Hello, All -
Alisa here, Zoe's mother.
Note that there was a skip in the numbering by one week.
No, it's not that we didn't write to one another. Instead, we were able to SKYPE for Christmas! WOO HOO!
So, week 34 was great for us here at 119 Wildwood, because we were able to see her pretty face and hear her speak Italian so beautifully. That's the reason for the lapse in numbering.
She has been out 8 months today. Nealy half-way.
We love OUR Girl on Fire.
A.
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Thirty-five: January 1, 2014 Genova
Ciao Cari,
Happy New Year!
It came just in time too, I'd say!
I am so happy to hear about all of the fun stuff that you all have been doing. It sounds great!
You guys are so crazy and spontaneous! ha ha
We weren't awake for the Fireworks or anything. It was pretty scary here. Fireworks are legal here and people started their fireworks at like 11 in the morning POP POP POP! all day. I thought we were going to get shot- ha ha.
President asked us to be inside at 5pm, so of course, we were.
In the south, people go crazy. They take ''out with the old'' literally, and throw old fridges, appliances, furniture, clothing....all out the window and so...it gets a little wild. It wasn't like that here, but he still wanted us in because people start drinking earlyyyy.
We're safe though, I still have all my toes!
---
BTW, I totally lied about how many times I've eaten with Italian families...We've totally visited more people and they've fed us. I completely forgot ha ha.
For New Year's Eve last night, we went to the ward party from 8:30-10:15, because President said we had to be home by 10:30. It was fun. The food was good. It was just a good experience.
These past few weeks have been busy, fun, and just a good time. Like you were saying, we just had some fun. I feel like I'm getting better with my teaching and my testifying. It's more clean, let's say.
Being in 3 is good because you really have to equalize everything, give every person her part, and to lift and sustain. I'm learning quickly how to give and take...the execution is rusty, but I'm practicing.
Sorella Durfee is a really good example to me of Forever Finding as well and her drive is rubbing off. I'm grateful for that. I'll get there.
---
So for companionship study today, we all wrote down our new year's resolutions. It was awesome. I have a bunch of stuff that I want to work on and that includes things from all realms. That's why I said the new year hasn't come too soon. It's perfect!
What are you all doing to do as resolutions for this year? Got any good ones?
Some of mine are things like:
judge less, be kinder
play the piano, develop good talents (I'm practicing the piano ..I'm doing pretty well I'd say)
become a sacred missionary/woman
exercise and drink moer water (like Mom)
ha ha- this should be a good year.
Well this is a kind of funny thing
So we have a lot of interesting characters here in Genova.
There are a lot of men that sell thing on the street.
There's scarf guy-- he sells scarves
There's kebab guy-- he makes kebab
There's weird middle eastern man-sitting-on-ball-held up-by-other-man guy (its a street performance)
There's accordian guy, bagpipe Christmas music guy, and then there is my favorite....
Saxophone guy.
Whenever we leave church, he is playing on the main street. He plays things like ''killing me softly'', italian classics, jazzy soul, etc.
The first time I saw him, we walked past and he looked at me and smiled with his saxophone still in mouth and played a little sweeter....it was sweet. He's an old man, kind of like Santa. It wasn't a creepy thing, it was really nice.
That happened a while ago, but I hadn't told you so I figured I would.
Genova is a lively city.
Accordian guy plays right below our apartment window. He plays ''la vie en rose'', ''somewhere ove the rainbow'', etc. It's awesome.
Although its not exactly missionary approved music, I think it's ok because it's part of the experience, ya know?
----
Man, I don't have much to write this week.
The year has started out well so far.
For Christmas, we are allowed to watch a disney movie. We got stuck in the rain and didn't get to the house in time, so President is letting us watch it today. We'll watch Tangled, its the Rapunzel story. The other sisters really like it.
Well, dear family. I love you. More than I thought I did. It's not really a thought anymore or a feeling, it just kind of fills in the cracks of all the things that we don't really need to say. We are an eternal family. We can enjoy in the blessings of the temple. Together. I can't wait to go all together with Eva!
-----
Also! Here for Christmas, they eat Pandoro (a cake that comes in a bag, you put powered sugar in the bag and shake it up and its all snowy-loking), and Panettone. Hopefully you can find some and give it a try. It's good stuff. I like panettone, but not with all the weird fruit. Just with raisins. Its basically an Italian fruitcake...I like it.
I can't wait to come home and cook for you all....I can totally here Eva... like, ''you dont have to tell me twice''. It'll be yummy, buono! I'll learn some good tricks. I think I might even get a cookbook.
Are you all warm at home? Did you get any good snow since last week? Are you all bundled up?
How's Georgie!
I'm sorry this letter is kind of weird. Ha ah- this year....well, I'm just really excited about it. I don't know if you knew this, but because I entered the MTC on MAY 1st....today January 1st is my 8 month mark. February 1st is halfway. ....not possible. I don't really think that's right...ha ha, someone got it wrong. I still have a year and a half left.
I don't really think about it too much, but when I do, I remember all of the changes that I have made. I remember my possibilities, my future....my NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS! :)
I do have to say.....regardless of where I am right now, and where I can go, in this exact moment I am happy. I am just, plain happy. I am changing and getting stronger and more pure. I am sooo happy.
In the first page on Preach My Gospel, there is a letter from the First Presidency...it says
Greater happiness awaits you than you have ever experienced.
Its true, the promise is always true.
I hope that you all feel the same happiness, because it is pure and sweet and real.
There is nothing better than the love of God for His children, or the healing and sanctifying power of the Atonement.
----
I hope that you are having a good time together. Enjoy just sitting there, eating together, and laughing. Those images help me remember our love.
I can't think of much else. I hope that you will all be able to come here, but even coming here for a few days....just isn't enough.
I love Italia.
I know you'll love it too.
I'll try to bring back as much as I can with me, so that I can keep Italy with me so that you can experience it too. It really is a magical place...but not in the way that I thought.
Italy is ready to be awakened by the light of the Gospel.
I love knowing that I was called here to help this work.
No one can say my name, because Italian names all end in a vowel, so I made it easier! No, I didn't go out like that - just when someone is trying to say my name, I tell them to say Carla.
My dear little family, never stop praying, learning, and serving.
Remember what I said, I'm a missionary here. You're missionaries there. We do this together.
I love you all. I don't miss you because I don't feel far away from you. With each passing day, you grow closer to me. No, not because I'm coming home sooner every day but because through my service, we're being knit closer together.
YOU ARE AMAZING!
my dear ones
vi amo così tanto. siete bravi.
non dimenticatevi che vi amo.
this next week, I'll have some really good things to write to you.
they'll be good....ooooo maybe I'll send you some recipes (ricette ree-chet-ayh)
YUMM!
I love you I love you I love you
Don't drink toilet bowl cleaner.
PS (my companions all know about ''you never know when you need a bag'')
these phrases, they're totally being used all the time.
See you soon
Talk to you sooner
-girl on fire ;)
Happy New Year!
It came just in time too, I'd say!
I am so happy to hear about all of the fun stuff that you all have been doing. It sounds great!
You guys are so crazy and spontaneous! ha ha
We weren't awake for the Fireworks or anything. It was pretty scary here. Fireworks are legal here and people started their fireworks at like 11 in the morning POP POP POP! all day. I thought we were going to get shot- ha ha.
President asked us to be inside at 5pm, so of course, we were.
In the south, people go crazy. They take ''out with the old'' literally, and throw old fridges, appliances, furniture, clothing....all out the window and so...it gets a little wild. It wasn't like that here, but he still wanted us in because people start drinking earlyyyy.
We're safe though, I still have all my toes!
---
BTW, I totally lied about how many times I've eaten with Italian families...We've totally visited more people and they've fed us. I completely forgot ha ha.
For New Year's Eve last night, we went to the ward party from 8:30-10:15, because President said we had to be home by 10:30. It was fun. The food was good. It was just a good experience.
These past few weeks have been busy, fun, and just a good time. Like you were saying, we just had some fun. I feel like I'm getting better with my teaching and my testifying. It's more clean, let's say.
Being in 3 is good because you really have to equalize everything, give every person her part, and to lift and sustain. I'm learning quickly how to give and take...the execution is rusty, but I'm practicing.
Sorella Durfee is a really good example to me of Forever Finding as well and her drive is rubbing off. I'm grateful for that. I'll get there.
---
So for companionship study today, we all wrote down our new year's resolutions. It was awesome. I have a bunch of stuff that I want to work on and that includes things from all realms. That's why I said the new year hasn't come too soon. It's perfect!
What are you all doing to do as resolutions for this year? Got any good ones?
Some of mine are things like:
judge less, be kinder
play the piano, develop good talents (I'm practicing the piano ..I'm doing pretty well I'd say)
become a sacred missionary/woman
exercise and drink moer water (like Mom)
ha ha- this should be a good year.
Well this is a kind of funny thing
So we have a lot of interesting characters here in Genova.
There are a lot of men that sell thing on the street.
There's scarf guy-- he sells scarves
There's kebab guy-- he makes kebab
There's weird middle eastern man-sitting-on-ball-held up-by-other-man guy (its a street performance)
There's accordian guy, bagpipe Christmas music guy, and then there is my favorite....
Saxophone guy.
Whenever we leave church, he is playing on the main street. He plays things like ''killing me softly'', italian classics, jazzy soul, etc.
The first time I saw him, we walked past and he looked at me and smiled with his saxophone still in mouth and played a little sweeter....it was sweet. He's an old man, kind of like Santa. It wasn't a creepy thing, it was really nice.
That happened a while ago, but I hadn't told you so I figured I would.
Genova is a lively city.
Accordian guy plays right below our apartment window. He plays ''la vie en rose'', ''somewhere ove the rainbow'', etc. It's awesome.
Although its not exactly missionary approved music, I think it's ok because it's part of the experience, ya know?
----
Man, I don't have much to write this week.
The year has started out well so far.
For Christmas, we are allowed to watch a disney movie. We got stuck in the rain and didn't get to the house in time, so President is letting us watch it today. We'll watch Tangled, its the Rapunzel story. The other sisters really like it.
Well, dear family. I love you. More than I thought I did. It's not really a thought anymore or a feeling, it just kind of fills in the cracks of all the things that we don't really need to say. We are an eternal family. We can enjoy in the blessings of the temple. Together. I can't wait to go all together with Eva!
-----
Also! Here for Christmas, they eat Pandoro (a cake that comes in a bag, you put powered sugar in the bag and shake it up and its all snowy-loking), and Panettone. Hopefully you can find some and give it a try. It's good stuff. I like panettone, but not with all the weird fruit. Just with raisins. Its basically an Italian fruitcake...I like it.
I can't wait to come home and cook for you all....I can totally here Eva... like, ''you dont have to tell me twice''. It'll be yummy, buono! I'll learn some good tricks. I think I might even get a cookbook.
Are you all warm at home? Did you get any good snow since last week? Are you all bundled up?
How's Georgie!
I'm sorry this letter is kind of weird. Ha ah- this year....well, I'm just really excited about it. I don't know if you knew this, but because I entered the MTC on MAY 1st....today January 1st is my 8 month mark. February 1st is halfway. ....not possible. I don't really think that's right...ha ha, someone got it wrong. I still have a year and a half left.
I don't really think about it too much, but when I do, I remember all of the changes that I have made. I remember my possibilities, my future....my NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS! :)
I do have to say.....regardless of where I am right now, and where I can go, in this exact moment I am happy. I am just, plain happy. I am changing and getting stronger and more pure. I am sooo happy.
In the first page on Preach My Gospel, there is a letter from the First Presidency...it says
Greater happiness awaits you than you have ever experienced.
Its true, the promise is always true.
I hope that you all feel the same happiness, because it is pure and sweet and real.
There is nothing better than the love of God for His children, or the healing and sanctifying power of the Atonement.
----
I hope that you are having a good time together. Enjoy just sitting there, eating together, and laughing. Those images help me remember our love.
I can't think of much else. I hope that you will all be able to come here, but even coming here for a few days....just isn't enough.
I love Italia.
I know you'll love it too.
I'll try to bring back as much as I can with me, so that I can keep Italy with me so that you can experience it too. It really is a magical place...but not in the way that I thought.
Italy is ready to be awakened by the light of the Gospel.
I love knowing that I was called here to help this work.
No one can say my name, because Italian names all end in a vowel, so I made it easier! No, I didn't go out like that - just when someone is trying to say my name, I tell them to say Carla.
My dear little family, never stop praying, learning, and serving.
Remember what I said, I'm a missionary here. You're missionaries there. We do this together.
I love you all. I don't miss you because I don't feel far away from you. With each passing day, you grow closer to me. No, not because I'm coming home sooner every day but because through my service, we're being knit closer together.
YOU ARE AMAZING!
my dear ones
vi amo così tanto. siete bravi.
non dimenticatevi che vi amo.
this next week, I'll have some really good things to write to you.
they'll be good....ooooo maybe I'll send you some recipes (ricette ree-chet-ayh)
YUMM!
I love you I love you I love you
Don't drink toilet bowl cleaner.
PS (my companions all know about ''you never know when you need a bag'')
these phrases, they're totally being used all the time.
See you soon
Talk to you sooner
-girl on fire ;)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)