Modena

 The last letter from Torino dated 22 Dec:
Also, note the e-mail change of address at the top of the blog

Hey family! 
I have no idea when I will be calling you guys. We have a dinner appointment and I was told it goes forever and a day when you eat with Italians so, I' going to try and call around 5 pm or 6 pm (Italian time) and if I get nothing, I will try around 7 Pm. Don' worry, you will hear my voice Christmas day. The family has SKYPE so, if you guys can downlaod that. I was told it was free. I'm sorry I do't know how it works. S, I;ll try that if not, we will just do it the old fashiioned way.


So, remember how I told you guys that I knocked on the most tattooed man in the world's door a few weeks ago? Well, we went back and we got some pics! Very nice guy. We sat down and had a good conversation with him and his freind He got tattooed when he retired. He's 73 years old, cool as can be! I must say I loved his Christmas sweater he was wearing

So we had our ward Christmas party, that was awesome. So get this, we made a lasagna for the party and there were 3 other lasagnas. we asked  the members if they liked it and they said they couldn't tell the difference!! hahaha Yay!!! Go us!!

The latest from his new town, Modena:

Ok, now that I have more time, I can finally say what I wanted to say last week.  Sorry I didn't email you guys yesterday.  We had Zone Conference so we had to move our PDay to today.

I got Nana's and Papa's AND Shar's packages.  They where awesome!  Papa sent me his testimony, a picture, xmas book, and a doodling thing.  Shar got me an EPIC present, A M*A*S*H shirt! Wahoo!  I was so happy!  I love that show!

Well, I left Torino with several members very upset.  One less active crying.  I felt really bad he is a 55 year old guy and he lives alone.  I felt like I just broke his heart and put it in a blender. Ill never forget what he said to me on the phone. "So....I guess now that you're going....we wont be seeing each other anymore...." I was so surprised to get this reaction from him!  I'll never forget my first appt. with him.  I hated that guy, he gave me no respect, wouldn't let me speak, and wouldn't even look at me when I did speak.  I remember thinking "Ok homeboy...when Anz. Richardson is gone...say goodbye to the missionaries for a few transfers!" But the more I saw him, the more we became friends.  We got him back active and has been coming to church for 3 months strong now.  During my time in Torino, my testimony grew a lot in the sense of having Charity for EVERYONE.

Ok, now answering your questions...

1-     You did not call us collect. (At least we don’t think you did) Who is paying the bill?

I called using Skype.  If you dont get the bill, I have a strange feeling that the Gallo Family played a trick on me and causally said that they will pay for it.  Just because they are like that.  He said it will only cost about 5 euro an hour and I only called you guys  for 50 mins so if they do have to pay its not that much. 

2-     Where is your new comp from?  Do you like him?

Anziano Jeremy Franklin from Seattle Washington.

Ya he's a good guy. 

3-     Have you got Nana and Shars gift yet?

Yes. Both were epic.

4-     Did you have time to get the Manger scene before you left Torino?

Unfortunatley no, because we did a service project from 8 until 12 and I needed some time to pack. And some friends wanted to take me Tie shopping before I left.  So I had ZERO time.  But, I'm still here for another year. no worries.

5-     Are you a Senior comp yet?

No, our mission is VERY young. There is only ONE person in our group of 18 that came in that is Senior comp right now. And we were the last big group.  These new groups that have been coming in have had about 3-5 new missionaries is all!  And the groups before us had 12 missionaries average.  So...ya...we are all very young.

6-     What did you do for New Years?

In our mission, we have two days of the year that we do a deep clean in the aprt.  That day is Capodanno (New year) and Ferraugosto (Aug 15) so yea....we cleaned...all day....some new years eve party...

7-     What are you planning on doing for your birthday?  Its Sunday.

We have an appt with the best cooks in the ward for Sunday. :D Yes...my stomach overrides all here...Other than that....no idea...work!

Thanks for the money.  I'm going to save it so when I go to the Ducati, Ferrari, and Lamborgini Factories...I can have a little play money.

8- Dad wants to know what your apt. addy is

            Via Frosinone 25/15

            Modena ( I asked this so I could look it up on google earth. Don't send letters there, he will not get them.)