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Sorella Urban is not longer in Italy...

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

week 7...?!

Hola! Hoy! shoot......the Portoguese are getting to us. Now, at the lunch table, we are in the habit of saying 'molto bon!' and we're learning Portoguese more rapidly than we are Italian!
BUT lots and lots are still recieving their visas to Brazil, so the gym and cafeteria are getting less crowded and even more less crowded....I am now the only sister in our gym hour, which is sort of weird and fun. Some Elders have the funniest reactions when they turn and see me- I could be 5 feet away and they'll jump back as if they were electrocuted and apologize profusely in whatever language they're learning. Really...?

Friday night, we have 'spa night' which means we have gym right before we go to bed, and so Slla Pickett and I took advantage of it being her last time, and we joined in on 4 square (the Elders love the game, not sure why because you don't get much activity or strain out of it) and then we played bump and I have come to discover another thing I've been blessed with - making decent shots. Too bad it'll all disappear once I no longer wear this tag ;)
We played volleyball, and then raced upstairs and did a 5 minute fitness test, ran on the track, did 2 sit ups, jumped onto the olypticlas (sp?) and .....yeah. We covered everything the gym had to offer. For reward, on Sunday, we had root beer floats. Not just ANY rb floats, but the kind that comes out of putting 2 and 2 together. They serve icecream on Sunday, and they have root beer as one of the fountain drinks. The portoguese were stunned when they saw how creative the Italians are.

Sorella Pickett left yesteday morning, and all the Elders got up which was really nice of them. She should be in Catania by now. It's not strange to being alone again, but the Elders forgot me a few times. They have to pick me up at my apartment, and I waited after gym for lunch for 20 minutes...and then a teacher who had been in my ward, Garrett, passed and asked what I was doing. He chased down 2 Elders and got them to escort me.......the Elders showed up later and said they'd been eating and realized they'd forgotten me so they raced back to my apt and waited there for me. hehe. I love being forgotten. And then seeing the remorse and shame on their faces when they realize I've slipped their minds......jk. They're awesome.
Anziano Stoker has a gf back home, Chloe, who has been investigating the church and she had a baptismal date for this past saturday. He didn't hear word from her all week and the anxiety grew....until he finally recieved word from her yesterday; she DID get baptized, and he read an email out to us about the event and she really is an incredible example. SO much opposition, and yet, she is walking forward by faith. I love having spiritual experiences with my district- it really bonds us together. AND it came at perfect timing because we'd just had companionship inventory- the time when we sit down our companions and lovingly give them advice and ask them not to do some things that are bothering/distracting. I join Anz Gammel and Anz Stoker for companionship inventory- it's fun seeing how two Elders resolve problems. The teeniest of concerns which I find hilarious, but apparently they cause a little discord and it's wonderful seeing them work it out in a mature manner.
OH! AMBER! So, my plaque scripture took me awhile to get, but I think the heavens opened even wider when I came across this one, so here it is. Romans 1:15-16......I dont have my scriptures with me, so I don't know where to end it, but I know I don't want the very last phrase of verse 16...I think there's a semicolon or something, but I love it. I find it very appropriate for me Ü Btw, which pictures are you using?!
Guess who I saw yesterday?! We have the TRC every Monday at 1:00, (where we teach investigators who are role playing) and I no longer can teach with Slla Pickett, so I was going to switch back to sharing myself with the sets of Elders, but Fllo Auna (who Roberto and Carla do remember from him doing exchanges in Ladispoli!) asked if I'd observe in his place- so much fun. It was even better when I saw that Fife was back- agh! I loved observing, and jotting down notes for me to integrate into my teaching habits. Body language is so important! Can you imagine stopping someone on the street with droopy shoulders and saying in a monotone voice, 'I have a message of happiness about our Savior that will change your life.......Zzzzz'. yeah. Anyways, I rounded the corner and came face to face with Immanuele- from Mom's branch in Terni! We couldn't talk, so afterwards, he came up to my classroom and we got a pic together, and he'd been able to attend a meeting about the Roma Temple....I have more to disclose, but it's not been made public, so I'll just have to keep you all at the edge of your seats :) May I just say that the work is definitely going forward, and the church is definitely true. Missionaries who will be sent out in the next few years are going to be so blessed with the opportunities they'll have in Rome and on the Temple grounds. It's incredible and going to be incredible!
There are 25 missionaries arriving tomorrow- WHOOHEE! 9 of which are sisters, 5 of which are going to Rome....and guess what? Carly is one of them!!! I have lots to do back in my room- have 5 beds to make, and Slla Orteo (French speaking) will move her stuff out but sleep with me again so that I'm not alone. I'm really excited; on Sunday, I was called as coordinating sister (I'm not too sure if I was the right choice...but uh...I'm the only sister in the branch, so ... Ü) tomorrow night and Thurs night, I'll spend with the zone leaders in welcoming the new group and going over rules and regulations about the MTC. I'm happy- I remember my experience and it was good, but we can make this an even better experience for the new group. 16 are going to Milan- that mission is sort of chubby. I mean, it seems to be hogging all the missionaries.... but I'm just grateful for the time I have here to have met them. Anz Larsen and Anz Knuteson and in their own class, but we've been able to bond with them and they are just wonderful. It's so nice to see 2 big guys crammed into small little chairs, and even better when they bear their testimonies. Anz Larsen seriously begins to glow when he opens his mouth.
Sorella Pickett and I have had a few progressing invesigators- one of which is Guido. He wasnt home for one of our appts, so we taugth his roommate and we thought it was going SO well, until the closing prayer, where we asked him to pray and he said he didnt know how, so we taught him and then he jumped up, flushed in the face, and said he didnt appreciate how we were pressuring him and asked us to leave. Slla Pickett and I were speechless, I apologized and said something, and then we walked out and our teacher remained behind to talk to him. Slla P started crying which inevitably made me cry, and so we huddled into a bathroom to pray. It was a hard but good experience- we know our missions are the hardest time of our life, bc our hearts will break piece by piece, but it'll be worth it. That night, Anz Anderson forgot to give me mail, which i got the next morning and it was great bc Amber wrote a really touching letter, but I can see that I wasnt supposed to have recieved it that night, bc it wasnt a very glorious day and it made for a better experience for me to grow from.
Real quick- at the RC i called a lady and she just became a widow and long story short, we both cried on the phone and she wants to know more about having hope of where her husband is, so I bought a book of mormon to write in and send her a pic of us, and will send it to day and call her tomorrow.
time's up-
I love you all. Mom, you can read letters you recieve. That's how you got it- I gave her the address :)
Deboras letter is still in the making.... i hope I have time today to write it. Thank you all for your prayers. Ciao!

1 comment:

  1. so those people you teach are real investigators? thats a bummer the guy felt the way he did. :( i love how you said that that one mission is getting "chubby". ROFL!! Made me laugh out loud. For reals. Im excited Carly is coming and that you get to be together at the MTC. Awesome! LOVE the pix too!

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