Hey Mom!!
You are SO FUNNY! And mind you, I really really REALLY took your letter seriously about eating and such. Don't worry...I really DO eat every 2-3 hours...and I always have granola bars with me. It is just difficult because food here is expensive and I want to make the accounts stretch. But I DO EAT...most of the time we just swing and get gelatto (at my comp's request) and then I'm okay. I drink water ALL day long, MUCH more than my companion. I fill up my 24oz thing about 5 times a day. I start the morning off with one, then I have one before we leave the apartment, about 2 throughout the day and one before bed. So I AM keeping care of myself. I don't think it will be a problem because we have ALL received funds and so today is SHOPPING DAY! Today's breakfast consisted of a Trio Bar, and an apple I snagged yesterday from Training with a spoon of Nutella...then for my morning snack because I was already hungry, it was 2 little bowls of veggies with about 12 pieces of gnocchi...and just about 20 minutes ago we had gelatto...I will be eating...so don't worry yourself. You don't need to put any extra money on my account...everything is set. As far as packages and such are concerned, it's not worth it sending it to my apartment. You have to pay a fee...anywhere from 13£ to 30£...NOT WORTH IT!! I can be patient and wait till Zone Conferences and visits from the President. We actually meet them in 2 weeks...so they bring everything to us...June 13-16. Okay, so last time I told you that my camera broke AND now my converter doesn't work. I tried to use my straightener and had it on 50...and it was doing okay...but just to check I tried 1600 and the straightener started buzzing...so I switched it back...and once I was finished, I started smelling something terrible and it was my converter. It's not shot, but I don't want to risk anything right now. Sorella Snodgrass is letting me use her straightener when I want...but anyway, about the camera. Could you check and see how much it would cost to send me one? I know it is a lot to ask, but I am NOT kidding when I say things are so expensive. If it's a problem with customs and just too expensive, then I'll buck up and try to find a decent one here. The kind I have is a SONY CyberShot...Super Stready Shot OSC-W80 with MPEGMOVIE VX...the battery type is from Sony also....I don't know if that helps at all...but if you could please check that would be great!! I received your letter yesterday and I loved it...everything WAS old news, but I enjoyed it anways :) Thank you!
So, since last email...Actually, right after I emailed you all I got pooped on by a bird...official initiation into Modena. I know I have changed because it splattered all over my chest and face...and I just wiped it off of my face with my hand. Needless to say I gagged a little when I saw the huge turd all over my chest, but there was nothing I could do. Luckily we were close to home, so I could change. Things just...well...for heaven's sake you just accept them!! Um, we have been hit on by old men...we were tracting the other day and this old little creeper followed us on his squeaky old bike ( I am DEFINITELY more careful with who I say ciao to in the mornings) but he was calling after us in Italian saying how beautiful we were (please...we are sweaty and gross, flushed and dirty...get some glasses or something Sir) and kept asking us if we wanted to go dancing...Yeah...not so much. He kept following us in a furbo way (sneaky) and we eventually gave him a Restoration pamphlet and he left us alone. We've already been yelled at by a red haired Italian woman. She yelled at us from her windowsill saying we couldn't come into the complex and she rudely told us to go away. But, we just laughed and kept pushing the citofono until someone picked up. UNfortunately it was these two creepy, CREEPY Albanian men who just thought they were the cats meow. One of them like blew me this big fat kiss...weird. They came down to open the door themselves, talked with us a bit, and then....dun dun DUUUNN...the red haired lady unLEASHED her wrath on us! Screaming and yelling...mind you she only came up to my shoulder...but she was LIVID. I have NO idea why either...but she kept rudely telling us to leave...and so we did...at the expense of the men. Once we got out...she turned on them. I was about it tears because I was scared out of my mind and had NO idea what was going on...but Sorella Snodgrass started cracking up...and I did too. I think sometimes the mind of a missionary could be like a crazy person. One minute you are scared out of your mind and the next you are laughing SO HARD! Gosh...But let's see what else...Sorella Snodgrass got hit by a car. DON'T WORRY! She is fine...it was quite a miracle actually. You know we ride with skirts, and so you just trip like crazy if you get off wrong. But it was amazing...I was behind and saw the whole thing. As she pulled out into the intersection, her bike went COMPLETELY under the front end of the car...wheel smashed and everything. I throught her leg got crushed...but no. She was standing completely straight up, no tripping whatsoever...it was like she just glided off her bike and she turned around to me and with a sad face goes <man, I just bought this thing! Now my bike is broken!> And I'm like SORELLA?! IS YOUR LEG OKAY?! And the lady who hit her kept asking if she was alright...and Sorella was so confused as to why we kept asking and I told her what I saw, after she calmed down about her bike being broken...and she got a little sick. Yeah, we had to take it easy for the rest of the day because we got home and her bike split her ankle...she saw the blood...and was done for. Interesting, interesting week...Chocolate has been a DEFINITE craving, so we help ourselves to icecream, and our District Leader, Elder Neilson, bought us all chocolate for District Meeting...what a saint! But, other than those things...you know you are a missionary when you don't care what you look like, you have the watch, shoe and <missionary tan>, you just wipe your face off when bugs hit you, and your nightmares consist of cancelled appointments with golden investigators, your bike being stolen, and appointments being kept by unauthorized splits. Yep...I'm there.
Truth be told...all the creepy men, literal poopy days, and hungry nights are ALL worth it. The work is DEFINITELY hard. We have the tough side of town where Sorella Snodgrass has tracted over night and day. The ward isn't very accomodating, but I'm doing my best to change that. I stepped out and introduced myself to as many people as I could. I knew I was making SOME progress when the counselor read my name wrong to the ward and a handful yelled out the correct pronunciation :) Piano e piano e piano eh?? Little by little by little...that's how it is done. So we have a family that we are teaching and haven't had a chance to meet with because there are some complications with Rosanna's mom...but we will meet with them soon. We have a woman named Rosemary who is amazing. She doesn't speak English well at all, but she tries so hard. We had a lesson with her this morning and I almost cried because she knows this church is true and she told us, in her VERY broken english that her bad dreams leave when we see her and ever since we have been teaching her she has been at peace. She can't read, and her husband won't read to her, so we gave her a copy on CD..and she told us she will listen morning and night. She is from Ghana and can only speak Twi...but it's the power of the Spirit that does it all. We also are teaching a boy Samuel who is from Nigeria and he speaks English well. He is a little depressed because of the racism here, and is DYING to play soccer...but the boys won't let him because he is black. Racism is still a HORRIBLE thing here. Anyway, he's 17 and we have an appointment with him too...So the work is still going. The miracle for the week was a man we met while knocking doors (casa...They are really piazza's here and you have to push different buttons on the citofono to get inside...people let you in...Constantly saying <mi puo aprire...e...non siamo testimonie di jeova> Please open for me and no, we are not Jehova's witnesses...they have just left a sour taste in EVERYONE'S mouth! but we still try) So the man's name was Richard and he gave us his number, and scheduled an appointment to meet in the park. We called the number to confirm..and it was wrong and no longer in use...Bidone (just a term for rejected basically) So we go on our way, and Thursday we get a call...from Richard. He was a little confused because he was looking for 2 girls who gave him this number...the number he gave them was wrong and he wanted to apologize and still meet. CHE COSA?!? So we schedule an appointment for Friday...then Saturday...and then he came to church on Sunday. I have NEVER seen anyone more prepared. We are doing the STONG baptismal invite tonight and are positive that he will be baptized June 25th!! <WHAT TIME IS IT?! BAPTISM TIME...BAPTISM TIME...TIME TO MAKE SOME BAPTISMS!! Now WHO wants to get baptized?!> That is a saying coming from the AP's who are pretty much amazing. We have others who are looking into the church, but most of the work comes from doing Parco (meeting people in the park) and also trying to get the ward to function. I've got my work cut out for me.
It's difficult, but SO worth it. The town is wonderful and I love the zone I work with and district. Everyone of course just thinks it is SO funny how excited I am...but I can't help it! I am NOT stupid, it's just SO exciting to hear how everyone is doing and to share the work and glory together. I voluntered for something and the Ap's go <Well, Sorella Bowman is excited> and behind me I hear <sempre, sempre, sempre> and chuckles to bat (always always always). Yeah, Sorella Sparkles...meh it's all good though. Things are going great and i have to remember it's just one step at a time. You can knock a WHOLE piazza and not get anything until the last door on the last floor... THat is how we found Slavik. He hasn't returned our calls, but from meeting him he went from almost shutting the door on us to telling us that he is struggling because his fiancee might have cancer and he works too much and can't find reprieve from it all. We think we're just going to leave a Book of Mormon on his doorstep because he won't leave our thoughts...but never answers us. Always be willing to open your mouth because the Lord NEEDS you to do His work. I'm humbled everyday and even if people look creepy...you don't know what or if they are searching for something...but the Lord does :)
This gospel is true...and it makes more and more sense the more and more I teach it. I know I'll be a missionary for life because it makes ALL the difference in the world. Have any of the kids given out their pass along card I sent?? I hope so...
I love you all and miss you all and I hope this email finds you well. Sure, I mentioned a lot of the dirt that happens...but I PROMISE YOU...that the Lord ALWAYS reveals His hand everyday...and miracles happen often. We see a lot of the same people frequently and they always call out and say hello. A difference form before :) Sister Jones is in Cuneo and she is doing well. she sent me a little note of encouragement and Slla Wolfgramm says she's okay. Life is going great...wouldn't trade it for anything!!
Please tell Aleia I said Happy Birthday and I thought about her all day yesterday. I can't send anything because it is too expensive, but I prayed that she would have a good time yesterday. I send my love to all!!
Con Amor Sempre,
Sorella Bowman
p.s. I'd LOVE to hear from Sister Ostler! Emails are SO welcome!!
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