Milano 1 - Transfer 2 -Week 3

March 16, 2011

Dear Family and Friends,

This has been a bittersweet week.  Geovanni got a job dogsitting, and now he says he doesn't have time to see us anymore.  When S.lla Noteware said he couldn't get baptized if he didn't see us, he said, "Well, work is really important, and I guess I just won't get baptized."  It was pretty heartbreaking.  We had to drop Gasman and Cristina too.  It stinks.  But they weren't progressing, didn't keep commitments and wouldn't go to church.  I feel like I'm letting go of family members!  I've put so much heart and soul into their lessons, prayed for them like crazy, and now we can't help them.  We're only allowed to visit people who are progressing.  If they don't progress (come to church, read the scriptures, pray), then we are not fulfilling our purpose, and they are not really going to benefit from our visits.  But boy does it hurt!  

The morning that Geovanni dropped us, I read a chapter in Helaman 7 about Nephi being rejected by the wicked Nephites.  Verse 2 and 3 stuck out to me while I read.  I don't have my English scriptures here right now, but a rough translation from Italian says, 'And he (Nephi) was among the people in the land westward(?) had preached to them the word of God and had prophesied many things unto them.  And they had rejected all of his words, so much that he could not remain among them, but had to return unto the land of his birth.'  You get the idea.  Anyway, so that was about an hour before we talked to Geovanni.  And about an hour after that phonecall, when I was feeling upset and a little discouraged, that verse came to my mind.  It brought a little comfort because obviously the Lord knew I would need that verse that day and that I might need a confirmation that we couldn't keep visiting them when they didn't make progress.  Thank goodness EVERYONE isn't rejecting me and I don't have to go back to USA yet!  I still have investigators, I still have a baptism this Sunday, I still have a family and friends who love me, I still have a rockin companion who takes care of me.  I have SO many blessings, and if Geovanni, Cristina, or Gasman ever really need some direction in their life, maybe they'll remember that time that they prayed, read from the Book of Mormon, went to church, and felt that peace that they described.  Maybe they won't get baptized in this transfer, but maybe the next time they meet the missionaries they'll recognize the Spirit they felt and want to come back.

Anyway, I guess the takeaway from that is that God knows everything that's going on.  Sometimes he sends us comfort before the fact, and brings things to our minds after the fact.  If we keep trying our best, even if we have falls, fails, or seem to get stuck somewhere, He is always preparing us and watching.  We don't see the big picture, but He does.  I care so much about these people.  I'm SO bad with goodbyes!!!  Lots of you know that already, but I'm just glad we have so many other people to visit and so much else to do.  It keeps me busy, and makes it easier to quit thinking about myself. 

Last but not least, PAOLO IS GETTING BAPTIZED!!!!  He's SO wonderful, and he's learned so much!  He seemed so scared and confused before, but he's really getting a testimony, and he's all set for this Sunday!  What a great kid.  Pictures... well, coming eventually.  Probably next week if I can get this CD thing to work.  I might actually be able to send a package this week.  If we can get all the errands done today.  I can only write letters on Pday, so we'll see.  I haven't had a Pday this transfer yet where I could be at home for longer than 5 minutes (to put groceries away).  Then we have to run run run to the evening appointments!  And because we live out of our proselyting area, we have to cut our P-days short to get to appointments.  Good news is that the President is looking into getting us an apartment in the area.  Bad news is, who knows how long it will take?  And maybe by then I'll be transfered elsewhere.  EEeek!  I never want to leave this place!  Never want to leave these people!  Hmm....  I'm going to stop thinking about that now.

Speaking of time, I've got to go now!  I have 5 minutes to send my letter to the president, and then it's off to the next errand!

Take some time this week to write down what you've learned, some of the adventures you've had, and how you feel the Spirit of the Lord influence your lives.  We had a really neat "Fruits of the Spirit" lesson this week, and it was really neat to see how the Lord influences people's lives in so many ways!

I love you all so much!  Thank you again and again for all your letters, support, and friendship!

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 - Transfer 2 - Week 2

March 9, 2011

Dear Family and Friends,

Happy Festa delle donne yesterday! (or Women's Day in English, probably) Google it, or wikipedia or whatever search site is out there now...  I don't know if I spelt it right, but it's this cool holiday that we celebrated yesterday (sort of) by having a lesson with Paula and Sofia about personal progress, eating chocolate, and giving little yellow flowers to all the women we taught (called mimosas).

Thank you for your letters, words of encouragement, and spiritual experiences!  I really enjoy hearing the great experiences that you all have with sharing Books of Mormon, doing home teaching, reading the scriptures, praying with your family, etc.  It's uplifting to hear how the gospel blesses your lives and families.  Every week as I'm reading your letters, writing these emails, and thinking about the week, I realize just how much the Lord really loves all of His children.  

This week, I learned so much from my dear companion, Sorella Noteware.  When we are teaching together, she just gets on fire.  I hope that I can one day be able to have such a grasp of the concepts and the language that I can teach like her!  This week I told her that I was learning even more than the people we were teaching.  It kind of came out the wrong way, but what I really meant was that when the Spirit is so powerfully present, He teaches everyone what they need to learn.  I felt that Spirit as she taught, I tried to teach, and we both bore testimony of the truth of it all.

I gained a personal testimony of something that I'd never even thought to doubt before.  We were reading the Introduction of the Doctrine and Covenants with a new member, Patricia Sanchez-Garcia, from Ecuador.  She's fantastic!  She's the one who basically cries if we don't STUFF ourselves with food before leaving.  But while we were reading (in Italian and Spanish), I gained an incredibly strong testimony of the fact that Peter, James, John, and John the Baptist DID restore the priesthood by the laying on of hands to Joseph Smith and the early leaders of the Church.  It used to seem to me like such an insignificant detail, but I am only now beginning to realize just how important it is!  We really DO have the restored power of God here on the earth!  In the moment that we were reading it, such a simple thing- just reading, I knew it.  And I can't deny it.  And that means SO much! 

Watching these people grow their faith, make changes in their lives, and feel the Spirit is really growing my faith, changing my life, and helping me realize that the Spirit teaches everything!  I knew that before, but I know it even more now.  Yesterday in a lesson with a woman named MariaElisa, I felt the Spirit present, teaching what I couldn't say in Italian and neither of us knew she needed to hear.  At the end of the lesson, she said the prayer.  The second she started to pray, I knew that she needed to feel the Spirit.  I prayed with all my heart that the Spirit would bear testimony to her that her prayer was being heard and that everything we were saying was true.  All of a sudden she stopped.  I didn't dare look up, but we all felt the same peace and powerful presence of the Spirit.  After the prayer, she said, "I can't really explain what that was.  It was kind of strange, but there was something, and I really felt something." -rough translation from Italian

I don't know what MariaElisa will do or say, whether she will accept the gospel in it's fullness or not, or if we'll be able to lead her to the waters of baptism.  But I do know that God loved her enough to allow that Spirit to touch her heart.  She has gone from someone who was curious about us and not really recognizing God's hand in her life to knowing that He loves her.  She can never again deny that God absolutely loves her.

Well, I'm getting a little carried away, but I hope you all know how much I love you all! I'm sorry I can't write you all individually, but please take this next bit personally: I LOVE YOU!!!  I pray for all my friends and family every night, and I know that as you all continue to be the best you can be, you will be blessed for your efforts.

I'm so grateful for this experience here in Italy.  It has changed everything in my life.  We're setting a baptismal date (hopefully tomorrow) with Rita, so please pray that she can receive the responses she is seeking!  And if you can mention Paulo and Geovanni in your prayers as well, that would be fantastic!  We're nearly done getting them ready for their baptisms, and they have grown so much!

Keep the faith and have a great week!

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 - Transfer 2 - Week 1

March 3, 2011

Dearest Friends and Family,

What a wonderful week!  Paulo decided again that he wants to get baptized!  We set a date for him (20 Marzo), and he is truly excited to follow in the steps of his mother and sister (Paula and Sofia).  For an 11 year old, he has some great insights, but we can still tell that he is afraid of being teased.  His uncle is relentless and keeps telling him that people will never treat with respect if he gets baptized.  But he wants to go forward with it anyway!  We have to squeeze a lot of lessons into just 2 weeks now, but it's worth the train ride up there, and it's great to be able to see Paula and Sofia so often too!

Rita, our 19-year-old investigator, accepted a soft baptismal invite, and we went to her house to teach her.  Her parents are both very catholic and before were opposed to her going to any other church.  BUT her mother came to the last lesson AND let her go to church this past Sunday!   We're going to her house again this afternoon, so please pray for us to continue to make a good impression on her mother and have the Spirit with us!  Apparently her mother said, "Better Mormon than nothing!"  And she really enjoyed the words of the Book of Mormon too!  So while we're not trying to convert her mother right now, at least she is open to Rita choosing where she wants to go to church!

Geovanni finally set his OWN baptismal date!  He said that he has "made a pact with God," and he wants to get baptized by the end of the month because all of his prayers have been answered.  He also is reading A LOT from the Book of Mormon, and everything seems to really be clicking for him.  Then, instead of us choosing a date and him saying he might be ready, HE said, "I want to get baptized on March 31!"  This is such great progress for him.  He no longer calls himself cattivo (evil), but he says he still makes mistakes sometimes.  We remind him that EVERYONE makes mistakes, and he just shakes his head and says that he knows sister missionaries are perfect.  Ha!  If only that were true!  

I learn so much from my investigators, less actives, and new converts!  I am absolutely convinced now that though I wear the nametag, they are helping me just as much as I could ever help them!  As I share my testimony of the scriptures, the prophets, the temples, and particularly the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith, I have felt SO powerfully the Spirit promising that all of it is true.  I have been brought to tears in lessons by the powerful feelings of joy and comfort in knowing that what I am teaching (what the Spirit is teaching through me and my beautiful companion), ARE TRUE!  I know it!  I just know it!  

Thank you all for your support, your letters, your kindness, and your friendship!  I wish I could just hug all of you right now, but here I am. Many miles away.  But consider yourself hugged, and have a WONDERFUL week!  I love you all!

Keep the faith!
-Sorella Willey

P.S.  About personal emails, we can only send personal emails to immediate family members.  The mission president originally told us we could respond to friends if we had time in our 2 hours, but yesterday he changed the time limit to 1 hour.  It makes me sad because I won't be able to email personally anymore, but I also understand that it is easy to get distracted, and the president only has the best in mind for the mission and for us.  And I have a testimony of being obedient, so I will not be able to respond to personal emails til Spring 2012.  But time flies, so that's not very long.  Like it was at the MTC, you can keep me updated on you and your families still.  I can read emails from 'non family members'  but I'm just not allowed to respond. Thank you all for understanding!  I know that I'll be blessed for my obedience as well as those that I am here to serve!  Hopefully I'll get some time to write letters... =)

-- 
Sorella Willey

elizabeth.willey@myldsmail.net

Sorella Elizabeth Willey

Missione Italiana di Milano

Via Gramsci, 13/4

20090 Opera MI

ITALIA

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