Threepio? Threepio!? Where can he be...?

I think I'm getting worse and worse at writing these letters every week. Maybe because I'm a currently melting in a pile of sweat. Viva Italian summers!

What went down this week? We've started teaching an eight-year-old in our ward who is getting ready for baptism. Her dad isn't a member, and in these situatins, when there's not unified teaching from both parents, they like to have the missionary go over gospel principles with the child and help explain. So, here we are teaching this child... and I realize... TEACHING KIDS IS HARD! They are just... learning and stuff. Once again, I realize if my teaching as a missionary is supposed to be so simple that a child can understand, than I have a long long way to go.

We've started visiting a wonderful, strong sister who has had serious health problems and for the last SIX WEEKS was chained to a hospital. The hospital kept telling her she would be able to leave -- PSYCH! -- and then keep her for a few more weeks. She finally escaped a couple weeks ago, but is now confined to her house and can't come to church. She lives several hours away by train, but we're trying to visit her once a week (often with the Elders, who prepare the sacrament). Now her DAUGHTER is about to undergo a serious operation, which means even more hospital time.

Luckily, she is one of the most resilient people I have ever met. She takes all of these punches (as well as her recent divorce) with a good spirit. I chalk it up to her being a nurse. Dad, you'd like her. 

Remember that athiest that tried to buy my soul with Dr. Pepper? First of all, he lost, because I found my own source of Dr. Pepper! (Still difficult to access, but I've now had a total of 4 DPs in the past six weeks! Big accomplishment). But he's been making progress! Now when he has questions, he calls US to ask us, instead of going on the internet! Huzzzzah! The other day, he had a really pressing question, and just texted us out of the blue to see if we could visit him (please see Alma 15:4). I have such high hopes for this man.

I found out this week that R2-D2 and C-3PO (the robot protagonists of Star Wars) have different names in Italian! R2 is C1P8..... ??? Odd! I forget Threepio's...

What else? This week's spiritual thought is brought to you by the letter A for ANGRY! I just found this really great hymn, and I'm going to copy the lyrics for you, because they are awespme. I command you to read every single verse, because they keep getting better.

1. 1. School thy feelings, O my brother;
   Train thy warm, impulsive soul.
   Do not its emotions smother,
   But let wisdom's voice control.
   School thy feelings; there is power
   In the cool, collected mind.
   Passion shatters reason's tower,
   Makes the clearest vision blind.
2. (Chorus)
   School thy feelings, O my brother;
   Train thy warm, impulsive soul.
   Do not its emotions smother,
   But let wisdom's voice control.
3. 2. School thy feelings; condemnation
   Never pass on friend or foe,
   Though the tide of accusation
   Like a flood of truth may flow.
   Hear defense before deciding,
   And a ray of light may gleam,
   Showing thee what filth is hiding
   Underneath the shallow stream.
4. 3. Should affliction's acrid vial
   Burst o'er thy unsheltered head,
   School thy feelings to the trial;
   Half its bitterness hath fled.
   Art thou falsely, basely, slandered?
   Does the world begin to frown?
   Gauge thy wrath by wisdom's standard;
   Keep thy rising anger down.
5. 4. Rest thyself on this assurance:
   Time's a friend to innocence,
   And the patient, calm endurance
   Wins respect and aids defense.
   Noblest minds have finest feelings;
   Quiv'ring strings a breath can move;
   And the gospel's sweet revealings
   Tune them with the key of love.
6. 5. Hearts so sensitively molded
   Strongly fortified should be,
   Trained to firmness and enfolded
   In a calm tranquility.
   Wound not willfully another;
   Conquer haste with reason's might;
   School thy feelings, sister, brother;
   Train them in the path of right.
   
   
   In the words of Bill Murray in Groundhog Day: "Don't drive angry."
   
   
   Anyway, my love to all of you. Keep in touch. It's JULY, which means it's almost, AUGUST! And we all know what comes after August.... SEPTEMBER!
   
   
   love love love
   annie