Hello my beautifuls!
First off...IAN!!! Oh man I'm praying for you like a crazy lady. I am so excited for you! The first few days in the MTC feel like an eternity but be patient with yourself and just chug along and you will LOVE it.
Okay fam, I am exploding with joy. The Gori family is killing me I love them so much! Cinzia is in, getting baptized on March 16th. Chiara had me pick what day she's quiting smoking, March 1st, and tomorrow we're going to invite her to get baptized in the 16th too! I am literally dying. I count down the days to when we get to see or teach them and then I get home and Chiara texts us (she's way more open in writing) and I melt on the floor I'm so happy. They are pretty much all I think about these days because I know I came to Siena above all for Chiara. She has no idea how wonderful she is and who she can become but God has just given me magic X-ray vision and has filled me with His love for her and it just makes me explode. This is why we knocked on thousands of doors last transfer... to show God we were willing to do whatever it takes and then He just plopped this miracle down in our laps.
Yesterday, thanks to the sweet tats sarah sent me I celebrated the birth of Copernicus yesterday by recreating the solar system on my back. Will try and send a pic soon, ha.
Finished the Book of Mormon in Italian again. This last time through I marked every time I saw the word heart, pretty sure I told you guys about my heart obsession. This time through I'm making remember and forget. Pretty cool.
Besides the Gori fam, our goal this transfer is to really get the branch excited about missionary work. We're teaching everyone the restoration to help everyone remember why we're members of the church and what it means and the incredible spirit that the Joseph Smith story brings. It just seems like the time has come, We need to get everyone on the same page and since we're having a baptism (!!!!!!!!) this transfer it will help get everyone excited and see that miracles happen, people can change, and everyone needs the gospel...so don't be scared.
I love it here. Siena is just magical. I really don't think I'll stay past the transfer so I'm just loving ths shiz out of my people. Have I told you about Bianka and Lorena, the two most beautiful Albanian girls who have ever lived? 25 and 23. The last peeps to get baptized in Siena. Lorena was baptized a year ago last November and then Bianka a year ago April. Lorena is married, 25 and Bianka is finishing up school this fall and seriously considering going on a mission this fall. She's becoming good friends with Chiara and we've been having lessons with her lately too and I just love her like crazy. Reason number 2 I came to Siena?
Plus we have Emily. She's from England and was baptized a bit over a year ago in England, now lives here in Siena and we see her every week too and she is wonderful. Reason #3?
So yeah, life is beautiful. Plus Luca came down to kick it with us in Siena today, ha. Should be a party. It's a beautiful sunny day so I'm thinking maybe a trip up the tower at the campo.
Love you allll! You're in my thoughts and prayers and I can't wait to add you to my Italy life and introduce you to my family here.
xoxo
la vostra missionaria contentissima,
sorella bush
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
questo mi garba
Family!!! Man, do I love you.
It has been a nutzo week and I was so happy to see your names pop up in my email.
Guys, remember how I am the worst at change! Well I do. I've been rereading my journals to remember that I was the biggest shlaump ever every time that I've had to change companions, excluding Sorella Nilson, because we're the same person. It's been a tough week, getting used to pure little Sorella Willis and realizing that Sorella Nilson isn't even in the same country as me anymore and then realizing that I have NO idea what to do with Siena. I'm praying my guts out and I'm just at a loss where to go and what to do , so I walk in circles. Ha. But really meno male I have the Gori's and Luca coming to visit next p-day.
I really don't even know what to tell you guys right now, my brain is kind of exploding with everything and I've just been trying to feel peaceful because I've been so overwhelmed by everything that I just feel like I've forgotten how to be a missionary for a second which is the dumbest because the clock is ticking! I really don't think I have more than this transfer in Siena and everytime I see the tower in the Campo my heart skips a beat. It's so beautiful and I don't know if I've done nearly enough for this place. I've trying to remind and convince myself that lulls happen and God is patient.
As far as coming to Italy plans have you looked at flying in through somewhere random? When I went to England everyone payed about 1000 bucks but I went through dublin and it was like 600... aaanyway.
Mom I totally support the short hair, I've been silently voting for is for a while :)
Dad stop getting sick!
Ian, already sent you a message, still love your guts.
My hilarious English class students have been teaching me Sienese phrases and today I made pici for lunch. But I just walk around saying mi garba to everything. Piece is so 2012, ha!
Love you all so bad, kind of jealous I wasn't at the temple with you and all our freaky posterity, but I have all summer, temple road trips galore.
xoxoxoxo
s.b.
p.s. Sorella Willis, from Florida! Niente di Utah questa volta.
It has been a nutzo week and I was so happy to see your names pop up in my email.
Guys, remember how I am the worst at change! Well I do. I've been rereading my journals to remember that I was the biggest shlaump ever every time that I've had to change companions, excluding Sorella Nilson, because we're the same person. It's been a tough week, getting used to pure little Sorella Willis and realizing that Sorella Nilson isn't even in the same country as me anymore and then realizing that I have NO idea what to do with Siena. I'm praying my guts out and I'm just at a loss where to go and what to do , so I walk in circles. Ha. But really meno male I have the Gori's and Luca coming to visit next p-day.
I really don't even know what to tell you guys right now, my brain is kind of exploding with everything and I've just been trying to feel peaceful because I've been so overwhelmed by everything that I just feel like I've forgotten how to be a missionary for a second which is the dumbest because the clock is ticking! I really don't think I have more than this transfer in Siena and everytime I see the tower in the Campo my heart skips a beat. It's so beautiful and I don't know if I've done nearly enough for this place. I've trying to remind and convince myself that lulls happen and God is patient.
As far as coming to Italy plans have you looked at flying in through somewhere random? When I went to England everyone payed about 1000 bucks but I went through dublin and it was like 600... aaanyway.
Mom I totally support the short hair, I've been silently voting for is for a while :)
Dad stop getting sick!
Ian, already sent you a message, still love your guts.
My hilarious English class students have been teaching me Sienese phrases and today I made pici for lunch. But I just walk around saying mi garba to everything. Piece is so 2012, ha!
Love you all so bad, kind of jealous I wasn't at the temple with you and all our freaky posterity, but I have all summer, temple road trips galore.
xoxoxoxo
s.b.
p.s. Sorella Willis, from Florida! Niente di Utah questa volta.
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
so I have very little motivation to write this email today, sorrrrry
I'll try not to be too boring.
Life is great. Feels so surreal that Sorella Nilson (from Alpine, Mom) is going home. Blurg. We had way too much fun to be allowed more than one transfer together.
I just bought our fast train tickets to get up to Milano tomorrow morning and I'll see Sorella Beutler at the station, kiss her face, and then find Sorella Willis, my new companion. I know zero about her, just that she's coming from Collegno near Torino (where Sorella Beutler is headed off to) and came in the group after Sorella Beutler. The one thing I've heard is that she's crazy patient so her trainer told me on scambio a few weeks ago she's destined to always have hard companions because she just loves them comunque, and now she has me, ha! Life here is beautiful, as always.
Dad I read your letter to the Gori's and they loved it and said they loved you guys too and were ready to adopt me. Ha. We're going back tonight and hopefully getting ourselves organized for them to set a more realistic baptismal date (that's before I leave Italy) and a plan for Sandro and Chiara to quit smoking. I feel like tonight is going to be magical; best last night as a missionary Sorella Nilson could probs ask for. They called last night, Cinzia called, and was like we have a plan. We'll have our lesson, you guys will chat it up with chiara alone for a bit then, we're going to have dinner with the Rotelli's! And Sandro and Tina have a request and have made me the mouth of the message, but you could you please bring.... 300 cinnamon rolls! ha! It's going to be great.
Um, Mexico looked freaky amazing. Like really guys, we're going back next January right? So excited for IAN!!!!!AHH! Temple, miss it. I would recommend sending him off with a flash drive to keep his pics on too, I think I'm going to try and buy one because my camera is full up.
Canoecopia! So soon!
These next few months are going to flash by and I'm freaking out and every now and then I tumble into that am I a good enough missionary? Have I done all that I'm supposed to? And then I feel like Heavenly Father wants me to keep being better but not keep beating myself up because he's proud of me. That's the phrase that keeps running through my head/heart. He's proud of us.
We spent language study on Monday just sitting in the Campo in the sun waiting for our appointment there and I feel like it is a moment I will never forget. This place is magical. For lunch that day we went out with the Capece's so we just stuck around in centro but I had had pici with cacio and pepe, mmmmmm.
We had a funny dinner appointment with potentials this this weekend that involved going to Grandma and Grandpa's in the campagna and touring they're huge mostly closed up house over looking Siena and too many funny things that someday I'll tell you all about. I love strangers.
Dad I think I'm going to go Istrice. not sure why.*
Love you all, sorry this is all over the place. I have a few ties I bought in Firenze for Ian I hope to send off sooner rather than later. I've started trying to buy presents for people, man is that expensive business, maybs I'm done being a good friend. Does Ian have a brown suit? One tie is the pretty teal that has a little stripe of brown in it so hopefully he's not all black. Oh well. Any thoughts about the program for coming back to Italy?
xoxoxoxoxoxox
Life is great. Feels so surreal that Sorella Nilson (from Alpine, Mom) is going home. Blurg. We had way too much fun to be allowed more than one transfer together.
I just bought our fast train tickets to get up to Milano tomorrow morning and I'll see Sorella Beutler at the station, kiss her face, and then find Sorella Willis, my new companion. I know zero about her, just that she's coming from Collegno near Torino (where Sorella Beutler is headed off to) and came in the group after Sorella Beutler. The one thing I've heard is that she's crazy patient so her trainer told me on scambio a few weeks ago she's destined to always have hard companions because she just loves them comunque, and now she has me, ha! Life here is beautiful, as always.
Dad I read your letter to the Gori's and they loved it and said they loved you guys too and were ready to adopt me. Ha. We're going back tonight and hopefully getting ourselves organized for them to set a more realistic baptismal date (that's before I leave Italy) and a plan for Sandro and Chiara to quit smoking. I feel like tonight is going to be magical; best last night as a missionary Sorella Nilson could probs ask for. They called last night, Cinzia called, and was like we have a plan. We'll have our lesson, you guys will chat it up with chiara alone for a bit then, we're going to have dinner with the Rotelli's! And Sandro and Tina have a request and have made me the mouth of the message, but you could you please bring.... 300 cinnamon rolls! ha! It's going to be great.
Um, Mexico looked freaky amazing. Like really guys, we're going back next January right? So excited for IAN!!!!!AHH! Temple, miss it. I would recommend sending him off with a flash drive to keep his pics on too, I think I'm going to try and buy one because my camera is full up.
Canoecopia! So soon!
These next few months are going to flash by and I'm freaking out and every now and then I tumble into that am I a good enough missionary? Have I done all that I'm supposed to? And then I feel like Heavenly Father wants me to keep being better but not keep beating myself up because he's proud of me. That's the phrase that keeps running through my head/heart. He's proud of us.
We spent language study on Monday just sitting in the Campo in the sun waiting for our appointment there and I feel like it is a moment I will never forget. This place is magical. For lunch that day we went out with the Capece's so we just stuck around in centro but I had had pici with cacio and pepe, mmmmmm.
We had a funny dinner appointment with potentials this this weekend that involved going to Grandma and Grandpa's in the campagna and touring they're huge mostly closed up house over looking Siena and too many funny things that someday I'll tell you all about. I love strangers.
Dad I think I'm going to go Istrice. not sure why.*
Love you all, sorry this is all over the place. I have a few ties I bought in Firenze for Ian I hope to send off sooner rather than later. I've started trying to buy presents for people, man is that expensive business, maybs I'm done being a good friend. Does Ian have a brown suit? One tie is the pretty teal that has a little stripe of brown in it so hopefully he's not all black. Oh well. Any thoughts about the program for coming back to Italy?
xoxoxoxoxoxox
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
another week
O Mamma! Time is the weirdest these days.
I've actually had an awful cold these past few days. Sorella Nilson tells me the same thing happened to her and Sorella Soh after a month of being in Siena, brought on by complete exhaustion. But I've been drinking plenty of tea so I'm sure I'll be fine soon enough; I'm still convinced herbal tea will solve any problem I ever have. Ha.
Highlight of the week: Man the Gori family, I'm obsessed with them. We had a beautiful restoration lesson with them on Wednesday and gave Chiara, the beautiful 18 year old her own copy of the Book of Mormon. Then we had a pizza making activity in church Friday night and she went to chef school and we had a pizza war between her and Giacomo, another one of my fav peeps, he's a mostly active less active we're trying to get to quit smoking so he can move up in the priesthood because we have NO priesthood outside of one family pretty much.
Anyway. It was beautiful, everyone just welcomed Chiara in with open arms and we ate lots of pizza. In all we had 7 investigators there, pretty awesome, just need to get them to progress. Anyway, continuing on with Chiara. I asked her for her digits Friday night and told her I was going to start calling her everyday and told her we want to try and organize something just the three of us sometime. She couldn't come to church because of ride issues so we text her Sunday afternoon just to remind her she's awesome, we missed her and we hoped she had read something lovely in the Book of Mormon.
A few hours later in the midst of an afternoon of casa we get the most beautiful text from her. In a nut shell she said she was sorry she couldn't come to church and she missed us too and she was grateful that the Lord had brought us all together and for all we and the church are doing for her family.
AND THEN, (this is the highlight) she tells us the book is stupendo and since we gave her the book Wednesday night she was already in 2 Nephi! We were beyond happy. I love this girl! She just has no idea how wonderful she is. I think that's one of the most beautiful things about the gospel is we know who we are and who we can become. Hooray for the young women values... individual worth, divine nature, hello. Then we went and saw the, again monday night for a surprise birthday shindig for Sandro, the dad. It was just them, the members they're besties with, us and the Capece's. I felt a little like death but I love being in their home, they are such good people. Can't wait for them to realize that they're more ready than they realize for baptism.
Tonight I'm off to scambi with a sorella in Firenze. Sorella Nilson and I were joking that we should cancel on them because we have limited time before she goes home and we can't stand to be apart, ha. But I'm actually excited, it's always good to leave your city for a moment and come back with a new prospective. And the Sorelle there are both kind of young and Firenze is kind of like Siena, it's really hard, and we're pretty sure they blame themselves for how slow the work is going, so we're going to try and help them see that numbers are not everything and it's okay to have fun, and the Lord is still proud of their work, so be happy for goodness sakes.
Dad, here's a torre pic for you, and a few other odds and ends, including the pizza face off and birthday party.
Can't believe you're off to Mexico, lucky things. Pretty sure our basement apartment is never warm, ha. Can't wait to see pics, and maybe get a post card, hint hint. Oh yeah, which reminds me, everyone I know is grounded. I have gotten zero letters in my Siena mail since I've been here (did you send of the christmas card??) I hear I have a little stack collecting up in Varese that I should get next week but still, wanted everyone to know, grounded for life.
Dad I'm down for light blue and pale yellow, sounds pretty. And mom I am SO down for lots of temple road trips this summer.
Have a beautiful trip in Mexico, eat lots of fresh fruits for me and fish tacos! yummmmm. Well I think that's all for now, sure I forgot something, but I love you like crazy.
Dad want to run a marathon with me? [the answer is no - amanuensis]
xoxo
sorella bush
Highlight of the week: Man the Gori family, I'm obsessed with them. We had a beautiful restoration lesson with them on Wednesday and gave Chiara, the beautiful 18 year old her own copy of the Book of Mormon. Then we had a pizza making activity in church Friday night and she went to chef school and we had a pizza war between her and Giacomo, another one of my fav peeps, he's a mostly active less active we're trying to get to quit smoking so he can move up in the priesthood because we have NO priesthood outside of one family pretty much.
Anyway. It was beautiful, everyone just welcomed Chiara in with open arms and we ate lots of pizza. In all we had 7 investigators there, pretty awesome, just need to get them to progress. Anyway, continuing on with Chiara. I asked her for her digits Friday night and told her I was going to start calling her everyday and told her we want to try and organize something just the three of us sometime. She couldn't come to church because of ride issues so we text her Sunday afternoon just to remind her she's awesome, we missed her and we hoped she had read something lovely in the Book of Mormon.
A few hours later in the midst of an afternoon of casa we get the most beautiful text from her. In a nut shell she said she was sorry she couldn't come to church and she missed us too and she was grateful that the Lord had brought us all together and for all we and the church are doing for her family.
AND THEN, (this is the highlight) she tells us the book is stupendo and since we gave her the book Wednesday night she was already in 2 Nephi! We were beyond happy. I love this girl! She just has no idea how wonderful she is. I think that's one of the most beautiful things about the gospel is we know who we are and who we can become. Hooray for the young women values... individual worth, divine nature, hello. Then we went and saw the, again monday night for a surprise birthday shindig for Sandro, the dad. It was just them, the members they're besties with, us and the Capece's. I felt a little like death but I love being in their home, they are such good people. Can't wait for them to realize that they're more ready than they realize for baptism.
Tonight I'm off to scambi with a sorella in Firenze. Sorella Nilson and I were joking that we should cancel on them because we have limited time before she goes home and we can't stand to be apart, ha. But I'm actually excited, it's always good to leave your city for a moment and come back with a new prospective. And the Sorelle there are both kind of young and Firenze is kind of like Siena, it's really hard, and we're pretty sure they blame themselves for how slow the work is going, so we're going to try and help them see that numbers are not everything and it's okay to have fun, and the Lord is still proud of their work, so be happy for goodness sakes.
Dad, here's a torre pic for you, and a few other odds and ends, including the pizza face off and birthday party.
Can't believe you're off to Mexico, lucky things. Pretty sure our basement apartment is never warm, ha. Can't wait to see pics, and maybe get a post card, hint hint. Oh yeah, which reminds me, everyone I know is grounded. I have gotten zero letters in my Siena mail since I've been here (did you send of the christmas card??) I hear I have a little stack collecting up in Varese that I should get next week but still, wanted everyone to know, grounded for life.
Dad I'm down for light blue and pale yellow, sounds pretty. And mom I am SO down for lots of temple road trips this summer.
Have a beautiful trip in Mexico, eat lots of fresh fruits for me and fish tacos! yummmmm. Well I think that's all for now, sure I forgot something, but I love you like crazy.
Dad want to run a marathon with me? [the answer is no - amanuensis]
xoxo
sorella bush
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
ian! mission! gah!!!!!!!
JNçKJDBAKçBJLSDçLABLSJBNCASJN!!!!!!!!!!!!!LKJBDSFJDASCN_çS IAN!!!!!!!
I am so excited!!!!!!!!!! Ian!!!!! You got your mission call!!!!
The senior couple here called me up Saturday night. Our cell phone doesn't work in our house at all so I was practically hanging out the window and I was immediately so happy! It's perfect! How beautiful to know you are going exactly where you need to EXACTLY when you need to. GAH! God is so good. Now you have 2 years to go find the people that desperately need YOU and no one else. And you're so good at loving people you will be an excellent missionary. When we see each other in February 2015 it will be a very very good day...See Alma 17: 1-4...meno male our missions don't last 17 years, I already feel like I'm dying a little bit...get ready to be tired!
Okay, so where are we? Well guys, it is freezing in this here church and my arms are literally shaking, so I might keep this a little short. BUT man, is life good. We have been working so hard and praying even harder and miracles are happening. Highlights include the Gori family and Anna. Lemme splain.
The Gori Family is incredible. When the sorelle got here they called about every old investigator in the book and the last time the Gori's were meeting with the missionaries was about five years ago. They're a referral from the amazing family that pretty much runs the branch. The wife Tina is my new favorite person and cracks me up. It's like I've won a treasure hunt whenever I find someone sarcastic in Italy.
So the sorelle call the Gori's and tell them of course they can come over. Meanwhile that same week they reconnect with the family of members they know at a shopping center somewhere for the first time in about five years. Now they're all besties again. The Sorelle were only able to really go and teach once before I came but they've come to church and and come to all our activities and I finally got to meet them at a movie dinner party thing we had in church on Friday. Mom, Dad and daughter Chiara who's 18. They are beautiful. Cinzia the mom is so ready and talks about getting baptized and wants it. The rest of the family isn't quite as ready but we're finally going to go teach the restoration tonight and help them catch the vision of how their lives can change and how beautiful the gospel is. They have a son who died ages ago when he was little who was a little older than chiara and they just need to be an eternal family so h-ing bad. Which reminds me parents, we have to go down to the temple before we fly back to Italy after I'm released, I miss it like whoa. So yeah, I'm sure you'll be hearing lots about them, ormai they're part of the branch.
 |
| Lungarno. Firenze. |
Man alive she is beautiful. First she tells us how the anziani in Napoli had found her nephew, and that in itself was a beautiful miracle, and then they came over to teach when she was there. She told us also how she hadn't been south in at least two years but this year really felt the desire to go. She said she's just looking for the right path in her life, she feels like she's missing something, she's studied with every religion under the sun and the missionaries in Napoli told her she would find what she was looking for in the Book of Mormon. As we taught her the restoration it was like she was drinking in everything we said just staring into our eyes so intently and listening to every word and asking, "Okay, what do I need to do to know?" and asking about how to pray and coming to church and seeing us again. She said when she got her answer she would be baptized.
She has three beautiful children, the oldest daughter who's 26 didn't really want to say anything but wanted to listen to everything and will be there when we go back Friday afternoon. The son barely woke up while we were there, and the little 14 year old was so sad that we were coming when she was at school, so we're coming back Friday afternoon and Anna promised us some napolitana pizza, ha. More on this beautiful family to come; I've never been more sure of something in my life.
 |
 |
| Ponte Vecchio, Firenze |
But really I feel like Italy is my home and I feel like it has been for ages; it's like I've felt it calling to me since I was 6. I remember sitting in Primary and thinking about Italy. Good night. Sometimes I freak out a little thinking at how unknown my future is, I was talking it over with the Lord the other night and I was like I know I don't need to really worry yet and I know you've never let me down but man I would love a sliver of light to help me figure out where I should be going. But my hope is stronger than any of my fears, life is too dang good to live any other way.
My Christmas present made it to Varese but Sorella Beutler wasn't allowed to pick it up since she's not me, so I had to make a copy of my permesso that I sent up to her and she should get at their conference tomorrow and she can pick it up and some how get it down to me, probably in a few weeks still. Hopefully you didn't send cheese this time.
Right, I'm a popsicle so I'm peacing out. The Capece's are going to take us out driving around the area and we'll probs pop by San Gimignano.
Love you all!!! Dad, don't hurt your pancreas and don't work too hard, I worry about you. Also, I'm sending off tomorrow a CD with all my pics up to to now. When you get it and upload err'thing on the computer let me now and I'll cancellare.
xoxoxoxo
sorella bush
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
a room with a view
Early morning email because we're off to catch a train to Firenze. O mamma, am I excited. Plus, not sure if I told you, but Sorella Nilson did the BYU program in Siena so she knows the area and tells me all sorts of history as we giro around. She'll just be my personal tour guide as we explore today.
This week has been beautiful, but first, a few thoughts.
Dad I was literally just talking to Sorella N yesterday about kayaks and remembered for the first time in ages how much I don't love my Vela anymore and wondered what my kayak status was, so your email was perfetto. Color wise, I'm not sure. NO sparkles. Maybe tell me a few of your color combos and I'll tell you what I like best. I do love the turquoisey blues but I know that's not always the wisest open water choice.
Okay, so missionary work in Siena is hard. But we are so happy and so hopeful always. And I haven't laughed so much in awhile. There are times when it's a good thing people don't answer their doors because neither of us are breathing we're laughing so hard. We're talking days and days of 9 hours of finding. That is a lot of finding and you realize how nice it is to teach, not just because that's why we're here and it's fun and people are great, but because it's 30-60 minutes that you can sit down...ha.
But the miracles have started flooding in. Like crazy. After my first week I really felt like I had finally learned what it meant to work hard and how to pray because I know that I can make nothing happen here in Siena, it has to be the Lord, so I pray and pray and then I work and work. And we've already trippled the number of phone numbers the Sorelle got last transfer. When I got here the sorelle had been here about 1.5 transfers and they spent days cleaning out the nasty apartment and doing all kinds of prep work. The way sorella nilson put it they couldn't even plant any seeds for awhile they were busy weeding and plowing the field. And now we're finding people that want to listen to us. A couple cool peeps:
1. Luca and Claudia. Here is the simplified version of how we meet Luca. Everyday we pretty much pick a new place to do casa from 5-8 so we're out in this little funny town full of CRAZY people. Seriously, the weirdest casa I've ever done, including kids messing with us on the citofono, large dogs wanting to eat us, a man with a scary pointy tooth BETWEEN his front two teeth, and old man who talked about and inch away from my face (who wants a Book of Mormon..) yeah, just tons of crazy.
People are starting to eat dinner so we make our way to the bus stop and this car stops and asks if we're Sorelle and offers a ride to Siena. So obviously we get in this stranger's car and a few minutes into the ride realize they're Jehovah's Witnesses. Have a pretty funny conversation, they were actually much less aggressive than usual, and drop us somewhere I've never been outside the city walls. Sorella Nilson thinks she knows where we are and we start walking up the shoulder of this highway road on the other side of the metal thing that runs between the traffic and the four people that probably walk that road once a year. But there ahead of us is a couple so we stop and talk to them and he is the nicest so excited to talk to us subito gives us his digits and we have an appointment to see at least him, maybe also the woman in church tomorrow.
2. Grazia. We had planned to do casa in a couple places where the Anziani had potentials two years ago and we get to this palazzo with no last name, so we just start ringing names trying to get in. I'm on window watch to see if anyone calls down to us and then this woman appears with her keys and Sorella Nilson tells her who we are and how we have a message we want to share with the peeps here and she said, "Sure I'll let you in."
So we go in and I ask her if she has a few minutes we could come up and tell her what we believe and she's like "Sure thing." She's this beautiful girl, maybe late 20s from Taranto studying to be a judge and it was incredible to teach someone who just understood everything we were teaching. At the end we asked if she thought it could be true, and she said "yes," and we asked if she wanted to read the Book of Mormon and she said "yes."
We left her house so dazed, it was too perfect and incredible. I had this moment while we were teaching her and I just looked at her and saw how beautiful she was, and how much God just loves her and I felt SO inadequate that I have this responsibility to give her the gospel, to teach with the spirit and simply so that she is given a real opportunity to accept it and change her life for the better. How crazy it is that God trusts us with His children.
3. Dimintri and Claudia. Sorelle found them a few weeks ago and we finally got to go back and teach them, kind of...it was kind of a crazy lesson because they had forgotten. Dimitri is 23 and Claudia is his mom and they are the funnies, and you can see in his face that Dimitri is a good kid and gets what we're saying we just need to organize ourselves to see them more.
4. Cesar. Found him last week, came to our second appointment in the church on time and came to church on Sunday. just got here from Peru two months ago, meno male I pretty much understand Spanish.
Running low on time. Things are beautiful here, time is freaking me out. I still can't get over this city, old red buildings and green shutters everywhere. Not only can a camera not really capture it, but I feel like my eyes can't open wide enough to let it all in.
love you all!!!
be good!
sorella cespuglio
Dad I was literally just talking to Sorella N yesterday about kayaks and remembered for the first time in ages how much I don't love my Vela anymore and wondered what my kayak status was, so your email was perfetto. Color wise, I'm not sure. NO sparkles. Maybe tell me a few of your color combos and I'll tell you what I like best. I do love the turquoisey blues but I know that's not always the wisest open water choice.
Okay, so missionary work in Siena is hard. But we are so happy and so hopeful always. And I haven't laughed so much in awhile. There are times when it's a good thing people don't answer their doors because neither of us are breathing we're laughing so hard. We're talking days and days of 9 hours of finding. That is a lot of finding and you realize how nice it is to teach, not just because that's why we're here and it's fun and people are great, but because it's 30-60 minutes that you can sit down...ha.
But the miracles have started flooding in. Like crazy. After my first week I really felt like I had finally learned what it meant to work hard and how to pray because I know that I can make nothing happen here in Siena, it has to be the Lord, so I pray and pray and then I work and work. And we've already trippled the number of phone numbers the Sorelle got last transfer. When I got here the sorelle had been here about 1.5 transfers and they spent days cleaning out the nasty apartment and doing all kinds of prep work. The way sorella nilson put it they couldn't even plant any seeds for awhile they were busy weeding and plowing the field. And now we're finding people that want to listen to us. A couple cool peeps:
1. Luca and Claudia. Here is the simplified version of how we meet Luca. Everyday we pretty much pick a new place to do casa from 5-8 so we're out in this little funny town full of CRAZY people. Seriously, the weirdest casa I've ever done, including kids messing with us on the citofono, large dogs wanting to eat us, a man with a scary pointy tooth BETWEEN his front two teeth, and old man who talked about and inch away from my face (who wants a Book of Mormon..) yeah, just tons of crazy.
People are starting to eat dinner so we make our way to the bus stop and this car stops and asks if we're Sorelle and offers a ride to Siena. So obviously we get in this stranger's car and a few minutes into the ride realize they're Jehovah's Witnesses. Have a pretty funny conversation, they were actually much less aggressive than usual, and drop us somewhere I've never been outside the city walls. Sorella Nilson thinks she knows where we are and we start walking up the shoulder of this highway road on the other side of the metal thing that runs between the traffic and the four people that probably walk that road once a year. But there ahead of us is a couple so we stop and talk to them and he is the nicest so excited to talk to us subito gives us his digits and we have an appointment to see at least him, maybe also the woman in church tomorrow.
2. Grazia. We had planned to do casa in a couple places where the Anziani had potentials two years ago and we get to this palazzo with no last name, so we just start ringing names trying to get in. I'm on window watch to see if anyone calls down to us and then this woman appears with her keys and Sorella Nilson tells her who we are and how we have a message we want to share with the peeps here and she said, "Sure I'll let you in."
So we go in and I ask her if she has a few minutes we could come up and tell her what we believe and she's like "Sure thing." She's this beautiful girl, maybe late 20s from Taranto studying to be a judge and it was incredible to teach someone who just understood everything we were teaching. At the end we asked if she thought it could be true, and she said "yes," and we asked if she wanted to read the Book of Mormon and she said "yes."
We left her house so dazed, it was too perfect and incredible. I had this moment while we were teaching her and I just looked at her and saw how beautiful she was, and how much God just loves her and I felt SO inadequate that I have this responsibility to give her the gospel, to teach with the spirit and simply so that she is given a real opportunity to accept it and change her life for the better. How crazy it is that God trusts us with His children.
3. Dimintri and Claudia. Sorelle found them a few weeks ago and we finally got to go back and teach them, kind of...it was kind of a crazy lesson because they had forgotten. Dimitri is 23 and Claudia is his mom and they are the funnies, and you can see in his face that Dimitri is a good kid and gets what we're saying we just need to organize ourselves to see them more.
4. Cesar. Found him last week, came to our second appointment in the church on time and came to church on Sunday. just got here from Peru two months ago, meno male I pretty much understand Spanish.
Running low on time. Things are beautiful here, time is freaking me out. I still can't get over this city, old red buildings and green shutters everywhere. Not only can a camera not really capture it, but I feel like my eyes can't open wide enough to let it all in.
love you all!!!
be good!
sorella cespuglio
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
true or false: i now live in siena
Uh, true. Crazy town.
It's been a funny week. I am seriously baffled by the number of feelings I can have all at the same freaky time! So happy and so sad and so excited and so heartbroken and so so happy and then so sick. Man, it's been crazy.
But I am so grateful for this transfer for so many reasons. I knew I had to leave Varese not just because it had been four transfers, but because I almost didn't feel like a missionary there anymore, I felt like I was at home.
But I know I am exactly where I should be right now, and how did I get so lucky that where I'm meant to be is Siena! Bo? Seriously...Bergamo, Varese and now Siena. I must have done something right in the preexistence. I was talking to some of the Sorelle at transfers and Sorella Gomez said "I wanted that! I wanted to go to Siena and I've been trying to be so obedient the last few weeks." I laughed so hard and said "Well, obedience is certainly not how you get there." Guys I'm trying, I promise!!
I just had my face plastered to the car window as we drove to Firenze for district meeting with the senior couple who's the branch prez here. And our first giro through the city I was just spinning in circles trying to take it all in.
And I am so so so grateful I am with Sorella Nilson. It is a dream! We already kind of knew each other and she's so fun and she just loves being a missionary. So we're kind of the same person. We were walking up to the grocery store on Saturday and she said "Here we are!!" and I said "Sunset and Camden," (Singing in the Rain style). She stopped dead in her tracks and looked at me and said "I always say that, and Sorella [ ] would always make fun of me, and this time I thought 'I'll just say it in my head' but then you said it!"
So yeah. BFF.
It's been nice also because we are having so much fun that it doesn't leave too much space in my brain to think about Varese, because boy does it try and sneak in my brain all the time. Church was rough for a bit because I was thinking about everyone I love back in Varese and how Herlinda finally was coming to church and I was here with a bunch of strangers. But boy do I love those strangers! It's kind of incredible. And our branch is so small. We're talking ten peeps, but are they ever beautiful.
Work here is kind of hard. Lucky I'm used to hard after some pretty dry spells in Varese, but we haven't taught a lesson together yet. Lots of casa, lots of finding, walked about twelve miles, mostly up hill on Sunday. Felt sort of like I had been hit by a train, but I'll get used to it soon enough. It really feels like this city is just oozing with potential, all these almost miracles. And now that I'm at the point in my mission where I don't care a bit about any kind of numbers, it's beautiful to just enjoy it all and want to baptize for the sole reason that this people need it and deserve it. I will do everything I can for them.
New Years Eve was pretty funny. We had root beer floats, made an incredible lasagna, and counted down to 10:44, ringing in the new year with some San Pellegrino aranciata, amara. Yum yum yum!
New Years Day we did a lot of cleaning, as directed, then sat down to write in our journals (which is pretty difficult because we always end up talking to each other), and after a few minutes ended up just chatting it up, for ages, about life and family, about the mission, how we ended up where we are and how great God is and how well He knows us.
We talked a ton about the Lord guiding our lives. A ton. And I told her about all my crazy God plopping in my lap the perfect plans and I just thought about how I was so confused when I was twenty-one and the mission wasn't right, and how I was kind of angry, even though I knew God had to have something better in store. Sometimes it's just hard to have faith in the future you can't see, even when you want to. But not even including the miraculous things that have happened in my life in those final years at BYU, just looking at how perfect my mission has been for me. If I had come at any other time I would't have had any of my companions, I wouldn't have had the Wolfgramms (good night) and Varese and Siena weren't open to Sorelle. I mean, I'm the third sorella to set foot in the city of Siena as a missionary.
Plus looking back at the peeps that I've seen baptized, all of them have had contact with the church through friends or family for years, it just wasn't time yet. I mean look at Luca, I literally got to Varese at the exact perfect time. Seriously. I am the luckiest. Thank heavens H[eavenly] F[ather] knows just what He is doing and just what I need.
And then I started thinking about be at twenty-one and how I was so not ready for a mission. I think I was ready for an adventure, but now I just get it. And the gospel has never meant more to me, especially since I've met so many people who are literally fighting to keep living the gospel and I think that sometimes we take for granted all that we have.
I started trying to make a list of the things I think I've learned as a missionary, here's what I have so far:
I tried to make goals for the new year, ha. They're either SUPER vague, branching from living deliberately and filling my life with meaningful activities to keeping up on Italian and developing the art of cheesemaking, to funny specific things like running a marathon and finding a job. Twenty13, here we are. It's going to be good, because I won't settle for anything less.
Well, hope that's enough weekly word vomit for you. Enjoy the pics.
New addy:
Via Mameli 49
53100 Siena
Italy
Love you all!
sorella cespuglio
It's been a funny week. I am seriously baffled by the number of feelings I can have all at the same freaky time! So happy and so sad and so excited and so heartbroken and so so happy and then so sick. Man, it's been crazy.
 |
| Piazza del Duomo |
But I am so grateful for this transfer for so many reasons. I knew I had to leave Varese not just because it had been four transfers, but because I almost didn't feel like a missionary there anymore, I felt like I was at home.
But I know I am exactly where I should be right now, and how did I get so lucky that where I'm meant to be is Siena! Bo? Seriously...Bergamo, Varese and now Siena. I must have done something right in the preexistence. I was talking to some of the Sorelle at transfers and Sorella Gomez said "I wanted that! I wanted to go to Siena and I've been trying to be so obedient the last few weeks." I laughed so hard and said "Well, obedience is certainly not how you get there." Guys I'm trying, I promise!!
I just had my face plastered to the car window as we drove to Firenze for district meeting with the senior couple who's the branch prez here. And our first giro through the city I was just spinning in circles trying to take it all in.
And I am so so so grateful I am with Sorella Nilson. It is a dream! We already kind of knew each other and she's so fun and she just loves being a missionary. So we're kind of the same person. We were walking up to the grocery store on Saturday and she said "Here we are!!" and I said "Sunset and Camden," (Singing in the Rain style). She stopped dead in her tracks and looked at me and said "I always say that, and Sorella [ ] would always make fun of me, and this time I thought 'I'll just say it in my head' but then you said it!"
So yeah. BFF.
It's been nice also because we are having so much fun that it doesn't leave too much space in my brain to think about Varese, because boy does it try and sneak in my brain all the time. Church was rough for a bit because I was thinking about everyone I love back in Varese and how Herlinda finally was coming to church and I was here with a bunch of strangers. But boy do I love those strangers! It's kind of incredible. And our branch is so small. We're talking ten peeps, but are they ever beautiful.
Work here is kind of hard. Lucky I'm used to hard after some pretty dry spells in Varese, but we haven't taught a lesson together yet. Lots of casa, lots of finding, walked about twelve miles, mostly up hill on Sunday. Felt sort of like I had been hit by a train, but I'll get used to it soon enough. It really feels like this city is just oozing with potential, all these almost miracles. And now that I'm at the point in my mission where I don't care a bit about any kind of numbers, it's beautiful to just enjoy it all and want to baptize for the sole reason that this people need it and deserve it. I will do everything I can for them.
 |
| Piazza del Campo e il Torre del Mangia. |
New Years Eve was pretty funny. We had root beer floats, made an incredible lasagna, and counted down to 10:44, ringing in the new year with some San Pellegrino aranciata, amara. Yum yum yum!
New Years Day we did a lot of cleaning, as directed, then sat down to write in our journals (which is pretty difficult because we always end up talking to each other), and after a few minutes ended up just chatting it up, for ages, about life and family, about the mission, how we ended up where we are and how great God is and how well He knows us.
We talked a ton about the Lord guiding our lives. A ton. And I told her about all my crazy God plopping in my lap the perfect plans and I just thought about how I was so confused when I was twenty-one and the mission wasn't right, and how I was kind of angry, even though I knew God had to have something better in store. Sometimes it's just hard to have faith in the future you can't see, even when you want to. But not even including the miraculous things that have happened in my life in those final years at BYU, just looking at how perfect my mission has been for me. If I had come at any other time I would't have had any of my companions, I wouldn't have had the Wolfgramms (good night) and Varese and Siena weren't open to Sorelle. I mean, I'm the third sorella to set foot in the city of Siena as a missionary.
 |
| Piazza Salimbeni |
And then I started thinking about be at twenty-one and how I was so not ready for a mission. I think I was ready for an adventure, but now I just get it. And the gospel has never meant more to me, especially since I've met so many people who are literally fighting to keep living the gospel and I think that sometimes we take for granted all that we have.
I started trying to make a list of the things I think I've learned as a missionary, here's what I have so far:
- I think I've learned what prayer is, really, and why it is so crucial.
- How to really talk to God and recognize all that I could never do without Him.
- I think I've learned how to feast on the scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon, oh mamma do I love that book and what everyone I love to read it.
- I think I've learned how to really love, to look for and take care of people's needs, how to want nothing but good for them and wanting to do everything I can for them. I don't want anyone to ever doubt that I love them which means I need to act like I love them and tell them.
- I think I've learned better what eternity means. How things can last forever and how we can never know the full consequences of our efforts. How we have an eternity to keep striving for knowledge and perfection and the fact that right now I am so small and so weak and so often wrong isn't the point so much as the fact that I'm trying.
I tried to make goals for the new year, ha. They're either SUPER vague, branching from living deliberately and filling my life with meaningful activities to keeping up on Italian and developing the art of cheesemaking, to funny specific things like running a marathon and finding a job. Twenty13, here we are. It's going to be good, because I won't settle for anything less.
Well, hope that's enough weekly word vomit for you. Enjoy the pics.
New addy:
Via Mameli 49
53100 Siena
Italy
Love you all!
sorella cespuglio
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