"And I'm proud to be an Americannnnnn"

Hi guys,

Frustrated cuz I just had my entire group email typed up and somehow I deleted the entire thing :((( SOO, I'm typing as fast as I can trying to recount everything we've done this week that could possibly be fun for you guys to hear about haha.

We met a 26yr old girl from Germany the other day and helped her get away from a creepy man that had been following her for a few kilometers!! We had to tell him a little white lie that she was married and going to meet her husband haha. Oops. Arrivederci bro. Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do to get rid of the creepy men here haha. I repented, don't worry ;) We referred her to the missionaries in Germany so who knows what could happen because of that stalker man?! :) 

We went to Palermo on Sunday for ZONE CONFERENCE combined with Palermo and Catania zones and it was so much fun!! We got to see so many of our friends and the spirit was incredibly strong. President and Sorella Pickerd are incredible. I had my final departing 1hr interview with him Sunday night and it was so great. He helped me so much with everything and I feel a lot calmer about the next chapter now :) 

I got to share my testimony at zone conf in front of all 48 missionaries and I was the ONLY departing one. It was cool to be able to reflect back on all I've learned and how I've grown this past year and a half. 

I read an article in the new ensign this week that talks about enduring well instead of just enduring. They shared a quote about how our experiences and our trials polish us into exactly who our Heavenly Father wants us to be. I loved that!! It's so true. Everything we go through is for our benefit and we will come out stronger in the end if we rely on the Atonement of Christ. I love my mission and all the trials and experiences I've been through because they've shaped me into a better version of myself. I still have a LONG way to go haha but I'm on the right path :) 

Today we went as a district to Taormina which   UNREAL. We went up to the ancient amphitheater that looks out over the whole coast. It was like a scene of a movie. It was right up with there next to the Amalfi coast on my list of coolest Pdays. 

I love you guys and hope you have a great 4th!!! We're so blessed to be Americans and to live in a place where we are free! My Ecuadorian comp is probably getting sick of me singing "God bless the USA" all day long hahahah :) Love you guys!! Enjoy the Stadium of Fire for me and eat lots of food! We're on the way to the ward BBQ right now ❤️🇺🇸💙

Con amore,

Sorella Hess

Via Genova 27 

Catania 95127 

Italia

Le foto:

1-Catania and Palermo zones combined...idk why but the pic looks really fuzzy on here but it's actually a good pic haha.

2-Blondest district ever....and then there's Sorella Zapata 😂 President calls them the Catania towers hahaha. 

3-Sorella Pickerd ❤️❤️❤️

4-Today at Taormina!

5-hahaha idk...

6-car rides back from Palermo with the senior couple!