r.i.p. whitney...

Ok guys,

I know you've been worried wince you didn't hear from me yesterday, but don't worry, there was not a mass exodous of Whitney's from the world this weekend. We were just in Verona for a conference training thing. I have returned.

But really, Whitney Houston is dead. I can't believe it. I've been walking around our house singing about how I will always love you, and how I'm not going to walk in anyone's shadow. It's the least I can do for my namesake.

It's been a good week, not even including the pistacchio magnum ice cream bar I just ate.

Highlight 1. We had a washing machine malfunction which landed us with an afternoon in our house waiting on our landlady to do some quick electric magic, so I pulled out a super old area book and was looking through peeps who had been taught some years ago and then for whatever reason stopped meeting with the missionaries. I read up on their history with the missionaries, pulled out one's that looked promising and Sorella Jacobson called them up.

We got a few appointments set right away and two of them were actually super rad lessons. One was late Sunday night in a Kebab restaurant with lady named Irma and she brought two of her friends, and we ate fries and drank Coke and taught a quick first lesson. They were asking sincere simple questions like, "If Joseph Smith is a prophet why have I never heard about him?", and "Where did the Book of Mormon come from?" And Irma started bearing testimony to her friends about how our church was the only one she ever really like going to in Italy, and the people there really care about each other and aren't going to let you fall.

The other lady was Daniela. She's about 31, from Bergamo, lives in a rad old building close to Città Alta that she said was built in the 1300s. Welcome to Italy, dudes. But anyway, she was super smart and thought really carefully about all our questions and is excited for us to come back.

I don't always have faith that when we're out for hours doing casa in the cold that we're going to find someone then, but I always feel like if we're out looking, somehow we'll find the right people, and that's sort of what I feel like has been happening.

Highlight 2. Monday we had interviews with President Wolfgram because we have a huge zone and he couldn't get everyone in yesterday. But I really loved talking to him and I told him that I felt like everything was easier than I thought it would be, and he said I was the first missionary to ever say that. I'm still not good at explaining what I mean, but I feel like I understand that I'm only here for 15 more months, today marks 3 months since I left...what? But my time is short and I know I should be here so why wouldn't I get up and do the things I'm supposed to do? Even if there are weeks where no one wants to listen, I'm doing what I can, and sooner or later there will be somebody who's ready, and the fact that I'm here will make all the difference to them.

I feel like there are two ways to respond to when things are hard. You can keep walking, or sit down and give up. It's like in Helaman Chapter 5 when the people are covered in this darkness and fear and they don't know what to do and someone remembers Christ and his doctrine.

We know the things we need to do to make us happy so why not just keep going forward knowing that everyday we'll be a little closer to that. Am I making any sense? I hope so. I feel like now, as a missionary, because we have so many more extreme ups and downs, it my chance to show God that no matter how dark and low I may feel, I'm going to keep walking. I can't see the person I can become yet but God can, so why wouldn't I trust him completely?

All your 2012 trips sound great, Daddy. Pencil me in for the Apostles next year. I'm going to need some serious rehydration. I've found lots of friends for you to email when I leave Bergamo. A couple members we've met with want to either help you keep up Italian or steal your life as a canoe man.

We've started trying to pick up some Bergamasco. The members keep saying that I know enough Italian so I should just get to the more important work and learn the tongue of the angels. The only things I can remember so far are how to say siamo noi and ti voglio bene.

All is still well. The streets are still old, the weather is warming up, we're trying a new cheese every week. Even though I'm tired every morning I know it's only another 16 hours and I'm back in my bed. Ha. Trying to remember to take more pics to send you soon. This week I had mail in our little mail box for the first time. There was much rejoicing. I'll try and think of anything I need. Maybe some lentil recipies and more of my fav sharpie pens.

Much love to everyone. I found a little valentine stuffed hedge hog with a Ti Voglio Bene heart in its hand, just pretend like I'm sending that to you at the end of this e-mail.

xoxoxoxo
Sorella Bush