WOW

Ciao ciao!

Synopsis of my week: the ex husbands return, the common cold, the
great flood, and marriage proposals... Sounds like a great week, yes?

Okay, this might be a bit shorter just because my comp doesn't have as
much to email today.. So, I apologize now...

Okay, Monday, as I said, we went BOWLING! :) And even though it was a
crappy bowling alley.. I got a 126. Woohoo! Oh, and it is super cheap.
Like 5 euros for 3 games. Anyways, it was really fun. And we took
pictures, but I forgot to get them onto my iPad..

Tuesday, it was rainy like all day which was so nice. It was just a
light sprinkle, and it was literally heavenly! We also heard that
Wednesday was going to be worse, but I think as I have said before...
That we don't believe the weather forecasts here. They are never
accurate... But, hehe.. It was. But back to Tuesday.. We went to see
Eleonora that afternoon and we were so glad we did! I guess she saw
her ex husband on the street, and that just made all the bad memories
explode and so she was a bit down in the dumps. But we were so glad
that we could bring the spirit into her home with our short little
message. :) Then we obviously had English course, and everyone thought
it was going to be cancelled because it was raining. I really do think
everybody here is made out of sugar or something. They don't like
being in the rain, and then me and Sorella Defranchi are partying
because we get to take out our boots! Haha...

Now for Wednesday.. We had DDM that morning. No rain.. My nose had
started to run because Anz. Covalt got me sick. No hard feelings..
But, I still felt okay that morning. But after DDM, my head felt like
a hot air balloon. So we went home and I took a nap.. And when I woke
up, it was literally pouring rain outside.. But, we were going to
starve real soon if we didn't go to the store, so we decided it wasn't
that bad, and walked the two or three blocks to the store only
crossing a minor puddle to get there. As I finished shopping, I looked
outside the window of the store, and there was a RIVER in the street.
So, I tell sister Defranchi and she's like, "oh, it can't be that
bad... Doo do doo doo. " As she continues shopping.. Our appointment
for that afternoon had cancelled, and by the time she finished and
moved to the front of the store, she looks outside and is like, "oh my
gosh. It is a river." So, we were stuck at the supermercato for 30
minutes as we waited for it to calm down. We finally decided at some
point that we really just needed to cross the river and then head
uphill and then it wouldn't be that bad. So, we went swimming... But
not really swimming. More like wading. And I also learned that my
waterproof boots aren't so waterproof in the swimming aspect. But, it
was fun. I guess that was the closest I will get to swimming in the
next more than a year of my life. Then, we stayed in the rest of the
night. One because of the rain, but two because I still didn't feel
well.

Then on Thursday, we had plans to go to Siracusa to do a scambio with
the sister training leaders. And that was so much fun. It was my first
time out of Catania in 2 months, and even though it was still in
Sicily and the people are crazy... Catania is the heaviest
concentration of crazy. I was with Sorella Thorpe this time, a fellow
American, and it was a blast. As much as I adore Sorella Defranchi, I
absolutely love scambios. 24/7 with the same person is literally like
having a permanent roommate. So, I got a new roommate for a few hours.

We taught English course in Siracusa and sometimes I wonder why they
have us teach it. Haha... The more we learn Italian, the more we suck
at English. Haha... I stared at the word "follow" for a good few
seconds before I realized that I had spelled it right.. So, now... I
feel like I suck at two languages. Haha.. I am sure Jacob knows how I
feel.

Then on Friday, we were still in Siracusa that morning, but we got
back to Catania that afternoon. Then we did weekly planning and we
went to see Jennifer. She was finally there, and it was so good to see
her again. We had a great lesson and then she told us that her ex
husband who was never really her husband in the first place because of
how they do "marriages in Africa" came back. He had been living up
near Rome after she kicked him out. And our lovely Jennifer gave him
some church books to read. She also gave us his phone number so the
anziani up in Terni could start teaching him and see if he had a
change of heart. She is amazing! On Sunday, we learned that Henry was
going to church.. Haha.. We'll see what comes of that. Jennifer
doesn't love him anymore, but she would marry him just for the sake of
her boys having a dad. Anyways, we love her to pieces and had a pretty
good laugh that she gave him a gospel principles book to read. :)

On Saturday, I assume I worked too hard on Thursday and Friday, and so
I felt so horrible. So we cancelled the lesson we were supposed to
have that morning.. And I slept. Then I also asked for a blessing from
the anziani. I had felt like I needed to get one just for comfort for
some odd reason.. I don't know, because I didn't feel like I needed to
be comforted... And so I ignored that prompting, but I kept thinking
about it again as I was sick.. So I finally got up the nerve to ask
even though I felt silly because it was just the common cold... But,
it turned out to be exactly what I needed. It said I need to rely on
the Lord's timing, and I quite honestly don't know why I have such a
problem with that.. But it also said that Heavenly Father will heal me
when he heals me. And as of yet, I am still sick. But capable enough
to slowly start getting back into the work. But again, I am so
grateful for the power of the priesthood and for great anziani that we
get to work with who were willing to give me a blessing. Then Sorella
Defranchi called the mission nurse and she told me that even if I felt
better that afternoon, that I should just stay inside and continue
resting.. Being sick on a mission sucks! We had to cancel 3 lessons!!!
:( But I also didn't want to get them sick. Comunque..

The exciting event on Saturday was that Sorella Defranchi had a
wedding proposal over a text... That is all I will tell you to protect
his identity... But she was a bit freaked out. Men here seriously do
not know how to handle seeing a pretty girl. They act like they have
never seen blonde people before.. But, please don't worry about me. I
have the Lord on my side. ;)

Sunday was normal for the most part. We had pranzo with a less active
family. I thought I told you all what a pranzo was.. But mom said I
hadn't. So, pranzo is the lunch break.. Kind of like the things Jake
had in South America. But pranzo is also the word for lunch.

Sorry for the shorter email. I love you all!

Love,

Sorella Flansberg