This Post did not get published back in Nov.   so it is out of order  sorry.


Nov. 21,2012
Buona giornata mia bella mama!!

Holy crap there is so much to tell I don't even know where to start! Well guess I should start with my address

via trento

brindisi 72100 Italia

You said it looks like a nice city..... parts of it. I live in the bagdad part of brindisi. Next to the train station looks like italy but when you get into where people actually live it is just a bunch of ratty looking apartments. I love it here!! As Il papa asked I have seen the end of the appian way near the harbor. It doesn't go all the way to rome any more because there are citys in the way now, but it is still cool. I got a little bit ahead of my self. My first day in rome was not to crazy, I just got to see the temple sight ;) They are finished with the walls of the building they just have to build the spires on it now. Then we went to the Mission home and stayed there for the night. The mission home is amazing. It is three stories with marble floors. It was a beautiful building. We had lasagna and pizza then we slept. I had to wake up at 6:00 to get ready to go out to Brindisi. All the other missionaries were able to sleep in until 10:30. My train was the earliest to leave. I was on the train with 3 Native Italian Misssionaries and did my best to talk with them. I didn't understand everything they were saying, but I think I did okay. The first time I switched trains was in Bari. That is when I realized the One of the Elders Anziano Embree is actually not a native and speaks perfect english. I meet my companion and we went off to Brindisi. We are the only two Anziani in Brindisi. Me and Anziano Harris. There are some in Leece that are in our district, but leece is an hour away. The people that actually stop to talk are nice. Most of the people we try to talk say that they don't speak Italian, but if you keep talking to them they explain in Italian that they aren't interested. I think the teachers in the MTC taught us more Milano Italian because I have a really hard time understanding people here. Some people speak dialect and others just dont enuciate at all. It is like sean said. Hopefully sean and dad will be able to understand what I am saying when I get home. The people in the ward are really cool. They are all really friendly and try to talk to me slow so I can understand. I introduced myself on sunday and bore my testimony. I did play the piano in the ward. I dont know any sacrament hymns so I had to sight read the right hand of one. They sing loud enough so that if I make a mistake on the piano no one will hear it. Overall so far it has been really hard. We haven't taught any lessons in Italian. There is a building in the city called la carita. It is a refuge camp for people from Africa and that is were most of our investigators come from. We have three baptisimal dates and one person for sure will get baptised on the 8 of december. I was really hoping that we were going to be teaching lessons in Italian, but it is not so yet. It is really hard to find people that will listen. I guess I  must keep working hard and not get discouraged. The appartment is bigger than I expected it to be. The kitchen on the other hand is really small. The only thing I have need of in the appartment is a shower head. I don't know how many euro that will be. I also probably need about 25 euro to buy another journal while I am here. 

I know you didn't have any problems sending sean stuff, but that was to northern Italy. It feels like a different country down here.  Sometimes they don't even pick up the trash. The post systems is not nearly as good so I may get charged a bunch of money if you try to send something. They charge at the door and if you aren't at the door when they try to deliver it you dont get it. So letters only. One other thing that is really funny actually. They whole town shuts down at 12 for about 3 hours. No one is out at this time because everyone is at home for lunch. It is crazy. EVERYWHERE is closed during these three hours every day. It was wonderful to hear from you I have some pictures that I will send next week. I hope that answered all of dads questions to.  Love you all. Vi voglio tanto bene.