Chapter Three: The 1st Epistle of Anziano Stewart to the Bitontians while visiting Bitonto

BUON NATALE TUTTI!!!!!! 

It was so great to hear from you all!! It’s good to know you did so well in school Abby.  J, I'll see if i can eat some gelato for you but the chances are a little slim, it's really cold here! Mom, Dad, it's great to know everything is good.  That story about the package that got left at the door is really crazy! We're all so blessed.  Also, it's always great to get a letter from Uncle Ben, I love reading them and hearing about places he's been that i was last week! =P Man, how blessed we are as God's children.  All it takes is a little thinking and it's obvious that there is someone who is doing his best to help us and look out for us. 

So now Bitonto.  We live in a SWEET apartment.  It's in the center (but everything is in the center...) =P it's really big for 2 missionaries and we have a huge terazzo! It even has a gazebo on it!  Bitonto is really small.   You can walk anywhere in minutes, ha-ha!  We have about 1 investigator right now but we've made couple of sweet plans to get some more.  The people here seem to be more closed off than the people in the Campgna region.  But we're really hoping to turn the branch members into member missionaries who want to give copies of the Book of Mormon out and who trust missionaries and want to share this amazing message of the restored gospel with their friends.  We are trying to make a 2012 branch mission plan.  I'm really excited for that.

Me and Anziano McAffee have stopped speaking English to each other but don’t worry we get along great, maybe too great... but both of us want very badly just to be able to speak Italian as much as we can in these 2 years and so we do! =)  Anziano McAfee is the District Leader and Anziano Miller is one of the Zone Leaders! The other is Anziano Mickleson. 

Right by the Libertà ward building where we have district meeting there is a man called: the Pannini King.  He makes the best pannini I’ve ever had! And he loves missionaries so ANY pannini we want is only 2 euro!! OOOhhh its so good.  The pizza however is a big no go.  It’s terrible here! I was spoiled while I was in Napoli and now, every pizza a have for the rest of my mission will be just ok... but that’s fine, I’ll just try other things.

So about the package... 1st, if you have, To Draw Closer To God or Teachings of Joseph Smith, don't worry about sending those (I’ve found copies in missionary apartments) I will look at them when I get home.  About the customs form everything in the box is for a missionary.  So, you can label everything in the box ''missionary supplies".  Basta! =)   (another idea... if you send it through the German post do you still have to pay customs? because it's staying in the EU... also, the price might be better... just brainstorming!) (Another reminder, Mary and Jesus stickers are like insurance on mail here.)

Here's the address for the mission home and my new home address.

Mission Home Address:

Piazza Carnaro 20,

Rome, Italia 00141

Bitonto Address:

Via Vitale Giordano 58,

Bitonto, Italia 70032

Ok, now the Christmas call.  Here in Bitonto, we're actually going to do it on the 26th.  I have your number.  We are going to try to Skype, probably from an Internet point or something, so plan on that sometime in the afternoon/evening on the 26th. =)

I hope you all are enjoying this amazing time of the year and making the most of the increase of the amazing spirit of Christ.  II Timothy 1:7-8  “Never be ashamed of your testimonies and Do all you can to share them to everyone so that they can also feel the love from the savior that you feel”.  I love you all and wish you well.  I can't wait to see you all!!!!!

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Vi Voglio Bene,

Anziano Stewart