Well, let's just start off by saying
that this has been one of the weirdest weeks ever. Literally, life has
been kinda crazy and as a result, I'm really tired. Let me explain.
So
last Thursday, we came home at the end of the day and we discovered
that we didn't have any gas in our apartment. It just magically
disappeared. The next morning we called the mission office and basically
they think the problem is that the gas company shut off the gas in the
wrong apartment, because there is an old missionary apartment near by
ours. So no hot water or use of the stove. But wait. It gets better. The
next night, we get home at the end of the night to the other anziani
standing in the dark with flashlights. Great. But there is also a
fantastic smell of burnt plastic. So basically what happened is that the
other anziani overloaded the circuit and normally, the breaker kicks
off the power so nothing happens, but this time, that didn't happen.
Instead the breaker just caught fire in the wall. So the other anziani
ripped the box of the wall and put out the electrical fire. So now we
are without gas or electricity. Good thing we live a 5 minute walk from
the GANS center (pretty much like the institute building). So we spent
the night there, because there was heating and hot water and a stove and
everything. We looked pretty ridiculous walking across the street with
our mattresses. haha. The best part is that this all happened at the
start of the weekend, so we couldn't get any help until Monday.
So we took showers in the GANS center and the other other anziani's
apartment and we always have to go over to the GANS center to make lunch
and its just a mess. At the point, we got our power fixed yesterday,
but we still have no gas. So no hot water or cooking food. It sucks to
say the least. I could've sworn that I went on my mission to Italy, not
south America. Oh well. Its been kinda fun. Crazy, but fun.
Adding
to the weirdness, yesterday we had to go to the questura (police
station) to get Anziano Lingardo's fingerprints done for his
permesso........I hate the questura. It is like the DMV, but a million
times worse. We had an appointment at 11:11, so we were there about 40 minutes early. We got out at 3:30.
We were there for 5 hours. Literally just waiting there, surrounded by
people from all of the world. The building was way too small and
disorganized for how many people there were. But, we did get it done. It
was a nightmare. We had to skip lunch, which is the worst. My body is
so used to big lunches.
Then, on top of all of
that, I've been worrying about classes. Speaking of that, I need to
register on Thursday. I decided that I am just going to do it from here
mom, so don't worry about it. My schedule is looking good. About 15
credits and adequate spacing between classes. I'm happy with it. Let's
just hope I can get all of my classes.
Another weird thing. Today is Tuesday and its pday. Super weird. And then both
tomorrow and Thursday, I have to go to Milano for meetings, so it's
going to still be a weird week.
We are
following march madness right now and its crazy. The entire right side
of my bracket is destroyed. Everything is riding on Wisconsin to win it
all. C'mon badgers!!! haha. We decided that the winner in our apartment
gets a tub of gelato from our favorite place payed by the other 3. haha.
I really hope I win. I want that gelato!
Since
I'm already talking about worldly stuff, I'll just keep going. You
remember how a long time ago I asked for family pictures of like grandpa
and grandma and great grandma and what not? Yeah, well I would still
like those. haha. If you would also like to send me any stories you
remember from them, that would be really cool. I love family history
stories. They are so awesome!
It's really cool
that Lizzy loved SDSU. That's going to be a great and fun time for her.
It sounds like you had a lot of fun with the grand kids this week. I'm
jealous. I want to see them!! They are actually fun now. haha. Random
question, do you guys know when I'm giving my homecoming talk? Because I
want you guys to make a Facebook group for it and invite all of my
friends. Another question, do you
know when mother's day is? I have no clue. I just know its in May.
Anyway, time for a cool miracle!
This
past week, we set up an appointment with a less active. Then literally
30 minutes before the appointment, I called to confirm and he said that
he would be there. We show up and suone his palazzo and he answers, but
as soon as I told him who we were, he said he wasn't interested and hung
up. I was super puzzled. So then I called him, but he didn't answer. So
we checked around to make sure it was the right house...it was. So we
went back and suoned again and this time his mother answered. I asked if
he was home and she said, let me check. After a minute she came back
and told me that he wasn't home and that he had just left. Since we had
been standing right there and I recognized his voice the first time, I
was a little upset. However, here comes the miracle. The next day in
church, we are sitting in Sunday School, when a member tells me that some random person showed up. I
went out and there was this less active and his non member mom. We then
went down to gospel principles with them and during the lesson, the non
member mother said that she felt really good here in church and wanted
to come back. Then she said that she was looking for the truth and maybe
what she had been taught as a child wasn't the truth and she said that
what we were talking about sure sounded like the truth, because "it just
sounded right". We set up an appointment to go and see them tonight and
we are very excited to be able to help this reactivate this less active
member and at the same time, bring his mother into the fold of the
gospel. God really does work in mysterious ways. Maybe it took the guilt
they felt giving us a bidone to restart their lives in the gospel. I
don't know what prompted them to come to church, but I'm very happy they
did and we are looking forward to helping the family grow in the
gospel.
Like I say every time, I love being a
missionary. I'm really so lucky to be here in the most beautiful
country ever serving the amazing Italian people in the most beautiful
language ever!!!! I love Italian so much. I'm really going to miss it.
Keep
being strong everyone. I love you all and I wish you all the best.
Thank you for your prayers and support. Next week will hopefully be more
normal, but knowing my luck, it wont be. haha. It's OK. All in the
service of the Lord.
Anziano Langlois
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