Another week 15/10/2014

Heather Hastings	7:14 AM (3 hours ago)

I never know how to start these weekly letters. Last week’s birthday was great! Fuddruckers American style hamburger with cheddar cheese, an Oreo milkshake, French fries. Mmmm :) Then the chocolate factory... pictures will follow. A good day indeed. That night, we went to out ward Mission leaders house to help his daughter with English for a college class. Well, they made us dinner and surprised me with a cake. It was perfect! 

This week we just went around Milano in search of some things. We ate a Kebab for lunch today, finally. Look it up. It's like a gyro, kind of sort of. They are everywhere on the streets here. It was good! But what is the mystery meat? No one knows.

Well, I got to do the scambio this past week in Lugano. La Svizzera è bella! It was like dream land. So beautiful, but so very expensive. The missionaries who live there have to shop in Italy every pday because it so expensive. Craziness. But I had a great time and loved Sorella Boscia! In fact, Liz, she reminded me a lot of you. She is 36 years old and dated someone for five years, got engaged, then broke it off and decided to go on a mission. We spoke only Italian and I did fine! I learned a lot and it was a really cool opportunity. Becca, Lisa and Liz, I love you all :) she felt like one of my sisters and so I thought of you all a lot. Oh, and go buy a Toblerone bar if you want some Swiss chocolate :)

This week in church our dear friend Sabrina came! Ok, I may have said before that she is crazy. She is so funny though and we have a bap date set with her. Well, she was really nervous and tired and asked for coffee. Of course, we didn't have coffee. Then in sacrament meeting, she wanted to clap after a family sang a prelude song. She was getting annoyed that parents were making the kids stop playing and be reverent because she thought they should be allowed to play. Then, towards the end, she pulls out her pack and tries to roll a smoke... during sacrament. We told her to put it away and wait... aside from that, she liked it! We visited her yesterday and thankfully, she said she will come back. Phew. 

Then, on Monday: superhero day! We visited a sweet less active lady who needed us, then district meeting, then pizza, then we helped a lady in the ward recover her passwords from her computer and contacted her niece, then our friend Rosa... remember the girl we were teaching English? Yeah, her. Well, she didn't pass her English test. Just this last Thursday she decided to Move back America. We we hurried and met up with her on Monday at McDonalds. She left yesterday to fly to New York! She wants to live there until January to study English, then come back in January to Italia and finish school. We had a lesson with her on Alma 26:36-37 (I think) and Mom, I gave her a meet the Mormon bracelet that said, "One choice changes everything." It was sad because she was my first goodbye but we are so happy for her! She's so brave. I just know good things will work out for her.

What else to say? We are busy. Time is flying. Sometimes it’s a like a dream, listening to all this Italian around me. In this past week I really feel like my Italian has exploded. The gift of tongues and the power of God through prayer is real! It's SO cool! 

We did laundry this week and it took two whole days for our towels to dry. Welcome to Europe... fun times. I am glad that I also bought that quick dry towel.

Life is good, as I've said. Nothing to worry about me. I have the coolest companion ever and we get along mostly great. We laugh so much, and she's so crazy, but she is such a good teacher and example to me. She makes me come out of my comfort zone, and we work well together. 

La vita è bella!

Vi voglio molto bene! Grazie mille tutti per ogni cosa!!! A dopo!

Sorella Hastings =)

Love and Be Loved

It's a great day to be alive :) 08/10/1994

Heather Hastings			2:28 AM (7 hours ago)

Last night we hurried home after serata famigliare, planned, cleaned the whole house and went to bed. This morning we studied early, and for companionship study Sorella put up the birthday banner, through out some confetti and I opened the gifts the family sent :) we are emailing now then will get some foccacia, then we are going to Varese to eat lunch with the Sorelle in our zone at Fuddruckers, then going to the chocolate Lindt factory and will explore this beautiful land! Oh, and it's my birthday. I am SO grateful for my life here on earth and for my family. I am grateful for the knowledge of God and his plan, and for prophets, and for the scriptures. I know that all of these things are true!!! thank you everyone, for all you have ever done to bless my life :)

Well, I did it. I gave in. I woke up this morning and put tights on. The last three days it has rained all day and it is fredissimo (really cold)!!! 

I have a request: the family sent a package and mom and dad sent letters weekly, but otherwise my stack of mail is like, non-existent. So, if friends or anyone want to send me a letter, feel free. 

ALSO, if you send a package, throw something small in a little bubble envelope. Like fall candy from America, or some photos, or... i don't know. It's cheap and small and easy. 

Here is the mission address:

Sorella Heather Hastings

Via Antonio Gramsci 13/2

20090 Opera, MI 

Italia

Also, an easy cinnamon roll recipe would be wonderful, if that exists. And maybe someone could mail me some baking powder in the next 13 15 months? It doesn't really exist in Italia... 

Now for some good stuff. Life is so good!!! Last Thursday I got to be senior comp for the day and visit our two most progressing simps with a brand newbie. We had members at both lessons and went so well. It was stressful, but I learned a lot and really was able to rely on the spirit with what to say, and the language came well. Sorella D'Ambrioso her dad is from Italy, and she enjoyed getting advice from me because I just went through everything she is about to experience.

In preach my Gospel, there are four basic points that we teach in the Gospel, on page 7. President Dibb challenged us to use these points in meeting people, and well, Friday we found FIVE new investigators! What a miracle. We ate lunch with a member and she invited over three friends for us to meet. We are eating again together on Friday. So cool!

Remember Diego, my favorite crazy Italian family? We visited them Sunday night and taught him about the basics, Prayer and such. We asked him to say a prayer, and it was so genuine, funny but amazing! We have hope! Then because I have a bad cough his mom gave me this grandma scarf to walk home in (because Italians firmly believe in scarfs to avoid sickness. it's like medicine) and she gave us Ragù and cheese. Score.

I got to interview with President Dibb yesterday at Zone training. Sorella Carter told him that I would be ready to train after this transfer (yikes) and he said he is proud of us. We are blessed to be in Lampugnano , in such a big ward. Well his brother married President Monson's daughter, so that's where the connection comes from.

Speaking of Prophets... conference was incredible! It went by so fast but it was perfect. Prophets’ are REAL! We can receive revelation for ourselves, and we must serve others with love. We must walk as Christ walked, and as we obey the commandments we will change and have more joy. The Temple is our ultimate goal in this life. Good stuff. As we watched the two morning sessions at 6pm at night, ya'll were watching it at home. Kinda cool. We are so blessed. SO so blessed! Go back and relisten/rewatch the words of the prophets. They only do good if we remember them and APPLY them in our life. 

I found a scripture to share with you today: In the Book of Mormon, Ether 6:7. Read it. reread it. How can you apply this to your life? If we are like the scripture says, then Satan cannot come into our life. We turn to the Lord, and he will help us. Good stuff.

Well, this weekend I get to go to Lugano for scambio and next Monday Varese comes to me. Fun stuff. Time is flying. I am loving being a missionary and love this work!!! It's so great. Truly, I love you all. Thanks for all you do! Enjoy the beautiful fall season in America and keep your chins up! BE awesome! 

Sorella Hastings =)

Love and Be Loved

1/10/2014 hastening the work

x

Heather Hastings	Oct 1 (1 day ago)

Well, well, well. WHAT a busy week!

Phew.

Wednesday night we learned how to make pupusas from el salvador. t'was fun. Friday to Saturday we did a scambio (exchange) and I went to Varese (such a cool city, I loved it! They only have a branch but if they work a little harder they will see miracles!) Then Sunday was church and that was a day of miracles. Just let me tell voi (ya'll)...

La domenica: We went to church, went well. Each Sunday my ability to understand la lingua improves more and more. We did not have a lunch appointment and that was a blessing because we got to go home and make a light lunch, have Sunday studies and breathe a bit. Then we did some finding at a park... On the way to the park we met this guy. It all started with, 

Come sta? (how are you?) 

Male. (bad) 

Perchè? Why?

Perchè non c'è lavoro. (Because there is no work)

And then Sorella Carter and I kept talking With him. He got off on the same stop as us and we said bye. He walked away, we held back for a minute, Then he turns around and starts walking back to us. He says hey, could we maybe exchange numbers? HE asked US. Of course!

So we talked a bit, had a mini prayer lesson with him and set up an appointment. Bam. New simp and got his number. His name is Franco, has a wife and son and seems really cool.

Then... As we left the park two hours later, he was leaving the park too! We didn't want to be following him so waited for the next bus. Then, we got a call. Sorella Carter was on the phone and this African walks past saying in English, "I'm looking for a church!" And Sorella Carter waves and says, Come back here! So we took him to the church with us and the Anziani (the elders) taught him a lesson.

Then, there was a meeting at the church for all of the ghans (single adults). I can't remember if I said this before, but...

They want to create a SINGLES ward in Milano!!! Pretty much, this is super exciting. Can you imagine? I'm sure you can't, but I can! It will be SO great!

Phew. Ok. Then Monday to Tuesday I did another scambio and I went to Busto. It is a small little paese on the way to Varese where le sorelle ride bikes! It was sweet! All of our appointments fell through and we only had two lessons, and we got rained on, but I learned a lot and I will just say that I am grateful for Milano Lampugnano. This is an amazing ward I am in.

So, the weather here is temperamental. I don't like it. It is getting foggy season always and mornings are cold, then sometimes afternoons are hot or they stay cold. How do we know? We never know. Fun times.

I got my permesso last week, and that was a blessing because it is valid through the end of December 2015. Usually missionaries don't get that lucky, but I won't have to renew it.

Well, next week is my birthday on P-day. We are going to eat at Fuddruckers in Varese and then go to the Lindt factory. Mmmm :) We'll explore along the way. Also, the next day I get to do a scambio in Lugano, which is in Switzerland! The thing is that the Sorella there speaks only Italian... so I am nervous for that. Pray for me?

After doing these scambios, sorella Carter is very impressed with my Italian. She says I speak very well and have been blessed with the gifts of tongues. I feel it's true! Heavenly father has guided me so much and I am trying so hard to always talk and improve better. It is tough and exhausting, but it's a blessing.

That's about all. Read Mosiah 4:9-12. Then read the whole chapter. Good stuff.

I am SO excited for conference this weekend! We truly have a living prophet on the earth, and this week we get to hear from him and his apostles. best part is that it will be in ENGLISH. Yeah. 

This church is true.

Church is our savior.

God loves you.

I love being a missionary!

If you have a testimony of this Gospel, of anything small or big, share it! Share that love of Christ.

Vi voglio bene!!!!

Grazie tutto. :)

Fotos: Busto scambio with Sorella McPeek on bikes!

Scambio with Sorella Fuller in Varese

An Italian view

The pupusas

Sorella Hastings =)

Love and Be Loved