A Delayed Hello from Ohio

Greetings one and everyone!
I'm so so so SO sorry that it's taken me so long to email. I'm glad that you got my letter in the mail...I'm sorry I wasn't able to email--we held transfers that day and didn't get a chance to make it to the library for the internet.
I arrived at the SLC airport and was able to call many of you but wasn't able to catch everyone. Our flight was on a little Canadair jet for Skywest and we flew straight to Cleveland. Well, straight's a relative word, because it was so turbulent-y that I ended up puking. Yep, that's right. Good thing I'd stuck an entire change of clothing in my carry on so I could change my shirt before I met President Peterson. Ugh, I'm embarrassed to tell the story but man, it was so funny. I felt very humbled when I met President, because I had all these plans of looking and presenting myself as my best self but my stomach and Heavenly Father had other ideas. We had a great dinner at the Mission home in Westlake then had interviews. I was so impressed by the Spirit in the mission home and it was a blast to be there with 14 other missionaries (originally it was supposed to be 17 but we lost one to stay at the mtc to improve his English, one to the flu/sinus infection, and one to double pneumonia...I was so glad that mine was a one-time deal when there was no turning back).
We got up bright at early at 5am the next morning (so really 3am) to have breakfast and head to Kirtland. We were able to take a tour with a Community of Christ curator as well as Karl Anderson, the foremost authority on Kirtland history. It was amazing to go to Kirtland and see the beauties there. We were able to see the pulpit where the series of visions found in D&C 110 were received, the third floor office where Joseph Smith saw God the Father and Jesus Christ and received D&C 137. We were also able to sit in the pews and sing "The Spirit of God." Following the tour we went to the Newel K. Whitney Store and held a meeting in the same room as the School of the Prophets. It was a powerful experience to be in the same room where the prophet Joseph Smith had been, where Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and hosts of angels appeared, and where D&C 89 was received. President Peterson gave us a few minutes to kneel in prayer in the small room and dedicate our missions to the Lord. I was able to read through my patriarchal blessing and see just how my call as a missionary to establish and build up the Church in the Kirtland area is a fulfillment of that sacred blessing. I am truly amazed by how the Lord facilitates our learning and growth.
After Kirtland we held transfer meeting in the Kirtland Stake center. I was the last sister to be paired up with my companion because we were the closest to Kirtland (though it's still a ways away). My trainer is Sister Stacie Corbridge and we were assigned to the Stow area. It covers Stow and small parts of Hudson and Munroe Falls. We're part of the Tallmadge ward, which two sets of elders and us cover. Sister Corbridge was here last semester and was "shotgunning" the area (meaning the area was closed due to the Kirtland sisters being called out to do the visitor center and the missionaries were called to reopen it). She and Sister Knecht worked like crazy to reestablish themselves in the ward and I was able to reap the benefits during my first week.
Since Wednesday was preparation day, we just traveled back to Stow and I was able to go contacting on my first day. The very first house we went to said we could come back the next day (but they weren't there, surprise surprise) but it was good to get out and get talking to people on my first day. We also taught a less active sister and visited a young woman whose family is less active but she was never baptized. I was exhausted but so happy to have had a fantastic first day in the field.
The last week has been crazy! We've been able to go tracting nearly every day for a couple hours and although we haven't found anyone through that, I feel like that work we've put in is helping us when we teach the solid investigators we already have.
We're teaching Richard and Gayle, a couple where the husband is already in Alma 35 and the wife is still having a difficult time accepting there is any other scripture but the Bible. We've taught them twice this week and it's made it interesting to try to address their needs when they're on such different levels. I'm glad to have the special ed background to at least help with ideas to differentiate the lesson a little bit to address both of their needs, but it's definitely a process. My first lesson Gail cried and Richard loved, our second was a little more neutral and Gail loved it but I felt Richard didn't get as much out of it. We're working on getting them to church but Gayle's not ready to change because her roots are so deep in her church. We'll just have to keep working.
The same issue is happening with another one of our investigators, Brent. He's reading and praying about the Book of Mormon but his kids love the church they go to currently so he doesn't want to change. He's going through a divorce and Sundays are one of his days with the kids so he doesn't want to do anything to jeopardize that. And Mom doesn't even take them to church so he's trying to keep religion in their lives.
So yeah, I think our biggest obstacle is not that people don't have faith, but that they have a strong faith. So many people say thanks but no thanks when we knock on their doors because they are happy with their religion and the current status of their faith. As we've taught, I think our greatest challenge has been trying to help people progress. Change is hard for most people and it's a process only they can choose to do. I hope I can help them see the fulness of joy that the gospel can bring and help them to know for themselves that the Church is true.
We've also had a couple of other things come together in the last week. First, the young woman I told you about earlier is interested in us teaching her and her family is okay with that. We met with her last Saturday and I'm really excited to teach her. A family in our ward has been going through the adoption process for four siblings, two of which are over 8. We taught them about the plan of salvation Monday night for FHE and I am so excited to teach them so they know for themselves that they want to be baptized. We're also teaching a really nice mother of 3 with one on the way who converted to catholicism 3 years ago but loves to learn about religion. It's great that she believes authority is important but hard to teach that the authority was taken from the earth (Dad, you can probably relate after going to Italy and teaching many catholics).
My most spiritual lesson was with a lady who'd been taught about 6 months ago, Judy. She believes in the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith but her husband is very ill and wanted her to stop taking the lessons. She's opened her doors again to us and we were able to reteach lesson 1. The Spirit was almost tangible as I accounted the Joseph Smith story. Man, that account has such power and it's one of those things that people definitely feel different about (some, I guess, recognize it as the spirit and others just recognize that feeling as odd). But it was amazing to bear witness of the reality of that prayer and that vision. She was going to come to church, had a plumbing problem, so sent her son to come instead! We're going to try to teach him with his mom tomorrow.
Monday we had district meeting and it was great to get to know the elders in our area better. We're all experiencing success to some degree and it looks like we may have a baptism this month! Tuesday we had Zone Conference and I LOVED being able to learn more about how to be a better missionary. Though I've been able to stay really busy and keep active in the work, I definitely felt like there were things I needed to be doing better to make the work move at a rate the Lord wants, not at the rate of my personal capacity. I need to have faith that the Lord will provide the way and the desire to be exactly obedient so the Lord can in fact use me as an instrument in his hands.
I know that this was crazy long, but I just had way a lot to tell you. I hope you're all doing well and please know that I love love love you! Thanks for your letters, your prayers, and your support. I think about you all a great deal and thank Heavenly Father that I was blessed with such a great family. I hope you have a great week and you'll be hearing from me next Wednesday!
Love,
Sister Cannariato
P.S. I don't actually think I can check the blog, so if you want to email me your posts, then I can read them and that'd be great! I'd love to hear about the Walter Fam in OR, the Romney fam in P-Town, Lex in Rex, and the Boise clan. You're so great!
P.P.S. CONGRATULATIONS BECCA!!! I'm excited for you to be in all-state. Liza, how's the application? Did you get in? And when will you be interviewed for the Hinckley? Lexi, how are classes and college life? Nic, did you find a job? Jake, how's school for you--surviving? Monica, how are the boys and the house? Nate, how's the new job? Dawn, how's life with just two at home? How are the cubs and have you seen Box recently? Dad, congrats on the new office! I hope you continue to settle in and things go well for you downtown. Please tell Grandmas and Eddie I say haldo! Have a fantastic week!!!
P.P.P.S. Someone has asked if everyone can email me. The answer is yes, I can get emails from anyone, but I'll only be writing the family via email and the rest snail mail. Just fyi.