Sister Anderson Mission Blog: Ciao Cimiano

We got transfer news this week! It was so nerve racking. Usually you get transfer calls on Saturday but this time President called us on Friday. We missed it and he didn't call us back for 3 hours! It was the most nerve racking 3 hours of my life! Well it turns out I will be going to Ravenna! I will be going with Sorella Hernandez. She is from my group but she is from Rome and so she will be going home a transfer after me because she didn't have to spend the time in the MTC. I'm super excited! The sisters haven't been there for about 6 months so it will be fun to get to know the city with Sorella Hernandez.

That being said, this week was full of goodbyes. It is really hard to say goodbye to these people I've spent 6 months with. I feel like I'm leaving home. They have shown me so much love and I have learned so much from them. Cimiano is such a special place and I feel like I put my whole heart into this area. I know that Ravenna will be amazing and that I'm needed there but it doesn't make it any less hard to leave.

We had lunch with Aydee and she made probably my favorite classic Venezuelan food.

We saw Giuseppe and Rosella. Haha, they crack me up. They are the most Italian people I have ever met. Rosella has a heart of gold too.

We had dinner with Tina and Mahesh. I am going to miss Tina so much. She has done so much for me and she always takes care of us. She would fit right in at home. Even when you say you're stuffed she scoops extra food on your plate. I love helping her cook. She is so humble and is always looking for more she can do. She knows how to love everyone around her even when they may be difficult to deal with and she stands up for them.

We said goodbye to Mama on Saturday. The girls weren't there but at least I was able to see them Sunday. I'm going to miss them so much. We sang some karaoke for good times sake and we had fun visiting with her. I will miss the way she says "Sister..(add a sentence to fit the occasion here) .."

Tuesday we had a karaoke night for Family Home Evening. It was a lot of fun and people had a good time! Gabriele and Patrick came. It was good to see some of the other people that I hadn't said goodbye to yet. I was really hard to say goodbye. I love these people here so much. I wish I could describe how much Cimiano and the people here mean to me but it just wouldn't do it justice. I really feel like I'm leaving home.

Two amazing miracles happened on Tuesday though! We saw Chiara and she said that she was feeling good about the church but hadn't felt like she had received an answer yet. We decided to teach about following the prophet and watched the conference talk "Choices" by our prophet Thomas S. Monson. (Ironically she was thinking of naming the baby Thomas.) But while we were watching the talk, she received an answer and a strong confirmation that getting baptized is the right thing to do. She felt like she needed to put Christ first and follow him. It was such an amazing experience and so we set a baptismal date for September 23rd. She will be leaving for all of August so this will give her time after she gets back to keep preparing herself and it also meaning that she will be receiving the Holy Ghost on her birthday September 24th. The Spirit is everything. I'm so grateful that she was able to recognize the confirmation and receive an answer to her prayer. Then, later that night at FHE, we were talking to the investigator of the Anziani and as we got to talking he expressed a very strong desire to take the steps necessary to be baptized and he wants to bring his children to church as well. He would love for his children to join the church with him. They are 14 and 18. I'm so excited and I feel so immensely blessed to see all these miracles.

Sorella Allen shared a story with us this week about when she and President Allen signed up to be foster parents for a baby for a time period. They were assigned to take care of a preemie. They would take turns going to the hospital and staying with her and showing her love and when it was time for her to leave the hospital they took her everywhere with them. She barely ever opened her eyes. They gave so much to this little baby. The time came when it was time for them to give this little baby to the adopting family. They were so grateful that she had a loving family to go to but after Sorella Allen cried. She went on to ask do we love because we serve or do we serve because we love? In the end it doesn't matter so much because they go hand in hand. I'm so grateful for the time I have had in Cimiano to love and to serve. I know I will cherish these people that I met here forever and I will be leaving a piece of my heart with them.

"We grow to love those whom we serve. And because serving others is serving God, we grow to love Him and our brothers and sisters more deeply. Such love is a manifestation of the spiritual gift of charity, even the pure love of Christ."-Elder David A. Bednar

I love you all and I hope you have an amazing week!

Mama, Jasmine, and Christine. I love them so much!