Dear Friends and Family,
This has been such an amazing week! I've seen so many miracles, and learned so much! Last Tuesday, I may have mentioned that I was auditioning to play a "special musical number" for one of the firesides here. After Anziano Nelson and I finished playing, the sister in charge came and asked if we'd play on the Thanksgiving Morningside... this past Thursday. !!! It was AMAZING!!! Elder Jeffrey R. Holland came and after we finished playing, he went to the pulpit, thanked us, and then told us to thank our mothers for making us practice. :) So thank you, Mother, for making me practice and for all of the opportunities you've given me over the years! Thank you all for your constand love and support as well! Thanks, Dad for bringing my cello by. It was nice to play on my own cello. After the fireside was over, as Sorella Diehl and I were walking back to the office to lock up the cello, we happened to see Elder Holland again. Two kind elders had offered to help carry my cello, and he shook their hands. Then he gave me and Sorella Diehl a hug and kiss on the forehead! He apologized for breaking protocol (sp.?), but he was so kind, and we all felt it was a miracle that we were able to meet him and feel of his authority and testimony. The elders were pretty excited that they'd offered to carry the cello too. :)
Let's see, so much to share!
This week I was praying for some very special blessings for my district. We needed to find more unity, and I felt that we needed some outside help. Yesterday both of my teachers came back (they had been out of town for Thanksgiving), and they both addressed both of the concerns that I was having! It was amazing to see the Spirit working through them as they told us just what we needed to hear! There are so many more examples of this, but that was the freshest on my mind.
And now for my district spotlight. This will be a little longer because it has a backstory.
Today the older districts flew out to Milano and Roma! Now there are just two districts of 3-week-old missionaries left. Mine and one other. Except, on Friday evening, Anziano Scwing, an amazing elder from Germany, broke his fingers playing volleyball. He went in for some tests, and found out yesterday that he has to get surgery (in just a couple of hours), and he'll be joining my district for the next couple of weeks! He's one of the most gifted with the language, but he also works incredibly hard. He'll be so good for our district. Ever since I got here, I've had the deepest respect for him, but now I am even more amazed by his attitude and excitement to go wherever the Lord wants him to go. He's going to have to wait another 6 weeks before he flies to Rome. In the meantime, after a couple more weeks in the MTC with us, he'll be in the Provo Mission for a few weeks. He bore his testimony last night that everything that happens is for a reason. We'll be so lucky to have him in our district. He's splitting the "trio" into two companionships, so now we have an even number of everything. Which is such an unimportant detail, but it's fun. :) Anziano Schwing (Georg) is actually 26 years old. He was in the army, and he got special permission to serve a mission even though he was a few weeks too old for the deadline. We're so blessed to have him here, and please pray for him in his surgery today! I believe he starts his appointment at noon, so pray for him please!
On Sunday, because of the other districts leaving today, Brother Johnston (from the Branch Presidency) asked me to be the "coordinating sister" for the Italian Zone. It comes with a few extra responsibilities, and a few extra meetings, but I've learned so much and really enjoyed being able to serve my sisters. Sorella Diehl is very supportive and helps me out with things whenever I have to go to extra meetings, etc. She's so great. I really love her, and I'm learning so much from her.
For my last couple of minutes, I want to quote from Joseph Smith's History. This is in his words (translated into Italian) his experience seeing Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ in the Sacred Grove:
"Vidi essatamente sopra la mia testa, una colonna di luce, piu brilliante del sole, che discese gradualmente fino a che cadde su di me. . . Quando la luce stette su di me, io vidi due Personaggi, il cui splendore e la cui gloria sfidano ogni descrizione, ritti sopra di me nel'aria. Uno di essi mi parlo, chiamandomi per nome, a disse, indicando l'altro, 'Questo e il mio figlio diletto. Ascoltalo.' "
I know that this is true. I know that Joseph Smith saw the Father and the Son, and that through him, the true church was restored. I have gained such a strong testimony of this. I've felt the love and Spirit of God resting on me as I have striven to be obedient. I know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and he that He lives! I know the Book of Mormon is true. I have learned so much from my study of it these past few weeks, and my entire life! I know that President Monson, and all of the apostles of the Church are guided by God. What a beautiful world we live in!
I love you all so much! I love hearing from you, and I'm sorry that I'm not able to write more of you individually by hand! My Preparation Days are very limited in time, especially now that I have extra meetings and responsibilities. But I do love you, and hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Thank you again for your love and support, and please forgive my spelling (and the lack of correct symbols in the Italian, for those of you who know!). No time to double check or question my spelling!
Keep the faith!
All my love,
~Sorella Elizabeth Willey
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Sorella Willey
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Sorella Willey
Sister Elizabeth Denise Willey
MTC Mailbox # 194
ITA-MIL 0112
2005 N 900 E
Provo, UT 84604-1793
MTC Mailbox # 194
ITA-MIL 0112
2005 N 900 E
Provo, UT 84604-1793
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