Wednesday, November 28, 2007
28 NOV 2007
Buon Giorno a Tutti!
I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! There are so many things to be grateful for and I realize how blessed I am to be able to be out here serving a full-mission for the church! I love it!
I quickly got pulled out of my "Thanksgiving blues" (as Dad called them), that night during English class. I totally did not want to teach class but had no choice! So at the end of class we had a little culture lesson... all the Italians knew it was Thanksgiving anyway. I told them all about Thanksgiving and what we normally eat and do. They asked a bunch of questions. Then I made everyone go around and say what they were grateful for... haha. I started and said simple things in English... family, friends etc. Then we went around the room and they all took turns saying what they were grateful for in English. One student who is from Denmark, about 26 years old, I'm becoming to be good friends with. She speaks English so well. She said she was grateful to be able to speak English and then grateful that she came to know the Mormons, through the missionaries! So... that made me happy and I'm maybe one day we'll be able to teach her. A little tender mercy from Heavenly Father to help me out of those blues (only of course after feeling like a dork that I had even complained about no thanksgiving!) The next day we even attempted to make a little thanksgiving meal. I ate some mashed potatoes (comp can't eat them) and some turkey we bought and some veggies. So there you go... "I Want a Porsche Girl" got what she wanted!
We've continued to do a lot of finding work here. We were out in a little city called Cabras last week. We totally missed the bus to go back to Oristano and the next one didn't come for an hour! So we decided to do some house. We said a little prayer and the 2nd house that we rang let us in (remember this doesn't happen very often!). We were able to teach this lady a quick first lesson. We didn't get a return appointment but it was nice to introduce her to the gospel. Along that same street we also taught another women for a good 15 minutes at the door. Then it was time to catch the bus. Little miracles happen every day if we just recognize them!
Saturday morning we got to go on an institute "field trip." It consisted of Sorella Harvey and I, the branch president, and then the two Africans... Zuma and Aminu. We went to this archealogical site typical to Sardenga... called Santa Cristina. If anyone wants to know a little more about Sardenga you can do a search on "Nuraghi." It was the early people of Sardenga who built little civilizations. They built these tower looking things and they are all over Sardegna. We had a guide and he was telling us all this cool stuff... which we then had to translate into English for the Africans! I learned some new vocabulary that's for sure!
Sunday was great... with a record number in church... 14 people because the sister of Sorella Angius came with her husband and kid. Also the inactive family Mulas came. It was a nice Sunday. Zuma gave her testimony of how her mom introduced her to the church in Nigeria. It was amazing. I had to stand up next to her at the pulpit and translate it into Italian.
Monday we had our district meeting in Cagliari as always. I was in charge of the whole meeting...and this week it was in Italian (we've been switching off every week..so that the italian sister can understand every other week!) I gave a training that went pretty well. Yesterday we did lots of finding and hopefully can pass back by some potentials tonight. We had a meeting with sister Angius and fixed all the relief society lessons for December... I'll be teaching twice a month seeing as I'm now a relief society teacher. Yikes... may the force be with me!
Tom's email reminded me, and I've been thinking lately of miracles that have happened in my other cities. I never told you but remember how we were teaching these other Africans in Prato? Adesowa and Petra,the mom and the daughter? Well they got baptized finally this summer so I was super excited to her that. And then I heard the one of our inactives in Livorno... Stella... has introduced a friend to the church and know the sisters, my old comps, are teaching her. Just cool to hear how everyone is progressing! Can't wait to her that about Oristano! It will happen!
It's the last week of the transfer... that means transfer calls next Monday. The scary thing is is that president has to close a city for the sisters. I'm pretty sure he won't close Oristano seeing as how he just opened it... at least we are praying that he won't because we need more time to get things rolling here!
Okay, I love you and thank you all again for everything. This work is amazing and I'm grateful to be out here working.
Love you,
Sorella Boynton
Thursday, November 22, 2007
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
...may all of yours be better than mine! (let me tell you that won't be hard to do!)
What a long, weird, week and it's not over yet!
We had some weird experiences... like... we got let in doing house one night. The lady seemed normal at first but then we went into her house and she was sooo wierd...probably drunk. She had us sit down, her husband smoking away in the background. She started telling us that she had spoken with missionaries before. My companion, sister harvey then asked her if she had a book of mormon. Right after that question, the lady looked at her, slapped her hand down on the table and said...."non fare le domande a me!", or "don't ask me questions!" Whoa lady. Then
she looked sister harvey in the eyes and said, "look me in the eyes." And then she started looking her in the eyes and squinting like she was trying to read them. I was thinking "no sister harvery! she's going to hypnotize you or something!" I'm sure sister harvey was thinking that as well! But then the crazy lady finally came to the conclusion that sister harvey had the same eyes as her daughter. The lady offered us a drink and treat and we were thinking "heck no, it's probably poisened." But she insisted and gave us some water that tasted a little funny. Luckily the treat was only a Happy Hippo and it was wrapped so we were pretty safe with that one! We finally got out of there pretty freaked and just thanked heavenly father we were still alive! Crazy!
Sunday we had church like normal. Then we went and had lunch with the branch president and his wife. I love her, sorella angius, she made us come in and put on a fleece jacket and slippers... she said that she always likes people to feel right at home. So we helped her make some polenta. I also had the experience to try something really gross...TRIPE! It's not like I had to eat it but they asked me if I wanted to try it so I told her I would try one bite. I had to count to three and then I tried it. Luckily it was together with this good red sauce which hid the flavor a little but still, one bite was enough!
Monday we headed down to Cagliari for DDM. We had our district meeting. After the meeting we stayed with the cagliari sisters for the afternoon and did scambi with them...sister Bruno and sister La Roca, an italian sister (her sister was in your mission mom and dad!). They are awesome sisters. I did an exchange with sister Bruno, for those of you who remember she was my comp my first transfer in Livorno! It was so fun to be back with her again and reminisce about the good old times! Oh she's cool! Then by 6pm we were on the big old ship headed to Rome for sister harvey's 3 month conference. Luckily the water was calm and the trip went great. We got to the mission home that morning by 12. There I said hi to sister acerson quickly and then left with the rome sisters to be with them for the next day. We had a couple appointments were we had to eat a ridiculously huge amount of food (never fun). The next morning (wednesday) was p-day. The other 3 rome sisters went and did the shopping while Sister Mura (another italian sister who's brand new in the mission) and I went and some some stuff in rome. But it really wasn't fun at all because poor sister mura was so upset because the other sisters in the apartment always speak english together and she always feels left out. So she totally told me about all that and was just grumpy all morning. The whole time I just wish I could have been at the mission home. Anyway, we met up then for lunch and finally the 3 month conference got done and I met back up with my comp sister harvey and we headed back to the boat. The boat ride was forever long but I slept all through the night because I was so exhausted. We didn't get into cagliari until 1:00 today. So then we caught a train and finally got here to oristano at 4pm. What a long journey! At least we got permission to email today! So that pretty makes up my thanksgiving day! I just try not to think of all the Rome missionaries eating a feast together... try not to think of all the tuscany missionaries meeting at the American base in Pisa for their feast... and then I'm okay! Okay sorry to complain but really, Oristano is just not the funnest place to be for the holiday's (and I thought the MTC was bad last year!). So, before I complain anymore I'll just sign off and go get ready to teach english class tonight. It's a hard knocked life sometimes! But I'm thankful for this time to learn and grow and have my patience tested to the max. I love you all and am grateful for the bestest family and friends in the world! Please eat a bite of turkey and stuffing for me!
Alla prossima,
Sorella Boynton
What a long, weird, week and it's not over yet!
We had some weird experiences... like... we got let in doing house one night. The lady seemed normal at first but then we went into her house and she was sooo wierd...probably drunk. She had us sit down, her husband smoking away in the background. She started telling us that she had spoken with missionaries before. My companion, sister harvey then asked her if she had a book of mormon. Right after that question, the lady looked at her, slapped her hand down on the table and said...."non fare le domande a me!", or "don't ask me questions!" Whoa lady. Then
she looked sister harvey in the eyes and said, "look me in the eyes." And then she started looking her in the eyes and squinting like she was trying to read them. I was thinking "no sister harvery! she's going to hypnotize you or something!" I'm sure sister harvey was thinking that as well! But then the crazy lady finally came to the conclusion that sister harvey had the same eyes as her daughter. The lady offered us a drink and treat and we were thinking "heck no, it's probably poisened." But she insisted and gave us some water that tasted a little funny. Luckily the treat was only a Happy Hippo and it was wrapped so we were pretty safe with that one! We finally got out of there pretty freaked and just thanked heavenly father we were still alive! Crazy!
Sunday we had church like normal. Then we went and had lunch with the branch president and his wife. I love her, sorella angius, she made us come in and put on a fleece jacket and slippers... she said that she always likes people to feel right at home. So we helped her make some polenta. I also had the experience to try something really gross...TRIPE! It's not like I had to eat it but they asked me if I wanted to try it so I told her I would try one bite. I had to count to three and then I tried it. Luckily it was together with this good red sauce which hid the flavor a little but still, one bite was enough!
Monday we headed down to Cagliari for DDM. We had our district meeting. After the meeting we stayed with the cagliari sisters for the afternoon and did scambi with them...sister Bruno and sister La Roca, an italian sister (her sister was in your mission mom and dad!). They are awesome sisters. I did an exchange with sister Bruno, for those of you who remember she was my comp my first transfer in Livorno! It was so fun to be back with her again and reminisce about the good old times! Oh she's cool! Then by 6pm we were on the big old ship headed to Rome for sister harvey's 3 month conference. Luckily the water was calm and the trip went great. We got to the mission home that morning by 12. There I said hi to sister acerson quickly and then left with the rome sisters to be with them for the next day. We had a couple appointments were we had to eat a ridiculously huge amount of food (never fun). The next morning (wednesday) was p-day. The other 3 rome sisters went and did the shopping while Sister Mura (another italian sister who's brand new in the mission) and I went and some some stuff in rome. But it really wasn't fun at all because poor sister mura was so upset because the other sisters in the apartment always speak english together and she always feels left out. So she totally told me about all that and was just grumpy all morning. The whole time I just wish I could have been at the mission home. Anyway, we met up then for lunch and finally the 3 month conference got done and I met back up with my comp sister harvey and we headed back to the boat. The boat ride was forever long but I slept all through the night because I was so exhausted. We didn't get into cagliari until 1:00 today. So then we caught a train and finally got here to oristano at 4pm. What a long journey! At least we got permission to email today! So that pretty makes up my thanksgiving day! I just try not to think of all the Rome missionaries eating a feast together... try not to think of all the tuscany missionaries meeting at the American base in Pisa for their feast... and then I'm okay! Okay sorry to complain but really, Oristano is just not the funnest place to be for the holiday's (and I thought the MTC was bad last year!). So, before I complain anymore I'll just sign off and go get ready to teach english class tonight. It's a hard knocked life sometimes! But I'm thankful for this time to learn and grow and have my patience tested to the max. I love you all and am grateful for the bestest family and friends in the world! Please eat a bite of turkey and stuffing for me!
Alla prossima,
Sorella Boynton
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
14 NOV 2007
Holy cow, another week has come and gone!
Starting right up where I left off last week....
Being in Cagliari for P-day was so much fun. All the Sardegna missionaries were there (maybe like 20-24 missionaries, 6 sisters) and we played soccer and had a great time. It's always fun seeing other missionaries that I served with in Prato or saw at zone conferences in Florence.
The next day, Thursday was zone conference. It was the smallest ever. I'm so used to the Tuscany zone conferences where there are at least 30 missionaries all sitting in rows. But this one we were all just sitting in a big semi-circle! haha. It was great though. There were some great trainings. Sister Acerson and President always have good advice and I always learn so much. They are amazing people and I'm so grateful for their selfless service. One thing I always enjoy about at zone conference is the "dying testimonies," or the testimonies of those who are leaving. They are always so great and strong. It's incredible what a mission can do to someone if they let it!
I got your package at zone conference ell! Grazie mille!
Then we came back and taught English class. Friday was good. We did our programming for the week and then had an appointment with Sorella Angius, our good friend the RS pres and branch presidents wife. Zuma, the African member was there and we just helped her cut up these weird hard apples so she could make jam with them. Also they made brownies because Zuma loves them. I don't think I've heard people rave about brownies like they do here! They love them and always ask about them! haha. We left a spiritual thought with them and since we 4 practically are the relief society of Oristano, we talked about the blessings of the sorellanza mondiale!... the worldwide sisterhood that we have in the church! Anyway...
Saturday was pretty long... we pretty much did finding work until our appointment at 8pm. We are working with an inactive... Sorella Lai. I liked something she said... after we were done teaching her a first lesson, just to review the restoration with her, we were talking about her problems and how she doesn't really feel like her prayers get answered. Inactives know we are there to get them active. So she instead of dancing around that like sooo many do... she said... "I'm not just going to come back to church because Sister Boynton told me to come back to church." I think on the mission I've just come to like it when people are just blunt and honest. I've heard more excuses than you can imagine and so that honesty just made me happy. She's got a long way to go to come back but when she comes back, at least it's going to be for the right reason and not just because "Sister Boynton told me to come back."
Sunday was great this week. President Angius and his wife gave talks. I really liked her talk. She talked about the story of Mary and Martha and how Mary "chose the better part." (see Luke 10:38-42).
Sometimes it's hard to gauge ourselves on how we are doing but I think that if we are always trying to "choose the better part" or just trying to do our best we'll be blessed. A big, although not new, realization this week was that Father really does trust us so much and just how great and pivotal in the plan of salvation the gift of agency is.
Monday we were back in Cagliari for our district meeting. It was great. Yesterday we had another appointment with Natasha, the lady we met last week. She's good but just really busy with work and studying. So, we'll see were that goes. We've been running into this blind man who's about 50 years old. So we've come to know him pretty well. He knows the missionaries and we came to the conclusion that he is the key to this city. He knows everyone, including our branch president, and if we get him the whole city is going down! That's the plan anyways!
Today we're taking it easy and just getting caught up with letters etc, and maybe a little sleep!
Tomorrow we have interviews with President Acerson, he'll be coming here to Oristano. I'm way excited to talk with him! Next week we'll be boarding the boat again on Monday to go to Rome for sister Harvey's 3 month conference. That will be fun, I'll probably do exchanges with the Rome sisters! Wahoo.
Other than that, things are great. Hope you all are well.
Dad, a little paragraph for your question:
Oristano is an ugly little city and yes it is by the sea, however we are a little inland so we can't see it at all here. Population: 36,000. The people are nice and a little more open that the Livornese and Pratese people that I've been around before. They are known for their good Sard cookies and just little pastries. There's sheep and the land is flat. Um...what else... they don't have good foccacia here... um... I'll be thinking about other stuff.
Okay, love you all...
Sorella Boynton
Starting right up where I left off last week....
Being in Cagliari for P-day was so much fun. All the Sardegna missionaries were there (maybe like 20-24 missionaries, 6 sisters) and we played soccer and had a great time. It's always fun seeing other missionaries that I served with in Prato or saw at zone conferences in Florence.
The next day, Thursday was zone conference. It was the smallest ever. I'm so used to the Tuscany zone conferences where there are at least 30 missionaries all sitting in rows. But this one we were all just sitting in a big semi-circle! haha. It was great though. There were some great trainings. Sister Acerson and President always have good advice and I always learn so much. They are amazing people and I'm so grateful for their selfless service. One thing I always enjoy about at zone conference is the "dying testimonies," or the testimonies of those who are leaving. They are always so great and strong. It's incredible what a mission can do to someone if they let it!
I got your package at zone conference ell! Grazie mille!
Then we came back and taught English class. Friday was good. We did our programming for the week and then had an appointment with Sorella Angius, our good friend the RS pres and branch presidents wife. Zuma, the African member was there and we just helped her cut up these weird hard apples so she could make jam with them. Also they made brownies because Zuma loves them. I don't think I've heard people rave about brownies like they do here! They love them and always ask about them! haha. We left a spiritual thought with them and since we 4 practically are the relief society of Oristano, we talked about the blessings of the sorellanza mondiale!... the worldwide sisterhood that we have in the church! Anyway...
Saturday was pretty long... we pretty much did finding work until our appointment at 8pm. We are working with an inactive... Sorella Lai. I liked something she said... after we were done teaching her a first lesson, just to review the restoration with her, we were talking about her problems and how she doesn't really feel like her prayers get answered. Inactives know we are there to get them active. So she instead of dancing around that like sooo many do... she said... "I'm not just going to come back to church because Sister Boynton told me to come back to church." I think on the mission I've just come to like it when people are just blunt and honest. I've heard more excuses than you can imagine and so that honesty just made me happy. She's got a long way to go to come back but when she comes back, at least it's going to be for the right reason and not just because "Sister Boynton told me to come back."
Sunday was great this week. President Angius and his wife gave talks. I really liked her talk. She talked about the story of Mary and Martha and how Mary "chose the better part." (see Luke 10:38-42).
Sometimes it's hard to gauge ourselves on how we are doing but I think that if we are always trying to "choose the better part" or just trying to do our best we'll be blessed. A big, although not new, realization this week was that Father really does trust us so much and just how great and pivotal in the plan of salvation the gift of agency is.
Monday we were back in Cagliari for our district meeting. It was great. Yesterday we had another appointment with Natasha, the lady we met last week. She's good but just really busy with work and studying. So, we'll see were that goes. We've been running into this blind man who's about 50 years old. So we've come to know him pretty well. He knows the missionaries and we came to the conclusion that he is the key to this city. He knows everyone, including our branch president, and if we get him the whole city is going down! That's the plan anyways!
Today we're taking it easy and just getting caught up with letters etc, and maybe a little sleep!
Tomorrow we have interviews with President Acerson, he'll be coming here to Oristano. I'm way excited to talk with him! Next week we'll be boarding the boat again on Monday to go to Rome for sister Harvey's 3 month conference. That will be fun, I'll probably do exchanges with the Rome sisters! Wahoo.
Other than that, things are great. Hope you all are well.
Dad, a little paragraph for your question:
Oristano is an ugly little city and yes it is by the sea, however we are a little inland so we can't see it at all here. Population: 36,000. The people are nice and a little more open that the Livornese and Pratese people that I've been around before. They are known for their good Sard cookies and just little pastries. There's sheep and the land is flat. Um...what else... they don't have good foccacia here... um... I'll be thinking about other stuff.
Okay, love you all...
Sorella Boynton
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
7 NOVEMBER 2007
Hey all,
It's been a long but abbastanza good week. I'm pretty happy right now because we are in Cagliari for the day and are spending the night with the sassari and cagliari sisters and then we'll have Zone Conference tomorrow here in Cagliari. We also get to play soccer together tonight so I'm excited for that! I've been missing my soccer here because in Livorno we played every week! I'll have to blow the dust off and pull out all my sweet moves! haha....
We are a little bit more situated in Oristano now. The first week of overwhelmingness is passed and now it's just patience and hard work. This week we've done quite a bit of finding work... talking to people in centro or doing house. We've also been able to meet 3 inactive women who we want to start working with. I've been thinking a lot lately about inactives and what is it that gets them back and helps them realize the blessings of the gospel. I know everyone's different and there are a million and one reasons why people go inactive but I also know there's a common thread. I couldn't help but think of the re-activations of Ed and Patty Cross and also Mike and Cathy Ford. Any advice is welcome!
But that's what this branch needs is major reactivation! Sunday was good. Sorella Harvey and I always come home sunday feeling a little down just because the situation of the branch is so... just plain sad and pathetic... but that just gives us all the more drive to work hard. Sister Harvey, my comp, is cool and a really hard worker. I think we make a good team cause she's pretty intense and as you all know I'm pretty laid back and calm, so it works. It's interesting though because she is allergic to everything and can only eat fruits, veggies, rice and corn. No flour, wheat, glutin, dairy (except for goat and sheep)just pretty much nothing and that's why she's such a beanpole. If anybody had a special recipe for that type of allergy let me know! She's always so nice and making me french toast and stuff that she can't even eat and I can't even make her anything! She's also a swing dancer so I'm having fun learning that! haha. Oh the joys.
A really cool thing happened yesterday. We got a new investigator! I was looking through the area book and saw some pass-backs. So last week we went and set up an appointment with a lady. Then we went back yesterday and taught her a 1st lesson. It went really well and she agrees with a lot of our doctrine. So that's pretty much the exciting news of the week. We'll visit with her next week and hopefully she's still interested. We have some other potentials who we'll try to contact this weeks too. Little miracles are happening and we just have to remember to be patient here!
Things are good, thanks for your prayers! Love you all!
Alla prossima!
Care
p.s. Thanks for the letters everyone...especially for the package jenn and jack! You guys rock and I'm such a slacker but will write soon!
boo yeah maud squad.
It's been a long but abbastanza good week. I'm pretty happy right now because we are in Cagliari for the day and are spending the night with the sassari and cagliari sisters and then we'll have Zone Conference tomorrow here in Cagliari. We also get to play soccer together tonight so I'm excited for that! I've been missing my soccer here because in Livorno we played every week! I'll have to blow the dust off and pull out all my sweet moves! haha....
We are a little bit more situated in Oristano now. The first week of overwhelmingness is passed and now it's just patience and hard work. This week we've done quite a bit of finding work... talking to people in centro or doing house. We've also been able to meet 3 inactive women who we want to start working with. I've been thinking a lot lately about inactives and what is it that gets them back and helps them realize the blessings of the gospel. I know everyone's different and there are a million and one reasons why people go inactive but I also know there's a common thread. I couldn't help but think of the re-activations of Ed and Patty Cross and also Mike and Cathy Ford. Any advice is welcome!
But that's what this branch needs is major reactivation! Sunday was good. Sorella Harvey and I always come home sunday feeling a little down just because the situation of the branch is so... just plain sad and pathetic... but that just gives us all the more drive to work hard. Sister Harvey, my comp, is cool and a really hard worker. I think we make a good team cause she's pretty intense and as you all know I'm pretty laid back and calm, so it works. It's interesting though because she is allergic to everything and can only eat fruits, veggies, rice and corn. No flour, wheat, glutin, dairy (except for goat and sheep)just pretty much nothing and that's why she's such a beanpole. If anybody had a special recipe for that type of allergy let me know! She's always so nice and making me french toast and stuff that she can't even eat and I can't even make her anything! She's also a swing dancer so I'm having fun learning that! haha. Oh the joys.
A really cool thing happened yesterday. We got a new investigator! I was looking through the area book and saw some pass-backs. So last week we went and set up an appointment with a lady. Then we went back yesterday and taught her a 1st lesson. It went really well and she agrees with a lot of our doctrine. So that's pretty much the exciting news of the week. We'll visit with her next week and hopefully she's still interested. We have some other potentials who we'll try to contact this weeks too. Little miracles are happening and we just have to remember to be patient here!
Things are good, thanks for your prayers! Love you all!
Alla prossima!
Care
p.s. Thanks for the letters everyone...especially for the package jenn and jack! You guys rock and I'm such a slacker but will write soon!
boo yeah maud squad.
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