This week I counted 17 dogs wearing rain jackets, and as I'm writing this another 2 just walked by. If that doesn't sum up this week's events in Italian culture and weather, I don't know what could.
We've been caught in the most rainy season as a new companionship still trying to figure out our way around this giant city. Unfortunately, this week was filled with a lot of errand running and logistical things, because I learned that as a trainer you're responsible for a lot more than just helping your companion learn the language. Other necessary responsibilities include, but are not limited to: 1) teaching your new missionary that, no, you can't only live off of gelato and nutella, 2) translating any medicines needed into italian and hoping your new missionary doesn't ends up with their prescription and not some laxative, 3) filling out piles of paperwork so that the new missionary doesn't get deported.
Some other fun Sorella Brooks quotes this week:
"In ROTC training I had to have 40 grams of protein every meal so I could get gains"
"Why does my memory just go to the chop shop in the morning?"
"I'm really digging this whole pranzo thing"
I just adore her.
In the time we did have for normal missionary work, we were on an exchange! So Sorella Chadbolt from Canada came here and we went finding. But here's what I love about finding in Rome: We were able to go finding in the homes right by the temple! Typically house to house isn't terribly effective in this mission, but I had had the feeling this whole week, that there would be people living near the temple who would be ready to hear about our church. And sure enough, thanks to the longgg construction process of the Rome Temple, many people knew who we were and had some interest! One woman in particular started asking us question after question and we ended up teaching parts of several of the lessons. Finally she just said that all this probably requires a series of lessons or something, and that it might just be better if we came back to visit her at her house the next week. So we're looking forward to that!
This week I saw God's hand in my life everyday, but the most prominent was yesterday. Being in a ward with another set of sisters is hard. Being in a ward with 10 missionaries is even harder. And being the only set that is a completely new companionship in the area was very overwhelming for me. We didn't know what classes to go to, which members we needed to set up meetings with, or even where to find the relief society. So I spent most of Sunday school praying that we would find a way to integrate ourselves into the ward, even though the members already habe relationships with all the other missionaries. After we finished third hour, we decided to hang around and say goodbye to people as they left. Two separate families came up to us as they left and told us to come over in the next week because they had referrals for us. I was floored. Heavenly Father answers prayers. It was an amazing testimony that He is aware of our individual situations and that He is really waiting to reach out to us.
I know this gospel is true and I know we have a Heavenly Father who loves us. And I love being His missionary!
Sorella Maxfield
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