Letter #4 and Pictures from Catania, Italy

Dear Family,

I am very happy that Mom and Dad were able to move. I was so happy to hear of all the members who helped. They are all so amazing and very dear friends!


My week has been wonderful. We have been trying to help Salvatore quit smoking. We introduced him to the "quit smoking program" that the church has. He is very excited. He and his girlfriend have a baptism date for the 1st of June. So we are just trying to help him quit smoking and then they need to get married and all is well. We have taught most of the lessons. And they understand it, especially Salvatore. They already have tons of member friends, because our ward is AWESOME.


We have been trying to work with the members more. Our member book, a book that has pictures of the members and a little information for the missionaries that come, is way out of date. Our ward list is 10-11 pages long and we have 30 pictures in our member book. It is insane and the photos were taken at least 5 or more years ago. All of the primary kids are babies in the photos or not even born yet. So we have been updating that book recently this week. This last Sunday I just had my camera out while we were greeting. Whenever a member would come in, I would stop them and ask if I could have a picture of them! I felt slightly crazy but it was worth it :)


I love our members. Italians are hilarious! One of the funniest things is they do NOT understand when they don't need to bring food. If you invite them to a ward activity they ask if they need to bring anything. After you assure them that all is taken care of, and you explain that they just need to bring themselves and come, they look like they might CRY. They start repeating EXCITEDLY, "WHAAT you dont need me to bring ANYTHING? Are you sure?!" Finally to stop them from hyperventilating you say, "OKAY, You can bring a dessert!" They immediately calm down and happily tell you what they will make. HAHaHA! Italians are just very generous and loving people so they do not like it when you don't let them help. :)


Sicily is beautiful! I recently had an amazing reminder:


I AM IN ITALY!!


The history, the ancient columns covered in graffitti, the sea! It is amazing. The other day we went with the Anziani to visit an investigator. She lives in Giardini Naxos, the first Greek colony in Sicily. It is perched on the side of the mountain. It is one of the prettiest drives I have ever seen. You can see Mt. Etna from her window, it is very close. Mt Etna is beautiful! Recently it has been smoking and last week it erupted and there was lava and cool stuff coming out the top!!!

Taormina, the coast and Mt Etna

This was at the public garden.

Sorella Ansted and Mt Etna

On the drive home from Giardini Naxos we had the windows down in the car and everything around Catania smeels like flowers and campfires. That day is smelled like honeysuckle. The air here is intoxicating.


There is a shortcut we walk on our way to church and it is lined with fields of wildflowers. As we were walking along a few weeks ago, we heard rustling in the brush. We walked on and heard it further on. Then all of the sudden we saw in the path a little lizard! As we walked along we saw another, and another and another!! SICILY is infested with little green lizards EVERYWHERE. They are harmless but it was a scary first moment. They are always running and scurrrying out of sight!


The subject of this email comes from an old italian dittie that a member taught us, translated it means, "poppies and ducks" it goes:


Lo sai che i papaveri son alti, alti, alti (you know the poppies are tall, tall, tall)
E tu sei piccolino , e tu sei piccilino (and you are small, repeat)
Lo sai che i Papaveri son alti, alti, alti
Sei nato paperino (you were born a little duck)
Che cosa ci puoi far (what can you do?)


I love Italy! I feel very blessed to be here.


Today I went to visit Taormina. It is gorgeous. With a great view of the coast and Mt. Etna, it is a big tourist site.

Us at Taormina

Taormina is just gorgeous!

We saw tourists everywhere. It was the best finding ever. We would hear people speaking English and we would go talk with them and about their vacation. We would help some with directions and everytime they would ask why we were there, We would say, "We're missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! Have you ever heard of this church?" They all thought we were so cool and we would help them with translating. We met a lot of British people and one American couple! It was soo much fun :)

Last week I sent you a dark foto of Motta. We went back this Monday and it was light outside so I took a foto at the same spot so now you can see.

Me at Motta

Motta - it is beautiful

Me and Sorella Ansted at Motta :)

I love you all so much. I will call the office and tell them of our new address :) I am excited to see the new house :)

Sorella Preston