Misunderstanding with Roberto, Applying gospel principles to our lives, SNOW‏

"There are more runs in my nylons then days until Christmas" That was the quote of the day on Saturday when my last pair of nylons went to the wolves! BUT fear not. Thanks to my adorable italian boots and mid-calf skirt, mums the word about my secret count down til Christmas. Ah yes, truly the best of times.What a week! We had many experiences that I would love to tell you but I'll see how many I can do without boring your faces off. So lets start with the slight let down so we can end on a happy note. We have this friend at a Cartoleria (a paper shop) that we've stopped by a few times since we've been here and he's been warming up to us. We try to talk to him about the gosple but we always get to a certain point where he shuts us down. Well he's got an attitude. He's got a little bite to him but sometimes it's funny. So this last week we went to the Cartoleria and he had a friend there and Roberto (that's the mans name who works in the Cartoleria) started asking us lots of questions about us being missionaries. He asked us how much we get paid (yeah, we don't. Actually we pay.) While we're used to people admiring what we do after they learn this, Roberto instead said, "You are stupid. Why would you spend money or have your family spend money on sending you here where no one wants to listen to you." I couldn't believe it. It kind of hurt my feelings and amongst all of the words that I thought of to shoot his way what I decided on was, "Well Roberto, you obviously don't understand what we do or what this message is that we have." He went off again saying some other things that weren't complimentary, let's say and it was a bit of a doozey. I somehow managed to not cry like an infant (which is a big step for me. For some reason this whole mission thing has made me a little cry face, more often then my pride appreciates.) But somehow I walked away from the experience not thinking that he was right. I have no doubt that what I'm doing isn't stupid. It's not a waste of time. And there ARE people who want to listen. It's kind of like a spiritual treasure hunt. We've just got to do the finding. As much as it hurt to have someone that I thought was a friend say those things, it really just reinforced my feelings for the gospel. I have no doubt in my mind that this message changes lives. I have seen it first hand many times in the last year. No one can tell me that it doesn't. I have learned and seen and felt too much to allow anyone to tell me that this gospel is stupid. As hard as it is for me to have these things challenged sometimes I walk away at least feeling grateful for the opportunity to stand with Christ. To learn even the slightest bit of what it's like to stand up for what's right, like He did, even when it's hard. It strengthens my testimony and love for the Savior.So hows about a story of someone who's been receptive eh? I will not be complaining about having those people in my life! Nope nope. So we went over to this less-active members house. She's an amazing person. She's married in the temple, has a beautiful 9 year old son, but...none of them come to church. There were times in the lesson when it seemed that she didn't think that she needed to come to church every Sunday. I got a glimpse, however, of her acknowledgement that she needs to return to church weekly. So I listened to her as she told us of how many times she has made plans to come to church and then the next day: WHAMY something comes up! Like, what the heck is that about right? Like her sister will call and ask her if she can watch the kids, or her son will have a fever, etc. She said that it's not that she doesn't want to come to church, because she makes plans to do it, but then something just comes up.Well as she was saying all of this something came into my mind that I've been thinking a lot about and I felt like I could relate to her completely! I started talking to her about my companion and I. We have a companionship goal that we'll wake up at 5:55 a.m. We have our workout plan all set out and we've got it planned to the T! Whenever something doesn't work out, we readjust or find a way to avoid whatever it is that didn't work out. HOWEVER my companion and I have this little problem: there are always things that "come up" that make it difficult for us to accomplish our goals. Examples: We wake up and it's startlingly cold out of our beds. Why wouldn't we just want to stay all snuggled and warm? Or Dangit! my companion doesn't really feel like working out this morning. Am I going to step up and do it by myself or not? Or Drat! I am just so much more exhausted than I thought. It couldn't hurt to sleep until 6:30.Us not working out doesn't reflect our feelings toward exercising. It really IS something that we want to do. We really DO want to work out. But there's something human about hitting the wall between the things that we WANT to do and DESIRE to do, and then actually getting ourselves to overcome the obstacles to do them. Get over the excuses. Decide in your mind that it's what you really want and don't let anything stand in your way. YOU are the one that decides whether or not you accomplish the things that you want. But you'll never accomplish what you want if you don't get over that hump of complete decision and commitment. I told her that just as my companion and I will never changed if we don't start now, she will never be active in church unless she gets over the hump and starts now. Do it now. Why wait? If it's something that you want, then commit yourself. Do it! She was nodding while I was tellin her this and she understood and agreed. It was a really cool lesson. I think it's cool how much we can relate with the people that we're working with. Sometimes it could be easy to have the mindset of, "Man, what's the deal? Why don't they come to church?" Or "Come on, what's going on, why don't they read their scriptures?" It's been a loving wake up call for me that I have to apply the principles that I'm teaching in many aspects of my life. We all have our own challenges and difficulties but the principles are the same. I'm grateful that Heavenly Father helps me see how to relate to these people, and at the same time helping me see how to improve.Well my time has come to an end. I hope that you have a marvelous Christmas! Isn't Christmas the most beautiful time of year? I really just love it. I love looking at all of the decorations and the SNOW (P.S. it totally snowed this week! LIke a couple of inches. Apparently it hasn't snowed this much in La Spezia for like 17 years. Crazy sauce!)We had a member in the branch call us on Friday night and ask if my companion and I could do a musical number for the Christmas program. I had to whip out my dusty piano skills and play O Holy Night for my companion. It was kind of a crazy arrangement and it was kind of a bust on my part but ALAS, Christmas will still arrive and it is all good in the hood. I mean...La Spezia. Because of all of the snow, not many members showed up to church on Sunday. We had like 4 families. It was definitely the smallest little Christmas program I have ever seen but it meant the most to me than any of them in the past. So many hearts were touched and it was all so sincere. I just felt blessed to be a small part of it.Thanks for all of your love and support. I had presidents interviews yesterday and he came bearing gifts! Aka...mailtime. Thank you so much for your love. I feel very grateful and it really helps an awful lot. I can't even explain it to you. Merry Christmas guys! I hope the holiday is beautiful and happy! I love you as much as I love mistletoes....which I will not be partaking of this Christmas season. However, in e'mail form: Italian kisses! Sorella Hansen