they will be here in Taranto for a month or so they are hoping that they can get it done here asap =) How random is that? Defiantly not something a missionary sees every day. We are working hard here and I think the Lord is blessing us for it. 

        Well that’s about it for my email here. Glad to hear the missionaries back home are having baptisms and that Papa O is kicking them into gear haha I can't wait to work with the missionaries when I get home. Hope Scott gets better(he’s had the flu) and that you are all doing well. I miss and love you all.

        Con amore

                Anziano Kyle Hill     

10/31/2012 - Taranto, Italy

Ciao!

         Allora, what to write?  First off I haven't gotten my ballot yet but once I do I'll fill it out (along with the whole ward watching anxiously) and mail it in ASAP.

          I have a funny story for you guys this week. I need to ask Grandma Carolyn or the Larkin’s if they remember a "sister Petroni". This week while eating at a member’s house they asked where I was from and I said Los Angeles. The wife of this family then explained that she served at temple square but served for 4 months in a small city close to L.A. called SANTA CLARITA in the year 2000. She served in the singles ward out in canyon country! She opened her foto album and to my surprise there were a good 50 pictures of her with the Larkin’s or with GRANDPA HOWARD haha I yelled “THATS MY GRANDFATHER”. It was the craziest coincidence. I saw a foto of her with the whole Larkin family including Spencer at 10 years old and our bishop. Pictures at grandma’s house and everything. So her name is Sister Petroni and she served here in the year 2000. How crazy huh? We spent hours talking about people and everything back home. She knows the whole stake pretty much. So let me know if grandma or the Larkin’s remember because she asked.

          Alright I gotta go.  This week we are getting real nice and fat eating at members homes. The work goes well here and I love it here in Taranto. Have a great week everyone and I miss and love you all.

        Con amore,

               Anziano Kyle Hill

10/24/2102 - Taranto, Italy

Cari amici e famiglia,

             Okay, once again I don't have much time to write this email, our P-days are crammed full of stuff to do and it’s so hard to find a second and sit down and email you guys. So, yes I did get the email from trav and the package yesterday at zone conference, tell him to expect a letter from me because after a couple weeks ago we are only allowed to email direct family members. So if people don't get emails from me that’s why.  Thank you everyone for the birthday wishes and I did get the packages and letters and everything here at my new address last Friday. Stuff gets here pretty fast. If you want to mail packages to the mission office though that isn't a problem, because that’s how most missionaries get packages anyways because it’s the safest way. In Rome postage and packages don’t "disappear" as often as they do anywhere else in the mission. As a matter of fact it’s probably a lot better to mail packages to the mission office. I have more peanut butter now than I know what to do with. It should last me through the rest of the mission. The Syrup mix grandma sent will be awesome once I find vanilla. It’s expensive and rare here in Italy.

PLEASE SEND ME MY BALLOT!!! Even if it ends up arriving back in America late. Everyone here in Italy is going nutz about the election and I promised everyone here I’d let them see the ballot while I voted, so no voter fraud okay? Because that’s illegal and the government reads these emails =) I almost forgot that Mike is old enough to vote. It’s interesting how little the Italians know about American politics but how interested they are in it.

            I've think I’ve mentioned this a couple times already but I'll say it again. Taranto is no different than our home ward haha. IT IS AMAZING HERE. We eat dinner often with members and don't have to give talks or teach lessons during Sunday ever =) Last week was the primary program and we had a good 25 little kids up on the podium singing their hearts out about choosing the right. I love it here. The only thing is that after my interview with president yesterday he made it very clear I shouldn't get too comfortable here and that I wasn't supposed to come here originally but it was just a last minute inspiration on his part transfer night. So this will probably be a short lived dream =(  I'll make the best of it while I can. I speak Italian fluently so having an Italian companion isn't a problem. We talk too much haha. He says I’m the first companion he’s had that talks so much I could be an Italian. There is never a moment of silence at home. We get along really well. 

            Okay so you need something for the missionary newsletter, get a load of this story =). So when I first arrived here Anziano Visitin was explaining to me the work here and our investigators. He started talking about a guy named Stefano who we were teaching but that he was very lazy and wasn't making any progress so Anziano Visitin got up and started to erase his name from our white board. At the exact moment he went to erase the name the phone rang. And it was................... Stefano! Yeah way crazy. Well anyways. Stefano came to church that Sunday, and had already been a couple times in the past few months because his mother and little brother are members. They are a Romanian family and Stefano doesn't look like the baptizing type when you first see him. He’s a BIG guy with some of the gnarliest tattoos I have ever seen. So continuing. He came to church and then we had a little lesson with him and talked a bit about baptism and asked him to think about a date. Well at our next visit which was a Thursday we asked him about a baptism date and he responded by asking if he could do it in 2 weeks! That was a shocker but we went ahead and also set up an interview with the bishop for the following day just so they could get to know each other. After the interview Friday night  Bishop Vescovo came out and asked us why we don't baptize him this very Sunday. We said we didn't know if we couldso we held an emergency ward correlation meeting, organized everything and sure enough Stefano Kovacs was baptized last Sunday along with a man named Valentine, one of the Sisters investigators. Crazy huh? MIRACLES!! Work continues to go well here and we may have more baptisms if everything goes to plan here.  

            Alright today we had an awesome P-day. We went to a city called Matera about an hour away. Now this is a city so old and so beautiful, this is where they filmed "Passion of the Christ" It was amazing. I’ll send some pictures. There are tons of caves and old houses and everything. There is this huge valley that goes along side the city which is on a hill alongside a cliff. Ok, looks like there might be some problems hooking my camera up to this computer =( google it okay! "MATERA"

            Well thank you grandma Nancy for the $21 I'll be sure to go get myself a nice little gelato. I got a post card from the Carpenters too. Thanks everyone. Say hi to the missionaries back home for me and make them work hard. I love and miss you all. Have a great week everyone and tell grandma Carolyn happy birthday for me and Aunt Heather, my fellow October Birthdays!! VI VOGLIO BENE!!

       Con Amore  -Anziano Kyle Hill

10/17/2012 - Taranto, Italy

Ciao Tutti,

          Not much time. I spent a bunch of time writing the mission president.  Things here are going well and I am having a blast here in Taranto. Anziano Visitin rocks and the work here is a bomb! I love and miss you all. I loved grandmas birthday card, it made us all laugh. Letters are arriving so thank you everyone. Have a great week and talk to you all next week. 

 Vi voglio bene,  Anziano Hill

10/10/21012 - Taranto, Italy

Ciao tutti,

         Very short email I’m so sorry. There isn't much time today because we have a ton of stuff to do. My address is 

             Anziano Kyle Hill

             Via Carlo Sforza 4/1 

             74100 Taranto, Italia

        

          As for my package, make sure you cover it in Maria stickers and what not, so no one breaks it open, even Jesus pass along cards from the missionaries works, things are sketch down here. 

         This city is amazing thought. I love it, I love the members and my companion Anziano Visitin rocks, he is from Trieste. This is a huge ward here and it’s weird how normal it is. It reminds me of back home. The work here is rocking also. The thing is Internet is really difficult here so for the next couple Wednesdays instead of emails you guys might get voice recordings =) fun huh? For my birthday we had District Meeting and had a little party. Nothing too big. I almost forgot it was my birthday until the mission president's wife, Sister Kelly called me in the morning to wish me a happy birthday haha. Conference blew my mind. I sent a good sized email to mike today (hence why I gotta hurry up with this email) I'll let him talk to you guys about it. I would really like to see that kid though before he leaves, even if it’s a week or two. If only I could of left when i turned 18, I would have been home a year already!! The talks were amazing. I enjoyed all of them. I'd like to know what your favorites were.  Ao now you all of something to write me about =) Well that’s about it. I gotta go. I'll have pictures for you next week promise. I love and miss you all!! 

                     Con amore,   Anziano Kyle Hill

10/3/2012 - Taranto, Italy

Ciao Tutti!

        I have been transferred!! OHHH SNAP!! But not far at all actually. I’m going to Taranto which is like an hour away. It’s a big city with a ward almost bigger than ours back home. I'll be serving with an Italian named Anziano Visitin, he’s from Trieste up north. I don't have much time to write today thanks to transfers so maybe I'll write some more later today. We'll see. 

        Nothing really new this week other than saying goodbye to a bunch of people and some shed tears. I have some pictures of our district. Me and some English course students, and an imegnada (huh?) we made. It was way good. We were able to find a couple new investigators this week to so I'm not leaving Bitonto behind dead. Taranto should be a very different experience for me because it’s such an established ward. One of the biggest in all Italy. I don't know my address yet so keep sending stuff to the mission home. I'll get you the address next week. Also for my birthday package I want to know if I can request maple syrup and pancake mix since we don't have that here in Italy. I love and miss you all and can't think of much else to write. I’m so sorry. Next week I promise more. Have a great week and stay outta trouble! Vi voglio bene!

        Con amore,   Anziano Kyle Hill  

9/26/2012 - Bitonto, Puglia

Ciao Tutti, 

          Well this was a big week because Piero was BAPTIZED! this Saturday. It was amazing and Piero was so excited too. It's a big step in his life but he seems ready for anything. With Piero not as an investigator though anymore, that brings our investigator base down to...well... zero. But that doesn't get us down! We'll find somebody new. We actually found an old lady to start teaching yesterday. We will see how that goes. Other than that a bunch of finding work =P FINDING FINDING FINDING FINDING!! WOO!!! So exciting. Still nothing on transfers yet. Everyone seems to think I'll be going to Rome though. We get calls this Saturday so we'll see what happens. Other than that though I don't really have much news for you guys. It’s been a relativity uneventful week =P We played soccer today for P-day. We do that A lot here because the church in Bari actually has a field. I've gotten pretty good too I'd like to think. Ohhh a funny thing is happening this Friday. The sisters here in Bari are going to have a baptism of an 87 year old handicap woman. She is the mother of a couple of the members there and her kids convinced her to get baptized. It will be really interesting because there will be about 4-5 people in the font to assist her. She probably would be saved anyways without baptism the bishop says but she really wants to do it so we won't hold her back. I'll probably have fotos next week.

       I got some letters this week, however nothing from Scott =( his letters are the best sometimes haha. Kick that kid into gear okay. I'm glad to hear the Primary enjoyed my post card. I don't remember exactly what I  wrote on it but I hope it was okay. I love and miss you all. Have a great week and stay outta trouble. Vi voglio bene!

    Con amore,  Anziano Kyle Hill

9/19/2012 - Bitonto, Puglia

Ciao Tutti!

         I would first off like to tell you all that it’s incredibly possible that I could get transferred in 2 weeks. So as for letters and packages, send them to the mission office in roma (if I’m lucky that’s where I might get transferred to anyways *fingers crossed*) So once again, NOTHING TO MY ADDRESS IN BITONTO! Or I will never see your stuff. Transfers are Wednesday the 3rd of October so I will be spending general conference and my birthday with a new companion and in a new city probably =P Who knows president Kelly is actually ridiculously unpredictable with transfers so no one really has any idea for sure unless he tells you straight up. As for things I would desire in a birthday package....... =) PEANUT BUTTER!!! Even if the whole box was just that I would be in heaven. Italians don't know what they are missing out on. I'm fine with clothing and stuff. I found out how to get stuff here in Italy at pretty nice prices too =) AND I MEAN REALLY NICE PRICES (us missionaries "know people" if you catch my drift) So don't be surprised if you pick me up at the airport and I'm wearing a perfectly fit Armani Suit that I got for 60 euros....... =P Here in Italy, if you know the right places to go, with the right people, knowing the right things to say, you can get a good deal on almost anything. Just don't ask questions like "how" or "where" haha I know its super sketch but for some reason sketch people love the missionaries. I'll leave it at that =)

            Piero is getting closer to baptism but just like with anybody who decides to make a big step towards Jesus Christ, the whole world can collapse on them. This week has been VERY HARD on Piero so keep him in your prayers because he needs it. Our English course is going well too. We have some older students now so it’s not just 16-18 year old girls trying to flirt with us the whole time. We actually find ourselves talking about the church to a couple of our new students so we'll see how it goes. There is a bit of promise. 

           I also have an interesting story for you guys this week. And I could be even more interesting after tonight. We have been working a lot with a 22 year old kid named Pietro (to give you an image of what he looks like think of a young slightly darker skinned Steven Tyler, he honestly looks like a character you can pick on guitar hero haha). So Pietro is a hard core rocker too and we help him every time to time learn songs in English so he can sing them with his rock band. We have done this for a couple months and tonight they have a concert. However............ they have internal issues in the band and one of the guitarists backed out at the last minute, and Sunday night they asked me (having shown them a thing or two on guitar while helping them) if I could play for them at their concert tonight =P Live in front of hundreds of people. I asked my "ranking officials" if I could do this and because today is P-day and the songs we are playing aren't anything inappropriate so I got the good to go. So if next week you get some pictures of me rocking out on stage with an Italian Steven Tyler now you know why. We will play "Another Brick in the Wall" and "Knocking on Heavens Door" songs I knew how to play before anyways =) This could be quite the experience. Maybe I could publicize the church or English course a little too =) The kids in the band and all their friends remind me so much of Italian versions of all my friends back home its kinda weird actually. So we'll see how it goes. (So as Kyle’s parents we are kinda hoping that this didn’t actually happen, but I guess we’ll see when we get next weeks letter).

          I leave it at this for my email. I'm glad to hear everyone got my letters. Know I'm just waiting on yours. If you send letters to my Bitonto address before Friday this week I probably will get them before I leave so don't worry if you still want to send something. I love and miss you all. Vi voglio bene

          Con amore,  Anziano Kyle Hill

9/12/2012 - Bitonto, Puglia

Ciao Tutti!

        To start I want to let you all know that last week I wrote letters to pretty much everyone. Or postcards at least. I found a bunch of old postcards from Catania so I wrote everyone something. To both Grandmas, Aunt Kristin, Fenns, Guglers, Sheffields, Lindseys, Quiros, and Watsons. Not to mention I sent some long written letters to mom and dad (yours is together) and Kristin and Scott. So keep your eye on the mail box because I actually pulled through this week. I may have written others too but I don't remember. If anyone else wants something let me know. I wrote Mike a big email last week to that same email address but he never responded so  I’m unsure whether he got it or not. I told him to call you every time he could so let’s hope he takes my advice =) I have resent the video from a couple weeks ago so let me know if it works this time (it's always weird sending around big files like this). About those pictures I sent you a while ago. Okay if it’s in a cave it’s a place called "Le Grotte di Castellano".  Google it, they are so AWESOME! Then if it’s a place full of white little huts and buildings and a giant gothic cathedral that's Albero Bello (not as awesome as the caves but still pretty cool). I hope this answers all your questions =) In my letters to you I wrote about college and stuff so i didn't have to send it to you in an email.

        Looks like you and Dad had a great trip at Zions. Getting real into the hiking thing? My companions really into hunting. Bow hunting. To be honest I've never been a fan of these kinda things but he's kinda got me a little into it. Maybe I'll go one day. Me and Anziano Andersen are still bent on the fact that sometime after the mission we are gonna do a several day rafting trip somewhere, and another missionary Anziano Sloan (never served with him but have served around him almost my whole mission) is pushing for me to spend a week up in Canada with him after the mission. So many friends =) One of the things I love about the mission is all the friends I make out here and the lasting friendships I will probably have for the rest of my life. I can't wait for you guys to meet of these guys after the mission. 

           Our work with Piero is going forward really well. Yesterday at zone conference I was able to talk to President Kelly for a little bit for some advice for Piero's interview and stuff. President Kelly is pretty excited too about this. He is really smart and wise too. I wouldn't be surprised if he becomes a general authority after the mission. So Piero is still up to be baptized on the 22nd early that Saturday morning in the Adriatic Sea. He meets with us almost every day. Other than Piero though the work is going like it always has. A bunch of finding work. I think I should mention that the ward missionary newsletter is a little frustrating sometimes when I get to read stories of how Adam Martin just has to order pizza and then he finds a young new investigator who also wants to serve a mission. I have ordered pizza probably over 100 times here in my mission and you know how many new investigators I've gotten from it? Haha just teasing =P Brasil is obviously a little different than Italy when it comes to missionary work. I'm happy to see all my friends are doing well. And that the church is growing in all parts of the world. Oh speaking of this stuff. I forgot to mention last week that I got about 20 or so little messages from our Primary =)  That honestly was the greatest thing ever. Along with all my post cards I sent one to Sister Payne thanking the primary for the little thoughts it was really, really helpful and nice. 

        Well I hope everything is well back home. I love and miss you all and hope you have a great week =)  I hope school is going well for Kristin and Scott and that Mike is adjusting well to college. Vi voglio un saco di bene!!!!!! and keep your eye on the mail box. I DID SEND LETTERS!!!

            Con amore,  Anziano Kyle Hill

9/5/2012 - Bitonto, Puglia

Cari Tutti,

        I have noticed that you have not updated my blog for a long time, almost a month! If it means I should send more pictures to you guys let me know so I can take more. This week has some super big news.... Piero will get baptized!!! On the 22^nd, so in 2 weeks. We are gonna go down to the sea and do it early in the morning right on the beach here, if everything goes to plan =) exciting huh? We meet with him almost every day now too. He has progressed a ton. He has seen a ton of miracles in his life too in the last couple weeks. Things are just starting to work out for him =) and he is happier than ever. His roommate Rocco though is an interesting guy. Last night we were talking to Piero about Tithes and Offerings and him and Rocco argued for a solid 40 minutes yelling at each other whether or not catholic priests get paid and what they do with the money haha =P it was all ridiculous though and they were both right. You see, Italians love arguing, but they hate listening or being patient, so you end up with huge arguments that solve nothing because they are just yelling at each other about the stupidest things and usually they are arguing the same point so they both agree in the end. Italians drive me nutz sometimes, I’m not kidding. But I love them. So that’s about it for Piero. 

        Our English course is about to start but I think the only students are going to be girls between the ages of 14-22 because those are the only ones that seem real interested in learning English and spending time with two 20 year old American guys =P haha. We have to be very careful as missionaries because the girls here are a little crazy and once the words " VENGO DA LOS ANGELES" come out of your mouth they are asking you to marry them and take them with you. I have been proposed to more than once this week.  If it only was this easy when I wasn't a missionary haha. So we avoid talking to, sitting next to, or being around, in general, large groups of teenage girls because they are all maniacs. 

        The big family we are teaching is very difficult to commit to things so we have to work very patiently with them but with time we hope things will get better. We have done a lot of finding and traveling too. =) That’s about it though for our work here.

         You are all in my prayers okay? And I pray you travel safely. Tell Mike college won’t be too crazy. I'll send him a little email this morning giving some advice and stuff. I wrote letters to all you guys too except Mike because I won't know his address. So tell Kristin to not give up on looking in the mail box because something should " FO SHO" be coming. It will be weird having one less place at our table but it won't be that way for long and Mike isn't really gone. He's still around and can still call you guys or talk whenever he wants not like me who can only send this little email once a week. And next summer we will all be together again as a family at home for a good 5-6 months before Mike leaves on his great adventure to evangelize the world. And it means I get my stinky orange room back when i get home =) mwahaha. Well I miss and love you all. I am gonna write Mike something to his email now so make sure he checks it in the morning and let him feel free to respond even if I might not be able to read it until next week. =) Have a great trip and a great week. 

       Con amore! più che sapete! 

                                  Anziano Kyle Hill     

8/22/2012 - Bitonto, Puglia

Ciao Tutti!

             Allora, it has been quite a week. As I mentioned last week it has been a major holiday here in Italy so there hasn't been much action going on, actually no action really at all.  The streets have been dead and not many people out at all. I hope you all got the pictures from last week. We saw some cool stuff. I got all your pictures and stuff. I still can't believe Carlton(served in Argentina) and Elliot(served in Oklahoma) are already home. I don't know who's next to get home. Is it Javan(Serving in New Zealand) in Feb? I don't remember. Still crazy how fast these 2 years blow by. It may have felt like forever for you guys but to me it feels like I just arrived in the mission yesterday.

            In more mission based news we have transfers this week. Bradshaw is gone =( but not far. Actually he is staying in the same district! WOO!! Going to Bari. So we still get to have fun every week on P-days and District meetings!! My new companion is named Anziano Badger. I knew him a bit from the MTC. He was in the group below me, but still not quite sure what’s gonna happen. I don't think there will be any problems though, I'm usually pretty good at getting along with people, no matter what they're like. 

          The sisters in Bari had 2 baptisms last week and we were able to travel together with Piero to the Baptism with him. It was perfect for him. Even with his "situation" I believe he will be baptized soon. The Holy Ghost has really worked a miracle in his heart and he is changing a lot. He actually told us yesterday that he wants to go outside and give the Book of Mormon to EVERYONE and that people are just all lost and confused and need this BOOK!!! He was yelling about it haha. Now if that isn't conversion I don't know what is. He will be baptized before we know it! 

          To finish this Email. I hope  will get another time to email tonight because I may or may not have a video of me and Anziano Bradshaw singing and playing piano in a Stake talent show tonight. Yes you heard that right. Singing and playing piano. I do both now =O You will see. I'll try and get you guys a video as soon as I get it. Love you all and miss you. I hope you all have a great week and make sure you say hi to Carlton and Elliot for me when you see them. Also you mentioned how the missionaries there are always asking about me and sending “shout outs”. Send them a shout out back from me and that whether someone shoves a door in your face and yells in English or Italian I’m sure it’s the same so I feel them. Tell them to work hard and stop spending so much time at our house! Getting all fat from your delicious cooking mom. They need to baptize people so when I get home I have a bunch of new converts to take care of =) right? Haha just messing. Have a great week e vi voglio bene!

            Con Amore,

                  Anziano Kyle Hill

8/16/2012 - Bitonto, Puglia

No letter.  Instead this week was all about the new pictures.  Enjoy!

8/8/2012 - Bitonto, Puglia

Ciao tutti,

        Sorry mom. I was at the internet point to email and then had to book it to catch a train. We went to this awesome place called Albero Bello. It was super neat. There are all these stone/hut looking houses and a huge amazing gothic cathedral. A miracle happened on the train there too. We met the head director of "Monster" (those energy drink things) on the train. He was a super cool guy but even more so, a man in search of truth and God. He had studied with all religions trying to find the truth but says he still can't find it. He has much faith and believes strongly in Jesus. Even more so he thought the Book of Mormon was the coolest thing ever and said he'd try to read the whole thing as he got off the train. He is gonna come to Bari in his car this week to come to church and see everything. To our misfortune he lives in the Bari Anziani zone so he is their investigator now. It was a real miracle though. 

          This week has been fun. We had Zone Conference so I got to see a bunch of old friends and the Assistants (being old companions and best buds) came to our apartment to crash for the night. It was really good. I had an interview with President where he pretty much told me that I wouldn't be serving another transfer with Anziano Bradshaw =P bummer. He also hinted that I may or may not be training........... Yeah that would be nutz. A great way to ruin some young new missionaries’ entrance into the field, haha just kidding. After the conference the rest of the week went well. We have seen Piero and the Papapico family. Both are progressing quite well. We were able to hand out book of Mormons to the Papapicos and talk about the restoration quite a bit. It was a very spiritually fulfilling lesson and they all recognized the spirit.

           Still translating this Sunday. Getting much better at it. It's neat to see how far I've come with the language. I'm fluent in Italian haha, who would have ever thought? I can't wait to speak it all the time around you guys back home, it will drive you all nutz haha =) 

           Well I love and miss you all. I'm writing letters to all of you guys so you should have some stuff in the mail in a couple weeks. Stay awesome! I loved the pic of you with the potato gun mom. Me and my comp had a good laugh. You are way too cool haha. Have a great week and tante belle cose. 

        Con amore,

                  Anziano Kyle Hill

8/1/2012 - Bitonto, Puglia

Ciao Tutti,

            Well this has been a BUSY last few weeks. Quite a change from what I have been experiencing my last few transfers here. From traveling to appointments, to whatever else random stuff we need to do, I feel like I've been everywhere this last week. But the real hero this week is our branch president, President Panisco. He has given us so many rides to so many random little places for appointments and picking people up. I thought the poor old man was gonna fall asleep at the wheel this Sunday. We had to wake up at 5:30 to get picked up by him to drive out to a city 40 minutes away, to pick up an American member who had just moved in, to get her to church. He slept only 4 hours or so the night before also. Than after a huge lunch in church he drove us out to meet our new huge investigator family out in Palombio (a little town 20 or so minutes away). That guy is such a champ. We owe him something nice. 

            So I guess you're wondering about my companion. He is okay. We went to the Dr. in Roma and he wasn't sure what was up with him so he has to go see a specialist in a couple months. But no worries. Everything should be okay.

            Our trip to Rome was great! I have a ton of pics but I don't want to spend another 20 minutes uploading them all to you guys haha. It was fun. We got on a SUPER FAST AWESOME TRAIN called the "Freccia Argento" or "Silver Arrow" in English. We got to Rome in 4 hours, stopped by the church, ate lunch with the Assistants (who are both really good friends from the beginning of the mission) and then we hit the trams and buses and saw some cool stuff. I know Rome like the back of my hand now. We ran into a couple members on vacation too. It was my first time getting "hey elder'd" as we call it. We saw the Vatican and a couple other things. I ate a sandwich with a bunch of African guys under the obelisk in front of Santa Maria Maggiore. We then went to the Doctor and then to the assistants apt. I slept on the balcony on an air mattress! It was actually really interesting to sleep outside under the Roman night sky. The stars are very clear in Rome surprisingly. Way peaceful. I slept really well. We got a train this morning and here we are now. Sat next to a woman studying to become a prosecutor, she was reading a 1000 page massive text book filled with laws and articles. She had to memorize it all… poor thing.

            Okay, and to answer your questions. The family we are teaching is great. They are coming to church next Sunday. The branch is doing awesome. I’m eating fine. So no ci preoccupate!

I hear Elliot and Carlton come home soon. Give those guys big hugs from me! The mission goes by way to fast. Their farewells feel like yesterday. I'm working on letters to all you guys so hang in there! Have a great trip at Newport and I miss you all so much! VI VOGLIO BENE!!

         Con amore!

                 Anziano Kyle Hill

7/25/2012 - Bitonto, Puglia

Ciao tutti,

 Another week and still kicking! Got all your letters this week too. Thank you so much. I'm gonna have some time to write you all back because I get to take a nice long train ride to Rome this week because my companion has a doctor’s appointment. No worries about him though, he’s a beast so I'm sure he'll be okay. In other news we have had a couple miracles this week. We were able to start teaching a family of 8 this Monday! 8! A contact gave us a call last week because his father died and he wanted to know if we could come help him and his family. We went to their house Monday night with our branch president and taught a lesson on the Plan of Salvation. The only thing was that after an hour and a half we still hadn't covered the Pre-existence! They had so many questions about everything we taught! But they were good questions and to the subject matter. They really were curious about our pre-mortal life and the nature of the soul and just wanted to understand. It was really amazing and our branch president was a huge help. Beyond that things with Piero are still going forward. He just has a lot of difficulties in his life and a lot of trials to overcome before he's ready for baptism and things. We just gotta work "piano piano" and really help him understand the atonement. We are preparing also for our English course. We are going to take a break during August because everyone is going out of town on vacation and then we will pick it up back in September. We have started sticking publicity up EVERYWHERE. We'll see how that works out; English course is always a good way to find new investigators. 

            Well that about finishes this email. I hope you all have a great week and be excellent to each other! I hope Batman was enjoyable. Guess I still gotta wait 8 more months =P oh well, missionary work is better than batman right? Make sure you keep those families in Colorado in your prayers. We heard about what happened Friday night all the way here in Italy so it’s a big deal. I love and miss you all more than anything!

           Con amore

                Anziano Kyle Hill

7/18/2012 - Bitonto, Puglia

Cari tutti,

             Holy cow.  So many emails this week! Got all the pictures and everything =) and loved them all. You guys are all so great. Got the emails from Mike and dad too. I had no idea there were so many new roller coasters at six flags. I guess they started making some money again. This week has been pretty normal again. Nothing too crazy. Last week we went to a coastal city for P-day, but the pictures I got just aren't very good. It was amazing but I suggest you google image searching it. It’s called Polignano A Mare and it's amazing. The beach there was beautiful too. There are so many beautiful beaches here in Italy. It’s such a shame that as a missionary the beaches are a NO GO ZONE! Haha Just shows how much I have to come back here one day. Maybe if we are lucky Dad will take us all to Brazil =) haha but that is a long shot. You know Italy is the only 2nd to Brazil in world cup wins! 5-4! So dad is right when he says they may or may not like Soccer more than us. But in 2014 we'll see about that. 

             So this morning we played soccer, ate here in Bari with some other missionaries and now I’m here at this little internet point. This week went well. Piero was at church this Sunday when Sorella Defeo gave a talk on the proclamation of the family. He seemed okay at the end of church. We will meet with him again tomorrow, so wish us luck. There’s not really anything other than that. A less active member named Albert, an African from Sierra Leone, has been living on the streets here in Bari for the last couple weeks but our prayers were answered when an English course student and the Anziani of Bari were able to get him into a shelter so he doesn't have to sleep on the streets anymore. 

              That about clears up my week. I hope everything’s going well back home. Say happy birthday to all the Lindsays for me. And no worries, I'm still getting your letters and loving all of them. Have a great week and I love and miss all of you. Ci sentiamo e vi voglio bene!

                

                Con amore

                      Anziano Kyle Hill 

7/11/2012 - Bitonto, Puglia

Cari tutti,

       Well, survived another transfer call. Me and Bradshaw will do another one here in Bitonto together. This is big for Bradshaw because he's a city jumper so he's pretty excited to finally be sitting in a city for a while. This week I got both your package and a letter from Kristin written in Carp. I would like to thank her for her improved hand writing. Speaking another language, I forget a bit of English and reading is not as easy as it used to be. I find myself pronouncing English words wrong all the time. You guys are going to have some fun making fun of me when I get home because it may take a while to get back into the "groove" of American society again =P Did you go through the same thing when you got home dad? Also while you served in Brazil were you already serving in wards or was there branches you served in? Little ones like mine? Just curious. 

      So as for missionary stuff this week, well, all just pretty normal and the same. Piero is progressing and came to church again this Sunday. He does however have some personal trials that he will need to overcome before baptism so it may actually be a while with him. We'll see how it goes. As for others though there are none so we are just working for people to teach. We have been helping this kid named Pietro learn English because he sings in a band and last Monday while at his house we were able to talk a while with his family and they are very promising, so we'll see how that goes when we see them next time.

      I really wish I had more I could write you guys. It's hard now thinking of stuff. We are going somewhere supposedly very awesome for P-day today so expect to get pictures next week. Have a great week everyone and I miss you all and love you all. Keep up the good work. Tell Mike to keep up the good work at Six Flags. I still have dreams about when I worked there haha. So it really is an experience that he'll never forget. Statemi bene!

         Con amore,

                   Anziano Kyle Hill