December 9, 2013
What can I even say about this week? Time in Catania flies by RIDICULOUSLY FAST. I've never been in a city where I've literally had to book it from one appointment to another. Sure, there have been periods where I've had a lot of appointments, but never with such consistency. It's very refreshing.
This week: we had a ward street board, a funeral, lots of rain, bus rides, walking past giant gorgeous piazzas and duomos, a wonderful mother and daughter investigator group, a hospital trip (to visit an investigator), a husband and wife that needed encouragement, lunch with a former cook and her grown down-syndrome son and my first eggplant arancino.
I've had the distinct feeling that Catania was my "ideal" city. It fit my traits really well (fast paced, lots of work, lots of organization, tends to be the leadership hub of Sicily). And yet, I can see the infinite wisdom in me not serving in this city up until now. I see how the other cities helped me develop traits that I needed -- patience, humility, LEARNING TO COPE WITH STRESS and even some downright "experiencing the bad to appreciate the good." Me spending my last three weeks here is just a bonus gift from the Lord. But I'm glad that every city I served in was specifically designed for me.
In some ways, my head is kind of spinning, and yet I feel that I have my feet on the ground. This is my second to last email and I feel it's time to be spouting out all of this great wisdom about everything that I've learned. But the only real feeling that I get is that I am continuing to live every day here. And as soon as I finish my mission, I will continue to live every day. Yes, my daily activities will change substantially. But I guess that before my mission I was continually striving to be a better person and to generally improve myself, help others, throw parties and do what God wanted me to do. I feel that I did the exact same thing on the mission, minus the parties. Also, I was placed with lots of people and in lots of situations that I might have never been in otherwise. So, after the mission, in that sense, seems very much the same thing. It doesn't seem routine and boring. It seems exciting that I get to do the same, uplifting things, but I get to change scenery.
SPEAKING OF SCENERY I will definitely miss Italy. This giant snowcapped volcano (Mt. Etna). The old slouched over ladies wearing giant floor-length down jackets and kilos and kilos of fresh fruit and vegetables. The members' enthusiasm. The fact that no one can stop talking (and neither can I). The hand gestures. The downright passion when it comes to the gospel and the commitment to follow Jesus Christ. GOOD JOB ITALY!!
Tomorrow I bear my last testimony. Then an exchange in Messina. This weekend will be another exchange in Siracusa and the American ward Christmas party. We had a baptism planned before I left, but both my companion and I have the distinct impression that this man needs more encouragement and commitment before getting baptized. Otherwise we'd be helping him make a commitment that he couldn't keep. But we both feel at peace with the decision. I would much rather be a stepping-stone in the eternal progression of this man and his family, than have another "picture in white" my last day on the mission.
Oh. We've been officially invited by the shortest and most devout members of the ward to eat ricotta on my last day. How did they know that was all I ever wanted?
I love you all! That's all the news.
Sister Annie
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