I am once again on the computer that doesnt like to read my photo card so I will have to ask my pretty companion to transfer some for me. We will see how generous she feels.
My dear ones, where do I begin? I will give you a play-by-play of Friday to start.
We wake up, it is a good day. Every friday morning we have weekly planning which sometimes is nearly the death of me. Fllo Skanchy, if you are still following this all that brainwashing in the MTC has worn off because I still cannot grasp the beauty of planning. I know that it is SO important of missionary work, I could give discourses on the importance, but as for doing it myself. Oh man, it is hard.
I am just an eternally spontaneous soul.
Notwithstanding, I still put in my 6.5 hours a week planning. But only because I love these people. So we do that. We go out at 3 because we always do service at a community...um, charity? A place for boys under 18 to go and live. So, like an orphanage, but most of them are teenagers. And they all sing and dance as they scrub the floors...No, wait, that's another story. Actually they all make fun of each other as they blend up tomatos for pasta sauce. Or we teach them Italian/English. Anyway, this Friday they werent there! Which was actually a BIG relief because we hadnt made the programs for the baptism yet.
So we go and make them here at our internet point (or rather I make them as Slla L has a engaging conversation with an Evangelist preacher who is awesome) and they turn out looking SHARP, of course. Daniele rides up on his motorcycle and takes the file off to print it, we go home and get the flowers (that an investigator had given us, but we decided to arrange as a decoration) and we listen to the song from Inception a couple times and then skip off to the church to meet Romeo.
We get to the chruch, get hymns playing over the sound system (we enlistened MoTab and Paul Cardall for the occassion). Emiliano comes and saves the day because none of the actual members know how to work the equipment but between the two of us we figured it out.
It was going to be a perfect production.
But as any producer knows, nothing works perfectly the first time.
So then we start wondering...Because Romeo's phone had been off all day and he was supposed to come at 6.30 and he wasn't there yet (7.00) so Daniele goes by his house. He is not there.
People show up, we don't know what to say to them. Then we get a call from Daniele, he had found Romeo on Via Roma and we talked to him on the phone.
He's not coming.
Stranded at the Drive-In from Grease starts going through my head.
So he talked to his family Thursday night (RIGHT after we had talked to him and everything was GO) at his sister said he didnt need to get baptized because he had already been baptized and what was he doing, etc. etc. etc. And his phone broke so he couldnt call us (sounds like a joke right? No. Very real). So he was confused and we were sad but we told him we were glad he was taking things seriously and I said, "well, lets have a fireside!" and next thing we know Anz. Franceschini is explaining with eloquence the Book of Mormon in Italian and Slla. L is watching Finding Faith in Christ with the English speakers.
We did splits so I could be with the Italians and she could be with the Africans and Corado and his gang show up and next thing I know its over and everyone is hugging and taking pictures and best friends and I have no idea how it all happened.
Nothing like a not-baptism to bring everyone together.
The next day we go and see Romeo and he ISN'T there, so we sit down on the steps and start writing a note and start talking to Sheriff (his roommate, "Its like police in America, right?") instead.
And then Romeo shows up! ("I tried to call you." of course...) and he throws himself down on the stairs all tired because he now works LITERALLY all day. And we are like, "Romeo, what is going on?" and he says, "I just need some time. Maybe a few days. I need to pray. I need to BEG God to give me this answer." And we agreed and then he goes, "Don't worry! I am not backing out on you. I was the one that asked to be baptized, remember? You didn't ask me."
So we are not too worried about him.
He will turn out okay.
Meanwhile, life is progressing along nicely and we are finding "those that will receive 'us'" that is, the people that want to listen. Salvo With the Glasses and Corado both think we are angels "but not in a creepy way, but there is something about them" and the members at the lessons say things like,
"Of course! They are bringing you the gospel of Christ."
And they want to see us and want to come to church and that really makes all the difference. Trying to force spiritual growth is like trying to force a plant to grow. Doesnt work.
We also met a man on the street Saturday night who came to church Sunday morning and we are meeting with him tonight. That was a nice little miracle. "Talking to everyone" really works.
Things are going amazingly well with the work. Which is probably why I had an allergic reaction to something (we still don't know what in tarnation--what is a tarnation anyway?--it was) and my body is covered in hives...I'm okay, though. Promise. I just have an itchy head...and neck.
Slla Lewis can tell you what places has the best food in Ragusa, I can tell you which Farmacias (in three different cities in Italy) have the nicest people.
Monday we had to mop out the baptismal "font" (a collapsable tub) we tried not to be sad that it didnt even get used.
Yesterday we had a really great lesson with Mary, Christian and Samuel were climbing all over me and I did my best to stay as out of the way as possible, they are just SO adorable. I love african babies (cliche I know, go ahead and call me Angie). But as missionaries because of legal things we have a billion and a half rules about children so we can't hug them or let them sit on our lap or anything and it is SO sad because I just want to cuddle all of the adorable children in the ward, because right now there are TONS of babies in the ward..Just babies everywhere. SO cute...
and I am not even a baby person.
Speaking of rules and how wonderfully obedient we are...The other day we walked along Andrea's car because he was alone and we couldn't get in, so we followed him to his house as he drove slowly.
And we also had an interesting lesson where one of our investigators told us that our church doesn't do anything for the needy and we tried not to get too upset (because he knows lots about the church he just likes to get us riled up). I wanted to direct him here.. http://www.providentliving.org/ but he just wants someone to help him immigrate to America. The Church is even more legit than I ever gave it credit for, I can tell you after 9 months reading years and years of Church magazines and Church News. I didn't even realize.
Have I told you lately that I love you?
It's always true. Don't you worry.
more infinito,
Sorella Laws
p.s.
email me pictures!!! everyone. i love me some pictures. and Slla Leqwis has a billion and twelve adorable nieces so I need something to oogle over too.
oogle is sort of a gross word.
Pictures!!!
Today we had a little adventure in Modica where they make
chocolate without fat.
So its kind of crumbly instead of creamy, sounds weird, but it is actually REALLY good. All flavor, none of the other stuff, and they make all kinds of flavors, everything from cinnamon chocolate to peppers to banana and anything else.
We went to get granita
and I asked if I could have half blackberry and half chocolate and the man told me they didnt go together, I reassured him I knew what I was doing but in the end he compromised and gave me half in one cup and half in another.
I love Italians.
Pictures of people we love!
Emiliano.
his glasses make his eyes look goofy. ;)
The REAL Omo. We went to see her finally and it
ended up being her birthday!
So she took a picture with us and gave us a meat pie.
We gave her a Book of Mormon.
Not a bad exchange.
Ester and Justice.
Dont you LOVE her hair...thing?
And the ragazzi at the communita.
We are sad because they got shipped to Lecce. But we went and said goodbye Sunday night.
My dear ones, where do I begin? I will give you a play-by-play of Friday to start.
We wake up, it is a good day. Every friday morning we have weekly planning which sometimes is nearly the death of me. Fllo Skanchy, if you are still following this all that brainwashing in the MTC has worn off because I still cannot grasp the beauty of planning. I know that it is SO important of missionary work, I could give discourses on the importance, but as for doing it myself. Oh man, it is hard.
I am just an eternally spontaneous soul.
Notwithstanding, I still put in my 6.5 hours a week planning. But only because I love these people. So we do that. We go out at 3 because we always do service at a community...um, charity? A place for boys under 18 to go and live. So, like an orphanage, but most of them are teenagers. And they all sing and dance as they scrub the floors...No, wait, that's another story. Actually they all make fun of each other as they blend up tomatos for pasta sauce. Or we teach them Italian/English. Anyway, this Friday they werent there! Which was actually a BIG relief because we hadnt made the programs for the baptism yet.
So we go and make them here at our internet point (or rather I make them as Slla L has a engaging conversation with an Evangelist preacher who is awesome) and they turn out looking SHARP, of course. Daniele rides up on his motorcycle and takes the file off to print it, we go home and get the flowers (that an investigator had given us, but we decided to arrange as a decoration) and we listen to the song from Inception a couple times and then skip off to the church to meet Romeo.
We get to the chruch, get hymns playing over the sound system (we enlistened MoTab and Paul Cardall for the occassion). Emiliano comes and saves the day because none of the actual members know how to work the equipment but between the two of us we figured it out.
It was going to be a perfect production.
But as any producer knows, nothing works perfectly the first time.
So then we start wondering...Because Romeo's phone had been off all day and he was supposed to come at 6.30 and he wasn't there yet (7.00) so Daniele goes by his house. He is not there.
People show up, we don't know what to say to them. Then we get a call from Daniele, he had found Romeo on Via Roma and we talked to him on the phone.
He's not coming.
Stranded at the Drive-In from Grease starts going through my head.
So he talked to his family Thursday night (RIGHT after we had talked to him and everything was GO) at his sister said he didnt need to get baptized because he had already been baptized and what was he doing, etc. etc. etc. And his phone broke so he couldnt call us (sounds like a joke right? No. Very real). So he was confused and we were sad but we told him we were glad he was taking things seriously and I said, "well, lets have a fireside!" and next thing we know Anz. Franceschini is explaining with eloquence the Book of Mormon in Italian and Slla. L is watching Finding Faith in Christ with the English speakers.
We did splits so I could be with the Italians and she could be with the Africans and Corado and his gang show up and next thing I know its over and everyone is hugging and taking pictures and best friends and I have no idea how it all happened.
Nothing like a not-baptism to bring everyone together.
The next day we go and see Romeo and he ISN'T there, so we sit down on the steps and start writing a note and start talking to Sheriff (his roommate, "Its like police in America, right?") instead.
And then Romeo shows up! ("I tried to call you." of course...) and he throws himself down on the stairs all tired because he now works LITERALLY all day. And we are like, "Romeo, what is going on?" and he says, "I just need some time. Maybe a few days. I need to pray. I need to BEG God to give me this answer." And we agreed and then he goes, "Don't worry! I am not backing out on you. I was the one that asked to be baptized, remember? You didn't ask me."
So we are not too worried about him.
He will turn out okay.
Meanwhile, life is progressing along nicely and we are finding "those that will receive 'us'" that is, the people that want to listen. Salvo With the Glasses and Corado both think we are angels "but not in a creepy way, but there is something about them" and the members at the lessons say things like,
"Of course! They are bringing you the gospel of Christ."
And they want to see us and want to come to church and that really makes all the difference. Trying to force spiritual growth is like trying to force a plant to grow. Doesnt work.
We also met a man on the street Saturday night who came to church Sunday morning and we are meeting with him tonight. That was a nice little miracle. "Talking to everyone" really works.
Things are going amazingly well with the work. Which is probably why I had an allergic reaction to something (we still don't know what in tarnation--what is a tarnation anyway?--it was) and my body is covered in hives...I'm okay, though. Promise. I just have an itchy head...and neck.
Slla Lewis can tell you what places has the best food in Ragusa, I can tell you which Farmacias (in three different cities in Italy) have the nicest people.
Monday we had to mop out the baptismal "font" (a collapsable tub) we tried not to be sad that it didnt even get used.
Yesterday we had a really great lesson with Mary, Christian and Samuel were climbing all over me and I did my best to stay as out of the way as possible, they are just SO adorable. I love african babies (cliche I know, go ahead and call me Angie). But as missionaries because of legal things we have a billion and a half rules about children so we can't hug them or let them sit on our lap or anything and it is SO sad because I just want to cuddle all of the adorable children in the ward, because right now there are TONS of babies in the ward..Just babies everywhere. SO cute...
and I am not even a baby person.
Speaking of rules and how wonderfully obedient we are...The other day we walked along Andrea's car because he was alone and we couldn't get in, so we followed him to his house as he drove slowly.
And we also had an interesting lesson where one of our investigators told us that our church doesn't do anything for the needy and we tried not to get too upset (because he knows lots about the church he just likes to get us riled up). I wanted to direct him here.. http://www.providentliving.org/ but he just wants someone to help him immigrate to America. The Church is even more legit than I ever gave it credit for, I can tell you after 9 months reading years and years of Church magazines and Church News. I didn't even realize.
Have I told you lately that I love you?
It's always true. Don't you worry.
more infinito,
Sorella Laws
p.s.
email me pictures!!! everyone. i love me some pictures. and Slla Leqwis has a billion and twelve adorable nieces so I need something to oogle over too.
oogle is sort of a gross word.
Pictures!!!
Today we had a little adventure in Modica where they make
chocolate without fat.
So its kind of crumbly instead of creamy, sounds weird, but it is actually REALLY good. All flavor, none of the other stuff, and they make all kinds of flavors, everything from cinnamon chocolate to peppers to banana and anything else.
We went to get granita
and I asked if I could have half blackberry and half chocolate and the man told me they didnt go together, I reassured him I knew what I was doing but in the end he compromised and gave me half in one cup and half in another.
I love Italians.
Pictures of people we love!
Emiliano.
his glasses make his eyes look goofy. ;)
The REAL Omo. We went to see her finally and it
ended up being her birthday!
So she took a picture with us and gave us a meat pie.
We gave her a Book of Mormon.
Not a bad exchange.
Ester and Justice.
Dont you LOVE her hair...thing?
And the ragazzi at the communita.
We are sad because they got shipped to Lecce. But we went and said goodbye Sunday night.
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