Thursday, April 26, 2007
88 pdays left
Well its been a crazy week, really busy. First off Ill answer your questions, I have been reading my scriptures everyday. We have an hour every morning so I read for 30 minutes then write in my study journal. Then we do a companionship study for nother hour. Antonia Lagioia accepted his baptismal date, he is being baptised this saturday, i convinced him to get the elders quorum pres to do it, because he is a great guy. And I will be confirming him on Sunday in Sacrament. Then when he gets the preisthood his son will be baptised, and his wife is already, but she is less active. But she is active now that he is baptised. Well last wednesday night after talking to yall we got a phone call from the pres of the branch. They had an "amercian" activity which was like a sldieshow and food. But they wanted us to cook. So we figured sisters could bake and we could make root beer from concentrate with ice cream floats. Thursday morning he calls us and says he just bought a 30pound turkey..and guess whos cooking it..us. 4 elders who eat pasta everyday... So we called the office and found out how to make one..then the other half of the battle, trying to find an over double the size of every oven in Italy. Wefound one, the sisters have a sweet house with a huge oven. So we cooked the turkey, which turned out amazing, brownies and cookies all that. It turned out great. The relief society pres apoligised for yelling at us. She flipped out at us because she thought we were wasting everyones time cooking a turkey. She doesnt like mossionaries very much. Anyways, it was a good activity. Sunday we all went to sleep in the afternoon, because last week was intense we were so busy. When I was writing the email last week I was falling asleep. Yesterday we went to the beach with the branch for pday. It was a pretty cool activity. Anotnioa Lagioa got realy into it, he was bbqing for everyone. It was fun. Yesterday was Italys liberation day so it was quiet and everything was closed. Monday we met with this less active guy..he walked up to us on the street the other day, we thought we was crazy. But we met with him, and it turns out I think hes just lonely. So well probably be meeting with him once a week for the rest of the transfer. Ok I didnt send the pictures yet because I wanted to get a few postcards to send to you os some of the sights around here. So I did Monday and I will send the CD today..and try to send a few pictures again now. After the American Activity on friday night it didnt end until 10 so we were home late. Then we tried to put the key into the doory and it didnt work. The lock was busted..so we spent 30 minuted trying to break into our apartment. Neilsen went through the neighboors and climbed onto our balcony but we had all the windows locked. So we just got that fixed today…85$ later for a lock. When we were boxing sunday night I met started talking to a guy who seemed pretty interested, I think hell be coming to church sunday. So thats was pretty cool. We actually met some kids to and theyve been coming to english course which is cool. Living so close to the beach and ocean..its nice because of the breeze, but tempting to jump in. Im proud to here you two have been studying every morning, Im sure you have seen the effect it has had on you life already everyday. Keep being diligent, and you learn to love them more. I cant believe may ius almost over..next time I talk to you I will have been out 5 months. Its crazy.
Well Take care,
I love you all,
Anz Costa
Monday, April 23, 2007
89 pdays left
We heard about the Virginia Tech shooting, we saw it in a paper in the grocery store it looked pretty intense...the newspapers are a lot more graphic here then what they are probably showing you all there. Last night after English course we went to the elders quorum pres's house and made hotdogs and fries ...ahah it was pretty funny eating the here. This will probably be my last transfer in Siracusa, I doubt they will keep me here for 3. That or my comp will go and ill leave at 4. The weather is beautiful its getting hotter and hotter but it still gets pretty chilly at night. Boxing last sunday night was pretty cold. I probably wont be writing you all next Wednesday because well be switching our pday. There is supposed to be a ward activity by the water were supposed to go to. And I guess we cant get out of it, but there is a whole lot of point in the missionaries going, because its warm and its the beach…and its Europe…so its probably not to missionary friendly ;). So well see when it happens. umm the language has really improved this week, we spent a night with a family and I was really practicing with them
I understand and can speak but Sicilians all have different accents and some speak SO fast its hard to separate words but its coming…slowly. Wellllll that’s about it for now , I hope your all doing well
I love you all thank you for all the supports
Anz Costa
90 pdays left
Oh, next week if I do get transferred I may not be able to email you until Thursday or maybe not until the week after. But I doubt I’m getting transferred until the one after this one.
Love,
ANZ Costa
91 pdays left
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
1st week in Italy
Ti Amo
Anz, Costa
1st days in Italy
Via Polibio, 17
96100 Siracusa (SR)
Italia
So I will be there for a while. The mission pres will be sending you pictures today from yesterday after 24hours of flying, when we all looked and were pretty mashed up from sitting on planes all day. The Branch were in is supposed to be pretty strong and actually has a decent amount of people in it, which I wasn’t expecting. We kept hearing in the MTC that we would probably be in like a few member branches, which will probably happen eventually. President Colton was telling us that there are branches were they have elders as councillors and branch presidents. Anyways I will have more time to write next week, we get an hour here instead of half an hour. So I will write to everybody then. Talk to you all later, Love Anziano Costa
Monday, March 5, 2007
An Update
Nathan call us all from the airport today on his way to Italy. He is doing well and is looking forward to going to Italy. But not too excited. He was going to be getting a big mac and some candy bars before leaving for Italy. He said he may also send some stuff home when he gets there. It's the longest flight he has ever been on and is travelling with 2 elders and 3 sisters to Italy.
He's not sure when the next time he will be able to write but he wil try for next week. He said he has gained 21 pounds and is hoping to loose some weight when her gets there. Nathan also said he would like to get some nice ties in Italy apparently some return missionaries have come back with like $2 ties that would retail here for around $50.
He's not sure when the next time he will be able to write but he wil try for next week. He said he has gained 21 pounds and is hoping to loose some weight when her gets there. Nathan also said he would like to get some nice ties in Italy apparently some return missionaries have come back with like $2 ties that would retail here for around $50.
28/02/07
Monday, February 26, 2007
21/02/07
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
14/02/2007 (Valentines Day)
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
10/02/2007
Sorry everybody the LDS mail was down Wednesday, so I couldn’t email anybody and I sat in front of the computer waiting for it to load for like 30 minutes. Anyways this week has been good. The district that came in before us is leaving Tuesday so our Branch Pres had to call new zone leaders for the Italy missions in the MTC....so myself and Elder Tilini were called to be the new zone leaders for everybody. Were getting about 10 elders and sisters on Wednesday which means we will be orientation them…which will be our first shot at the job. Zone leaders basically look after all the districts, The district leaders write us letters on how their elders and sisters are doing and we need to comment on how they can improve, etc. We also are basically responsible for everybody, and organizing sacrament meetings (who’s praying, blessing sacrament, hymns, etc). So I guess that is the biggest news this week. I got the study journals which were in perfect timing, I just finished the last page of my old study journal the day I got it. So thanks mom for sending them. I appreciate that. I am really happy to hear that you’re all being more diligent in studying. The Lord will bless you, continue to work and he will eagerly bless you daily. I’m really proud of you all, keep working keep studying keep learning. We taught the first lesson in Italian on Monday to 3 investigators to, that was intense...teaching the gospel in a whole new language. We didn’t have perfect conjugations but our teacher said it was molto bene per la prema lezzione. Everything else is good to. About 23.5 more days until I’m off to Italy. I’ll let you all know now that I’m allowed to buy a phone card here for long distance. So I can call home when I’m in the Airport. I can get a long distance phone card for like 7$. So I get to the airport at 5am…and It would be between 8-10am you time that I would call. If I called from Utah, but there’s a few weeks till then so We can figure things out in the next few weeks. I got a really good email from Germain this week, that definitely put some things into perspective, and definitely helped me out. Thanks you all for the dear elders and all the support, I appreciate it. Keep y’all heads up and work hard. Voi in Italian means Y’all so ..I can use it in English :P. Love you all take care Anziano Costa
31/01/2007
What’s going on? Well things are going well, I just got the package on Monday morning, so thanks for everything. I just don’t have Brian’s new address. But that tie he sent me, wow...molto skivo (nasty). AHAHAH no its cool though I’ve been wearing a few times this week. Well the weekend was rough, we couldn’t teach one of our lessons and it just lead into a really bad weekend, and then we got our hair cut...so we all look pretty retarded ..and then Sunday morning our alarm didn’t go off, and our Pres always comes to our class Sunday morning so that wasn’t to good. But last night we sat and talked about everything and things are good again. Were staying positive, and we prayed about it. And then we figured something out that really improved our teaching. So things are good. I got all of your emails these past few days updating me. While its been -30 out there I’m still chillin in a lava lava and a sweatshirt :P. Mom, Dad it was great to hear from you both, sorry that I didn’t tell you. But the clothes all fit great, the shoes are great to, I just shined them both up Saturday night...yes that was the highlight of my Saturday night. But they looked brand new when I was done. OH Mom if you have any more of those Blue 'BLUELINE' 'accountant' books...they’re like blue all the pages are numbered, can you send me one or a few if you can. I used one for my study journal and it’s a great way to organize, because theirs is only 100 pages and you have an idea where everything is in it. So if you could let me know as soon as possible that would be great. Because I only have 15 pages left in mine and I need to figure something out if I can’t get another one. I sent you all letters on Monday morning, and the pictures/letters should be there any day now. I hope everything is good with you all. Italian is still going. Now were working on sounding better in our sentences, trying to remember all the words we need in sentences. Sadie looks cute, I sent off a letter to Uncle Rick and Aunt Gail this morning but it won’t get picked up until tomorrow. Thanks for all of the addresses mom, it’s a lot easier to write people. I have Sundays and Wednesdays to write...but only 30mins on Wednesdays to email. There’s not a whole lot to write about the MTC is pretty much the same everyday. We watched the movie 'the Testament' on Sunday night. If any of you can get your hands on that, try to Bishop or something. Its an amazing movie. Its about the atonement in the Bible and then what was happening in the BOM at the same time. It was amazing it’s pretty inspirational, so if anyone can get a copy definitely check it out. I must be quiet in the house, but stay focused, you’re never alone. I hope everything is going well, thanks for all the dear elders everyone. Well I have to go put my clothes in the dryer and I only have 1:00minute left. So I love you all, read your scriptures. You’re all in my prayers, don’t worry about me, I love you Elder Costa
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Nate's third week at the MTC
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Nate's Second Week at MTC
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Belated birthday wishes
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Here is the first letter from Nathan in the MTC!
Come sta? Well I’m great here in the MTC. I guess I’ve been here 1 week today. The first 3 or 4 days were rough but you move on and keep you head up. So I’ve only got 30 minutes once a week to write an email so you'll get an email from me every Wednesday, which is my P-day, while my laundry is running. So I’ve got 2 companions, Elder Tillini and Elder Gann. Tillini is from Hawaii he’s a big dude and Gann is from Idaho. We all get along great and we’ve been a great support for each other, because everyone gets homesick. I’ve seen quite a few elders actually go home already so I'm proud of myself for making it past the first week with out any problems. I had to get 3 needles last week my HEP. A, flu shot and another one. The food here pretty much...sucks but the hungrier you get the more likely you are to eat whatever they put in front of you. One of my Italian teachers was telling us that Southern Italy is actually pretty cheap. You can get food for like a few euros and everything in general is cheaper then here. Which is great. So in the MTC were basically in call all day long. I have my companions and 3 Sorelli (sisters). There’s about 15 other missionaries preparing to go to Italy 19 are coming in 2 weeks and were the only 6 going to Catania. I thought that was pretty special. There must be something big in store for us. When were not in class we have 45 minutes for meals 45 minutes of gym, a devotional every Tuesday night, and Sundays are basically a day off. Which is really nice because you brain needs it. I can already speak basic present tense sentences in Italian. Wednesdays we get to visit the temple, so this afternoon the Italian district is going. So I’ll be sending you guy’s pictures probably later this week. Mom, Dad you guys would believe the view here everyday. Its insane. The mountains are right in front of the MTC, the temple is to. I keep looking at the mountains my comps think its funny, but we don’t have anything like that in Ottawa. Last night at our devotional we had Elder Ballard the apostle come and release the MTC Presidency and gave us a talk. It was insane. The love and the spirit in that room were strong no matter who you are you could feel it. We left that room on such a spiritual high. We study hard all day and then you crash really hard at night and next things you know the alarm is going off again to get up. But the time goes by fast, and everyone says that 8 weeks you’re here feel like half that. The days feel long but they just go by fast. This emails kind of all smooshed together because so much has happened and I don’t really have time to put it all down properly. So I hope dad got back from Utah fine, although I’m sure I would have heard is something happened, I think you have the number for the MTC. They’re pretty strict here but I guess its good training for the field, that way when you don’t do some things out there its not actually that bad because the bar is set so high here. The new greenies come in today, its funny to see them looking around and thinking that was me a week ago. Well hopefully this email will find you all well. Don’t worry about me I’m doing great, the Lord is behind me, and I’ve had an amazing family that raised me right. You can email me back at this address costa07@myldsmail.net. Or write me my address is N.COSTA MTC MAILBOX #115 ITA-CAT 0305. 2005 N. 900 E. Provo, Utah 84604-1793. You can send me free letters through dearelder.com Because Ill get the letter the day after you send it, and its free. Keep me up to date with things at home, we feel so cut off here its like were on another planet. Well I hope everyone’s well I know I’m making you proud and that helps me get through some of the days, we will ALL be blessed for this time, none said it would be easy just worth it. Well I love you all get back to me soon. PEACE Anziano Costa.