Email from Sara 2/4/09

Tomorrow is another day...

Alrighty, last week was a little rough, which you might have inferred from the call from the bank. This time I didn't lose my wallet... it was legitimately pick-pocketed- if pick-pocketing is legitimate. It was in my backpack and usually when the buses are crowded I swing my backpack around to the front so I can make sure no one takes anything, but this time my hands were full so I couldn't. I actually looked around me and saw a man behind me but my companion was pretty close to me too so I thought there wasn't too much of a reason to worry. Guess again... And the same night I stepped in dog poop on the sidewalk. There is actually a lot of dog poop on the sidewalks because there aren't really a lot of yards or anything and a lot of people don't bother to clean up after their pets. So anyhow in the semi-dark walking home after our appointment I stepped in a good one.

Also... a day or two later we had another appointment at a members home with two of our investigator- (the investigators- Doris and Neliane (from El Salvador and Brazil) and the members (from Ecuador) are wonderful) - anyhow after the lesson (which went GREAT!) we were going to eat some hot dogs and I go to sit down and the chair crumbled and I tumbled. I promise I haven't gained THAT much weight since I've been in Italy. Apparently the chair was already broken but they don't usually use it and forgot to move it. I already had a pretty good headache and miraculously when my chin hit the table on the way down I didn't break my jaw or even bruise, but it definitely didn't do much to help my headache. But I laughed it off and all is well.

There were a few other things- canceled appointments, etc- that didn't add to it being numbered among my favorite weeks, but it wasn't ALL bad :)
This past week the Lord did give us a little miracle. For the whole transfer we had a goal to have at least one new investigator every week and once again it was Saturday and we still didn't have a new investigator. We had reached our goal for every other week of the transfer and it was the last week and felt thought we weren't going to reach our goal. We were a little disheartened because we knew we could have worked harder and done more to find a new investigator and it's tricky on sunday's because there's church and we had zone singing which is good for getting potential investigators but not so much for an actual new investigator whom we have taught a principle, have their contact information, and an appointment to meet with them again... anyhow... sunday we were at church and a girl came to church who had met the sister missionaries about 4 months ago- and they had given her a pamphlet, and now she wants to learn more about the church. So not only do we have someone else to teach, but we were able to meet our goal and have at least one new invstigator every week last transfer. YAY!!! The Lord loves His missionaries!

This week is already going better. I actually have my three-month conference this week on Thursday and Friday. From what I understand we (all of the missionaries who arrived in Rome the same day that I did) will go to the Villa (the mission home) and have some trainings... eat good food... have more trainings... practice teaching.... and get pumped up for the rest of our missions. At least that's what I hear. I'm looking forward to it though. It will be fun to see everyone from the MTC again.

Alrighty well, I'm trying to think of what else I need to put in here and I'm coming up with not much so I guess I'll go ahead and call it good. I'm still thankful to be here and to be able to strengthen my testimony as I share it with others. Thanks so much for all the letters and support. I love you all!!

Love, Sorella Leckie