Cuneo - Transfer 9 - Week 2

December 28, 2011

Dear Family and Friends,

I was so excited to get nearly 20 emails today, and then incredibly disappointed when the computer I am using wouldn't let me read more than the 1st paragraph of each.  I've used about 90% of my time trying to figure it out, and now I just have a few minutes to write.  Thank you so much for your love and care, letters and greetings!  I hope that next week I can find a computer that will let me read them!

This week has been one of the hardest weeks in my entire mission.  Not because we aren't seeing amazing miracles or anything like that.  We just decided at the beginning of the transfer to be 100% obedient, and really giving our all.  We're both always really tired, and we just fall into bed at the end of the night.  But it has been SO amazing!  We have met people every day who want to listen to us, and we are both just eating up the Book of Mormon, studying Isaiah a little together, and really working hard on teaching simply and with the Spirit. 

This weekend we will be having our 1st baptism together, and we have a few more scheduled throughout January. I have a fear that this might be a 1 transfer city, so we're trying to make the most of it together. 

It was fun to get a package from the young women in the ward!  If you could send my thanks to them, that would be so great!  They sent me a pillowcase with colorful messages from each person.  Very thoughtful.  Thank you!

Time to write letters seems to dimish each transfer. There are so many people to call, things to fix up, apartment to clean, etc. etc. etc.  But I love all of you, and I am so grateful for you all in my life! 

I know that our Heavenly Father loves us, and that Jesus Christ is our Savior.  Very simple truths, but not known by enough people.  It's so hard to talk to people who don't even believe that.  I'm really starting to understand how Alma felt when he wished that he were an angel and could 'declare unto every soul, as with the voice of thunder, repentance and the plan of redepmtion, that they should repent and come unto our God, that there might not be more sorrow upon all the face of the earth.'  But I also understand that everyone needs to be able to seek for the truth and exercise faith to learn the spiritual truths.  The most beautiful thing is the Spirit which is not a voice of thunder, but a still small voice.  Usually it only gently prompts us, and we must listen to and obey in order to understand.  I am in 3 Nephi 11 right now, and I loved it how the small voice testified to all the people, but they only heard and understood when the listened the 3rd time.  I have felt that peace and begun to understand that voice.  Sometimes it's harder than others, but when I truly open my ears, I know that He is speaking to me.

I hope that you all start off the year 2012 with lots of love and peace! 

Keep the faith!

Love always,

-Sorella Willey

--
Sorella Willey

elizabeth.willey@myldsmail.net

Sorella Elizabeth Willey

Missione Italiana di Milano

Via Gramsci, 13/4

20090 Opera MI

ITALIA

Cuneo - Transfer 9 - Week 1

December 19, 2011

Dear Family and Friends,

Wow!  What a crazy few days I've had!  I started working in Cuneo (which means wedge in Italian, maybe I already explained that last week), and now I'm back in Verona for my permesso di sogiorno... which means the little card that I have to have to be legal.  I got one last year, but I had to start renewing it before the end of the year.  We spent all afternoon on the train yesterday, and slept on the spare mattresses in the other room of my old apartment.  Today we went to my appointment, and then planned for the rest of the week.  We're taking a little pday time because we have zone conference tomorrow, so starting Wednesday we will have lost 2 full days of work in Cuneo.  

Sorella Oakes is WONDERFUL!  She's such a sweetheart, and we have seen SO many miracles already in just 3 days!  We're a little bummed to not be in our city finding right now, but we know that we'll be blessed if we continue to be obedient.  We met a few really cool people in the bus the other night, and one of them came to church the next morning!  He's almost too good to be true!  He actually had said that he couldn't come before, but after reading Alma 32, he called us to ask what time church was... The Book of Mormon works miracles for us!  We run to the 'edge of the wedge' every morning and shout, 'We made it to the edge of the wedge!!!'  It's a tradition to encourage us to keep working all the way to the end.

Another fun thing that happened was that I got to see Anziano Andersen from my MTC district at the transfer circle!  My dear Elders from my district became such good friends, and I hadn't seen him since April.  We only got to exchange a few words and a handshake, but it was good to see him happy and healthy.  I also saw Anziano Winward, who I haven't seen for a couple of months.  The only one from my original district (of Milano missionaries) that I didn't see was Anziano Osborn.  I'll be excited to see the other elders and sisters I knew from the MTC who are in Rome too.  It's amazing how close we got in just 9 weeks.  Serving together on a mission really creates strong friendships.  I was thinking about all of my former companions, and I really am so grateful for each one of them.  Each has taught me so much!

I can't believe Christmas is this week!  It's always been my favorite holiday, and I have never seen it creep up so quickly.  Today we were trying to plan for lessons, and we said, "OK, let's schedule this on Saturday, that on Sunday, etc, etc."  But then we realized it was Christmas and said, "Oh no!!! It's Christmas Eve and Christmas!"  Then we had a good laugh.  :)   Bah Humbug!  I guess Christmas will be coming just the same.  No, I'm actually very excited for Christmas here in Italy!  Slla Oakes loves to sing, so we've decided we'll be doing a lot of caroling to find activities.  

Right now we're working a lot with our branch here in Cuneo.  We've made Alma 32 our chapter for the transfer.  We're trying to help the members strengthen or nourish themselves so that they can get the missionary spirit and desire to share and strengthen others.  We drew a little picture of a tree with strong roots.  It shows the roots of the tree connecting to a smaller tree, which in turn makes both trees stronger.  The branch here is WONDERFUL!  This Friday we're having a Christmas concert where there will be over 30 non'members attending.  WOW!  It will be fun.  I don't actually know if I have a part in the program... which feels kind of ironic. But I'll probably end up getting to sing with some group or another.  One of the members teaches a bunch of violin students, and they're doing a little orchestra thingy.  No cellos.  Oh well.  :)

I miss my cello still, but I wouldn't trade this experience for any Stradavarius.  It was fun to watch the 1st Presidency Devotional.  I LOVED every second of it!   It was so fun to see so many friends and hear my favorite music sung and played by my favorite group, accompanied by 3 of my all-time favorite speakers!  I miss you all!!!!

Well, we're about to go do a 'blitz' with the Verona sisters.  I'm going to team up with Sorella Laratro (my former companion from Modena who replaced me in Verona) and my companion Sorella Oakes will be with my dear Sorella Hanks.  We plan to find tons of people tonight.  

Thank you all for your absolutely wonderful friendship, and for the support and prayers!  I know that this season is beautiful because of what and Who it truly represents, but the only way to truly enjoy the season is to follow His example and turn outward to people as He did, rather than worry about things.  It's the people you spend time with that will really make the difference in the joy and peace of the season.  Speaking of people, I love all you people! 

Have a wonderful and peaceful Christmas, and I'll be writing you all at least once more before the new year!

Love always,

-Sorella Willey

--
Sorella Willey

elizabeth.willey@myldsmail.net

Sorella Elizabeth Willey

Missione Italiana di Milano

Via Gramsci, 13/4

20090 Opera MI

ITALIA

Verona 1 - Transfer 8 - Week 6

December 14, 2011


Dear Family and Friends,

I am going to CUNEO!!!! For those of you who don't know, that means 'wedge' in Italian.  It's a tiny city up right next to France.  I guess I'll be pulling out some of my old French, maybe.  

My new companion will be Sorella Oaks (no relation to Dallin H.).  She will be starting her 3rd transfer, and her trainer was AMAZING!!!  Sorella Ryan is one of the dear sisters I lived with in Milano my 1st two transfers.  I've got some big shoes to fill.

I read some awesome scriptures this week in the New Testament.  I don't remember exactly where, because I was skipping around a lot.  We've found some really great people this week.  I've been really loving knocking on doors.  Yeah, I know. That sounds ridiculous, maybe.  But we've been just finding and finding.  After Unity's baptism, we started back at nearly zero.  Some of our investigators pushed back their baptismal dates and are traveling, so we had a lot of free time  to just go for it.  S.lla Hanks was feeling really good last week, and we probably taught lessons to 10 new people.  It was really fun!

Well, my moniter says I have just a couple of minutes.  I don't have my scriptures with me today, I left them on top of my suitcase.  But I would like to recommend the new movie "17 Miracles" that my president showed us last conference.  I don't know if I wrote about it already, but if you have a chance to see it, DO IT!!!

I love you all, and I am so grateful, as always, for your friendship and prayers!  Consider yourself hugged, and pretend I sent you a personal Christmas card.  I would if I could.  :)

Merry Christmas and take a moment to say a prayer of gratitude for the blessings you have today!

Love always,

-Sorella Willey

--
Sorella Willey

elizabeth.willey@myldsmail.net

Sorella Elizabeth Willey

Missione Italiana di Milano

Via Gramsci, 13/4

20090 Opera MI

ITALIA

Verona 1 - Transfer 8 - Week 5

December 7, 2011

Dear Family and Friends,

What a week this has been!  My companion finally is feeling really well, and she's been such a trooper!  I love Sorella Hanks!  We had a great scambio (blitz, actually), and the sisters from Bergamo came to Verona.  I got to serve again with Sorella Pastano, and Sorella Hanks was with Sorella Jacobsen again.  We met so many people yesterday!  We had a lot of cancelled appointments, so we ended up doing 'finding work' all day.   It felt so good to be out of the house and really talking to people all day about the gospel!  I'm so grateful for our leaders here who help us to magnify our callings.  

I am so grateful to be here.  I am grateful for what I am learning, and I can't believe that we're getting to the end of another transfer.  Who knows, maybe I'll be off to Florence or Torino next week at this time!  I'd love to spend Christmas in Verona, but who knows?

The fun thing is that Unity is getting baptized this weekend.  He quit smoking, he has learned to read (!!!!!), and he reads from the Book of Mormon every day!  We found a bunch of new people yesterday that we're SO excited to visit!  It's amazing to see how God loves all of His children, and he also gives them agency.  I am really beginning to feel a love for the people here.  I mean, I loved them already, but I'm starting to feel like I will really miss them.  More than I ever thought possible.  Even the people I just meet once or twice I really care about.  I wish I could live everywhere at once.

The Italians REALLY know how to celebrate Christmas!  They were completely decorated by the 2nd of December, and everyone is SO festive!  There's a fun thing that I am just discovering.  Each area of Italy celebrates on different days.  They all have different traditions about which 'saint' brings the 'gifts for the kids.'  Here in Verona, they celebrate on December 12 and Santa Lucia brings the gifts.  In other places they celebrate on December 25th, January 6, November 1, and they have all sorts of different saints.  It's fun to see their traditions, but I like what our president and his wife have challenged us to do.

They asked us to pick a Christlike attribute and give a 'gift' to Christ each day in December so we can focus on becoming more Christlike.  I like it so much, that I'm going to make it a family tradition - in my future family - but at least for myself.  Of course I'll miss all of you at this wonderful time of year, but I am going to love this Christmas.  Maybe even more than last year in the MTC.  That was pretty special.

I have been finding lots of fun object lessons in the scriptures and in everyday life.  I'd like to recommend Alma 30:44 first.  I love this scripture, because it's so true!  In nearly every activity, in all of nature, in all the scriptures, there is some way to strengthen our testimony of Jesus Christ.  Today I wrote my testimony of Christ in my journal.  It has developed a lot, and I feel like I am really beginning to understand more of the Atonement.  I don't know if I'll ever really and truly comprehend it, but I am seeing so many blessings that I don't know if I ever really noticed before.  I used to believe that we had to have faith in things.  Faith that we'd be able to do something, faith that we could find something, etc.  But I'm starting to realize that we have to have faith that Jesus Christ, through His atonement (Moroni 7:41), can help us do all things, find things, realize our eternal potential, and be able to find that peace in this life and eternal life in the world to come.  And as we have this faith, we will do everything we can to obey Him so we can qualify for all the blessings that He already paid for and wants to give to us.

I love you all!  You mean so much to me, and I know that you will continue to be blessed as you study the word of God and pray daily! I pray for you, and I feel your prayers!  Thank you!

Keep the faith!

Love always,

-Sorella Willey

--
Sorella Willey

elizabeth.willey@myldsmail.net

Sorella Elizabeth Willey

Missione Italiana di Milano

Via Gramsci, 13/4

20090 Opera MI

ITALIA

Verona 1 - Transfer 8 - Week 4

November 30, 2011


Dear Family and Friends,

Once again, not much time, but I wanted to share a beautiful miracle that we saw last week!  We have a great member family who hasn't come to church in a while.  They are friends of our family who's preparing for baptism.  We called them last week to set up an appointment, and then had to cancel last minute because my companion was feeling worse.  I felt inspired to invite them to church (even though I was planning on giving them a lesson first), and they CAME!!!!  When they walked in, I didn't even recognize them, but our investigator saw her and gave her a big hug!  It was SO good to see both of them so happy with each other in the house of the Lord.  :)  I hope that they continue this friendship.  It's great to have a friend to live the gospel with.  It's SO important to have friends that build you up.  

I've been so blessed to have great friends in the past, and now I'm enjoying spending time with wonderful companions! You all built me up before the mission. They build me up now.  Living here on Earth would be lonely if we didn't have someone helping us along the way.

I read a great article in an Ensign from 2006, I think.  It was a talk by Elder Ballard (I think) on the Light of Christ.  It was beautiful because EVERYONE is born with this Light of Christ, like a conscience, that helps us choose right from wrong.  As we act on these impressions, we are happier - automatically.  And as we are baptized and receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost, we can have a constant companion or comforter to help us to feel peace in any situation (as long as we are living worthily).  It's all so simple, but I learn it more clearly every day.  I think I'm finally understanding how to recognize promptings, repent daily to be worthy of them, and then act when I'm prompted.  I'm far from perfect at it, and I have to keep working at it every minute to develop the capacity.  But I'm at least starting to understand how it works.

Yes, my companion has still been down this week, so I have read LOTS of Ensigns, Isaiah, New Testament, Book of Mormon, and Doctrine and Covenants.  I just love the scriptures!  They're written for our day!  

We were teaching a lady last night who teaches catechism... I think that's how it's spelled in English.  She said, "You can interpret the Bible so many different ways... I just teach the kids to keep the commandments."  I wanted to say, "Well, that's why we need the Book of Mormon and living prophets," but we had almost used up the 5 minutes she gave us.  It was beautiful, though, to see the Spirit working on her.  As we left her with Alma 32, she said, "You know, if your church could join up with my church, we could really make the world a better place."  She was smiling, and you could tell she really felt the Spirit - even though she did most of the talking. I'm humbled by the mantle of my calling.  I am an imperfect servant, but the missionary mantle really does carry a Spirit that can light up people's lives.

Everyone has agency.  That's the hard thing.  But of course, that's also wonderful.  We can all CHOOSE eternal life and accept those little promptings that the Spirit gives us.  Following them, even little promptings, always makes us happier.

I love you all, and I continue to pray for you!

Keep the faith!

-Sorella Willey

--
Sorella Willey

elizabeth.willey@myldsmail.net

Sorella Elizabeth Willey

Missione Italiana di Milano

Via Gramsci, 13/4

20090 Opera MI

ITALIA

Verona 1 - Transfer 8 - Week 3

November 23, 2011

Dear Family and Friends,

Ok, please don't hate me!  I have only 2 minutes left.  I just want to let you all know that I'm alive, well, happy, seeing miracles, and I just sent an awfully long letter to my president.  My poor companion is still sick, so I was updating him on everything.

I love you all, and I pray for you daily!

I'd recommend the talk on "Choosing Eternal Life" from this month's Ensign.  We got them a couple of days ago, and I absolutely LOVED being able to finally read the Sunday Afternoon session!  We don't get to watch that broadcast because it's too late.  

Anywho, I will send more next week.  I promise.

Happy Thanksgiving and keep the faith!

Love always,

-Sorella Willey

Verona 1 - Transfer 8 - Week 2

November 16, 2011

Dear Family and Friends,

I got a TON of letters this week!  WOW!!!  How fun!  Sorella Hanks and I have had a pretty down week... She was REALLY sick, and we literally would leave the house, teach a lesson, then come back so she could rest more, then not leave the house again until we had another lesson.  So on Sunday at church, when Capo Distretto brought us our HUGE stack of mail, we were pretty excited!  Thank you all for your love and letters!  I hope I can respond to you all... may take a while. :)  But it was great, and not too distracting. ;)

This week we saw a fun miracle.  We were pretty much stuck indoors, Slla Hanks was sleeping, and I was studying.  I kept getting random phonecalls from people I didn't know.  They'd say, "Who is this?"  I'd introduce myself, and ask if they wanted to learn more about the Church of Jesus Christ, and they'd say, "Sure, but how did you get this phone?"  One girl called back about 6 times that day, and kept saying, "Sorry, I meant to call someone else."  I thought it was kind of strange, but was happy for the referrals.  Then Charles, one of our new converts said, "All of my friends tried to call me on Thursday, and somehow they were automatically transfered to you!"  Apparently when everyone talked to him the next day, they asked him why Sister Willey had his phone.  It was so funny!  I told him that it's a sign, and he needs to bring all of them to church.  :)  

Another sad thing that happened this week... a new convert has stopped reading the Book of Mormon every day.  Ok, that sounds like maybe a little thing, right?  But 3 weeks ago we asked him, "Could you ever lose your testimony?" And he said, "That's impossible!  I know it's all true!  I so much love reading the Book of Mormon!"  And this week he missed church and told us he stopped reading the Book of Mormon every day.  He seemed really sad, almost like a different person, and had a lot of questions about doctrine that he had understood before.  He also said that he felt his testimony was strong in that moment, but during the week he had a lot of questions.  He said, "All the churches are true."  And when we said, "Ok, they all have truth, but which church has a true and living prophet who speaks for Jesus Christ?"  He said, "The Bible says that lots of false prophets will rise up in the last days."  It made me realize just how tender and precious is a testimony!  Obviously when someone is new in the church, it's even more tender.  But as we talked to him, the only thing that really changed was that he wasn't reading the Book of Mormon every day.  He wouldn't even commit to reading every day.  He said he would if he felt like it.  AHHH!!!!  We came home practically in tears.

So, what do we need to do to keep our testimonies strong?  Well, Alma said that we have to nourish it.  If we let it alone, it will die.  I have been giving everyone Alma 32 this week to read, and I'd also recommend it to all of you.  I used to think of it as mostly a chapter for those who want to start a testimony.  But now I realize that it's just as important to nourish a testimony that is already grown.  If we stop reading, stop praying, stop coming to church, attending the temple, etc, etc, then our testimony won't be getting that important nourishment that it needs daily and weekly.  Just like if we have a yummy tomato plant or fruit tree that we stop allowing sunshine, watering, and weeding.  

The other chapter that came to mind, was the 1 Nephi 8, tree of life vision of Lehi.  If we are not holding to the rod of iron (the word of God), we will never be able to enjoy the fruit (peace, joy, happiness - fruits of the love of God).  And in 1 Nephi 11:22-23, Nephi explains that it is the most desirable and sweet above all the other fruits.  These are such simple doctrines, but so powerful!  I always knew and understood that these things were important, but now I am seeing just HOW important, and how delicate our testimony actually can be.

I keep learning so much, and I hope that I can retain it all!  I am so grateful to be here at this time!

Take care of yourselves, and thank you for your prayers, support, and everything!

Keep the faith!

Love always,

-Sorella Willey

--
Sorella Willey

elizabeth.willey@myldsmail.net

Sorella Elizabeth Willey

Missione Italiana di Milano

Via Gramsci, 13/4

20090 Opera MI

ITALIA

Verona 1 - Transfer 8 - Week 1

November 9, 2011

Dear Family and Friends,

My poor companion is sick now!  I'm pretty much better now.  In fact we've really switched places.  Now I study all day while she sleeps.  It's great!!!  I mean, the studying, that is.  It's not great that she's not doing well.  But we started teaching a little 8-year-old this week.  Her mom is a member, but her dad isn't.  In fact, he didn't know she was a member for most of their marriage.  She's so cute!  She's already read all of 1 Nephi, and she just wants to get baptized as soon as her dad gets back from his business trip.  One of our members, the bishop's mom, actually, picks us up from the train station and drives us to all the lessons.  Her mom and aunt may actually be reactivated too...  That would be AWESOME!!!  They are from Brazil, but the dad is Italian.  He apparently is trying to find a church to go to in Ireland too.  He seems to be interested... :)  

We also met a man last week.  He has a wife and 2 daughters.  His name is Michelangelo Martini, and he really challenged our Bible knowledge with a bunch of questions, but he said that he will read the Book of Mormon and pray to know if it's true.  We have the follow-up lesson tonight, and I believe that one of our awesome members is coming too!  I have been studying up on all the answers for him, but I'm going to just write them on a paper for him to look up and read after we leave.  We've told him the way to know truth is to read and pray.  And this week hopefully he'll come to church too!  

Pray for our Meneghini family!  They're so close to getting baptized, but they are having a hard time getting to church because he has to work some Sundays.  We're all praying that he won't have to work this Sunday... And they are all sick too.  It's just going around.  I'm glad I got it over with already and I'm back to normal.

Let's see, there's so much more I could say, but I'm running a little short on time again.  But I hope you all are having a good winter!  We've been getting lots of rain.  No snow yet, but I hear we'll be getting some. :)

Yesterday I did a big research on "Who is Jesus Christ?"  (one of Michelangelo's questions).  I came up with a few scriptures, and I'd like to recommend all of them...  I guess I'll just type them up, and if y'all are interested, you can go do a scripture search.  It's actually quite lovely to just read a bunch of scriptures on the same topic.  I learned a ton!!!

-Isaiah 7:14; 9:6; 25:8-9; 44:22; 50:6;  53:2-12
-Ezechiele 37:12-14
-Zaccaria 9:9; 11:13; 13:6
-Matthew 1:21
-Mark 9:12
-Luck 4:16-22
-John 18:33-37
1 Nephi 19:8-9
2 Nephi 10:3; 25:13, 19
Mosiah 13:33-35
Alma 7:10-13

Oh, and some of the references are in Italian... but I don't remember them in English right now.  And there are SO many more!   I just love reading about Jesus Christ in the scriptures, because he's on every page.  I know that the scriptures are true, and that he is our Savior.  I'm so grateful that he's directing this work, and that I have the opportunity to be here and feel of the love he has for everyone I teach.

I love you all!  Thank you for everything!

Love,
-Sorella Willey

-- 
Sorella Willey

elizabeth.willey@myldsmail.net

Sorella Elizabeth Willey

Missione Italiana di Milano

Via Gramsci, 13/4

20090 Opera MI

ITALIA

Verona 1 - Transfer 7 - Week 6

November 2, 2011


Dear Family and Friends,

Thanks for the photos this week!  It was fun to see camping and stuff!  I'm starting to feel much better now, and we have been going crazy this week teaching people!  We had Stake Conference this Sunday, and it was really fun to see all those people there from all over!  It was especially fun to see people from Modena there, and it made me miss my old city a little.  But at the same time I keep falling more and more in love with Verona!  I am SO excited to be able to spend another transfer here with my dear Sorella Hanks!  We have been having a great time, and she is learning Italian SO well!  She studied at school a couple of years ago, so she already spoke pretty well, but pretty soon I'll bet she passes me up!

This week I had an interesting experience.  After Stake Conference, we met a man at the bus stop.  I was asking him for directions, and he said, "I was once a Mormon too."  We talked for a while.  He had converted to Islam when he married a woman from Tunisia.  I asked him why he left the Church.  He said, "I feel that all religions are the same.  We all worship the same God, teach the same principles, and have basically the same beliefs.  It's only the name that's different. I just made a choice."  I bore my testimony that I knew that Jesus Christ was the Son of God, and he said, "We're all sons and daughters of God."  He wanted to argue, so all I could do was give him a Book of Mormon, tell him to read a chapter that came to mind and pray about it, and then I bore my testimony that I knew that it was true.  He said he would read, and I hope he will.  (We can only be truly converted if we are daily studying the scriptures, the true word of God.)

I left the bus stop feeling kind of strange inside.  I know that what he said was true, in many ways.  We all do worship God.  We do use different names for Him.  We are all children of a Heavenly Father.  It bothered me that what he said made sense, because I have a testimony of the Book of Mormon.  I know that's it's true, so I had to figure out why I felt like crying. What I discovered as I thought about all that on the way home, was that there is something very important that he didn't understand.  

We can't get back to God alone.  

Because He is perfect, we can't "dwell with God" (1 Nephi 10:21) without being cleansed from sin.  The ONLY way that we can be cleansed from sin, is for there to be an "infinite and eternal sacrifice" (Alma 34:10-14) and then for us to have faith, repent, be baptized, be sanctified by the Holy Ghost, and endure in "faithfulness unto the end" (3 Nephi 27:19-21).  Therefore, we cannot "merit anything" of ourselves (Alma 22:12-14) and "if Christ had not come . . . there could have been no resurrection" and we must have been dead forever (Mosiah 16:6-8).

But Christ DID come.  He DID atone for our sins.  I did a 2 hour study of the Atonement yesterday for a lesson with an investigator, and EVERY act in the atonement was necessary.  One of my zone leaders reminded me that even the betrayal and forgiving were absolutely essential to this great and last sacrifice.  The difference between our church and other churches (among many), is that we KNOW that Christ is the head of the Church. We know that He lives and directs a living prophet.  The Book of Mormon is the only proof that we (those who are priesthood holders) hold the priesthood of God.  It is the only proof that Joseph Smith truly was a prophet. 

My favorite verse this week is also from Mosiah 16:9

"He is the light and the life of the world; yea, a light that is endless, that can never be darkened; yea, and also a life which is endless, that there can be no more death."  I know this is true.  I know the Book of Mormon is true.  I'm grateful more and more every day for this opportunity to share this with others, and I can't believe how much my testimony has grown as I've been here.   I'm not perfect.  I make mistakes all the time, and God shows me that He is in charge, and helps to overcome all my difficulties.  

Ok, one last scripture...

Alma 58:10-12.

This is the one I'm recommending for you all to look up and read.  But it shows the need for prayer, faith, courage, and acting.  God wants to help us, but we must first ask in faith, act in courage, and then he will direct us and help us conquer.

Thank you all for your friendship and love!  And your prayers!!!!!

I love you all.

Keep the faith!

-Sorella Willey

--
Sorella Willey

elizabeth.willey@myldsmail.net

Sorella Elizabeth Willey

Missione Italiana di Milano

Via Gramsci, 13/4

20090 Opera MI

ITALIA

Verona 1 - Transfer 7 - Week 5

October 26, 2011

Dear Family and friends,

We had some crazy experiences here!  One of our investigators had a pretty rough week.  He had the day off work, and his wife invited us over to teach a lesson, but he had wanted to spend the day in the mountains.  There ended up being some fights while we were there, and when we called the next day, he said, "I don't want to get baptized anymore, and I won't be coming to church." We told him over the phone that reading from the Book of Mormon and praying would help him to find answers, and left him with Enos.  30 minutes later, he called back and said, "I got my answer, and I want to come to church  again.  Let's keep this baptismal date."  It's beautiful how the Lord really loves His children and wants them to have every chance possible.  The Lord is really answering our prayers as we pray specifically for our investigators.  It's amazing.

Yesterday we had scambio (exchange) with Bergamo.  Sorella Pastano, one of the Italian sisters serving who is from Taranto, came to do some work here with me in Verona while Sorella Hanks went to Bergamo with Sorella Jacobsen.  It was SO fun to work with Sorella Pastano!  Before I left the MTC, I heard about Sorella Pastano from one of my teachers, and I have always wanted to serve with her.  We had a great time!  We taught at the bus stop, at the door, and found some less active members who just fell in love with her!  She's so sincere in her teaching, and she really helped me to see how missionary work really can just get better every day.  She was so good with invites.  I sometimes just get shy or in a hurry and forget to talk to everyone, but she really helped me see how everyone needs to be talked to.  We're not just here for a few people.  We're here to share the good news with everyone!

I'm feeling much better.  Thank you all for your prayers and advice.  I've exhausted the medicine cabinet, so I'd better be on the upward!  :)  My poor companion came here with tons of medicine, and I just used it right up.  Well, she still has some left, just not as much as before.

It was sad to see Dorina, Fernando and Cristian leave.  They had to move, but where they're headed in Romania, they have information for the missionaries and the Church and everything.  Hopefully we will be able to hear from them soon. 

I hope all of you are doing well!  I am still having crazy dreams every night!  Last night I had a dream that I was at the SLC Tabernacle, and there were so many of you!  There were people from my whole life with a couple of random mission friends there too.  Weird.  I miss you all, but I know that I am in the right place. 

Thank you again for your prayers.  I know that prayer is really one of the most important things we do every day.  We have seen a lot of ups and downs this week, but prayer helps us through it all.  And I know that the scriptures are often where we find our answers.  And in church, of course! :)

Have a wonderful week, and if you want to read a great chapter about the purpose of the Book of Mormon (one of the many), I'd like to recommend Mormon 7.  It's the some of the last words of Mormon that he wrote before handing the book over to his son, Moroni.  And it's only 10 verses long!  So powerful!  My favorite snippet is from verse five:
"Believe in Jesus Christ, that he is the Son of God, and that he was slain by the Jews, and by the power of the Father he hath risen again, whereby he hath gained the victory over the grave and also in him is the sting of death swallowed up."  We will all see our families and loved ones again after this life.  We will all live again!

Love you all! Thank you for everything!

Keep the faith!
-Sorella Willey



--
Sorella Willey

elizabeth.willey@myldsmail.net

Sorella Elizabeth Willey

Missione Italiana di Milano

Via Gramsci, 13/4

20090 Opera MI

ITALIA

Verona 1 - Transfer 7 - Week 4

October 20, 2011

Dear Family and Friends,

Wow, it has been a hard week!  About a week ago, I started getting those same dizzy spells.  Just like in Milano.  My head would spin around in circles, and I couldn't get out of bed or stay out of bed for long.  We miraculously have been able to still teach people.  Just like in Milano, I'm just fine during the lessons.  The Spirit sustains me when we're with investigators, but pretty much any other time, I'm in bad condition.  I mean, I'm fine.  No need to worry, but I just don't feel fine.  Luckily Sorella Hanks is just the sweetest little companion anyone could ask for.  Incredibly obedient, supportive, and studious.  She'll close all the windows and have just enough light to be able to read so I can sleep off and on during the day.  The worst was when we went with an investigator and her friend to get hot chocolate by the lake, and on the way home, we had to pull over so I could... well, undrink the hot chocolate.  Ooops.  Then the elders came to our apartment and gave me a blessing.  That was a little strange to have anyone else in the apartment, but particularly the missionaries.  The blessing was beautiful, though, and I felt much better.  I was even able to make it through ward council and church the next morning.  The power of the priesthood is undeniable. And I also have really grown a testimony of it as I have been studying to teach it to my dear investigators.  Two of them, Unity and Monday, young men from Nigeria, have been particularly interested in why they'd need to be baptized again.  We actually carried our toaster from the apartment to the church and gave them the 'unplugged vs. plugged in' toaster lesson to demonstrate why baptism needs the proper authority.  Monday thought it was hilarious, and Unity got it.  Unity is set, and Monday still needs to decide to read the Book of Mormon.  He loves the lessons, though.  It's funny.  He says, 'I'm the kind of person who cannot be convinced,' but then when we taught them the Word of Wisdom, they both agreed to try it for a week to see if they didn't receive the blessings.

We brought our family (the Meneghini family) to church again, and the primary program was so cute!  Their son, Gabriel, also participated in it.  I'm pretty sure I've already described their family, but they are all pretty awesome.  She is from Brazil, near Rio in a place called Salvador, I think.  He's Veronese, and the kids are SO cute!  She started introducing her friends to us now, and it's been fun to see the gospel bless their family.  Her whole family has been members for years, the Reis-Lago family...  I think that's how it's spelled.  But now they're going to join together as a family.  It's just so lovely to see them progress.  Reading the scriptures as a family, as a couple, and receiving answers to their prayers.

I've really missed my studies this week.  I can usually get in about 10 minutes of Book of Mormon reading, but after that my head spins.  I feel that mancanza... that's not English... Let's just say that I miss it a lot.  I think I'm going to have to keep up 2-3 hour scripture study after the mission too.  Hopefully I won't have anything else to do at 8:00 every morning.  :)  But this morning it was really great because I was able to wake up only an hour late and read from the New Testament a little.  It's pretty incredible how diligent and blessed Paul the apostle was.  He really knew his duty, and he did it.  I want to be more like Paul.  Paolo, in Italian. :)  I finished Acts and started Romans.  It is amazing how the Bible and the Book of Mormon really do go together.  We were planning a lesson on the Book of Mormon, but I was able to find awesome stuff in the Bible to back it up!  

Anywho, I'd probably better start wrapping it up.  Thank you again for your emails this week!  It was great to hear from each of you!  I hope that the Lord continues to bless you and help you in your families, work, school, etc.  I pray for you, and I'm so grateful for your prayers!  I really feel the Lord supporting me in hard times, and I know it's because so many people pray for me with faith!  Say hello to the temple for me!  I've been particularly missing it this week.  All those of you who are temple going people, go once for me this week!  And those of you who aren't, pray about how you can prepare.  I know one of the first best ways is to read from the Book of Mormon.  

May I recommend Helaman 5 to those of you in search of a chapter.  I just love the description of the voice of the Holy Spirit that it gives in verses 30 and 45-47.  It also inspires me to be a better instrument, more faithful, and less fearful.  But then, of course, the scripture mastery verse, vs. 12, is incredibly powerful.  It talks about how we can only be safe if we build upon our Savior.  He is "the rock... our Redeemer . . . Christ, the Son of God."  I know that the more sure we are in our testimony of Him and obedeient we are to His will, the less power the adversary will have over us.  He really is our 'sure foundation.'    I am getting to know Him more personally, and I am so grateful for what He did for me!  And for everyone!  It has been great to see prophecy fulfilled out here in Italy as the Gospel is literally preached to all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people.  I am grateful for the chance I have to be here.  

Thank you all for your support, sustain, friendship, love, prayers, and everything!  

Keep the faith!

Tanti Saluti da Verona,

-Sorella Willey

--
Sorella Willey

elizabeth.willey@myldsmail.net

Sorella Elizabeth Willey

Missione Italiana di Milano

Via Gramsci, 13/4

20090 Opera MI

ITALIA

Verona 1 - Transfer 7 - Week 3

October 12, 2011

Dear Family and Friends,

I just got a ton of beautiful emails this week from so many of you!  Thank you for the good news, kind words, fun stories, awesome dreams, etc.!  I have been just loving reading them, and now, as usual, I probably won't be able to respond to most of them.  But I am so glad to hear of all the good things going on in your lives!  Thank you for your good examples to me!  

So, let's see.  What happened this week.

 

Sorella Hanks has been suffering from a sore knee, and she's been a real trooper.  It's been hard to plan lessons because we can't always use the bikes, but she is still going strong on passing out Books of Mormon.  Yesterday she tried to give one to a teenager who looked like she needed some direction, and was flaty refused.  She bounced right back and wasn't at all offended.  I just love how energetic she is about the work.  She is just up to doing anything!  Some of you asked where she is from, but I don't remember who asked.... She's from Boise, Idaho.  She's so great, and we just giggle.  I hope not too much, but she keeps me from getting too stressed out.  That's for sure.  Sometimes things just don't go how we planned.  But that's ok, because usually it's because the Lord needs us somewhere else.  We've been really loving working with our families and other investigators.  Yesterday we had an investigator bring 4 friends with him to the lesson.  Luckily, we had Alex there to help us teach the lesson.  It was really powerful, the SPirit, that is.  It really helped me to realize (again, and again) how very little I have to do with the work.  THe Spirit really bore witness, and I could see people making decisions right then and there whether or not to accept the Spirit.  I KNOW that Joseph Smith was a prophet.  It's hard to say just when I got from believing with all my heart to knowing with all of my being.  But there is no denying it.  When we talk about the first vision, about the BOok of Mormon, about Jesus Christ restoring His Church, I just feel the Spirit bearing witness right along with me and my companion.  

Of course it's also fun to see other people realize that for the first time.  It seems that all of our investigators (or at least most) are now at the point where they are waiting for their 'answer.'  It's been amazing to see how they understand just what they need to do, and they all talk about the great feelings they feel when they read the Book of Mormon.  

I do know that the Book of Mormon is true.  With all of my heart.  I am now reading it in 3 languages in 4 different places.  I keep learning new things every day!  Even up the 4th time I've read certain passages, I learn something brand new!  Such an inspired book.  Punto.

We actually dropped the bikes off to get them fixed today, so it'll be lots of bussing for us!  

Oh my! 5 minutes left!  Time flies!

May I take this moment to tell you all how much I love and appreciate you all!  I have had lots of crazy dreams (also my companion, sister, and various other people have been telling me about their dreams), and it is fun to see you.  Even though it's just in dreams.  Particularly those of you who write me show up in my dreams from time to time.  It's fun.  :)  One of these days.... fra a few months, we'll actually see each other, and I'll expect some grande hugs!

Have a wonderful day, and keep the faith!

Always,

-Sorella Willey

--
Sorella Willey

elizabeth.willey@myldsmail.net

Sorella Elizabeth Willey

Missione Italiana di Milano

Via Gramsci, 13/4

20090 Opera MI

ITALIA

Verona 1 - Transfer 7 - Week 2

October 5, 2011

Dear Family and Friends,

We have been so busy this week setting up appointments, going here and there, and preparing our dear investigators for baptism!  It's so amazing how the Spirit is really teaching them what they need to know.  Sometimes (like last night) we can hardly understand what they're saying, but the Spirit tells us what they meant, and somehow they understand us too.  :)  Our sweet family (Agostino, Natalice, and Jonathan) who is preparing for baptism later this month has been learning all the commandments little by little.  We had a fun experience last Friday when hopped on the wrong bus to go to an appointment with them.  I felt like I should give Slla Hanks the chance to ask the driver- even though I knew it wasn't the right bus.  She asked if he was going to Corbiolo, and he said, 'Yes,' in so many words.  But we both knew it was the wrong bus.  We also both knew that we needed to stay on the bus though.  It was weird.  As the bus went along, we got a little worried.  I asked the bus driver again, and he said, "I'll tell you when to get off."  We moved to the front of the bus, and as we were sitting there, we got talking to him.  We ended up giving him a Book of Mormon!  And he seemed to really want to read it.  Unfortunately we couldn't get his number because then we had to jump off the bus.  He said, "It's that bus right there."  We also knew that bus was wrong, but we hopped on, and asked, "Corbiolo?"  The driver (who was also on the phone) said yes.  Then he said, "Oh no!!  Corbiolo is that bus!!"  The right bus was just passing the bus stop, and he waved it down for us.  We hopped on the right bus, and made it to our appointment just in time.  We taught tithing, and they accepted!  :)  But now everyone on this bus (we take it almost every night) knows who we are, and say, "Salve Sorelle" or "Come va, Sorelle?"  It's interesting to see how people know who we are even before we talk to them. 

Our dear Dorina and Cristian keep having crazy experiences, and last week, poor Cristian got in a car accident, broke his wrist, part of his neck, and got glass in his head and nose.  He said, however, that he knew now, thanks to an experience in a dream and his time thinking in the hospital, that Jesus Christ is his Savior and that he is now completely ready to obey all of the commandments.  His experience was, for those of you who know Alma the Younger, very much like Alma 36.  We ended up reading it at their lesson on Thursday, and it was incredible.  It is amazing to see people who suffer so much have such great faith in the midst of trials.

Let's see.  Sorella Hanks is SOOO FUN!!!  We get home and just giggle.  She and I go running every morning, then we ride our bikes all around.  We get plenty of exercise, but then we eat plenty of food.  It's my job, afterall, to introduce her to Italian culture (aka gelato, pizza, kebab, pastries, ciocolato, etc. etc. etc).  But we have a pretty good time.  We have been giving away lots of Books of Mormon, and seeing lots of fun miracles with our investigators.  She's great.  All of my companions have been great, but she's pretty special.  I call her my 'firstborn in the wilderness.'

Well, I'm excited to be here.  I keep having these strange dreams that I'm already home, and I'm sure the time will keep flying by and pretty soon it will be true.  I really love it here, though.  It's plenty hard, but it's worth it all to see people changing there lives and be blessed by the Spirit as I pray, study, and participate in all of the Church and missionary meetings.  We have a great district.  6 Elders (including our zone leaders, district leaders, and two elders who are also the young men president and sunday school president in the Montova branch).  I can't believe it will be a whole year since I went to the MTC this November!  Time really flies... even though it seems like I've been here for decades.  Crazy.

I love you all, and I am so grateful for your letters and news!  I have been so lucky to have such a great family and friends like you in my life!  

Keep the faith!  

Love always,
-Sorella Willey

P.S.  Wasn't General Conference GREAT?????   I got to see the first session in Italian, and then the 2 middle sessions in English.  I sure missed my choir as they sang so beautifully!  Can't wait to get back to Temple Square!  If anyone missed any sessions, go to LDS.org and watch it!  I won't get to read the last session til we get our Liahona magazine next month.  Maybe we can get permission to watch it on a P-day, if we have time.  

P.P.S.  Pray for Luc!  :)  His family is trying to come to Italy, and all he has to find now is an apartment.  Then they can all get baptized together, and he won't have to live away from them anymore!



-- 
Sorella Willey

elizabeth.willey@myldsmail.net

Sorella Elizabeth Willey

Missione Italiana di Milano

Via Gramsci, 13/4

20090 Opera MI

ITALIA

Verona - Transfer 7 - Week 1

September 28, 2011

Dear Family and Friends,

 

It's another picture week!!!

 

1. Sorella Cazier, Baptismal model: Alex Igho, Sorella Willey

2. Sorella Wolfgramm, Sorella Hanks, President Wolfgramm

3. Sorella Willey with the jewelry store "Frey Wille."  Actually members always call me "free willey" when I'm in my first transfer in each city.  But I thought the jewelry store was even better.

 

I loved my short time with Sorella Cazier, and it was hard to see her go!  She was so patient with me, and she taught me to "bear mine afflictions" with hope and patience.  I will never forget that transfer that flew by where we got to celebrate with our African brothers who joined the fold of God!  One of them within 4 weeks of meeting the missionaries!  WOW!!!  What a rockstar!  That's Alex, and yes, he really is the perfect model of a new convert.

 

Sorella Hanks is my new companion!  She's from Boise, Idaho, and they tell me I'm supposed to be training her.  But really she's training me!  We are being as obedient as we can possibly be together, and seeing ALL kinds of miracles!  Obedience really is the best way to live.  It's so much easier to be 100% obedient than 90%.  Obedience helps us to be more obedient.  And then we see more blessings and miracles!  I know that God gives us commandments for our good and to make us happier people.   I'd like to recommend Mosiah 2 as a great chapter to read to help us be more obedient and prepare for GENERAL CONFERENCE this week!!!  Can't wait to go had listen to the words of our leaders!  In English!  YAY!!!

 

Our dear Dorina and Cristian just set a baptismal date yesterday!  Today we're teaching them again, and also our cute family: Agostino, Natalice, and Jonathan who will be getting baptized next month, and the younger kids Gabriel, Kaiki and Tais. They are SO cute!  It's been incredible to watch people use the Atonement and change their lives!  It really is all about the atonement of Jesus Christ, and if we have faith in that, we can love everyone, even when it's hard!  I read a few different things this morning, but one I loved was from Elder M. Russell Ballard.  He said that our conversion to the gospel of Christ is distinguished by the way that we feel.  If we are truly following Jesus Christ, we will have that peace in our hearts, love for one another, and excitement for life.

 

Anyway, I'm going to try and attach more photos. 

 

Thank you all for your support and prayers as always!  I am changing in so many ways out here, and I am grateful for this chance to watch miracles happen, be touched by the Spirit in modes I never imagined possible, and meet beautiful people who's testimonies have strenghthened and solidified mine so much!

Have a wonderful week, and I think I might get a couple more photos into another email before time runs out.

 

Keep the faith!

-Sorella Willey

--
Sorella Willey

elizabeth.willey@myldsmail.net

Sorella Elizabeth Willey

Missione Italiana di Milano

Via Gramsci, 13/4

20090 Opera MI

ITALIA