Ciao a tutti!
First of all, let me apologize. I just
realized that most, if not all, of my emails have been me whining over
and over again. Yes, it's hard, but I'm a Willis. I need to suck it up.
Haha. So, to everyone who has been folloing my emails, I'm sorry.
Second of all, babbo, or someone, can y'all send me a contact info
book, thing? I can get just a regular notebook, and have people sign it,
but I would prefer one that's alphabetized, so that it's easier. So, if
I could get a good sized one, per favore. One that could fit 18 months
of people into :) Grazie!
Third, Courtney or Elisabeth, can y'all find me a workout tshirt,
that's kinda fitted? I have all my zillions of tshirts, and I wear them
when I go outside and play volleyball every day, and so now I'm getting a
killer farmers tan line on my arms (killer in a bad way).
Aunt Lara, thank you for the package! I sent y'all a letter! But, I
got the package last week the day after p-day, so I wasn't able to
write y'all back until today. Sorry it took so long, I promise I wanted
to write you back as soon as I could! :)
Ben and Jess, I'm SO excited that y'all are planning for the Temple
in September! I just wish I could be there. Che triste (how sad). Ma,
va bene (but, it's all good).
Adam, what's all this? She came
with us to breakfast at Kneaders... I think I really liked her. Go for
it! Ma, jeez, everything can't happen when I'm gone! Ben and Jess
getting sealed, Adam getting serious with a girl... and apparently,
Kaleb said y'all are going to Harkers Island for Thanksgiving... what?!
So much is happening! My word, people. When I get home is the family
going to be twice as big, with marriages and babies? Holy cannoli. That
would be sad and awesome all at once :) Haha.
Babbo, sorry about the complain-y letter I sent y 'all. True story:
I'm a punk, and I need to worry about myself, and not about anyone
else. I can't control what my companion/district/zone does, I can only
control what I do. I've been studying charity A LOT lately. That's
something I need to work on a lot. And, there's so much I've learned
just in studying in for a couple of days. That I need to do better with
myself, things about the Atonement - it's just wonderful! I love
studying.
My colega (companion) and I have been meshing well lately. We used
to not be able to plan lessons - which made for not awesome lessons.
But, now we're planning better together, and teaching much better
together. It's awesome to see the progression and the groweth that comes
from work, and trusting in the Lord.
Okay, when I write my emails to y'all, I go by what I write in my
journal, so it might be super jumbled, and random. Ma (but), so Fratello
Bulloch is the greatest teacher, ever. I love him. But, apparently he
won't be our teacher in a couple weeks, when the new Italians come in.
Which is good for them, if I were starting new again in the MTC, I would
absolutely want an amazing teacher like Fratello Bulloch to start us
off. So, we had ANOTHER teacher teach us one day - Fratello Taylor. He's
awesome. His brother, just got home from his mission from Barcelona
Spain a month ago, so I thought maybe he might know Marcos Krasno. Ma
(but), he didn't know. Ha. But, Fratello Taylor is awesome, too. I'm
kinda keeping a tab on how many different teachers we've had, as a
district (because of the confusion at the beginning). I think we're on
10 now. We also have a brand new teacher who sat in on one of our
classes the other day, and he'll most likely be teaching our class. His
name is Fratello Garvin. He's awesome too. I love them all! They're all
so so great. They just make me want to come home from my mission, and
work at the MTC :)
OH my word! Okay, quick story time. "Elf" moment. I was in the
bathroom. And there was someone brushing their teeth. Then they started
humming "High On The Mountain Top"... and after I while, it just got
stuck in my head, and for a second or so I started humming a
long/harmonizing... then I stopped, and remembered the scene in "Elf"
where Buddy does that to Zoe Deschanel, and I almost busted up laughing.
I dunno how funny this is to a reader, but in real life it was
hilarious!
I watched the "Character of Christ" on Sunday. Bombest talk ever!
Seriously, the talks they show here at the MTC are so so good. It's
amazing. That talk was what made me want to study Charity & Love.
I sat with some elders the other day, and got to know them. They
were going to Canada... and one was named Elder Willis! But, no
relation. Haha. But, I love meeting new missionaries, and getting to
know all these different people. They're wonderful :)
Mom, did I tell you that my Branch President's wife is from
Colombus, Ohio? I told her you served your mission there, but she said
she was out at school the time you served there. But, still. She's
awesome.
Oh! Then we had TRC on monday. Usually, I'm not fond of TRC,
because I never really know what I'm doing. Ma (but), we went on Monday.
And it went SO well! I loved it! We taught a girl who just got home
from her mission to Milan(!) not long ago. Then, we taught an older man
who was so wonderful. I was just super smiley when we were done with
TRC, and it was such a wonderful experience. And, the mission field is
just going to be like that 10x, I'm sure! Yes, there will be hard times,
but I'll be able to focus all of my time to finding and teaching
others. Che wonderful! True story: the girl that we taught, Fratello
Newton was her ZL in the mission! How crazy.
Oh, also, that morning... the fire alarm went off! Not a drill,
either. After a while we started smelling smoke. Then after 20 minutes
of waiting outside, we were able to go back in. Someone had burned a bag
of popcorn. Haha!
And then! The next morning, I was waiting in line for breakfast,
and I kept seeing this one elder behind me who looked super familiar.
Eventually, I saw his name tag, and I knew I knew him, so I went back
and talked to him. Elder Roth! I never really got to know him very well,
but his mom (Sister Roth) taught institute during the summer! Che
awesome! I love finding people from Florida, especially from
Jacksonville :)
Also, yesterday was Fratello Newton's last day teaching us (Adam's
friend). Che triste (how sad). I think he's too busy with school right
now. He said he might sub, but he won't be our official teacher anymore.
He's an awesome teacher, I'm sad he's leaving.
There's just so much that goes on here, I know my thoughts are
crazy jumbled. Sorry! But, it's wonderful. Again, I'm sorry my previous
emails/letters have been so whiny. I have no reason to whine! I'm in one
of the most spiritual places in the world, with no outside influence,
and I'm able to focus all my time on learning, growing, bettering
myself, and preparing to share the gospel with others. How in the world
can I be whining? I'm such a punk. (That's something I'm known for now. I
tell everyone [mostly just a couple elders] "Don't be a punk." all the
time. So, that's kinda my phrase. They make fun of me.)
Ma, che triste (but, how sad), one of my favorite Italian elders
went home today! I won't mention names, but he needed to work some
things out. He was awesome. He's going to work on all that he needs to,
then come back out as soon as he can. I'm gonna miss that kid, though.
He became one of my good friends here. But, whatever he needs to do to
become the best missionary he can be! :)
I'm trying to think of whatever else I want to say.
Thank
you Kaleb, so much, for the letter! I love it! That's awesome that
Clay's your teacher! And, thanks, Megan and Joe for the invite! I love
how y'all put all the pictures together :)
Well, I'm really running out of time. Anziano Hurlburt
told me to give him a shout-out (Daniel from SC, going to Rome). He's
such a goof, I love him. He's super blunt and sarcastic sometimes, but
that's just what makes him him. I love that kid.
La mia famiglia, thanks for being the best family ever!
Thanks for helping me make good choices throughout my life! I've been
so blessed, and I've never even realized it.
I know I never
bore my testimony much back home, but I want anyone who reads this to
know that I know that Jesus Chirst is our Savior, and we can rely on him
for anything! I know that, because I've had to do it so many times
already, in my short (SHORT) month here! I'm learning what trust and
faith really are. It's hard, but it's such a great learning experience
for me.
Vi voglio bene!
Sorella Sara Willis
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