Email from Sara 9/30/08

Dear Family!

Alrighty... This week is going to be a rough one. We are speaking only in Italian for the entire week. You may think... "Wow, she knows enough Italian to go a whole week without english!" Don't think that. I know nowhere near enough. My companion and I have resorted a few times already to a strange sign language known only to us. :) As difficult as it is and will be in the next few days, I know it will help a ton. I can already tell that I am learning more.

Okey dokey... Let's see.... this week I jammed my finger pretty good playing basketball. The sister I was guarding/was guarding me was REALLY aggressive and of course instead of just backing off I kind of stepped it up a little. About two minutes before gym time ended an elder made a really bad pass and so me and the other sister were jumping up to get it. I reached it first, but only with one finger. Non bene! But it's getting much better now. It's still kind of purple, but I can bend it a little more now.

Just so you know what's going on- I've decided not to print off more pictures, but just put them on a CD at the bookstore, so I'll do that when I have a good many pictures, that way you'll have them electronically.

It's always fun to get your letters. It's really my only link to the world while I'm here in the MTC. Ironically I did know about the movie Forever Strong because there is an article about it in the Church News. It's actually a rugby team from Highland. You should read the article. The team has an AMAZING record- somethink like 360 wins and 9 losses. Crazy.

I had no idea about the Gas crisis. One of our Branch Presidency made a very vague reference to the "current situation" right now but we didn't really know what that meant. It's a cross between being really great and really frustrating not know what's going on in the world. Although, I'm enjoying the bubble more than I might have thought.

That sounds fun to have Holley and the girls visit for such an extended time. It will be a great opportunity to get to know them a little better.

I'm sad/excited to hear about Kate's hair. Be sure to send me pictures! I was also strangely excited to hear about the garden. I'm glad that you are still getting things. How is the sweet potato project going?

I can't believe how fast the time here is going. I leave for Italy in 5 weeks. That is not very many, and I can only hope that my Italian improves by leaps and bounds before then.

Each week we go to the LRC/TRC (Language Resource Center/Teaching Resource Center) There we do a door approach or some other random small assignment in Italian with some volunteers who speak Italian. We do the first part entirely in Italian and the past few weeks I will throw in a word or two and pretty much just stand there and try to figure out what in the world is going on. My companion took Italian in college for a semester so she's way ahead of me and understands a million times more than I do. After that we teach a lesson in English. This week was the last time we teach in English, so next week will be really really tough. Anyhow, yesterday something really strange happened. I was acually able to speak Italian in the LRC. Sorella Hawkey was having a rough day and the Italian just wasn't coming out of her mouth, but I can't help but think that it was the Spirit helping me to speak, because I've never been able to to that before so quickly. I'm not saying I conjugated everthing right or used all the right words, but I was able to spit them out in a somewhat cohesive and comprehensive manner. It was a good experience.

Alrighty, well there's a long line for the computer and I'm about out of things to say, so I'll head out. Thanks for all the letters. They really make my day(s)!! I love you all!!!!!

Love, Sorella Leckie

P.S.- I'm pretty sure I understood what you were talking about with the money situation and it sounds fine.

P.P.S- I'm assuming you haven't sent a package yet, I know this might be kind of expensive to mail, but I was wondering if you would send a set of those new scriptures that are under the TV in the Family room. I think my triple is going to bite the dust any day now. It was silly of me to think that it would make it 18 months with the perpetual use. I might not use my english one as much later on, but it's still pretty rough. If you can't or don't want to, that's fine and I'll make do, but it would be nice.