So I'm going! Let's go to questions and then I'll see if I remember anything else from this week because, like, my brain is literally scrambled eggs. I thought this week of that analogy that Mom uses and I was like, wow, there's never been anything more accurate!
1. Did you get transfer calls? If so, what's the news?
Yes! So....I am leaving Palermo and I'm going to Cagliari on the island of Sardinia which is a little island off the west coast of Italy. So I'm just an island girl, I guess. Basically that is a blessed land. Pres Pickerd loved Sardinia because he spent a lot of his mission there. It is beautiful -- look at pictures! Also, I'll be companions with Sorella N which is, like, a dream. She's on of the people who I was like, I hope I get to serve with Sorella N, it would be so fun to serve with her! She's the one who, when I went back to Napoli, she supported me when I tried to eat two pizzas. LOL She's so awesome. So she's two transfers older than me, so YES! I get to be junior comp! Low key...I was kind of hoping for that. I'm a good leader also, but it will be nice to be junior comp. There's a chance that I might kill her and I might die in Cagliari. That's thinking very far in the future but, like, hey, it's possible! Also, I don't know if you all remember Sorella T -- she will be my sister training leader! There are only two sister cities, only three cities total on the island, so on the whole island our zone is six anziani and four sorellae, so Sorella T will be there. Also, I found this out -- Sorella H is a cutie that I was in the Catania zone with her when I was there, and she's been here for all four transfers in Palermo 1 while I've been in Palermo 2, and she's going to Cagliara too, so it will actually be six sorellae and six anziani. So I'll be in a four sister house which -- I'm not even going to lie -- I'm a little nervous about that, also because she'll be training in that house and I want to be only speaking Italian and that's hard when you have more people, you know? It's hard enough to make just one companion speak Italian, let alone three other people. And also, like, eating healthy is definitely a lot harder when there are a lot of people, so I might just come home fat. We'll see what happens.
2. What was the funnest thing that happened last week? What made you laugh?
You always ask this question and I'm always like, I don't know, I don't remember.... And so I tried to pay attention this week because we've been laughing about stupid things. That's the thing -- we always laugh about stupid things and then I can't ever remember them. But a fun thing was that we did a big activity for our ward, like a missionary activity (obviously every activity is a missionary activity, that's why your ward has activities -- surprise!). Also for ward unity, but if your ward ever has an activity you should bring a friend! Anyways...so we did like a play about a day in the life of a missionary and it was super funny and the anziani were obviously the main characters -- we were just side characters -- and they did such a good job and the members loved it and it was super funny. And the funniest part was just people laughing at the dumbest thing.
3. Tell me about a tender mercy that you experienced this past week.
I think a tender mercy, well, I don't know if this is a tender mercy but it was a miracle -- we were so worried about this activity. Literally me and Sorella S were like, "why are we doing this? This is going to be interesting...", but it went super well. The members loved it -- really they did. And we also got a new potential from it. So before the program we ate dinner together, always, and everyone just brings food, like a big potluck, and I was talking to this couple. It's a less active man that the anziani have been working with and his girlfriend. And I just went and sat down and started talking to them and they're like, "you have to come to our house! Come to our house!" And that feels good, you know, because a lot of people reject you and it's sometimes like sad, but then for someone to say "come over to our house!" after talking with them for like four minutes, it's like, OK, I have good personality maybe sometimes!
4. How did someone serve you this week?
I can say my cutie companion because she does the dishes. I remember there was a nasty pan one morning and I was like, "I need to wash this" and then I got in the shower and then I came out and she had washed it, and I was like what???!!!! And our less active friend, L, she called us and she said she made us food and asked us to come get it. That was really nice of her to do that.
5. What was the best thing you ate this week?
I ended my diet! No, just kidding, but kind of, for ward activities. We did two ward activities. We had the missionary activity and then we also ate pranzo with our ward yesterday. And this blessed woman in the ward named Sorella S made the best pasta. It was sooooooo good!
6. What is your favorite scripture right now? How about your favorite hymn?
I love all the scriptures! I especially like the Book of Mormon videos -- does that count? LOL There's not one that I'm focusing on right now. Sometimes I'll memorize one but right now I'm not focused any one specifically. Hymns....I've been singing one a lot recently but I can't remember what it is...We actually sing a good amount. We just kind of sing...we'll walk on the street and both sing badly.
7. What aspect of the Italian culture do you want to try to bring home and keep going in your life?
I think meal culture. Taking time to eat. Really taking time. I think Italians are really good at doing things well. They won't do something if they don't want to do it, you know, but if they do something I think they do it well. I think that's how they eat -- they eat very good food and they take their time with it and they take their time to eat it as well and I like. I love the idea of pranzo, eating the big meal in the middle of the day. They're just a happy people.
8. What was the best thing you ate this week?
Oops -- duplicate question, Mom! I'm about to eat all you can eat sushi and it's going to be really good!
9. When do you have zone conference again?
I have no idea because I'm switching zones and I haven't checked. I think Sardinia is usually one of the first ones, those. I think last transfer it was the first so maybe soon.
10. What can we do to support you in your missionary work?
Be missionaries at home. Be more converted. Read your scriptures (@Dad!).
11. Do you know how much I love you?
Yes.
12. What did you do for P-Day today?
Already talked about it.
Other updates -- F is back. We passed by his work and his boss is, like, yeah, he just wasn't feeling well last week so he wasn't at work a lot lately. He's back. We still haven't seen him but he's back and that's the most important part. Also fun thing -- everyone has been so sweet when I told them I was probably leaving this week -- so we went to a meal appointment with an African woman named S who is in our ward. She was going to cancel but then I told her I was probably leaving so she cancelled her otHer plans to have us over and then we ate and then at the end she said, "Wait here!" and she brings out this beautiful African fabric. And she said, "This is for you. Go get a dress made." and so I'm going to get another African dress. So we ran over to our friends who sew, F and E (who also came to the ward activity), so we talked to them about the activity and asked if they could make me a dress and they said yes. That's one example. Then we went and visited this older sister, Sorella S, and she was such a sweetie and she was so nice and wanted to take pictures with us and said "You have to come back! Send me a postcard!" So sweet. And I gave a talk in church on Sunday and the branch president gave me the best salut before I went, like "Sorella Gisseman is probably leaving" and he thanked me.
Love you!
Ciao, ciao, ciao!
We are so blessed..this was the sunrise when we went on our run this morning.
Sorella S -- she's so sweet!
The anziani's skit at the ward activity
With S, who gave me the most beautiful African fabric for a new dress!
Palermo is beautiful for this Madonna (Mary) Festival
At ward pranzo
The festival again
Comp item
Not Sure if Brie reads the comments, but one thing she should know about Sardinia is they are famous for their meats. Meat is a really important part of their culture. Such a beautiful island. I hope she loves it! Best burger I ever had was on the north side of Magdalena Island.
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