Bellisima

Ciao ciao!!!

I finally made it to Italia to the lovely city of.... PESCARA 
it is two hours ish est of Roma and it is lovely. It is a more modern
city right on the beach. Our apartment is probably the nicest In the
whole mission, so we are hashtag blessed. Also I have yet to run into
anyone too creepy. So it is basically heaven on Earth.

We arrived in Rome last Tuesday morning and got to stay at the mission
home for about two days, and we met our trainers and arrived in our
areas Thursday morning. My comp is Sorella Holiday and she is a
dream!!! I love her so much already. My first day we had a lesson
with Maura, and she loves the Book of Mormon, but she just doesn't
feel spiritually ready yet to be baptized but that is okay because we
love her and will keep working with her. Friday we did a lot of things
I honestly don't remember, but I do remember that it was a lovely day.
Saturday we went to the ward primary activity which was on eternal
families and it was so cute! They had the girls and boys be princesses
and princesses and had their parents like slow dance to Disney songs
which was weird but really cute and funny.

Ah... And then we had church yesterday!!! And I was forced but
enthusiastically obliged to bear my testimony in Italiano. And it went
better than expected. But then after like in the evening we ran into a
member and he brought to my attention that I had accidentally said the
masculine plural for "lives" which is feminine. But other than that I
think they approved! Haha Italians are very particular and very bold
and love to correct you but honestly it helps SO much. So it is a
blessing!

I had my first gelato on Friday I believe, and it was HEAVEN. America
does not know what it is missing. Seriously. It was lovely. And that
was another funny moment. Sorella holiday and I were chilling on a
bench outside the gelateria waiting for the bus to come, and this
random italian man just states "ciao bellisima" at me as he goes in.
And Sorella holiday and I just laughed. Also that man must throw that
out there oft, because my appearance was not up to par but I'm a
missionary not a kardashian so what do you do?!

And yes, my hair has grown about three sizes and is now the size of a
baby lion. So that's fun.

I'd say my favorite part of Italia is all the crazy people and also
how fun and nice they are. And also how they think we are TJ's all the
time. (Jehovah's Witnesses). Like yesterday we were walking to a
different part of Montesilvano, which is where we live, and we stopped
to talk to this lady but she was like "I've already heard your story.
I've already talked to the TJ's before". It was funny but sad she
didn't want to hear our message.

The icing on the cake of Italia was yesterday when we were walking and
we had walked like eight miles or at least an hour to this less
actives house, and she came out and was like "sorry, we decided to be
Catholic again, because when you're born into s religion you just
don't give it up."
So that was super fun. But we got a good bit of cardio out of it.

No what was really wonderful was hearing the Waddoups bear their
testimonies to us right before we opened our golden envelopes of our
areas. I think pictures are on the mission blog,
romeitalymission.blogspot.com, but I don't know for sure. But Sorella
Waddoups is AWESOME and president is AMAZING. This mission is the
BEST. I Love Italy and it's wonderful crazy crazy wonderful people.

This week I read the conference talk from President Monson about
choices. I think it is immensely important to remember how significant
our choices are in our life. Who will we be? Where will we go and what
can we do to be better? Let our choices continue to  lead us towards
lasting happiness and Christlike attributes.

Well, I will let you all get back to sleep since it is like 4 am in
Utah or something crazy. I'd love to hear from you and I'd love to
write you back when I have more time.

Vi  voglio bene!!!!!!!