Week 41 -- Halfway There!

Sorry -- no weekly this week...I'm tired...I had to get up at 4:00 this morning to get to the airport to go to Naples for my "stay in the country" paperwork.

Pray for me to have and see tender mercies...

I love you!

One thing I'm noticing is that we can't just pray for something and then just be like, "hey, I want to know this....".  We have to really go for it and really have the desire.

Questions....

Father's Day -- I don't know if they have Father's Day in Italy...no one talked about Father's Day in church yesterday or anything like that.  After church we had a meal appointment and this was actually incredible.  The meal appointment was with the bishop's family and we as missionaries can't all six of us go to someone's house, but I guess if it's in the church it's ok.  I don't know how it logically makes sense but they did it in Rome and President Pickerd knows about it.  Anyway, for the spiritual thought it wasn't a specific spiritual thought.  It wasn't that we sat down and planned it and said, "Ok, let's pray to start this" and then start talking.  We were talking about the wars in the world and the Rwandan genocide and all these terrible things that have happened.  We were talking about all of this and then related it to the Book of Mormon and how we see these terrible wars in the Book of Mormon and we don't realize how horrible these things are and we started talking about like how this is all related to pride and humility and then the bishop was like, "It makes me think about Moroni and Mormon at the very end of the Book of Mormon when all of their people have been destroyed and it makes me really think about the last chapter of the Book of Mormon."  And he read it.  And we discussed it and discussed how like, literally, think about the situation Moroni was in.  He doesn't have a family anymore.  He doesn't talk about his family but we know that they had families.  They've all been killed in this war.  There is nothing left for him.  He's literally the last person, waiting to die.  And this is one of the things that stood out to me is how despair comes because of iniquity.  That really hit me...here's Moroni and he's talking about all of these incredible things God has done for his fathers, that he wasn't even part of this work, like he wasn't even part of this miracle of how God has taken our fathers and liberated them.  He wasn't part of it, but he still has the faith and is talking about how incredible God has been.  And people might say, "well, where is God now?  He just let all your people be killed."  And he's talking about gifts of God and what we have to do and he doesn't know who he's writing this to because he's the last one.  And then instead of talking about how when things are hard you can turn to Christ, he says despair is for the wicked.  Despair comes from iniquity.  He's not despairing this moment.  And I love this because this is what I always want to do with spiritual thoughts -- for it to be a discussion instead of just a spiritual thought and it actually happened and the Spirit was so strong.  And because it was three of us companionships, one of us from each companionship spoke.  It was very powerful.

My companion arrived on Thursday and we're not living in the apartment with the other sorelle.  We're back in our house.

The most beautiful thing that I saw this week....apricots.  Oh my goodness, they were incredible.  Definitely the most beautiful thing.  Also, probably the best thing that we ate.  But also I ate a Napoli pizza today so that might be the best thing I ate.  It was good!  I'm trying to be vegan unless meal appointments.  And also maybe sugar free.  Why?  Don't know.  So we'll see.  Stay tuned.

How someone showed me love and kindness this week -- I love Sorella T and Sorella M and the time I got to be in the trio and really how much we loved each other and served each other and it didn't stop.  On Saturday they still came over and we made plantains and popcorn and I just felt a lot of love.

When I felt joy this week -- today.  I love the city of Napoli.  I'm so excited to bring you guys back to this city.  It is incredible.

Personal studies this week -- literally everything.  I'm in Mosiah in the Book of Mormon, almost to the story of King Limhi, and I'm studying Preach My Gospel obviously, and then after that I'm prepping lessons, prepping spiritual thoughts, prepping what we need to do in companion study.  It's a little crazy.  My reading the Bible in Italian is going well.  I've slacked off it little bit because it was hard to figure out language study in the trio because we weren't in the same spaces.

Yes, I know how much you love me, and I thank you for it.

It's getting very hot here and it's very humid.  I think I might get sunburned every day.  But it's ok.

And there you go.  I'm trying to be a happy girl.

I love you.  Ciao, ciao, ciao.

Sorella Gisseman

9 months...I had to do it...

Greenie's first gelato

Napolitano pizza!!!

Random music in a store while we were out on P-Day

Week 40 -- Zone Conference and Preparing to Train

Good morning!  It's me....surprise!  Tell Grandma and Papa happy anniversary (late).  It's sad that Cami died.  I love getting voice recordings so keep sending them!

Thanks for sharing your temple experience with me, Mom.  It's a thing I've been thinking about -- we're here giving people the option to hear and accept the gospel and a lot of them turn it down.  So what do you think that means for after this life?  Obviously I don't think people will be condemned because they didn't have time to talk with me on the street but at the same time, I believe that we have the Spirit and I believe people can sense that to a certain degree and I think that maybe they're numb to that but I still think that they can to some degree.  So it's interesting to think about it...mamma mia...it's interesting to think about to what degree does all of that go down, if all of that makes sense.  

We are still in a trio but we got a call from Sorella Pickerd two days ago, I think, and she said that my greenie is coming this week and I was like "yea!" but also, like, "yikes!"  I like being in a trio.  It has its own challenges but it's fun because we always have something to do and you always have two people to be with.  I'm excited but also nervous to train.  My greenie should come maybe on Thursday, but it's still a little bit undecided.  I'm scared, so pray for me!  We had zone conference and it was so good.  I love zone conference and I love the Pickerds.  I was like trying not to cry the whole time. I'm emotional just thinking about.  President and Sorella Pickerd are just the best.  All of my interviews with him, except maybe the first and second one, he prays.  With some people he doesn't.  I guess he feels it's necessary with me.  And he's, like, "I'm praying for you.  Can I say the prayer?" and I'm like, "of course!"  And he said the prayer and I'm trying not to cry the whole time.  I'm crying right now thinking about it.  I love them so much.  So this was a mini zone conference, and we'll have another mini zone conference when President Smith and his wife on the 29th of June (new mission president) so that will be fun.

Fun things that happened this week -- we got two baptism dates!  Yea!  We met with P last week and I told you she wants to get baptized, but this is funny -- so I was on zone scambio (exchanges) and I was with this cutie-cute, sweet sorella named Sorella W and so were talking about the gospel of Jesus Christ.  And she had brought out a cake and gave us a little bit of cake.  And we're in the refugee camp.  So P started asking questions about her baptism and all that and I said we could talk about that during the lesson and she was eating cake and said "OK, let's start the lesson right now."  She was still eating cake during the beginning of the lesson.  And Sorella W was talking to her about the ingredients that we need to have a happy life and grow a relationship with Jesus Christ and return to him and P said "You can't say that!  You don't eat Jesus!"  And I about lost it.  It was so funny.  She said she wanted to be baptized in her birthday month, this month, like really soon this month.  And there's always a bit of a language and culture barrier.  But we said we still had to teach her things, and she asked what things and so we pulled out the baptismal questions and she was, like, OK.  But the branch president (he's incredible!!!) met with her and he said she was good to get baptized.  So that made us really happy. And we had another lesson with P and J showed up, and she's another person we're teaching and she said she wanted to get baptized on the same day as P and we talked about it with her but then J decided to change hers to July.  So long story short, we got two baptism dates.

What else do I have to tell you?  As far as food, Daddy also needs to get skinny.  I wish I was home because then I could cook for you guys.  I'm really good at making healthy things now.  So I wish I was home and I could do that for you.  I know it's hard.  I'm sorry I'm not home.  But we're being mostly vegan right now almost all the time in the house and sometimes outside the house.  The problem now is that I eat so much because one of my companions eats a lot so then I'm just trying to match her and you know I can!  It's mostly fruit so it's not so bad but I need to calm myself down.  I don't need to eat so much in 24 hours.  But fruit is so good and if it's out I'm going to eat it.  It's like the best thing to be here during the summer but also the worst thing because I'm like, go, go, go, go, go -- yum, yum, yum, yum, yum!  But I think I'll be better with my greenie.  I'm excited.

Today for P-Day we're going to a giant market that I'll take you guys to when we come back.  I think it's the biggest in Europe or maybe in the world, or maybe just in Italy.  I don't know.  It's a giant fruit and veggie market and they have other things and it's just really cute.  So I'm taking my companions there and we'll do our grocery shopping.  Even though it's kind of far from our house it's kind of touristy to do and also it's really cheap.  And then we don't know what we'll do for the rest of the day.  We'll see.  

We had a member baptism yesterday.  It was for an African boy but he doesn't speak English -- he only speaks Italian and dialect.  The parents invited a bunch of people and all of his classmates were there -- it was really cool.  We sang and that was fun.  See the questions below for some funny quotes.  We showed the Restoration video and it is SO good.  It was 78 degrees in the room and people were complaining that it was too cold so we had to turn off the air conditioning.  LOL

Answers to your questions.....

1.  How are things going with your companions?

Good! We are like finally figuring out the trio life and having lots of fun and then I got a call from the Pickerds this Saturday saying my greenie should come this week!!!! Exciting stuff. We still don't know when though....

2.  How was church?  Are you going to multiple sacrament meetings?


Good! We go to 2 sacrament meetings every week. And usually Sunday School with the African branch. 

3.  What did you do for P-Day today?


Went to ballarò (like this lit giant market -- it's so beautiful) and now we are waiting and we will tour Teatro Massimo which I think is like the biggest or oldest theatre in Europe.  

4.  I saw the pictures from your zone conference on the Pickerds' blog.  How was zone conference?  What did you learn?


IT WAS SO GOOD. The whole time I just wanted to cry because I love the Pickerds so much and I am so sad they are leaving. We talked about using technology to forward the work, especially in our work with members, and then focusing on teaching when we find. 

5.  When does your new mission president arrive?


The end of this month!!!! 

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


All the fruit at ballarò. It is something else. I can do grocery shopping for under 10 euro. I LOVE IT 

7.  How has someone showed love to you this week?


Meal appointments

8.  How has someone served you this week?


Meal appointments.  Also Sorella Morales made us plantains -- wow, che buono! 

9.  Tell me about a moment you felt joy this week.

We had a lesson with P and we recently set a baptismal date with her and then J, another girl we are teaching, showed up and was like she said she wanted to get baptized with P.

10.  How have you seen the hand of the Lord in your life this week?


The fact that I have been able to survive and enjoy the trio. Wow, if that isn't the Lord I don't know what is. 

11.  Do you know how much I love you?

Yes 

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


Lots of funny moments, like the cake story I already told you.  It was funny. Also we had a baptism for a member (I mentioned that earlier) and it all turned out well but it was so funny when the anziani were trying to confirm him and he was being very squirmy.

LOVE YOU ALL!  My baby will come this week so please pray for me lots. We are just out here doing the Lord's work. Literally feels like we are working in the vineyard because it's so fetching hot. Ya know the song, "There can be miracles when you believe"? It's true. Stay tuned.  

Love,

Sorella Gisseman

Sorella M made us plantains and they were so good!

Mail!!!

Desserts at zone conference

I legit got groped and the guy left a spit spot....LOL

At zone conference

Week 39 -- Fufu and Gelato and Where is My Companion?

Hello friends!!!! 

Welcome to the life of me, still waiting for my companion to get here and transfers were like 4 days ago!!! Is she in America? Is she still in the MTC? Literally no idea but we are fine. Right now we are in a trio and splitting 2 areas, Bagheria and Palermo. It's interesting but super fun!!! Like, honestly, I am super grateful to be with Sorella T and Sorella M for a little bit. Still praying that my greenie gets here soon but it has been fun.

Sorella E is such a cutie and I love her.

So this week because of transfers on Tuesday and Wednesday we were just rushing, rushing, rushing to get everything done and we had a bunch of appointments and saluting people.  It was so cute -- we went to go salute this one man -- he has an African shop and their names are F and E and we planned to eat African food with them last week but it didn't happen.  So we go and we're like, Hello, Sorella E needs to pick up her shirt and we wanted to let you know she's going to Rome, and he was like, come over and eat with me, are you free at 4:00 to come eat?  So we went to his friend's house and he made us African food, fufu.  It was really good!  It's this weird like paste, they take a flour and they put water and heat it up and it's literally like a giant ball of yumyum -- I don't know if that's a word but that's what it is.  It's sticky and they use it as a spoo kind of to eat the soup and oh my goodness, it was SO good.  And then they made us jollof which is like rice, and that was so good.  And then we had another meal appointment with the super cute Relief Society President and it was just cute and so good.  

Thursday was transfer day so I got to go out in the morning with Sorella T who is in Bagheria and it was good.  We had fun while we were finding.  Then we got Sorella M and it's a bit awkward because we're balancing time between two areas.  It's fine.  It's fun but it's interesting.  And it's hard because when in you're in your own city you can say yes to an appointment whenever you have free time.  But right now it's like, when I'm in this city for these three days but I already have these appointments scheduled so really we can only meet with you these two times, and also because we have zone conference this week already.  So it's interesting.  But it's all good.

I've been studying consecration and I read this talk called "The Fourth Missionary".  It talks about how basically the only way we're going to be happy and content and not be frustrated on the mission is if we're completely submissive to God's will.  Like you go to Him and say "I surrender. My desires don't matter.  My only desire is to serve you."  And it's very extreme and I think sometimes that's hard for us.  I'm 20 years old and I want to think about myself, but I'm not here to think about myself.  I'm not here to worry about stupid things.  I'm not here to worry about myself.  I'm here to serve God.  And if I keep this anxiety or this feeling of needing to please myself I'm never going to.  The only way that I'm going to find satisfaction here is if I'm totally submissive to God's will.  It's something I've been trying to work on. Obviously it's not easy.  But I think you feel so much better everyday, you'll feel so much better if you can say "I really did try.  I really tried to follow the Spirit.  I prayed and asked God for advice and this is what I felt like I needed to do and I did it.  And I can't be upset with the results because this is what God wanted me to do."  I think that's really powerful.

Sorella T at home is vegan and I've sent pictures to you of what I eat -- I eat a lot of vegetables because there are a lot of vegetables here.  I think this transfer, obviously not for meal appointments, but I think I'm going to try to be vegan.  Including gelato!  All the fruit flavors I can eat, though.  It's summer now and you really don't want a creamy chocolate flavor.  Also they have soy chocolates and milkless chocolates. They have vegan things here and the fruit flavors of gelato generally don't have a lot of milk and they're so good.  So I've started it.  It's official.  Stay tuned.  I might need to finish the milk products we have at home first...And I have a little bit of meat in my ragu but the next ragu I make I won't put meat in it.  Plus it's cheaper that way.  And does it really make that much of a difference?  No.  And sweetie, I eat so much peanut butter that there's no question of protein.  So that's a fun thing.

1.  How was church?  What did you learn?

Good!! It was super fun to show P3 to sorelle. Also our ward mission leader gave us a huge shout out and told everyone that they need to take care of us like we are their children. I learned how much this ward loves us for sure. And it's true, when you can feel that love you want to work harder for them. So love your missionaries!!!!!!

2.  What happened with transfers?  Who is your companion now?

See above. 

3.  Is the weather warming up?

Yes. For sure. 

4.  What did you do for P-Day today?

We played a little soccer and volleyball with the Anziani and then to the mall to get new running shoes.  Mine are kind of destroyed and I started to get a little bit of shin splints last transfer.  So we went to the store and got new running shoes.  Black and white, just basic Asics, but I know they're good shoes.  We will probably explore Palermo a little bit later. 

5.  Tell me about a moment when you felt joy this week.

LAST MINUTE MIRACLE OF THE TRANSFER our friend P told us that she wants to get baptized!!! Literally was Tuesday night, we watched the restoration video with her and she said she wants to get baptized!!!! We have a long way to go but just to hear someone express that desire to grow closer to their Savior is so powerful!!!

6.  Tell me about a tender mercy you experienced this week.

It is a little weird splitting time between two areas, so this week as the trio we had 1 day in Palermo, and in that 1 day we got 4 people to teach!!!!! MIRACLE TRULY. 

7.  Did you try any new or unusual foods this week?

YESSSSS -- FUFU FINALLY!  So fufu is like legendary African food among all the missionaries and we were going to salute this super cute couple who owns an African clothing shop, and he was like come over at 4:00 for fufu and took us to his friend's house and it was sooooo good. It was Ghanaian and I've heard (@Sorella D) that it's better. Also some BOMB rice called jollof.  So good.

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

Gelato. I'm in love. 

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

So this morning we were playing outside with the anziani some sports and so we were passing a volleyball in a circle and this African man just kept circling around us and would just start laughing, and when the ball would go in a different direction he would like get it sometimes, one of the times he like nailed Sorella T and one other time he pointed to his stomach (also he was shirtless) and said I'm hungry for the ball. 

10.  What have you learned about the Savior in your studies recently?

He is good. 

11.  How is your reading of the Bible in Italian going?

Good, good. 

12.  How did someone serve you this week?

With all the moving back and forth sacrificing food and setting up beds and sharing things. Blessings. Service. 

13.  Do you know how much I love you?

Yes

Love you all! God is good! Read the Book of Mormon -- it will change your life!

Sorella Gisseman

Counting my bug bites...

Fufu!!!!!!

Plaintains and eggs made by this queen!  She's awesome.

Last companionship gelato...

Found this balloon on the way home.

Comp items

Goodbyes....

The trio...

First gelato of the transfer...

We walked a ton this day...