Happy P Day to You

Buon giorno principessa!

Ok, before you type that into google translate to confirm what you think it means, just know that that's a quote from a movie that my companion has seen that we greet each other with occasionally. Just for kicks! The movie is apparently all in Italian, called either "Bella Vita" or "Beautiful Life", I don't know which language. He said it was a really good, somewhat sad movie. Just if you want to know.

Anyway, I realize I could type in addresses, but you all seem to be doing good getting them to each other, so I'll save time for now! Haha!

OH MY GOSH CHANDLER'S AND NATHAN'S PAPERS ARE GOING IN (OR HAVE GONE IN) THIS IS GONNA BE SO COOL!!!!!!!!! For Chandler, I'm sticking with Foreign: Spain (we've talked about it before), and Stateside: I'm feeling Virginia. Nathan, foreign: Sweden and stateside: Colorado. Watch me TOTALLY be right!

Oh, and by the way, I met a missionary on service day (Tuesday's) who got in last week and he says he knows Pa. He even got his patriarchal blessing from him! His name is Elder Holmes, maybe you could see if Pa remembers him. I'm pretty dang sure he should, because he said to some other missionaries that I have the coolest middle name (which I do), before I even thought about it. Which I normally don't, but still.

Ok, new stuff in my life: we got new Italian missionaries yesterday!!!! Two new districts: 13 Elders, 1 Sister. And the best part is: one of the elders is from AUSTRALIA!!!!!! I AM SO EXCITED!!!!! Although, I overheard him talking to someone from New Zealand that he knew (whoa!) that he gets kind of annoyed when Americans try to butcher his accent. Gotta watch myself. But everybody was SUPER excited in our Zone to get new missionaries, and so far they're really cool.

I also learned this Monday that I've been making a terrible mistake in Italian. I've been saying "Gesu Cristo ha sofrito per noi", which was supposed to mean "Jesus Christ suffered for us." The verb is "sofrire", so it should be that. Turns out, the right way is "sofferto". I had accidently been saying (for 6 weeks) in lessons and to each other He "fried for us." Yeah...... we busted up like none other when we learned that!

We watched a film after the Fireside on Sunday (like always), and this week we got to see a devotional from Elder Holland a while ago. It was so inspiring! He gave us the translation of a French poem his wife taught him which was really amazing: "Come to the edge", he said/ "No," I said, "We'll fall,"/ "Come to the edge," he said/ "No!" I said, "We'll fall!"/ "Come to the edge," he said/ So I came/ And he pushed us......./ And we flew. That part of the devotional was saying how on our mission and throughout life we're going to be pushed and pushed and pushed, and if we don't rely totally on the Lord, if we don't go out to the edge, if we don't show faith when there's so much risk, we can never see miracles. He then went on to explain a lot of stuff (he didn't have any notes, and it was the BEST talk I've ever heard from him!), which lit such a fire in me, it was amazing! What I got out of it was that we don't be obedient to commandments simply to be better than other people, or simply to be rewarded by God, we should (if we're doing it right) be obedient to have the Power of God with us. There is NO EXCUSE for falling in that regard: when we're doing our best for that purpose, we will have that power to help others. THAT'S what makes this Gospel special, THAT'S why we spread His word as much as we can, so other people can feel that. I absolutely loved it!

I was wondering how I could hold onto that fire, like Mom said. So far, what I've figured out is that we be exactly obedient, as much as we can. We be humble, without God we would have nothing to boast of (I got that from a scripture where Alma says "I don't boast of myself, I only boast of my God"). And we learn to pray whenever we start to feel like something's missing. And one thing that I think is very important, be LOOKING for that feeling. We've been blessed to have the Holy Ghost be with us ALWAYS, and I've noticed over the past few days, when I actually try to feel Him, He's still with me, filling my heart to bursting with that emotion. I absolutely LOVE what I've learned this week! I also know that like it says in Ether 12:6, it's hard to learn these things until "after the trial of your faith." I had an incredibly hard weekend, but I pushed through, and then I received all of that amazingness.

Now for individual stuff: Kaden - HAHAHAHAHA!!! Oh my gosh, I cracked up when I read that Dear Elder from Mom about the football game! Now everybody that was in the room before that Leadership meeting know it too, sorry. ;) Cam - Keep rockin' it, man! You better be an eagle scout by the time I get home! Cole - I am amazed to hear how much you love Scouts already! Keep it up! Mom - You've got to read some of Dad's emails to me, they give absolutely GLOWING stories about you ('cause that was good english....). Oh, and the long sleeve shirts are NOT for jeans, they are for suits. 1. Long sleeves are more comfortable and professional looking to me and 2. we just got to the time of year where we have to wear suit jackets. Plus, all the short sleeve shirts you ordered for me are regulars, not slim, so they don't fit quite right. Maybe you could send 4 or 5, that would be awesome! The short sleeves ARE for jeans, I only have 1 shirt for gym that's everyday. It stinks. Literally. Dad - My goodness, I love you and Mom so much! I keep seeing how what you've taught me as I grew up prepared me so dang well for everything here, thank you for being an absolutely amazing example!

Ci vediamo!
Anziano Walker