ONE WEEK!!!

Yes. This is it everyone. In one week me and Anz. Knutson will be on our 20 or so hour travel date to Rome. I. CAN. NOT. WAIT!!! This is the best thing ever to happen.

We went to this awesome health meeting. Where we learned things like, "Bats can turn around 180 degrees in their skin (where we all went, wait, what? So, will someone Wikipedia that fact for me? And if it's not true, will someone add it to Wikipedia anyway?) DON'T MESS AROUND WITH BATS." And all this stuff about wearing shoes and flossing our teeth and DONT DRINK THE WATER. The problem is...almost none of it applied to us Italians. So I drew hilarious pictures of germs and other such things. Worthwhile use of our time. For sure.

Classic Sorella Laws moments:

I decided that I really needed to make the most of gym time. So I started up an INTENSE version of Aerobic 4 Square. This involves jumping around a lot in line and also while you are playing. The best part was is that several of the new Anziani started joining in and I became like the instructor. They would ask me what we should do next and I led them in Jumping Jacks, just jumping, crunches, push-ups, all while in line for Four Square. It was the best thing ever.

The other great part was that I was busting out an aerobic mood and I punched a Spanish Elder in the stomach. Yeah, classic. Then I almost hit someone where it counts with the 4 Square ball. I gotta get out of the MTC or I'm going to get sent home for fighting.

Sis. Michael and Sis. Smith left me this morning. Last night I walk into their room and Sis. M had left a spot in her suitcase for her toiletries etc. But guess what else fit perfectly in that spot? Me. So I was sitting in her suitcase when she came in. She just laughed. I didn't cry but I was a bit sad when I didn't see her for our teeth brushing party this morning. But I love what you said, mom. This relationship will definitely be rekindled.

We had an awesome fireside where one of the speakers got up and told us that when we wake up we should be like, "How can I offend Satan today?" She was like, "When you get along with someone you offend Satan, when you laugh you offend Satan, when you smile at someone who doesn't deserve it you offend Satan." It was a great perspective for me who sometimes struggles with the whole representing Christ and loving everyone (ex. right now I want to throw something at Anziano Weller because he is reading me a letter from some Sister that he fell in love with in the MTC and I can't help but listen because I don't get my daily dose of drama like in the real life--though I did just make Anz. Healey commit to not writing the girl who hasn't written back for four weeks.) Okay. Seriously. Anz. Weller's been reading it for like five minutes. And I wish it wasn't interesting to me, but it is. Sigh. First he sent Anz. M to read it to me, but I successfully scared Anz. M off by asking him if he truly values our friendship because he was putting it in dangers.

Another magical moment was when Sorella Swensen took us all outside to teach each other lessons from Preach My Gospel. We're sitting on the grass under a tree and acorns are sporadically falling and instead of moving we'd all dramatically duck and cover when it happened. Then the sun started going down. I was facing the sun and it felt so good to have it on my face...Then golden hour and that beautiful glow everything has just before dusk. Sor. Sw. was across from me and her hair was glowing. I wish I had had my camera. And she asked us, "How do you know God exists?" And we were like, "Well, duh, this world is beautiful. And it was made for us." Meanwhile Anz. Healey was teaching us about the Atonement and changing our lives. It's real and it's powerful. Use it in your lives.

Fr. Tate told me that there are probably only 20 sisters in the Rome mission...You know what that means? I am the LUCKIEST.

We practiced contacting and it was intense. We had to go up to people and in 3 minutes convince them our message was worth hearing, get an appointment, and ask for a referral. It was powerful as I had to reflect in myself, why is this so important?? How do I compress this huge gospel into 3 minutes? Luckily, my life as a film major paid off and I related it to giving them the trailer. You got to get them interested by highlighting key points and testifying powerfully. And it worked. The best part was that I had my scriptures with me and the gold on the edges kept catching the light and blinding Anz. Mauldwin as I taught him. So...He REALLY saw the light. Ha!

I have loved having Fr. Tate as a teacher. He's got the beautiful Southern Italy accent and he always uses filler words. The Italians have a version of the word "like" as in how teenage girls use it. I find that very amusing.

REQUESTS:

Okay, everyone reading this. I am collecting testimonies. I want everyone to write to me their testimony of Heavenly Father and the gospel and the Restoration. And if you know another language write it in that language. Because there are all kinds of people in Italy who don't speak Italian, so I feel like it'd be really neat to be like, "Oh, I don't speak your language, but guess what...I have this." If you do it right now you can send it before I leave here. Which would be awesome. PLEASE!!! Whether it's English or Cambodian or Spanish or French. SEND ME THEM. Grazie.

Along with that, send me pictures you have with the temple. THE GROUNDBREAKING IN ROME IS ON SATURDAY!!!!! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ITALY IS READY FOR THE RESTORED GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST.

LOVE YOU CON TUTTO IL AMORE NEL MIO CUORE!!