Well, hello!
What a delightful week! I'm back in the same city, but I have a new companion and it's like we've gotten a fresh start.
I got to spend a whole day in Catania (one of the largest cities in Sicily) working with a sister there. We have a car and I'm the only one allowed to drive it right now, so they like to take advantage of me. Working in large cities is a lot of fun --- you and a million people you are never going to see again. Unlike here in Mistretta where we pass by the same old men sitting in the piazza every day, heh. But our little town is special, oh yes it is. And a lot of other areas in the mission are big cities, (e.g. ROME), so I hope to get the opportunity to serve in one.
I got my new companion: Sorella C. (SISTER C!) and she is just great. She also lived in Italy before (in Moltepulciano, northern Italy and fairly close to Siena where I did my study abroad) so she knows lots of lil' tricks about living in Italy. Today we made a delightful vegetable/cheese pastry thing that I never would have thought of to make. But she just knows what all those things they sell in the store are! What a treasure.
We're also working on eating well! This may hinder me in my mission goal of tripling my chin size (campaign chant: "TWO MORE CHINS! TWO MORE CHINS!"), but I'm sure I'll eat enough pasta to counteract any healthy eating or exercise I'm doing.
Our first couple days together were spent watching General Conference -- a biannual televised conference where the LDS prophet, apostles, and other leaders speak to all the members. They each give short discourses on different subjects, but that all boil down to how we can be better disciples of Christ in this cuhRAZY life. Pretty helpful stuff, if you ask me. We watched about half in English (where I took copious notes on the things that were said) and half in Italian (where I took copious notes on the things I felt impressed to write down, since I understood about half of what was said). There's five sessions and between the internet at the church and satellite at a member's home we watched four of the five.
Lots of good tidbits, but one quote I like was from Elder Neil L. Andersen who said, "With faith comes trials of fatih, which brings more faith." It's interesting how the faithful are tried... in theory, we know that trials makes the faithful stronger (the "refiner's fire," if you will). But often the trials that should make us stronger and more faithful make us turn away and leave Heavenly Father. Why would Heavenly Father give us these trials if they had the adverse affect of what He wanted? Seems pretty dumb.
Or not! I firmly believe that every trial we have is specifically shaped for us. Heavenly Father sees the end from the beginning and, like a master conductor, has orchestrated every trial, blessing, and situation to make us into what we need to be. The only thing he can't control is our ability to choose. God knows we can overcome the trial (if not, He wouldn't have given it to us). But we still have the choice to go for it or to give up. I like to try and go for it.
As far as the work, I couldn't be happier. Yesterday was a wonderful day: we had scheduled appointments with two people who have stood us up before (one of them is Jake, the man who we met once at the post office and then an hour later at the permesso office. Coincidence-I-think-not!). For whatever odd reason, everyone we meet here will only meet us at their work. So far we've had lessons in Stefano's abandoned "office," in a mechanic shop, at a store where they assemble and sell fire extinguishers, and at a gas company in a back office. And sometimes we go to their work and they are "not there." Boo. But yesterday, BOTH of our appointments showed up. And our lesson with Jake went so well that he said we could do the next appointment at his house. YES! You don't think it's hard to teach lessons in places beside the home until you're trying to say a pray while other people in the room are typing on their computers...
After that, we were just on a high for the rest of the day. We did a sneak attack on a less active who we've never been able to see (we went during "pranzo," lunch, the sacred time when NO ONE works because everyone is at home eating). We had another lesson with an investigator who won't ask Heavenly Father if these things are true because he think he'll make up in his head the answer he wants to hear (a real concern), and then we did English course! We teach English as a service in Capo D'Orlando and just have the nicest people. I'm pretty content.
And today was the best Pee-day (copyright Eliza) that I've ever had! We finally didn't have things we HAD to do, so I could just take a minute and do some things I want to do. Design, cook, a little bit of yoga. It was much needed and I feel ready to go out and take on the Sicilian coast. Because the COAST GUARD CAN'T STOP THIS!
You're all great! Everyone go pet a dog today and do a good turn! You'll be happy you did.
lurv
Sister Annie
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