Week 14 Letter from Sorella Hills

Buana Pasqua tutti! E, Buana Pasquetta! 

Yeah, still not positive what pasquetta is, but all of Italy is shut down today.  So today is deep cleaning day! We are going to have a Pasquetta Pranzo with our district, so it'll be fun! 

It was not a good Easter.  It was probably the worst one I have had! Nothing about it was Easter! Like even the lessons and talks in church were not about Easter! Then, at the end of relief society, a woman stood up and started going off for like 5 minutes about how she had been accused, and how if someone has a problem with her, they should tell it to her face.  It was weirdly vague...yet specific.  Any spirit was chased immediately away. Then, we had a pranzo appointment, but it was normal Italian food, nothing special.  Then, normal missionary life, except we couldn't go see anyone because they were all celebrating Pasqua!  So we did paperwork stuff. It was a good day! But a horrible Easter.  I didn't even get any chocolate. BTW, I get packages at zone conference, and that was last Tuesday... So I didn't get the package you sent, and won't until next zone conference, which will be like middle of May... 

The rest of the week was a lot of member stuff.  We basically introduced the member missionary plan.  We didn't see all of them, but we have appointments for this week.  

Would you like to know why we couldn't see all the people we wanted?!? Because of the tempesta. This storm out of no where hit Sicily on Wednesday.  It was SO windy, pouring rain, it was like a tropical storm/hurricane.  It was crazy.  We braved it in the morning. But when we got home, we realized that the wind had broken one of our windows.  We have storm windows, so there are 2, and only the outer one was broken.  But.  We call the mission office to find out what to do.  And after lunch, we got a call from our zone leaders in Catania that said we are to stay in our house until the storm passed.  It didn't go away until the next afternoon!  It was crazy! We were home bound that night, but we went out the next morning. It was crazy, and so surreal. There are these palm trees in front of the church, and the way the wind was wiping them, it looked like Florida in a hurricane. So crazy! 

That was basically our week.  We did see some cool things happen though! Both are English course dependent.  The first happened on Friday, and it was on the way up from a member appointment.  We talked to this guy that was like selling these clay vases and heads out of his van on the side of the road.  This is actually pretty normal. So many street vendors, and they just set up shop on the road.  That's how you get cheap oranges! Anyway, we talked to him, and he was really interested!  We told him about English course, and he kept saying "No! Non ci credo!" Like at least 7 times, I'm not kidding.  He said he will come, and he is a great potential for the Anziani, if he is not married, but I think he is... So he's great for us! Then, yesterday, walking up the from trying to do some video finding, in other words, showing the Easter video to people in the park, and having no success, we see this lady walking her dog on the other side of the road near our house.  This dog was so cute, this wiener dog would not move, very Charlie like.  So, we crossed the street to go say hi.  We gave the woman, who was like in her 20's an English course card, but the dog was just not moving.  He was like laying down, eating grass and sticks, just having a ball.  So, we shared the Easter video.  She liked it a lot! She lives right next to the church, so she said she will come to English course, and we'll talk to her then.  It was our Easter miracle! 

Man, you've all had such a crazy week! I'm glad everything is well!  I hope you all have a great week, and remember what the savior has done for each for you.  Not just on Easter, but every day. He lives.  He loves us all personally.  He suffered for us personally, so He can love us personally.  Egli vive, e in Gesù Cristo, possiamo trovare una nuova vita.  Possiamo vivere di nuovo, per sempre, per eternità in felicità.   Io so che Lui vive.  So che Lui ci ama.  Vi voglio tanto bene!  

Sorella Hills

Week 13 Letter from Sorella Hills

Ciao tutti! 

I'm glad Super Saturday was a success! Ellie, looking good!  So cute!  And wow, that's a lot of DQ!  Mama mia.

That's such a cool sacrament meeting!!! Ours was good, it was all about Easter.  But yours, that's just so cool, I'm sad I missed it! I wish I could have been there to hear Hillary speak.   

So, as for CD's.  I don't really want chocolate... And there are not any Mormon hymn CD's in Italy. And I can not listen to the music before I buy it.  See what I mean? If you can just send a CD, in an envelope, that would work great! Don't send chocolate! I have a TON!!!  And I'll have to pay for customs.  

Now. For the week!  We are in Catania again! Zone conference take 2! I've already spent like 50 euro...

Transfers took place this week.  My companion and I are the same, but a bunch of new greenies came in.  There is a new Anziano in Ragusa, and he makes me feel SO much better about my Italian! I thought I was bad... But I realize that him and I were about the same starting off, so I've come a long way.  My companion and I only speak Italian outside the house now, so that's helped a lot.

We are doing a lot of less active work and member work. This week, we have to see 12 member families.  That's intense. We are starting this member missionary program to get them working with us, and doing their own missionary work. We are introducing the program this week. So, we won't see much of any else.  But. It's ok.

We had 2 of our, inactive members come to church this week! It was a miracle! 

That's about it I think... OH I've been running 3 days a week, about 2 miles.  I can't do the whole thing, but I'm getting better! We'll be running buddies when I get home! 

Ok, not a lot of time, so I'll talk to you more next week! Ciao ciao!

Sorella Hills

Week 12 Letter from Sorella Hills

Buongiorno famiglia! 

Sounds like you had a busy week! Planning anything big in the stake/ how is trek planning going? And wait, why did you take Ellie to large group? Doesn't the school usually bus the kids over? Yeah, the sight reading takes for ever, I'm sorry you had to wait that out! 

Chuck! My old puppy/friend/enemy! How's the bathroom situation? And the exercise situation? Do you still run with him? I still find the stories about him so funny! 

Meals are great! People feed us at least once a week on Sunday, but we get another odd one here or there.  We go out to eat about twice a week, once after district meeting, and another time if we really need scaccia... Oh! Scaccia is this bread that is rolled up in layers like a lasagna with stuff in between the layers.  We always get this one with ricotta and parsley. It's so good! But yeah.  Mostly at home.  I get plenty to eat, and it's a good thing we live on a hill without a car... 

You sent plenty of pictures!  I'm glad you did!  I really only needed some of the ones on the computer already... I feel bad that you did all that work!! But I'm glad, it's really nice to have all those pictures to show people! Thank you SO MUCH! 

Ma die DQ! Perché! Ah well, meno male I wasn't there to have to witness the downfall of a great business.  How was the opening night?! Jk, but is it nicer? Still the Bedford townies hangout? 

Jack! Get your motivation on bro! Get those mission papers in!! I need to know where you are going! And you need to know where you are going! It's not like you have school to fall back on, and the job market is slim. So, sooner is better then later! Just do it! Fallow your dreams! Did you get it? Did you get my reference? 

Ok.  This week.  We didn't do a whole lot.  We did a lot of walking, that would end up pointless, because the person we were looking for would not live there, or not be home, or not want to talk to us.  We did however have a cool activity for the ward! 

So.  We are trying to strengthen members, and get referrals.  BTW, please if you can, PLEASE try to go out with the missionaries or have an investigator over to your house or a friend over with the missionaries.  It's a hard life.  Anyways, we did an activity, and the ward mission leader really talked it up.  He was saying things like "there is going to be a special guest, courtesy of the mission"... When it was just us singing and bringing the spirit.  It was wicked stressful, because he wanted us to sing Amar Gesù, which is, shoot. I don't know the English version...oh our Saviors love!  But, yeah.  Not very powerful... So, we did Nearer My God to Thee.  It went well I think!  

Then, the ward mission leader talked about member missionary work.  And we got a referral! And we got a ride to Comiso to see an investigator! We've been trying since I got here to get a member to come! Finally! Afterwards, we are supposed to work with members more, and do the missionary lessons with them, and ask for a referral, some one that they want to share the gospel with, so we can help them do it.  It should be good! 

Then!!!! Last night!!! We had a lizard in our apartment!  We live on the 3rd floor! I don't know how he got in there, but it was a pain in the butt trying to get him out!! We finally swept him into an empty cereal box.  Sorella Roberts was going to just through him out the window! I wouldn't let her... so we brought him down, shook the box, then were unsure if he had come out...and were unwilling to check.  So, we left the box outside.  So, that was fun! 

That's about our week!  Vi voglio bene!
Sorella Hills

Sorella Hills

Week 11 Letter from Sorella Hills

Ciao tutti! 

You're right, I never would have guessed that all of the, who under have borne their testimonies! That's awesome! How is Sister Snyder? She is amazing, and I wanted to tell her that a member here really likes the scarves that she gave me! She thinks that they might be hand made... But I am so grateful for her years of service. Seminary. I can't even imagine! I still remember what she taught, and I love looking back in my scriptures and finding hand outs and notes in the margins from that class. Scripture masteries are wicked useful! Even when I have to memorize them again in Italian, it's so much easier if I know what it is trying to say in English. Tell her thanks again for me! 

Agh! I am missing politics!!!! What the heck America, pick some better politicians! At least chose Hillary over Trump, come on! Tell Jack to apply to Marshals... He would definitely get a job... And it's not as bad as I made it out, I kind of miss it! It's good money, decent hours, flexible management, and he can wear basically the same cloths he already wears... The people are awesome, he would enjoy the stock room! JUST DO IT!!! FOLLOW YOUR HEART!!!

Dang Allstate! What the heck! Bow has a great auditorium, so you won't miss out too much. But that's annoying that you have to pay for each session, how did you learn about that? But, get the CD, and send me some CD's of music. I just has to be uplifting and not worldly or romantic. If you need a reference as to what music I like, there is some music that we already have, like the vocal point songs, alleluia, umm... There is a song that I think is called Hallelujah, but not the Shrek one. Any thing upliftings. Any thing that is instrumental. Just some good music! 

So is Ellie going to continue to get extra help in high school? I think she will live the guidance councilors, all of them are great! 

Charlie! Tell me all the things he does, I look forward to hearing about his escapades with the pigs, running, and just the funny stuff he does! It's so funny to me! 

And Dad! That's quite a week! Escape death, finding glasses, pigs! That's a crazy week! Have you been reading any book recently? Any good books I should say...

Ok. So, my week.  Honestly, this week was kind of a bust.  We kept getting bidone, or like cancellations, and it was really rainy and windy and cold and foggy. So, we did a lot of prep stuff. Like, we organized our area book, and looked at past investigators we wanted to try and contact. We did weekly planing, which took a long time. We made cookies for less actives and members who have birthdays this week, so we can bring then some cookies. Yeah, this week was long. But it was good to get everything in order, because this week, we've got a lot planed... I'll let you know how it goes! It's not all certain, but it should be cool if it works! 

Language... I wish that I was English speaking every day... But, I know that is why I am here. English would have been too easy for me, and missions are supposed to be hard. Tell Jack that I think that English is too easy for him, and that I think that he is going foreign speaking... But it'll be great, keep me posted! 

Vi voglio bene!

Sorella Hills

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