Week of Changes and Packing

(*Reminder: you can click on the pictures to make them bigger!)

Well it was a week of big news. Transfer info: I'm going to Merate, a small town by Lecco, by Milano, to finish my mission.

Scaffolding, Anyone?

SAYING CIAO TO MANY FRIENDS. So the week was busily spent saluting friends and recording contact information. I'm not sure what it is, but this time, maybe due to being near the end and being more confident and personable, or maybe the people, but there are far more people I plan on keeping in touch with here in Torino than in previous cities. So thank goodness for facebook and email, because with letters I would be hard pressed to keep track of everyone.

(I understand there is something called an "Address Book" at home, but that's just for Old People. :P Ha! -- he says after having used it for every thank you note he has ever written...)

SWITCHING TOWNS & COMPANIONS. My new companion will be Anziano Richardson. I've heard some about him, and met him once or twice. I'm really looking forward to it because I've heard he's really cool. He's been out for about a year and a half. And obviously, I'll find out more about him over the next 5 weeks! Funny thing, last transfer was a 5-week transfer, and I had Anderson as my companion for his last transfer. Now I'm going to be one-and-done for my last (5-week) transfer.

Packing, as usual, is difficult, but I still don't have to toss much. I remember when I left Boston, with a checked bag only half-full, and a carry-on (which turned out to be too big to carry on). My things have built up a little at a time, but I'm only now having to toss anything.

One of the hardest parts was saying goodbye to the missionaries in this district, but fortunately it's easier to keep in contact with them because most of them are going to one BYU or the other. I know I'll have a bit of traveling to do when I'm at BYU Provo (up to BYU-Idaho, to visit!).

DEDICAS. We have a missionary tradition of writing 'dedicas' to each other in little notebooks at the end of each transfer, with the people who aren't going to be with you next transfer. So in leaving, I had a lot of memories and emotions sealed into my dedica, along with contact info from those who liked me.

(**It's not obligatory to leave your info, or what info to leave. For example, if I only leave my facebook info to someone who won't finish their mission for another 15 months, that doesn't say much for our relationship during the transfer.)

MY FAVORITE PEOPLE HERE (Mom's question). It's weird because as a whole, the ward congregaton was fairly lukewarm. But there are lots of specific people I'll miss:
1) The Zapata family
2) a Peruvian couple who work in the Primary and he plays the piano amazingly well
3) Robin, a Nigerian man who has come back to church while we've worked with him
4) Sarah, a Sicilian girl studying here who has been super cool, also she's a Whovian so bonus points

(Note from Mom: we had to look up "Whovian..." top definition according to google:

Whovian: A fan of the popular sci-fi show Doctor Who. Whovians are the epitome of awesome, with good grammar and better knowledge. This knowledge stems from their interest in space and time, and the information gained from many viewings of the show. Without Whovians, your life would be very dull indeed. They secretly run the world's major services, and insert Doctor Who references into every piece of popular culture available.

Simone

5) Simone, a Napolitano kid who was baptized roughly 2 years ago.
Just cool people I got to know and want to keep getting to know.

Love, Anziano Whitesell