Week 34 Letter from Sorella Hills

Hey all! 

Oh my goodness, from high adventure to girls camp, the juxtaposition is strong :) I'm glad you all had fun! 

Olympics sound like a blast! Yeah, it's not a thing out here.  But, we do have a thing called Ferragosto... I have no idea what it is actually celebrating, but it has something to do with the madonna... And everyone is on vacation now. Like the whole of Italy shuts down in August, especially today.  Today, there are NO cars, no stores open, and no buses! It's insane! So, we cleaned all day, because it is one of the deep cleaning days.  We got rid of a BUNCH of stuff! It was very satisfying :) 

Ok.  So as to get everything strait about where I am and with who I am companions with. Last transfer, I was with Sorella Hatfield in Ostia.  There, we taught Hemma.  Now, we are in Cagliari, and Sorella Hatfield is companions with Sorella Dustin, and I am companions with Sorella Tingey.  So.  That's that.  But Sorella Hatfield is doing great, and Hemma from as far as she says in her emails is doing good.  Denise had a mental breakdown... So... I am all for just letting that crazy go, but vediamo.

This week though.  Actually I have some news! 

Ok, now that's out of the way, the really week! We have been trying a lot of stuff because a) we do not have any lessons, b) it is August, and c) we need to switch things up. So.  A couple of weeks ago, we had done some park finding.  Which includes handing out English course cards. Which we did.  And we had a lady who was so excited to hear about it! She even gave us her number so we could contact her.  So, we invited her to come to the church and see it, and learn a bit about the course.  Well, she came! And she loved the church! She says she wants to come! So we taught her a little about what we believe, and she says that she wants to learn more! Speriamo bene! 

We have also tried some less active finding.  We found one! She let us in, which never happens. As she was wicked nice! But, then, we start talking about how we found her, and I was like your name is on a list of members, and we've heard that you are a great person, so we decided to try and visit you. And she's like, I'm not a sister anymore, I'm a Jehovahs Witness! So... We talked about our church, and she about hers.  We showed Because of Him, and she showed us a Jw video.  We parted friends, which was rather amazing.  But, I don't think we will go back anytime soon! 

We had a meal appointment on Sunday with one of our African members. She said that she was going to cook for us... This is a red flag for anyone who has eaten African food! I haven't, I only heard about it... Usually it involves leftover chicken parts and a type of yeast ball.  So. I was not excited.  But. I'm open minded sometimes :) We go, and she is dishing some plain rice onto a plate.  So far so good.  Then.  She opens up this Tupperware, and spoons some sauce onto the rice.  Still, so far so good.  Then.  An entire fish.  I'm talking skin and bones and tail! I was a bit skeptical.  But. I'll admit, it was really one of the best rice dishes that I have ever had! I was really really good! I would totally eat it again, that fish was so yummy! So, that was an adventure :)

That was the week more or less. 

Vi voglio bene! 

Sorella Hills

Week 35 Letter from Sorella Hills

You guys! That's so awesome! Did jack make it down to get you guys safely? I HATE Boston, there is NO way I'm EVER going to drive there my self! Massachusetts drivers are like Italians, except Irish, and more angry. I will never drive here either! 

After all those pictures, not one of Alli and Noah?!?

And the names of the missionaries? I met one from Texas, but Texas is a huge state, and I can not imagine there are only two missionaries here from Texas, and I have only ever met one. What are the odds though that there are two here from the same ward! 

Well, I have been on 2 airplanes this week!!! After 5 weeks in Cagliari, I have been transferred back to the main land. So, here is how that all went down. First, usually we get our transfer calls on Saturday.  New president new rules I guess. So we got the call Monday night.  I'm going to CROTONE! So exciting, never thought I would be staying in another city for only one transfer, especially not Cagliari.  I didn't feel done yet. Ah. Whatever. 

Back to the story.  Because transfers came on Monday, I only had Tuesday to prepare to fly.  Because on Tuesday night, I got the flight plans, which said that my flight left the next day at 7 am.  So. Back home, packing, running around like a mad woman.  Still trying to see people.  Leaving stuff, cleaning.  It was a mess.  So how, I did it.  I packed up my whole life, it is fit in 2 suit cases both just under 23 kg.  

Off to the airport, made it through security in under 5 minutes, and sat in the terminal for 2 hours... Ah well.  Get to the Rome airport. Wait an hour. No one is there to pick me up.  Had to ask a random guy to use his phone.  Another hour, my ride gets in! After that, all is good.  

I get to the sisters apartment, hang out and do some missionary work in Rome 2.  Get my travel plans for the next day, thinking I am getting on the train down to Sicilia, because that is how they usually send missionaries south.  But no. I am taking another plane.  Another one! They print out my boarding pass and all is good.

The next day, I get up, people are heading out, and all that fun stuff.  I sit and eat breakfast, and look at my ticket. It says that I am only allowed 20 kg per bag. That is about a 5 lbs difference.  Per bag.  Off I go again, trying to get rid of 10 lbs of stuff! I left a lot of stuff, with a Sorella there and she'll send it down for zone conference. Meno male :) 

I get to Crotone, an hour late because the plane was literally full.  I had to check my cary on.  All was good though.  Sorella Condé is the best.  She loves to work, and we work really hard.  We have so many potentials here! The work is still flourishing, even in August! I am so excited to be here! I know that Sorella Condé needs me, as I need her.  She just had a really hard companion, a new missionary, who she couldn't work with.  It was rough.  But, I'm here to help, and things are going great! We clicked really well already! 

Cotone is a branch.  The branch president is a missionary.  There are very few active members.  It's a bit rough, but there is a lot of hope here.  I love it already!

We've seen some cool miracles here! One is a little 10 year old.  She is so sassy..  But she has accepted to be baptized on the 10th of September.  That will probably get moved, because she is so young and we want her to understand everything.  She comes to church and to activity days, and reads  the BOM picture book and actual book.  So cute, pray for her! 

we are teaching the daughter in law to a less active, married to her less active son.  She LOVES the Book of Mormon, and reads it all the time.  She says she likes it because it is clearer than the Gospels.  She is so smart, and has studied with many different religions.  She said that she will read, pray and if she receives a response, she'll be baptized! 

Those are just a few of the many miracles I saw these last few days. Crotone is the best! 

Love you all! 

Sorella Hills

Week 33 Letter from Sorella Hills

Wow. That was a lot of a story about a pig! Haha, you guys crack me up, I can just see the whole event unfolding, it's perfect! I'm glad it all worked out. BTW, vegetarianism is a sick gig. They have a vegetarian burger at McDonald's and its wicked good! Life=good!

The high adventure sounds like so much fun! Jack is claustrophobic?! How strange! I would have NEVER thought that it would even be a possibility. So... How's the plane rides to Provo and Denver going to go? 

As for the Olympics, all I know is that it is in Brazil.  Here, the big things was the World Cup, which Italy lost to Germany. I wish you could have heard that game! Actually, all the games.  The whole city of Ostia and Rome exploded! You could hear every event, the whole city was watching. It was the best! 

And it is not too hot here. Like, yes it's hot, but I am getting used to it.  And it is not as hot as it could be, or has been, so I'm truly blessed! 

Well, I'm glad all is well! Ready for my week?

This week was chuck full of surprises. Surprise scambi on Wednesday and Friday, surprise zone conference on Friday, surprise transfer calls coming in this Saturday, meaning that this transfer is, surprise, a week shorter than everyone thought! 

We also had some interesting things happen.  One, an investigator who dropped off the planet, resurfaced and came to every church run activity, from English course to family home evening. Then, she dropped of the planet again, and we haven't been able to contact her. Fine! Be that way!  

Then, I hit my 6 months in Italy mark, on the same day as my scambio with Sorella Hatfield. So... We had a great day! Alla fine, we were trying to make it back to the house, and we passed this gelato place.  We looked at it, looked at each other, and immediately got off the bus :) So, surprise gelato! Them, we were making our way back to a bus stop, and we pass this pizza place. We look at it, looked at each other, and went in and ordered pizza.  Except the pizza takes 40 minutes to make! And they didn't except card! Bah! But, it was good pizza.  We then dyed our hair... Mine turned out gray. BTW, it washes out! So, I am no longer a granny. But it was still a little gray for zone conference...

Then, during a scambio with Sorella A., we go to a bus stop, and we can not figure out the map. So, we ask a guy that is sitting there to help us out.  We start talking to him, and he turns out to be a single dad, and really really nice.  Then, this other guy walks up, and the man we were talking to says "ciao, tutto posto?" And this guy, I'll call him backpack man, freaks out! He whips off his sunglasses, and was like, hey, do we know each other, I don't thinks so! And then he starts going off about how you don't just go saying hi to people you have never met (cough cough, us every day...).  So single dad apologizes, and back pack man walks a way all in a huff to wait for the bus as far from us as possible.  Poor single day breaks down! He starts talking about how rough his life is going so far.  We don't know what to do, so we start talking about how God loves us, and we invite him to church, because we are all a big family there, and everyone loves each other.  And starts crying! We really didn't know what to do then! But he said he'll come, got on his bus, and left.  

That was a big turning point for me.  I have seen a lot of stuff so far.  A lot of stuff that I will never talk about, and a lot of stuff that I just do not have enough time to talk about.  But I have never seen first hand the difference it makes in a persons countenance when they realize that they are loved.  Even if it is just by two teenagers who can only sort of speak Italian.  The change was just so much.  I believe with all my heart that he felt a sliver of the love that God has for him.  I felt the love of God for him! It was amazing.  I'll never forget it.  

So.  If you are wondering.  I can tell you that God loves you.  Well, I could have said that before the mission too.  But I know he does. There is a talk in the last conference by Elder Donald L. Hallstrom called I am a Child of God.  I "knew" that I was a child of God.  But I didn't KNOW it until that moment.  And with that knowledge, I can bear testimony that everyone on earth is a child of God.  He loves us more then we could ever imagine.  I can not wait to share this pure true knowledge with everyone I can see!!! 

Love you all! 

Sorella Hills

Week 32 Letter from Sorella Hills

Ciao tutti! 

So, I realized that one year ago, I received my call! Can you believe it? I've known that I was going to Italy for a year! Also, Wednesday marks the 6 month in Italy day! I have been here for half a year already! What even, time is NOT a real thing, let me tell ya. 

Haha! Sounds like a great Sunday! A classic Sunday. You should have listened to the Holy Ghost! Does Charlie still use the bathroom where ever he wants? What a turd! 

Well, it looks like no pig for you guys! Avete spellato! 

What are the missionaries like there? The Rome mission is SO funny! Like everyone is really into how they look. Exercise is SUCH a thing! It such a strange culture, half American half Latino. Cracks me up! 

How are the investigators? Any who are going to be baptized soon? What happened with Jan? And how is Ann doing? 

Gosh dang it!!! Movies just keep coming out, your killing me! And the trips?! So jealous! 

Ok, to the week :)

We finally got to see some of our simpatizzanti.  One is like PROPRIO Catholic.  She just likes our company and has no intention of changing.  The other is a family! We had a lesson with the mom.  We talked about the Book of Mormon and Joseph smith, and she was like, yeah, that makes sense. Like the saints and Padre Pio right? Agh!

But then, we had an interesting lesson. It was supposed to be like a drop lesson. We were going to hammer the Book of Mormon, and be like "if the Book of Mormon is true, then Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. If that is so, then this is THE ONLY TRUE CHURCH!!! Then, if she didn't get that, we were going to say, well, I don't know. Any who. We do the lesson, and she was like agreeing. And we like basically redo the lesson to make sure she was on the same boat, and still, she was agreeing.  So... Bap invite. And she was like, yeah, that would be great. Huh. Never heard that one before. Not sure how to react, we kind of talk about how baptism is honestly the only thing to do if this stuff is true is be baptized.  So we extend the invite again, and ask her to pray about it.  She opens her bible to a random page, and the first thing she reads is about John the Baptist baptizing Jesus.  So, she says, "well, you saw me open this up right? My answer is here, I need to be baptized." Silence.  WHAT!?! So crazy! We extended a date, and she excepted. We'll see how it goes, she still needs to come to church, and the whole family should be a part of this, but I was in shock. We'll see what happens! 

We found a lot of people the other day doing finding. A new simp, an x simp, and an inactive member! So crazy! It was quite a night! 

Then last night, we had a FHE with this member.  She invites people, so, we never know who will be there.  Our crazy lady with the voices, a new convert couple who are basically the best ever, the member, and her autistic daughter.   So, if the missionaries are invited, they do the lesson.  So, we talked about light.  It went all over the place.  Then, we had dinner, which was lots of veggies. At 10:00, we leave the house. We need to get home at 9:00... In case you where wondering how the night sounded, the last question before we left was "Sorelle, can members of the church buy from the Chinese?". Yeah, it was crazy. 

That's about the week. Everything is going well here, about half way through the transfer already! Crazy! President says that 7 new sister companionships are opening up because there are so many sorelle coming in, and only 2 Anziani leaving. So... There will be sisters in cities that haven had sisters in then for years, and Cagliari might even get another set... A 6 sister house... Mama mia! 

Love you all! 

Sorella Hills

Week 31 Letter from Sorella Hills

Oh my goodness, it was a week of, well, everything.  It was such a roller coaster of emotions and activities, that it felt like SO long.  But, it was a lot of fun! 

First, Monday was FHE, which was sort of a bust.  It is supposed to be a place for members, inactives, and investigators to hang out, do a game, have a spiritual thought, and then a snack.  No one came, except for a lady in the ward who I think is schizophrenic... (She asked me if I have ever heard voices in my head, and then asked me what she should do, because she hears voices in her head). So... It was a good start to the week! 

Then Tuesday was a 5+ hour district meeting. We had the meeting, then pranzo which was made by a member, then a meeting with the Cagliari missionaries that went on forever!!! We got like no work done that day...

We tried to make brownies for so many people this week. It never worked out... Well, it did. Awkward, I forgot.  We tried to go and see our investigator family.  We got to meet the husband for the first time and he was interested! The only problem was that the wife is like totally Catholic... And the daughters were all at a meet the pope activity, and having a mass with him in Poland or something... Well, we'll see. 

But, everyone else did not want to see us, or was not home. So, we ate a lot of brownies.  

Then, we had a YSA activity on Saturday, which was a mess in itself.  It was a water balloon fight, which we could not participate in.  So, we awkwardly tried to do our own games, like toss the balloon kind of thing. It was awkward.  But then, they came up with an idea.  Let's dunk the missionaries.  They asked obscure gospel questions, and if they were answered wrong, on not answered in 10 seconds, we got a bucket of water poured on our heads! It was a lot of fun! Then, pizza, so that was awesome. It made me want to be home sooooo much, though! It was just so much fun! Agh, the struggle. 

That was the week! It had a lot more stuff in the middle, but those were the highlights. 

Jack. Why are you getting your motorcycle license just before the mission?

Issy. Metric is so much better.  It just is.  I don't know any conversions, so it's a bit different.  But it makes sense, everyone should switch.  

Ellie. That is so exciting that you get to go to high school! Are you excited? 

Dad. Why did you teach gospel principles? How did it go with the investigator that was coming to our house for the lessons? 

Love you all, a doppo! 

Sorella Hills

Week 30 Letter from Sorella Hills

Caio tutti!

Wow, trek and the Twilight Zone! Sounds like a blast! BTW, I am 7 months into the mission... Only 11 to go!!! So, in 11 months time, I will be binge watching a great tv show to, so take that! 

I'm glad he trek all worked out, and that no one got hurt. A couple of weeks ago, I almost passed out a couple of times on the metro. It felt like I had a fever, I felt so clammy and sweaty.  I hadn't drunk enough water, and it was just soooo hot.  So, heat exhaustion it real, drink Gatorade! Btw, 90 is like a normal day here... A good day here... 

This week was nice and cool though.  I could get away with a sweater if I wanted! I love it! Even Rome, the worst city in the summer, was breezy and cool for transfer day! 

So, I made it to Cagliari in one piece, meno male! It's been really beautiful here.  I haven't seen much of it, but from what I have seen, it is like a totally different Italy! No trash, no dog poop, free wifi spots everywhere, the people are SO nice! Like, so nice.  The ward is HUGE, and totally self sufficient.  There are 8 missionaries in the Cagliari ward... 4 sisters and 4 elders.  It's huge.  I am living in a 4 sister house, which is a lot of fun.  It's weird, because there are things that you do as a companionship, and things you do as a group, and it's like strange trying to figure out how each of the relationships work.  But I like it well enough! 

As crazy as it sounds though, I'd go back to Ostia any day.  I miss the missionaries there.  It was such a fun district.  The missionaries here are... Well... More like the missionaries you see on "The District" movies.  It's a bit strange. Like, they all think they are something special because they got called to Sardegna.  But... You can still have fun, right? 

This week was just crazy, lots of running around like a chicken with its head cut off trying to prepare the house and the area for the blow out, and then getting to the island, and the unpacking, repacking, and over and again to try and keep the wait down.  I left so much stuff behind.  I have very few things that I brought with me on the mission... I had to leave so much behind to be under 23 kg.  

My companion received some awful news from home and she could use your prayers.  Keep her in your thoughts. 

Hope you all have a good week, love you all! 

Sorella Hills

Week 29 Letter from Sorella Hills

Buenos dias! 

I got new luggage for €140. And, they have the 4 turning wheels! So excited! 

I am going to Cagliari! I never thought that I would go to Sardegna, since most people get trapped in the "Rome Shuffle", meaning that you get transferred from one area to the next within the Rome city.  I thought that I would be in Ostia for at least one more, but the Lord has other plans.... It's just crazy because so few people get to serve in Sardegna! I'm so lucky to have served in both Sicilia and Sardegna. SO lucky! 

Here are the details for the week! 

1. Our teenage investigator has a baptism date! It's so crazy.  My companion had a "faccia a faccia", or heart to heart with her last Sunday, and she really came around.  She started progressing like mad.  She wants to get baptized on the 18th of August! I'm sad that I'll miss it, but I am excited for her. 

2. We go to see this new convert about once a week.  She is 14. Well, her family is all from Columbia, so they speak Spanish. In one house, there is the grandmother, the mom and her brother and sister, and then this new convert.  The grandmother and the aunt and uncle are not members, and they are mean.  Like really secret and sneaky mean.  They speak "Italian", but it is really 70% Spanish with a couple mama mia's thrown in. And then they get mad at you for not understanding what they are saying to you.  They are all against the church, and they say mean things to the 14 year old and her mom.  It's to the point that the 14 year old won't come out of her room...not even to eat.  If her mom doesn't bring her food, she won't eat.  It's bad. Well, we were there, and this blow up starts.  I can only get like half of it because at this point, it is all in Spanish, but the grandmother comes out, and makes some comment about how we believe in talking to dead people. And then it sort of snowballs.  Something about Satan being our brother, and how that was against the bible.  Well, my companion and I look at each other, and I said something about how I can't understand anything, in English, and the grandmother blows up! Yelling about how she can speak what ever she wants in her house. And then it turns back into an attack on the church for sending missionaries who can't understand anything.  ALL OF THIS WAS IN PROPRIO SPANISH!!! The fact that I could understand anything was crazy! Ugh.  I am so glad I NEVER have to go back to that house.  Being on a mission has made it easier to recognize the spirit.  One cannot feel it there.  It's just so dark and hateful.  And I can't fix it! 

3. Saturday we got our transfer calls.  I answered first, and got my call to Cagliari! Then, my companion. Place your bets! She is going to Cagliari too!!! She will be part of a blow in, which means that the last transfer, there was only one set of sisters, and now there are two.  Yes, we are not companions.  I will be with the Sister Training Leader, and my companion with be with another sister.  This is the fun part! My new companion was trained by the same trainer I had! So, she is like my "sister".  She is 2 transfers younger than us, so we are what is called a follow up trainer, of the companion after the trainer that sort of introduces the greenie to real life outside training.  It will be so much fun! 

4.  We did our last "mostra" on Sunday. This thing is so creepy! Well, it's so Tj/Testimoni di Jehovah/Jehovahs Witness.  And funny story, the Anziani had tried to do it Saturday, and the tjs set up right next to them! So awkward... But this thing is just bad.  Especially this one page.  It has a floating baby head, a guy that is crying, and a casket.  It's bad.

But what can you do.  

This is... Half the district. The Ostia crew consists of a missionary from Utah, one from California, our ward mission leader, me, and my companion from Idaho.  There is also another city that is part of our district, with 2 more Sorelle and 2 more Anziani.  

That's the week! 

Now for comments! 

Buon compleanno a te, buon compleanno a te, buon compleanno a John Hills, buon compleanno a te! I can't believe I missed it, but it sounds like a blast. I mean, whoopie pies, are you kidding me?!? 

Trek! It's here! I remember my trek, it was... Interesting :) So hot the first day, rain the second, and everything soaked and being exhausted the third. It was so much fun though.  It got to the point that we where racing the schedule, because we could.  Would could walk fast, so we did.  Counting wheel turns when you got bored.  My advice is to honesty just have fun. Embrace the fact that it is weird, and bond with the rest of the people in your company. Be good friends with the guys, and the girls.  It will be fun.  

Oh my gosh, I forgot to tell you that our teenage investigator LOVES Ariana Grande, like, she is her role model.  She wants to be famous... I hate Ariana Grande! Her music isn't even that good! 

Ok, q and a

In general, people are obsessed with America.  Everyone thinks of it as this place that has it all together.  But they, like me, are just having a riot over this election.  They all think Trump and Clinton are the worst.  They think Americans are so stupid, and that our time is pretty much up.  But, they all still want to move there! 

The heat is not that bad this week.  The week before was awful.  But, we have found a new tactic, demonstrated by many old ladies on busses.  Fans.  Like the ones from Victorian England/China.  They work SO well! At lead for drying the sweat off your face.  And, shirts that you can't tell that your underarms are swimming.  If no one can tell, you aren't in fact sweating. Works like a charm. 

As for choir, we did one practice this Sunday, and... now, my companion and I are leaving, so...

Is there any more rain forecast? Has the limited what thing ever happened? Is NH turning into California? Why haven't you gone to the beach, Jack could take you!? Will you at least let Jack get a nice hair cut? Like one that you pay money for? And I want to see that classy missionary book!!! 

Love you all,

Sorella Hills