forgiven

Hi family,

Forgiveness granted, your emails were lovely. And mom, I'm trying to send you a shiz ton of pics too so everyone should be happy.

First off, Christmas day. We're eating lunch at the Omer's. Our rough plan is for Sorella Beutler to call her fam around 3:30 our time and the tocca a me, so at the latest it will be 4:30 here or 9:30 for you guys. I would have everything on at least by 9:00, maybe earlier if you can wake yourselves up so I can call whenever the moment arrives. O mamma, Christmas?! How is it freaky Christmas!

Second item of business, Prez Wolfgramm didn't respond to my email, even though I threatened to throw up everywhere. Maybe I should have been more specific and said I'd throw up all over him. But we have zone conference tomorrow so I'll talk to him and figure it all out. My permesso di soggiorno doesn't even need to be renewed, so I'm legal here until the 29th of June I think. Not going anywhere.

Thanks for the present, not sure it will get here before I leave though. Word on the street is we have a sorella conference coming up, in some way or another Sorella Beutler will get it to me.

Guys, I'm just so happy these days. Seriously, I feel kind of like I'm in mid-stride, like I've figured out what I'm supposed to be doing and I know the Book of Mormon and I understand Italian and I freaky love these people. I love that I really do just feel like myself, but a much better version of me. I don't get the missionaries that lose who they are, and there are so many of them. Or they start teaching people and all of a sudden switch into missionary mode. Who wants to learn the gospel from them? I mean, it's not like jokes all of a sudden aren't funny now that we're missionaries. laughing isn't necessarily equal to irreverence.

In district meeting Monday this Anziano was talking about how when Christ was on the Earth it was still the Holy Ghost that ha colpito le persone, non Gesu' and before I knew what was happening, I said "Si, ma Gesu' non ha mai colpito nessuno, meno male." The native Anziani laughed. Ha.

I remember in Bergamo in my first two transfers with Sorella Jacobson, lamenting how I didn't feel like I had a personality in Italian. Don't worry folks, adesso basta e avanza. In missionary news Herlina is incredible! I taught her on scambio with Sorella Gomez two weeks ago and it was a beautiful first lesson, poi, last Thursday siamo tornate con Michele e abbiamo insegnato il piano di salvezza e era troppo bellllllo! This woman is elect.  How do we know?

Sign Number 1: When we were talking about this life on earth, and the 5 steps Christ showed us we need to do, she said "hang on, what are they again, aspetta, voglio scrivere questo, and she went and grabbed a notebook to write the 5 steps down.

Sign Number 2: She started asking about her family members that are already dead and didn't get the chance to accept all this in this life. Told her not to worry, talked about missionary work in the spirit world and said we would explain more in the future. Basically I'm obsessed with her.

We went back last night with Luca and just read the BOM together and applied it. At the end she was telling us this great story about one of the old lady she works with who's anti anything not catholic and she was like guarda, soon enough you're going to have a Mormon in this house. Ha!

I also really love how when she talks about the things we've learned so far together she says it all makes her feel more sicura, best word choice. It breaks my heart a little bit that the first Sunday she'll be able to come to church will be the first Sunday I'm probs not here. I'll just have to visit her when I get back and then we can kick it in the celestial kingdom. We were talking last night about how crazy it is we met, because we were at a bus stop we hardly ever wait at and it was late at night, and she said that she never leaves the house at night, but she decided to run and grab some stuff from the store so we were waiting together. I get scared thinking about what if I hadn't started talking to her. O madonna. God is great.

My other new best friend is Onofrio, originally from Sicily, maybe I can tell you about him Christmas. Love that there's a cheese CSA!!! Guys, what if I just spend the rest of my days making cheese, I can't think of a happier life, ha.

Did you guys do a family Christmas card guy this year? send me one if you did, I carry last years in my scriptures for when peeps ask to see my family. Random thing, my Patagonia boats are awesome, kinda wearing down but have held up so well considering I wear them constantly in all weather. Could someone look and see if the Addie Riding Boot still exists, in a size 9, because I would love another pair, black or brown. They're the greatest.

Okay, well, see you Tuesday!! Have a lovely Christmas Eve, hope there's snow, salute the Andrew family for me. And the cool peeps in the university ward and obvioudly Sarah. I wish she wasn't heading west for the holidays like I assume she is so she could be part of the family skype, ha.

love yooooou!!!!!

sorella bush!