Sorella Gisseman: 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!