Monday was p-day, we cleaned the house and did some grocery shopping. It was raining and that always makes shopping a bit more difficult. After that we had district p-day, we went with the Anziani and walked around Palermo and did some more shopping. Then we got lunch and went to the church to play fuse ball and call our families. After that we went bowling which was a lot fun. I won the first round and the second round my score was in the hundreds. After that we had District Council, we usually have council on Tuesdays but since our District Leader and his companion were already in Palermo for p-day we just decided to have it since they have to travel down from Trapani. I did my first addestramento, which is the lesson, or training, for District Council. I gave it on how to have effective studies and it went really well.
Tuesday we got up and did studies, contacting and then went to a member's house for pranzo. She made us pistachio pasta, it was so yummy. Then she gave us another course, which was some meat, and then dolce. We were super full. After pranzo we went to the train station and Sorella Valinga and I traveled to the airport and met up with Anziano Officer and Andersen and we all got on the plane to Rome. When we landed it was really cold and the AP's and the Catani missionaries were there to pick us up. We drove to the Villa and Sorella Smith, the President's wife had made us grilled cheese sandwiches and home made tomato soup, which was so amazing. I have definitely missed those. It was so nice to be around a "mom" again. We talked and they have a beautiful tree set up in the living room for Christmas and it was really nice to be at the Villa with President and his wife and Sorella Morgan, which is my friend from my MTC district.
Wednesday we woke up and had breakfast and then hung out in the Villa for a little while until it was time to leave. Then we went to the Visitor Center and the Stake Center, which are all right there on Temple grounds. I got to the see the Visitor Center all it up with the Christmas trees for Christmas. We were hanging out in the Visitor Center playing the temple game when my MTC companion walked by, Sorella Deschaine, and she walked past the window outside and she did a double take and then her jaw dropped and we both ran to each other and hugged each other and cried. It's been almost 9 months since we have seen each other. It really was a tender moment. It was so incredible to see her and hug her and talk with her. I am so grateful that the Lord gave me that blessing to go to Rome and to see her. After that we walked around talking to other missionaries and we walked up to a big group and I saw Sorella Fangu, another one of my friends from my MTC district. We freaked out when we saw each other and had a huge embrace as well. I love them so much. Later I also Anziano Call from my MTC district who messaged me every week when I was home for the six months before I came back out. He is a really good friend and it was so amazing to see all of them and to be around them. Later that day we had a technology conference and learned how to use technology more in our finding. We are also going to be using Facebook a lot more in our work. We met from 11:00-4:30 and then Sorella Morgan and I and the other Anziani that were staying at the Villa went back to the Villa with the AP's. We hung out, played the piano, and then started making dinner. President and Sorella Smith and two of the other sisters stayed for a baptism. We made hamburgers and ate dinner with President and his wife. Afterwards we sang Christmas songs while Sorella Smith played the guitar, which was so amazing. It was really nice to just sit and visit with each other. The whole day was amazing, just so much love-it was so good to see people from my MTC group and then to spend time in the Villa with President and Sorella Smith because they are just incredible.
Thursday we woke up and had breakfast and talked with each other a little bit more. It was funny, we had a couple rap battles and Sorella Smith actually joined in-it was super fun! Then we were all in the living room talking with President Smith and he told us that the time for living on borrowed light is over. I loved this, it is so true. It is so important for us to build our own testimonies and to learn how to receive personal revelation and to feel the spirit on our own. We can't rely on others testimonies any more we have to create our own. After that we left and went back to the airport, it was a two and a half hour wait until boarded our plane. We ate at McDonalds and played fuse ball since there was a fuse ball table there in the airport. We boarded the plane, flew back to Sicily and then took the train back to Palermo. We got back around 5pm and then I had to go to English Course. It was nice to be back in Palermo with all "my people."
Friday was a bit of a long day, we had a lot of things to do. We did weekly planning, we did our studies and we ran some errands. That evening we went to the Palermo II area for a baptism. When we arrived at the church there we found out that the guy who was going to be baptized was very nervous and didn't want to follow through with the baptism that night. He wanted to wait a couple more weeks. We were sad but it's something that you can't rush and we totally understand that. We wanted him to have a very strong testimony before he gets baptized and he is still working on that.
On our way home a big storm was coming in, the wind was so crazy and it was raining super hard.
Saturday we woke up and the storm was still raging outside. We did studies, searching for inactive members and contacting. We have our huge member list and we are going through that and trying to find all the inactive members and see who is interested in meeting with us. For pranzo we made chicken legs and potatoes. It was very yummy and we felt like good cooks, lol. Afterwards we did some more studies and then headed out to a lesson with a lady named, Anaze. She made us some hot chocolate and it was delicious. We taught her from the Book of Mormon and answered a bunch of questions that she had in regards to her son. It went really well. Then we went over to Bernadette's house and got in the car with her mom and her brother to go pick Bernadette up from work. Unfortunately, that was a mistake. We got in the car at 7:30 and they did not get us home until 10:05 and we are suppose to be home at 9:30 at the latest when we are with an appointment. But we did everything that we could and they are just very stubborn. When we got home Sorella Johnson read me a Christmas story and had me color like we do at home. It was so sweet and I loved it!
Sunday we woke up and went to church. It was the primary program and the children are so precious and so cute. We had an inactive member come to church and a non-member, so we had two people in church to see the Primary Program and it was incredible! After church we went to Bishop's house for pranzo and ate so much food. I've never been so full in my life. I've had some pretty crazy pranzo's but that's the most I've ever eaten. He literally gave me portions of food like my Dad eats and it was 3 courses of that much food. I thought I was going to die! After that we went caroling at Teatro Massimo again for an hour and a half. We talked to some people, tried to find people that were interested in our message. Then we went home and I was feeling very sick, I threw up. We were going to go bed early but Sorella Johnson is leaving for home in three days so we needed to stay up and get some stuff done for her.
That was my week, it was so incredible and I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to go to Rome. Something that I wanted to share for a spiritual message this week; In my letter to President Smith this week he sent me back an email that said; "Thank you for your positive attitude through the hard and difficult times. I always feel a sense of gratitude in your letters. I think it is true, you are only as happy as you are grateful. You have the spiritual gift of a grateful heart, what a great gift." That was really precious to get that from my Mission President. It's something that I didn't really realize that I had, so it was really cool to hear that from him. Also, I was reading in Ether 12:27 and it says "I give men weaknesses that they may be humble, for if they humble themselves before me and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." As I read that, I know that I can turn my weaknesses into strengths with humility and help from the Savior. A lot of times we think of our weaknesses as a trial but it's actually a blessing because it's the way the Lord is humbling us so he can use us in His work. I am very grateful to be here. I just got my transfer call this morning and I will be staying here in Palermo for another seven weeks. I will be getting a new companion, Sorella Barnes.
Love you all,
Sorella Acton
My Comp, Sorella Johnson
My MTC Companion
Reunion in Rome
Sorella Fangu, Sorella Deschaine, and me
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