Sorella Madalyn Barazoto

CIAO! Oh my goodness I am in Italy! This past week has been crazy! So we left early Tuesday morning from the MTC we eventually got on our flight I was the travel leader so I had to make sure everyone made it through it took awhile! But we got to Chicago safely but then our flight to London was delayed...so we missed our flight to Rome. It was very stressful but they airline got us on a flight it was just going to be a much longer layover. They gave us meal vouchers it was 190 pounds and we went crazy we bought so much food ha! We got on the plane and at this point we were so exhausted the second I sat down I fell asleep for the whole flight ha! And out of our whole group we only lost 2 suitcases! Which is crazy! I didn't lose any thank goodness! We got to the mission home at like 9 pm they fed us and then interviewed half of us because it was getting late then they made us individually open up where we will be serving I'm in Ostia which is Rome 4 it's awesome my companion's name is Sorella Viazzo she's from California her dad is from Italy but she didn't know Italian but obviously now she does ha! I'm going to kill her (mission language for I'm her last companion she leaves at the end of the 12 weeks we are together ha!) She's so great! We get along well and she is a good teacher and makes me practice with everyone on the Metro ha! The Elders in our district are awesome as well! They are both from Cali and AZ so no Utah hicks! Ha! They are Elder Zemp and Zappettini! We all have Italian last names but none of us our Italian ha!

The members here are awesome and they all speak English! Whew! Tereza is a ward missionary she served in Independence Missouri she's awesome and she just kept feeding me and feeding me! Ha! There are a lot of Africans here they are all refugees and live in these refugee houses it's so sad but they are so awesome and are such strong members! I finally found out the hardest thing of the mission! Not being able to hold children. There was this little boy who LOVED me! He is 13 months his name is Simone he was pulling at my skirt and it killed me that I wasn't allowed to hold him! His mom is this beautiful African from Kenya she is amazing and got baptized recently and his dad his getting baptized next week! The Elder's asked us to help teach so I taught him the Law of the Fast he just ate everything up he was so ready to have the gospel! 

So yesterday I woke up feeling like death! I couldn't move without being super nauseas I had a fever and a mirgrane and horrible stomach pains! (That's what jetlag does to you!) I'm still a little sick which is totally normal so don't worry mom! 

Well anyways we spend most of our time on the metro or the bus so we talk to tons of people there! Pray that we find someone this week! I love it here! I know that it's going to be hard but that's okay! The language is hard but I'm understanding a lot more! People love to help me so it's awesome! Also it's so funny because they look at me and think I'm Italian and they go off speaking and I'm just like uhhh nooo! I don't know the language ha! They just all assume that I am. So that's good that I look the part ha! 

Well I love you all and I am so grateful to be here in Ostia! It's not the nicest place but everyone is so friendly and there are so many families they are all so cute! I love Italia! I hope everyone is doing well! 

Love Sorella Barazoto