Note from the amanuensis: A glossary will be provided at the end of this post.
Famiglia! Come state?1
I can't really believe I've only been here a week. It was maybe the longest week of my life, but it's been great. Everyone kept telling me how hard the first three days were going to be, but my collega2 and I were both fine, maybe a little confused but just happy to be here when we know it's the right thing at the right time.
When I can't fall asleep at night I draft e-mails to you guys, but now I'm worried I won't remember everything. Let's start with my companion. She's great. Her name is Whitney too and she's from Orem studying nursing at the BYU. But she'd super chill. When we run a couple miles everyday we sometimes talk about il vangelo3, but usually we talk about how funny Tina Fey is.
Our room has four Hermanas4 in it, all Spanish speaking (going state-side) that have been here for 5 or 6 weeks I think. Our district is great; it's just the two of us and 6 teeny baby Elders, but I love them. They're super-funny and some of them are trying so hard it's kind of the cutest thing evs. But I love studying Italian again. Sorella5 Bunker was auditing 101 this past semester so she knows enough that we can communicate and practice but I'll probs be a big help to her once we get to subjunctive and shiz like that.
Our teacher started speaking only in Italian on Day One and on Friday we started working with out first "investigator," which is/was kind of stressful because remember how I can't actually speak Italian yet? But we can at least answer his questions usually, because we understand them, unlike the Anziani6, or anzianini7 as we call them, even if it doesn't make too much sense.
Our district and one other Italian district came in last Wednesday, which has 4 Sisters and 2 Elders, and then there were 4 Elders here already. And that's all the Italians there are. It's a pretty great group, and everyone is going to Milano except for 3 of the Sisters in the other district.
One of the Elders that has been here 4 or 5 weeks is from Albania and didn't speak any English when he got here so he's been learning English and Italian and he is maybe the funniest person -- Anziano Mustafaraj. The other night he tought Sorella Bunker ed io8 their national anthem, because their independence day is the 28th, and when we sang it he whipped out this little Albanian flag.
Last night Bunker and I sang with the choir, Come Thou Fount [of Every Blessing], for the devotional where [Apostle] D. Todd Christofferson spoke. It was pretty much incredible. We were singing prelude hymns when he came in so everyone was standing as we sang I Know That My Redeemer Lives and we were in the front row of the choir and being so close to him and looking at his face and feeling that he really is a special witness of Christ was just sort of incredible. When I get home I'll let you read my notes from his talk because pretty much everything he said was great.
The biggest surprise I think has been how much time I spend in my freaky class room. I live on the 2nd floor of building 10M.
Italian is going great. I was reading something in English for the class and came to a word it took me like three tries to not say in Italian. Don't make fun of me Elisa. But more and more everyday I feel how this is exactly where I should be right now and that Italy is exactly where I should be serving. I didn't know it was possible, but I feel like my capacity to love has been growing. It really is amazing how I am called to be here and set apart and there is real power in that.
Ian, I think about you all the time. You will love it here and learn so much. The very first day out teacher talked about how anyone can learn a a language, especially when they are called to do so. I know the idea of being a missionary can be intimidating, I have moments where I can't believe the responsibilities I have been entrusted with, but then I have moments where I am so grateful that that's the case. I'll try and send you a letter with some of the things D. Todd said, because it was so powerful to be reminded that the Lord is here for us, especially when we are doing his work. Every hardship we will experience will be swallowed up in the joy we feel as we become close to him.
I love you all but I'm so glad I'm here. Maybe just send Alice. I have puppy withdrawals. But if you could send me some pics that would be great. I need to show Bunker that she is the cutest pup evs and I want to show her what you all look like.
The food tastes like shiz9, sorry mom, but it's true, and I'm pretty sure it's as bad for me as it can be. I spend a lot of time with the salad and soup bar. Did you finish Mockingjay? Did it break your heart over and over? Oh and I want pics of some of the Folk School creations. And Dear Elder is the best thing. I can only come on my e-mail for 30 min every Wednesday, but Dear Elder prints out what you send them and we get them like real mail at the end of the day, and then I can reread them whenever I want. So write me! I love to hear from you.
On Sunday the Gen[eral] Primary Prez[ident] told us that when you take care of the Lord's, He takes care of yours. So I'll do my best out here so you guys can rake in the blessings.
Devo fare some service ed andare in tempio allora10.
Well you know what they say...
Okay, recap: I love you all like whoa, think about you all the time, and love being here. I want to hear more about your lives. How cool is it that I get to study Italian and the Gospel insieme11.
Oh and Dad, my teacher served in Sicilia and when I told him you did he asked what cities and I had no idea. Maybe let me know sometime? He loves Sicily like a motherless.
xoxo,
Sorella Bush
1. Family! How are you all?
2. Colleague, but more like companion, i.e., the person that is your inseparable one.
3. The Gospel.
4. Sisters (Spanish) Convention is that Sisters capitalized is a title, lower case is a noun.
5. Sister
6. Elders. Also the same convention. Elder is a title, elder is an old man.
7. Diminuative - Little Tiny Elders.
8. And I
9. That's the way Whitney gets around swearing. Weird, I know.
10. I must go do some service and go to the temple, now then...
11. Together.
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