Last Week in Pisa

So who knew the Olympics were going on?? I sure didn't until we had a dinner appointment with the Gori's and Nicola (the dad) told me! Haha you could say I'm oblivious to some things. But he likes to watch the sand volleyball and so we talked about how Italy and US played each other.

Thursday we visited Ersi and Eni in their new apartment because they moved. We actually ended up talking with their mom and grandma which was really good. We talked about how they believe in Jesus. It was a good conversation because it really helped us to start building a relationship with the mom and to get to know her better!

We had a funeral of the mom of a member in our ward. Her mother wasn't a member so it was my first Catholic funeral. It was really different. It wasn't very personal. I've never actually been to a Catholic mass before so it was cool to see their different traditions and learn more about their religion. I will admit it was hard to understand a lot of it though because they used a booming microphone and in the old Catholic Church it echoes. There was a lot of support from the ward so that was nice to see.

My tire was flat again so the Anziani came over to patch it up for me. Now my bike is all fixed up! Hopefully it won't have any more problems for a while because it's a pain. We are so much more time effective with the bikes though.

We met with a new investigator from Nigeria who is a die hard baptist. We tried our best to explain that we don't worship Joseph Smith. I honestly don't know if she understood what I was trying to point out but she agreed to meet us again anyways. While we were teaching this lesson we missed a call from President Allen with TRANSFER NEWS!

So I will be leaving Pisa sadly. I will be going to Modena. It's a city in the middle of the mission and it's close to Bologna. I will be whitewashing (there won't be an overlapping companion who has served in the area before) and re-opening the city for Sorelle. Modena hasn't had sorelle, well at least for 6 months or something like that. My new companion will be Sorella Stevens from the Sorellazna! I'm so excited! Sorella Rosano will stay in Pisa and train. She will be a great trainer.

We Had quite a few lessons with members this week. We ate with Gianna and we ate salmon and tuna! You would all be proud to know that it wasn't that bad and I wasn't dying inside. But that's Gianna for you. She's an amazing cook! We said goodbye to a lot of people. I love the members here so much. They have taught me so much and it's such a great ward. Pisa will always have my heart.

We had a lesson with Diana. Her kids saw us down the street waiting for the bishop to come and they ran towards and gave us a hug. I seriously just melted inside! It made my week! We taught her the Restoration with the bishop. It was a really good lesson. We could truly feel the Spirit. It sounded a little bit strange to her at first but she agreed to read the Book of Mormon and pray about it. We were able to all kneel in prayer together. Little moments like this make everything worth it.

I know that people come into our lives for a reason. (I can't tell you how many times we have run into the same person more than once.) There are no chances. Heavenly Father knows who we need in our lives to help us grow and learn. I'm so grateful for the people of Pisa and everything they have done for me. Heavenly Father is always trying to help us along our way back to Him.

This week I want you all to try something to help to see the small ways He helps you every day. Write a way you saw the hand of the Lord in your day every day. It doesn't have to be something big it can be something as small as a big hug from little Roberto. I know that if you do it you will be able to notice all the small things that contribute to happiness. You will be able to feel the love of God in your life. Then if you really want to you can write me and tell me how it went!

Vi voglio bene! (I Love You)

Some of Pisa's Finest

Nonna

Sorella Di Ruscio

Gianna

Fratello Ventura aka Ward Mission Leader

Ersi and Eni. Gonna miss them! 

(Don't mind their Grandma in the background haha)

The district plus the Livorno Sorelle

I absolutely love Pisa at night !

Last run to the Leaning Tower in the morning

Piccolo Ripasso

Thursday was quite the day! We visited the Maganza family. They're a great family and they are going to get sealed in the temple in about a week! I'm so excited for them. Haha. They're also so giving. We told them that we had another appointment so we couldn't eat lunch with them but they didn't care. They made lunch anyways and sent it with us! We met with Cosetta. This day though was really a bad train day. So I guess we were just tired or something. But after the lesson with Cosetta we got on a train. We started to go when I realized we were going the wrong way! Then you just think oh well, what can you do? We just laughed about it and got off on the next stop. It took us at least an extra hour to get home but we eventually made it.

Friday was a fun day. We had to go to Lucca for an appointment. We couldn't miss our train because there wouldn't be another one for awhile. So we headed out and it was sprinkling a little bit, but it wasn't too bad. Then, while we were riding the bikes to the train station, it started pouring!! When we finally got to the train station I was wringing out my skirt and dumping water out of my shoes! Hahaha. It was kind of fun though not going to lie. We took a small little bus to the appointment and then had to walk awhile. On the small little bus (it was more like a big van), the bus driver was super nice, talking to the nun and the old man on the bus. They must have been regulars. It's just little things like this that make me love Italy haha. They small bus/van driving over a bumpy cobblestone road with an old man, two missionaries, and a nun. That's life here in Italy.

Saturday we were able to see Nonna. She really opened up to us about some of her trials. I just love her to pieces and she's so strong. Whenever I see her, it's impossible not to be happy. She loves to joke and smile even though she has a lot of hard things in her life. Then after we did some finding. The usual! We have some great potential! But my bike got a flat tire so we had to walk it home. Nothing to cry about though!

Sunday was good! Just the usual church and finding! Testimony meeting was really good! Ersi and Eni fasted but weren't able to make it to church because they had to help their parents move. 

Monday we had district meeting and it was really good. We did transfer predictions because we will get the news on Saturday. So for predictions we use the Old Testament and we randomly flip through and stop on a scripture. It usually makes for some good fun and builds the anticipation for the call haha. We were able to see Silvianne and we had a good lesson and talk with her. Then we saw Diana and her kids. Ah! They're so great! Roberto the 5 year old hugged my legs and I just about died because it was so cute!

Tuesday we had to walk all the way across the city to find a bike shop to fix my bike. A lot of shops are closed here for a couple weeks for holiday. They just close. It makes me laugh because that would never happen in America. Then we got to English just to find out that the Elders had a patch for the bike that we could've used! Oh well... What can ya do?

So we have a bakery super close the apartment so sometimes on our way home from our run in the morning we stop in and get some bread and it's still warm! It's so good! Tuesday morning we went and I didn't bring enough. I was short .10. I just thought to myself "you've got to be kidding, dangers!". But the lady was so nice! She told me it was practically the same and gave me the bread! I love people.

“When people are described as ‘having lost their desire for sin,’ it is they, and they only, who deliberately decided to lose those wrong desires by being willing to ‘give away all [their] sins’ in order to know God.”

"Therefore, what we insistently desire, over time, is what we will eventually become and what we will receive in eternity.”

I really like this quote because in this life we are always asked to give up something. It's like the story in the bible about the rich young man who asked what he needed to give up in order to have eternal life. Sometimes we are asked to give up something or change something in our lives in order to become closer to God. It can be hard but the promise that we will become closer to God and the result of letting go of the thing that's holding us back will be worth it. We need to think about what we desire for eternity rather than just what we desire right now at this moment.

I love you all and miss you un sacco!

Talk about Talent - Wow !

We were Soaked !

Peanut Butter just makes my world go round !

Just Another Day in Paradise

Thursday was a good day. We met Sara. She's a 70'year old lady and our newest investigator. She knew Mormons a long time ago I think. Honestly, I don't know how we found her. She just kind of came to us through the ward mission leader. I think she was friends with one of our investigators or something. But it was nice to meet her and I'm excited for when we get to see her again next week. I can tell she's been through a lot in her life that has led her to believe there isn't a God, which makes me really sad but also happy because I know I can help her to have faith again.

Friday we went to Firenze! We did a scambio (exchange) there and I did my scambio with Sorella Smith who trained Sorella Smedley! She also was "born" in Pisa! "Born" means that she was trained in Pisa. It was so nice to hear how Sorella Smedley is doing! Also, I had a delivery from Sorella Visconti which included a letter from her with a jar of peanut butter.... What can I say? The girl knows me. The scambio was a lot of fun and we ate gelato twice with our appointment we had, but who can complain about that. We got a little lost here and there but we made it to the appointments and they went really well! The miracle was that night we ran into the Anziani of Firenze and they have a car! They gave us a ride home and we were super grateful because there weren't any more trains and we had no idea how we were going to get home haha. By the end of the night my cheeks hurt from smiling and laughing so much.

Saturday we finished the scambio in Firenze and headed home. We had a lesson with Ersi and Eni. They are ready to get baptized so we asked them to pray for a date and to also ask their parents. Their parents have said no but we told them to keep praying for a date because the Lord will always provide a way. Then we met with Nadia who is a less active. Oh my goodness, I love this lady so much. She's just so nice and sweet. She served a mission and she has a testimony. I know that with time she will come back to church. I always feel the Spirit so strong with her. The Lord needs her and her testimony.

Sunday was pretty good. We got assigned to sing at Zone Conference.... Yay. For anyone who knows me, they know I can only hit notes dogs can hear so I usually save my singing when I'm safely in my car or someone needs a good laugh. But through Christ we can do all things, right? True. But Heavenly Father blesses us when we are obedient. We practiced the song and everything. Tuesday came and they didn't have time or forgot. Just another example of an answered prayer. Haha.

Monday was really good. We set a baptismal date for Ersi and Eni but we still have to get their parents to agree. With having a date in mind and a goal to work towards, I know that the Lord will prepare a way. It also helps Ersi and Eni to have something to work for and gives them hope! We had dinner with the Di Ruscio's. They're amazing as ever! I'm so impressed with Francesca Di Ruscio. She's 17 going into her last year of school and she's serving in the young women's presidency, goes visiting teaching with women in the ward, and wants to serve a mission. I know she's going to be one heck of a missionary!

The Zone Conference was so good. I always learn so much and it helps me to focus on the little things I can work on. It's always fun to see the missionaries too. I got to see Sorella Fife from the Sorellanza and so we were super excited about that. They fed us pizza for lunch. Haha it was pretty funny because there were boxes of pizzas and they just told everyone "okay take one".

Here's a scripture from the Book of Mormon that I love. "And it supposeth me that they have come up hither to hear the pleasing word of God, yea, the word which healeth the wounded soul." Jacob 2:8

It's true. The word of God truly can heal. When we learn about Christ and our Heavenly Father we can start to begin to understand their ways. Through the word of God we can find forgiveness, love, and how we can each become better disciples of Christ. Read your scriptures y'all!

I love you all!

Sorella Smith and I. She trained Sorella Smedley !!

They told us to take one and go at Zone Conference Haha

I saw Sorella Fife from the Sorellanza !!

Sorella Distante goes home in a couple of weeks!

Bekah and Cam received their Bear Lake T-Shirts signed by everyone 

at the Bear Lake Family Reunion. They LOVE them!!