Wednesday, August 28, 2013

08.28.13 {week 5}

Ciao ciao!

Well, this is my last email from the MTC.  Can you believe it??  I can't.  We got our travel plans this week.  We meet at the travel office here at 5:30 on Tuesday morning.  Then from SLC, we'll head to Chicago, then London, then Milan.  We'll get to Milan around noon (Italia time) on Wednesday.  Ahhh!  So excited.  I'll send you a picture of my travel plans so that you have times and flight numbers and everything.  I'm not sure when I'll be calling yet.  So expect a call from me either in SLC in the morning, or in Chicago, early afternoon.  :)

Thanks for the pictures of Aunt Peggy's funeral.  It was beautiful, just as I predicted.  And Grandma looked lovely.  Mom, I got the package you sent me with the treats for my district!  Thank you!  And I got the gift and card from Grandma.  I'll be writing her today, but in the meantime, tell her I say thank you!  I also got a party in a box from Mitch - awesome.  :)  And thanks to Shelley for the music and the stickers!!  I've said it before and I'll say it again:  Getting mail is the best.

I can't believe Nora's getting baptized THIS SATURDAY.  I got the adorable invitation in the mail!  It made me sad that I won't be there, though.  I'm sure it will be incredible.  Give the kiddos hugs from me!  I'm so sorry to hear about Casey Sorensen.  That is so sad.  I'm glad you guys were able to go to the funeral and I'm sure Dad's words brought a lot of comfort.  Gosh, I keep getting all this bad news.  What in the world?

I hope you had a happy anniversary!  Sounds like the exhibit was cool - I have very faint memories of going to museums and movies and out to dinner, and the like.  Those were the days, weren't they?  Glad to hear you got the letter from my district.  My district's the best.  One day we just decided we wanted to write each other's families, so we drew names and then wrote letters.  It was fun.  When I think about how we're going to be split up next week I just....I can't think about it.  It makes me really sad.  We had to say goodbye to Sorella Fairbanks yesterday.  Oh my goodness, let me tell you about Sorella Fairbanks.  She is incredible.  Whenever I would be walking down the hall to our classroom and I would see her sitting in there, I would just automatically get so happy!  She is probably one of the sweetest people I've ever met.  Yesterday was her last day because she's heading to DC for an internship.  For the last hour yesterday, she just answered all of our questions about Italy and she showed us pictures of the people that she taught in Italy.  So the "investigators" that we've been teaching here are real people that she taught in Italy.  It was awesome.  She just got me so excited to head to Italy.  SO excited.  I may or may not have gotten a little emotional when she left.  And then we ran into her this morning in the dressing room of the temple!  It was great.  I love her.  Oh and yesterday, at the end of class, she made predictions of where each of us would be assigned first.  She guessed that I would go to Como first (She called it "Cieli sulla terra" = "Heaven on earth").  One can only hope!

This week was a good one.  Yesterday was kind of crazy.  The four of us sisters had to make a stop at the BYU Urgent Care because one of us was ill.  And, just...lots of stuff.  Let's just say, we're glad yesterday is over and we don't plan on every repeating it.  BUT last night, Elder Neil A. Andersen came to speak at the devotional.  He gave an awesome talk about missionary work.  And then, when the devotional ended, President Willis got up and said that we were just going to hang out in the Marriot Center for a while because there was a bad lightning storm outside.  It was pretty exciting.  So we all just hung out in there for a while, singing hymns - oh, the life of a missionary.  My collega, Sorella Carter, prayed for the power to go out because that would have been even more exciting.  Especially since none of us have phones.  No phones = no light.  But, alas, the power stayed on and we eventually braved the storm.  So the Anziani gave us their suit coats to hold over us as we made the trek back to the MTC.  It was POURING.  It was so much fun.  And bonus!  District meeting was cancelled.  ;)  On Sunday night, we watched "Legacy" in Italian!  That was super cool!  I couldn't understand all of it, but I could understand quite a bit.  Granted, it's a church movie.  And I only know how to talk about the church in Italian, so that worked out nicely.

Since I've been at the MTC, I've gotten two "You look like Rachel McAdams" comments and one "You look like Emma Stone" comment.  That was exciting - especially since I haven't heard that one about Rachel for a year or two (we're on a first name basis, apparently).  And I'm pretty sure the Emma Stone one was only because I was wearing lipstick.  And cuz I have bangs.  And after the random girl stopped me to tell me that I look like Emma Stone in "Spiderman" she said, "Yeah, you totally look like her...from the side."  So it doesn't really count.  But I'm counting it!

Random things that made me laugh this week:

We tried giving companionships names this week by putting their names together (you know, like Brangelina...) and my favorite one was for Sorelle Spencer and Marquis - Sparquis! (Sounds like Sparky.)  Sorella Carter's and my name is Gunter...which sounds pretty nerdy.  So it works.

So there's this "missionary fairy" in our district that leaves random gifts on the elders' desks with punny notes having to do with the gift.  The elders don't know who's doing it.  (At one point they thought it might be Fratello Cena.  Oh, if only you knew Fratello Cena, you would know how funny the thought of him leaving gifts on our desks is.  He's pretty serious.  It's definitely not him.)  Anyway, on Tuesday morning the four of us sisters came into our classroom to find a leaf on each of our desks with a note that said, "You're great!  You leaf in one week!"  Our elders are so punny.

We were at a meeting a week and a half ago where the MTC Presidency's wives were talking to us about how to dress and look and fun stuff like that.  One of them started talking about how wearing makeup is optional, but recommended since we're supposed to look our best.  She literally likened it to "painting the barn."  .......So apparently our barns need painting.  It's fine.  Gotta love the MTC.

Instead of #YOLO?  #YOLFE.  (You only live for ever.)  Guys, we're funny.

Well, the next time you get an email from me, I will be in ITALIA!!!  Can't wait.  Thanks again for all of your love and support.  I'm doing my best to prepare to serve the beautiful people of Italy!  I know next week is going to be hard, so any extra prayers would be greatly appreciated.  Most importantly, the church is true and I can't wait to start declaring this gospel in Italy.  :)  Wish me luck!  AMORE!

Sorella Gunnerson



Us with Sorella Fairbanks.

This is us after walking home in the rain.

Sorella Carter and me on Sunday!  (With guest appearances by Minion and Sorella Marquis.)  Temple walk!  Good times.  That third picture is one of my favorite pictures of all time.  Love her!



Sorella Marquis gave me a haircut this morning.  She's the best!

Sorella Carter likes to share her package spoils with me.  This time?  Fuzzy socks!


2 comments:

  1. These are so fun to read!!! Thanks, Amy for updating it!

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