SO MY FORTNIGHT!!!!
The weekend of the first week, we had
Zone conference on Friday followed by Stake Conference on Saturday and Sunday!
The Pescara Ward where I am serving is in the same stake as Rome 3 aaaaaaand a
few other Rome wards.... one of which happens to be the ward of (ex) Elder
Salerno! So because of the schedule for the weekend, I got to stay in Rome 3
this weekend... which was weird, but so fun!!!! So on Sunday we had Stake Conference
at a really posh hotel in Rome!!! When President Waddoups spoke at Conference,
the missionaries had to all stand up and go to the front. We then had to quote
“Il Nostro Scopo” (Our purpose). When I got to the front with the other missionaries,
I saw him sat with the guys translating and HE LITERALLY LOOKS NO DIFFERENT!!!!
10 YEARS and he looks EXACTLY the same hahahahaha! So at the end, I went to
speak to him! He was a little awkward hahahaha, but I guess the last time I saw
him I was only 9 sooooooooo I bet that was super weird for him hahaha (hence
the awks picture hahaha), but it was so cool seeing him!!!! :)
 |
| At Roma Stake Conference with (Ex) Elder Salerno |
The
first week of this fortnight was full of Bidones! (cancellations) We had
planned for an AWESOME week, then hour by hour people called with excuses not
to see us, so that sucked a bit buuuuuuut that’s ok, because we have planned
for another awesome week for this week!!!! We also have 2 Simps (investigators)
right now! We have a guy called Gianluca! (his girlfriend is a member and has
also served a mission). We are working
with him and hope his baptism will happen soon, (as soon as he is ready)! Our
other Simp is Jenny! She is Filipino! We found her through 'area book
finding'. We met her once (I sent a
photo with her and Sorella Nagliati). She wants to see us some more! So we have
a lesson set for this Saturday! I am Super excited, because her lessons are in
English WHEYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!! :)
We
have the next few p-days planned! Since we aren’t in Rome there’s not as much
to do! BUT we are allowed to go to Rome once a transfer (when you’re in Pescara),
so we will plan that for later… if we all have money! So, today we are going
bowling with the Anziani. Next week we are doing a 'hide and go seek' in Ikea (hahaha),
then eating Ikea food mmmmm. We are
super close to Ikea. I’m looking forward
to that ahahha, (missionaries are so easily pleased!) Then sometime in the
future, we are going to do volleyball on the beach (we are allowed at this time
of year as there are less naked bodies about) haha!
Also,
this week on Tuesday Sorella Nagliati took me to DDM. When we got to the door,
she turned to me and said 'hahaahahahhahah there is NO DDM today, it’s Zone Conference
week. I’M SO SORRY - AWKWARD I FORGOT!' She was so embarrassed, but it was so hil!
She is super cute!! I’m accumulating funny stories! She is the best!
We
have a goal that this week we are going to find our
family!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We have set plenty of time to do finding! All
sorts of different types of finding! Jesso, bomba finding, inspirational
finding, casa in casa! You name it, we got it planned!!!
Also,
this week we have set a few new companionship goals. Some I am excited about
and some that scare me ahha! We are going to take turns with the phone. That
scares me, because I find Italians difficult to understand (especially if I can’t
read their faces and expressions – like on the phone), but I told her that she
just had to throw me in at the deep end (and that’s how she’s doing it!) So by
the end of this week, I’ll be a pro... hahaha!!
SO, on
a more spiritual note, at Zone Conference I picked up a Liahona mag! In my
studies alongside reading the Book of Mormon, (2 Nephi 9 was my fave chapter
this week btw) I have been reading talks in the Liahona! One that I really
loved was a talk given by Elder Marlin K Jensen entitled 'Lessons from the
Sacred Grove'. It is sooooooooooooooo good!!! He speaks of the sacred grove and
how when he was on his mission, he would take the missionaries there at the
beginning and end of the mission and they would feel the spirit so strongly!
Then he says how he has often reflected the abundance of scriptural imagery
involving trees, branches, seeds, fruit etc and teaches 4 lessons from these
reflections! I want to quickly outline these 4 lessons and briefly explain (because
I’m running out of time!) BUT the first lesson is 1) Trees always grow towards
the light. Here he speaks of trees and science, then says how light is just as
important a catalyst in the spiritual realm, than it is in nature. It is
essential for spiritual growth and the realization of our full potential, as
sons and daughters of God. 2) Trees require opposition to fulfil the measure of
their creation. 3) Trees grow best in forests, not isolation and 4) Trees draw
strength from the nutrients created by previous generations of trees.
 |
| Rome East Zone Conference |
 |
| Rome East Zone Conference |
It was
an amazing talk (I encourage you all to read it)! Each lesson point, he linked
to us as human beings. It was amazing! I loved it so so much. I know that as we
draw strength from previous generations, (whether it be family or history of
prophets and the church), we grow towards the light (in a spiritual way). Accept
that opposition is for our growth and understanding and handle it in the best
way possible through holding on to gospel principles, that we will accomplish
ANYTHING. I know that through our Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ our Saviour and
Redeemer and the Holy Ghost, that we can live in a way, whereby we can
accomplish difficult things! Because of Him we are able to return to live with
HEAVENLY FATHER, JESUS CHRIST AND EACH OTHER!!!!! It really is such a blessing
and each day being here, I have developed a deeper and greater appreciation for
this! I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!! I LOVE YOU ALL LOADS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Week 2 of this
fortnight! We engaged in a ton of finding activities! We also taught a few
lessons and I HAD MY 1ST DINNER APPOINTMENT IN PESCARA WHEYYYYYYYYYY!!!!
Even
with all that, last week I was ill!--- I have had some kinda flu or cold thing!
(I’m not really sure). But Sorella Nagliati is so cute and has been looking
after me and making me breakfast and fruit tea. She is so cute!
Monday:
For P-day we went bowling with the Anziani - I lost! We also taught a lesson to
a new convert (about the Plan of Salvation). It went really well! She is reallyyyyyyyy
cool! Her name is Diana! :)
So last week I requested a few recipes from home (Scones,
Yorkshire Puddings), so why did I asked for those recipes! Wellllllllllll for
DDM (District Meeting) the Anziani gave us an assignment to make something
ahha). I made scones with jam and
cream! Everyone loved them!! There are some ingredients that they don’t have in
Italy (so I had to improvise), but they turned out really good, so much so that
Sorella Nagliati wants me to make them again!! :) DDM was really cool!
So our
District - if I get their names right: we have..... Anziano Mika, Anziano
Duffin, Anziano Woolsey, Anziano Lurtscher (or something like that oops), Anziano
Tew, Anziano Moner (I think! He is from Germany and knows Jake, from EFY!)
Anziano Robi (his name is something longer than that, but he has it shortened,
because some people can’t pronounce it lols) Anziano Kawaii (maybe that name
has just one I). Then there is Sorella Nagliati and myself!!! It’s a really fun
district! Anziano Robi is our District Leader and his addestramento was about
teaching techniques. He taught us the 3 E’s, followed by 7 steps of how
to apply them. We have tried to use them in every lesson and they have really
helped it to be more structured and fun!
The 3 E’s
are..... (1) EDUCATE, (2) ENTERTAIN and (3) EMPOWER.
The 7
steps (in order) are:
1) To
begin with an 'I remember'. To start with a personal story or experience. This
is the 2nd E (to entertain).
2)
Summarize the 'I remember' and link it to the doctrine of the lesson (Educate).
3) Use
a scripture (page 180 of Preach my Gospel) as a doctrinal source (Educate and
Empower).
4) Use
a visual aid (Entertain).
5)
'Will you?' (Empower).
6) 'I
promise you' and scripture (Empower).
7) 'I
personally know...' Testify! (Empower).
These
all sound like simple, obvious steps, but we have noticed that by doing each
step in every lesson and using them to fill the needs of our investigators
(Gianluca and Jenny), they enjoy the lesson so much more and they are much more
involved, rather than it being more of a 'preaching' approach!
About the other recipes …. So, a lady in the
ward is hosting a 'thanksgiving' thing for the missionaries! How cute.... even
though Sorella Nagliati and I don’t celebrate it lols! But she wants us all to
bring something soooo, “I’m bein’ propa’ bri – ish” and I’m going to make
Yorkshire Puddings! ;) So Mom – thank you sooooo much for the recipes!! :)
Okay so
on Wednesday: We saw a member then had a bidone! Bad times. So ended up doing more
finding!
Thursday:
We did a lesson with Gianluca. The Spirit was real strong!
Friday:
Another bidone, but in the evening we had a member lesson with a Brazilian lady
called Emmanuela! She is so cute!! Her husband isn’t a member (he’s Italian)
and her little girl is suuuuuper cute! We used a visual aid for a small
spiritual thought (one that Anziano Kawai used in DDM). We read Alma 48:7-10
and then linked it to how we protect our families. I’ll have to send you a pic
of the visual aid, because it’s hard to describe!
Saturday
we had miracles!!! Jenny had told us her address, buuuuuuuuuuuut we couldn’t
find it on the map (when we 1st met her, we were at the bus station). Sooo, during
the week we tried to find her address... and found it, but we didn’t know which
door was hers (apartments are everywhere - I haven’t seen a house yet!) So we
left to get there in good time...When we got there, we found that we had to
ring up to get in the gate.. and then again later to get into her actual
apartment. The problem was that WE COULDN’T FIND HER NAME and don’t know her
husband’s name! So we were in a pickle! ANYWAYS! Somehow we got in the gate....
then a random lady let us into the apartment block and she told us where Jenny
lived!!! We found her!! (oh, also her phone had broken during the week, so we
couldn’t call her to get hold of her!) But we were blessed to find her again!
We had an amazing lesson about the Plan of Salvation! We gave her a Book of
Mormon in Tagalog, (her language) however we teach her in English :) She was so so happy!!!
 |
| A Little Treat after a Hard day of Work |
So that
was it for this week!!!
Christmas
is coming ahhhhhhhhhhhh!!! So for Christmas we get to watch 2 Disney films!!!!
I am so legit excited for that!!!!! BUT MOST OF
ALL........................................ I’m soooo looking forward to Skyping
home... ;) I AM SO SO EXCITED!!!
I LOVE
YOU ALL AND I HOPE YOU ARE ALL WELL AND HAPPY!!!!!! XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
