Honey, Where's my picture book?!

[Sorry I've been slacking.. Here's Chelsea's email from 9/24/11]

Hey everyone,

So last week we went to the Sistine chapel for p-day. It was really
cool, well fascinating, but really hot. The last two week since I've
been here have been terrible. We a dripping in sweat every day.
Hopefully it starts cooling down soon, because it makes me really not
want to be here. TOday for p-day we decided to stay in Ladispoli where
we have the cool ocean breeze and can avoid public transportation
because I get super motion sick on the buses and the trains. No bueno
because we use them alot. So we went shopping for some sandels for me
this morning. I haven't found any yet, but I found a cute light-weight
skirt and some really cute heels for only 10 €, so I got them. I'm
either going to send them home or leave them in the mission home until
the end of my mission. Haven't decided yet. Right now all the shops
are closed because of Pranzo, so we will get me some sandals after
this.

Okay, to answer questions. The headaches aren't as bad, but I have
basically just started ignoring them. Mom, remember when I got
headaches really bad frequently my freshman year of college? It's like
that all over again. I don't remember what we did to get them to go
away, but it's happening again. And the mosquitos...we still get
attacked. My legs now are covered in huge bumps or scabs. Gross!! I
seriously don't look attractive at all. I look diseased or something.
Some days they are worse than others. We have this plug in thing that
is supposed to keep them away at night, but during the day and
evenings when we are out, I get eaten alive. And it's like only my
legs. Maybe a couple on my arms, but my legs for sure.

So this week: We have a baptisimal date! It's for October 1st. This 15
year old girl Eleonora. We invited her to be baptized and she was a
little timid about it, but her older sister who is not a very good
influence usually was there and told her that if she feels like it is
true then she doesn't need to wait. She should do it. So she agreed.
We told her she needs to ask her parents though. So in walks her mom
and she asks her right there. Her mom wasn't very fond of the idea.
She told her that if she gets baptized, then she won't be catholic
anymore and Eleonora responded, PUNTO! It was funny. But it was cool
because Eleonora shared a really powerful testimony to her mom right
there about how she feels so much happier in our church and it has a
different spirit and when we ask her to do something, we explain the
reasoning and the blessings and let her choose whereas in the catholic
church they just make her do things and she doesn't like it. But mom
and dad aren't happy about the baptism but we are invited to continue
teaching her and doing everything we have been, but baptism is a no.
The date is still on though and we are going to teach Eleonora about
fasting and do a fast with her this September. She's going to get a
great opportunity to see how powerful God is. Let's pray her parents
feel the spirit and change their minds. She also asked bishop if she
could speak in church, so this last sunday she gave a talk. Used the
BOM and everything. It was great. No one could believe that she wasn't
a member.

Matthew and Patience and living together, unmarried but want to get
baptized. They are from Nigeria. They were going to move to thise
other apartment this last week and when they went, the owner turned
them away because they were black. How sad?! Apparently some Italians
are still racist. So now they are looking for another place. Patience
has been coming to church the last two weeks and Matthew said he'll
come with her this time. Let's hope. They are funny. Patience made us
rice with cow stomach a couple days ago. It was super spicy and a
nasty texture. I ate some of it, but couldn't handle it. Yuck! She
said this Friday she is going to make us fried rice with liver. I
don't know why she keeps feeding us these freaky things. Sorella Foote
hasn't eaten anything gross her whole mission until I got here and now
it's all we get fed. I am cursed. But Matthew isn't a very good reader
and so we got him the Book of Mormon story book to read also and it's
so funny. He loves it. He calls it his 'picture book'. And every
picture and sentence he interprets for us and gets so deep with
metaphors. So great. Ha. Very slow learners, but they definitely have
a testimony of God and Jesus Christ. They always say, "by the grace of
god..." and then say something they will do like go to church. ANd
we're trying to teach them that God will help them with anything, but
they need to make the efforts too. If they want to go to church, they
need to go themselves.

So last week we found this lady walking down the street and we gave
her a Plan of Salvation pamphlet and got her phone number. Then the
next day, she called us asking for help because she needed a place to
stay for the next month before she could move into her new apartment.
She offered to pay rent and everything. So we talked to the Ward and
this girl said her and her mom could let this lady (Giusy) stay with
them. This girl is a convert of 5 years and her mom isn't a member at
all. So we meet up with Giusy to take her to meet the girl in the
ward, Natalia. And Natalia is running late, so Giusy takes us to get
some food (pizza as usual), and we talk and eat for a little bit.
Giusy tells us that like 2 days before we met her, she was talking to
a friend by the beach and a passalong card with Christ on it blows
onto her foot, so she looks at it and kisses it. He friend told her to
throw it away bcuz it is someone else's church, but she ignores her
and keeps it. And the night after she met us, she was looking at the
pamphlet and noticed that and the card were the same church. She just
was so shocked. And she was saying how she thinks we are two angels
who came to help her and guide her. And Natalia told us that her and
her mom were struggling financially and couldn't figure out how to
make ends meet and that the amount Giusy offered to pay them was the
exact amount they needed. It is so amazing how the Lord uses other
people in the most intricate ways to bless people's lives. Giusy has
been so busy lately, so we haven't gotten to teach her, but we are
excited to teach her because she has already gotten a taste of what
the Lord can do. Pretty amazing.

Last night, Sorella Foote almost died. She put her huge 2 Liter water
bottle in the freezer during the day and we came home and were getting
ready to do nightly planning and she opened the bottle and was trying
to crush the ice because it was barely harder than slush. And as she
was pressing it in on the sides, water started pouring out the top so
she put her mouth over it to catch the water. And as she kept doing
that, this huge chunk of ice launched into her throat and she started
choaking. I like started hitting her back so she could breath again
and after like 45 seconds she could breath again. It was so scary but
so funny (mom and slla. foote's mom: don't think I am insensitive for
thinking it's funny). She says her throat still hurts cuz the ice like
sliced it. But now when we think about it, we laugh. But it was pretty
scary. She really couldn't breath at all for a good chunk of time.
Everything on her desk got covered in water too. Oh man...what an
eventful night that was.

Well that's about it. THis is hard work. Right now, I wish I was back
home. I miss everyone and everything. I think the heat is what is
making me the most unhappy, but I will continue to press on. I know I
really need to be here to learn how to rely on the Lord more and
really put my life in His hands to He can mold me to the person He
knows I can become. It sure is tough though.

I miss you all and love you so much,
Sorella Heiner