*P-day is Mormon slang for Preparation Day. Missionaries get one full day each week to take off from proselyting, serving, and studying. They use it to do their laundry, clean their apartment, write letters, do their shopping, play basketball, and tidy up all the loose ends it takes just to live. (We can probably assume Justin opts out of the basketball and cleaning.)
I'm a typical parent- and typical parents love to share! (Please give me a pat on the back- because I think I've done an admirable job reining myself in, afterall he's been gone nearly five whole weeks!) I'm all too aware that this can get annoying.
SO. Having said that, you can just take the condensed version of show and tell:
"I'm doing great!"
Or, you can have the unabridged letter excerpts I've included below.
(When you've finished, feel free to tell me how wonderful he is.)
On the plane ride to SLC I sat by a 70ish year old man in an Oakland Raiders shirt and cap. He asked if I was a missionary and I told him I was. He said he had a generally positive experience with Mormons and asked if he could see the Doctrine and Covenants. After that I showed him the Articles of Faith (and found your note Mom) and we got to talking about different things like the Plan of Salvation, works vs. grace, and baptism. I was surprised how well I was ale to hold up in providing scriptural references. It turns out he was a Fort Worth, non -denominational preacher with an interesting theology and pretty much the only non-Mormon on the plane (even the attendant asked where I was going...)Calder, my whole district wanted to sing in choir and I had to go with my companion. Me... in choir! I also sat by all the guys with unnaturally high voices and they gave me dirty looks whenever I tried to sing. Eventually I gave up and mouthed the rest, but we got good seats for the fireside!
Pal- you'll be happy to know that there is a pull-up bar in my dorm and I'm the only one who can do more than 5.
Maddie- has anybody taken my place and begun to stand up for you yet?
My companion Elder Jeter is from south-southeast Texas close to the border of Louisiana where drugs, oil rigs and alligators abound. His family is actually Cajun... but he says they kinda completely reject their heritage. Personality wise- he is pretty close to Keegan Valdez. He talks openly about anything and is not afraid to get his opinion across. Did I describe him well enough?
My district consists of 6 elders who got here the same day I did. We do everything (class at least) together. There is another Italian district of 8 who also came the 15th and the two older districts of Italians left at 3am this morning (except for the English Elder McMullen who we are now in a triple with). So we're the old districts and we get new Italians in February. There are a lot more Milan-bound Anziani than Rome.
I pinned up one of the family pictures you guys sent me on my desk thing and might have to take it down, because everyone thinks Cache is my older/taller brother. When my companion asks about Cache and I tell him the occasional thing, one time he exclaimed: "That is the Ellsworth I'm supposed to be paired with!" I don't think he appreciates my organizational skills. He tells me to tell Cache that he completely understands him having to have blank bedroom walls- to counter my floor, and the fact that Cache has read Pride & Prejudice
I also got letters from Jen, Steph, Adam, Dani, Aunt Marcia, G and G and Aunt Jane . I haven't sent any of them anything, I'm kinda overwhelmed :/ So no. Don't prod people for letters because I don't deserve any yet.
Sunday for priesthood session, Elder Nelson spoke to us again about the Abrahamic Covenant and was whipping scriptures out of his head and afterwards bestowed an apostolic blessing. Me and my comp went out a different way to lunch, and the sisters had just finished Relief Society with his new wife. Since there isn't as many sisters they all get to go in line and shake the speakers hands. So we waited until the end to do the same. Anyway I got to shake Sis Nelson, MTC Prez wife and Sherry Dew (who apparently I should know, yet don't?).
Today I went to the doctors because my leader told me to about my knee. Nothing major though. The doctor served with grandpa in (his mission) Australia, under McKonkie I guess. Samson was his name?
The best part of the day is lunch/dinner when you get a letter- really. I love getting mail from you guys. I know I have to write to get one... but that'd be a sad day without hearing from anyone.
I wake up with a sore throat almost every morning. Our thermostat is disconnected and is either preparing us for the a/c-less Italian nights, or possessed by the devil to turn oour room into a infernal pit of fire and brimstone.
Ciao Belli!!
It's P-day again! The days now seem to be melding together- it's certainly going faster than the first eternal week. Also I'm not sick again! Which means I'll be able to go the the temple today. Last week I lost about six pounds (it's all back...) from the food poisoning (the doctors got pretty defensive about that and claimed it was a 24hr bug, but I know better). Thursday I had the doctors app in Provo and went on spiltz with Anziano McMullen who also had a app for his wrist. It was weird being out of the confines of the mtc and in the 'real' world. I know that is sort of ridiculous as its only been 3 weeks but I guess it was because it was the first time viewing it as a missionary. Anziano Mcmullen talked to everyone possible (something I'm determined to get better at) - not necessarily contacting but just asking questions about them, and it was fun to see how people reacted to us. Most were friendly and otherwise open. Then on the way back from the hospital (my knee is\was fine, don't know what happened) our shuttle bus driver was way talkative and unnaturally animated. I pinned his ideal job as jungle cruise guide at Disneyland. Anyway he randomly decided to drive by his fiancee's law office and point out all the byu sites...
Backing up a day- I hosted new elders last Wends. They announced over the loud speaker they needed more and so we rushed to the opportunity. I ended up being called back to help the internationals with their luggage and show them how to get their stuff and bring it to their dorm and class. I failed at the only two things I tried to accomplish- not make myself look like an idiot, and not to confuse them too much. Then I helped greet the parents and help the elder get out of the cars. Some of the goodbyes were really sad like worse than my own goodbye :D and some dropped them off, waved, and said they'd see them in two years.
Hmm I had a bunch more stuff but the time is against me :/
It's sad Hy is forgetting me after this amount of time...
It's sad Hy is forgetting me after this amount of time...
The fact that I can only speak and understand Italian as much as I need to in the heat of lessons, and only with the spirits help is both really cool and a little disheartening. My district is way ahead than normal, since some have taken a lot of language before. I think it's a personal trial for me to be, not behind, but maybe the slowest, when I'm not used to feeling that way. My teacher told me not to compare myself and that I don't need to be exactly like this... because God called me specifically to Italy for a reason, and that some people need to hear something from me with my own talents, and that I don't need to change myself drastically. Which helped me a lot.
I have never learned so much in my life to rely completely on the lord, and I LOVE personal prayers. That even though we have ups and downs, He'll still love and bless me for my work and effort.
Vi volgio bene.
Anziano Ailes-Wort (how Italians pronounce it)
P.S. I just looked up in my dictionary for the word 'dryer' as that is what I'm doing to my clothes right now
it's: asciugabiancheria. Ridiculous
