Notes About Nothing

THANK YOU for the birthday package. I love it!!

The pockets are SO sweet, as you can see in the picture they fit all kinds of things in them. And the green skirt I am wearing right now and is just what I need for the summer. Oh man, it is getting hot.

Massimo gave me a stuffed tiger for my birthday. It is huge. Birthdays in the mission...are an interesting thing. ha.

it was a rough day in the morning. I woke up and felt sick but eventually got up anyway. Sorella Kelly called and sang me happy birthday :)

Our member we had going to a bunch of appointments with us bailed so we decided not to go to Loseto but then one of the members had made us lunch and I didnt realize so we ended up bailing on HER which felt even worse and I just kind of wanted to die and we didnt have time to go home for lunch and then we had a lesson that started out chaotic--and somehow I ended up bringing a copy of the Restoration that was only in English and Spanish, why we even have it only in English and Spanish, I have no idea but in the end the lesson turned out REALLY good

and then we had a really great family night with Massimo and the DeSantis family+Raffaele who are AMAZING and it was so great to just sit around the table as a family and talk about the gospel. We read Alma 22 together and talked about all the blessing we have because of the gospel and
what are we going to do to get them.

Then I got home and there was a package sitting outside the door! :)

I almost cried when I saw the curry. and Slla Lecates probably thinks I am crazy.

Wednesday night we had an amazing activity where we had more contacts than members and every left edified and full of donuts. :)

Transfer day was hilarious because we were lugging around 3 of Slla Stebars suitcases and one REALLY HEAVY suitcase from Slla Foote. And just as we had to carry them up this huge staircase (and we will leave out the part about how I accidentally let go of one and it slide down all the stairs, luckily no one was there) this violinist and accordian start playing some campy silent'movie-esqe music and a HUGE crowd of people start coming all around us and the suitcases. Luckily Slla Stebar captured some of it on film because it really was a movie moment.

I miss Slla Foote loads.

Then Slla Hansen and I were together while we waited for our companions to come. We were walking down the street and this guy we see walking around fairly often goes, "Do you want to buy my new CD?" And I was like, "um" and Slla Hansen goes, "we dont have money" and he says, "okay, you can just have it!" haha, so now we have a cd of random guitar music from Rocco.

We are teaching this amazing lady, Nella, she is super humble and wants to know everything. The only problem is that no matter when we go there are always several members of the extended family and/or friends coming and going, speaking in Barese and smoking. She is pretty good about shoving them all outside so that we can do a little lesson, but its always a little chaotic. In some ways it is good because then there is a sharp contrast as soon as we pray and begin to talk about the gospel. We explained the Restoration and she was like, "I hope this is true" we told her it was and that she could pray to know and she grabbed our hands and said, "I will let you know next time what the answer is!" I started to invite her to be baptized but before I could her husband came in and started laughing at Slla Lecates Italian. Foiled again.

I decided this whole transfer I wanted to dedicate to improving my humility. But sometimes I feel like I am getting a little too much help with that one.

With my birthday and all that I got to thinking about where I was a year ago. That huge party where everyone I love that was in the Provo area showed up and Babetta and DJB wrote me a sweet song (which still comes to mind now and again, dont think I have forgotten it ;)). Many of these people I havent seen for a year but I still feel the love and support from them. People all over the world were watching the Lost finale. and then a year ago today...Getting my mission call. That was a significant moment in my life. And now I am here. Yesterday in English Course we posed the question, "Who are you?" and we determined that we are who we are based on the decisions we make.

I would be a different person if I had never filled out those papers and sent them off. With Massimo we talked about how every day we have to decide if we are going to choose one path or another. If we are going to be obedient and loving or lazy and cynical or passionate and energetic. Whatever we want to be, we can be, but it depends on how we use our agency.

I love this city more and more each day. I can honestly say Bari has changed my life. It is interesting showing Slla Lecates around because she has the same, "everyone here is crazy" thoughts that we had when we first got here. But I love them all so much and we are a family and I never want to leave them. President told me I only get one more transfer here, but we will see.

Oh and Sunday the missionary that baptized Slla Magno came with his wife. She walked into Relief Society and I thought, "wow, she looks awfully American" and she was, and I got to translate for her, which was fun. Turns out he just got called to be a 70, Kent Hale..or Hall, I dont know exactly because everyone who introduced him was Italian. He talked about how special this city and the people and the ward were to him, even after 40-some years. And I know it will be the same for me. This city has become sacred ground for me.

Well my love continues to flow from here to you,

Sorella Laws