Sorella Gisseman: 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