19 May 2010
Hello famiglia mia,
It's been another crazy crazy week. Mamma mia. We've done a whole bunch of
stuff.
Thursday we went to visit a woman in a store, and she wasn't there but her
husband who I had invited to English course once upon a time was there, and
some old guy who saw our tags and pulled out his Book of Mormon and said he
had a question for us. We asked if he'd ever talked to missionaries about
the book and he said no, he just reads it when he has free time at work. Ha.
It was kind of an interesting thing. The one guy started talking about the
Bible and how he thinks that churches are made just from people's
interpretations and how he doesn't judge them and there was a lady who had
walked in and said yeah you shouldn't judge since you don't even read the
Bible and he said "well I don't judge people, but YOU judge all the time".
The woman left and he's like "she's testimoni di Geova". That was a weird
experience. It was just kind of twilight zone-ish the whole time. But
anyway. Thursday evening we went to the Smedila's, and they are super cool.
Egle's history class at school was reading something about "Mormons" but the
book was really talking about Amish people (the Italians are kind of
confused on some religions...) so she explained everything. And then one of
the smaller girls asked the mom if she'd be such a good missionary when she
was a little older and the mom said absolutely. They're cute.
Friday we did splits, that was good. I went to Siracusa and worked with
Sorella Miller the younger (there are two Sorella Millers in the mission,
the one who was with me in the MTC and the one who's two transfers behind).
We had a good time. We saw a member in the evening who told us her
conversion story and it was like one of those movies where the old person is
talking and staring off into space and then you get sucked into a flashback.
It was interesting. These people like to talk. Then there was a ward party,
a contest to see who could make the best first dish. And we made sloppy joes
and they loved them. There were a few prizes, we won books of conversion
stories of different people from the district back when it was still the
Catania District. Fun.
Saturday morning Sorella Miller and I tried a whole bunch of plans and none
of them worked. But we had a few good lessons on the street and a lesson
with a member and her adorable almost two year old grandson.
Back in Catania again we had another Sunday, woohoo. They were way reverent
in Sacrament Meeting, woohoo. And the Branch President is working on helping
the people to step up since they're going to be a Ward pretty soon. Exciting
things happening. We had lunch with the Bruno family, and my companion
played a little violin at the end, and the two grandmas were so happy. One
of them is pretty good in health but has some kind of depression and just
sleeps all the time and doesn't talk and the other has had two strokes and
so she can't talk well or do the things she used to do. But they were so
excited for the music. The one who's depressed SPOKE and was telling us how
she used to play piano and accompany violinists all the time. Fun stuff.
Sunday night we saw Cristina's new house and helped her unpack a little. Her
family seems really cool--we met her mom, who is a way inactive member but
really sweet, and her brother and his wife and son who are really awesome
too. Fun stuff.
I still don't like immigration business. The Questura is such a dumb place.
We went to Ragusa on Monday to get my Permesso because it's open on Mondays
from 3-5 for those who are here for religious motives. And the girl who
started her mission there when I left got to do her permesso on that day.
But we went and the guy told us that we aren't authorized to do that because
it's only people that the bishop of Ragusa approves or something. :P So,
that guy was kind of a jerk. But the policeman in front remembered me and
was really nice. We ended up spending the night in Ragusa on Monday night
because there was a number to call to get an appointment and Sorella Meduri
in the office thought she'd try and call and get us in on Tuesday. That
didn't work out, purtroppo, but I was able to call and get a number for
Thursday, so we get to take a 6 am bus to Ragusa tomorrow, oh joy! It's such
a mess. Oh well though, at least they have you call a phone number to set up
the appointment now instead of a piece of paper to sign that somebody ripped
out of their notebook and wrote all their family members on. Hopefully
they'll give me the stupid thing tomorrow, they have it there and it would
take them two seconds to hand it over, but they are so weird about things.
But Monday was good anyway. I went to go visit Elvira, and she's a sweet
lady. The missionaries in Ragusa aren't working with her tons anymore, but
she's made a lot of progress since we started working with her in December
or whenever, and she's just fun. Lots of health problems though, and she's
really worried about her husband. And then we did splits with the Sorelle in
the evening and I went with Sorella Smith to the Sorrentino's, and that was
cool. Presidente was waiting outside so we talked to him for a minute first
and then when Sorella came up with the kids he was like "look who's here!"
and Sorella Sorrentino said "Oh, I was just thinking about you the other
day!" That was kind of fun. Their baby Sofia who was three months old when I
got here is walking now and about to turn one. How crazy. She's so cute.
Their family is so great.
Yesterday we were still in Ragusa in the morning waiting to see if we'd have
an appointment or not, and we didn't, so we made the official decision to
come back to Catania and actually do some work instead of waiting around
Ragusa without clean clothes or anything for a few days. It's only a two
hour bus ride, it was worth coming home. We had an interesting lesson with
some members and their two inactive sons and their son's girlfriend last
night, it went well I guess. We weren't quite sure who to teach to and we
don't know any of them so it was a little weird, but all is well. They're a
nice family.
Today I dunno what exactly we're doing--our zone is going to the beach. So
that should be interesting. We're going to try and get to the market before
the beach so we can maybe get some sandals (we can wear sandals here) and
headbands so I don't have super boring ponytails all summer. Anyway.
That's hilarious that you watched the Laker's game for family night. I'm
glad you read the scriptures too. And I'm glad the Lakers won.
I'm sorry to hear that Uncle Helmut passed away but I'm happy to know that
he and Aunt Hedi are together again, and that families are forever. It's
really nice to know that there's more than just this life, and that this
life isn't even about this life, it's about getting ready for what comes
next. It's just nice to have certainty, and to be able to find answers to
our questions.
And I still just really love that even though somebody tells me something, I
don't have to just take their word for it. I can pray and ask God and know
for myself. It's awesome. It's personal. It's true.
Transfer calls this week...we'll see what happens. I've been here for three
and with Sorella Williams for two so I might be changing but we'll see.
Love you lots and lots!
Eliza
It's been another crazy crazy week. Mamma mia. We've done a whole bunch of
stuff.
Thursday we went to visit a woman in a store, and she wasn't there but her
husband who I had invited to English course once upon a time was there, and
some old guy who saw our tags and pulled out his Book of Mormon and said he
had a question for us. We asked if he'd ever talked to missionaries about
the book and he said no, he just reads it when he has free time at work. Ha.
It was kind of an interesting thing. The one guy started talking about the
Bible and how he thinks that churches are made just from people's
interpretations and how he doesn't judge them and there was a lady who had
walked in and said yeah you shouldn't judge since you don't even read the
Bible and he said "well I don't judge people, but YOU judge all the time".
The woman left and he's like "she's testimoni di Geova". That was a weird
experience. It was just kind of twilight zone-ish the whole time. But
anyway. Thursday evening we went to the Smedila's, and they are super cool.
Egle's history class at school was reading something about "Mormons" but the
book was really talking about Amish people (the Italians are kind of
confused on some religions...) so she explained everything. And then one of
the smaller girls asked the mom if she'd be such a good missionary when she
was a little older and the mom said absolutely. They're cute.
Friday we did splits, that was good. I went to Siracusa and worked with
Sorella Miller the younger (there are two Sorella Millers in the mission,
the one who was with me in the MTC and the one who's two transfers behind).
We had a good time. We saw a member in the evening who told us her
conversion story and it was like one of those movies where the old person is
talking and staring off into space and then you get sucked into a flashback.
It was interesting. These people like to talk. Then there was a ward party,
a contest to see who could make the best first dish. And we made sloppy joes
and they loved them. There were a few prizes, we won books of conversion
stories of different people from the district back when it was still the
Catania District. Fun.
Saturday morning Sorella Miller and I tried a whole bunch of plans and none
of them worked. But we had a few good lessons on the street and a lesson
with a member and her adorable almost two year old grandson.
Back in Catania again we had another Sunday, woohoo. They were way reverent
in Sacrament Meeting, woohoo. And the Branch President is working on helping
the people to step up since they're going to be a Ward pretty soon. Exciting
things happening. We had lunch with the Bruno family, and my companion
played a little violin at the end, and the two grandmas were so happy. One
of them is pretty good in health but has some kind of depression and just
sleeps all the time and doesn't talk and the other has had two strokes and
so she can't talk well or do the things she used to do. But they were so
excited for the music. The one who's depressed SPOKE and was telling us how
she used to play piano and accompany violinists all the time. Fun stuff.
Sunday night we saw Cristina's new house and helped her unpack a little. Her
family seems really cool--we met her mom, who is a way inactive member but
really sweet, and her brother and his wife and son who are really awesome
too. Fun stuff.
I still don't like immigration business. The Questura is such a dumb place.
We went to Ragusa on Monday to get my Permesso because it's open on Mondays
from 3-5 for those who are here for religious motives. And the girl who
started her mission there when I left got to do her permesso on that day.
But we went and the guy told us that we aren't authorized to do that because
it's only people that the bishop of Ragusa approves or something. :P So,
that guy was kind of a jerk. But the policeman in front remembered me and
was really nice. We ended up spending the night in Ragusa on Monday night
because there was a number to call to get an appointment and Sorella Meduri
in the office thought she'd try and call and get us in on Tuesday. That
didn't work out, purtroppo, but I was able to call and get a number for
Thursday, so we get to take a 6 am bus to Ragusa tomorrow, oh joy! It's such
a mess. Oh well though, at least they have you call a phone number to set up
the appointment now instead of a piece of paper to sign that somebody ripped
out of their notebook and wrote all their family members on. Hopefully
they'll give me the stupid thing tomorrow, they have it there and it would
take them two seconds to hand it over, but they are so weird about things.
But Monday was good anyway. I went to go visit Elvira, and she's a sweet
lady. The missionaries in Ragusa aren't working with her tons anymore, but
she's made a lot of progress since we started working with her in December
or whenever, and she's just fun. Lots of health problems though, and she's
really worried about her husband. And then we did splits with the Sorelle in
the evening and I went with Sorella Smith to the Sorrentino's, and that was
cool. Presidente was waiting outside so we talked to him for a minute first
and then when Sorella came up with the kids he was like "look who's here!"
and Sorella Sorrentino said "Oh, I was just thinking about you the other
day!" That was kind of fun. Their baby Sofia who was three months old when I
got here is walking now and about to turn one. How crazy. She's so cute.
Their family is so great.
Yesterday we were still in Ragusa in the morning waiting to see if we'd have
an appointment or not, and we didn't, so we made the official decision to
come back to Catania and actually do some work instead of waiting around
Ragusa without clean clothes or anything for a few days. It's only a two
hour bus ride, it was worth coming home. We had an interesting lesson with
some members and their two inactive sons and their son's girlfriend last
night, it went well I guess. We weren't quite sure who to teach to and we
don't know any of them so it was a little weird, but all is well. They're a
nice family.
Today I dunno what exactly we're doing--our zone is going to the beach. So
that should be interesting. We're going to try and get to the market before
the beach so we can maybe get some sandals (we can wear sandals here) and
headbands so I don't have super boring ponytails all summer. Anyway.
That's hilarious that you watched the Laker's game for family night. I'm
glad you read the scriptures too. And I'm glad the Lakers won.
I'm sorry to hear that Uncle Helmut passed away but I'm happy to know that
he and Aunt Hedi are together again, and that families are forever. It's
really nice to know that there's more than just this life, and that this
life isn't even about this life, it's about getting ready for what comes
next. It's just nice to have certainty, and to be able to find answers to
our questions.
And I still just really love that even though somebody tells me something, I
don't have to just take their word for it. I can pray and ask God and know
for myself. It's awesome. It's personal. It's true.
Transfer calls this week...we'll see what happens. I've been here for three
and with Sorella Williams for two so I might be changing but we'll see.
Love you lots and lots!
Eliza
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