Hey All,
It's been a good week and this is going to be a quick email because today for p-day we got permission to come up here to the cinque terre! So, I'm writing from La Spezia quickly before we catch the train back to Prato! It was beautiful today, nice and sunny and it was fun to be with lots of missionaries and see the beautiful coast!
The work is going well. Everything is pretty much the same. We continue to work with all the usual people. We had a good lesson with Rossella and Salvatore...oh I really love them. They are so wonderful and can really imagine them getting baptized within the next 6 months. They just need a little time is all. They are my most favorite people ever!
I've been re-reading the general conference talks and highly recommend everyone to re-read them also! (even though I'm sure you already have!) They are wonderful and are so inspired. I'm so grateful for the organization of this church and for a living prophet to guide us today.
Thanks for you letter mom, sounds like you prepared a great training for the zone conference, i'm sure everyone loved it! Hope you guys get back into the house soon. Did andy get back okay? There are so many people from Romania in Prato, they are great people. I want to hear about it andy!
Okay, my times up. I love you all and think of your wonderful examples daily! Thanks for your prayers, they truly help!
Have a great week!
Love,
Sorella Boynton
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
23 May 2007
Things are still kickin in P-town, Prato. It has been a pretty busy week which is the way I like it! Yesterday we didn't have time to go home for our normal hour break for lunch and hour break for language studies so it made it extra long... but hey if we've got the appointments... it's worth it just to stick a few saltine crackers in my bag and be on the go.
Last weekend was so great. We spent Friday afternoon in Firenze helping the sisters cover their many appointments. We spent the night with them and then Saturday morning we went our seperate ways... Sorella Roper and I headed off to Siena and my comp stayed with the other two sisters in Florence. Oh man, it was so fun to be back with my trainer! We got to sunny Siena and grabbed some lunch and then had appointments the rest of the day. We visited with a couple single in-active women and with a member also. It makes me so sad to visit with these inactives because they have such strong testimonies but just can't make the effort to get to church. Hopefully we can help in some way by making these visits.
Monday we had Zone Conference in Firenze. It was the last one with President and Sorella Rhien! : ( Molto triste!!! They have been amazing. They both gave amazing trainings. Oh I'm going to miss them so much! But I know also that the new mission president will be great and has been called the lead this mission. President Rhien talked a lot about finding the "elect." I think he's been a little worried about us as missionaries meeting with eternal investigators who really aren't making progress. In D&C we are commanded to gather the elect. He encouraged us to sincerely pray that we can find and teach these people who are ready for the gospel. I know it's possible because I feel like Rossella and Salvatore are part of this elect group of people who are ready, whether they realize it or not, to accept the gospel and become a more powerful source of good and bring so much to the church here in Italy. We had our usual tuesday night lesson with them. We brought Sorella Bonti with us again. She's amazing and always is a great contribution to the lesson. We taught them the second half of the second lesson and just summarized the plan of salvation. The spirit is always strong and I think I could be a little better at pointing that out to them because that's how they'll be converted in the end... by what they've felt.
They had a rough week and seemed a little more down than usual. Rossella found out that her sister has a tumor. They don't know a lot about it yet. Man, these trials people go through. If they only knew how much the gospel could help them!!! That's our job though. There will be a baptism in Firenze this saturday so we invited them to come to that. It'd be awesome if they come but they sounded like they wouln't be able to make it. I love this family and want so much for them to enjoy the blessings of the gospel. With prayer and faith I know miracles can happen and will with them!
We also finally met with Petra yesterday. It was great also because her member father was there. We were able to talk about baptism and invite them to talk together and pray about a date when she wants to be baptized. She's ready and has been ever since I got here. It's just they're so busy! I'm sure it will happen within the next couple months though!
Today is more of a relaxed p-day. We'll just do the shopping and then I've got tons of letters to write! I love hearing from everyone and sounds like things are going well for everyone at home. Especially with the good old MAUD squad! Jack, don't worry I've heard from about everyone but you that you are going to tie the knot!!! Yeah, my bestest bud Jackie Proctor is going to get married sometime this fall right? You better write me girl and tell me all the details! And Jen, I've heard your biz so I just better get a letter soon. Aub and Jess you win the prizes because I got your letters and they were the absolute funniest and best. I can't believe Bets in going on a mission! That's the coolest ever, she'll be so great! And cam....cam...oh camie where are you! Oh man how I miss you and love you all so much!
I've been thinking a lot lately about this great plan of happiness that Heavenly Father has provided for us. It's perfect. Included is His perfect Son, Jesus Christ, and also a perfect book, the Book of Mormon. Sorella Rhien gave her training on how the Book of Mormon is the perfect book and how it leads us to conversion. I know it's through this plan, through our Savior, and through pressing forward day after day and doing the little things, like praying and reading the scriptures, that we can once again live with Father and receive a joy that we can't really imagine.
Love ya,
Sorella Boynton
Last weekend was so great. We spent Friday afternoon in Firenze helping the sisters cover their many appointments. We spent the night with them and then Saturday morning we went our seperate ways... Sorella Roper and I headed off to Siena and my comp stayed with the other two sisters in Florence. Oh man, it was so fun to be back with my trainer! We got to sunny Siena and grabbed some lunch and then had appointments the rest of the day. We visited with a couple single in-active women and with a member also. It makes me so sad to visit with these inactives because they have such strong testimonies but just can't make the effort to get to church. Hopefully we can help in some way by making these visits.
Monday we had Zone Conference in Firenze. It was the last one with President and Sorella Rhien! : ( Molto triste!!! They have been amazing. They both gave amazing trainings. Oh I'm going to miss them so much! But I know also that the new mission president will be great and has been called the lead this mission. President Rhien talked a lot about finding the "elect." I think he's been a little worried about us as missionaries meeting with eternal investigators who really aren't making progress. In D&C we are commanded to gather the elect. He encouraged us to sincerely pray that we can find and teach these people who are ready for the gospel. I know it's possible because I feel like Rossella and Salvatore are part of this elect group of people who are ready, whether they realize it or not, to accept the gospel and become a more powerful source of good and bring so much to the church here in Italy. We had our usual tuesday night lesson with them. We brought Sorella Bonti with us again. She's amazing and always is a great contribution to the lesson. We taught them the second half of the second lesson and just summarized the plan of salvation. The spirit is always strong and I think I could be a little better at pointing that out to them because that's how they'll be converted in the end... by what they've felt.
They had a rough week and seemed a little more down than usual. Rossella found out that her sister has a tumor. They don't know a lot about it yet. Man, these trials people go through. If they only knew how much the gospel could help them!!! That's our job though. There will be a baptism in Firenze this saturday so we invited them to come to that. It'd be awesome if they come but they sounded like they wouln't be able to make it. I love this family and want so much for them to enjoy the blessings of the gospel. With prayer and faith I know miracles can happen and will with them!
We also finally met with Petra yesterday. It was great also because her member father was there. We were able to talk about baptism and invite them to talk together and pray about a date when she wants to be baptized. She's ready and has been ever since I got here. It's just they're so busy! I'm sure it will happen within the next couple months though!
Today is more of a relaxed p-day. We'll just do the shopping and then I've got tons of letters to write! I love hearing from everyone and sounds like things are going well for everyone at home. Especially with the good old MAUD squad! Jack, don't worry I've heard from about everyone but you that you are going to tie the knot!!! Yeah, my bestest bud Jackie Proctor is going to get married sometime this fall right? You better write me girl and tell me all the details! And Jen, I've heard your biz so I just better get a letter soon. Aub and Jess you win the prizes because I got your letters and they were the absolute funniest and best. I can't believe Bets in going on a mission! That's the coolest ever, she'll be so great! And cam....cam...oh camie where are you! Oh man how I miss you and love you all so much!
I've been thinking a lot lately about this great plan of happiness that Heavenly Father has provided for us. It's perfect. Included is His perfect Son, Jesus Christ, and also a perfect book, the Book of Mormon. Sorella Rhien gave her training on how the Book of Mormon is the perfect book and how it leads us to conversion. I know it's through this plan, through our Savior, and through pressing forward day after day and doing the little things, like praying and reading the scriptures, that we can once again live with Father and receive a joy that we can't really imagine.
Love ya,
Sorella Boynton
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
16 Maggio 2007
Buona Sera,
Now I really have to repent because I realize that it's my fault that I haven't been getting any emails... my inbox was full to the max and I didn't know that if that was the case, mail being sent doesn't reach me. Va bene. So again, this week, I didn't get any email. Sorry if you sent email this week. I really don't know if I'll ever get it! I'll be sure to have my inbox empty for next week!
I LOVED talking to Mom, Dad, and Andy on Mother's Day! It was so fun to be able to hear your voices. I wish I could have talked to all of the fam....maybe I can talk to more of you when I call home next time during Christmas. : ) Sounds like plans are being made for when Dad, Mom, and Andy come home. Crazy! I can't believe 3 years has flown by so extremely fast.
So, another transfer is starting. Transfer number 4 for me. As one of our transfer goals we decided to try and do an all-transfer "syl" or "speak your language." That means we only speak Italian. There's a couple exceptions like when we teach our african friends in English, or obviously when I teach English class, but other than that...it's Italian! It's hard but it's the perfect time to do it seeing as I don't have an american companion with english as her mother tongue. Hopefully it will help a lot!
Highlight of the week, besides talking to the fam, was having our investigators Rossella and Salvatore come to church with their two kids. I sat by them and helped them with the hymns, sacrament, etc. Luckily nothing too strange or akward happened during the meeting... like some crazy member talking about space doctrine or anything. The young men gave talks on the importance of the priesthood and did awesome. Our members were pretty good at welcoming them and introducing themselves.
Salvatore is very much a people person and was talking with people. Rossella is a little more reserved and had to drag Salvatore out afterword. We had a lesson with them yesterday and brought another member with us, our branch mission leader, Fratello Furia. We asked them about how they liked church etc. They said it was definitely different from the catholic mass and that it was fine. We then taught a little bit about the plan of salvation with them. They were in agreeance with just about everything we taught. There's always such a great spirit in their house. Rossella is just so attached to her catholic church though. Somehow we've just got to pry her fingers from her "kung fu death grip"... or whatever it is that ben stiller says in that movie, hehe, and help her realize that this change will do her good! And I know that this can only be done through the spirit. It truly is the converter in the conversion process. We'll see them next week like usual!
A little miracle is that we ran into Petra and her family. We've had a heck of a time trying to set up an appointment with them. So on our way to the lesson with Rossella and Salvatore we meet them and talked with Larry. They've just been so busy with school and work. But we got the appointment and are excited to meet with them. I hear that she wants to be baptized this month so we'll see.
Today we went to Firenze for P-day. It was a little crazy. We split up and some who wanted to pay went and saw the uffizzi museum. We didn't want to go and the two new elders in our district straight from the MTC didn't want to wait for an hour to get in either. So I turned into the tour guide for those who didn't want to see the museum and took them to the Duomo and then walked across the river and up to Piazza Michaelangelo. It was fine but there's just tooooo many tourists now in Firenze. We get stopped every 10 minutes by members on vacation who say..."look, it's the missionaries!" It's cool but it just takes us forever to get anywhere! So tip... if you're ever in Italy or some other famous tourist spot and see the missionaries... lasciate stare per piacere! :) (I think that means "leave them alone please! - Ell)
This upcoming week should be great and busy. Friday we are spending the afternoon doing exchanges with the Firenze sisters! And then Saturday we get to go work in Siena because there are lots of inactive women members and no sister missionaries in Siena. We'll go this once with Sorella Roper because she knows the work and then after that Sorella Lederer and I will probably go a couple other times during the next 5 weeks. Also we have Zone Conference coming up. Lots of traveling but I'm excited!
I hope you are all doing great. I know you're all busy with kids, school, etc etc. Just know that my prayers are with you all! I love this work. I'm so grateful for this opportunity to learn, grow, serve, and strengthen my testimony and try to help others do the same. Thanks for all your great examples. And I invite you all to look and pray for your own missionary experiences! It truly brings a joy that's hard to describe!
Love ya,
Sorella Boynton
Now I really have to repent because I realize that it's my fault that I haven't been getting any emails... my inbox was full to the max and I didn't know that if that was the case, mail being sent doesn't reach me. Va bene. So again, this week, I didn't get any email. Sorry if you sent email this week. I really don't know if I'll ever get it! I'll be sure to have my inbox empty for next week!
I LOVED talking to Mom, Dad, and Andy on Mother's Day! It was so fun to be able to hear your voices. I wish I could have talked to all of the fam....maybe I can talk to more of you when I call home next time during Christmas. : ) Sounds like plans are being made for when Dad, Mom, and Andy come home. Crazy! I can't believe 3 years has flown by so extremely fast.
So, another transfer is starting. Transfer number 4 for me. As one of our transfer goals we decided to try and do an all-transfer "syl" or "speak your language." That means we only speak Italian. There's a couple exceptions like when we teach our african friends in English, or obviously when I teach English class, but other than that...it's Italian! It's hard but it's the perfect time to do it seeing as I don't have an american companion with english as her mother tongue. Hopefully it will help a lot!
Highlight of the week, besides talking to the fam, was having our investigators Rossella and Salvatore come to church with their two kids. I sat by them and helped them with the hymns, sacrament, etc. Luckily nothing too strange or akward happened during the meeting... like some crazy member talking about space doctrine or anything. The young men gave talks on the importance of the priesthood and did awesome. Our members were pretty good at welcoming them and introducing themselves.
Salvatore is very much a people person and was talking with people. Rossella is a little more reserved and had to drag Salvatore out afterword. We had a lesson with them yesterday and brought another member with us, our branch mission leader, Fratello Furia. We asked them about how they liked church etc. They said it was definitely different from the catholic mass and that it was fine. We then taught a little bit about the plan of salvation with them. They were in agreeance with just about everything we taught. There's always such a great spirit in their house. Rossella is just so attached to her catholic church though. Somehow we've just got to pry her fingers from her "kung fu death grip"... or whatever it is that ben stiller says in that movie, hehe, and help her realize that this change will do her good! And I know that this can only be done through the spirit. It truly is the converter in the conversion process. We'll see them next week like usual!
A little miracle is that we ran into Petra and her family. We've had a heck of a time trying to set up an appointment with them. So on our way to the lesson with Rossella and Salvatore we meet them and talked with Larry. They've just been so busy with school and work. But we got the appointment and are excited to meet with them. I hear that she wants to be baptized this month so we'll see.
Today we went to Firenze for P-day. It was a little crazy. We split up and some who wanted to pay went and saw the uffizzi museum. We didn't want to go and the two new elders in our district straight from the MTC didn't want to wait for an hour to get in either. So I turned into the tour guide for those who didn't want to see the museum and took them to the Duomo and then walked across the river and up to Piazza Michaelangelo. It was fine but there's just tooooo many tourists now in Firenze. We get stopped every 10 minutes by members on vacation who say..."look, it's the missionaries!" It's cool but it just takes us forever to get anywhere! So tip... if you're ever in Italy or some other famous tourist spot and see the missionaries... lasciate stare per piacere! :) (I think that means "leave them alone please! - Ell)
This upcoming week should be great and busy. Friday we are spending the afternoon doing exchanges with the Firenze sisters! And then Saturday we get to go work in Siena because there are lots of inactive women members and no sister missionaries in Siena. We'll go this once with Sorella Roper because she knows the work and then after that Sorella Lederer and I will probably go a couple other times during the next 5 weeks. Also we have Zone Conference coming up. Lots of traveling but I'm excited!
I hope you are all doing great. I know you're all busy with kids, school, etc etc. Just know that my prayers are with you all! I love this work. I'm so grateful for this opportunity to learn, grow, serve, and strengthen my testimony and try to help others do the same. Thanks for all your great examples. And I invite you all to look and pray for your own missionary experiences! It truly brings a joy that's hard to describe!
Love ya,
Sorella Boynton
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
9 MAGGIO 2007
Ciao,
You must all be really busy because I didn't get one single email today! Hope you're all alive and well.
So, right back at ya!
Later,
Sorella Boynton
Okay,
I guess I'll repent and not leave you hanging in the dark.
It's been a good week.
First, I don't know if you all got my last email? I tried to find it in my "sent" messages and couldn't find it so maybe you didn't get it! Thats lame if you didn't. Maybe that's why none of you wrote!
Anyways, transfers are this week and drumroll......... what do you know I'll be staying here in old P-town Prato for yet another transfer! Mamma mia. That makes it 4 transfers here! A little long in my opinion but I'm excited nonetheless. Also, they had to close one of the companionships in Florence because of the number of sisters going home. There is a three-some there now so president Rhien has asked us Prato sisters to go to Florence and doing exchanges with them one or two days every week so that they are able to cover all their appointements. So that's exciting...we'll see how it works out.
Other news, Since I last emailed we've had two appointments with Rossella and Salvatore. The first one, on Friday was quite amazing, probably one of the coolest experiences of my mission yet. We taught a lesson focused on really what the restoration of the gospel means... that through Joseph Smith we have the power and authority to perform the ordinances of salvation. It was a really good lesson and right from the beginning Rossella said, "you mean you're telling us that our baptisms are invalid?" We said "Yep." (in a round-a-bout, understandable, nice etc, sort of way of course!) We continued to explain the apostasy etc. They have so many questions but we just directed the lesson back to how they can know if these things are true through prayer. We can reason and talk all we want and never convince our minds but that's why we need to pray and why we get our investigators to say a direct, sincere prayer to Heavenly Father, so they can know through their feelings first. It was near the end of the lesson and Rossella admitted to have taken our challenge we had left the last time we taught them, cioè, to pray to know if these things are true. She said that after she read the Libro di Mormon one night that she prayed and asked if it was true. She said she didn't feel anything but that that night she had a strange dream. She recounted the dream to us and it was just really amazing. She said she'd never had a dream like that before. To tell the truth I've always thought it was only wack-o's who had strange dreams but I know that she is far from being a wack-o, and that this was an answer for her, whether she realizes it or not. Salvatore still hasn't done the challenge but we met with them again yesterday. We brought a member of the branch with us... Sorella Bonti. She's awesome. We had planned to teach a 2nd lesson to them but that will have to wait until next time because it was more of a discussion on how Sorella Bonti came to join the church after being catholic for 35 years. It was great to have her there with us, seeing as how Rossella is really an active catholic. I know Rossella is ready for this gospel and feels something different when we come but has fear about making a change at this point in her life. Salvatore on the other hand has all sorts of ideas, but we commited him to read and pray so we'll see. Rossella is awesome and keeps our commitments. I'm pretty sure they'll be at sacrament meeting on Sunday so I'm looking forward to that. These two are what keep me going, I love them so much. I'm thankful that I can stay here one more transfer to work with them.
Other work is going fine. We're doing inactive work as usual and work with members. We're still working on Petra and her family.
Happy Mother's Day in advance for all you mothers. This means I get to talk to you on Mother's day Mom! Yea!
Love you all and as always thanks for your prayers and support.
Sorella B.
You must all be really busy because I didn't get one single email today! Hope you're all alive and well.
So, right back at ya!
Later,
Sorella Boynton
Okay,
I guess I'll repent and not leave you hanging in the dark.
It's been a good week.
First, I don't know if you all got my last email? I tried to find it in my "sent" messages and couldn't find it so maybe you didn't get it! Thats lame if you didn't. Maybe that's why none of you wrote!
Anyways, transfers are this week and drumroll......... what do you know I'll be staying here in old P-town Prato for yet another transfer! Mamma mia. That makes it 4 transfers here! A little long in my opinion but I'm excited nonetheless. Also, they had to close one of the companionships in Florence because of the number of sisters going home. There is a three-some there now so president Rhien has asked us Prato sisters to go to Florence and doing exchanges with them one or two days every week so that they are able to cover all their appointements. So that's exciting...we'll see how it works out.
Other news, Since I last emailed we've had two appointments with Rossella and Salvatore. The first one, on Friday was quite amazing, probably one of the coolest experiences of my mission yet. We taught a lesson focused on really what the restoration of the gospel means... that through Joseph Smith we have the power and authority to perform the ordinances of salvation. It was a really good lesson and right from the beginning Rossella said, "you mean you're telling us that our baptisms are invalid?" We said "Yep." (in a round-a-bout, understandable, nice etc, sort of way of course!) We continued to explain the apostasy etc. They have so many questions but we just directed the lesson back to how they can know if these things are true through prayer. We can reason and talk all we want and never convince our minds but that's why we need to pray and why we get our investigators to say a direct, sincere prayer to Heavenly Father, so they can know through their feelings first. It was near the end of the lesson and Rossella admitted to have taken our challenge we had left the last time we taught them, cioè, to pray to know if these things are true. She said that after she read the Libro di Mormon one night that she prayed and asked if it was true. She said she didn't feel anything but that that night she had a strange dream. She recounted the dream to us and it was just really amazing. She said she'd never had a dream like that before. To tell the truth I've always thought it was only wack-o's who had strange dreams but I know that she is far from being a wack-o, and that this was an answer for her, whether she realizes it or not. Salvatore still hasn't done the challenge but we met with them again yesterday. We brought a member of the branch with us... Sorella Bonti. She's awesome. We had planned to teach a 2nd lesson to them but that will have to wait until next time because it was more of a discussion on how Sorella Bonti came to join the church after being catholic for 35 years. It was great to have her there with us, seeing as how Rossella is really an active catholic. I know Rossella is ready for this gospel and feels something different when we come but has fear about making a change at this point in her life. Salvatore on the other hand has all sorts of ideas, but we commited him to read and pray so we'll see. Rossella is awesome and keeps our commitments. I'm pretty sure they'll be at sacrament meeting on Sunday so I'm looking forward to that. These two are what keep me going, I love them so much. I'm thankful that I can stay here one more transfer to work with them.
Other work is going fine. We're doing inactive work as usual and work with members. We're still working on Petra and her family.
Happy Mother's Day in advance for all you mothers. This means I get to talk to you on Mother's day Mom! Yea!
Love you all and as always thanks for your prayers and support.
Sorella B.
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
2 MAGGIO 2007
Wow, the weeks are really just flying by. Can't believe it's already p-day again. We were going to go up to Lucca today but it's a rainy day. So we decided against that and Sorella Lederer and I got haircuts instead! Nothing big, just a little shorter in prep for the hot summer!
This weekend we had District Conference in Firenze. It was at a hotel and all the members from the district were there and all the missionaries from tuscany also. I love seeing everyone. The sisters in this mission are awesome and it's so fun to get together and talk to everyone and see how eveyone's doing. We had about an hour bus ride to get there and back. I had fun talking to Sister Roper and reminiscing (sp?) about the good old times we had together here in P-town. But the conference itself was great. It was a little hard to concentrate with all the kids etc in such a big room but there were some good talks. I especially enjoyed the talks given by the Rhien's. It was so sad because at the end of the conference after the closing prayer, the district choir all started singing "god be with you till we meet again" in english to the Rhiens. It was really touching and they were all balling. They're finishing the same time Dad and Mom are and the people, especially us missionaries are going to miss them big time! They are amazing people.
We've had some great visits with less-actives lately. It's something I never really thought of before the mission....the importance of in-active work. But there's just so many here and it's sad. But I love visiting them and trying to help them remember the feelings they had at their baptism... help them remember their conversion stories and just read and pray with them. It's always a rewarding experience. We try to help them see the importance of the little things such as reading the scriptures daily and praying as a start on the path back to re-activation in church. We had a dinner appointment with a women member in our ward on Monday night, Sorella Sonnellini. She's and her daughter (who's away at school) are the only members in her family. Her husband and son aren't. But she is just one of my favorite people. I can tell that she struggles because of this situation but she's so faithful and one that really personifies the principle of "enduring to the end." She teaches gospel principles in the branch and is awesome. She has many cool stories that she's shared and just a strong testimony. One of my heros here.
Yesterday we went to Firenze again for interviews. They were great. I love talking to Sister Rhien and President. Also yesterday was a holiday here in Italy, so that means here in little Prato no busses were running! That made the work a little hard. We walked all over and tried to find a referral but she wasn't home. Then walked all the way to the other side of town to find another and everyone was just not home. Then we went into centro and it started down-pouring and everyone went inside. So, not the best day for visiting or finding work but we had fun nonetheless.
Well, it's the last week of the transfer. There's so many possibilities for me. I could stay here in Prato or I could be transferred somewhere else. By next email I'll know.
I love this work and I love you all and love hearing from you.
Thanks for everything!
Love Sorella B.
This weekend we had District Conference in Firenze. It was at a hotel and all the members from the district were there and all the missionaries from tuscany also. I love seeing everyone. The sisters in this mission are awesome and it's so fun to get together and talk to everyone and see how eveyone's doing. We had about an hour bus ride to get there and back. I had fun talking to Sister Roper and reminiscing (sp?) about the good old times we had together here in P-town. But the conference itself was great. It was a little hard to concentrate with all the kids etc in such a big room but there were some good talks. I especially enjoyed the talks given by the Rhien's. It was so sad because at the end of the conference after the closing prayer, the district choir all started singing "god be with you till we meet again" in english to the Rhiens. It was really touching and they were all balling. They're finishing the same time Dad and Mom are and the people, especially us missionaries are going to miss them big time! They are amazing people.
We've had some great visits with less-actives lately. It's something I never really thought of before the mission....the importance of in-active work. But there's just so many here and it's sad. But I love visiting them and trying to help them remember the feelings they had at their baptism... help them remember their conversion stories and just read and pray with them. It's always a rewarding experience. We try to help them see the importance of the little things such as reading the scriptures daily and praying as a start on the path back to re-activation in church. We had a dinner appointment with a women member in our ward on Monday night, Sorella Sonnellini. She's and her daughter (who's away at school) are the only members in her family. Her husband and son aren't. But she is just one of my favorite people. I can tell that she struggles because of this situation but she's so faithful and one that really personifies the principle of "enduring to the end." She teaches gospel principles in the branch and is awesome. She has many cool stories that she's shared and just a strong testimony. One of my heros here.
Yesterday we went to Firenze again for interviews. They were great. I love talking to Sister Rhien and President. Also yesterday was a holiday here in Italy, so that means here in little Prato no busses were running! That made the work a little hard. We walked all over and tried to find a referral but she wasn't home. Then walked all the way to the other side of town to find another and everyone was just not home. Then we went into centro and it started down-pouring and everyone went inside. So, not the best day for visiting or finding work but we had fun nonetheless.
Well, it's the last week of the transfer. There's so many possibilities for me. I could stay here in Prato or I could be transferred somewhere else. By next email I'll know.
I love this work and I love you all and love hearing from you.
Thanks for everything!
Love Sorella B.
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