27/08/2014 Settimana di consacrazione

Well let me just start by talking about this week. What does consecration mean? Basically, it is a cleansing, dedication and devotion, to make clean and to refresh. Well, Thursday, Friday of last week we were not able to meet any of our goals and we only had one lesson! I'm not sure what happened exactly, it was just two rough days. I was feeling down, Sorella Carter was discouraged too. And (confession) I was feeling homesick, which I never thought would happen! Not that I don't love you all, because I do. Well anyways, Friday night I prayed out my heart to figure some stuff out. The next day, I woke up at 3am ish throwing up. I threw up all through the morning and as a result, we had to stay in Saturday. So that made three days in a row of not much success. I think I ate some bad pesto or got a bug or something. Such a bummer! 

I asked the Anziani for a priesthood blessing, and not only was it for health but it was an answer to my prayer. Miracle. Besides sore stomach muscles, I felt great on Sunday and have felt great since! I am so happy, and we have taught some awesome people so far this week. Small and simple things... like needing to take a day off to <cleanse> are how God brings about even better things. 

At church on Sunday, an investigator of 12 years came and found us. She is half Italian/American and is from Milano. Pretty much she said, I know that this church is true. I believe all of the doctrines and I want to change my life but I need your help. So, she is going to pick a date for baptism tomorrow and we are going to help her get there. So cool! On the other hand, our dear friend Mercedes has not been coming to church or responding to us... so her baptism will get pushed back. We don't have many people we are teaching right now but we met with some members to get more lessons lined up. I can feel good things to come :)

Last week, I started talking to a guy on the bus and I couldn't think how to correctly say there are 7 kids in my family, so I ended up saying that I have 7 kids of my own. Oh, language is soooo much fun!

I have an irrational fear of fire. Carpet does not exist here as a side note, everything is tile or wood. Well, the stoves and hot water runs with gas... and it scares me... so in the next 1.5 year surely I will overcome this fear of fire :) 

To answer some questions...

The most delicious thing I have eaten... ice cream, of course. And torta (cake) and food from South America! I don't remember what it is called, but it's delicious. We had arancini this week. Look it up. Deliciousness in a ball. 

The weather is cooling off. I fear it will be a cold winter because the summer has been so mild. Today, we are going to Como to go hiking. The weather is perfect and though yesterday it was groggy, today is sunny and bellisimo!

There are six missionaries in this war, Four elders, two sisters. So just Sorella Carter and I share an apartment. 

I love Milano! It is a huge city but it is so diverse. Downtown, I don't like so much. Treno parc is a beautiful area, though. There is a park right next to our apartment where we go running every morning we get the chance to do so. 

Italian men are not super attractive. Only on occasion, like the guy who helped us at the police station on Monday. I had to get finger printed to get my permesso di soggiorno.

Italian members are so strong! I Love them!!! They always try to help me with the language and correct me. It is much fun.  We visited with a great family yesterday; they even had a dishwasher in their kitchen (rare). But it felt like home. They were so cool.

I can now maintain conversations with strangers on the metro, tram or bus and most of the time I can understand what they say. Italians talk So Much! The gift of tongues I'll tell ya, is real. My sentences come out slow sometimes but I can read better and piano piano, slowly slowly with time I am getting better. It's a miracle. 

We email every week in an internet cafe. There is just a room of computers and phones and copier, and we come to email, pay like £2 then leave. 

No one responded to my enduring to the end questions last week. Fail!

This week: go look me up on mormon.org. Type in my full name and read it. Then browse through the website. It's good stuff.

Love you all! Thanks for being awesome :) keep writing and keep the questions coming. Life is good. I love the gospel, I love my savior. OH!

Go watch this video.... <confio en ti>

Ciao!

Sorella Hastings =)

Love and Be Loved