Vai a zappare!

Hi!

Among the many wonderful new phrases I'm learning from my all-Italian missionary entourage. Vai a zappare means, literally, "go plow the ground." It would probably best be translated: "Go jump in a lake!"

Other gems:
"La mia mamma sempre dice: come ti ho fatto, ti disfo." (my mother says, as I made you, I can dismake you).
"Senza pietà!!" (no mercy)
"Chiccia!" (almost untranslatable... a interjection, subject, and maybe verb. Basically our wild card. possible translation? "Shoot.")

Look, mom, at all the useful Italian I'm learning!

Hmmm. So, in case I doubted, it turns out that the Lord is really in charge of this work. Let's just say I had a pretty lousy week, motivationally. I have these theories that for the work to go well I have to be doing A-B-C-D-E and then some. If those things aren't happening, well! Too bad, looks like I just wasn't cut out for this work anyway.

Instead, it turns out that the Lord is in charge of this work and He can make it go up or down when He WANTS and when he NEEDS it to. We had two days this week that started out just HORRIBLY. Some really ugly mornings and we go out just not feeling the love of God AT ALL. But as my comp and I machete through the difficult situations that obscure our path, we find that the Lord just drops these great people in our path. And we aren't doing anything special... if anything, we're pretty grumpy campers. But we realize the blessings the Lord are sending are way, that immediately send us to our knees in gratitude. Yes, we are not worthy of all the great things the Lord is giving us. But we recognize them and we are infinitely infinitely grateful.

We got a new mission president and his wife: President and Sister Waddoups. We had our first zone conference with them yesterday, and it's definitely a strange experience. I really like them, but they're different. Sometimes I have this weird idea in my head, "Aaaaah, this is different than it was before. I liked what was before. How can I like this, because it's different?" I forget the amazing capacity we humans have to like MANY different things. Pretty cool, huh? I don't have to like only vanilla, or only chocolate, or only strawberry. My heart is big enough to all love all three. Yes, I just compared my mission presidents to Neapolitan ice cream.

They gave us all bee pins and told us to "Be the best we can bee." Definitely a step in the Lord's direction.

Oh, did I tell you that Pres. Waddoups used to be Senate Leader of the Utah Senate? That's what they're called, right? Senate Leaders? Head of the House? President? I SWEAR I STUDIED POLITICAL SCIENCE! All worldly knowledge leaves my brain on the mission! Except Footloose lyrics.

SHOUT OUTS!

Hayley! Thank you for being so consitent in writing me. I always appreciate your updates and it's great to see how your mission helped you be a missionary far after you got home. I'm excited to meet you and the hubster when I get back.

Spencer Fuller! I met a student from one of your Italian classes, Kendrina Knudsen! She's being trained in Pescara, Profssa Noble's stomping grounds! She told me that she took an Italian class before her mission and I asked who her teacher was... "Spencer Fuller... OH WAIT!" Hahaha. It was a funny moment. Hope you and Ashley Anne and the bimba are doing FANTASTICALLY. VVB.

Professoressa Klein: grazie mille del consiglio! Sto sempre cercando un gelato buono e un po' di storia a Roma. Sono contentissima di stare con tre italiani... spero di finalmente imparare bene bene l'italiano come mi ha sfidato ;)

Okay, time to go! To all you player haters out there, it's not worth it to live life frowning and tearing others down! There's too many great things to smile about! Seriously. If there's someone that's done you wrong, don't let the hate ruin your life. FORGIVE. RECONCILE. SEE THE OTHER'S POINT OF VIEW. A wise woman once told me, "People's feelings may be irrational, but they are real to them." So respect, understand, and be understanding!

I will try and do the same.

Hey! Write me and give me advice and stuff! I may be in the twilight/new moon/breaking dawn of my mission, but I still need love too!

Italy Rome Mission
Piazza Carnaro, 20
00141 Roma (RM)
Italia

love you guys,
annie