So this week has been short! I don't have a ton to talk about, but I am super excited that we got two p-days in one week! Wooo!
First things first.... results of transfer calls.
I will beeee.....staying in Palermo!! But I will be getting a new companion! Her name is Sorella Neff and she has been in Sardegna (the big rock in the middle of nowhere) her whole mission. She is one transfer ahead of me, and I hear that the best is when you get to serve with someone the same age as you in the mission. Sorelle Robinson and Bradford will be staying here too. We will just be splitting up our work and starting two seperate companionships. And it is also a miracle because all of our Anziani are staying too! So our district will be almost exactly the same. And this never happens! But I am so excited! I love our district. We are tight. But we will have 8 missionaries in this one ward. And I really hope it doesn't turn into a competition for work. (: But only time will tell!
So to answer questions...
Yes I recieved your letter.
And that story about the couple that knows the Steurers...that's crazy! It is definently a small world.
No I do not have this months Liahona :( unfortunately we don't get it until zone conference the month after, so I will always get them late. And speaking of...when the Liahona for Genreal Conference comes out, will you send me a copy ASAP. Because here in the mission we don't get our own copy. There is just one for the apartment...and I won't get it until December! :(
Our corso dopo corso di Inglese is going amazing!! Our numbers were booming this week because of it! And it's great, it gives me hope!
My Italian is coming along great. I don't feel like it is a trial anymore. For the most part I can say whatever I need to say, and I can understand almost everything. It really is a miracle. And I am so grateful for the gift of tongues. This language is so beautiful and it is starting to feel like second nature. Sometimes I forget words in English (which is a real thing. Sometimes I think return missionaries make that up, that they forget words, but it is true...it happens). And it is hard to believe that once upon a time I didn't know Italian!
Don't worry about Pito. That is just how Italians are! It is part of their nature to be so nice. And we always watch out for creepy guys! We are in a really really safe part of town and we have a million Anziani that are really protective over us. (I think President Waddoups thretened them). Plus a member lives in our building and our next door neighbor is a ragazzo who is the most amazing protective friend we have! You would think he is a missionary because he is with us EVERY day and he practically lives our rules. But really he just got baptized last December and is still in high school.
Yes. that is a meat truck. They deliver it to the store just like this.
And the butcher scrapes it off and hands it to ya right there.
You may ask, "Sorella Wiltbank, how much weight have you gained?" And you may be surprised at my answer when I say "None! In fact, my clothes are fitting a little loose". It is definently a miracle from God that I haven't gained weight. Especially down here in Sicilia!
Italians also have this weird taste bud. They like bitter things. Like really bitter. And they have a few drinks that they just love to drink at every meal, but I don't know how they do it it! It is like drinking a big glass of frizzy soap! And last night at our first appointment all they had was one of these bitter drinks (it's called Ginger, and I love telling everyone that it is named after my mom). And I didn't drink any of this drink. I just went without. And Sorella Madonia noticed (she loves me. She was the one that came up to me on my first Sunday here and told me that she has never met anyone more beautiful than me. Every time I am around her she just pets my face and plays with my hair. I have never been more pampered in my life!). So she asks me if Iike it and I kinda make this awkward face and try to make an excuse and she just stops me and say "It's okay gioia! You don't have to drink it!" And I feel relieved until the Anziani all start saying those awkward comments... .like " No she loves it! She wants a whole bottle!". Then Fratello Madonia goes to the fridge and whipps out this bottle. It kinda looks like a beer bottle. He opens it up and tells me to drink it. And I can tell that it is beer! And I am thinking "Where am I?! I have never been offered beer in my life! I never thought it would happen on my mission!" And I awkwardly tell him "Non posso" I can't! And then he tells me it's non alcoholic beer. And so I ask our Italian district leader, what do I do? And he says to just take it. So I do. And it was the first and last time I will ever give in to peer pressure and drink non alcoholic beer. Because it was NASTY!
 |
| The members not only like to feed us, but squirt whip cream in our mouths! |
Today in my personal study, I studied service. I loved Anziano Eyring's priesthood session talk about the good Samaritan, and this week lots of things about service has stuck out to me.
Time. I have decided that Time is the best act of service. It is the only thing that you can give that you can't recieve back. If you donate money, you can always earn more money, you can give food to someone on the street, but you can always find more food. Everyone is only given so much time. And it is something that once it is gone, we can never get back.
When you sacrifice your time for someone, you are demonstrating just how much you love them. Giving your time to sit and talk to someone who is having a hard day, or going out of your way to make someone a meal, or taking time to write someone a note. All things that take time to do.
I love the story about the good Samaritan. And Elder Eyring does a really good job at giving a talk about it, so if you haven't read or watched it yet, go do so now! It is great!
One part that he doesn't really talk about is the Levite priest who just passes by the man in need. I am sure he found some excuse to why he should't help the man. Maybe he was in a hurry or maybe he didn't want to risk his own safety by stopping on the road. We can always find some excuse why not to serve. Maybe we don't have time. Or maybe the person doesn't really need my help. Or maybe it will be good for them to learn how to do it on their own.
But remember the ending of the story. Remember who recieved the praise of the Lord.
" Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me"
If you can take away just a little bit of somebody else's pain, that's all the less pain that our Savior had to suffer for them in the garden of Gethsemane.
Remember! The key to happiness is to labor for the happiness of others!
I LOVE YOU GUYS!
Sorella Wiltbank
No comments:
Post a Comment