Cuneo - Transfer 11 - Week 3

March 21, 2012

Dear Family and Friends,

 

I apologize for the blank email last week!  If the email had had its text, it would have talked about concert that we were able to put on in the church last weekend, my trip back to Verona to get my 'permesso di soggiorno,' and meeting with an old contact who had read over half the Book of Mormon and just happened to stop us on the street.  You would have heard how my companion has still been sick, but how we had a miracle where a previous investigator from the sisters here in August left his name and number in the door of the church because he'd read the Book of Mormon and wanted to learn more.  I probably would have recommended some scriptures in Mosiah 5 that have really touched me and changed the way I see EVERYTHING and I'd have told you about how 2 Sundays ago the bishopric anounced that I was giving a talk in Sacrament meeting.  Luckily we came that day, even though Slla Forbes was not feeling well, and Slla Wolfgramm had ordered us to stay in all day.  I looked Fratella DeStefanis in the eyes with a little horror in my eyes as he sat down and shrugged me a "Sorry... I forgot to ask you.  You can also just bear your testimony." 

 

Luckily, the day before in studies we had talked a lot about repentance and read through the "Gospel of Jesus Christ" in Preach My Gospel.  As I stood up, I had my mini PMG in Italian, my study journal and planner, and my Italian triple, and really had no idea what I would say.  Just a couple of scriptures jotted down in my planner.  I don't actually remember what I said, but I remember what I felt as I read from Mosiah 5 and repentance in Preach My Gospel.  I don't know how long it was, but I was so grateful for the opportunity to rely wholly on the Spirit and read again from the inspired words of the prophets.

 

So that's a little bit of what you would have read last week.  This week was BEAUTIFUL!!!  Really crazy, but really beautiful. 

 

We went to GENOVA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  on our way home from a training meeting in Alessandria on Monday.  We had a blitz or scambio... in English I think the word is exchange... with the Sorelle there.  We got to go out with each other's companions and teach their investigators and find people with them.  I got to see where my dear trainer, Sorella Noteware, started her mission, where Christopher Columbus was inspired to find the New World, and where my older brother and role model, Anthony, spent his first 5 transfers.  We even read from 1 Nephi 13 during language study in honor of Columbus,the 'great and abominable church,' and the Book of Mormon.  :)  We saw some great miracles with a few of their investigators, and found some really great people who they will be seeing later on this week.   I've been wanting to go to Genova my whole mission.  I am so grateful that even in this last transfer, when I had given up hope, God gave me that tender mercy, and we were able to feel His hand guiding us through the streets that neither we nor the two sisters brand new to the area knew. 

 

Oh, yeah, we also ate focaccia and pesto.  YUMMMMY!!!

 

Then, we came back to Cuneo!!!!!

 

We feel like we haven't been in Cuneo hardly at all.  Between being sick, going to trainings, permesso appointments, scambios, and district meetings in Verona, Milano, Torino, Alessandria, and Genova, we were shocked that getting off the train it even looked familiar last night.

 

We're ever so committed to keep strong, find, teach, baptize, invite others to come unto Christ, and be the representatives of Christ in our city.  Then we realized today was P-day..   When do we get to see OUR investigators??  But luckily, the Lord will help us in that.  We just have to keep being as obedient as we can be, and do everything we can, and then the Lord will guide us to do and say what needs to be done and said.

 

My Sorella Forbes ***GEMed me this morning when we were planning lessons for today.  I felt pretty confident about my plans for the first 2 investigators. But for Rosy, our almost baptismal date, I had nothing written on the lesson plan, but pages and pages in the study journal.  I knew I needed to find some scriptures to back up all the information, and then I also knew I'd need to shorten up all the info as well.  I was a little overwhelmed.  I peeked over at Slla Forbes to see if she was ready for Comp study.  I was a little frustrated.  We've actually planned this lesson 3 times and then had to cancel or felt like we needed to teach something else at the last minute.  When I said, "Ok, I've only got ideas for Donatella and Rosaria.  What have you got for Rosy?"  She proceeded to read me scriptures that answered all of the questions and confirmed what the Spirit has been trying to tell me for the past 3 weeks!  She led me to the Bible Dictionary, Bible and Book of Mormon and literally taught me exactly what I was looking for AND what Rosy is looking for!  What a GEM!  I love her so much!

 

We really do have the Lord's hand in our work- His work.  We see beautiful miracles in all sorts of ways, and truly feel His presence as we read, pray, and try our best to be obedient.

 

I have very little time left in this email.... But I wanted to thank you all for your letters, packages, and emails this week.  I have received so much mail this week, more than my entire mission combined, and I'm so grateful to feel your support in this last month here.  Please pray for me to stay focussed and continue to have the guidance and physical strength to endure to the end.  I'm very tired, a little discouraged, and trying hard to make the most of every last minute I have here.  Thank you again for your prayers, support, and EVERYTHING that you do and have done for me every day!

 

I just want to leave you with a couple of ideas about covenants and the need to make them with God in order to receive blessings. No time to explain, but here are the scriptures:

Mosiah 3:17-19

Mosiah 2:20-24

Mosiah 5:5-9

Moroni 7:33-34

Ephesians 1:13-14

Bible DIctionary 'Earnest'

2 Corinthians 1:22; 5:5

Mosiah 4:2-12

Moroni 8:25-26

 

I've been working on this topic for a while... A LONG TIME, and only this morning when we were studying for Rosy did I get the spiritual and scriptural confirmation of all the answers.  Obviously not ALL the answers yet, but I've got a lot to chew on for a while. :)  And now you do too.  Hopefully these words will touch you and help you to feel the Love and excitement for the Gospel that they gave for me!

 

I love you all, and a happy March 21st to you all!

 

Keep the faith,

-Sorella Willey

 

*** G.E.M. is our mission's battle cry.  It stands for Grow Every Missionary, and means that we as Milan Italy Missionaries are to do everything we can to always be thinking of those around us.  Especially our companion.  Each week, we report a GEM moment in our email to president, and that paragraph was a copy and paste from my email this week.

 

--
Sorella Willey

elizabeth.willey@myldsmail.net

Sorella Elizabeth Willey

Missione Italiana di Milano

Via Gramsci, 13/4

20090 Opera MI

ITALIA