Sorella Gisseman: 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