Email from Sara 9/2/09

Buone Settembre

Ciao Tutti!!

Alrighty, I'll try to give an update on my new living status. I'm still very much just trying to learn names, faces and places, but piano piano, I'll get there.
Obviously, I'm in Livorno. Fall is in the air and I love it... or maybe it's just cooler than Pistoia. Either way I'll take it.

Anyhow, Our apartment is about 15 minutes by bus away from the mare, or sea. It's not a sandy beachy sea so it's not quite as tempting as it could be, but it is beautiful. It's not very wavy unless there is a lot of wind, which does happen, but usually it's pretty tranquil. Lots of people swim there and most of the waterfront area is restaurants or private access areas. I've already seen more sunsets over the ocean in less than a week than I have in my entire life :)

Livorno is definately a MUCH bigger city. It's kind of an adjustment to be in a big city again.

But, a bigger city does mean more members. The branch here is great. We have a LOT of support from the branch presidency and they really want to help the missionaries. There were around 60 people there and I was told that it was kind of a small crowd and that a lot of people were still gone on vacation. (School doesn't start until about the 15th of September). There are several families who are "part american." Meaning that an american and italian got married. It's interesting to hear their stories and hear how it is to live permanantely in another country. I'm convinced more and more that I want to live inside the states. There is actually an american base nearby, but most of the members live in the Pisa branch. But there is one couple who are in our branch, and she is actually taking us to the base today to go grocery shopping, and boy oh boy, am I excited! I fully intend to stock up on lots of good things :).

Sorella Cheesman is amazing. She has had so many unique experiences that have shaped her into a very very strong and wonderful person. I have so much to learn from her. She has been in Italy about 6 months (She and Sorella Stephenson were in the MTC together). We have lots of fun together already and get allong very well. Sorella Stephenson is still in Pistoia and I'm anxious to hear updates on the work there.

There is quite a bit of work here to do also. We have several investigators who are very close to getting baptized or to setting a baptisimal date. If all goes according to plan we should have several baptisims in this transfer. There is one nigerian man who actually lives in Pisa, but works here so we teach him here and the elders in Pisa also teach him (It's complicated=) He is amazing and it's another testimony to me of how much the gospel can change people. Then there are Josy and her younger sister Leslie. They are Peruvian and their whole family is somewhat familiar with the church as they had friends in Peru who were members, but none of them are members. Josy (16 yrs old) is ready to get baptized, but her mom is not too sure about it, and Leslie is only 10 and wants to be baptized, but her dad is really hard on her and expects her to be a mormon scholar before she can be baptized, so we're working on that. There's also Massimilliano who is close to being baptized, but there are a few things that haven't quite clicked yet. I'll have a lesson with him for the first time tonight, but he came to church on sunday and I was only able to briefly meet him.
Anyhow, apart from that we have lots of finding to do. Not exactly my favorite, but apparently the Lord wants me to work on finding :) There's really no way around it in missionary work, i'm afraid. I'm sure some day I'll learn to love it :).

Alrighty, gonna go now. Sorry no pictures, but I should have my new camera next week after zone conference and I can send you some beautiful pictures of the ocean.
Love you all. Hope you have a wonderful and safe week.
Con tanto affetto,
Sorella Leckie