Island of Misfits

Hi!

We're back on the island, ladies and gentlemen! And I am BACK TO NORMAL!!

It's weird... I had some dark days in Bari (and some hard times in Ladispoli), and I would always tell myself, "I don't remember starting off this way. I felt like I was different before!" I really did feel that I'd taken a plunge in productivity and general happiness (and was continually praying to go back to Sicily). But I did feel that I was learning necessary lessons and becoming generally one of those "better" people. 

I come back to Sicily... and it's like I'm starting my mission all over again! I remember the spirit I felt here (not the Spirit, as in the Holy Ghost, but just... the SINGING SOUL/heartbeat/mother earth Avatar thing) and it's come back again!

When I was in Sicily a year ago, I lived in Mistretta (two and a half hours away from Catania by car), but we had a chance to do several exchanges in Catania (during transfers, zone conference, etc.).

It turns out everyone I met on those handful of transfers is still one of our big players! We have an investigator preparing for baptism that I taught a lesson to a YEAR ago! The one member family I met last time just became the new ward mission leader. And it turns out that I get to bear my final missionary testimony in the same chapel and at the same pulpit I bore my first missionary testimony over a year ago!

So it turns out that the Lord answers prayers (even if I stopped praying to go to Sicily months ago). And it turns out that there is something on the particular island that does me a world of good.

I have a great new companion from Washington . The first time I've had a companion with the same initial (which is why I generally go by "Eff"). We're in a house with two other sisters and then there's another house with four other elders. That's EIGHT MISSIONARIES for the same ward! Man oh man! I do not have a car, which means we are hoofing it and using the bus system (actually a lot better than expected). 

We've been trying to figure out "why" I've been called here. Some ideas:

1) Disaster manager. The day I arrived, Etna (the active volcano next to Catania) was doing some weird eruptions. The following day, the city was put on alert for serious storms and we were told to prepared emergency rations. Nothing happened, but MAN if that's the fastest I've ever shoved tuna and bread in a backpack.

2) Meet Sister A. Another sister was here for legal documents she had to renew and then she was trapped for several nights. It turns out she is the funniest human being in the universe... we spent most of the weekend imagining the new Star Wars movies. Or three films all about C3PO touring different planets and translating ("The Chancellor's Speech"?) Luckily, we'll never be companions, because I don't think we'd get any work done.

3) EAT ARANCINI. The Sicily classic. Balls of rice stuffed (usually) with meat sauce or melted cheese, breaded, and fried. Yum. I will make them for you when I get home. If I can ever learn to fry ANYTHING.

One last WEIRD MOMENT! We also serve the members on an American base here, meaning we join then from English sacrament meeting/Sunday school on base. I forgot how incredibly different America is! NO ONE KISSED MY FACE! We have an incredibly smart branch president and Sunday school consisted of a rather long, but incredibly interesting and entertaining discussion about doubt, rabbis, Jewish/Islamic law, studying the scriptures and the branch president's cat peeing all over his bed sheets. America is SO different. Anyway, it'll probably be a nice transition before I'm back in the states cold turkey.

Anyway. The work is going well. I love Sicily. I love Catania. I love life. I love God! And I love y'all.

That's all the news

love

Sister Annie