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