One Year

This week I'm ssaaaaddddddd...

It's possible that I'm just grumpy because I haven't eaten in 22 hours...  

expect miracles

I'm rooting for baby Holland over here & expecting miracles.

We had a special zone conference yesterday and all the "dying" missionaries gave their testimonies & it was sad/sweet.

Last week President told us to get 21 lessons this week... which we did but I hated it!  So I was just super stressed out and so tired all week.  It was rough. but we did it. 

setting records

Then at zone conference, President was showing us graphs about our total lessons and last week our mission taught 1700 lessons!  Usually 1400 is high... He said that never in the entire history of this mission have that many lessons been taught & 1/3 were with members!  That's pretty good.  

Physically I'm worn out, but I'm happy that President is happy (EVEN if I'm still a little mad at him for not letting us wear sandals..) 

I'm just tired, you know? & I feel old.

March 20, 2013 (when she was "brand new")

The assistants did a scambi with Tanner & Lovett so they brought me all my million packages on Monday! 

they love me
But that also meant I STILL didn't get any mail at zone conference.. hahah everyone just looks at you like "Awww, poor girl" & I'm like "HEY!  MY PARENTS LOVE ME.  You just can't see it right now."  

On the bright side, I still love Carmen & she brings my joy<3

gelato miracle

It's time to talk about a miracle..

So it was Saturday afternoon and we still needed six lessons before Sunday night to hit 21 lessons.  We were on our way to see a less active & she bailed. Then another one of our investigators wasn't there either...  We were sad because that meant we needed 3 street lessons that day.  So I was feeling bad & decided we needed to get gelato.. obvi. 

So we had passed by this gelateria before one of our lessons that day & thought to myself.. 

"I've NEVER seen this place.. it looks good."  

SO WE WENT BACK & because we had no where to go, I said "Let's eat it inside." (I NEVER say that.. it always feels like a waste of time.)  

double happiness
Anyway, we decide to sit at the booth & we're just eating our gelato being happy.  I got fior di panna and amarena..  Then the gelato man comes over to me and tells me to try the mango flavor and just sticks it in my cup!  So I'm double happy and keep eating my ice cream... 

Then he comes over and gives Sorella G another scoop of ice cream.. Then he comes over again to ask us how we like it.  Everyone here thinks it's so funny to ask us if the ice cream here is better than in America (like they're just fishing for compliments).  

fishing
So we tell him how good his ice cream is.  Then he says, "You know my sister is a member of your church in (some South American country) and I've been a bunch of times when I go down to visit her and I love it and the people and the doctrine but I didn't know we had one here." 

reel'm in
At that point my mouth just drops & I'm trying to keep my cool, but I get so excited and I make Sorella Gillespie write down his phone number.  I'll be surprised if he's not baptized by May.... Plus he owns a gelateria and will give us free gelato if we pass by & it's probably the best gelato I've ever had. 

miracles.

Last pday we went on the roof of the duomo in Milano & there were a lot of stairs, 

but it was pretty. 

Also I got to see Sorella Astel & Anz Miller at zone conference and I looovvvveeeee them.  I just wanna hang out with my buddies all the time.

ALSO I got a Valentine's Day card from Marielle & she's my best friend<3

And I got my towels and salt and vinegar almonds (I ate them all already, YOLO) & I loved my Abe notebook.  Fun fact:  paper here is waayyyy different than in America.. I was like, "Why is it so short?" Then I remembered that it was from America.  I miss American things. 

Dad said it's gonna rain this week & that makes me saaaddddd)=

Some days are harder than others... but I'm still glad to be here & 

I love Italian things and Italians and Italy. 

I sent Dad & Scott letters this week, so you can look out for those..

out of time 

WLFM (it just doesn't flow the same, does it?) 

I'll see you literally 6 months from today, Pajina

(Email Sent - March 19, 2014)