SOOOOO GOOD!!

(again, a late posting this one sent originally on 3/27/13)

Agreed Teen Girl Squad! This week was SO GOOD!

So I am officially "training" a "new missionary." It is very, very, very weird! You realize how much these new people don't know anything about missionary work or Italy or the language or how to cross streets without getting run over. And then you realize how much you have learned and changed. And then you realize that by the end of this experience, you are just going to be so different and you haven't even realized you've been changing much up to this point. But there's really no stopping the change, it just will come at you one way or the other. I like to think I'm changing for the better.

Actually, I did a self'-analysis this morning, and realized that the way I'm serving my mission right now might not exactly fall into my original intentions. I originally came on a mission to help and serve all people, any person, regardless of who they were. I wanted to improve their quality of life and general happiness. Since then, I've learned lots of "missionary techniques," for teaching and finding and helping, etc. And while I do feel I'm a more effective missionary, some of my new comp's wide'eyed innocence has brought me back to that this work is not just a perfected process of talking to people, getting phone numbers and pitching them the gospel. I'm here to find new friends. I'm to serve them. I'm to help them with their relationship with God, because I care about them and want them to have as much happiness and as much peace of mind as possible. I want them to accept the gospel not becauase I want them to accept the gospel. I want them to accept the gospel because I love them and want all things to go well in their life.

But enough philosophizingzing! My new companion is named Sorella BRADFORD and we get along just swimmingly! She is liberal Mormon royalty (her g-ma was the editor of Dialogue!), she studies history at Berkeley (LoMo, she thinks she knows your family!), I took economics from her uncle at BYU (Sean, Jacqueline, David Cramer will know this professor), and she is as cute as a button (dang straight!). We have much to talk about and the bonding makes for the great start of a realationship.

We have a few new investigators, mostly African. One of them named Benjamin is this incredibly humble Nigerian with a smile the size of his face and a gap in his front teeth the size of his smile. We called him after our first lesson and asked if he had any questions. He said, "Yes, I was reading in the introduction like you asked. And. And. It says that Jesus Christ appeared to the people in the ancient Americas and told them what they needed to do to have peace in this life and eternal life in the world to come. And I wanted to know... (long pause) ... WHAT DID HE SAY?" His earnestness is very endearing. Also, he sent us this fantastic text: "Goodevening sister's of jesus christ. am sorry i could not take your phoen calls because i'm busy right away when am less busy i'll meet with youbrothers and sisters next week monday. thanks for yours understanding, i am benjamin." (sic) Oooooh, Benjamin, you are just the best!

So here's something cool! The other day we were trying to think about how we can meet with more university students. We realized that many of our original members were converted when they were just young, university students looking for the truth. We had some ideas of what we could do, but unfortunately most of them are illegal (such as doing chalk drawing on the university campus, my usual go-to finding people tactic). So instead, we just head out into the wide Bari world.

Next scene: train station! We were helping a slightly flustered woman at the train station with her baggage. We find out that she is a professor at the university her at Bari. She is very intrigued that we are Mormon and says, "So little is know about your religion! Maybe you could give a presentation to my students about Mormonism?" This is exciting, because all she knows about Mormons is that we have a very strict religious culture (regarding dancing, etc) and don't use technology. So after we explain we are not Amish, I think this will be a very, very informative presentation! We've gotten the first parts organized, but there's still a lot to go. Say a prayer that everything goes well... 

The last piece of news is that we had lunch with a Catholic priest who loves Mormon missionaries. He has a ... maid, cook, volunteer? Not sure, exactly. Her name is Angela and he treats her horribly, but she is the nicest human being, best cook in the whole wide world. We all love Angela and she is a saint! We all hope to go and teach her the gospel soon! Also, Don Antonio is a very, very kind man who does a lot for the missionaries -- once he bought a mattress for a 6'5" missionary! Thanks Don Antonio! The missionaries salute you!

Here are some pics:

...302: Don Antonio and the sister missionaries

...294: Me and my new companion, jet lag stupid! Poor thing...

I love you all! I miss you all very much and think about you often. I hope your Easter is wonderful. More Eastery thoughts next week!

thanks for yours understanding

i am annie

DON'T PANIC!

(another late and out of order post, this one from 3/20/13)

Changes in Bari! I'm staying, Sorella Preston is being transfered to Catania, and I'm getting a brand new missionary straight from the States. Bwuuuah!?

I won't know who she is or anything about her until she arrives on the train tomorrow afternoon! Both me and Sorella Christensen (the other sister companionshi who lives with me) will be getting new missionaries. CUH-RAZY!

But the weather is beautiful in Bari and I'm content to stay for another transfer. I think the greatest thing is that I'm able to see the real change in people. Some people I met three months ago have made real progress, which is incredibly rewarding. Giovanni, who was baptized my first weeks here, received the Aaronic Priesthood and is actively attending church! We still have a lot of things to teach him, but he's come such a long way!

I've learned the value of CLEAR WRITING. We ahve several investigators who only speak limited English (and no Italian), but we have a Book of Mormon in their language. We have to try and teach them certain principles and can only use the Book of Mormon text to do it. Thank GOODNESS the Book of Mormon was written so clearly! Every week, we find scriptures that answer his personal concerns and questions EXACTLY. I greatly appreciate all the time and effort that was put into writing and editing and translating the Book. Thanks prophets in the ancient America! Thanks God! Makes me think maybe I should take some more time in my own writings (small jab at myself for the poor quality, again, of this letter. Sorry!) 

We just keep on keepin' on! I'm sure I'll have more to say after next week. NEW MISSIONARY AAAAAAH!

Shout out to JESSE SHEETS! Thank you for always diligently writing me! I had tried to send you a postcard in Grenoble, but I suppose it never arrived. But I shall get something to you soon!

love to everyone

Sorella Fuller

PICTURES!

...272: We went to OSTUNI, the WHITE CITY (aka MINAS TIRITH) a couple weeks ago. The best part? When we found TREEBEARD and went for a little RIDE! Let's just say I was pretty ecstatic to 1) make more Lord of the Rings jokes, 2) climb trees, and 3) wear pants! I like wearing pants!

...282: Elvira and family, with Albania paraphanilia galore! Oh, I love them...

..291: our new bishop and his family and all us missionaries! Say goodbye to Sorella Preston and Elder Hurlburt, both taking the bus to Sicily. I tried to sneak in their suitcases to little success...

Ben... Ben Kenobi?

(once again, a late and out of order posting. This was from March 13 - My apologies -Annie's Dad)

The sun is shining in Bari and I've finally taken off my leggings. HALLELUJAH!

Scho. This week we went to Taranto to switch companions for a day (also known as "exchanges." No relation to currency). I met a wonderful, wonderful girl named Stefania who is so depressed about her mother's death that she can't even hope for a better future. It makes me think about how destructive depression is... it attacks us at our very centers. Everything in our life can be going "perfectly," but if we are not right with ourselves, then it just all falls to pieces. Stefania is a beautiful, happy, young, intelligent, and talented young woman. And yet she is crippled by depression and can't move forward. But we are helping her to see that there is a Heavenly Father who loves her and has a plan for her. It takes a lot of work to direct someone without hope.

Language joke time! We have a new investigator named Benjamin from Nigeria. We were filling out the missionary records about him (where we keep track what we've taught him so when new missionaries come in, there's no confusion) and were trying to use fancy Italian "remote past" form. For the life of us, we couldn't remember how to say "know" in the remote past. We look it up... "Conobbe" (pronounce like Ke-no-be). Benjamin knew.... Benjamin conobbe.... Ben Conobbe! Bwhahaha! I know this is only funny to people who speak Italian. I'm sorry I'm one of "those" missionaries, but it brought me joy and hope it translates in some small way.

So, yes! We are now teaching Benjamin. We are continuing to teach Elvira and my love for her grows every day! Also, we have found a family that has just accepted us into their Italian, nicotine-stained bosom. We want to help them stop smoking and learn the gospel! They are on board on both accounts. We are excited.

Ah! Stupid short email! We had a great ward council meeting with our new bishop (local volunteer church leader) where he read a scripture in Revelations, describing the war in heaven between Michael the archangel and the followers of Christ and Satan/Lucifer. We talked about how all of us who are on the earth now are those who sided with Michael -- we had faith that Christ would come to the earth and save us. We trusted in Him more than we trusted in our own capacity to come to the earth on our own and figure it out. That means that everyone on the earth -- EVERYONE -- accepted Christ before this life, even if they have forgotten that thought and don't accept Him now. That's a comforting thought.

I wish I could just express how much I love the people here! This happened in Arizona and Sicily as well... whenever I think about them, I just get so excited and continue to ponder a million ways I can try and help them. I feel like real love inspires us to really think about people... think about how we can help, how we can lift them, how we can help them be their best selves. The more I feel this love for some people here, the more I wish I could feel it for everyone. There are still some people where this kind of affection doesn't come naturally. But I'm learning how to create it. If you have any tips, I'd love to hear them.

Sorry for the bad email. Next week --- better! Improvement is not just for sitcoms staring Tim Allen!

ok love you bye

sister fuller

I Can See Clearly Now the Rain is Gone

(sorry-out of order. This was the week before last)

Goooood week in Bari!

Nothing extraordinary happened! But I feel like I've been here long enough that I can "look back" and see "lessons I've learned." A student in our English course taught me an Italian saying: "Impara l'arte e mette la da parte" or "Learn the art and then set it apart/set it aside." Often times we learn things that we don't use for a long time, but then eventually we'll be called upon to use it. I feel that I have learned things in the past that I am just now being called upon to use. And I feel I'm storing up/learning lots of things that the Lord will need me to use in weeks/months/years to come.

So, subject title? Strangely enough, I have felt a out-of-place depression since arriving in Bari. I don't know if I was just missing Mistretta a lot or not used to a new place (which is odd, because usually I thrive on new situations and change). But I just didn't feel... happy. And I wasn't sure why. And I have been asking and praying and talking to God and to other people about it and trying to figure out why. Why do I feel this way? Why do I have this trial? Where is it coming from and how I can I make it stop?

I've learned over the past two months, but especially this week, that sometimes, WE WILL HAVE NO IDEA WHY SOMETHING IS HAPPENING TO US. And we will never know why. At least not at the moment. I still don't know why. But this week I learned to (1) endure it well and (2) don't stress about it so much. Even though I don't know why I feel this way, I can at least try and do my best and not be a negative Nelly despite it. And also... there's no point in stressing about why I don't know. You know, some trials are simply that... trials. There's no ultierior motive. I don't have the trial because I did someting wrong and God is punishing me. It may not be anything I did. And it may not even be something anyone else did. There is no one to blame. A trial is just a trial. So stop stressing and endure it well.

When I realized that, it was like a burden was lifted from my shoulders. And... I feel happy. It was like when I realized that, the cycle of depression liften and it all made more sense. THANKS GOD!

For the spiritual time this week, I wanted to share something I found on mormon.org (I was trying to find how to teach obedience using a Chinese version of the website to a Chinese investigator and I came across THIS!)

----

Intelligent Obedience

God does not want us to follow His divine guidance blindly or out of fear of punishment. He wants us to exercise intelligent obedience of our own free will. We need to gain our own witness, or belief, that the commandments really come from Him and help us live happier lives. To obtain this witness, we have to use faith. We have to have a real desire, and we have to be willing to do the work necessary to know these things.  In the Book of Mormon, Heavenly Father makes the following promise:

"When ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost." (Moroni 10:4) We can know for ourselves that these things are true. When we know that something is true, we will want to live accordingly for the rest of our lives. The commandments won't feel like arbitrary rules from a detached God. They'll feel like divine guidance that helps us navigate the confusion of life on earth. We will see the benefits of following this guidance in our day-to-day lives and we will feel a stronger sense of peace and spirituality.

----

I think that was the best definition of obedience I have heard, especially in regards to how Mormons believe it.

Last thing -- I started studying the Book of Mormon looking for "doctrine" aka "truth as God has revealed it to us." For example, I go through looking for every verse that talks about how God is our loving Heavenly Father, either explicitly or implicitly. I am doing this with all of the doctrine we teach our investigators (God loves us, He blesses families, He reveals truth through his prophets, etc.) and it is AMAZING! It is the best study I have ever done of the Book of Mormon. It makes so much more sense and I have a cool marking system that involves mostly numbers. I'm very excited about it and just thought I'd share.

Shout out!

Carolyn James -- thank you so much for your note! I'm grateful to be a part of your and Bishop James lives as well! BYU 50th Ward will forever go down in history in my book

Bill Fowler -- thank you for the little notes that my mom always sends along. Your encouragement means a lot :) Hope things are well with you

Sherry Shirley -- I thought it was funny how you said my time is almost up when I'm thinking how I'm only halfway done! Different in time perspective, I suppose ;)

GG Fuller & GG Pallett -- thank you for all of your notes! Thanks for being there for Matt and Chloé! I hope Peter is treating you well :)

Professoressa Klein -- Grazie sempre per le note! Adesso abito con Sorella Cajin Christiansen, con cui ho fatto ITAL 340. Parliamo sempre di tutte le cose che abbiamo imparato da quel corso. 

Hope everyone is doing well!

Lots of love

Annie

And don't call me Shirley!

Today's letter is dedicated to my new favorite person in the whole, wide world. Her name is Elvira and we've been teaching her for a couple weeks now and... my heart is just so full of love! I feel that I barely talk about people I work with, but I want everyone to enjoy Elvira and her family as much as I do.

visit one: we are knocking on doors in a large apartment complex and Elvira opens the door. "We're not interested in changing religions," she says. Her husband, Parim, in the background hears our accent and starts crying in the background: "AMERICANS!?!?! Comeincomeincomeincomein!" He explains (in perfect Italian) how they come from Albania and, given how much "our country" has done for "their country," his door is always open to Americans. He's not as interested in our religious message, but we're welcome to come back and talk to his wife, Elvira. Elvira spoke flluent English when she came to Italy 18 years ago (aka she translated SHAKESPEARE and BURNS), but has since lost some. She likes that we talk about families, and we are always welcome back. Home movies of Albanian weddings are playing in the background (as they always are). But we turn it off, say a prayer and make sure to pray for their mothers, both who have some health problems. Parim's mom has cancer and comes from Albania for treatments. They are touched. 

visit two: Elvira's at home with Parim's mom, in town for cancer treatments! She's a little old lady laying in bed, wrapped in a black shawl and can only speak Albanian. But she thanks us profusely for praying for her and her health. We hug and say another pray and cry and there's more home movies of Albanian weddings. 

visit three: we arrive with an Albanian copy of the Book of Mormon and they happily usher us in.  Parim starts chatting and we ask if we can share our message about the Book of Mormon. He says, "I respect you and if you ever want to come over and spend time with us, you are welcome, but we baptized our children Catholic and we're not looking to change." And Elvira interrupts and says, "Excuse me, I would like to hear more about this." And he RESPECTS her and says that if she wants to listen, then please. YES. In this family there is LOVE and RESPECT between the husband and wife. And the children LOVE their parents and they are HAPPY. Good job, respect and love between husband and wife, good job!

visit four: We go and teach Elvira about Joseph Smith and where the Book of Mormon came from. She confides in us some problems in her life and says, "I'm only telling you these things because I trust you." YAY TRUST AND LOVE! She also tells us how, growing up in communist Albanian there was NO RELIGION. Zero. Priests were shot, churches were raised or converted into government buildings. No concept of God. But she says how her mother always believed in "something." And when religion became legal again, her mother becamse quite religious. She calls her money almost every day and she says her Mom is always telling her to pray. "Pray for your children, pray for your husband. Pray for your work and for your friends. Pray for your enemies. When you wake up in the morning, the first thing you should do is pray and thank God for everything that you have! And ask him for everything that you need." Just goes to show. You can take the religion out of Albanian, but not out Elvira's Mom (I'm pretty sure that's an Albanian proverb).

visit five: We drop by in the evening. The boys are eating pizza and watching American Dad -- oooo, teenage boys in any country. We give the boys their own copy of the Book of Mormon and the youngest starts reading the introduction. Like any ten year old, he views it as a competition: "Ha ha, mom! I'm going to finish reading the first chapter before you!" Yes, Dennis, yes you are. We teach them what a pinky promise is and make them pinky promise to read the first chapter.

visit six: we bring over homemade focaccia (see note below) and they feed us Turkish delight. Parim jokes, "If I eat this focaccia, will I want to come to your church and join your religion?" The answer is no, but we do get him to stay for a five minute "spiritual thought," where we explain how the suffering and sickness we have in this life is temporary. This life is to learn from experiences, learn from good and evil, learn to make right choices. --WAIT-- says Elvira. "Can I turn off the Albanian wedding TV in the kitchen? It's making noice and I can't hear what you're saying." OF COURSE YOU CAN ELVIRA. We continue. Thanks to the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we will all be resurrected again with perfect bodies. If we accept the Atonement of Jesus Christ and act accordingly, we will be forgiven of all our mistakes in the past. We will live with our families and friends forever. Death is not the end. Sin is not the end. Parim is pensive -- you can tell he's thinking about his mother with cancer. Elvira tells us, "I love when you talk. It's like honey is coming out of your mouth!" Yes Elvira. Yes, that is God telling you that we are telling true things. Yaaaay!

I really feel that Elvira and her family are a part of my family now. I have been attached to my investigators before, but this is the first time I feel that it has really been reciprocated. I feel attached to them and involved in their lives and they feel the same about us. SO MUCH LOVE!

Other news?

I am also obsessed with perfecting my focaccia recipe that I learned from a member. I've miserably failed three times, but I think I got it the fourth time around. (see photo)

Today we are going to visit a place called "Ostuni" aka the White City. Supposedly the entire city is white. Hopefully they will have capitalized on Minas Tirith memorabilia. I hope to get my own copy of King Aragon's coronation speech!

Shout out to David Ruvalcaba! Thanks for your letter -- I will send a reply soon. Which in missionary/italy mail time might mean several months. But news about you and the boys and Jerry means a lot to me. Thaaaanks!

For anyone that reads Mormon scriptures: they are reprinting the Bible/Book of Mormon/Doctrine and Covenants/Pearl of Great Price with a new font! Cool!

Schpiritual thought? I read the New Testament this week! I just liked thinking about Jesus as a teacher, friend, son, person... and... well, I'm very far from that. But surely I have a direction and I feel like I can change and become like that with time. yes? Yes. (And don't call me Shirley!)

Anyway. Elvira and her fam send their love to YOU GUYS! We all love you veeeery much!

love

slla fuller