MTC Letter #7

Cara Famiglia ed amici,

Come state voi!! I am doing wonderful! I am loved your thoughtful letters I received this week. I am excited to leave for Italy in less than 2 weeks. I cannot believe how fast the time has gone by. I am nervous but all will be well. But since I am leaving for Italy in 2 weeksish if you want to write me or anything, I would do it now when it is free using dear elder. After that it is a lot harder :) 

This week My teacher Sorella Fairbanks had an exercise where we talked about God's love for all of us. We practiced responding to contacts who feel that God doesn't love them. Then she went around the room saying one thing she has noticed about each of us that is unique and marvelous. After that she told us that she knew this after only 2 months and if she knew us better she would be able to talk for hours. But Christ knows us perfectly and He can talk about us for hours and He will if we listen and ask. SHe then asked us, "what would Christ tell you and praise you for if He were standing in front of you now?" It was a wonderful thought provoking question. I received so much wonderful insight into myself. I would recommend you to ask that question to yourself. Go and sit in a quiet place and ask that question. Sister Fairbanks explained that Christ and our Heavenly Father do tell us. How often have we fellt the Spirit tell us, "you did that well!" and then we brush it off saying "NO, NO i didn't ". It helped me to try to recognize God's love for me and Christ's love for me more in my life.

 

My teacher Fratello Acerson was talking to us another time about keeping Faith and successful missionaries. He found that if you didn't lose sight of the vision that you came there to work and to bless people's lives than you will have success. "Too often" He said " Missionaries would lose sight of the vision of missionary work". He shared a quote from M. Russell Ballard that he told all the teachers at the MTC. He said, "If you tell or say to your students that you won't baptize, Repent!" Have faith in God and don't get discouraged. Embrace His timing and that He knows all! I loved this message from my teacher, and I was gratefull to go to Italy with that on my mind.

 

This last Sunday Sheri Dew came and talked to all the Sister missionaries during Relief Society. Her talk was marvelous :) I also found out that this Sunday they are going to be broadcasting the Brigham City temple dedication here at the MTC. They will have two sessions and I get to attend! I am very very excited.

 

Us Italians have been going crazy about the new missionaries. We all want to be their best friends! Two of the new missionaries actually have italian heritage, Sorella Merenda and Anziano Faggioli (beans). They are both excited to go to Italy and maybe find some of their ancestors, but both don't know Italian very well. One of the new sisters, Sister Christiansen is actually leaving with me and my districts. She lived in Napoli for three years because her father was in the military. and then she minored in Italian at BYU. She is kind and very helpful when we go to her with questions. She is going to Rome so I might even serve with her one time. I hope I get a native companion. My chances they say are very high. She would help me so much with my Italian and she would know the ropes already from being native. I hope I do :) 

 

Fratello Acerson was telling us stories about his mission and one was terrifying (This story is for you Ann). He and his companion were supposed to help a less-active sister move. (The ward missionary leader arranges your service for you now). But she was being evicted because of cleanliness issues. They went into her house and it was poorly lit and there were GIANT Daddy Long Legs covering the ceiling! They were unscrewing her dresser and bed and cockroaches would come poaring out of the drawers. He and his companion would frantically jump to crush them. There were cockroaches running around in all of her dishes, and the nest was in the fridge. They pushed the fridge over and the nest exploded and cockroaches went everywhere. They had to carry that fridge outside with cockroaches crawling on their arms!! After this, Fratello Acerson said his companion had nightmares for months.  

 

This Wednesday I was able to host new missionaries. Both of the Sisters I hosted and showed them where their classes were are going to Salt Lake Central Mission. They are extremely nice and actually live only 2 doors down from me :)

 

Sister Bradford is wonderful as always. She auditioned today with a friend Elder Glenn to sing in a meeting here at the MTC. They sang, "Savior,  Redeemer of MY Soul" Actually, both their moms are best friends and they had heard about each other all their lives and they met here at the MTC. He is going to Barcelona, Spain. They sung beautifully, and she will receive a notice in the mail if they are able to schedule them as a musical number before we leave. I hope they do! She is also going to the Salt Lake temple tomorrow because she is technically classified as an "international missionary" because her families was living in Singapore when she came to the MTC. So I will be on a split for most of tomorrow. I am very excited for her to have this opportunity!!!

 

One of the elders in the districts who are leaving with me went to the hospital last friday because his stomach hurt. Turns out his gall bladder imploded. So they removed and He is back. But we are hoping he is able to leave with us on the Oct 2nd. We will see! But keep Anziano Carr in your prayers.

 

I love you all!! I am excited to go to Italy and actually be in that country and with the people I love so much already!