sorella bush

guess where i am...

2012-02-22T04:32:00.001-08:00

Indovinate! If you were thinking Como, you win. Maybs don't tell Jessica, she might try and flip over the sacrament table in a jealous rage.

So this will be brief but full of Italian love.

So normally P(reparation) Day is to be spent in our zone, but we're off to Varese for a blitz to work with the sorelle there tomorrow, so I was a brave girl and called president and reminded him that como is proprio vicino and he said "Alright, nbd, go for it." So we're getting ready to hop on a boat, yes, be still my beating heart. Plus Outkast is playing in this little internet cafe and I couldn't be happier. Ha.

It's been a good week, my highlight being our second lesson with this super rad lady Daniela who reminds me of Kristin (cugina). But I sort of mediated the lesson because we also brought one of our favorite members who we thought would get along great with her, and I started off my asking her if she had the chance to read Ether, Chapter 12 which we had left with her, and she said, "Why yes I did," and went through the chapter talking about all her favorite verses, all the famous ones, and why she liked them. After we left, Sorella Capelli joked that she wondered who would be teaching the lesson. Daniela is just so smart and on top of things and I just want her to go to the temple more than anything because she would/will love it. She said she'd come to church on Sunday, fingers crossed.

Anna continues to be stellar and I can't wait for her baptism a week from Saturday. I was even brave enough to answer the phone when she called this morning!

The weather is warming up which means I'm sadly seeing less and less extravagant dog jackets, but seasons must change I suppose.

I reread Mosiah 5 I think it was yesterday, when all the peeps tell King Ben they believe and I just went through specifically looking for the blessings that come from and through faith. Check it out, it's pretty short.

Sundays are great and stressful at the same time because we're at church which means instead of trying to listen to one or two people speak Italian there are at least 20 people talking all the time, or so it seems, and this week I was lamenting my lack of a perfect vocabulary. I miss my personality at times, it just takes me so long to figure out how to respond and say all these funny things in my head that it's so much easier to nod and say si. Sorella Jacobson feels like she just barely started feeling like she had personailty, so maybe it's just one more thing I need to wait for.

IAN'S PAPES ARE IN! Yes yes yes. I probs can't write him a letter today because I'm not home, and buses, trains or ferries make me kind of sick, so it didn't happen.

Vi voglio un sacco di bene!
xoxo,

sorella bush

r.i.p. whitney...

2012-02-16T08:36:00.000-08:00

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

Whitney's New Address

2012-02-15T19:43:00.001-08:00

Sorella Whitney Bush

Via Maglio del Rame 13

24124 Bergamo

ITALIA

Write her!

La seconda settimana.

2012-02-08T19:24:00.002-08:00

Hello! Time for some rapid fire e-mailing.

First, thanks for your e-mails, I'm sitting here giggling away and I'm sure everyone else is slightly bemused. Glad life is rolling on and all is well in the promised land.

This week flew by, for which I was kind of grateful, the first few days being a little slow and really hard, but I feel quite settled into my life here. I'm understanding more and more and becoming, pian piano, braver in speaking, expecially thanks to the members who really are incredible, and are so patient with me. Sorella Jacobson has been kind of shocked at how much they've really taken us in since I got here, not that they haven't always been great, but several families that had tried and tried to meet with and never really responded came up to her my first Sunday and set up appointments and it's just taken off from there. I think I really am understanding a bit better everyday and maybe one day I won't speak so obviously like an American.

First story is about our stellar investigator Anna, who picked her baptismal date and annonced it on Sunday. She meets with the other ward, but since she's an older single woman we teach her. We had had a lesson Friday night and she had left us hanging about her date again but we heard her come in Sunday morning and she was helping everything get all set up in the Relief Society room and we went up to greet her and she told us and all the other ladies in the room that she had decided on the first weekend of March.

Well, everyone shrieked and was hugging and kissing and Anna was beaming. Our lesson with her Friday was the first time I had met her, the Sorelle had taught her 4 times before, but I could still tell that there was just this joy radiating from her because she understands what it means to be baptized and be a member of this church and it was just incredible.

Next, Jonathan. He's one of our recent converts and is 11 and he is a future leader of men, my goodness. He's Bolivian and his older siblings aren't members but his mom is, she's usually busy working to provide for the family to come to church so he comes by himself. We had a lesson with him on the Priesthood Sunday evening to help him prepare himself and I was just blown away by how thoughtful he was and how well he responded to our questions. Sorella Jacobson said that there was a week when he said he hadn't been reading the Book of Mormon and the was confused by their questions and lacked his usual energy and excitement, but this week when we were reading together he hustled to his room to get his scriptures from his desk where he had been studying. Seriously, such a stellar kid.

Life continues to become more and more normal. This city is incredible. We're in the middle of some of the coldest weather they've seen in 30 years, but we're promised Spring will come soon. Last Wednesday we went up to Città Alta, the old walled city, to see their duomo and old winding streets and it was snowing and felt like some sort of magical land. I talked to our mission president on the phone the other day and he told me the problem with starting missionaries out in Bergamo is they're disappointed with everywhere else. Ha.

I'm still working on not being so scared to talk to people doing strada or casa when we're out looking for new peeps to teach. Pian piano. I decided to start trying to take a bit of time to study the atonement more, because there's a line in Preach my Gospel that talks about how when have a greater understanding of the atonement we'll want to share it with everyone. For me right now that means that as I really process and learn about what Christ has done for us I'll feel like it's more important for me to share this message than worry about how people will respond when I stumble along in their language.

I have one request, that you send me some music. I really failed there and am craving some better music. Maybs the Amelie soundtrack? Anything you else you think is missionary appropriate.

Also, I'm learning to navigate my way through which Italian dudes I should try and talk to about the gospel (like this rad kid named Andrew from Nigeria we stopped by the cemetery), and which ones will just creepily say something about how beautiful I am/we are as we walk by. It's kind of hilarious and feels like I'm living in some sort of bad made-for-TV movie on the Lifetime Channel.

Usually we just crack up, but there was this one seemingly respectible old man smoking a pipe. I said salve to him as we walked by, and the said the creepiest ciaaaooo bellllllaaa I've ever heard. Sorella Jacobson was dying of laughter, and I told her we needed to go home so I could take a shower. Ha.

I love you all! I love being here and I have no doubt this is exactly where I should be right now.

xoxoxoxo

Sorella Bush

2012-02-08T19:24:00.001-08:00

Hello! Time for some rapid fire e-mailing.

First, thanks for your e-mails, I'm sitting here giggling away and I'm sure everyone else is slightly bemused. Glad life is rolling on and all is well in the promised land.

I have one request, that you send me some music. I really failed there and am craving some better music. Maybs the Amelie soundtrack? Anything you else you think is missionary appropriate.

I love you all! I love being here and I have no doubt this is exactly where I should be right now.

xoxoxoxo

Sorella Bush

A letter from Bergamo

2012-02-01T05:41:00.000-08:00

Guys. I'm in Italy. Whoa. This is real life.

Things are going well, I don't really know where to begin. Maybe a baby bit about the first few days. Your last letter was perfect, Dad, because I'm not that great at being patient with myself and I'm not that used to being totally new at something. But being a real missionary is something very very new.

I was frustrated with how little I felt like I was understanding (peeps talk fast here. Really fast!). I felt like I never knew what to say and was so tired. The lovely thing was that Friday evening the Elders in our ward had a baptism, Justin, who's about 17, was baptized and watching him come out of the water I was flooded with the feeling that this is why I am here. You could tell he knew what he had just done would change his life, and I know that I'm here to help people realize that.

Then we had Ward Council. The Bishop called on my to give a baby spiritual thought and my companion (Sorella Jacboson from Salt Lake) said every one was more or less shocked with how well I spoke. After the meeting the bishop said "Ma come mai Lei parla italiano?" They say they've never had a new missionary speak as well as I do. I always use you as my excuse, Dad, I just tell them that you served in Catania 30 years ago and they assume you've been teaching me, because I also gave my testimony in sacrament meeting.

But oh my gosh I love the ward. There are two here and they're in the process of forming a third branch, the first city that's not a capital to have more than two. And they are all stellar. By the way, Sorella Bunker is in Torino being trained by Julie Allen's niece.

Sunday we had lunch with the Capelli family and I am still trying to get used to eating huge lunches and practically no dinner. But between the families we ate with Sunday and had Family Home Evening with Monday, I feel like I got so much better and just speaking, and they're all really patient when I say something wrong or don't know a word.

I love teaching, these last few days I've gotten better and speaking in lessons with our investigators. We have an Italian family we're teaching who we saw last night and are great. The daughter is 10 and hilarious and the mom studies and teaches about Gregorian chant. When the missionaries knocked on the door the dad answered and invited them back because he was touched by the prayer they said together and he said he'd more or less given up on finding the truth. We read Alma 32 together and talked about faith and drank tea (it was super cold yesterday with their first snow of the winter). Also, everyone worries that I'm freezing to death but when I wear my fleece with the sweater Mom made I really am fine. This afternoon we're going to look for a real coat, but I may just hold out this week because Spring isn't too far away here.

The thing that's the hardest for me right now is just talking to people. On the street, on the bus, at their door. Mamma mia. And I had this revelatory moment this morning where I realized that this will probably be hard for me forever and it's going to take time for me to really figure out what I'm doing. With every knew thing there's a learning period. Even my first weeks at BYU were somewhat miserable.

And I'm not miserable at all here. I love the people and the language and this city. I love that I just ate fresh pears with pecorino cheese.

Um, other thoughts for you. Saturday night we teach a free English class at the church and there's a family that comes and one of the Elders was tried to talk with a bit but it's never worked out or been the right time and then Monday night Sorella and I were out knocking doors in this mess of apartment buildings and this lady buzzed us into the building and it was them! So we talked a baby bit about the Book of Mormon and left one with them and they want us to come back to talk more and eat pizza. Pretty exciting.

So excited about Ian's papers. I can't wait to see where he goes.

My companion is great and every time I say, I'm sorry I didn't do this or said this wrong or whatever she's always like, "You've been in the field for 2 days...DO NOT worry about it. Pian piano.

Our apartment is pretty great and I make lunch everyday (that someone doesn't feed us) while she calls and makes appointments because I hate the phone. Ha. One day I'm sure I'll have to. Oh so maybe send me some recipes? I've just been making stuff up and it's working out fine but yeah.

OH! My address. Please send me letters!

Sorella Bush
Via Maglio del Rame 13
2412 Bergamo
Italia

Vi voglio un mondo di bene. Hope you are all well and being good. Can't believe I'm missing Canoecopia. Give everyone a firm handshake or a kiss on the cheek for me.

xoxo,

Sorella Bush

Ma come mai Lei parla Italiano = How in the world do you speak Italian?
Pian piano = little by little.
Pecorino = a hard cheese made from sheep's milk, usually from the Lazio region around Roma.
Vi voglio un mondo di bene = I love you all very much (lit. I want a world of good for you).

When cares attack and life seems black...

2012-01-18T11:45:00.000-08:00

...how sweet it is to pot a yak.

Oh hi...no bid deal, this is just my last real p-day in the MTC, ah what?

My brain is struggling to process that a week from now I'll be in Italy. Let us focus on the present though...

To begin, I'm sending home my box of mail today. On top of the sweater I'm sending is also a letter for Ms. Margaret and the 4th years from girl's camp that I tried to send her December 14th and I got back yesterday, not sure what went wrong there. And under the envelope is, for your viewing pleasure, a cliche' picture of me and the map pointing to Italy, and then a not so cliche' pic of me and some other Sorelle and the map. I also ordered a CD today of all my pics thus far that I will send you right before I leave. Let me know when you get them and make sure the pics really are there, and then I'll delete them off my camera and make room for Ye Olde Italia.

Craziest news of the week was the shock I revieced in the cafeteria on Sunday during lunch. I was just minding my own business navigating over to the soup through herds of people with scary looking roast beef when I see none other than my friend Tom Bell. To help jog your memory Mom, he's the one Carol Ann and I were always teaching how to cook. He's now is 27 and graduated the summer before me. He told me he had been approved to serve another mission and I said non ci credo, and he was like for reals. I guess the story is, in summary, he came home a year early when he was 20 from his mission in Vegas because of health problems that he needed surgery for. At the time he felt like he should just recover and move on to school and whatever was next in his life. But now after graduating and working for a bit and thinking about grad school he really felt like he should finish his mission. He talked to his bishop in Seattle and no one really knew if he'd be able to. Then two Fridays ago he gets a call and the ask him to come to the MTC the next Wednesday and he's now here getting ready to serve in San Diego for a year. I seriously felt like I was living in a dream when I saw him and he told me this story. Our Sunday temple walks were at the same time so we had a nice little chat, but it was still so surreal. Don't worry Carol Ann, I'm sending you our awkward missionary pic soon. It's really great how much a part of our lives the Lord can be when we let Him, He's not going to let us royally screw up if we're trying to do the right things.

Mom, you wanted some more details about Tuesday. I land in Chicago at 12:09 and I don't take off for Frankfurt until 3:50. So when in that first chunk should I call who where? I wrote this in a snail mail letter you may have already. I think I can buy a calling card in the book store here to use at a pay phone. Is that enough info for you to write back with when I should call and stuff? Also. I've been told that if I get real mail that arrives here after I've left they'll probs forward it on to my mission home, but dear elders just get thrown away, so at the latest, I wouldn't send any dear elders after Sunday, maybe even earlier. It's a convenient system, just not very well organized and they come late a lot. But anything sent on the weekend I should get Monday before I leave.

In the TRC this monday Sorella Bunker and I taught two cousins form Messina who were delightful. They are married and live here now but it was so great to talk to real italians AND understand them when they talked! They were so happy and enthused that I just couldn't wait to be in Italy and just get going. I know it's going to be a bit of a slap in the face to transition into the field vs. MTC mentality and be surrounded my real Italians speaking so fast and having to take to strangers (gross) but I know that it'll be okay. I've been called to do this. God doesn't give us anything we can't handle, and the harder the struggle the more we usually learn if we don't resist. Our devotional last night was really good for departing missionaries. It talked a lot about how sorrow is not the same as discouragment, the importance of happiness and joy in your work and to just LOVE people. Talking with our Sicily ladies just reminded me how lucky I am to go to such a loving and living culture.

I think I'm going to cut it short so I can send E-Dude a birthday note. Much love to everyone, as always. Thanks for the thoughts, prayers and notes. Be good.

Sorella Bush

Non ci credo - I don't believe it.

Two weeks from now...

2012-01-14T05:22:00.000-08:00

Oh hey guys,

So two weeks from now and I'll be in Italy. nbd.

But I loved the buisness tool e-mail!* During a gym gossip sesh this week (in which we ran around that stupid track 45 times --I was proud -- Ero fiera!) I was telling Sorella Bunker all about the magical singles ward back home and then I got to hear from all of those lovely ladies! And I had a pleasant surprise from Lissa just saying hi.

I've been extra baffled again recently about how I managed to always have such excellent people in my life. It's kind of out of control. The Elder who's companions with the District Leader (and therefore goes to get the mail with him everyday) said that I get the most mail out of the eight peeps in our district. It warmed the cockles of my heart. I love keeping up on everyone's lives and remembering how many people do care about me, even if there are moments where I feel distant and lonely and foggy, but don't worry, that's not very often. Moral of the story, the Elders finally understand that I'm kind of a big deal.

I'm really not sure what to tell you. These next two weeks are going to be like the last eight only I feel this pressure to really use every minute well. I finished the Book Of Mormon a few weeks early from my personal goal this past Sunday and have started the New Testament and the B. O. M. again in Italian.

We had a really interesting devotional last night with Elder Nelson and he talked a lot about the scattering and gathering of Israel and referenced a lot of Old Test scrips that talk specifically about the latter days, and call them the latter days. It was cool to remember how wise and intellectually stellar the 12 Apostles are, but how they all have such different teaching styles. But he made me want to read the Old Testament. I wish I had seven sets of eyes because I've also been wanting to make my way through the Doctrine and Covenants. And I'm sure a few more sets would be useful to study irregular subjunctive verbs.

Good news is my teacher told me that for where I am, having been in the MTC for 8 weeks, I speak Italian very well. So that was encouraging. I feel like right now I'm just trying to do everything I can to help my first weeks in Italy be a bit less stressful. You guys can start placing bets in my first city.

There are times when it still doesn't feel real at all that I will be in Italy and only Italy for the next 16-ish months. Whoa. To get ready for our departure we're going to have a week of only Italian, starting this Friday after dinner going until the next Friday before dinner. As the two Italian districts that are leaving we are going to only speak in Italian, to everyone, I'm guessing it'll be about 95% of the time, things happen. But it has been getting easier I think, even though it's hard to gauge your own personal progress err'day.

Sorry I'm kind of boring today, I really just have been spending my time with about 7 open books on my desk. Sometimes I visit the Ukrainians, who are my fav sisters.

Thanks for all those rad quotes Dad, we had a group reading last night and I shared them with some Sorelle and my friend Eliza who's going to Bulgaria.

I'm thinking I'm probs going to send home most of the mail from the MTC? I don't know, I'm thinking about it, I just have limited space so I think I'm going to take a few choice ones with me and send the rest to you guys to hide away from me, or if you want, Mom, you can sit and read them all and weep, but I'm sure there are more productive things you could be doing with your time.

Is anyone ever going to tell me about Ian's sleep study? I had an interview this Sunday and the guy from our branch prez asked "So how's the family?" and I said I DON'T KNOW! But really they're okay. But really guys, tell me! Lately I've been trying to think about where Ian will get called and I'm voting Canada, Toronto or B.C. Just an idea.

But really things are going well. I've been thinking about the power I've been given to succeed in doing this calling and how I need to make sure I never think that I can do this on my own, because that is all wrong. I need to be grateful and worthy to have the help of the Spirit in learning the language and teaching and being brave enough to talk to peeps. I still just feel lucky to know that I'm doing what I should be at the right time and in the right place. The reason I'm so excited to go to Italy is because it has felt so right since the moment I opened my call and I've some how known my whole life this was coming.

Hope school is okay Mom, both teaching and learning. Have you started planning your Masters adventure this summer? Dad when do you come to Utah? Is Ian doing more temp work now? Has anyone had a baby besides Beyonce?

OOOOH I remember!!!! Can you send the Patagonia shoes that I ordered that were too big? One of the sisters going to Rome wants to buy them. I've been meaning to ask for ages.

Well I'm officially out of time, by one minute and 6 seconds, now 9, oh no. I'm just trying to remember at least ONE funny thing that happened this week! Goooooooo. I sware we're laughing at something all the time. I did cast our district in the Lion King one night whilst running this week. I could tell you who everyone is but it would't be as funny since you don't know them. But I was the hyena voiced by Whoopi Goldberg and Sorella Bunker was Rafiki. And we cast the other district in Hercules and it was perfect because one of their Elders one day was pretending to be an investigator while the teacher did a sample lesson and the teacher was asking him for back story and why they were meeting and he said, "Well, you saw me walking out of the gym and noticed my strength." Ha!

Okay--officially logging off. You're all in my thoughts and prayers often!

Oh, and one more thing. I found my fav mormon message video this week, that takes place in a diner in NYC and they talk about Lot's wife and I just want to reiterate that there's no reason to think the future won't be better than the past. And we can't live in the past so we might as well go forward and live the best we can. No regrets twenty12!

Vi voglio bene.

xoxoxoxoxoxo

Sorella Bush

*The Amanuensis passed his Android tablet (a.k.a. The Business Tool) around in church last week so a lot of people could write little messages for the sorella.

Okayokayokay...

2012-01-06T17:19:00.000-08:00

Ciao ciao! Buon anno!

It's twenty12? What? My life is flying by. Literally. Well, it's not that bad I guess. But while we're talking about time and how it makes my brain explode, I live here in less than three weeks! Three weeks from this moment I will be in Italy and I will know where I will be serving first! Mamma freaking mia! I have two more p-days, two more temple trips and then I'm in Italy. Whoa. I'm getting so excited. I feel like my Italian really does keep getting better. I can listen to conference talks in Italian and read along in italian now, not English, and understand so much. Hello, gift of tongues. I'm just grateful I've always loved to learn so studying isn't so bad.

Let me now begin my telling you about my great new year. I was a little sad to hear there were no pizzas, but I didn't eat pizza either so at least we were consistent. We celebrated at 4:00 because that was midnight in Italy. Sorella Forbe's mom ha mandato un pacco con molte cose per festiggiare. E tutte le cose erano italiane. Then Sorella Bunker and I decided to just keep wearing our party hats the rest of the day, because 2011 only dies once. But people kept telling us happy birthday as we passed and I never really knew what to say. I usually settled on "Thank you," but in my brain I wanted to say "Are you stupid? Do you know what today is?"

After class that night we headed back to the dorms, I took a shower, but my party hat back on for a bit, and then crawled into my super bed, read a chapter of Jesus the Christ and was no sad at all that it was only 10:30. On Sunday we had an extra long meeting with err'body since it was fast Sunday and I decided it was the perfect time to write down a review of my year, month by month. The beginning was a bit rough with nothing to job my memory, but it came along nicely and I once again settled into the conclusion, that my life is fantastico. Sicuramente.

As far as missionary related thoughts, here is your tidbit of the week: the parable of the talents. We hear a devotionaly last night that touched in it and went along so nicely with your last letter, babbo. I was reminded of a lot of good thing. Everything I'm going right now isn't for me. All my studying all my practice, all my whatever, it's for the people in Italy that need to hear our message, the people God has been preparing to hear me teach them the full and restored gospel, which will, I have no doubt, bless their lives forever.

I liked thinking about the parable of the talents and my mission and how I can look at the things I left with, the talents I already had, and now my goal is to use them to serve and come back with more. God knows exactly what I can become, as long as I faccio le cose giuste, e sempre volgio migliorare mi stessa, e servire and I'll be ok. But Dad, I really liked what you said about the people to fire yesterday, I think the character I'm most likely to adapt at times is the know-it-all, especially since here the fact of the matter is I do know a lot more about a lot of things than some of these elders that have never left home, or studied things on their own time. What makes the difference now I guess is what I do with the things I know.

Other highlight, I saw my lovely friend Dani, the one who lived in NYC for a spell, yesterday. Her mom works in the Cafeteria so she came and found me and handed me a cold bottle of diet Dr. Pepper. There was a multitude of angels singing praises, I am sure. She is so wonderful it just made me so happy to see her and remember how I love everything about her and that when I get home, there will be a lot of excellent things waiting for me and the rest of my life, mosrly because of the fabulous people I already know. My life won't stop being great when I get home just because my mission has changed, espesh if I have anything to say about it.

I really love teaching. I think we've been getting better in that realm too. I feel like for me these are the keys:

1) Prepare: studying the scriptures and the doctrine and praying like whoa, so that when I'm teaching the Spirit can help me remember the things I've studied, and know what my simpatizanti need to hear.

2) Love the people I'm teaching, remember what they've said before about their lives or their questions, and show that you remember, and be happy to see them and happy about what we're teaching.

3) Ask good questions, make it a discussion, keep them engaged.

I guess that's my advice for you Ian. Study, love, and learn to ask insightful questions, not "How does that scripture make you feel?" To which I say, "Well, it's a scripture so I feel fine, idiot."

Thanks for all your letters! Including the many movements of Lady McFluff around the house. And Mom, I did remember that that was your fav scripture, but not until I was rereading that story here a few weeks ago, I think you told me that when I was 12-14 but it was nice to hear what you had to say about it. Hooray for cetaceans!

What's the latest on Doug Clark? He's wandered into my thoughts now and then. It's still hard for me to grasp how much time is passing out side of the MTC as well as in it. Lauren's married (which means to all you people that were there I expect pics asap). I saw Meagan Ricks this week and the Em and Chuck had their baby. Whoawhoa.

Oh and finally, in the next few weeks, Mom, could you maybe tell Anchor Bank not to be bad when I leave the country for 17 months, and if someone could tell me monies status, that would be rad. The first thing I'm going to have to do there is buy a real coat so I don't freeze. Babbo, we got the blankets yesterday. Thanks! We love them.

Oh! And a note to the masses, go out and buy a sheet of international stamps, and stick it on your fridge or something and then writing me letters in Italy will not be hard, because with the power of God nothing shall be impossible, including you staying my friend every couple months, or whenevs. Read: I love all your letters, I love hearing about your lives and knowing that you remember me and all your wise words.

And I've almost finished my first journal, mostly I wanted Katy to see that. It's been a lovely 122 pages, taking it along with me and having people drool over how beautiful it is. I'm hoping that by starting off strong it will be easier for me to keep up on my journal writing. I want to remember! I've been thinkng about about how much the Book of Mormon talks about remembering, makes me think it's a bit important.

Life here is still great. Still love it all. Only real compaint is I didn't bring more of my dresses. Somedays putting on more than once item of clothing is just too much for me to handle.

LOVE LOVE LOVE to you all!!! keep me updated on the sleep study and whatever else is going down.

xoxoxoxoxoxox

Sorella Bush

Post Natale

2011-12-28T17:27:00.000-08:00

Well, here we are again. I feel like I just wrote you an e-mail five seconds ago, so there's not too much new going on believe it or not. I'm so baffled by that tape!* and slightly enraged that it wasn't perfect. When we relistened to parts of it to make sure it was working it sounded so normal. Blerg. Well, at least you were entertained.

The most exciting news of the day is that we have no roommates! Our three roommates peaced out for California and Salt Lake City this morn. They were nice but Sorella Bunker and I were both kind of ready for them to be gone. Their second to last night here I was being all studious at our desk and they came in and proceeded to spend the next hour at least gossiping about boys, but not just boys, Elders, and I was like barf. I will barf all over all of your faces right now. No, I would rather barf all over myself than hear this conversation. Not only are you talking about teeny babies, but you're missionaries, remember how that's our job right now? Your uterus will have to wait a few more years.

Well, I said that all in my head at least. But our room is clean and organized and beautiful. We have an end room so it's actually a little bigger than most. So today I decided to take full advantage of the many vacant hooks and empty beds, at least for a week. Sorella Bunker and I have the bunk set closest to the door, I'm on the bottom. I decided to create a super bed for myself. So I slid off my matress, plopped down one of the abandonded mattresses, and repositioned mine on top. It's really quite a cozy dream. I look forward to at least 7 nights with super bed.

Other kind of funny thing, we do service early Monday mornings, by early I mean 6:00 AM. Sorella Bunker and I have usurped the stocking and trash job in the basement of our bulding, which includes a few trips to the trash compactor. But let me tell you, it would be the perfect start to a Bones episode. Two missionary ladies strolling in the dark over to the trash compactor: they turn the key and open the door, and PLOP! a detatched bloody arm falls from the raised compactor. Girls scream, blood squirts, and Bones and Booth come save the day.

Still no snow here, which is a bit sad. I'm hoping for a white Martin Luther King Day, which is maybe a bit ironic.

Yesterday I did my first real SYL day. I was going to do Italian from when I woke up until I went to sleep, but I ended up speaking in English that night in our district meeting discussing the devotional. Sorella Bunker would translate for me when we had to talk to non-Italian peeps. It was kind of great. I'm working on slowing down when I talk so I can try and use all the grammer I know correctly, and I'm trying new ways to learn my vocabulary which continues to be the hardest thing for me to master. Teaching keeps getting better and better. We actually did an activity with one of our sub teachers this week where he played an investigator-type dude and the eight of us were supposed to try and teach him, trying to let everyone get turns to speak. After the activity we had a pause and all the Anziani were out wandering the halls and Sorella Bunker and I were talking about how we wanted to say more but we didn't want to dominate the lesson, and the teacher turned to us and said, "Now that you're the only ones here I can tell you, you two really did an excellent job. Considering you had only a short amount of time to learn about the investigator, establish his needs and develop a relationship. you did quite well, the things you taught and the scriptures you used were very good." So we felt pretty great because we hardly ever get constructive comments, let alone compliments.

I'm still eating up the Book of Mormon. Today I was asking for a pen from Sorella Bunker because I was at the part "where Moroni starts kicking ass," that's what I told her at least. One thing Elder Bednar talked about in passing that I loved was developing the habit of searching for answers in the Book of Mormon, by reading it cover to cover with a question in mind. Don't just do a word search online, but read it, take a cheap paperback copy and mark it up with that one question you have. By the end of your life you'll have a book shelf of Books of Mormon that's a chronological account of all the questions you've had in your life. I kind of love that image. And the shelves below it will be the journals I've filled up. I just think that'd be so cool. I'm getting excited to start the book of mormon again now that I'm remembering the story and the teachings together so much better. It's great to be teaching of having a discussion and be able to think "Oh wait, what I was just reading this morning would be perfect for right now."

We're off to an early lunch because we're helping clean the Provo Temple, since it's still closed this week, we're kind of excited. Sorella Bunker loved the mittens, thanks Mom, and I still love everything you sent and that I always know what time it is!

Ian, I am a little jealous of the Justin Bieber singing toothbrush, there would have been a throw-down if I had been at the party.

Love you all like whoa, sorry this is maybe a bit boring, I will repent and return and report with lots of great and wise and funny things next week. BTW, in four weeks I'll be in Italy? What? When did that happen?

xoxoxoxoxoxo

Sorella Bush

*Due to a technical difficulty, her voice tape sounded like she was a chipmunk sucking helium.

Some pictures...

2011-12-25T16:55:00.000-08:00

"I just kinda love my name tag

and stand by the fact that

Sorella is the best title."

"Some of the Anziani:

Briscoe, Iaconelli, Walsh and Hess."

"Studying hard, obviously."

Buon Natale!

2011-12-25T14:06:00.000-08:00

Ciao! Buon natale!

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.

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.

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

----------

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

Half-illegal.

2011-12-22T20:51:00.000-08:00

Hi, I love you, like, a lot.

This is only half illegal. I found out after my e-mail time that we were allowed more time for e-mails because of Christmas, BUT NO ONE TELLS ME ANYTHING. I thought Prez Brown and I were bff. I guess I was wrong.

But I love your letters and you and Madame Fluff. But I just wanted to say I'm sorry my e-mails are such a challenge for you. I race the clock every week and never reread a thing and we have no spell check or anything and my brain goes into this Italian/English combo which probs makes it almost impossible to understand. So thanks and sorry.

I love love love you. Hope you get my tape, and hope my package gets here tomorrow! Can't wait, otherwise it'll be Tuesday, which will be exciting too. Give my love to little bro, momma bear and all the creatures in our home.

xoxoxo

Vi voglio bene!

Half Way!

2011-12-21T17:05:00.000-08:00

Oh hi guys, guess what?

I am officially half done with my stint at the MTC. Can you believe it? It seems like forever and/or I just got here all at the same time. But I really can tell I'm learning. It's actually kind of hard to see the difference day to day of how much Italian I know, but yesterday when we did SYL (speak your language (only speaking Italian)) it felt so much more natural. I seriously get so pumped that I'm going to be speaking freaky Italian to freaky Italians in freaky Italy. My life! Mia vita!

We're supposed to bare our testimony to a couple people everyday, in Italian of course. So I was talking to some Ukranians who have been here a few weeks longer. Their friends walked up to join them and they said, "Dude, you missed it, she just bore her testimony like a boss. I can't speak nearly that fast in Ukranian and I've been here almost 7 weeks." Naturally I replied, as Jay-Z would have. "Ladies is pimps is too, go on brush yous shoulders off," then brushed off said shoulders. JK.

But the moral of the story is that sto imperando! But you should know what important thing I learned I was doing wrong this week and have said dozens of times. So don't be confused, Gesu Cristo non ha soffrito per nostri peccati, lui ha sofferto per nostri peccati.

Yup, that's right. He was not deep fried for our sins, he suffered for them. WHY did it take my teacher 7,000 years to tell me that?? I don't know.

So life continues to barrel on and I'm quite content. I sent you a tape for Christmas on Monday, my hope is that it gets to you in time for you to listen to it Christmas Eve. Ci sono troppo missionari qui nel MTC, non posso parlare con voi, ma in Gennaio quando starò in Chicago. Last night we heard from Elder L. Whitney Clayton. Maybe I was slightly dissapointed it wasn't un'apostolo (I mean we had D. Todd here right before Thanksgiving), but we decided he could be part of the Whitney Club we're forming. We're not sure what it entails, at least t-shirts, and def a club house of some kind. AND THEN he had all his kids stand up and I was like holda holda, I totally know his youngest sons. He and Kev were good dude friends and I see him in the cafeteria all the time since he teaches here, and I was like Sorella Bunker, we could totally extend him a formal invitation to join the Whitney Club. He would be secretary because he has a great booming movie kind of voice, perfect for recounting minutes from our previous meetings.

Our teaching continues to improve. Our main goals have been about asking good questions to really engage the investigators and it makes all the difference. I really do love teaching and I feel really lucky that I've been blessed with the ability to connect with people and connect with them and make them feel loved.

I think last week I talked about how prayer is pretty much the best thing evs, so now I'll tell you how I'm obsessed with the Book of Mormon. I think it's because I love to read and my options are now super-limited, not to mention my time. But this is the first time where I feel like I'm really feasting on what I'm reading, I'm reading to learn and find answers to questions and prayers, that combined with the fact that I think this is the fastest I've read the Book of Mormon, at least with a desire to really comprehend. I mean I feel like I do kind of when I read real books. I'm attached to the characters and amazed by there lives, and I want to keep reading to find out what will happen next. It really is true that that book can come alive. It can mean different things at different times and you can be continually learning from it, and as much as I wanted to get on past 2 Nephi, the begining of Nephi really is the perfect start to the whole book. I mean he just testifies over and over of God's power and His love for us. Who doesn't want to here that kind of shiz all the time?

Another goal I've had this week is to really get up ay 6:30 when I'm supposed to. For awhile I didn't really feel the need because I don't need hardly any time to get ready in the morning, but Sorella Miller is always testifying to us the power of obedience and how blessed we can be when we decide to be obedient, and man, I really feel that. Everything has been a little easier. I feel like I'm finally using my language study time well, I'm asking better questions when I teach, I'm getting more out of BOM reading and even gym time is easier for me to use wisely. Yesterday Sorella Bunker and I got up to running 4 miles. Yes that translates to 40 times around the hampster wheel, but it's so worth it. Plus we have a good system. I tell her gossipy stories from my life and she askes clarifying questions and counts our laps. Plus Grandma Sandi is a lady and a gem and sent me cuties this week, and one of my Rachels sent me a package filled with Whole Foods joy. For a few days I shall be eating like a real person.

I've even gotten better at being an example to the Anziani. I cannot make jokes during class pretty much ever, unless they're in Italian, because they get so distracted. But every now and then when I'm with the Sorelle I just stop thinking about what I say and we have some pretty great laughs. Sorella Forbes got a "Grow Your Own Nutcracker" thing in a package and she said "Look! It grows 600%!" Of course I immediately said, "I wish I could say the same for all men." She was doubled over for minutes. We have plenty of fun. Plus the spirit is here so strongly, why wouldn't I love the MTC?

Ian, I'll keep sending you letters everyweek, but I think it's time you write back again. Pentiti! I mean, if I can find the time to send you a letter with everything I'm doing, I bet you can find time. Good luck with the sleep study! I'm excited to see how all this blood work shiz will help you out.

And thanks to everyone who has sent me letters! I can officially say today that if you've ever written to me I have written you back. Sometimes I worry about my mail getting to people when I don't here back from them but now you can all know who should or should have be getting something. I can't tell you how much it means to get mail here. The days are long and when the mail comes at dinner it always feels great to remember how many people there are that love you and are thinking about you. After a letter I got from Mads this week I was thinking about how many great people there are in my life, and how a think a bit of me always stays with the people and places I love, and I can't wait to leave pieces of me all over Italy, even if it makes life a little more painful, it also makes it infinitly more beautiful.

Buon Natale! Sto pendando da voi sempre. Vi amo. I hope you get some snow and everyone gets healthy and you get some time to just relax and think about how glorious was Christ's birth, and what that means for us and for the world.

Vi voglio bene!

Sorella Bush

P.S. All I want to do these days is read Strega Nonna's Christmas, I feel like that's where all my previous expectations of Italian Christmas came from. Also, the Bunker Fam reads the Selfish Giant every Christmas so Sorella had them send it over and she read it to me as a bed time story this week. I am living the dream!

Okay, I don't remember what else I wanted to say, but I am now three minutes over (gasp). I hope you all celebrated my half birthday. Ha, can you believe six months ago we were in Hawaii?! Let's go back when Ian gets home from his mish, okay?

love love love amore amore amore per sempre, e ci vediamo

Lettera settimanale 15 Dicembre

2011-12-15T09:46:00.000-08:00

Why hello!

So it's Wednesday again, not sure how that's possible. Friday it will be a month that I've been here. Whoa whoa whoa.

It's been a pretty great week. Monday we had our first day where we could only speak in Italian. It was slightly exhausting but it's kind of amazing how much we can already say to each other. I've decided I love praying in Italian, somehow my thoughts are the most clear, plus it's just so pretty.

As far as churchy missionary shiz goes, yesterday was a great day. Things have been going really well with our investigator "Pietro." After a rocky start that included me gesturing about floods and whatnot, he committed to be baptized at the end of the month. Our teachers play the roles of simpatizanti that they had on their missions, and it can be super tough, but gives us a good idea of what to expect in Italy.

Last night we had a bomb fireside with Sister Dalton, the General Y[oung] W[omen's] President. I have to admit I was a little worried that her voice would sing song me away into boredom, but she was incredible. My favorite part I think was when she talked about the Christmas story and the example of Mary; how the angel came and told her some crazy shiz, but she had faith and merely asked, "How is this to be done?" Because through God nothing shall be impossible.

She talked about how God's plan was so much better than the plan Mary could have made for herself, and I was reminded of the many times in the past few years that God has made it so clear to me that He has a plan for me and it will be far better than anything I could hope to pull together on my own. She said that God moves us from where we are to where we need to be in order to make us into the people we can become. Just like they say in Lion King, you are more than you have become. How great is it that our existence is all about progression.

There was a funny moment this week when the Anziani figured out just how old I really am. I'm older than most of the teachers by a year of two but we have one guy (Fratello Bullock) who subs every now and then and always says the most wise things. I asked him what year he graduated from Scuola Superiore and he said "2006." I said anch'io and the anzianini were like Che?! You're the same age?! Then all their brains exploded.

We got a great little package from Sorella Bunker's family this morning with a little Christmas tree and some matching stockings that have B's on them. I pulled out my CDs and we illegally listened to the Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack whilst decorating. It was lovely

Speaking of packages, thank you for my little bundle of joy. I've been wearing my Monkey Fur fleece constantly. Other surprises of the week included a case of Diet Coke from Kristin and a bag of Honey Crisp apples from Grandma Sandi. I am living the dream!

Hope you guys are having fun in Chicago. I've been thinking about the fun Christmas times we've had down in Chicago as this is bound to be such a different Christmas for me, but I've heard there are to be some great peeps coming to speak to us. Also, thanks, Dad, for the Wendell Berry poem, I loved it so bad. It did make my soul long for the Northwoods a bit, but in a month and ten days I'll be on a plane to Milano.

Which reminds me, today is Natalie's birthday but I didn't plan ahead enough to send her anything to Michigan. I'm going to send you guys a card that you could maybe drop off at her parent's house? I was realizing as I was falling asleep last night that ten years ago we were celebrating her birthday in the Wisconsin Dells. Whoa.

Anyway, the food here made my soul weep a few times this week, but I've found refuge in the gluten free cupcakes they keep on hand for people with real dietary troubles, not pretend ones.

I'm not too sure what I should really be telling you while I'm still in the MTC because really, everyday is like:

1. Sit here are a few hours to learn Italian.
2. Read your scriptures.
3. Prepare a lesson and teach it.
4. Sit in class some more and learn more Italian.
5. Eat food you might normally find in a dumpster.
6. Run around a hampster wheel.

I'm realizing that that description makes it sounds like the worst summer camp evs, but I really do love it here. I love how much I learn everyday, about God, the gospel, the Italian language and myself. I can't imagine my life without this time that I'm dedicating to the Lord, it makes me sad to think of all that I would have missed. Thank goodness nostro Padre Celeste knows me well enough to make sure I came at the right time.

The older Italian district of four Elders left for Italy this week. I am so glad I have this time to prepare to be in Italy, but everyday it gets a little more real that this is my life. I'm going to be in freaky Italy. I'm going to be teaching people, with the power of God, about the plan they accepted before they even came to earth, and reminding them of all that they can do and be with the help of Christ, his Gospel and Atonement.

I'm searching my brain for all the funny things that happened this week, but the days are so long and the weeks so short, that I can't even remember. I did try and identify the flowers and grasses in a movie we were watching today, and was happy to see my brain is really still the same. Most of the Portuguese Elders from our branch are gone now. One had me write my info and a note in this journal thing and I wrote stuff about things that will change your life, and wrote a little about how elephant teeth grow and the bat skeletal structure and crocodile stomachs and that sort of thing. You know, things that can really change somebody's life!

The temple this morning was lovely. It's closed for the nest two weeks and it was so nice to remember how freaking awesome those blessings are, and we don't even have much we have to do in return. God is so good to us. I also sat next to a really fabulous 80 year-pld lady named Dorothy who talked my ear off after I said, "Hi, how are you today?" Turns out not only has she had a crazy life, but Jon Gunther is her eye doctor. She said she would say hello for me.

Well, I'm off to take my favorite shower of the week, with no one else around. Hope all is well. I love you all like whoa and love hearing from you. Drink some tea by the fire and read a book for me. I was remembering reading East of Eden last winter break, back in the good old days before I was a college graduate.

Also, seeing some of the old ladies at the temple recommitted me to having superb dental hygiene.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO,

Sorella Boooosh

Simpatizanti - sounds like sympathizers, but is really more like person who has similar interests. That is, an investigator who wants to learn more.
Fratello - Brother.
Scuola Superiore - High School
Anch'io - Me too.
CHE?! - WHAT?!
Nostro Padre Celeste - Our Heavenly Father

Un'altra lettera settimanale

2011-12-08T05:21:00.000-08:00

Cara Famiglia,

Guys, you are the FUNNIEST!

Srsly, sono grata che ho una famigilia buffissima. Espesh you dad. You sir, are serving above and beyond the call of duty. Keep it up!

I'm so glad that I've lived away from home for kind of a while and that I left my Provo life before the mish so that now when I hear from people of even just sing songs to myself it never makes me long for my life before the mish. I think that some people really struggle with that, but I feel like 18 months is not all that much time so it's nbd. Even getting Lauren's wedding invite didn't make me too sad, I was just so happy that someone I love so much has been living worthily and now gets to get married in the temple. It did break my heart a baby bit when I saw the sealing invite adressed to me inside, because how cool would it be to be there. But I am doing a good thing.

Life in the MTC is dandy, and is kind of flying by. Credo che every settimana passes piu' veloce. Monday is the day we teach in the TRC and it was a pretty great experience again. I decided it's a good way to try and gauge how much I'm actually improving week to week. Sometimes I still talk a bit too much because I have a bigger foundation than Sorella Bunker, but our first lesson went really well and was pretty equal between the two of us and the woman we were talking with.

Sorry I forgot to tell you about Parker last week. I remembered a half-hour later. It was so wild. I was hanging back from the District because I was scrambling to find a scrap of paper and a pen to leave a note on Matt's car when Parker just drove by. "What the h are you doing in Utah?!" He got out and gave me a firm handshake. (Have you gotten the pics I sent you yet? There's one of the two of us. I feel like mail here leaves very slowly.)

This week has been great planning and Italian-wise, but is the Week of Instability, or so I'm calling it. Monday we lost two roommates, Tuesday was our last day with out normal first teacher and this morning our other two roommates left for Los Angeles and Texas. We haven't met our newcompaniere yet but I'm crossing my fingers that the fake fur bag we saw in our room is the scariest part of the new Sisters.

I'm pretty bummed about Fratello Pfeiffer though, he's a really fabulous teacher. He explains concepts really clearly and always testifies of our abilities because of our callings, or the importance of our message, or whatever else applies. Our teacher replacing him is Sorella Miller and she's brand new, but was in the MTC with Rachel Noteware. So, Rachel, maybe scrape up some dirt on her for me, or better yet, send me the letter you promised that last Sunday I was home.

Gospely things I've been thinking about:

When we're told to love each other like brothers and sisters, because we are all children of God, that means I should be loving people just as much as I love Ian, which is a shiz ton of love. I don't know why that struck me the other day, especially since I've been trying to be more patience with some of the anzianini.

Also, quando leggo il Libro di Mormon o qualche scritture with my investigator in mind and di che cosa hanno bisogno, it's a whole new experience and I get so much more out of what I read. Also prayer is so so real and there is so much power in the fact that there are people praying for me. I just got back from the temple (which is somehow getting better and better all the time, I love going there on P-day and having zero worries), and a lady came up to me while I was waiting to use the bathroom and said "You're a missionary, I wish you well, I don't know your name but you are prayed for every night."

I really do believe there is nothing better I could be doing with my time. And I've been thinking about how every decision I make counts for something towards who I will become. I'm excited for Staccato Mamba, I feel like some one had a bit too much eggnog before that was decided, but it sounds great. I haven't been too sad about missing Natale. Obvs I love being home for le feste, ma sto dove devo stare. I feel probs the most sad for Ian, becuase I'm destracted by this parallel universe I live in and you guys are just doing the same thing minus me. But be of good cheer!

I'm pumped to do the scientist puzzle when I get home. C'e una donna? or only dude scientists? Is this a woman hating puzzle? [Amanuensis: no, it is not. Ci sono delle donne]. Also, please continue to keep me updated on the status of Wisconsin's protected species. Loved that. Can we paddle over that Orion Mussel Bed State Natural Area? Would we have to sneak in with our canoes?

Oh, funny story (maybe more than one):

I was sitting by this Elder in the computer lab who's going to Russia, doing this stupid program which I kind of hate and doesn't actually help my brain learn. He was super chatty and then asked Sorella Bunker and I if we had any baby boys back home. He had been mostly talking to me so she was thinking...wait, what did he ask? And I was like he wants to know if we had any children before we came on our missions, and he was like NO! you know what I mean... and in my head I said, "Why would you ask me that and why would I answer? Oh yeah. Because you were born in 1992! [Amanuensis: I think he meant baby brothers.]

Also our Anziani can be pretty funny. Sorella Bunker and I spend a lot of time laughing in class. One day Anziano Briscoe was telling us how he doesn't have a great sense of smell and said "I don't smell well" and we're cracking up of course because we are children and he finally caught on and said "You word twisting hussies!"

And one day Anziano Hess's shoe was untied and Anziano Eveson said, "Why don't you have shoes like these?" because he was wearing slip-on loafers. Anziano Hess, kind of sheepishly said "Because they're tacky." Too funny.

I'm continuing to undermine the foundation of the MTC my sneaking foot from the lactose/gluten free section in the cafeteria and by wearing yellow tights. Mom, everyone is jealous of my life whenever I wear something you've knit and they can hardly believe you are a real person. Spero che per il Giorno di Ringraziamento, you had a turkey with an adequate wingspan. And si, ho vistothe devotional di Natale. Mi piace Natale. I bore my testimony in sacrament meeting on Sunday in full-out italian, it kind of felt incredible. I also have a new goal of becoming besties with the head of security, he seems too cool.

And finally my new fav Italian phrase: Smettila di piangere e raccontami cosa e' successo!

Tanto, no, troppo amore!

Sorella Bush/Cespuglio, bella e furiosa.

xoxoxo

P.S. Ian, one cool thing to think about, in the New Testament it was the apostoli who were called to be missionaries, and then eventually the seventy were added, and now they need are help too, which means we are companions with the twelve apostles in the work. My time just ran out stop hope makes sense stop love for eternita' stop

Notes:

Sono grata che ho una famigilia buffissima - I am grateful I have a very funny family.
Credo che every settimana passes piu' veloce. - I believe every week passes faster.
Also, quando leggo il Libro di Mormon o qualche scritture with my investigator in mind anddi che cosa hanno bisogno - Also, when I read the Book of Mormon or some scripture with my investigator in mind and what they need
Staccato Mamba - the name of our Christmas Tree.
C'e' una donna? Ci sono delle donne - Is there a woman? There are some women.
Spero che per il Giorno di Ringraziamento - I hope that for Thanksgiving Day you had a turkey...
And si, ho visto - And yes, I saw
Natale. Mi piace Natale. - Christmas. I like Christmas (Christmas pleases me).
Smettila di piangere e raccontami cosa e' successo. - Stop crying and tell me what happened!
Tanto, no, troppo amore! - Lots of, no, too much love!
Bella e furiosa - beautiful and enraged

Le prime fotografie

2011-12-06T19:44:00.000-08:00

First pictures came in the mail today. They were scanned so they sorta suck.

Parker shows up randomly. Cool.

Sporting the nametag.
Sorelle Forbes and Bush. Redheads unite!

Sorella Bush, Anziano Mustafaraj, Sorella Bunker.

So there ya go.

Ci vedremmo,

Amanuensis

Una lettera piccola

2011-12-05T18:35:00.002-08:00

Amanuensis addenda in [italics].

Hey, fam.

It's Wed. evening so P[reparation]-day is technically over but I just got Ian's letter and your Dear Elders [i.e., letters, the free email service that prints out letters and sends them to the missionaries in the MTC], but first, sorry my email was all over. I'm going to start planning my letters before I get on the computer.

I printed pics for you that will be done Saturday that I'll send off.

Things I forgot to say in the email:

I saw Parker on Sunday! I'm sure he'll tell you all about it [he did].
I want to know what the Christmas tree is named. [the tree is named Staccato Mamba]
I can't believe how wild Alice [our Great Pyrenees puppy] has been! I'm a little scared for the tree and glad all my shoes are boxed up.

Other potential Christmas ideas:

More stamps (I'm burning through them)
Good mascara. Mine sucks, and every now and then I actually wear it.

Ian, your bone work looks beautiful. I'm glad you had such a great guy's trip (and dance night too). Sometimes my companion and I dance around our room but without real music it's not the same.

Class tonight was great. I'm really loving our newer teacher, who started off as our fake investigator, and I'm learning better how to prepare for lessons.

Dad, your note was the funniest, I read it to my roommates.

Please tell Megan Kress than she can send me packages, I just got a letter asking. The Dear Elder [ibid.] packages are super-gross.

New Sisters came Tuesday so I am no longer the newest.

XOXO, Sempre con amore,

Sorella Bush

la terza letter whitniana

2011-11-30T15:36:00.001-08:00

Hi hi! (Ciao ciao!)

Man, e-mail time stresses me out...26 minutes and counting.

So today has been a great day. Last week we couldn't go to the temple because they closed at noon for Thanksgiving and no one told us. I was so enraged*...Sono furiosa! But we went this morning with two of the other Sorelle, Clark and Forbes, and it was a dream.

It was nice to feel like I had no worries at all, especially because yesterday was probably my hardest day yet. After we taught a new "investigator," played by our teacher, I was just frustrated and stressed because it's only been two weeks, and I felt like too much was being asked of me, being able to both speak Italian and teach a lesson, tailored to the needs of the person we were with. But it didn't last for long.

And I slept great last night which always helps.

Thanksgiving was pretty nice. In the morning we had [Apostle] Russell M. Nelson come speak to us about Thanksgiving and giving thanks, and it was pretty cool. He is wicked smart. We then had Thanksgiving dinner, which could have been worse...at least they had cranberry sauce.

In the afternoon we did a service project, making boxes of medical supplies to ship off to Sudan. Our branch was in charge making the actual boxes, and we got done super early. So they had us singing Christmas songs and what not, and I was in charge of conducting and picking songs. It is amazing what happens when we fill a room with 19 year-old dudes (whom I'm sure I should call Elders.) People were yelling what they'd want to sing and I'd pick a song and we'd song, easy peasy.

Then I picked Lead Kindly Light and these dudes/babies were like "No! Not that song!" and going off and stuff. So I just yelled across the room, "Deal with it, I like this song, we're singing it, get over yourselves."

I guess the teacher voice is genetic, Mom. It was cute at the end then because all the Brazilian Elders in our branch came up and said "Uh, thanks, you did a great job, sorry about those guys, I mean, yeah..." I said "No big deal, I couldn't care less what they think or say, but thanks."

Sorella Bunker and I have been translating our favorite lines into Italian and saying them all week. Sono furiosa.

That night we watched "Seventeen Miracles," a pretty cheesy church movie, but still pretty funny. I also had a nice little chat with one of my companieras (roommate) after about faith, because there's this part in the movie where they're starving and they find a shepherds pie, and I said, "I don't have that kind of faith. To make food appear? No way."

And she said, "I think you do it's just different." And we kind of talked about how I'm never going to be in that situation where I need food to keep from starving, but there are other just as miraculous things that I will, or any person will need, that make since in our life that we can have the faith to make happen.

Our first investigator became our second teacher and the end of last week, and he's pretty great. I feel like I really am improving on my teaching, even if I expect more from myself. I need to remember that there's a learning curve in everything.

Our district is still super fun. The companionships are Anziani Hess and Iaccovelli, Walsh and E****, Misrahi and Briscoe. Hess and Iaccovelli are the ones that sit right by us and are maybe my faves. They try so so so hard and make the funniest mistakes.

Walsh is from Manchester and is our Zone Leader, and his comp[anion] E**** is the one that I have the hardest time with. I've been trying extra hard the past few days to be patient and charitable, when all I really want to do is tell him to stop being a d-bag all the time. But then he has his moments and I remember that all the Elders, even him, are just as called to be here as I am.

The last two are really great too. They're both 20 and it's pretty clear at least in Elder Briscoe's case that he's lived on his own and thinks for himself, even if I think it's crazy he's going to try and stay a vegan in Italy.

Which reminds me...they have soy milk and stuff like that for peeps with dietary problems, and you're not supposed to use it unless you need it. But the milk here tastes like shiz, especially after our own Sassy Cow, so when I grab a sack breakfast some mornings, I grab the vanilla soy milk instead. Today when I was writing letters in the laundry room and eating my food, this Sister said "That's so sad you're lactose intolerant and going to Italy!" I said, "Uh, gooo...I'm not, I just hate the milk here." Ha.

I think the biggest thing I'm working on learning right now is what it means to do all I can do, and how to rely on the Lord to do the rest, because it's pretty clear I can't do it on my own.

I was making a list of things you could send for Christmas in my journal, but said journal is resting in my room right now. I think it went something like this:

Kiss My Face chapstick
Nail Polish
Hand Towel
Alice

I can't remember anything else. Did you send my fleece with Carolyn? I'm getting excited to put it on my body again.

Man, so much has happened in the last week I don't even know what else too say! I've been passing on my fav jokes, like fake barfing and sono furiosa, to which Hess and Iaccolvelli have taken a liking. I also like to say Che uomo! ["Oh, man..."] at random times. I said it once in class, and Fratello Pfieffer said, "No, che anziano..."

I still love studying Italian, even if it stresses me out sometimes. I've gotten a ton better at praying in Italian, which is sort of really cool to me. When I was taking classes at BYU I never really got past the lines the teacher taught us.

Oh one more story...we taught in the Teaching Resource Center** for the first time this week. Two twenty-minute lessons with people we knew nothing about. Our first lady was freaking awesome. She was from Milano, was super nice and had the cutest little three year-old girl who instantly became my BFF.

She would bring over her animal toys and she told me her fav animal was the leone and I asked if she'd seen The Lion King. I asked her who she wanted to say the opening prayer and she pointed to me. And then when we were reading part of the Joseph Smith story I said, "It's not quite like The Lion King" and her mom said, "Because this one is true."

Her mom was just so happy that we included her daughter so much and said, "Spot on Sisters, spot on." I think for sure I'm going to need to utilize my love of people to develop positive relationships. Now if I could just learn how to do that when my teacher is pretending to me a 60 year-old man who lives with his mother.

XOXOXOXOXO,

Sorella Bush

P.S. We decided Sorella is the best name to have. When people call me Sister, I say, "Oh no, not me. Is my Grandma Sandi somewhere? But sorella is the prettiest. Muah!

*Whitney has used the "I am enraged" quote for everything since a long time ago. She loved the movie Thor because Thor becomes enraged and tips over a table while making a great growling/shrieking sound. She usually is not enraged.

**The TRC is where missionaries go to teach pretend investigators. Practice makes perfect.

la seconda epistola whitniana

2011-11-23T16:28:00.000-08:00

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.

la prima epistola

2011-11-22T16:07:00.000-08:00

Whitney's first letter arrived yesterday. We immediately laminated it for posterity. Some quotes:

"My companion is pretty normal..."

"I don't know exactly what is going on, but that will go away soon."

"So far, I feel pretty calm. I'm excited for this chapter of my life where things are simple. I'm just focusing on the gospel and not worrying about anything else."

"I kind of love our little district. Us two, plus six Elders all going to Milano (and all teeny babies!)."

"My ghost toe rings are still kind of weird to me."

"Love you all, and there's already a serious lack of Alice fluff in my life."

Sounds like Whitney.

greetings from p.b.

2011-11-15T20:42:00.001-08:00

Hello. I'm Papa Bush.

I'm the amanuensis for La Sorella. She goes into the Missionary Training Center tomorrow morning. Hopefully the letters will start pouring in soon.

Con affetto,

P.B.

transition

2011-11-11T14:42:00.001-08:00

Oh hey new blog, you're looking pretty shiny and crisp.

Since my days of roaming the internet without a care in the world are quickly coming to a close, at least for 18 months, it's time to prepare living is my job and my art for hibernation.

But have no fear! There will be no need to miss me! Well, miss me a little, like, enough to send me letters and read THIS blog, where the heads of clan bush will be posting my e-mails that I send home as a missionary.

In honor of Nigel Tufnel I received an e-mail today with the crucial information of my NEW ADDRESS.

Here you go:

Sister Whitney Sara Bush
MTC Mailbox # 90
ITA-MIL 0125
2005 N 900 E
Provo, UT 84604-1793

Remember it, tattoo it on your body, and have it removed on January 24th when I fly to Italy.