porkchops and gratitude

Cari Miei!
 
I hope this letter finds you all well.
 
I tried making some honey garlic marinade pork chops this week...they
were a little too thick and despite all the cooking and recooking and
eating and then cooking more...I'm not sure that we should have eaten
them...I may get worms or some type of disease some time
soon....anyhow
 
How is everybody! I hope to get some letters here really soon. You can
still write to me here in Prato, I won't be going anywhere. Anziano
Frustaci goes home in about 4 weeks so there is a 99.99% chance that
I'm staying in Prato with a new comp. I feel it very safe that you
keep sending mail to the Prato address.
 
I hope that everyone is enjoying school/work. This week has been good.
We did some good work and we met some more members. I feel like I'm
finally starting to know everyone in the branch. It was a little
strange at the beginning. Because in Alessandria I learned everyone's
names really fast and got to visit them and know them faster. So I
initially just thought it was the branch. But then I realized this
week that it was August, so half of the members were on vacation, AND
we whitewashed, so neither of us knew the members. It is different
when one missionary knows all the families and members and can
introduce you. But we had to go from scratch. But I feel now things
are better. It wasn't the branch, just the circumstances.
 
Anziano Frustaci has been waking up at 6:30 to run in place in the
apartment for the last 8 weeks....I haven't done my morning exercises
since the second week in the field....but! That is about to change...I
am now waking up at 6:45 (15 minutes early) and we jog down to a park
together...that is really close and He runs around the park while I
shoot hoops. (He is still in sight and sound...don't worry about my
apostasy) So, it's a start. And I really do feel that I have more
energy in the day and I'm more awake and alert for morning studies. It
really helps the spirit. This change of heart about morning exercise
came about after reading a conference talk and then preach my gospel
about how physical discipline magnifies the spirit. So....I knew I had
to start. I'm not sure how long it will last...my next comp, might not
want to wake up early or go do morning exercise, but for the next 4
weeks....I'm doing it.
 
Things are good with me. I'm having some very spiritual moments and
I've learned a lot this last week. I'm so grateful for my journal and
everything that I record in there. I haven't missed a day since I got
to Italy and I only missed a day or two in the MTC. I really can
testify that this is divine counsel (To hold a journal of spiritual
experiences) I can see how it has increased my ability to recognize
spiritual experiences and reflect on the events in my life and the
lessons that I have learned from them. No doubt that this is something
I will do for the rest of my life. It is something I really look
forward to in fact. I love to write every night in my journal and
record something that I’ve learned from the day, or a spiritual
experience, or a cool story from the day. My journal has become one of
my most prized possessions.
 
 
Well,
 
I gotta jet, we are going to catch a train to Pisa....I'm going to get
my leaning tower pic today...I forgot to get my camera cord from
Siena, so I will send pictures next week...hopefully.
 
Love you all,
 
Miss you lots
 
Karlee, Stay away from boys,
 
Love,
 
Anziano Memmott

rain storms, love taps and optimism

Cari Miei,
 
I hope this e-mail finds you well.
 
This week has been a fun one. We've laughed and the sky has cried as the weather has gotten, in fact, a bit chilly. For the first time since my arrival in Prato I slept without a fan going on me all night.
It's been a long time since that has happened... It has rained about 3 days this week, and it has been very nice. This week I had the chance to do a Scambio with Anziano John Calvin Gibbons. He is really fantastic. We were here in Prato and we worked really hard. He just gave me back something I was missing. Since leaving the MTC I had lost a piece of myself that was very happy and energetic and more of the old Anziano Memmott. During our scambio I realized that things were a bit different. I have been reflecting a great sum on my lack of the old me. And while I was with Anziano Gibbons, he helped me feel that way I did in the MTC, That "Fight the whole world" "Nothing can stop us” attitude. That bit of Eternal Optimism that I had at one time. Now I'm much much more of a pessimist, these days at least. But I felt that Optimism again and caught a hold of it. And I’m feeling very much that old Optimism that I had been thirsting for.
 We (My beloved comp, Anz. Frustaci.) went and Blitzed Siena. That is when both of us go down and go with both of the Siena missionaries and do work in Siena. So we did that Tuesday and slept over and we did P-Day in Siena today. I went inside the Duomo and say some great views. (Every view in Siena is a great view really.) But I really would deem it as one of the Top 3 most beautiful places I've ever been. Sadly I left my camera charger (Which is also my Camera/Computer cord) in Siena, so they will bring it to me this next week at District Meeting...but no pictures this week...sorry. :(
 This week we also went to see Giuseppe, a member who lives in a rest home.  
Also during one rainy day this week, we were traveling across town, back to our apartment for lunch actually. For those who are unaware, Bikes don't like to stop in the rain. The brakes effectiveness are greatly reduced....Now, I don't want to toot my own horn but...TOOT TOOT...oh look at that, Anziano Memmott is pretty bravo on a bike. So as I tell you this, I don't want anyone...cough cough, Mother...to think that I am in danger as I ride my bike. But, as we were going home, a car didn't look both ways and started to go and I couldn't stop...So I got a little "Love Tap" as I once heard Nate refer to it. Just a little tap to let me know they were thinking about me you might say. They were stopped. So they were just started to accelerate so they bumped me at maybe 3 or 4 miles an hour. but Still pretty exciting anytime that you take a hit from a large piece of machinery that could kill you....I was a bit shaken... but nothing happened to me, I'm 100 Fine. Not even a bruise. I didn't even tip over; I just wobbled pretty bad and had to try not to fall over. So you can relax Mom....Anyhow, Things are really good and I'm doing very good.  I love you all so much and miss you. I hope that you are all as optimistic and hopeful about the future as I am.
 I love you all and hope you have a good day.
 Hope to hear from you all soon
 
Love,
 Anziano Memmott