Another letter...9/12/08

Ciao!
Buon giorno mia familia!
Well-That’s about all the Italian I know. Just kidding! It’s a work in progress, but it is coming. I’m waiting on my laundry right now and you wouldn’t believe the line to use the computors. So hopefully I’ll get a chance to set up an email account.
In the mean time there’s always snail mail. I also would love to encourage y’all to use “dearelder.com.” It pretty much is like email, but they print it off and put it in our mailbox-and it’s free! So you can send lots of short notes-at least while I’m in the MTC. And they also have packages that you can send to your missionary-hint! hint! : )
Anyhow-It feels like I’ve been here forever and it’s only been a week, but luckily it’s getting better. (Warning-since I’ve started learning Italian I’ve completely forgotten how to spell. :-\) Anyhow-the first week was pretty rough-compounded by a nasty cold, which is hopefully on its way out. The first night in our room the thermometer on my alarm clock was at right around 58 degrees so that probably was a contributing factor in getting a cold.
A little about my zone/district. There were 4 Italian sisters and 1 anzione here who have been here for 6 weeks. The sisters are great and were so excited to have more Italians here. And the one anzioni (elder) was so excited to not be the ONLY elder. There were 26 Italian missionaries that came in with me. 3 of the sisters and about 8 of the elders are going to Rome. The others are going to Milan. But while we’re here we’re kind of mixed up in our districts. I absolutely love my district. Me and my companion (colega) Sorella Breaana Hawkey are the only sisters and there are 10 elders-and they crack me up. They are all so nice to the sisters. Our entire zone stands up when the sisters sit down for us and open doors for us. And they’re all trying so hard to be good. It makes me happy. I’m not sure what happens to the young men in the MTC, but it’s kind of amazing to see the transformation.
The MTC president is also amazing. He shares the most analogies and stories than anyone I’ve ever heard, but his talks are fantastic.
It really has been good for me to be here. As much as I may have resisted, the desire to serve is growing-slowly but surely, just like the language. My companion is amazing and I really feel SO lucky that we’re in this together. She’s one of the nicest people I’ve met, while still lmanaging not to make me feel bad for being judgmental-she makes me want to do better. She doesn’t seem to mind being my companion so we’re doin’ good. We’ve already decided that it would be awesome if we were each other’s last companion on the mission.
Anyhow-all is well here. I would love to hear from anyone who would like to write. Look into the dearelder.com thing. I’ll let you know what my email address is soon if you haven’t already gotten it.
Thanks for being so loving and supportive and for instilling in me a deep knowledge and testimony of the gospel. I love you all!!!
Love, Sorella Leckie