Week 2 -- Guess What Your Favorite Little Redheaded Italian Missionary Gets to Do?

Honestly, the days run together like to the max so I have no idea what I have done this week or what I have learned. BUT IT'S GOOD! I only cried once when something medical happened. I think that was Tuesday, then Wednesday I went to the doctor at the BYU Student Health Center and got the medical situation taken care of. I'm fine -- no worries -- it's all good.

I lost my electric toothbrush. I have no idea and I'm very upset about it. I hope I find it when it's time to leave the MTC. Weird about Dad's students who are related to each other. I have too many pairs of shoes as is, so only send me one pair of the new shoes that we ordered and you bought. I don't know which pair, though. You decide (levels of comfort, if the other two fit the same as the first and what you think would be best. I can't make decisions on my own, silly!). YAY about getting your interview scheduled to be a temple worker again! I don't understand why you have to do your own self-assessment at work -- like you have to assess yourself? My toenail is still acting up but if I put a little cotton under it and wear loose shoes it is fine. SO cute about Sadie jumping up on Daddy when he says "woof!". PLEASE SEND ME A VIDEO -- I LOVE PICTURES AND VIDEOS!

1. How has the rest of the week been, other than the medical situation?

I think it has been good, like I said I can't really remember what has happened.

2. You said you got to sit next to Carli in choir -- what does the choir sing for? What songs are you working on?

YES, I DID AND I DID AGAIN TODAY. I'm not allowed to say what we sing for, but I can say that if you watch General Conference you may get to see your favorite little redheaded Italian missionary (also your favorite redheaded Dutch missionary, Carli). We aren't supposed to say when or have people come or anything, but out of 1300 applications like 300 people got chosen to sing at General Conference and all the girls in my district got in!! So we have like a 2 hour practice every morning at 7 until conference - yikes!

3. Have you learned anything new and interesting about Italy/Italian culture this week?

Not so much about the culture. Our teacher did tell us though that the only thing he didn't like his entire mission (so literally one food) was polenta with gorgonzola on top - which is a thing other people like. So basically the only thing getting me through MTC food is the thought of Italian food.

4. What was the spiritual highlight of your week?

TRC. (Described later, sorry I didn't answer these in order). I have no idea what these people are saying to me, but the Spirit is so strong when you are teaching about truth and when people testify of truth. The Spirit is seriously so strong in the MTC it's crazy (I think Grandma and Papa should serve here. It's cool. He should be the MTC president.)

5. Have you played volleyball again?

We (our district minus my companion and one other sorella that sits out) play volleyball every day for exercise time. Sometimes me and Sorella O will run for half and then go play for half.

6. What are you doing for P-Day today?

We had choir for a long time, then went to the temple, then laundry and lunch, and emailing, and then I will learn some Italian hopefully and then we are having an extra long time to play volleyball today.

7. Did you get the temple names I sent to you?

Yes, and we did them all - send me like all the names you want done and the anziani (elders) in our district said that they will do male names.

8. What was the funniest thing that happened this week? What was the funnest thing that happened this week?

Some of the anziani in our district started talking in a New York/Brooklyn accent and everyone has caught on. It's super funny to throw Italian words into it, too. Silly, but really funny. Also the word ciao-dy like howdy but with ciao. Fratello Harbin hates it and that is why it has stuck.

9. Have you decided on a scripture for your plaque?

Honestly I don't really mind. you can pick whatever you think is best. Moms know best.

10. Here's one from Daddy -- what's your favorite new Italian word or phrase?

Sogni d'oro - dreams of gold

11. Did you have a fireside or devotional with a general authority this week? If so, who was it and what was the subject?

Yes! We had one with the Gilberts in the MTCpresidency and then one with Bishop Waddell (of the presiding bishopric) - his was really good. Sister Waddell talked about kindness a lot, and how kindness is the way that we will open people's hearts so they can feel the Spirit. Bishop Waddell gave like a what to expect, what is expected of you. One thing he said is that there were 15 words that described what was expected of the Savior that also apply to us missionaries. The first being "here am I, send me" in which Christ covenanted to be our Savior. Similarly, we as missionaries have already gone to Heavenly Father and covenanted to do His work for the next 18 months. The next words were "not my will but thine be done" which is something I'll be saying (after being humbled constantly) all the time. I'm not here for me or to do what I want, I am here to be an instrument in the hands of God. And finally "it is finished". which is what we should all hope to say when we come home. Not "it is almost finished" or "I tried", but that we have truly done what has been asked of us.

12. How are you feet feeling? How is your ingrown toenail going?

Mentioned earlier. I mostly only wear my brown Clarks and my black Naots (speaking of, I would like some foot powder or spray so they don't smell bad) with some switching in of other shoes occasionally.

13. What was the most interesting that happened this week, or the most interesting thing that you learned this week?

Super interesting - we had out first TRC this week, so we teach a lesson in Italian, luckily to members...but we were teaching about faith and we asked if he had any experiences or favorite stories in the scriptures or in his life of faith, and he told a really cool story about how he did high jump (I think) and it was like impossible for him to reach this certain height, but then he stopped practicing on Sundays and his jumping increased by 2 feet and he got a scholarship to BYU. I'm really not sure anything else about the story but that because I know very little Italian but I thought that was super cool.

14. What is it like to teach a lesson in Italian -- do you have pretend investigators? Or real ones? Or do you practice on each other?

We practice like approaches and sharing quick messages and specific things on each other, we had our first TRC (which some people have real investigators for but I don't think we ever will), and then we teach our teachers a lot. Sorella T and I did really well this week in that. Like we had 2 really good "lessons" (they are like 5-10 minutes) with our teachers being really tough. They are super funny -- we came to the door and Fratello Harbin asked if we were Jehovah's Witnesses and then wouldn't let us in but we didn't know how to ask if we could enter, and then in the next one Sorella Blandford we asked her to pray and taught her, and the whole time she was just looking around the room and cracking her knuckles and crossed her heart. Just funny things.

15. Have you had a chance to take a picture in front of the big map yet? I really want one of those! 

No -- I don't even know where the big map is.

16. Is it still smoky from the fires?

Kind of but not as bad.

17. Are your classes in the new MTC buildings?

YES, AND THEY ARE SO NICE!!!

18. You were able to send us a video clip of you sharing the missionary message in Italian. Do you know if we can send video clips to you?

I got some from Alyssa so yes, you can.

19. How are things going in the MTC overall?

Things are going better. Fratello Harbin told me to find one way to serve them her everyday and that has been helping. He also said that the MTC is literally designed to break you down and it's just part of the process. I realized a few things this week, 1. I think that I stopped having issues with aggression or have less anger in me when I play contact sports -- something that is banned here, and 2. I am super selfish a lot of the time. Like all the time mainly unless I really love someone. So I am just trying to love everyone a lot a lot so I can get over myself. I like my district a lot and try to make sure we are all part of the group - we eat meals together and volleyball and stuff. It's healthy to be around people so I take every opportunity to be in the group. I think I feed off of other people's energy, so big groups are very good for me.

20. Daddy has one more question -- he wants to know who your favorite Daddy is. :-)

Well, it might be him if he would email me more!!!!

I LOVE TO HEAR FROM EVERYONE even if its just a silly little this is how my day went, or something you found interesting, etc. If you do want to send me things (I am set for nonperishable snacks), I love cute scrunchies and fabric headbands. Send me more temple names!

 I didn't really take a lot of pictures this week but here's what I have... It was pretty outside this morning...

I'm 99% sure this is a picture of Caitie in this picture in my hall -- Alyssa please check!  I think that's also her missionary she tried to talk up to me that was in one of my classes....

With Carli this morning in the sack breakfast line...

Doing laundry today...

Week 1

Happy birthday to Melissa and Tyler and happy adoption day to the Styler fam!! 

This week was also hard, but better than last week. Some highlights -- we started playing volleyball with our district and other Italians during exercise time. It's really fun - I just have to figure out a way for me to get exercise time. That's something that's really frustrating - that I can't just go for a run on my own or exercise without someone having to be there watching me. On Tuesday we got to visit the Salt Lake consulate for our visa appointment.  That was fun.  I got SUSHI! I  tried to take a picture but I had already started eating and selfies are hard on iPads.  I also got REAL DIET COKE - to answer your question the MTC DOES NOT have caffeine. And it's fine, I don't need it...it is just a little sad. They have caffeine free Diet Coke but it's just not the same. 

We got abandoned in a few classes (no teacher because the Italians were overlapping) so we had no teacher for a bit and then permanent teachers were assigned. I have Fratello Harbin and Sorella Blanford. I like them a lot. They are both super understanding and loving. I got to go for a run with another sister in my district and I was doing so well, and then I snapped in the end of the day...complete meltdown on Wednesday. I just couldn't remember anything I had studied for hours earlier and that's really frustrating. And then just some other stuff that waws frustrating me...  So after dinner we were walking back to class and I didn't want to go and started crying, and then finally made it in and someone said something to me and started crying - like bad that time, and then we had to teach a lesson and I sucked at it and put in no effort and after Sorella Blanford talked to me and just let me vent. She probably thinks I'ma horrible person now, but I literally sobbed about the things frustrating me and how I'm not picking up and I don't learn this way, and then she gave me some suggestions for how to learn better and told me a story about her time in the MTC.  And then one of the sisters in my district and I talked at night and I prayed really hard that night and yesterday was SO MUCH BETTER. 

1 - Was the smoke from the fires bad?  Has it cleared out?

The smoke was SO BAD.  I meant to take a picture and then forgot but yeah, the smoke was bad and it still is.  It smells like smoke outside today. A lot of times I can literally see (if it's not too thick) the spot on the mountain where it is funneling out. Breathing = non bene.Elder Bednar called Character of Christ. It talked about how the character of Christ is to always turn outward. Like always. It was pretty overwhelming, but something that I have been thinking about and trying to implement. I think it's helping a little. Also we had a devotional by Elder Neal L. Anderson in person and he talked about the temple which was cool. We met after to talk about it as a district.

3 - What scripture do you want on your plaque?  (They want me to give them the information at church on Sunday)

I really don't know.  Maybe D&C 30:11?

4 - What is the food like?  What do you usually eat?

Non bene. So there is a wrap line, combo, and then two entrees and you can pick, but the lines are so long everywhere. It's the Cannon Center food but just less of it.  They always have cut up fruit so that's good. For breakfast we usually just get a sack breakfast so we don't have to get dressed (class doesn't start until like 1:15) which is pick four - cereal and milk, muffin, fruit sometimes, yogurt that's gross and bagels. 

5 - Did you get the sleep mask, duck tape, and mints?

Yes, thank you so much!

6 - Where is your companion from?  How about some of the other missionaries in your district? Tell me about them.

My companion is from South Jordan.  Sorella M is from Chandler, Arizona and has a motorcycle.  Sorella S is from Idaho and is so sweet.  Sorella O who I ran with is from Orem and is so good at memorizing everything.

7 - How was church on Sunday?  Do you have a full three-hour block, like regular church?  What did you do on Sunday besides church?

We have Relief Society, then district meeting or something 2nd hour, then a really short sacrament meeting (random people get called up every week so we have to have a talk prepared at all times on a specific topic) and then another meeting like training after sacrament meeting, then I think we have like lunch or something and then have devotionals and then a video at night 

8 - How are your classes going?

They are going, praying really hard for the gift of tongues. That's what is the hardest -- not being able to remember things I have been studying.

9 - What is your favorite Italian word that you've learned so far?

Just bene. Say it constantly. if you wanna up it you can say molto bene. That is how I SYL (speak your language). Also principesa.  When we play volleyball and the serve doesn't make it over everyone yells principesa and the person re-serves- it means princess.

10 - What have you learned about the Italian culture or people so far?

Fratello Harbin said he only didn't like one food his whole mission. and it was polenta with gorgonzola which is a normal food that some people like.

11 - How was your trip to SLC for your visa?  

It was nice to get away - we still had to go back to class and teach, literally didn't miss anything but our study time. Everything went fine! No problems.  Everything went smoothly.  Like 10 of us went in to the room and signed and flipped pages as they told us to.

12 - What books and study materials did they give you?  Are they in English or in Italian?

Preach My Gospel in English and Italian, Italian scriptures (fun fact: we don't have our own LDS Bible because of copyright, so we have a different bible without JST ad it doesn't look like ours), then a purple book with grammar like Alyssa had, that small book we saw at the store, a grammar binder and another big Italian book (we haven't opened the last two).  We mostly focus on memorizing right now the basic core - which is a page ofphrases and four columns of words we have to just straight up memorize along with our missionary purpose, the first vision, Moroni 10:4-5 and the baptisimal invitation - all by Saturday. I am maybe 63% there.

13 - Do they have Diet Coke in the MTC?  :-)

No.

14 - What was the most interesting thing that happened this week?

For our service project I think we are on the planting comittee the whole time (which is dope, no cleaning bathrooms) and so yesterday we spent and hour and a half pulling out the BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS.

15 - Is your stomach doing better?

Yes. Much better than last week. 

16 - How are your feet doing?

Good - I have mostly only been wearing my black Naots and my brown Clarks because they are so comfortable.  I wore my red shoes today. I think I might send them back home. They aren’t working for me very well. The heel pads are very squeaky and when I sweat I slip out. But they are so cute!

17 - Have you been able to take a picture in front of the big map, pointing to your mission yet?  I want one of those!  And I want a picture of your name tag!

No - I took a pic of my name tag in front of the Salt Lake Temple, but I don't know how to send that. I will try to take another in front of the Provo Temple today.

18 - Have you seen Carli or Addie, or anyone else?

On Sunday I sat by Carli in choir! I don't see her as much as Addie - Addie is on my floor but is leaving Monday!! Like 3 weeks early!!

19 - Did you go to the temple again this week? 

We are going to the temple.

20 - What did you do/are you doing for P-Day today?

Wake up, laundry, email (most important), then we will eat, finish laundry, go to the temple, then ??? Study probably and play volleyball later, clean the room?

The tights we ordered from Uniqlo arrived yesterday so I'll get them mailed to you.  Is there anything else you need or want me to send with them?

- I don't need anything else.

Did you get the Dear Elder care package?

- Yes, I loved it and it helped me stay awake in class. I hate having late class.  It's hard for me. And no requests, they give us dessert like everyday so I don’t really need anything. 

LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!

Girls in my zone on the bus to Salt Lake.  In the front left is a girl who was in my freshman ward.  The girl to the left of me I hope is my companion at some point.

On Front Runner.  I kept hoping I would see Dad.

Sorella O and I got sushi!!!

It was so bright I couldn’t open my eyes at all. This is a guy we met named Tony. First off he’s Italian so we were speaking Italian on the bus and someone started talking to him. He’s from New York and his dad was #4 in the mafia. He doesn’t know why but he decided he wanted to move and went to a bus station, didn’t know where he was going and then got the idea to go to SLC. His friend was investigating the church so he joined, didn’t go anywhere and then the missionaries took him to the Christus Statue at Temple Square and he just started crying and said he was ready to read the scriptures they had assigned him. He’s a 9/11 survivor - he is a chef and had a kitchen in the World Trade Center his sister went in to work that day but he thought he should get a bagel. Which was like unheard of because he ran a kitchen. He lost his sister and half his staff but he survived. He talked about how he knew those things happened for a reason. It was awesome. It was just such a tender mercy to not only meet an Italian but also a convert and he was just so inspirational and motivational- we can do this.

At the Provo Temple today.

Our room.

My coats in my suitcases.  Everything else is in this small closet space!

First P-Day!

I was very surprised to have a pday so soon—Carli's isn’t until next Thursday!! Today is shortened, so we have class at 1:30. We get an hour to email but I think I can respond until 6 (minus class from 1:30 - 4:30) So I am definitely lucky. You could send me some temple names, and I’m sure me and other girls in my district can do them.
  So tell me about your first (almost) 48 hours.

I almost cry in every class because I am so tired! The first night one of the girls in my room's alarm went off an hour early, and she didn’t turn it off for like 5 minutes. So then I didn’t sleep past then. Slept better last night but it is cold. The rooms are SO SMALL, like the size of a Helaman room with 6 girls in it. Our packing WAS SO HELPFUL.  I have a baby dresser with three drawers like my nightstand inside my baby closet.

We got iPads so that’s what I’m emailing on. The food is goodish but my stomach is so stopped up yikes stomach aches are real.

How many people are in your district?

10 people in my district -- 6 girls, 4 boys (all girls to Rome, 1 boy to Rome). There are 3 new Italian districts on top of the 2 that leave next Monday. We have the biggest zone and branch in all the MTCs in the world.

Have you seen Carli? Emma? Addie?

I’ve seen Carli every day, which is so good. I’ve seen Addie 1 more time.

What was your first day like?

First day they throw us in. My companion is Sister T.

Italian is really hard especially when you are tired. It is exactly how it is stereotypically. You have to open your mouth so wide. So many sorellas in the district and zone are already so good, and I don’t understand how, I have picked up maybe 5 phrases—girls have already memorized scriptures and our purpose, and I can’t even memorize the church’s name.

What's your daily schedule?

Daily schedule is classes all day and then like 30-minute breaks when I am supposed to do 1 hour companion study, 1 hour of language, and 1 hour personal?.... and then they tell us that we can go to bed early but you can’t. There isn’t enough time for everything! I want to study the language, but I physically don’t have time and I am already not getting enough sleep. And then we have “optional temple” but it’s not optional and it took us like 3 hours today. My main classroom is my district. I have a girl teacher, Sorella Rincon, and I like her.  Exercise is going to be a challenge but I need it for my sanity.

Will your P-Day be every Friday?

PDAY will be every Friday.

I loved the picture of the dogs. I can receive emails at any time and read them just can’t respond.

Arrived at the MTC!

Brie arrived at the MTC early this afternoon. She was thrilled to see her friend Carli, also entering the MTC this afternoon. She recognized her host as a missionary also going to her same mission, and was able to walk into the MTC with Carli and this other sister that she recognized. Such a tender mercy!  She emailed us about 15-20 minutes later...

Hi! I am in and okay and got dropped off at my room - saw Addie from my team.  They are already speaking Italian to me. LOVE YOU.

LOVE LOVE LOVE YOU

Sorella Gisseman

Getting ready to leave...

Across the street from the MTC...

With Carli...

At the Provo Temple...

Such a radiant smile...

With her MTC host, also going to the Rome, Italy Mission

We miss her so much already....