Sorella Gisseman: Week 36 -- Zone Conference and Stake Conference

Buondì!

I need to go on a diet like Sadie because I just want to eat everything. So send help and prayers for that. If there's a cookie I just want to eat it. I just want to eat all the cookies. I think for me it's a stress reaction because I've been really stressed this last bit...it's just a natural reaction. This week has been better so don't worry. Things that happened...I can never remember. I got so sunburned when we got locked out of the house so that was rough. And I'm still sunburned. But it's ok. I know that getting outside of myself will help me do better and be better. I just need to stop thinking about myself. And that goes along with forgiveness that they were talking about at stake conference, like who cares if your feelings are hurt? No one. You're not the center of everything. That's a hard one for me! Like, I need to get over it. In zone conference it hit me how incapable we are as a bunch of 19 and 20 years olds running around. We did a bunch of role plays and I realized how bad we are, but it's like, that's fine. It's not our job -- it's our job to try as hard as we can be to be the best teachers we can but at the end of the day the Spirit is the real teacher and that's a hard one for me, really being submissive to that and not trying to do it on my own. Not trying to rely on myself and if things don't go perfectly perfect how I want them to go, it's fine if I was trying to follow the Spirit. But that's a hard one for me because you know I'm a control freak...so yeah.

Also I did not get packages which I was really sad about. I wanted to cry. But I did get an email today saying that I have to fill out customs forms to receive packages so maybe I will get them next transfer. I got letters, though, so thank you, thank you for those. I got the hug letter that you bought with MaryKate and just the texture of the paper made me, like, awwww cute!

Ok wow, che week. This weekend we had zone conference and also stake conference which were both incredible!!!! But the week was crazy! We had all 8 sorelle staying in our apartment. Wow. I don't even know where to start so I am going to start with questions this week.

1. How was stake conference? What was the big message that you took from it?

It was really good. The main idea of the conference was forgiveness and it was exactly what I needed, and what I am trying to work on is turning outward, and when we don't forgive we are being so selfish and it doesn't even do us any good.

2. I appreciated the pictures Pres Pickerd sent to me -- it looks like you guys set up for a Mother's Day meal or something? What was that?

Ok no, it was the cutest thing ever. So that was after we called for Mother's Day, and Sorella E had to practice piano for zone conference and they had a huge feast for all the leaders that came for stake conference (the Area Seventy, stake president, temple presidency, the Pickerds) and we were ready to go home and then they were like you HAVE to come eat with us, we prepared a feast because we want everyone to taste the good food of Palermo. Sooooooo sweet! Soooooo good. The little miracles.

3. How was zone conference? What was your biggest takeaway from that?

It was really good. President talked about the need for all of us to repent. The thing that just keeps sticking out even if they aren't talking about it is that I need to forget myself and look outside.

4. Has the weather gotten any warmer?

Yes, a little, and also not today.

5. How is Mother's Day celebrated in Italy?

I have no idea. We had stake conference and then all the sorelle in our zone came over and slept at our house and we made everyone pranzo!!!! Good headstart to patience and looking outside myself!

6. What is the most interesting thing you've done this week?

I don't know if it is something interesting but a story that I haven't told yet. Sooooo, Sunday night we did a huge zone scambio in Palermo because all missionaries were here and I got to be with my Sister Training Leader Sorella M who is incredible. And we talked a lot and she gave me some good advice, but as far as finding people was going it wasn't so good. So we were on this street and she got a call she needed to take from a member so I was just chilling and there were some little kids playing around so I started talking to them. And honestly we were counting conversations and Books of Mormon given out so I was like ok, hmm, there aren't people on this street and we are running low on time, maybe if I talk to this girl about Jesus Sorella M will let me count it. So I told the girl that we were missionaries and we talked about Jesus and she interrupts me and says "insegnami", like teach me... and Sorella M finished the call and I didn't understand exactly what she said because kid accents are hard, but she asked us again to teach her and we were like we have to ask the mamma. So this girl takes us to her mom and her mom is so welcoming, lets us in the house and we show Grazie a Lui and they invited us back over. Wow, scambi miracles. God for sure puts us in the right places at the right time. Sorella M had been trying to reach that member all evening.

7. What was your happiest moment this week?

We found three new friends to teach! And each lesson there was a little miracle that I didn't expect. One of our friends met with the sisters a while ago but has been in Rome and returned and told us that she wants to be baptized, that she is just waiting for God to confirm the timing. Another one, we were waiting in the station for her to come, and we had been waiting for a long time and were getting sick of it, were going to just leave but decided to call her (and she had never responded to our calls but her WhatsApp wasn't working because it only works when they are in the house with Wi-Fi) and she answered and told us she was coming. We waited for close to an hour and were frustrated and were like, ok, we can spend explain a little and leave her with the pamphlet but we don't have time. And she came and apologised and explained that she lives an hour away and travelled just to meet with us. Definitely a humbling moment and we taught her the full lesson, don't worry. The third is a friend that lives near the church that we have been passing by and seeing on trams, but thought that she just liked us because we are American and had no real interest, but we passed by last week and she started talking about how her brother passed away and asking us where he was. So we left her with the plan of salvation pamphlet because we had to go to English group, and we showed up for the appointment and expected her to not have done anything and she had totally read it and understood it and we were able to have more of a discussion with her. Miracle.

8. What was the funniest thing you did this week? Or the most fun?

Something a little fun that we did, was got locked out of our house on Friday. Yikes. I was pretty stressed out because we had an apartment inspection by the Pickerds coming up and had to get everything ready for zone conference and stake conference and a ward activity and I was pretty angry -- I cannot lie. But my companion was like, ok, hey, let's make the best and so we went and got some cookies from the grocery store and did weekly planning outside with a view of the ocean. Wow. I am so blessed, and made me realize how much I need to calm down because things will be fine. It was kind of a forced calm down moment and I am super grateful because Heavenly Father knew that I wouldn't take it on my own. Also I got so sunburned.

9. What is your favorite hymn right now and why?

I am not sure. I have a few. But one that we sang for stake conference and the stake president bore testimony about is Keep the Commandments but in Italian it's called Live the Gospel. And he talked about how simple it really is and in the Italian version it says that only if you do this you can have peace in your heart. And I know that's true. That only through the gospel of Jesus Christ can we have true peace in our hearts.

10. Do you know how much I love you?

Always.

11. What was the most beautiful thing you saw this week?

his P-pday we went to Monreale (so pretty), and there is a view that looks over all of Palermo and it was beautiful. Sicily truly is so beautiful. Also something that stuck out to me that one of our Zone Leaders said is how the view was kind of overwhelming. There are 8 of us missionaries that are in charge of teaching all the people in this area the gospel. And I loved it. Because there are so many people here and maybe the 20 people that we talk to today don't want to hear our message but there are SO MANY and there must be some out there that are ready. We have been promised that there are.

Ok maybe I will start doing emails like this -- I think I got out all of the good stories. I'm excited for the week I have ahead of me to work hard and to try my best and follow the Spirit and forget myself. That's a lot of goals -- we will see how it goes. Stay tuned.

Vi vogliamo un mondo di bene