Week 77 - Dorothy, you're not even in Italy anymore!

November 21, 2016

merħba għall Malta!!

Yea, that's right. I am currently on the island of Malta, where Paul is said to have been shipwrecked. We got the call Monday evening that I would be leaving. That night I went out on the porch to pray and cry. The next morning, I cried again. That like never happens for me.  It is highly probable that I will finish my mission here and never serve in Italy again. Goodbye to the people, the language, the mission in general in some senses.

But I've warmed up to the idea, in my heart and physically (it's so warm here!)  The good news is that it's not that hard to learn to love a people.  All you have to do is work super hard and serve them and it will come.  I am basically serving another mini-mission in the United States...  Except I'm not.

We are supposed to be learning Maltese, which is derived principalmente from Arabic, with a bit of Italian and English mixed in. Malta was colonized by Britain, so people drive on the left and the wheel is on the right. A lot of people speak English, but a LOT DON'T. So I am planning on really seeking the gift of tongues, even though no missionary ever comes off of Malta "really" speaking Maltese. People here are of every skin color imaginable. There are also places like KFC and other American stores. 

Our house is a MANSION. I have no idea how much the Church payed for it. I literally have to run down the hall because it takes so long to get from one side to the other.

Fun fact – my new companion Elder Blaylock is dying [going home] right after Christmas. He was in my mission prep class at BYU. And his twin brother tried out for the BYU cross country team with me over two years ago. 

Yesterday there were 27 people in church plus four missionaries. It's an interesting branch. There are awesome couples from America, Scotland, and Ireland as well as some Maltese. We sang one Maltese hymn, which coming out of me sounded like "was harsh  shagash". 

Couple cool miracles:  Transfer day is Thursday. My plane left Friday morning. So Thursday I got to be with my zone leader and friend Anziano Vrska and help missionaries get places (Rome is the center of all transfers so it's pretty hectic). We also were miraculously able to meet with Grazi, one of the Brazilian new converts who was in Rome getting her permesso, and say goodbye to her. They are struggling to find time to read the scriptures, and we had a lesson idea, but right before I decided instead to tell her the scripture the Lord showed me when I asked for understanding of why I was going to Malta, and I felt like he was talking straight to me. It was great!

That night I went with the Rome 2 elders, which meant I got to return to my English group there! They live with the assistants, so the next morning one of them stayed home while I went running at 4:30 AM with Anziano Whiting! He is a CHAMP!  It was his idea, I was so happy to go with him on a run for the first time in many months.


Love,

Anziano Cannon


No time for pics, next week.