March 3rd, 1965

 Date: 3-03-65

Well, I went to Bern with mixed emotions. However after being there two months I really enjoyed my stay. Our "haus frau" Frau Ruehtr was very nice. They invited us to have Fondue with them a couple of times but we only realized it once. We also watched a little TV on Saturday night there also. Bern brought many new charms. some pleasant and others distasteful. When I arrived in Bern, I found the same attitude toward the Italian speaking elders as I found in Basel. Everyone thought you were a goof-ball. This was in part due to the example set by some of the other elders that had been there previously and the jealousy of the German speaking elders that wanted to get into the Italian program but didn't. They (the 2 district leaders) thought they would pull a fast one over us by asking the new elders (us) to speak in Church the 2nd Sunday that we were there. There were 3 new elders. They thought they had pulled a big one but to their surprise I gave a good talk. It kind of put them in there places. Later I expressed myself with respect to this problem. I told them that they couldn't judge the whole program by just one guy. They agreed and after that thing went a lot better. 

About two months later I gave another talk in German at Burgdorf. My proficiency in German was enough so i could express myself, well enough. In Bern we started tracting again. I hadn't done any real German tracting since I left Tessin 7 months earlier. It presented a lot of walking but our reception was pretty good. The ironic thing was our investigators were scattered all over the town so we couldn't very often visit two each night, but we keep very busy. We tracted out some very fine families. Especially family Colonnelli they were very good. Signor Colonnelli had the power of reasoning and had read 1/2 of the Book of Mormon before Brother Nash and I had to leave Bern to go to Italy. The saddest thing was that there were many people that approached being animals. It really made one happy to be born in the good ole USA.

I think the classical statement of the situation would be this :when one compared the Italians in Switzerland to the Swiss themselves the siss were afraid to talk with us because they didn't want to show their ignorance. 

My companion, Brother Nash, was really having trouble with the language. We used to study together regularly and he mad a lot of progress in the short time that we were together. He had the artistic abilities; he was always drawing cartoons for our investigators. It really turned their hearts. I think we all had mixed emotions as we were transferred to Italy. Brother Nash went to Turin with Brother Ritchie. 

I was transferred to Brother Pizzuto as his Jr. Companion. He has about 30 days to go.  I guess they will be planning that I should be taking his place when he goes home. I really fell not very capable but with enough time I'm sure that I can manage it. We shall by traveling all over northern Italy. It should present quite a challenge. I hope and pray I can do a worthy job. 

When we arrived in Milan last Saturday we didn't have any place to stay the first night we rented a room for two of the elders and Brother Olsen and I slept in the bus. The next day we looked all around Milan and finally found a place. It cost 12,500 lira a month per man there were 4 of us. It left a lot to be desired. We shall be looking for another. The place was quite dirty. The toilet didn't work. No hot water, real primitive. 

We still have to registrar and start to tract here. Time will present some interesting expereinces. 

Oh, yes, while we were looking for an apartment someone broke into the VW bus and stole about four suitcases and 1 transiter radio. Which totaled about $800 in worth. Brother Olsen lost just about everything, 2 suitcases. Pizzuto lost a shaving kit and radio, Kanfmann lost shirts, glasses and one lost garments, slides a shoe and towels. It would have been worse though. We registered it with the police I doubt whether we shall get anything back. Fortunately, Pizzuto and Kanfmann had insurance. That about did it for our losses. The devil is really busy here to show our efforts down.