Milano 1 - Week 6

February 23, 2011

Dear Friends and Family,

It's going to be short again this week.  Maybe some of you will like that better... ;)  

Rosa had a beautiful baptism, and she has a peace about her now that is hard to describe.  She was getting anxious before, but now she is so calm.  We taught a new member lesson to here yesterday about the temple, and she invited a friend to come too!  Geovanni ended up moving his baptismal date again.  He knows he wants to get baptized, and he knows this is the right step for him, but he said he wanted to make some more changes in his life before he got baptized.  He went to visit his son in Genova a couple of days ago, and gave him a Book of Mormon too!!!  He's really growing, and I can't believe how much he has changed!  

Last night he gave me a scarf because I usually don't remember to wear mine.  It was so cute!  We taught the plan of salvation again, and he seemed pretty excited about the Celestial Kingdom!  Then he gave us more food.  He's a pretty good cook!  I am so amazed by how good the food is everywhere here!

I'm still a little sick.  But I get plenty of rest, and I still feel fine during the lessons.  I just need to get rid of this cough.

We had a really neat lesson about the Atonement earlier this week.  We talked about five points that the Atonement of Jesus Christ covers.  I know there are so many more, but these five general points are interesting and wonderful to think about.  I wish I could give you all the scriptures that back them up, but maybe you can make it a scripture hunt if you have time.  I remember some were in Alma 42, D&C 19, Mosiah 24, Moroni 8, and 2 Nephi 9.  

1. The Atonement makes the Resurrection possible

2. The Atonement makes it possible for us to repent of our sins

3. The Atonement makes it possible for those who have never heard of Christ to only be held accountable for what they know AND to receive the missionary lessons in the next life

4. The Atonement makes it so that innocent babies who die before baptism will still be saved

5. Because Christ suffered ALL of our pains and sorrows, He can make them lighter or give us the strength to bear them. 

I know my Savior lives and did all of this and MUCH MORE for us!  What a beautiful plan we have, and what an amazing gospel!  I don't understand everything, but I do know that through Christ, everything is possible and without Him, all would be lost.  

Hope all of you are doing well!  I love you!  Thank you again and again for your love and support! 

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

Milano 1 - Week 5

February 16, 2011


Dear Family and Friends,

Another crazy week, which is usual I've decided.  But this week I came down with something ridiculous.  I have never been sick for more than a day, but I was sick ALL WEEK!!!  I still got to go to lessons most days, and during the lessons I felt excellent.  But as soon as we said the closing prayer, I would get nauseous again.  I ate next to nothing from Thursday until Monday, and then I started getting a little better, and our investigators started feeding me again.  Mamma mia, how they feed me!  Especially the families from Ecuador!  I still get pretty dizzy from time to time, but I'm getting used to it now.

On Sunday I accompanied the hymns in sacrament meeting AND gave a talk!  They told me I'd be playing the piano about 5 minutes before sacrament meeting, and I was already starting to feel nauseous, so of course I stressed myself out.  Luckily everything went OK, I think.  But who knows if my Italian was even understandable!  I was pretty dizzy, and I had to hold the podium to stay standing.  Luckily Sorella Noteware told me that I have a good poker face, so people probably didn't know that I was about to faint the whole meeting.  I've decided that after the mission I never want to get sick again.  I know that as I'm sick here, God is taking care of me, but everyone dumps medicine down my throat, and I don't know if it actually helps or not.

Rosa is all set for the baptism, and if we can find a cello, I'm going to do the musical number.  If not, we'll just sing something.  There's a member that thinks he can find one pretty easily.  Geovanni had to move his date to next week because we didn't teach all the commandments in time for his interview, but he's getting excited for his baptism!  Hopefully I don't get transfered.  I really want to be there for his baptism!  He absolutely LOVED the lesson about tithing last night!!!  He sounded more excited about paying tithing than even getting baptized!  It's amazing to see how these people have been prepared to receive the gospel.

We got 3 referrals yesterday, and a new investigator!  Her name is Elena and she's about my age.  She's from Brazil, but she's lived in Italy for about 5 years.  We are also working with MariaElena, who's husband, Alex, has been a member for most of his life.  He's been inactive, but we taught their family the Plan of Salvation, and she really seemed excited about it.  Now we just have to see if we can get her to take off work on Sunday so she can go to church.  Hmmm.....

Anyway, I'm still loving it, I'm still learning a ton, and my testimony continues to grow every day!  But I'm going to stop rambling now.  I love you all!  Hope all had a great Valentines day!  I did, during the lessons and the few minutes that I wasn't sick.  ;)

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

Milano 1 - Week 4

February 9, 2011

Dear Family and Friends,

WOW!!! What a crazy week it's been!  We are getting Geovanni and Rosa ready for their baptisms next weekend, and trying to figure out who our last 2 baptisms are for this transfer.  Our 'vision' for the transfer was 6, which is, from what I've heard, a lofty goal.  But I believe in miracles now more than ever, and I know there are two more people at least who need the blessings of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost this transfer.  If all of you could pray for us and for our investigators, that would be wonderful!  Right now, we have Rita, Gasman, MariaElena, Cristina, and her two children who are old enough to be baptized Noemi and Dillon, and all of them could be ready if they could receive an answer.  Pray that they'll recognize the confirmation that they receive!  We just know that they could all be baptized, and we love them so much!  Some of them have really difficult situations, but with enough faith, anything is possible!

Yesterday I was REALLY sick all day, but today I woke up early and went to 'Consiglo' at the mission home with all the zone leaders.  No, I'm not a zone leader, but they sometimes invite sister coppias to go to those.  I was the 'youngest' one there, in the mission that is. In years I was probably 5th from oldest, but everyone else has been on the mission for at least 5 transfers.  I got a blessing of health from President Wolfgramm, and I feel so much better already!  I know that the priesthood really is the power of God, and I have witnessed miracles every day!  President and Sorella Wolfgramm are SO wonderful, and I know that they are people that I needed to meet, mission or no mission.  We are kindred spirits, and they have been way too good to me!  Sister Wolfgramm and I had a neat experience sharing stories this afternoon after Consiglo.  Wow, she has so much faith!

Unfortunately there isn't much time, but I think I've shared the most important things to me right now.  My investigators and new converts are everything to me right now!  I love them so much!  I didn't know I could love people so deeply that I've known for such a short time.  More than anything, I know that what I do and say has very little to do with the actual work.  The Spirit does the real teaching.  Sorella Noteware is fabulous, and I'm learning so much from her, but even with her better Italian and teaching skills, the Spirit is what converts people, and they have been prepared for years before they met either of us.  We just have to be in the right place at the right time so they can find the truth they are searching for.  The gospel is for everyone!

I know that is true.  My testimony grows every day.  Even yesterday morning, I gained a stronger testimony of the Plan of Salvation.  When I was too sick to get out of bed, I got dressed, went to the first appointment with Rosa, taught about the Plan of Salvation, and promptly lost all the energy I had.  I needed to be at that lesson, and that's all the energy I was alllowed.  Throughout the rest of the day as I tried to sleep (I had a pretty bad headache so I did a lot of tossing and turning), I thought about that appointment and what I had 'taught' in my broken Italian.  I realized again what a beautiful plan God has for us.  That one 45 minute lesson teaches us where we came from, what we are doing here, and where we are going!  All of the big questions in life!  It's so simple, but everyone wonders these things.  I started memorizing a scripture in Italian this morning:  Prendi consiglio dal Signore in tutte le tue azioni, ed egli ti dirigerà per il bene.  Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good.  It's true.  If we just do the simple things like pray each morning, read some of the words of God (counseling with the Lord) and ponder upon 'the words of life continually' each day, He WILL guide our paths for good.  (Alma 37:37)

Vi volgio bene!  I love you all!  Thank you for your support, prayers, and great friendship over the years!

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

Milano 1 - Week 3

February 2, 2011

Dear Friends and Family,

So, I guess my memory card isn't compatible with the card reader... photos will have to come later. 

Yikes!  Today we went to see °The Last Supper° and a ballet at °La Scala°   I wouldn't have chosen to do them both on the same day, but the Lisonbees, a missionary couple who are leaving this week, bought us a private tour to °The Last Supper° and we had already planned the ballet (which rarely happens on Wednesday matinee).  I just cried for the first 10 minutes as I heard the orchestra playing.  Yes, I miss music, but I am also having the most incredible week of my life!!!  In the words of my mission president, 'I am not a cellist who is serving a mission, I am a missionary who used to play the cello.'

So, this was BAPTISM WEEK!  Sofia and her mother Paola were baptized and confirmed on Sunday evening, and they bore the purest, sweetest testimony!  I just know that they have been prepared for such a long time, and I had very very very little to do with it.  Yes, I was present for some lessons, and bore my testimony when I could, but the Spirit taught them the most important things.  I was just a very small piece at the edge of the puzzle.  I'm so happy for them to be able to be full-time members and have all the beautiful blessings that come with it!  What a blessing to have been here at this time to witess that miracle!

This week we also taught some gypsies from Romania, an adopted girl from Ethiopia, a return missionary from Peru, an Equadorian gentleman who has lived an incredibly interesting life, a new member from Switzerland who was baptized in Portugal last year, an excommunicated Italian who really wants to be rebaptized, and an Albanian who was taught by missionaries in Albania, but is living in Italy now with his girlfriend.  We also taught some other people, but I thought you all might enjoy the variety of people we come in contact with every day.  We might actually begin teaching a muslim young lady, but I don't know if it can be approved.  The whole time I am teaching, Italian comes more easily.  Then when the lesson is over, and I'm talking to people about 'non gospel-related things' my Italian seems to leave.  I realize that I am learning a lot very quickly, but the Lord gives me the gift of tongues at the most important time, and allows me to swim a little when I don't absolutely need it.  But I am getting to the point where I always get at least the gist of everything.  New words through me off, but I'm sure I'll continue to improve if I keep working at it.

I've been pretty sick this week, but I always get my energy back when I'm teaching.  What a miracle!  The cigarette smoke and smog here is pretty thick, but every once in a while, we get to see a tree, a bit of sky, and even some grass a volte.  I sure wish I could tell you all everything about everything that's happening, but I've got to go.  We have a teaching appointment tonight, and I still have to email the president.  Molto importante!!!

Every minute I get a confirmation that this is where I'm supposed to be!  It's hard work, but every second is worth it when I hear someone pray for the first time, tell me that they feel something warm in their heart, baci me and thank me for sharing the gospel with them, or tell me that they know that we have a living prophet, even though they've never seen or heard him speak!  The power of the Spirit is SO strong, and my life is changed forever!  The hardest thing about every day is that we only get an hour of personal study, and there are SO many scriptures that I just want to feast upon!  They are truly inspired words.  The words of God for us.  I know that the Book of Mormon is true.  I just know it!  It gets truer every time I read from it!  And it might even be truer in Italian...

Have a wonderful week!   Love you all!

Keep the faith,

-Sorella Willey
--
Sorella Willey

elizabeth.willey@myldsmail.net

Sorella Elizabeth Willey
Via Gramsci, 13/4

20090 Opera MI

ITALIA