Email from Sara 4/8/09

Buon primavera!! (Happy spring!!)

Okay, nobody actually says happy spring, but I am so happy that its finally warming up. We don't have to wear nylons now and I feel like I've been set free!! It's great. Short sleeves are it for now and let me just say that the Elders are super excited to not have to wear their coat jackets anymore. Life is good.

Okey dokey, I suppose I'll mention the big news about the Earthquake- I didn't feel a thing, but one of the sisters in my apartment and the elders all said that they felt a tremor but at like 10:45 and the actual earthquake didn't hit until around 3 something in the morning. But we were supposed to have interviews that morning and they were a little bit late so the news I got was "interviews are going to be at 12 instead of 10 because there was a earthquake in Rome." I thought the elder calling was joking, but I wasn't sure, and having just served in Rome I was a little concerned when I found out that he was serious. Thankfully the damage to members homes hasn't been too extensive in L'aquilla and there really wasn't any damage in Rome. We were talking with president about it and that area is just really really really old and not especially well cared for. Everything here is old, but there's not really too much to worry about, but anyhow... it is very sad and I'm sorry for the families who have lost loved ones. It's been on the newspapers here, but other than that we haven't really heard too much.

Okay, I acutally made a list this week of the little things that happened throughout the week so I could remember what to tell you.

First of all... conference. We watched the saturday morning session live at 6:00 in the evening. Then on sunday we watched a recording of the saturday afternoon session and then the sunday morning session. We still haven't gotten to watch or read the sunday afternoon session, but we can either print talks of the internet or we can wait for the Liahona. I'm excited to hear the rest of conference. I felt almost like I was at home when I was watching conference. It was a great to actually be experiencing how the prophet speaks to the world and how the messages are the same for everyone.

As you know, Sunday was palm Sunday. Kind of interesting, people carry around olive branches here for Palm sunday. I know the story from the bible of people laying down palms in the road, so I guess it's just a symbolic thing that they carry them around here on palm sunday. It was interesting and the first time I'd ever seen anyone do that.

A funny italian experience: The other day we were on the bus, and I am continually amazed by how the bus drivers maneuver around in these small narrow streets. Anyhow, there was a van parked where he was blocking part of the road (people double and triple park here like you're supposed to do it) and the bus couldn't get through. Well when there's someone parked in the road- because people stop and turn their hazards on and then run in the store instead of finding a place to park- and then everyone just sits there and honks so they'll hurry and move. So the bus driver is honking and the driver of the van comes out and is not in a hurry at all to move his van, and in fact comes over and looks at the space between the bus and the building and starts fussing at the bus driver saying that he had plenty of space. So then the bus driver and the van driver start yelling at each other. The bus driver gets off the bus and very respectfully was yelling at the van driver and telling him that he needed to move his van. People on the bus were either yelling or laughing. (My companion and I thought it was hilarious). Anyhow, all ended well. The van driver moved his van and the bus kept going, but it was just a funny cultural experience.

Funny apartment experience. SO in the mission there are tons of "eating challenges" usually among the elders where they have to eat a certain amount of food in a certain amount of time (ie. 24 Duplo bars in 10 minutes, or just eating 750g. of Nutella without losing it) Anyhow, we had half a lemon on our kitchen table and we told Sorella MacKinnon that we would give her 4 Euro if she would eat half of the lemon with the peel. Well... I don't know if she's crazy or if she just wanted to entertain us, but it was really really funny. I took a video, but it just doesn't do justice to the situation. Good times.

Another exciting thing is that we get to go to a soccer game. I'm pretty excited. I really don't understand much of the rules in soccer, but it's such a big cultural thing here that I'm excited to have the experience. I'll be sure to send pictures. We're taking a shortened p-day today so that we can go on saturday.

A somewhat gross experience: We had a dinner appointment with an investigator- a Peruvian lady who works for an old lady who has Alzheimers. Anyway, apparently there is a special Florintine dish made with liver, sardines, and capers ground up and mixed together and put over bread. It was pretty much like we were eating cat food. Probably one of the worst things I've eaten in Italy. The octopus was even better.

A cool experience that we had the other day. So I told you all about how the inactive sister challenged this guy to read the Book of Mormon and to come to church, etc. Well we were at her little store the other day and he didn't even come in to buy anything, but he seriously came by to ask her what time church was on Sunday. We were shocked and totally excited. Unfortunately he was a little bit detoured by the fact that it was conference weekend and Maria told him that it was all day long and 2 hours away. But hopefully he will come to regular church sometime. It was cool.

We also had an appointment this morning with an investigator. She's actually a Baptist from Camaroon. It's really different teaching someone who's not Catholic. But good. They're already thinking outside the box and know that we pray to Heavenly father, etc. It was a good appointment and we're excited to go back.

It's been a good week. It's seriously flying by, I can't believe that this transfer is almost over.

I hadn't actually heard about Leckie's mission call. Thanks for letting me know, mom. CoNgRaTuLaTiOnS to Leckie! That's so exciting. In Rome there were a lot of Romanians- unfortunately a lot of them get a pretty bad reputation because most of the gypsies are from Romania and make trouble and then the respectable hard working Romanians have a hard time finding jobs and stuff. But they are great. A lot of Orthodox people, but we met quite a few who were curious if not interested in the gospel. I'm excited for him!

Okey dokey, well I'm going to pick out some pictures to send you and then I think we're off. I hope everyone has a wonderful week and a very very happy easter.
Love you all so much!!!
Sorella Leckie

This is the bus full of missionaries going from the church to the Train Station after conference. The people who got on the bus were a little confused.


This was a really pretty field next to the church where we watched conference. These are the Florence sisters and then Sorella LaRoca. Her companion didn't want to be in the pictures. There are lots more, but I'm out of time! This was a really pretty field next to the church where we watched conference. These are the Florence sisters and then Sorella LaRoca. Her companion didn't want to be in the pictures. There are lots more, but I'm out of time!