Today we ate really yummy Palermitano sandwiches with liver and panelle. Panella is fried chickpea flour, it's really good. And yay today's leap day!
Friday I was feeling really down and depressed, and questioning everything. I wanted to work hard, and I was out there going to appointments, but the energy was gone and the will to open my mouth and talk to people just wasn't there. I was just feeling really discouraged for a lot of reasons. We're talking no-teeth smiles to strangers and only English to my companion because English is like comfort food, and you can't really carry a spoon and jar of Nutella with you in the bus going places. After pranzo we headed out to see a contact that we had met on the TRAM (tram is kind of like a BART that only runs through Palermo), we had set up an appointment but we weren't really sure that she would be at home. But we got there and she WAS! And I can not describe the joy I felt when she opened up her window and smiled when she saw us outside and welcomed us in. It was a small thing but it really helped lift my spirit and strengthen my faith. It reminded me of the scripture in Alma 26:27, "Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren, the Siciliani, and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success." (It doesn't exactly say that but pretty much) It was really in that moment that I needed it the most.
So this woman's name is Annamaria, she is 70 years old but could seriously pass for 60. (Side note, why does everyone in Italy look so much younger than they actually are?! We need to add more olive oil to our diets). Anyways, she has 6 children and 7 grandchildren. She has one child who lives in Chicago. Two of her children live at home with her right now. Her daughter actually recognized who were are because she used to go to English Course, but in the Palermo 1 zone and said it was too far so she stopped, but she lives right around the corner from the Palermo 2 building so yay! And her son walked in and recognized us from the bus, crazy! Annamaria lost her husband a few years ago, they had been together 51 YEARS, they got married at ages 15 and 16. She shared with us how hard it was, because he was a really good man and a good husband and father. And we shared with her how we have a message that will bless her and her family. She needs the plan of happiness so bad, and I can't wait to share it with her!
Heavenly Father is really aware of us, don't ever forget that! We saw so many miracles this week I can't believe I took those all for granted and felt the way I did on Friday, but it's normal and we all feel down once in a while.
Okay have a great leap day because you can't celebrate it again until 2020 which seems like a lifetime away!
Sorella Holiday
Here we are on Rita's baptism Friday, she is an investigator of the Anziani
Here's where we live now. I've really got to send you more pictures because Palermo is really beautiful. Big mountains, really old attractions and the ocean. I'm not able to get my pictures from my camera onto my iPad right now.
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