WOW. That is all I have to say. I have a missionary nametag. WHAT. I seriously have so much pride for it. Kenna, I keep wanting to grab it and look at it! I am representing Jesus Christ. This is so surreal. IT still freaks me out/excites me to see elders/sisters "Hey look! It's the missionaries!" (I think to myself). And then I quickly look down at my nametag..."Oh wait. I'm a missionary too!" SAY WHAT!
This week has gone fast! Okay, maybe not the first three days :) I am learning so much and I feel like I've known my companion/roommates for at least a month. My district consists of four missionaries. FOUR. There are two anziani (elders) and two sorelle (sisters). We are the only four going to Rome. There are bout 8 others (in our zone) going to the Milan mission. However, our classtime is just with the Rome missionaries, so it feels like we are constantly on a double date. So awkward, but awesome because we get a lot of one on one time with the teachers. The teachers are fantastic! Sorella Urban, Fratello Mortenson and Fratello Knutsen. The language is such a beautiful language! Apparently all of Italy came together one day with all the different dialects and combined them into one language. They took the most beautiful parts to create the Italian language. So cool!
My background of high school spanish has been a blessing and a curse (benedizione e maledizione). I find myself using Spanish words instead of Italian. Sorella Price (my companion) and I have been teaching an investigator, Giampierro, in italian! (I am totally seeing the gift of tongues come to pass in these lessons!) However at one point I asked Giampierro "Ha pregunte?" (Do you have any questions?) Giampierro seemed very confused. I quickly corrected myself "Ha domande?" MAmma mia! Also I probably make a lot of words up as I teach a lesson. It's great:) Dad. My previous italian study has worked wonders this last week! I am so so grateful for you pushing me!
Sunday was a spiritual feast! Wow. Everyday is in fact, but especially sunday. I can't believe howmuch good there is in the scriptures. I am discovering new and beautiful scriptures everyday. I know the scriptures bless so many lives and will bless so many lives. They bring us the greatest joy. They answer the questions of the soul! The missionary lessons are so beautiful! They make so much sense. On sunday night we watched Elder Bednar's previous devotional "The Character of Christ". Kungpow! I feel like his talk changed my whole mindset for the rest of my mission- for the rest of my life! Man, he is so BOLD! He spoke of learning OF Christ, not about Him and how we need to continually turn outward! The stories he shared were so touching! We must recieve His image in our countenances in evertyhing we do. It is the only way to bring souls unto Christ.
Monday was probably the best, worst day of the mission (the one week I've been here). It was definitely a rollercoaster of emotions. Giampierro is struggling to get an answer to his prayers. He still doesn't know if God exists, but he is interested in learning because his girlfriend is a member of the church. In our first lesson on Monday, I shared an analogy with him. It is the the telephone analogy explaining the idea of how to talk tot God. When you call up your dad on the phone and you ask for shoes, money, help with homework etc. and then you end the call. The idea is that that is how people tend to talk to Heavenly Father. It is necessary to wait for a response! I taught him the importance of waiting after you ask him a question. Giampierro then asked "How long do I wait?" With the limited italian I know, the first response came out: "Un minuto." I guess I didn't realize how ridiculous it sounded until Sorella Price brought it up later. Apparently I responded to Giampierro as a question. "Un minuto?" WHO gives someone a specific amount of time to wait for an answer!?? My district joked.."Um about 52 seconds." I laughed so ahrd that day about it that my stomach hurt. I litterally cried from laugher (probably mostly because of all the emotions I have felt since entering the MTC). ONE MINUTE, what was I thinking? There have been many-a-time that I'll look back and laugh at that. My Romanian roommates often tease me about it.
After our second lesson that day (which went very poorly), I felt pretty crumby. I felt like we hadn't really prepared for it and it was very disorganized. We didn't commit him to anything! On top of that, we can barely communicate what we want to communicate! I felt so beat up about it that I was on the verge of tears as Fratello Mortenson asked how it went. (KEEP IT TOGETHER KEEP IT TOGETHER). Frat Mortenson understood how disrtraught we felt, so he prayed with us and then opened up 2 Corinthians 12:7-9. I guess that's when I lost it alittle bit. It was so embarrassing. I kept laughing while covering my face. Fra Mortenson responded by retrieving a roll of toilet paper from the bathroom (an unopened roll). I laughed as I awkwardly removed the wrapping while wiping my tears away. LOTS of laughs, tears, emotions on Monday. (Such a fantastic scripture) I know that through faith, we can overcome our weaknesses. God can make miracles happen.
The language is great, though! There is so much to learn, but I think I am doing well so far! Teaching the basics, praying, carrying out a simple conversation. Dad, yes I am developing a LOVE for the language! It is really exciting!
Tuesday devotional was amazing, of course! Elder Martino spoke of the need of member involvement. It was so interesting as he applied Alma and Amulek to the missionaries and members of the church. Alma=missionary. Amulek= member. READ ALMA 8! Themissionaries are called to teach . The members = fellow-shippers. That is how we will have the greatest success. In the words of Pres Monson, "Members, of the church. ''Who do you know who has recently lost a loved one? Who do you know who struggles with unemployment? Who do you know who struggles with raising teenages?" Refer them to the missionaries. Your lives will be blessed immensely! You will see miracles come to pass. Your testimony will grow more than ever and be more grounded as Amulek's was. Missionary work is THE greatest work that we can be involved in! Do not miss out on these opportutniites that are before you!
THE MTC:
I am on the west campus (at wyview apartments) !! It's weird. I felt sad that I wouldn't be in the legit mtc where all the siblings went! However, the west mtc is fantastic in other ways. For one thing, we have the creamery!! Also it is so spacious!! There are two sisters to a room! More privacy. The cafeteria is definitely not as great. We went to the main campus cafeteria today. It pretty much felt like the great and spacious building :) That wrap line= molto bene! There are about 600 missionaries on the west campus and the numbers will grow to about 1500 eventually! Dad, the dana is awesome! Icanfly when I write in my journal! So so so grateful! Sorella Price is fantastic. We get along really well. She is so cool and fun. She laughs a lot at my weird humor. We live with three romanian missionaries. They are all really silly and definitely make life interesting. The missionary schedule is crazy and long but I am loving it. I pray hard that I can get this language down in FIVE WEEKS! (Oh we went to the Consulate today in SLC to sign our visa applications) Fun fun to get out of provo!
Mom: How is the family doing? I feel so sad that I am missing everything! How are the kids and school? I hope your surgery went well! Kids and sports!? Tryouts!! I hope you're being nice to Maisy...Boris, not so much. TELL ME EVERYTHING. Janey, phil, hen write meeeee:)
Laughing seriously gets me through everything. That and feeling the Spirit:) The elders are definitely young, but fun. And by that I mean, they mix together all sodas and foods in their cups in the cafeteria...
Life is great! I love you all so much! Io so che la chiesa di gesu cristo dei santi degli ultimi giorni e vero! Okay I can say a lot more than that, but time is limited!
Sincerely,
Sorella Clyde:):):)
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