1st Real Italian Meal (Mission Week # 1)

Family of Mine! It was good to hear from you, and dont worry about me, I am fine. We have a hear a little about the earthquake, but supprisingly not that much at all.
I officially began my second week yesterday, and am looking forward to getting to spend more time here. Catania was great the whole 2 days I was there, my very first night I got to go out with Sorella Sandlin on splits and we taught a less active member a lesson, and she made sure I spoke, and it was fun. I also got to know the Italian people a little better. They are wonderful, and funny, but they also agree with everything that you say without really thinking about it or digesting it. Also, they LOVE to talk. Before in our lessons, we had to work really hard to get participation, but now I am having to work really hard to get a word in. Sorella Black says that that is just part of the culture, that they dont really like silences, so they will just keep talking until you cut them off... and you know how good I am at that ;)
On Friday I met my new companion, Sorella Black. We were in the car on the way to the bus station, and some of the missionaries were talking about instruments and she mentioned how "you know the best instrument in the viola though!" I thought she was just making a joke, or trying to make me feel good, but it turns out she really had no idea that I play, and she plays too! She has been pretty great, and is really good about talking to lots of people all the time. My biggest problem is I will start talking to people and in the beginning its great and I know exactly whats going on, and to make chat, and then they get really excited and start going off about all sorts of things and I just look at them with a huge grin having absolutely no idea what they are saying. It is helpful to listen for inflection in their voice to know that there was a question asked, but every conversation brings fun new adventures.
Conference was wonderful and I got to watch it in English. or atleast 3 of the sessions, and Lindsey, I saw Katie in the choir which was fun!
As for the Easter season, everyone is really busy which makes it a little difficult to meet with people this week. We have done some casa a casa trying to find those who would like us to sing an Easter Inno, but have not yet found those who are craving music with a beautiful message, but we will keep ringing and singing.
So story time! Alot of the work here in Bari is to strengthen the members, get them active in church, excited about missionary work, and build up a strong foundation. Apparently what happens a lot is that new members get attatched to missionaries, so when they leave everything kind of stops. So yesterday we to my first lunch appointment, the big meal of the day, with Sorella Panza. She is your typical cat lady, apparently they exist all over the world, but she stays at home, "suffering" and the missionaries are here life. We got there and there was food on the stove, on the tables, in the oven, every surface, and I was just sure that she was preparing for easter or something. She dished up our pasta, a good sized bowl, and Sorella Black was like, wow that is nothing compared to what we usually eat, you are fortunate. We ate it, it was good. Then it was time for meat, lamb in red sauce. By this time I was like, wow that was good, what a good meal. Turn out however, that this was the first of THREE meat dishes! Then there was a different cut of lamb with peas, and then there was lamb chops. It is an easter tradition, and she wanted us to experience. This ofcourse was more meat than I think I ate the entire last year combined, and this was still only the beginning of the meal. She then walked out with a plate with three different portions, for the three of us with a pile of Rocatta, a huge orange, and prosciutto, and a hard boiled egg. And so we ate it. But then there was the dolce, the sugar cookie for Pasqua in the shape of a pish, but there were also to other treats that she insisted we ate. After all this she insisted we needed more, so she carried out a huge chocolate egg bigger than my backpack and told us to break it and Mangi. And so went me first meal. It was all very good, and yet so very painful. She was so sweet, and I am sure she spent her lifes earnings on it. I unfortunately could not understand anything she said, because she talked really fast, and slurred alot together, but she laughed alot and so would I. At the end though we talked a little bit about making goals, and left her with an assignment for next time and she seemed pretty happy about that.
Anyways I apologize for the lengthyness of this, but it is kind of nice to be able to express myself. I have made it a goal to talk Italian All day everyday, except for when we walk home at night around 9:30, so this is a treat for me.
Emma that is so cool about your stamp! Someday you need to teach me how to paint so I can say I learned from the best. Joe and Chris, Chump says What, dont ask me what that means, I just wanted to say hi. Jonathan Robb I love and I have faith that someday I will hear word from him. Did you ever hear from my friend? Mom you are wonderful, and a great example to so many.
I will write you all again next wednessday, and maybe by then I will know this city a little better, and be able to tell you more about the people here.

Here is my address, send letters here, and even small packages, but anything with real value send the mission home.
Ci vediamo! Ti voglio bene!

Sorella Robb

Sorella Robb
Viale Einaudi 25
70125 Bari
Italia