Ciao! Ciao!
I cannot believe it has been seven weeks. I really cannot. It feels like a thousand years in ten minutes. I am learning so much about people, myself, and the work of the Lord. Sometimes it is hard to believe this is really my life; that I am so incredibly blessed. Last Wednesday we had two new Italian districts come into our branch-12 new missionaries. They are really great people. There are three sister missionaries and every one of them have studied Italian before, so they are already ahead of the game. It is amazing. There is an Anziano from Wales who heard me do a British accent and told me it was the best he's heard so far at the MTC. I suppose I should feel complimented but I really only feel embarrassed.
Thursday I auditioned to do a musical number for a fireside or new missionary meeting. It was really quite exciting. I sang "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" a cappella. Sister Nally, who chooses the musical numbers, told me afterward she could see why I wanted to do it a cappella. She said it was beautiful and so moving. I wanted to communicate the message and bring the Spirit. She said I had a voice that could do something very showy, but she really appreciated that I didn't and that I just sang the song with that motive: to communicate the spirit and bear testimony. She said she would definitely say yes. She loved what I did with the song. She said that if I could find someone to accompany me I could do it at a big meeting, but if I wanted to sing a cappella for sure then she would have me do it at a smaller meeting. So, we shall see what happens when I go back tomorrow.
We have been teaching and have been taught this week with our district members. It has been a beautiful experience to teach them, to feel the love we have for them, and then to be an investigator for them and watch them grow as they teach us with the Spirit of the Lord. It really is extraordinary and I am so grateful for the experience.
Sunday's fireside was absolutely amazing! Stephen B. Allen came again and as always he spoke with as much humor as he did Spirit. He is so funny, but still teaches with such incredible power. He showed us quite a few home front commercials, the "Mormon messages" and discussed their messages with us. He talked a lot about remembering who we are and that being different is being great. He said that when we put ourselves down we offend God just as when we put down others we offend him. He talked of loving each other and loving who we are and can be. He said we need to finish every thing we start and go forth doing our best. It was absolutely incredible. He had us all sing "Come, Come Ye Saints" with a recording of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and on impulse people began to stand. By the last verse, everyone was on their feet singing. It was so moving, I can't even describe it. Anziano Hymas cried, which he rarely does and bore us a beautiful testimony when we got back to our room. He said, "God lives, Jesus Christ is our Savior, and 'Come, Come Ye Saints' is not my favorite song...the church is true or I would not be crying right now." I just love my district. They are stellar people. They make me laugh and lift me up in the Spirit, often at the same time.
Sorella Smith and I got locked out of our room in our bathrobes on Monday, and on Tuesday at 2 AM the fire alarm in our building went off. So we have had a few interesting adventures, but all is well.
We are supposed to receive our flight plans tomorrow. Is not that crazy!!! I will be in Italy in two weeks. My heart just sings when I think of it. I am not ready yet, but I know the Lord will make me as ready as I am supposed to be. Sorella Smith reminded me Monday that I am learning at exactly the pace the Lord wants me to learn and if I don't understand something, I am just not supposed to understand it yet and I need to remember the Lord with give me the right things to say. He will make me enough. If nothing else, I can sing the hymns to the Italians. That is one thing I can do. In the Italian hymnbook there is a hymn that is very Italian, it is number 44 "Mandate Voci" and we sang it for the new districts. I know when I get to Italy it will be so imperfectly beautiful just as when our Anziani sing it full voice. I can't wait. I will however, miss my district incredibly. My sister and eight brothers. I love them all so much. I have taken to writing down the things they say that make me laugh or inspire me and I asked them to tell me what they were grateful for and sweet Anziano Meldrum took the greater part of an hour coming up with something perfect. I just love them all so much. I love them for being honest, being who they are, and for bringing so much light and laughter into my life. We are all striving to be our best and to improve together. As Anziano Hymas said, "We're Italian missionaries. We benissimo." And we really are. Because we love so much. I love you all and will talk to you soon.
Sorella Chandra Marie Lloyd
"Do you know where those who accuse people of being liars go? That's right. It's not written in the scriptures because it's that bad." Anz. Meldrum
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