Week 76 -- Coronavirus Arrived in Italy (but it's in the north so we're fine!)

Hello to you, friends! 

First, I'll talk about the Coronavirus.  Everyone's freaking out about this Coronavirus, literally, so there's breakouts I guess in the north, like 200 cases, and so they closed down church in Milan in the Milano Stake this week.  Crazy.  So Italy has the most outbreaks outside Asia, i think.  The only outbreaks in Italy are in the Lombardi (??) area.  I think that's what it's called.  So down here there are no cases of it yet but people are still freaking out.  They're not supposed to go to the temple if they feel any kind of sickness -- they read this in sacrament meeting -- they said not to hug people, not to shake hands, and so some of our members were like, whatever, and giving us hugs but then some of them were, like, "no!  We cannot!  We don't salute each other!!"  And so that was interesting.  The members are worried about it but we'll see what happens.  There are no cases down here.  So we should be fine but we will see what happens, obviously.  I think we'll be fine.  So that's Coronavirus.

Questions....

1. Tell me about a spiritual experience you had this week.

I don't know if I want to share my spiritual experience from this week.  Sorry -- it's for me only.

2.  What made you laugh or smile this week?  (We loved your post about being happy!)

My companion -- she's really funny.  We had lunch with the Familia P, bishop's son but also bishop and his wife and you know I love, and one of the kids, and it was super fun.  They have a little boy named J and he was literally just attacking us, coming after us, punching us and kicking us, and it was so funny.  And Sorella T pulls out her phone and said, "If you don't stop I'm going to call the police!"  And he's like, "You can't call the police!"  So Sorella T is like, "the police is going to get you if you don't stop!" and then we passed the phone back and forth between us and act like we're trying to get the phone open and he freaks out, and is like "No! The police will come! You will NOT call the police!" and he was trying to take my phone and said "If I take your phone you can't call anyone not even friends!" and he isn't even five years old, and then he said, "I'm going to take all your clothes!" and it was so funny.  SO funny!

3.  What have you learned from Sorella T during your time together so far?

So much!  She's so awesome.  She has such a positive attitude and undeniable energy.  I don't know -- she says her brain is so powerful and her brain really is so powerful.  And I think I've also been learning to let go of things more.  She's really good at that.  She's also really good at being patient at everything and in little things of service. 

4.  How was church today?  What stood out to you?

It was good.  We talked about adversity and how the Savior is with us in adversity.  It was really good.  Also because Sorella M's daughter is coming home so she read her e-mail and I read her e-mail, too, earlier in the week, and I started crying but they read it again in sacrament meeting and her positive attitude -- like, it's our choice to have a positive attitude even in trials, and I feel like this week I've seen a lot of people having that attitude and not having that attitude, and the only thing that changes is really us.  Also, it was cutie because after church we went over and Sorella P gave us a ride and we're just standing in the lobby and she wasn't even quite ready to go yet but she grabs my hand like she's going to pull me out and I had to get a pan off of something high and she didn't let go of my hand even though I had to stretch to get this pan and then she walks me out holding my hand like I'm a child, all the way to the car, she even unlocks the car door still holding my hand.  It was so cutie!

5.  Do you know how much I love you?

Of course!

6.  Tell me about something interesting that you saw or did this week.

I don't know.

7.  How is the missionary work going in Bari?  What can we pray for for you and your companion and the people you’re working with?

It's going pretty well.  We don't look at numbers, but if we are looking at numbers we had a real good week.  Just pray that people will keep progressing because we have a lot of new people.  We found three people this week, but that being said, we still have to keep teaching them.  It's not just, like, "They heard the restoration!  Basta!"  So just pray that they will continue to meet with us and make progress.  Also, super cool story -- there's this man, his name is L, and the other sorellae found him when they were just calling all the numbers in their phone.  They had gone to meet with him once and Sorella N went with them too, and it was just kind of awkward, but whatever.  We took his number and started contacting him, or tried to contact him.  We called him once and he literally just hung up on us.  So we were kind of like, ok, we need to recall him but we'll wait a little bit.  And then for some reason the other sorellae called him and made an appointment with him.  So we went to that appointment and he just wasn't there and we're like, whatever...  But we decided to call him and pass by again and make an appointment and we passed by and he's like, "OK, what do you have to tell me?"  And we're like, what?  And he's like, "What do you have to tell me?" and so we just started talking and teaching him the restoration.  We were with him for maybe 10 or 15 minutes and we just started talking to him and he was, like, "yeah, I agree," to everything we were saying.  We finished up to the apostasy and he was like, "yes, I agree" and then we talked about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon and at the end when we finished teaching about the restoration and the Book of Mormon, we read Moroni with him and he was like, "OK, how can we prolong this?  How can we deepen understanding of this?"  And we're like, "well, we'd love to come by again" and he said "when can you come?"  Wow! 

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

I think that experience above was maybe the most beautiful thing I saw this week, too.

9.  Who is your favorite person in the scriptures?  What is your favorite scripture story?

I read Isaiah this week....  I don't know who my favorite person in the scriptures is right now, sorry.  Maybe next week!

10.  What do you love most about being a missionary?

Ummm, there's a quote by Henry B Eyring and he says, when you're in the service of God you are entitled to His help and I think that's probably my favorite part of being a missionary, that I know that God will help me, not because I merit His help but because He wants to help His children and I see that help that He gives me every day so that I can help other people.

11.  What was the highlight of your week?

The highlight of our week was probably that lesson with L.

12.  What did you do for P-Day this week?

Right now we're at Alberobello (sp?).  We went there a few weeks again, too, but Sorella T wanted to come because she hasn't been yet so we came here and now we're headed home. 

Also, fun fun thing -- our friend R should be getting baptized before I leave!  We're going to see her tonight so also pray for all of that to go, that she'll keep commitments, because the thing is that she already really understands the gospel and she knows a lot.  We literally had a lesson with her and we said something about how we get baptized and why and she like already knows about all of it.  One of her friends is a member and she used to come with her, and she really does understand the gospel pretty well, so just pray that she continues to keep commitments and that her health is good enough that she is in a good state. 

I love you all so much!

Ciao, ciao!

Gelato!

The panettone grind continues

I bought flowers on our morning run

Week 75 -- Last Zone Conference

Good morning!  This week went really well.  We had zone conference, I had my last interview and it was really good -- it was really sad, but that's ok.

1.  You mentioned last week that you did a 50 things list – will you share it with me?

Yes, I just need to take a picture of it.

2.  How was zone conference?  What did you learn, and what did you enjoy most about it?

Zone conference was so good!  Maybe one of my favorite zone conferences that we've had so far.  The mission goal for this year is 220 baptisms for 2020 and all trainings were really, really inspiring.  I was so hyped, and I was so ready!  I think one thing that I realized, one thing that I learned, is how important vision is, like the vision that when I see them I can see them as a member of the church, I can see them in white.  When I'm teaching someone I see them in the temple.  Things like that.

3.  You said something last week about something you needed to do for your last interview with Pres Smith – what is that?  How did that interview go?

I just had to fill out some papers so I did the list of things that I learned and then I wrote letter to myself and I wrote up a letter, it's called "Leaving Your Legacy," and so you just write up a letter to the new missionaries coming in.

4.  What is your favorite scripture right now?  And what is your favorite hymn right now?

My favorite scripture right now -- I just finished reading the Book of Mormon again this week -- and I really, really...I saw Moroni 10:3 in a different way, which was really cool.  It says, "Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that you should read them, that ye  would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts."  And I thought this was interesting - this time when I read it I took it to mean, like, ponder these things in your hearts -- ponder the mercy of the Lord and obviously, like, reading the scriptures we can see the mercy of the Lord also, but I think gratitude and humility play such a key role in our ability to receive answers from the Spirit. We had a lesson with a less active this week, just talking about gratitude, because she doesn't believe in God anymore.  And I think, like, when we're grateful and we're humble about things it's easy for us to acknowledge God.  It's when we're prideful that it's hard for us to see His hand in our life and it's hard for us to receive answers.  So I liked that verse a lot when I read it this time, just, like, the idea of receiving answers comes with that humility and thinking -- thinking about everything that God's done for us.  My favorite hymn....I don't think I have one right now.  I like them all.

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

Just my companion.  We have a lot of fun.  Also we had a super, super fun ward activity and it was just super fun and I laughed and smiled a lot.

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

This is a funny one...I don't know if it's a tender mercy, but I was grateful for it.  So we forgot to confirm for our meal appointment and then it happened that our meal appointment couldn't have us for Sunday but, like, we were at the ward party and we had been talking to this brother and he was like, "yeah, you Sorellae should come over, like if you want to come over tomorrow you can."  And we were like, "oh, we have an appointment."  So when he said that it reminded me that I had to text our appointment and then our appointment immediately texted back and was like "hey, sorry, we can't" and so we were like, "Yo, Fratello, we can come eat with your family!" and we got to and it was super fun.

7.  What was the most interesting thing you saw or did this week?

Ummmm...it was a pretty normal week.  I had to bear my death testimony.

8.  Do you know how much I love you?

Of course!

9.  What advice would you give to someone who is trying to decide if they should go on a mission or not?

I would say first of all, like, listen to the Spirit and understand that, I think in very few cases, God tells you not to serve, not to go on a mission.  I think it's such a good thing to do and I've had so many companions, and also for myself, that were like, "no, I'm not going to do it" or "I don't think I'm going to do it" or "I don't know if I should do it" but then you start doing it and it's like, it's just the right thing, you know?  And a lot of my companions have been that way where they say "I still haven't received an answer if I should be on a mission but I'm here and I love it!"  You know?  Or who have received their answer in the MTC.  I think if we wait around, kind of waiting for that answer, who knows to say if God's going to come down and say "Yes, you're going to serve a mission", but it's when you do those little things, when you read the scriptures looking for the answer.  For me that was big.  And seeing the examples of missionary work in the Book of Mormon.  When you start your papers and it feels good, and you don't feel bad about it, and you want to keep going.  It's in those things that I think you can received that answer.  I would say my mission has been the most influential period of my life and I honestly don't know where I would be without it.  I don't know how I would go forward without it.

10.  When was the last Diet Coke you drank?  (This question is from Daddy)  What do you usually drink?

Ummmm, like a long time ago because it doesn't exist here.  I usually drink water.

11.  Did you do more saldi shopping?

Of course!

12.  Cailey wants to know – what is the prettiest thing you saw this week?

There were a lot of sunsets when we were out running and that was really pretty.

13.  Who showed you love and kindness this week?

I think, as always, Pres Smith is just literally the best.  I love Pres and Sorella Smith and whenever I look at them I just want to cry.  And of course a lot of other people show us love and kindness literally all the time.

I'm trying to think if there's anything else....Happy Valentine's Day!  I think that's it.  Also because I'm just tired.  But I love you so much and yea!

Ciao, ciao!!

Brie

Oops -- I ate mold.

A truck!!!

Zone conference

Happy Valentine's Day!

We had to take a picture because neither of us were allowed to watch Spongebob.

Week 74 -- The First Time I Couldn't Finish My Food!

Hello, hello, hello!  I hope everything is going well! 

Questions...

1.  How was your week?  What was the highlight of the week for you?

It was so good.  It was crazy because there was so much going on because of transfers.  And this ward is so incredible -- I love this ward so much!  Since Sorella N was leaving we just wanted to go and see so many people and people were so cutie and so sweet.  It was so good.  And then we had transfers, and then I got to bring in Sorella T.  We were in a trio for a day because there was also permesso travel going on at the same time.  It was a good week.  The highlight of the week....I think just how sweet and nice everyone was.  I had to prepare a talk, and I had to prepare all my stuff for my final interview because we have zone conference this week.  We had a few meal appointments with people and then a really cute thing happened.  So S came to salute Sorella N after English course and brought this super good cheese because she had talked about how she likes cheese, so he brought all of this super good cheese and it was just so sweetie.

2.  How was church today?  What did you learn?

Church was good.  I gave a talk.  What did I learn.....you always learn the most from preparing a talk and my talk was about the talk by Michelle Craig, "Spiritual Capacity." And I think just reflecting on how my spiritual capacity has grown in the time that I've been on my mission.  I was able to kind of see how all the points in the talk super apply and that was good, and I need to keep doing those things because I need to keep growing my spiritual capacity.

3.  What are you working on in your studies right now?

I'm about to finish the Book of Mormon in English.  I'm doing Come Follow Me in Italian, and everything...preparing that talk, preparing death packet stuff....  For this week I made a list of 50 things I've learned in my missions, or blessings or talents I've gained and so that was really fun and I liked it.

4.  Is it so fun being back with Sorella T?  (I was so excited about that!)

It's so fun.  We talk so much.  I'm so excited.  We're going to kill it this transfer. 

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

Probably today...we went to an old city, Gravina in Puglia, which is kind of like Metera, kind of like an old city and then a bunch of caves but it was so beautiful and there were almost, like, pine trees -- evergreens -- and a little river going through.  It was so pretty.

6.  Tell me about a tender mercy (or two or three……) that you experienced this week.

So on Friday we had a little bit of time and we're trying to get the stake mission plan going and one of the things that they want us to do is do magnets and so we went to this Chinese store.  And while we were there the lights all went off, which was funny....  We went to this store and we couldn't find something and so we were wandering around and asking a little bit.  But then we ran into this less active sister.  One time we tried to go to her house but the communication was bad and she wasn't at home.  Anyway, we had never been to her house.  We totally ran into her in the store.  We were waiting to ask the worker a question and then she was talking to the walker and I didn't immediately recognize her, but I said her name and it was her and so we got to talk to her.  We asked when we could come see her and we made an appointment for the next day and then we got to go over and visit her.  In the store she started crying a little bit...just God's timing is so perfect.  That was a tender mercy.  Also, fun -- on Saturday we went to Alta Mora (?) with the J family.  It is a little city near our city and there was someone the missionaries were teaching, or really it was more a friendship because she doesn't really understand the role of missionaries, but we got to go to her house because she lives there.  So we did a quick lesson and realized that her sister is really cool and also her Mom is so neat and they're just awesome!  And then we got to have this super, super spiritual lesson with this couple from Bolivia but they also lived in America and now they live here.  They're less active because there's not really physically a way to come to church, like there is but it would be leaving at like 4 am or 5:30 am and crazy travel stuff, you know?  It was a really good lesson.  It was spirit packed so that was definitely a tender mercy, a little miracle.

7.   What did you do for P-Day this week?

We're at Gravina in Puglia. 

8.  Have you made panzerotti again?

Absolutely not!  It's so much work.  We don't have time.

9.  Tell me about something that made you smile and/or laugh this week.

Just Sorella T.  She's so funny.  I think the past two nights we've stayed up just talking about whatever and like laughing and the other sorellae probably hate us!

10.  How has someone showed love to you this week? And how have you showed love to someone else this week?

At the end of every transfer we do dedicas (?) which is my big book that I have, so you tape in pictures and write cutie notes and whatever.  And so that was my act of love for me and Sorella N.  I did hers and she did mine as well.  She wrote a letter in the end.  After she left I got to read that letter and it was the cutiest letter ever and I loved, loved, loved being with her and she helped me SO much and I'm so grateful for her and she's so incredible.  And I think that's a big miracle from last transfer because when I got the transfer call to stay I wasn't the most excited, I was like, ok, because I felt like I needed change.  And now, looking back, I would not take away those weeks we spent together for anything!!  That's precious time of my mission that I cherish, and I cherish her so much, too.

11.  What have you done for service this week?

We did Torani English course this week.  And like 13 or 14 people came -- it was so awesome!  Also we had the car all this weekend so I drove a bunch! 

12.  Do you know how much I love you?

Of course!

13.  Do you know how very much your Heavenly Father and your Savior loves you?

Yes!

Other fun stories -- I figured out the real way to eat a panzerotti -- you pick it up from the sides and you just, like, eat it in the middle.  So we got panzerotti.  Oh my gosh, I ate so much this week!  And also we ate panzerotti after English course and also someone brought a tiramisu, and also we had a meal appointment that day. And then on Monday we had normal P-Day eating, you know, and then we had a meal appointment after P-Day with the V's on Sunday, and I think on Wednesday we ate with Sorella M, and we also bought a pandoro this week to celebrate and basically it's just been crazy.  I've eaten so much!

Also, for the first time -- you guys, for the first time in my mission -- I haven't finished food that's been put in front of me!  We had a meal appointment on Sunday.  It was honestly the most fun meal appointment ever.  There's this member in our ward and his wife is SO cutie and so nice and sweet and spiritual.  We got to go over to their house to eat and it was SO good.  The pasta was really good.  And then we ate a cow that he literally grew...sorry, it was a pig...and then for dessert they had the cream that you would find in the inside of a pastry (but homemade), so much, and whipped cream.  I just could not do it -- we'd already eaten so much and I just could not do it!  It was coming back up my throat and I was like, "OK, I just have to take the L, I can't finish this".  So I didn't finish it and that's my shame because that's the first time on my mission it's happened.  And I only have like a little bit of time left, and I just couldn't do it.  And then on the ride home with the Anziani I thought I was going to throw up for the first time after a meal appointment.  I was literally like, "Oh my gosh, you guys, wait -- it's coming..." and then we rolled down the windows and I was fine.  Anyways, just thought I would add that.  You're welcome!

I'm so tired I can't think of anything else, so this is a short one.  Also, everyone, I want everyone to know the only reason my e-mails are so long is because I just voice record them and I can talk forever, whereas before when I actually did type my e-mails that's why they were so short!  LOL!

Anyways, I love you!  I love everyone!

Orrechiette con cima di rape

Familia V -- my new family -- sorry Mom!!

We did sushi for district pranzo -- first time -- she wasn't sure about it!

She wanted to match with Anziano R -- and comps in pictures, always!

S came to salute Sorella N and gave us a BUNCH of strachiatella e mozzarella because she talked about how much she liked it. Maybe was the best cheese I've ever had!

Last panzarotti

Sorella D, a/k/a Nonna

Sorella L

She didn't like that she was the shortest so we squatted down

Transfer day...I spent a few hours with Familia J, worked on family history, and ate.

Familia M -- the funniest meal appointment every!

Gravina in Puglia

The fire alarm went off but no one cared