Week 10 Letter from Sorella Hills

Ciao tutti! 

So, transfer calls this week... Probably going to stay in Ragusa, but who knows? Stranger things have happened!
Apparently in district meeting, we do transfer predictions with,
ugh... What's the name of them.... Do you know those chocolate egg
things with like a toy inside? Well, we do transfer predictions based
on the toy we get. I don't know how yet, but I'll let you know!

This week was a lot. We had a scambia with the Sorelle in Messina,
and my companion for the day was a native speaker. Well, she is from
South America originally, but she has been here for like 11 years, so
she is a native. Anyways, that was a lot! Italian for a day! And then
all of Sunday... Sundays are hard. They are all in Italian, and it
gives me a head ache. 

 But we found a new investigator! We went to teach a less active
yesterday, and she was at a neighbors, and the neighbor said she would
like to hear our message. So we taught the restoration, well, up to
Jesus Christ. And she said that she would like to read the Book of
Mormon! I'm not sure if she is interested or not, but it was good to
see the less active, remember and teach parts of the
restoration. It's a good opportunity to strengthen her testimony if
nothing else. 

 This Sunday was ward conference, and for some reason they invited the
missionaries to the leadership training. There, they flat out told us
to strengthen the ward first. So, we were doing a lot of work already
with less actives, but the Anziani took it hard I think. They are
trying really hard to baptize a man that has the
mentality of an 8 year old. The bishop has been putting up a fight,
just making sure that he is ready and able to make the covenants.
I don't think the ward can handle the responsibility of keeping him
active. And they don't seem to think so either. Strengthening the
ward is what we've been asked to do, so we will do it.

That's been the message of this week. Correlation, all the lessons we
ended up teaching, and then ward council. We are here to teach
repentance and baptize converts, but to also create a place to bring
those converts that will be strong and supportive. 

 Love you lots-
Sorella Hills

Week 9 Letter from Sorella Hills

Ciao tutti! 

Ok, first off, happy belated birthday to Jack!  I can not believe that there are more adults in the Hills clan than kids now!  What happened?!? It sounds like a good birthday, anyone would be happy to see a gun show, but DQ!?! Is it open again?!? What the heck, this should have been prime news! 

I don't know that Ellie will be taller... But she was growing a lot before I left, so who knows! 

And Charlie! He is making so many so many friends! Do you send him out with his collar, or does that frustrate him because he can't go all the way down and see the pigs? And are you ramping up your running with him? Future 1/2 marathon dog! 

Dad! I do like my companion a lot. I just thought that I had already answered that... Any way, she is awesome, I love her!  The apartment is, an apartment. I like it, it feels like home! It's funny, the plumbing is... So some times we walk in and it smells so bad, because fore some reason the smell traveled up from the sewer, and it's scifo! But it's great! 

So has Jack started his papers yet or not... I can't remember! Keep me posted on that!  

Ok.  This week.  Almost all of it was out of town.  Monday and Tuesday were in Catania for Zone conference and interviews.  That night, we tried to catch a bus to Syracusa to make it back in time to teach English course with the Syracusa missionaries.  But alas, we, the Sorelle missed it. So, we took one about 30 mins later.  Got there in time to join in on this FHE for misfits in the ward there.  It's was pretty fun!  Slept over, and then did a scambio with the Syracusa Sorelle.  A lot of English course publicity. Then, sandwiches... I'm going to try and send the video.  Oh my gosh. Bar nothing, best sandwiches, ever. The guy made cheese for like 60 years before this, and all the cheese was made by him.  And all the ingredients were fresh, like people were bringing in stuff as we waited for the sandwiches.  We got 3 different types, and spilt each in 4, so we all got to try each different one.  Oh. The best.  Ever.  We ate them by the beach. It was just a cool day! 

Then, we tried to catch the 5:30 bus back to Ragusa. But alas, non c'è. We missed it by like a minute after running like crazy people because we went to the wrong station.  And that of course was the last one. So, another night in Syracusa! 

Then, we caught the 8:00 bus the next morning. Hoping to get to Ragusa in time to go see some people.  A bus ride that should have been 1 1/2 hours took 3 1/2.  I don't know why.  It was ridiculous.  So, that was a bust of a day.  

Back to work on Friday the though!  The last couple of days were pretty normal.  

This week, we have another scambio with the Messina Sorelle, and I will spend the day with an actual Italian, no English... That will be an adventure! 

That's about all... You can email me though out the week, I can read them when ever.  I'll only respond on Monday though.  

Vi voglio tanto bene! 

Sorella Hills

Week 8 Letter from Sorella Hills

Hey! 

Yes, I got my package, and I am still eating many of the sweets sent. I just ate a Kind bar today actually, they come in handy. Zone conference is tomorrow, so I am in Catania right now for a fun pday with the Sorelle of the Catania zone.  After that, we have an exchange in Syracusa, so we won't be home until Wednesday night! 

We have not had any earthquakes since last Monday, so I think all is well.  We are right next to Etna right now, so I hope so! 

I sort of had to bare my testimony in church... The bishop sent the deacon down to tell me that I had to... But it was good, I'll do it a lot. 

I'm glad to hear that all is well with Lucille.  How is Ellie holding up? 

Haha, it's finally a burn pile day!  I knew it would come eventually! 

Cleaning is kind of do it as you go kind of thing. It works.

Ok, so this week was a week! We went to Comiso twice, and Iblea once.  We have an investigator who lives in Comiso, and then we had 2 meal appointments with less actives there.  I love Comiso it is beautiful! I had my first propio lasagna, and it was the best!!! I can not even describe it, but it was the best. 

I did laundry, which is fun because there is no dryer. So everything hang dries. It's kind of great, but one load takes 3 hours just to wash, and then the whole day to dry because it is so humid.  It's fun. 

We taught an English course. We have corso d'Inglese on Tuesday and Thursday.  We are going to miss Tuesday's course because we are going to be in Syracusa, but it is a lot of fun.  I learn a lot of Italian speaking English. 

It was a pretty great week overall. 

All is well, look forward to hearing from you all! Keep me posted! 

Sorella Hills

First Pday in Ragusa (aka Week 7)

Ok, here is the lo down. 

We got in on Tuesday morning, so tired, so gross, and just sick of everything. But, life goes on. We met the Italian missionaries, which there are actually 9, while we English are only 8. And there are more sisters then elders, so that is also really different! This was a special group. From the airport, we stopped by the temple sight. There is so much left to be done on it!  So, we did some touristy stuff, like seeing the coliseum and a roman forum. So cool!!! Then the next day, we had some training, and got our iPads.  So useful! 

That night, we got our Golden Envelopes, which give us out first city assignment.  Mine was Ragusa, which is in Sicily.  So Friday, up at 4, left at 5 for the train station which was a good 1/2 mile walk... With luggage... That was intense.  Then, 15 hours to Catania, Sicily, and 2 hour bus ride to Ragusa. It was a long day. But I made it!

So, Ragusa is on a hill, about the size of Unconoonuc.  It's is quite a hike, I have not done the whole thing yet.  It's so pretty though, look up some pictures, because I don't have any of the city itself yet.

We are close to Etna, so when I started this letter we had our second earthquake! The first was Sunday night. I wonder if I'll get to see an eruption when I'm here!

We had pronzo, or lunch, at a member's house on Sunday.  It was so good! It was not Italian food from Olive Garden.  It was like these chards with bean purée and olive oil, that you mix together and put on top of these rice cakes.  I loved it.  Oh, and Gela, which is part of our district, is said to be the place gelato started, so we had gelato. Ahhh. Love.

It's warm here, but everyone is bundled up like its -20!  

We have one investigator.  We had two, but we dropped one on Friday.  I haven't met the other yet, but we'll see.  So, one lesson with an investigator, and we had one with a member family, the Campos.  It's a mom and a daughter, the daughter is leaving soon to serve a mission in Leeds England! She is so cute! 

I haven't said a whole lot yet, people talk too fast, and I don't understand their accents yet.  The older people speak Siciliano as well as Italian so they like to mess with us, and switch to Siciliano... It's a struggle. 

But I bore my testimony on Sunday! 

I can't believe Lucille! I cried.  Poor Ellie. But she is in such a good place, I know it. 

And Issy! Finally! The play! Let me know how it goes! 

How is Jack, still going to graduate? Has he done anything with BYUI? How about mission papers? 

I love it here! I am doing great! I'll see ya all soon, on Mother's Day!!!

 Vi voglio tanto bene! 

Sorella Hills

P.s. No one can pronounce my name, so I might get a new name tag... Sorella Colline, which is the same thing, just Italian.  A lot of missionaries do it out here, English is hard to say.