I'm still alive!
Caro Famiglia mia!
It has been an absolutely crazy week! Aside from the fact that we got to go to Sienna for the horse race (an all day affair) we actually didn’t make it home on Thursday evening because the horses took so stinkin long to actually start going. I was picturing something like “My Fair Lady” where they have the starting stalls for the horses, but it was actually a pretty primitive thing. The jockey’s didn’t even have saddles. And it took over an hour for the horses to get lined up and not shoving the other horses out of the way. It was RIDICULOUS!!! Anyhow, after the race finally started and ended 2 minutes later we had to BOOK IT out of there because we had about 20 mintues to work our way through the massive crowd and then run to the Church, grab our stuff and then head for the train station. It was complete madness. We were all running and there was really nowhere to run. I thought I was going to die, but I didn’t want to get lost =). Anyhow, our train was actually 25 minutes late so we didn’t even need to run quite that much, but at least me made it. That train took us to Firenze and then there wasn’t another train to Prato until 12:30 PM and the Zone Leaders said that that was too late, even though the ELDERS got to go home and sleep in THEIR beds! We ended up staying the night in Firenze with 4 other sisters and Sorella Stephenson and I slept on the floor so we could get up REALLY early (4:55) to head to Prato. We ran home, showered and then headed to the Questura (kind of like the immigrations office) where we had to wait for more than 6 hours for her to get fingerprinted. We weren’t planning on it taking 6 hours and had planned to take a train at a certain time to head down to Rome so I could pick up my Permesso, but we missed it and had to take one 2 hours later. So we got to the sister’s apartment in rome at about 10:30 and then talked until midnight (not my idea). Then the next morning we went to the Questura in Rome (thankfully for only 2 hours) and I am legal now! So we had a happy 4th of July in Rome, we ate at McDonalds (the most American thing we could think of) and then headed back to Pistoia for a couple of hours of work before going back to Prato to our own beds. Despite the craziness of the trip and traveling in general it was really fun to be back in Rome, even if it was just for a few hours. ANYHOW… after all that we’re just having a pretty low key P day today. We went and saw an old Fortress here in Pistoia and now we’re doing email and I don’t really know what else we’ll come up with. But I’m okay with that. We have permission to go to Pisa, so since next week is the last P day of the transfer I think we’ll head up there. It’s pretty fun, but pretty crazy around here.
Just a random note while I’m thinking about it. There was a full moon here the other night, and I was just wondering if it was a full moon for you all too. Just curious.
FYI… My camera is broken. Not entirely, but half of the screen is black. I think it got smashed in my back pack. =( Anyhow, I’m trying to decide if it would be better for me to buy one here or for you to buy one there and send it. If we both do a little research this week then next week I can make an educated decision. For now, I’m using Sorella Stephenson’s pictures. I actually kind of prefer not to have to take my camera, but I do like having one. But, I have decided that I like Canon’s. I just think the quality of pictures is way better. So if you don’t mind doing a little research for me, I’d appreciate it. (I guess that’s mainly directed at Crystal, or anyone really, who has a little time and could give me a few suggestions on what kind and how much, etc. )
Lets see…. What else??? As far as missionary work goes, summer is tough. A lot of people are on vacation or leaving in a few days/weeks. It’s kind of the same problem for Christmas, but just in the summer. But we do have some wonderful people we’re working with and the branch is getting more involved, too. I love Pistoia. There are such wonderful people here and it’s just such a cute little place. I love it! Crazy how time flies. Next transfer I’ll be going into my 7th transfer. CRAZY!!! I should probably know much more than I know, but as they say here in Italy “piano piano” or in other words, little by little. I’m trying. I feel like now more than ever I’m trying. I have to try hard just to keep up with Sorella Stephenson and sometimes I get exhausted… some days more than others, but somehow we just keep goin’. I feel so blessed to be able to be here as a missionary for the Lord.
Thanks for all the love and support that comes this direction. We can truly feel the prayers on our behalf. I love you all so much!!!
Vi voglio tantissimo bene!!!
Sorella Leckie
This is at Piera's Baptism. It was great!!
In Siena. There are a ton of pictuers, but this is just of us missionaries. This was before it got REALLY packed.
Happy 4th of July
These are all from Siena. So this race is a pretty big deal. I think they've been doing it for several hundred years at least. I heard different dates from different people. Each part of the city has a different animal or team name, and they all have a horse for their city and colors and there's a big parade at the beginning and they throw flags and have drummers, and people are all dressed up. It was definately a cultural experience that I'm glad to have had, but not one that I would necessarily want to repeat.
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