Here's Sarah's email from Week 5:
(I did fix the English - either she was typing REALLY fast or she's already forgetting her mother tongue!)
Guess who got to give a talk in Italian in church this week? Yes. We have to write one every week and then they randomly pick two of us. Thankfully one of the sisters gave me a heads up because she thought she saw my name on the program, so I had about 5 minutes to read through mine. Thankfully I discovered that I can still be sarcastic in Italian. I got up there and said, "Voi siete felice perche sono qui, ma uno giorno..." ("You're all happy because I'm the one standing here, but one day...") to which they all laughed. One of the members of the presidency must have been dying because he's a former Army guy, complete letter to the law serious, and I want to run and hide every time I see him. Anyway, I was shaking inside but this is where the gift of tongues really kicks in if you're prepared. Although I was saying the words, I could tell that what actually came from the microphone sounded MUCH better than I felt. To my surprise, it was pretty fluent and someone who's studied Italian even complimented me on my accent. Plus, everyone understood it. I was pretty shocked but it definitely wasn't me speaking up there.
Another cool experience happened in the TRC. This week EVERYTHING was in Italian, including the first lesson. Sorella Baker and I walked in to teach this sister and she talked faster than I ever thought was possible. We found out later that she's actually Italian, and isn't even a student or anything. She's just here in the US for a few weeks visiting and then is headed right back to Italy. Thankfully no one told us that beforehand or I probably would have quit right there and gone home. (Scherzo, kidding!) It was interesting because even though the lesson wasn't "perfect" and didn't go as well as I would have wanted language wise, it went even better because the Lord said, "Here, let me show you how it's done." My companion couldn't even speak at one point and she told me after it's because it was the first time she's really felt the spirit in Italian. I can't describe what it was like to look in "Elisa's" (ironic, I know) face and actually see her. Actually see her. And watch her eyes fill with tears as the Spirit bore testimony through me in my imperfect Italian. After we finished, we were about to leave when she asked us to stay. Her English was probably a bit better than our Italian but only a bit. She told us that she felt prompted to tell us about her conversion. The first time she met with the Elders, one of them was visibly struggling with the language and could hardly speak. However, it was HIS testimony that touched her and changed her life, as imperfect and incorrect as it was. She told us to stop worrying about being perfect in the language and to focus on bearing testimony. There are people in Italy waiting just for us. In her words, "There are specific people waiting for you, Sorella Giacobson. Just for you. Please..." Even though the barrier of language came up then, I knew exactly what she was saying. That one simple word, "Please..." has literally changed everything. I just knew. There is no other way to put it. I know my purpose, I know why I'm here, and I know why I am to fulfill that purpose in Italy rather than any other place in the world. How great is my calling. How grateful I am that this is His work and that He is with me every step of the way. What a privilege to have a third companion who is a member of the Godhead.
"If there are any missionaries who are getting the most help right now, it's the Italian missionaries because there's a temple going up in Rome and the Italian people need to know." -Hermana Anderson
I never thought it was possible to feel this way about Italy and the Italian people. I thought I felt the joy that comes from the gospel but it's nothing compared to what I am and will experience now. Thank you for helping me have this opportunity, for it is the foundation of the rest of my life and a foundation that will build something more magnificent that I could have ever imagined.
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