So I get a surprise extra 30 minutes to e-mail, I've been working on a handwritten letter to you, detailing the last day and a bit, so you'll get that sometime the end of the week, but know it's been really great. really, I've been so happy and so full of love and it's just been so nice. Also, be forwarned that the system is struggling since everyone in the MTC is trying to e-mail so my computer keeps freezing up and if I keep typing it usually catches up but there could be some crazy shiz accidently typed.
First though, thanks for all my lovely gifts, it was so nice to open up all the things you thought I would like, and I can't stop looking at my watch! I always know what time it is!!!
We had a really great Christmas pagent last night that we put together in our residence hall. I mean, the MTC had an official one, but in ours I rode Sorella Bunker (who was my donkey) into the bench/manger and my baby Jesus was a stuffed moose. I really actually think that we (the Italian sorelle plus a few of our fav Ukranians) made last night for a few sisters who were struggling being away from home per le feste.
But the best thing that's happened is that Elder [David A.] Bednar gave a talk that blew my freaking mind today during our huge combined sacrament meeting. It was the best thing ever, he is so smart (s.m.r.t.), and you can tell by the way he speaks that he used to be a professor (the good kind). I'll try and send you some thoughts in my letter but the big thing he talked about was the importance of knowing the character of Christ, and what defines Christ is that he would always turn out to serve when everyone else, following the natural man would turn in.
He extended that into the need of moving past testimony into conversion. Having a testimony is not enough, we need to be always striving for a fuller conversion to Christ and his gospel. It just made me think of all the people I know who have kind of left the church behind, and he explained it so simply and perfectly. The other thing that really hit me was the way he talked about using the BOM to answer all our questions. Knowledge and answers don't come from a word search online of the scriptures, they come from re-reading the whole book, cover to cover.
And finally I was reminded of how much power the apostles have, to be witnesses of Christ, his testimony, his special witness at the end, just pierced me. And he said that if you ever say to yourself, at any point in your life really, "I can't do this," you're right, on your own you can't, but with the Atonement we can. With God, nothing shall be impossible. I love that and I know it's true.
I really really love the book of pictures, and the Christmas card. I love our family! How are we so cool? Everyone I showed it to was impressed with our adventuring, and I love how so many of those adventures weren't far away. We just live in the best place, and are willing to learn about our home and find beauty where we are. A month from today I'll find out where I'll be for my first area in Italy. I am so excited to learn to love that place and those people.
Which reminds me of a mini-rant I wanted to tell you about. Whenever I tell peeps where I'm going on my mission they're like, "Oh, that's where I wanted to go." And people act like it's going to be some kind of dream vacation and it kind of drives me crazy. I am ecstatic to be going to Italy, I can't tell you how perfect it feels to my soul. But I didn't want to go to Italy because it's pretty, of the reasons why people go there for vacation, I wanted to go because something inside of me has been pulling me in that direction my whole life, and I just get enraged at the people that say "Oh... Italy" in this voice that sounds like we're not going to be doing the same thing for the next 18/24 months, like I'm some spoiled girl getting ready to live the movie A Room With A View.
I really really love the book of pictures, and the Christmas card. I love our family! How are we so cool? Everyone I showed it to was impressed with our adventuring, and I love how so many of those adventures weren't far away. We just live in the best place, and are willing to learn about our home and find beauty where we are. A month from today I'll find out where I'll be for my first area in Italy. I am so excited to learn to love that place and those people.
Which reminds me of a mini-rant I wanted to tell you about. Whenever I tell peeps where I'm going on my mission they're like, "Oh, that's where I wanted to go." And people act like it's going to be some kind of dream vacation and it kind of drives me crazy. I am ecstatic to be going to Italy, I can't tell you how perfect it feels to my soul. But I didn't want to go to Italy because it's pretty, of the reasons why people go there for vacation, I wanted to go because something inside of me has been pulling me in that direction my whole life, and I just get enraged at the people that say "Oh... Italy" in this voice that sounds like we're not going to be doing the same thing for the next 18/24 months, like I'm some spoiled girl getting ready to live the movie A Room With A View.
We're all just as lucky to know that we were called of God to be where we're going. Is that not good enough for you? To know that God trusts you enough to teach is children, to the extent that he's preparing people just for you? To you get what I mean? I don't want to go to Italy because I love gelato, or some stupid ass reason like that, but because I've somehow known this was my path, and I already love so much about Italy partly because of that.
Okay, stepping off my soap box. I can't believe how blessed I am to be going to Italy but we're all going to be studying the gospel and teaching it to the best of our abilities. And that's something I'm grateful for too.
This computer makes me want to punch a hole in the wall, so I'm going to wrap up.
This computer makes me want to punch a hole in the wall, so I'm going to wrap up.
I love you guys sooooo much, I love being a missionary, and I love being more focused on Christ than I ever have been before at Christmas. I love how tangible the love is in my life, not only from my Savior but you, my family that is perfect for me in everyway, and the many many friends that I've been blessed with that continue to do incredible things and keep a little room in their lives for me. I think about you all the time, not just because I love you and wonder about you lives, but because I can feel the love and support and prayers you are sending my way.
Sono grata...Sempre. E babbo, anche sono grata che tu sia andato a Shopko per me. Che padre! I hope no zombie killers tricked out out of your guns while you were there.*
Vi voglio un mondo di bene.
Sorella / Figlia Bush
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Ciao! Buon natale! - Hi! Merry Christmas!
per le feste - for the holidays.
Sono grata...sempre. - I am thankful...always.
E babbo, anche sono grata che tu sia andato a Shopko per me. - And Dad, I'm also thankful that you went to Shopko for me.
Che padre! - What a dad!
*This is in reference to a letter I wrote her about braving Shopko to buy a tape recorder so I could listen to cassette tapes she sends us. I wrote about how Shopko looks like one of those places in zombie movies because there's this weird canned music and no customers. I'm just waiting for a zombie to come out of the bakery aisle all jacked up on Twinkies. It's funnier if you've seen Zombieland. - DB
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