** EMAIL FROM 10/23/13 **

Long email, but it is worth it haha.

I MISS YOU ALL. So as you know transfers happened, I have talked with Sorella Condie almost everyday hahaha that is the perk of being in the neighboring district pretty much in the same city. like literally every time i tell a member or someone where she went we all kind of have a good laugh :) Her and her new comp are coming to our house tomorrow for lunch in our NEW APARTMENT. 

Dude it is so ridiculous haha. 3 BEDROOMS, 2 BATH, giant living room, big kitchen. Me and my comp just have our own bathroom haha. all the walls are cupboards. you literally press on a wall and it opens. Not to mention the house style is like funky 1965. My bathroom has like pea green toilet, sink. crazy funky mirrors are everywhere. the door to my bathroom is like blue glass with a giant silver round knob. im not kidding austin powers came to italy and lived in this apartment. 

and its all to ourselves! the anziani are jealous. but since Torino is so big, I am even more lost than I was before because I dont know the bus routes near our house. so frustrating!

Sorella Astel is super patient with me tho. I love her. she is so sweet. She is from Idaho Falls, idk if I already mentioned that. She turned 20 a few months ago and is the transfer below me. 

She says my italian is really good...then i totally botch something up in front of people and i know she is just being polite haha. 

Miracle for the week, the palomino family came to church! this is really cheesy but...whatevs. so it was the primary program during sacrament, and i kid you not little kids speaking italian is the absolute cutest thing you will ever here. especially when they are talking about jesus christ. oh my lanta. so after sacrament the family walks in and i see them, astel doesnt know anyone yet and i was GASP ITS THE PALOMINOS! And I started to tear up hahaha. WHATS HAPPENING TO ME. im melting. 

So beautiful tho. and then Hermis, our rad bap date who i loveeee came for all 3 hours and participated in gospel principles! 

Ettore, the cute little old man we are teaching, well long lesson later ALMOST accepted a baptism date. ahhhhh so close! 

We have a competition going on with the old district leader (Briscoe) that we have to talk to 1000 people by the end of the transfer, me and astel are doing it too, so thats double as a coppia. unfortunately we are only at 78 each right now. in one night we talked to 30 people each. this is just walking down the streets too. haha so much rejection i just laugh. italians are soo mean lol.

BUT FUNNY CRAZY STORY. in closing of this long email, I needed 2 people to hit my goal on Monday to talk to 30 people...we were waiting for a bus and there was no one around...except...An Albanian hooker and a mini scarier verson of Christopher Walken. For those of you who dont know, I cant stand that actor and he scares me. So JUST IMAGINE. hehehe Astel and I both were like heck yes lets go contact this lady and ruin this guys opportunity to take her home! so we go up and I ask them if they have heard of the book of mormon. He looked so evil. His eyes were so...heebie jeebies creepies bro. 

Comunque, dropped a passalong card after he told us to get lost haha. sadly that girl is probs younger than me. so we go back to the bus stop. we see him walk away so we were like score! and we didnt get a chance to really talk to her or give her a passalong card so guess what? 

WE GO BACK AGAIN hahahaha. Gave her a plan of salvation pamphlet, she said she saw missionaries in albania, told her we both have an albanian friend (gjika shoutout!) and i was like oh hey slla astel knows a phrase in albanian! (from gjika). and she says it and the girl laughs....because (i didnt know at the time) sorella astel told this Albanian prostitute she looked good..in albanian. HAHAHA. man i hope you find this as great as I do.

Sure do love the mission! and you all!

a dopo!

Sorella Gillette.

p.s. christmas is coming up...wink. wink.

p.s.s. idk if i mentioned how condie and i gave everyone disney characters and she said i am the guy from goofy movie, 'leaning tower of cheese-ah.' Briscoe gave us all Harry Potter characters...I am Fred and George. hahaha. Because I am never serious and play pranks on people. I noticed these are both gingers. Then astel and i decided to label everyone in the district as a junk food, we voted i am a cheese puff. again, orange. any opinions? lol. and yes this is what we do for entertainment.

** 10/16/13 Email **

This transfer will be my halfway mark!

Crazy right?! So it is transfers yet again, and my comp is leaving me. well kind of haha. She is going from Torino to Collegno...which for those of you that dont know is about a 20 min bus ride hahaha. So she is in the same zone, neighboring district and even our baptisms are at her church building hahaha. We have been making jokes about it all week.

Well I am getting a new comp named Sorella Astel. I have seen her a few times. She is also in Condie's group and is from Idaho. its always nerve racking to get a new comp, speriamo bene! 

today has been weird, off and on the comp all day. we do our grocery shopping tomorrow bc ill wait for my new comp to get here. It is exciting to hear about the other missionaries and where they are going and whatnot. I am glad I stayed! So much work to be done still and I feel like I havent done anything. 

Well this letter is short. Thanks for always writing me guys. I cant believe Halloween is coming up and I will be at my halfway point soon! 

AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM! Sorry I couldnt be there!

VI VOLGIO BENE.

SLLA GILLETTE

Heres some photos from last pday when we went to palazzo reale. so a fancy palace haha. and then we took some goodbye photos after fhe. transfers are always so sad! its like moving from family everytime. 

** Email from 10/9/13 **

WAIIIILLLL​L HELLLOOO!

The weeks are going by so fast, I cant even remember what happens. Well meat fast was a success, our district leader told us we looked healthier, but we know he was just saying that so we would keep our vegetarian on. But for lunch today we are going to try to find a south american restaurant, an investigator told us about it, apparently there are tacos! I MISS MEXICAN FOOD SO MUCH.

Conference was so dang good yall! We had like 15 people in a small cramped computer room all watching it on one computer in english haha. all missionaries and a couple investigators. it was rough. BUT. My fav talk was def by Anziano Uchtdorf. So amazing! 

Monday we went to the Gallarato's for dinner and fhe, they are my fav people. SO FUNNY. I was dying laughing. Then last night we did our fhe at the church and there was more people there than I had ever seen, were talking like 6 besides us 4 missionaries haha. we played ninja all together and it was all adults. super funny. 

I had a dream that I would be the one getting transfered and it was really hard. With transfers coming up, I am pretty sure Sorella Condie will dip out, hopefully not tho. I am still lost all the time without her. I better not be leaving tho! 

So some photos, there is a gorgeous park called parco valentino, and yall know how much i love orange leaves and autumn. i was so excited. then some other random stuff. some photos from the final district meeting of the transfer. it was our district leader's bday and we made him band tshirts hahaha cause he was in some really bad punk band back in the states lol super funny. 

Cant complain. Life is good. but...it is getting cold! I dont know how to handle it! 

Love you all! Thanks for writing me, I feel the love! So glad the lord is working through you!

Slla Gillette

** Email from 10/2/13 **

c'è lo posso fare!


Name that disney song people.

HOW IS EVERYONE?! This has been a great week. I dont have much time today, spent some time at a cinema museum at the Mole, super cool! 

Allora in somma, Alexandra the cute 8 year old we were teaching was baptized! we have set 5 baptism dates in the past week and a half!!!! yeahhh. 4 new investigators too this past week and a half! 

can i get a what what?!

Yesterday was our new investigator/bap date who is 17, from Peru and speaks english as her 3rd language and she is really good at it. She reminds me of me! Alot of her concerns, beliefs, curiosities with the church, so similar! I was worried during the lesson that she was too good to be true, something must be wrong because no one is this prepared. Then a bit after thinking that she straight up said something like "im being sincere, not saying this just to say it, i really am excited about this, it just feels right to me, i dont really know where i stand on my belief in god but going to church and being here with you just feels right." and she accepted a bap invite and....I cried haha. The spirit was so strong and I felt like it was such a testimony to why I am here. We had GREAT LESSONS yesterday. 

Since conference is coming up we are talking about prophets with everyone. 

Also on saturday was a YM/YW activity for both the Torino wards, it was a talent night with food and after a dance, it was so funny! they told us missionaries the day before they wanted us to sing...sorella condie and i did them one better.

Picture us, sunglasses, crappily coreographed dance to A Goofy Movies song Stand Out...ya it just reeks of Sorella Gillette huh? 

We went last and is was a huge sucess, they turned off half the lights as if it was a real performance and then ALL OF THE YOUNG WOMEN OF BOTH WARDS CAME UP AND DANCED WITH US! FOLLOWING OUR MOVES! and im going to answer your question right now, YES THERE IS VIDEO. but sadly, cant upload on this dang diddly site. haha. 

Last but not least...I AM GOING VEGETARIAN THIS WEEK. Started yesterday. day and a half goin strong! that photo of me and the pizza is a veggie pizza haha. PERCHE? 

Well lemme tell you. 

We eat at a members house for lunch, she is sicilian....most dont know what this means. they feed you and if you dont eat they get offended and angry! and i cant eat as much as they must think i can, the fattness is deceiving. 

long story short after pounding so much food, some nastyyyy sausage/intestine looking crap comes out of the microwave and i was so scared. luckily she cooked it on the stove but still. i said a prayer that i could chug it, good gravy it was nasty. looked like roadkill insides with fat chunks. idk if  thats descriptive enough. Sorella Condie didnt even finish hers and wanted to throw up haha. so I was like, I am going to follow the example of our district leader and be vegetarian haha. We called and told him, he was very proud. 

Well. Thats about it that I can type out real fast. 

Love you all to pieces! I love the mission, I love these people!!!!! 

**EMAIL FROM 9/25/13 **

baptism by...FIRE!

Eduardo finally got the ghost! He is so sweet. Speaks only spanish, so I usually just nod and say si, with some hola and hasta luego thrown in there. Trying to learn spanish and italian is complicated.

So Sunday was miraculous. First Eduardo finalmente came, hence the above sentence. Then! well back track, we had a primary activity on saturday which was SOOO CUTE. I want kids! yes, i said it. I, sorella Gillette, actually admit to wanting kids...I blame the mission and babies speaking italian. Anywho. Some less active families came, it was beautiful. THEN. Sunday one of my fav families came to church! Apparently they havent come in atleast 6 months, as far as sorella Condies knowledge. we taught them saturday morning like always and they were saying how their kids need to have the holy ghost, the kids want to get baptized! so we will be starting the lessons with them! yay! I am so proud of that mom for bringing all 4 of her kids to church on her own. The ward was so welcoming to her! Im just so proud.

On thursday we had a girls night with the young women, about 10 girls came, it was so fun! I love them! 

Lets see, other great things...Also sunday a little old lady in the ward came up and gave me some earrings! The week before I complimented her on hers and so she went out and bought the same pair for me and my comp. HOW CUTE. 

This saturday our little 8 year old that we have been teaching is getting baptized! Theres a lot of kids from less active families that we are working with. Its great to see how these little cuties have a desire and are being the example for their parents! 

Tonight we are going over to another one of my fav less active families, they barely speak italian. again my awesome spanish skills are needed. the kids are sooooooo adorable. the two girls were teaching me a hand clap game last time. i have some photos of em. 

and shout of to my loverly companion. She is great. I really am blessed to have this adventure. 

I have realized I am super immature for 22 haha I am rarely serious and am always making jokes. and I always have to crunch leaves on the sidewalk like a little kid. but then i think hey, Im called on the mission to be myself right? haha. I always make the joke of "exhibit A of why I am not getting married." lol. 

all in all it has been a good week. very eventful with activities! We have so many people to try and see, we cant fit them all in. way different than bergamo. different kind of stress. 

I LOVE ITALY. I LOVE THE PEOPLE. I LOVE THE MISSION AND THE MISSIONARIES. ANDDDD I LOVE THE BOOK OF MORMON. I literally get excited to read it, I am in like alma 35 now, as soon as I finish it again I am going to start it in italian, then that will be 3 times read on the mission. and I am almost to john in the new testament. 

PEOPLE THE SCRIPTURES ARE SO VITAL! If we all read our scriptures every morning, the world would be a much better place. I want to kick my old self in the kneecap for not reading before and understanding the importance! golly gee. 

DONT BE AS DUMB AS ME! 

well, i love you all. the church is true and the book is blue! 

VVB!

Slla G.

**Email from 9/18/13 **

Quick little letter yeah yeah

 

I love Torino! 

Had a sweet FHE on Sat with the Gallarato family, Fratello G made us some bomb food, we played spoons after haha he lost everytime and then chucked his cards lol so funny. Slowly getting to know the people and where I am going, such a big city with so many different forms of transportation! 

Had a really good lesson also on sat with a less active family, got to use my parents as an example yet again. It was good. Sorella Condie said in a prayer the other week that she was grateful that I am bold...haha idk if thats good or bad lol. We had an investigator ALMOST except a baptism date, she knows the book of mormon is true and wants to get baptized, just needs time and to talk to her husband.

Another investigator also says the book of mormon is real and Joseph Smith is a prophet. dang people if you know all this stuff what is holding you back?! Thats what we are here to figure out. Lots of people we are working with, including a lot of less actives who i love. Had a great lesson the other day with another family, first time Sorella Condie met the mom, we taught her and her 11 year old daughter. The mom cried. it was really awesome. They have only been here for a few months from Peru. 

I need to learn spanish SO BAD. 

Our investigator/member who hasnt received the holy ghost yet (he was baptized a month ago) still hasnt come to church, and he doesnt speak italian either. i talked with him on the phone and spat out a couple spanish words and hopefully that means we have an appointment with him tonight haha. 

I noticed I havent said much about the people lately, just kind of general unimportant crap haha. found out that one of my new converts in Bergamo passed the sacrament for the first time and that 2 of my beloved investigators went to church for the first time for all 3 hours! ahhhhhhh. jump for joy people. May not seem like a big deal. BUT. IT. IS. 

Side note, Sorella Condie is awesome. I am a big fan. I have really had some great companions. Her parents live in Connecticut, maybe we have already started to Boston trip plan haha. 

Miss you all! Africa by Toto came on the radio yesterday in an instanbul kepab joint, I WAS SO HAPPY. tender mercy my friends. tender mercy.

VI VOGLIO BENE! ALLA PROSSIMA! 

OHHH PS. today went to the largest egyptian museum in the world! It was soooooo cool! so worth it. google it. torino is kinda famous for it.

CIAO!

** Email from 9/11/13 **

Greetings from Torino!

 

One of the cool things about the apartment is that Sorella Bunker and Sorella Soh have signed the wall, my mamma and granny! So the apartment is superr ghetto fab. Way diff than Bergamo, but menomale we are actually moving apartments! The last two days has been straight cleaning and building furniture at the new place. dont like not doing missionary work for that long.

So my first Sunday was great, the ward is so big and they are SO welcoming! Really warm and sweet people. Feels weird to be the newbie. Had to bear my testimony. It is def better than my first sunday in Italia. Except I notice how much my language sucks haha. Taught too many English speaking Africans the past few months. scherzo. worth it.

My comp, Sorella Condie is super chill. She is only a transfer below me and her language is so good! She had an italian trainer and they were together  for 3 transfers. Condie is from Colorado and went to school at the U.

So I have noticed Torino is a lot more Italian. Its huge, tons of markets, the view is more of the italian city you picture, and theres more italians in general. I never realized how small Bergamo was! But dang gina I miss Bergamo so much! I always bring it up haha I have to make an effort to stop. I kind of refer to it as back home.

Tons of less actives and potentials to work with, I am so excited. We are teaching this one guy from Palestine, I was trying to learn some Arabic yesterday. Forget that haha. Another investigator should be getting the holy ghost sunday. long story haha. but he only speaks spanish. that was a difficult encounter haha. now i have to learn spanish! All the south americans here are from Peru, funny how the all migrate to specific cities.

Today we went the the top of La Mole, the huge famous tower in Torino, it originally was supposed to be a jewish temple, now its a national museum of cinema! right up my ally. So I got to see the view of all of torino and the swiss alps...no biggie.

Well, this is a long letter, it is cool hearing about where all my friends have been transfered to, how we are all needed in specific places at specific times! Cant wait to get to know the people here better and love them! Torino is beautifullll! And, it is almost fall. we all know what that means. ORANGE TREES.

Vi Voglio Bene!

Slla Gillette