Tutti,
I have so much to say and there is so much going on and life is absolutely incredible!!! We got our flight plans on Thursday! It is so crazy. I am so excited that when we got them I almost cried. I feel like Italy is just calling me and my heart feels so full I don't know how to bear it. We fly first to Chicago, then to London, and then to Milan! Our district gets to stay together all the way to London which is absolutely unheard of because usually everyone going to Rome and those going to Milan leave at completely different times. We are so blessed! We get to fly as a family. I will miss my district more than I can say, but I know there are people waiting for me in Italy and I love them so much I can't wait to meet them. I don't know how long they've been waiting or who they are or what they need, but I know that Italy is where I am meant to be. My whole life I feel has been preparing me for this time and I have been waiting my entire life to go to Italy and I didn't even know it. I have the strongest feeling that someone is waiting for me there and whoever they are, we need each other. I hope each day I can do all that I must to be enough for them.
I have some exciting news that next to none of you will believe, but it is rather exciting for me. I went to the MTC barbershop and had them cut off my hair. That's right, friends and loved ones: I cut it off! I think that may have been the boldest thing I have ever done, especially to do it at the MTC, but it is incredibly liberating and I LOVE it!!! The girl who cut my hair was really nervous, likely because it isn't often sister missionaries come in to recieve the biggest haircut of their life, but luckily, Sorella Smith was there with her hair cutting know-how to save me from what may have been a tragedy. It isn't. It took more than an hour and the girl just kept saying how thick my hair was, but it is really cute, in my opinion. Stay tuned for pictures in the next few days! The only sad part is that my dear aunt Becky couldn't do it. Just wait until I get home Becky, I may never grow it out again. The anziani were so shocked, but so complimentary. They are SO sweet. Anziano Meldrum said how fun it was and Anziano Hymas said how much he liked it and that it is a good thing I am a missionary because all the boys would like it. And that I looked like I was just floating. I don't really understand that last part, but I am taking it as a compliment. I really feel like I came into my own in cutting my hair. I don't have to hide behind it anymore and my haircut really suits me I think. Sweet Sorella Oaks told me I remind her of Julie Andrews, and who wouldn't like a compliment like that? On Sunday, our sweet Branch President kind of laughed every time he looked at me and said how much he liked my hair cut. I feel sort of spunky. It is a lot of fun.
Our teacher, Fratello Pfeiffer, is our new investigator and his name as this investigator is Dario. He is actually incredibly good at playing the investigator it is such a good experience, but he is so fast when he speaks Italian it is difficult. I guess it is just preparing us for Italy.
Sunday was beautiful as usual and we learned so much from class the last couple of days. We all just want to do everything we can to be our best this last week. Gerald Lund spoke to us for the devotional last night. He talked of exercising faith and learning by faith it was awesome!!! Afterward we did our district devotional review and President Johnston, our branch president, interviewed each of us. When he got to me he asked how I felt I had done the last eight weeks and I started to cry. I didn't know what to say, I want so badly to have done my best and to know that the Lord approves of the work I have done and am doing. He said that if I was having trouble answering he would tell me how he thought I had done. He said that I was terrific and such a blessing to my district. He said I am more sanctified than I already was and he talked of my goodness and my kindness toward others, treating them as i want to be treated. He said that he looked forward to my letters each week and that he was blessed in being able to watch me grow. He said that he knows the Lord is proud of what I have done, that he is satisfied. It was an absolute answer to prayer and I am so grateful for my branch president, for being who he is and for listening to the Spirit. I just love him.
I have almost no time, but I just want to say I love you all!!!
Sorella Lloyd
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