Sorella Gisseman: Week 53 -- A Wonderful Hug!

So we had an issue at the post office this week... It literally took up so much time this week and it was so frustrating. We had to do the permesso for Sorella S and the wifi in our church building didn't work so, like Day #1 (I still wasn't feeling great but I was fine with it) we went to the other church building on the other side of the city to print out the papers. So we did that and nothing would work so it took so long but whatever. OK. Then the next day we left our house -- woke up and went directly to the post office. We barely even got ready -- just threw on dresses so we didn't look fabulous. We go to the post office and we finally get up to the counter and the lady pulls up the papers and she's like, "what is this?" And we're like, "what do you mean what is this? It's the paper." She's like, "No, look." And they were all printed really badly and she's like, "I can't do anything with this." And we're like, ok, so then we needed to figure out where we could print it. So we spent the whole morning trying to figure out where to print it and -- fun fact, we ran into J on the street, and she's like, no, no, no, come with me and she took us to this random back alley. It's where they help all the immigrants. It wasn't a printing place. It was like a place where they help immigrants get their documents and we just waited...and then we go up to the counter and said, "We need to print this" and the lady there was like, "and you've waited all this time to just print something?" Hahaha, yeah.... But we got to talk a little bit about the gospel with her. She used to be someone that the missionaries taught. So it was fun.... So we finally get the documents, and the next day we go back to the post office and the same lady from the first time just happens to be the person who we get called to, and she pulls out the documents. And I'm over talking to some lady in the post office who seemed a little crazy (but that's ok -- everyone needs Jesus!) and Sorella S starts calling me over and asks if we are #20 or #8? I told her we were #8. It turns out that the documents that the office had sent to us all say #20 but we wrote in #8 because we live at #8. So it was just this big confusion and so we're like, ok, what do we need to do? I'm on the phone with the office, asking them what we can do and it's basically a big mess. By the end we figured out that we needed to get new documents and so we're like, ok.... But my permesso that I did the week before had two different addresses (#20 and #8), and for my fingerprint appointment they said that they would send it by mail, but I realize there were two different addresses in my packet, so how are they going to do that? And so I'm freaking out, worried that I'm going to get deported, so we started asking the lady what we could do about my paperwork, about the two addresses since I don't know where they're going to send the fingerprint letter, and it's just a big mess. And she wasn't listening to what I was saying so she just kept saying "I don't know, I don't know, I don't know...I can't help you with that" and so on. And we're like, ok, I don't want to get deported, and she was being very, very rude. So as we're walking out of the post office I just started crying, because of course, being me. But I need to take situations like this and say wait, let me figure this out. It's just who I am. I have to calm down -- it's just more efficient that way, you know? Anyways, so we walk out and I started crying and my sweet companion is like, "no, Sorella, you did so good! I wouldn't have been able to do that. You got everything figured out, you're doing so good." So we just went on a bench and I cried for a little bit and then we went and got a gelato. So that was fun....

What else happened this week.... There were two ward parties -- two of them. So on Friday we had a cookoff and what a good idea it is to do a cookoff with Italians! The food was SO good and it was really fun. Then we did Minute to Win It games and I really was able to bond with ward members, especially the bishop's family which was awesome because they're so cutie, and on Sunday at church the Mom just came and gave me the biggest hug and I was like, "oh my gosh, I want to cry right now! I finally made it!" It was literally the biggest hug and she's not super like that, she gave me the biggest hug and I'm just like, yea! That was cutie! And then on Sunday there was another party but it was the 25th anniversary party of this couple in our ward whose son is on a mission. And so it was there wedding anniversary, because that's a big thing in the Catholic church. All of their friends showed up, decked out, like prom dresses, makeup, hair done, and we're just over here like missionaries. I wore a good dress -- my Urban Outfitters gingham dress -- I was like, oh yeah, this is a nice dress. And they're all over here in prom dresses and we were so out of place! There were two talks and we as missionaries did a subpar musical number and one of the missionaries made these really good videos, everything was focused on the temple which was so awesome because it was very informative. It was teaching about temples, talking about temples, and that was so awesome because people were asking questions and some of the members would talk about it, even some of the less active members. We showed a video of the inside of the temple and the members were so proud of it, like "Yeah, that's where we do the sealing, that's where we get married! Isn't it so beautiful?" and I'm sitting there like, yeah!! This is so cutie! It was a big festa. And then there was dolce after. And once again, just making those member relationships. And so I'm really excited to really start working with the members more because I've been thinking about it and I've been on my mission for...about a year now....and the way that I've tried to find people to teach is on the street. And how many people have I found on the street.........? I've been studying a lot about work with members and the thing is, that when we help people come into the church they're more likely to be baptized and they're more likely to stay active in the church, which is something that is SO important! What's the point in someone being baptized and then going inactive? That's not good for them, you know? That's worse than them not even being baptized in the first place. So that's one thing me and Sorella S are working on...we're both the same age in the mission, we both can carry load, we both can really work together to get the members excited about work and we have their trust at this point. We've been working really, really hard in these past transfers to get the trust of the members so I'm really excited to start working with them and seeing how we can work together to help grow the work. Yeah...it takes a lot of energy to do that but we're excited.

What else happened this week..... We had a cutie picnic with E, one of the people we're teaching. We taught the Plan of Salvation -- we cut out the little diagram and then we all colored them together as we talked about it, and we were able to address some of her questions and concerns about baptism, because that's something she's thinking about. It was cute. We got the food and we ate together and then we taught the Plan of Salvation in this way, and then it started raining as we're talking about the Celestial Kingdom. And we're like, Satan, get out of here!!! LOL And she says, "I want to go to the Celestial Kingdom!" and we're like, yes! Keep repeating that to yourself! And we're like, "We will see you there!" And that was cutie. And I said, "hey, I just finished the Book of Mormon (shoutout -- I finished the Book of Mormon again!), so let's start it together. What do you think -- one or two chapters a day?" She said one chapter a day and we said ok. I said I would do it with her, one chapter per day. And she said ok. We texted her the next day and she said she read the first five chapters of Nephi and she loved it and said she learned so much. That's so awesome!!!! We told her she was so good and asked her what she thought, what she learned and she said that we have to follow the road that takes us to our Savior. Also, if it's past our comprehension He makes us instruments in his hands when we follow him. (also, I had to translate at church on Sunday ...it was so hard! My brain doesn't want to translate back from Italian to English!) I told her that I love that -- when I read and understand again that the Savior knows more than we do. That gives me a lot of comfort. And I asked how she could apply this in her life, since that's always a question I ask myself when I study. I was hoping she would recognize that we need to trust that He knows more than us and would say that she wanted to be baptized but it didn't go that way but that's ok! She said we need to strengthen our trust and not lose hope. It was so good!

We taught an online lesson with a kid named M and the lesson went so well. We found him in our phone and area book. It turns out that he lives in Belgium....so shout out Carli -- you might get a referral! Except he doesn't speak Dutch or English so we'll see.

Questions....

1. What was the highlight of your week?

The picnic with E.

2. What did you do for P-Day today?

We went shopping. I bought a dress and a jumper because I wanted a new dress for zone conference this week. The jumper is the first post-mission article of clothing that I have bought. Clothing prices are so much better here! I paid like 20 euro for each. So when saldi starts in January I'm going to shop for post-mission clothes and clothes to bring home for you and Alyssa.

3. What made you smile this week? What made you laugh?

Hmmmm....We got Reese's Peanut Butter Cups from the senior couple when they did our apartment inspection. What made me laugh...? I don't know. I can't remember!

4. What stood out to you in your studies this week?

I finished the Book of Mormon four times on my mission and know that I read fast. I do read really fast. But I want to read it slow and read it with the student manual and so I've been super excited about that. I"m literally taking it a chapter at a time and really studying it. What good does it do us to just read it or listen to it superficially? I really want to understand. There was a quote from the student manual that really stood out to me (and the student manual is awesome and I highly recommend it!) -- it's from Ezra Taft Benson: "We should know the Book of Mormon better than any other book. Not only should we know what history and faith promoting stories it contains, but we should understand its teachings. If we really do our homework and approach the Book of Mormon doctrinally, we can expose the errors and find the truths to combat many of the current false theories and philosophies of men." The thought that comes to me is that the Book of Mormon was written for our day. These things were literally saved for us for a reason. We need to understand them, you know? Then the quote keeps going and this is my favorite part: "I have noted within the church a difference in discernment, insight, conviction, and spirit between those who know and love the Book of Mormon and those who do not. That book is a great sifter." That quote hit me SO hard -- how well do I know the Book of Mormon? You CAN see that difference in people who really understand the Book of Mormon and really understand the gospel and those who do not. So my goal right now is to fully understand the Book of Mormon, to understand the teachings, to really study, and throw myself into it, so I'm really excited. I've been going little by little to read and I love it. I would invite everyone to do the same -- really study. Here's the thing. OK, cool if you read it -- you can spend 15 minutes readying or you can spend 15 minutes studying five verses and studying those five verses will give you more than 15 minutes of just reading. That's my invite for this week -- to invite everyone to truly study, not just to read, not just to listen, but to study. Set that amount of time aside for God. I know that He will bless us for it, and I know that there's a difference in our lives when we choose to study and we choose to set that time aside for God.

5. How was church yesterday? Do you feel like you’re making progress with relationships with the members?

It was so good. I feel like I'm making lots of progress with members.

6. Did you see the fun video that you are in that was made by the ward there? I love it!!! You sound so Italian!

That video is one we showed at the ward activity. You say I sound so Italian but I don't think that's true. My accent is sometimes....I don't understand it but it's ok. It's because I'm in Palermo right now and the accent here is so wack.

7. What is your favorite scripture right now?

Hmmm....President S wants us to memorize Doctrine and Covenants 4 so I really like that one right now.

8. Daddy wants to know if there are any mission traditions for sisters upon reaching their one year mark.

Yes, it's called "Six Months to Sexy" where you try to get skinny again! Any tips, hit me up!

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

This isn't something I saw, but that hug from the bishop's wife was so beautiful.

10. Do you know how much I love you?

Yes!

11. What aspect of the gospel is really standing out to you at this point in time?

Faith. In the beginning of the Book of Mormon we see the example of Nephi and we see the example of Laman and Lemuel and one thing that I love is that they are all given the same opportunity and they're all in the same circumstances and they take it two different ways. I think a lot of times we think that it was just easy for Nephi, that Nephi just had faith. But there is a verse -- 1 Nephi 2:16 -- "And it came to pass that I, Nephi, being exceedingly young nevertheless being large in stature and also having great desires to know the mysteries of God, wherefore I did cry unto the Lord and behold, He did visit me and did soften my heart that I believed all the words which had been spoken by my father. Wherefore I did not rebel against him like unto my brothers." From this we can see that this was not easy for him, either. He cried unto the Lord -- it's that idea of when have something difficult we have to choose to go to Him, you know? I think it's so powerful that Nephi's faith was a choice. He chose to turn to the Lord and in return he was able to have the Lord visit him and his testimony was strengthened. But even in the end of 1 Nephi 3, literally Laman and Lemuel see and angel and then two verses later they are murmuring again and asking "why would they do this to us?" It's so ridiculous and I think so often we're like, knowledge, knowledge, knowledge... NO. Faith is so much stronger than knowledge. There's another quote -- "Seeing an angel would be a great experience but it is far greater to come to a knowledge of the divinity of the Savior through faith and the witness of the Spirit." I think that's so powerful that we can sit here and ask for a witness, we can sit here and say no, we have to see it -- but that is not faith and that will not carry you through. So I've been thinking about that.

12. What was the best thing you ate this week? Did you eat anything unusual?

Gelato! No. Also, all the food at the cookoff was so good!

I love you all!!!

There was a kite festival when we had our picnic with E.