Tais. She hails from somewhere near Sao Paulo, Brazil. She is in Pisa on a year-long study exchange. We visited her Tuesday as part of our extended efforts in Pisa, Livorno and La Spezia. We met her the previous week at Institute and saw her Sunday in church, but going to her abode was different; when someone welcomes you to where they live, you can sometimes get, if they allow it, a greater sense of who they are.
Now I know that Tais is a beautiful and delicate flower; her spirit exudes a heavenly perfume.
She had a "merendina" awaiting us, a simple small repast of sweet bread and fennel tea, or tisana, set on a cloth-covered table in the kitchen, with small plates, cups and spoons. The graciousness of it slew me; she hardly knows us, yet she knows we are, in a sense, shepherds of her soul. This little offering was a welcoming gesture, an invitation to "come in" to her life.
We talked of simple things - her life, her family, her conversion to the church along with her sister, aunt and grandmother. She readily shared some of her goals and desires, all in her sweet Portuguese-spiced Italian. She has only been here for six months, and did not know Italian before she came. It is a pleasure to listen to her.
We could have talked longer, but we were all planning to go to Institute together. A new lamb to keep track of in the fold. What a blessing.
fun thing:
Kind of bittersweet fun. We have known Sorella Gregg, one of our young sister missionaries, almost since we got here, but she is finally being transferred. We are really going to miss her. She is down-to-earth, up for anything, solid as a rock in her testimony, and full of good humor.
I went to their house to inspect their apartment, which just happened to fall on this transfer P-day. She and Sorella Johnson made fajitas (including homemade tortillas - wow, what a switch up from the usual fare!) and we enjoyed lunch together (Blaine was home taking a nap, after having gone with me to Pistoia to inspect the elders' apartment).
Anziano/Elder Lott, who has been here four months or so, and is one of our finest missionaries as well, is also being transferred. We brought the elders to Prato so that E. Lott wouldn't have to drag his bags too far. They ate lunch by themselves at our house!
After Andrea's mission prep lesson later that afternoon, the sisters dropped by to say good-bye to her. She had prepared a cute little cake in Sister Gregg's honor.
It's always a joy to be around these young missionaries, even when they're leaving. We wish them the best, and know they will be a blessing in the lives of many.
Dad is so stylish.
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