When In Rome....

Monday, September 21, 2015

IT’S NOT TOO HOT!!!!!!!! MENO MALE, I’M NOT SWEATING MY FACE OFF.

You guys.  Do you know how GREAT life is when you aren’t walking around in an oven?  Let me tell you, it is like the most fantastic of fantastic things ever.

  

Gotta start of this email with a HUGE shot out to my companion Sorella Embley who turned 20 today!  We’ve got a day planned full of partying: emailing, pizza for lunch, bowling, and maybe a gelato every hour.  We will see.  I love holidays in the mission.  You have to be really creative to find fun ways to celebrate them.  It’s way fun.  

Ssoooooo yeahhhh life is way good right now.  

Let’s start with the best miracle of the week. FREE GRANITAS. 

Some people may ask, "Sorella Brunson, why do all your miracles have to do with free food?"  I’m not really sure how to answer that question but it is true.  Oh well.  So we were walking up this really, really, really long hill.  Oh yeah,

I’ve already told you about it. Viale Europe.  I mean it’s not that I mind walking but when it’s blistering hot it really gets you.  So we were walking up this hill and also trying to call this lady to confirm the appointment we had set up with her but she wasn’t answering.  We thought, “We are gonna walk all the way up to the top of the city and she might not be there.”  We were walking, and sweating, and dying and then all of the sudden we pass by this bar and this old man is like "Ciao!" and we were like, "um ciaoooooooooo."  Normally when old men say ciao to us we are sometimes a little tad bit worried.  I always just listen to the spirit and see what I should do.  I felt like we should walk back and talk to him.  He was so nice and was like, "you guys look like you’re dying.  I’m gonna give you a free granita at this bar I own."  I was like, "don’t mind if I do."  We had a great gospel conversation with them and they told us to come back whenever we want. WIN. 

This week was kinda nuttso because we thought we were going have this huge ward party on Friday which was gonna be a cake war.  So we were inviting EVERYONE and their DOG (well like, I mean literally everyone and their dog because Italians really would bring their dogs to something like this).  And we were so stoked to eat a TON of super yummy Italian cakes and have lots of people there and party.  But one of the members had a huge family emergency and we ended up having to cancel the party.  But we ended up having a little party anyway with our investigators and other cool kids.  And it was way good.  We are excited for them to reschedule the cake party though.  

Wanna know the miracle about having the party canceled?  Does it have to do with free food?  YES. 

What did all the members do with the cakes they had made for the party but then didn’t take to the party....

Yup. we got to taste some SUPER delicious cakes this week. 

Um...ok I promise missionary work isn’t just about eating.  We actually do other stuff.  This week we cleaned the church because the lady who was in charge of it couldn’t do it.  I worked up a major sweat.  Felt pretty good.

Ok so now some investigator talk.

Abagail is doing well.  We had a really good lesson with her and we brought a sweet girl from the ward named Martina who is going to serve a mission after this year YES.  We are thinking we are going to have to push back her baptism date by a couple weeks though  :( If you guys want to pray for her that would be really cool.  She is a WONDERFUL person and we love her tons.  

Giulia is so cool!  Oh man I forgot to tell you guys. Ok so Giulia is in LOVE with Korea, like totally loves it.  She is taking a vacation to go hang out in Korea for like 6 weeks, which is a bummer for us BUT the cool cool cool thing is that she is going to VISIT one of my BEST FRIENDS EVER who is serving her mission in Korea!!  AHH.  Giulia going to go to church with her and everything.  So that’s the best thing ever.  I’m excited she will get to go to church there. 

We also had a miracle this week because we wanted Giulia to come to the ward party but she didn’t want to make a cake by herself.  So we told her that we would make it with her and then do a lesson.  We made the cake and then as we were doing the lesson (we watched the restoration movie) I got the feeling that her mom was going to come home while we were there.  Her mom is pretty against the church and has NEVER met the Sorelle even though Giulia has been coming to English course twice a week and meeting with the Sorelle for over a year.  BUT while we were sitting there watching the movie, her mom walked in.  I was freeeaking out BUT it went super well.  Her mom is way nice and is a lawyer so I got to talk about mock trial and stuff with her.  She was way cool.  It was such a miracle that we finally got to meet her!  We are hoping that when Giulia comes back she can have the courage to talk to her mom about the church and about baptism!   

Our other investigators and everyone else is doing well.  I love these people here so stinking much.  Yesterday we went to an appointment and this old lady we were talking to was like, "Sorelle, do you like Italy better?" and I was like, "uh in comparison to what, America?" and she was like "no silly, in comparison to Sicily!" hahah.  You guys I LOVE the island life because these islanders are incredibly proud of their islands.  Sicilians are Sicilian, not Italian, and Sardegnans are Sardegnan, not Italian.  I love it.  It’s so cute.  I’m so thankful I have been allowed to serve in Sicily.  It’s one of the wildest places I’ve ever been to but I love it.  

This week is transfer calls...I feel like I might be leaving but we will see!  Man it seems like just yesterday I was getting my first transfer call!  Now I’m probably going to my last city. Time FLIES. Don’t forget that Ty. 

Yesterday we had pranzo with the family Impallonia.  OH MAN I LOVE THEM. He is the cutest little old man and our ward mission leader.  I wish you could just see him...well actually I’m sending you guys a video of him this week. I’ll translate it for you.  It doesn’t have a great shot of his face though because my companion took it secretly.  hehe. 

Alright now for the spiritual part. This week I’ve felt amazed with the church here in Italy.  Our bishop gave a talk this week and he told us he had done some calculating.  The stake president here in Sicily is in charge of the entire church here on the island, and Sicily is really big so he has to travel a TON.  Our bishop did the math and told us that the stake president here in Sicilly spends 5 MONTHS of the year driving around to fulfill his church calling.  He gets gas reimbursed, but other than that doesn’t get paid a cent for what he does.  You guys the faith of the leaders in the country is really amazing.  And the faith of all the members!  They have to make so many sacrifices to do the Lord’s work.  They are literally the pioneers of the church here.  I am so thankful for examples like the vescovo and relief society president here, stake presidents, and other faithful members that I have met all over Italy.  They understand why they do the Lord’s work and help serve in the church.  They understand that the Savior leaves the 99 and goes after the one sheep.  They know what it means to give everything to the Lord.  I hope to be more like them as I fulfill callings and look after the people in my church ward and stakes.  They are true examples of Christ-like love. 

I love you all!  I can’t wait to figure out what’s gonna happen for transfers.  Maybe I’ll stay here and if I do WHOO HOO.  If not, we will see who else is waiting for me.

  

I love love love love the mission. 

Siete bravissimi!

Vi voglio bene

Sorella Brunson