Taking My Wand for a Nametag

Friday, June 3, 2016

Chapter 11: I Really Hate Goodbyes...And Seafood...

Whelp, I've officially finished my first of twelve transfers here in this beautiful place called Italy! I love it here more and more each day! This week has been a week of appointments falling through,
because there have been street-race things going on (don't ask… I don't understand either...) and a freak ton of rainstorms with more thunder and lightning than I've ever experienced!

Last Thursday, we had an appointment with one of our less-actives, Barbara, and it went really well! Her husband isn't a member and doesn't want us there when he's there. Barbara, however, loves us. 
She's been inviting us over about every week now and we've gotten to teach her and her kids, and lately they've been coming to church and sitting with us. Later that day, we had correlation meeting with our
ward mission leader Gabriele. It's kinda an interesting meeting, because Gabriele doesn't really come to church anymore... Buuuut he does love us missionaries and loves to help us! So correlation
definitely benefits us,and we try to help him regain his testimony at the same time. Definitely an interesting situation though lol.

Friday we TRIED to visit a less-active in our ward. It's a struggle because to get to her, we have to take the bus, take the metro, and take another bus. Well we were waiting for that last bus for a while.
This random old dude came and sat by us. He wanted to read us our horoscopes, and then talk to us all about Area 51 and all his conspiracy theories... During this crazy convo, we asked someone when
this bus was supposed to come. The answer: not for another 3 hours. Yeah, that wasn't going to work... So my comp faked that we were getting a phone call, and we left.

Saturday, a big chunk of the day was used for weekly planning, because this week is transfer week and we needed to plan for our various appointments and whatnot. We were also supposed to have an appointment
with our investigator Berta and her sons. However, it fell through. That afternoon, we got some super sad news: they're closing down the Collegno anziani! There's a big group of anziani going home this
transfer, and only one coming in. So they need to temporarily close down some of the companionships. We were pretty sad! We also found out about some of the people in our zone who were gonna be transferred as
well. Definitely put a damper on the afternoon! So then we had to meet the anziani at the church and spend the rest of the day figuring out their area book stuff and getting info about their investigator. Now
my comp and I have 5 area books... Needless to say, we have our work cut out for us lol...

Sunday we had church as usual. Anziano Rogers and Yee were asked to bear their testimonies and say goodbye, which was super sad. After church, a guy in our ward had us stay in the building so he could make
us a "last supper". Super nice, and we were gonna have an activity that evening as well, so we just stayed. Remember how last week I mentioned my issues with vegetables? Let me also add that I have even
more of a problem eating sea food lol... I don't blame any of you for judging my pickiness hardcore right now haha. Whelp, our meal was a blend of rice, peppers, peas, fish chunks, shrimp, and oyster things.
Shoot dang. A huge heaping bowl. I wanted to die😂 but be proud of me- I forced ALL OF IT down! Well, except for a couple of the oyster things cuz A. Rogers eagerly took those from me lol #whatabro. But
yeah... I'm probs gonna come home much less picky lol... Sorry not sorry I always talk about food lol! After that, we had a game night with our ward's youth and a couple of youth leaders. It was super fun-
we had darts and ping-pong and foosball and it was a blast! It also gave me good practice with the language, cuz our youth are super awesome kids, and they're really helpful and patient.

Monday was a crazy day. We had district mtg in Torino that morning after studies. It was a longer meeting than usual, because we also signed dedicas and said goodbyes. Half the district is leaving! Rogers
and Yee are getting transferred, and Blazzard and Harris are going home! So it was super fun but also super sad! I freaking hate goodbyes! We also had my fingerprinting appointment for my permesso.
So we had to kinda stick around in Torino. We ate lunch and then headed to the office. Super sketchy part of town, I might add lol. But all went well there! However, we totally got lost trying to find our
way back to the metro, so that was an adventure.

Tuesday, we took a train to our appointment. Any guesses on what happened once we were there? Yup, the appointment fell through. Oh joy. I brought up the idea that we could just go finding in this city.
So we did. Lots of rejection as usual. However, we got a lesson in, and had some solid gospel convos, so it worked out! We aren't seeing a ton of results lately, but what matters is that we're working and
trying. We also found this random forest thing too which was pretty neat lol.

We were having a bit of a hard time with Doina (the one Romanian lady I found on our way back from scambi). She seemed super interested in our message. However, we'd been having a hard time getting in contact
with her. At one point when we were at a bus stop on Tuesday, I felt prompted that we should call her. We did, and she answered (we’d caught her on her lunch break, luckily!) She talked with us for a bit-
she's just darling and I love her! However, we weren't able to set up an appointment with her, because she works everyday until 9pm! So We don't really know what to do at this point. I really feel like
she's ready for our message, and I want to make sure she has every possible opportunity to receive the restored gospel. So any prayers/thoughts/ideas from y'all would be very much appreciated.

Today for Pday, we went to Juventus soccer stadium! We got to go on a tour of the stadium, and it was pretty freaking cool, especially since they're such a winnin team! Obviously I had to get a shirt since
Juventus is playing in the Europe cup this summer💁🏼 gotta represent my city, lol!

My comp shared this poem with me (idk who it's by #sorry)

“Father, where shall I work today?”
And my love flowed warm and free.
Then He pointed out a tiny spot
And said, “Tend that for me.”
I answered quickly, “Oh no; not that!
Why, no one would ever see,
No matter how well my work was done;
Not that little place for me.”
And the word He spoke, it was not stern;
He answered me tenderly:
Ah, little one, search that heart of thine.
Art thou working for them or for me?
Nazareth was a little place,
And so was Galilee.”

We don't get to choose what part we get to play in Gods plan. Sometimes our part seems too demanding and overwhelming; other times
it seems we've been given an insignificant role. I 100% have felt both these sides (and every place in between) during my short 1st transfer
here in Italy, and I'm sure it's something we can all relate to in life in general. However, we must remember WHO it is we're working for
(It's God, if you haven't figured it out) and we need to remember that we don't see the full plan- He does! We just gotta have faith and go for it!

Love you guys more than Voldemort loves power... And making
horcruxes... And snakes...? Sorry, I'm bad at analogies lol😅

Xoxo
Sorella Smedley

1 & 2- Admiring plants on the way to church (yes, there are palm trees!)   3. Youth Activity
4- It’s always raining  5- My first cannoli 6-8. The things we find while tracking in Alpignouno
9&10-- Goodbye Anziano Yee and Anziano Rodgers :(  11.-District meeting(Rogers,Yee,Blazzard,Sanchez,Smith,me,Harris,Arndt) One chair for every transfer you have left. 12- Gonna miss these goons!
13-Goodbye Anziano Mclver 14-16 Random Italy pics to make you all jealous! 15-19 Juventus stadium

  

   
             





















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