27 Jun 2007

Ciao Tutti,

It's been quite an eventful week.

Transfers were thursday and I had the train ride by myself to Livorno.

I've had such a great week. I love it here in Livorno... well actually I'm writing from Pisa today because my comp, Sorella Bruno, left for Rome this morning for a 3 month conference with all the missionaries she was in the MTC with. So I'm doing exchanges today with a sister in Pisa (her comp went down to Rome too.) I think I've seen all of Tuscany now! hehe. I'll be staying here until tomorrow. But anyway, Livorno is awesome. It's a LOT different from Prato, a little more modern and probably a little bigger. And the best part is that Livorno is a BIKE city!! Yeah, that's right, we get to put on our helmets, mount the bikes in our skirts, and hit the road! It's so fun I love it. I'm out of shape but hopefully this will help me get into shape! I've heard that Livorno is the best place to be in the summer because it doesn't get too hot. There is always a nice breeze blowing... not too good for the bike/skirt combo but it all works out. It's right on the sea and although not the most beautiful port city, is pretty enough. I'm so happy to be able to serve here. My comp Sorella Bruno is awesome. She's just a little ball of energy and is going to be really fun. I have lots to learn... the city... and the people we're working with... but all in good time.

The other highlight of the week was meeting with Mom, Dad, and Andy!!! We met together on Tuesday afternoon and had lunch together (I'm sure they'll blog it!). It was a short visit, probably 2 hours, but I absolutely LOVED seeing them before they head back there on Monday. It was cool to be sitting there all as missionaries in Italy! THANKS again you guys for making the effort to come down! And good luck with the trip home! Hope all the fam has fun welcoming them home. Since I can't be there in person you all have to promise me you'll write about it! I want to hear all about it in the emails next week! So you better all write me, send me pics, etc! I want every detail! (or send me the blog sites!)

Allora, not much else to say. I love this work and I love this gospel. I can't wait to get to work here in Livorno and find those who are ready to commit to the gospel and find the joy that it brings. It truly brings a joy that's hard to explain! You're all wonderful and I miss you all and think of you often and your wonderful examples.

Ci sentiamo!
Sorella Boynton

20 June 2007

TRANSFERS...........

.........get out your maps because I'm being transferred! I'm leaving Prato tomorrow morning and heading to the coast! Livorno will be my second city!

It seems like it was a really busy week. Everyone knew transfers where coming so we were fixing last appointments with everyone. We had lunch with the Bagni family Sunday. They are strong members and have had us over occasionally. Their son is on a mission in London and are awesome to us missionaries.

Monday morning we headed to Pistoia for our district meeting and for transfer calls! We hadn't even started the meeting yet when President called. We passed around the phone and told us who was staying and going. I was nervous but excited also. Presdent Rhien told me I was going to be transferred (sp?) to Livorno and be a follow-up trainer/senior comp to Sorella Bruno. Yikes... it seems like I just got trained and now I have to be the older one in the companionship! One fun adventure after the other here on the mission!! I'm really excited though. I've heard a lot about Livorno and how the work and members are outstanding. However, my companion now, Sorella Lederer also talked to President and she's getting transferred also! Which was a surprise, and which means they're closing the companionship of sisters here in Prato. : ( We're losing more sisters than are coming in and that means there needed to be a city closed. So, good old Prato got the boot. Another set of Elders are being blown in and will take over our "sisters palace." (it's known as being the nicest sisters apartment in the mission! and now smelly elders are going to move in and ruin it!) Sorella Lederer will have a short transfer... she's just going over to work in Firenze... funny thing is she'll be with my old comp, Sorella Roper! Crazy how things work out. They also might take a couple days out of the transfer to work in Prato. So, that's what's happening, really crazy and exciting!

Tuesday we met for the last time with some of my favorite people. First, good old Sorella Lombardo, the inactive who we visited often and cleaned for! We told her we were both going and when I told her I was going to Livorno she said, oh yes, i've been there. Then she started telling us all about her travels. I made the BIG mistake of asked if she had photos of these places. She asked if we wanted to see them and then there we sat for 45 minutes looking at all these old photos and listening to her describe each one! It was funny though and she had a great time telling us all about her family. We shared a quick scripture, snapped a photo (one of the funniest I've taken on the mission, I'll have to send y'all a copy) and left.

We then went to the last incredible visit with Rossella and Salvatore. They had called Monday night to ask if we could meet a little later and asked us where I was going. We told them we were BOTH going and they were suprised and sad. Anyways, they looked at my photos of the fam that I had and when I told him dad's name... Rodney... he got a good kick out of the hard sounding R! Even funnier was him impersonating it! Haha. Gotta love his humor! I'm going to miss it! After visiting for a while they brought out these gifts for both of us... some cookies that are famous here in prato and then a pretty towel. Man, they didn't have to do that! They are way to attached to us so I think it's good that we are both leaving! We said we wanted to share a quick spiritual thought and as always asked who wanted to say the opening prayer. Rossella had NEVER said the pray during all of our visits and she hopped up, got her Book of Mormon and got out this little prayer that she had written... she said this time she was prepared! She said (read) the most amazing, sincere prayer, thanking Heavenly Father for the time we had spent together... sounds cheesy but both me and her were in tears. She couldn't finish reading it and had to have Salvatore finish it. We shared a scripture and thanked them for everything. We closed with a prayer, took a photo, and left. Rossella wrote each of us the nicest note ever and metioned how grateful she was for planting a seed within her. With us both leaving, I don't know what will happen with them. We've taught them all the lessons and now it's up to them. But like I said, they need some time. We'll have the Anziani go over also and at least keep contact. It was hard to say goodbye but I'm sure we'll keep in contact.

That was the highlight of my week, definitely!

Today we have been cleaning and packing and packing and cleaning. I'm tired and can't wait to get settled in Livorno.

I can't believe my time in Prato is up. It's been 4 transfers full of amazing people and experiences and lots of learning! But change is good.

Thanks for everything like always. I'm sorry I haven't been able to write any letters but as soon as everything gets settled I promise I'll write! I love you all and love being supported by you as a missionary. It's amazing work to be involved in.

Love ya,

Sorella Boynton

13 JUNE 2007

Last week of transfers... which probably means my last week in Prato. We'll get transfer calls next Monday and then Thursday I'll probably be headed out unless for some crazy, unkown reason, I stay here in Prato for a fifth transfer! I don't know if I could handle it! But I've loved serving in Prato. Those post cards I sent out to the neices and nephews make it look a lot prettier than it really is but I've loved it nonethless. It will be sad to leave all the people I've come to know and love but I'm REALLY excited for a change. So, my guess is Dad already knows where I'm going ; ) because him and pres. rhien have a pretty good line of communication and he seems to always know things before I do! But don't ruin the suprise Dad! I let you all know next week where I'll be headed! I'm pretty sure I'll stay here in Tuscany... my guess is I'm going to Florence or La Spezia! We'll see!

This week was great. The baptism of Elisa went amazingly well. We finished teaching her everything and finished getting the program all set with speakers, hymns, etc. And Friday was the big day. The service was beautiful and went really smooth... actually... I just remembered a minor detail. It was funny because one of the young men in the branch baptized her and it took her 4 times to get under the water!!! Our investigators Rossella and Salvatore were there and so I had to explain to them the whole "immersion" part of the baptism. It was sort of funny and I was just praying on the fourth try that she would get all the way under. She finally did and everyone was happy! She also received the gift oh the Holy Ghost that same night as well. We went and had pizza with her and the family after the baptism and then had to say goodbye because she would be heading back home up to Padova the next day. It's been amazing to see the conversion process and to see someone who is so open, willing, and sincerely wanting to follow Jesus Christ.

At the baptism...our relief society president gave a talk on the holy ghost and related a story of when she was on her mission and how they were teaching this family and how she had fasted to know what to do about them. She said that as she ran into them one day she got the feeling from the holy ghost that this wasn't the right time for this family. So... obviously, since Rossella and Salvatore were there, they heard this story and after the baptism when they were leaving Rossella said to me... don't you be fasting for us! We both just laughed and I thought in my head... "too late Rossella...we already have!"

We met with them, Rossella and Salvatore again yesterday. We talked about what they thought about the baptism. They said it was fine, different but nice. We then continued teaching them the rest of the third lesson...talked about baptism and the Holy Ghost. I just don't know what to do with them to tell you the truth. Rossella keeps her commitments...she reads the Book of Mormon and says she thinks it's true. We told them it just always goes back to the fact that if the book is true, it means Joseph was a prophet and the the church, with the proper AUTHORITY, has been restored. That's were she is stuck. They told us they weren't ready to get baptized at this point but know that through more study they could maybe become ready later on. It was a great lesson and the spirit, like always, was present in full-force. We told them of the possiblity of my being transferred so they said, "oh you have to for sure come next week before you go!" Of course I wouldn't leave without saying bye to them! So, we'll have my last visit with them next week! :( They're some of the Lord's elect. I know this and they only need a little time.

Okay, times up. Loved hearing about Andy's Prom and all the other stuff. I love you all and love being a missionary! Time to work it up the last week here in Prato!

Sorella Boynton

6 June 2007

CRAZY......that's what this week has been. Crazy and amazing.

You all ready for this!.........

So, this whole time I've been in Prato we've, on occasion, gone to visit these two older ladies in our ward, the Sorelle Trevisan. They are old and are converts of about 30 years and just fun to go visit. One is the mother who's probably 85 and the other is the daughter who's probably 65 something, maybe older. Three weeks ago the niece, Elisa who's 26 years old (the mothers grandaughter of course) came to visit. She came to church with them and her little baby boy who's 6 months old named Daniel. We found out that she'd be staying for about 3 weeks and we talked to the Sorelle Trevisan at church and they wanted us to come over for a visit. We went and taught a first lesson to her and it went well and she seemed interested. She came to church again the next sunday and we went over after church and taught a second lesson. She would read the chapters we left for her and was so willing to do everything. This past Saturday we had interviews with President Rhien in Florence. He always asks how the work is going and we told him about this Elisa. We told him it was sad because she was heading home in a week. His advice to us was baptize her before she goes back home! We were suprised but it just made sense... why not baptize her before she goes home? We went to church the next day and the gospel priciples lesson was inspired. It was exactly on the subject of baptism and Elisa walked in with her baby about 5 minutes into the lesson. She had already read the manual the night before and was answering all the questions! So, we set an appointment again for that Sunday afternoon. We went and taught a third lesson. The spirit was amazing and we did it... we invited her to be baptized. She said "yes...that was my intention. We (her and her aunt and grandma) talked about it after church today." We were so excited! We told her that it was possible, if she wanted, to have the baptism on Friday before she leaves on Sunday. She said yep, that's what she wants. SO......... we've got a baptismal date set for this Friday the 8th. Since Sunday we've met with her everyday because we have to teach her all of the commandments before she's baptized. It's been incredibly easy though because her aunt and grandma are always sitting in on the lessons with us and most of the time have already explained everything to Elisa. We taught about the Word of Wisdom and she already knew about it and had stopped smoking on Sunday. We've checked up on her everday and hasn't smoked since. She's really incredible.

I really believe she is the elect that President Rhien talked about at our Zone Conference. They are the people who you don't have to beg to come to church...the people who read without being asked... and the people who just have the sincere desire to do what's right and follow Christ.

Pretty cool huh? I think so. We'll finish teaching her the commandments Thursday and she'll be baptized Friday night. We're in the thick of things trying to get the program all figured out and who'll baptize her and all that. It's been an incredible experience and to say that it's because of us missionaries that she's getting baptized would be bogus. I've come to learn more than ever how important members are in missionary work.

A lot of the time people think that missionaries are supposed to do it all... the finding and the teaching. But in Preach My Gospel, President Hinckley says something like... "anybody knows that in missionary work there is a better way....and that's through members." Of course finding works too, look at Rossella and Salvatore, but it's just better through members.

Speaking of Rossella and Salvatore....we had a visit with them yesterday. They are my favorites. I say that everytime but only because it's true! Unfortunately they haven't progressed very much in these days but we're so excited about this baptism because they are going to come! We taught them a little bit of the third lesson but didn't get to baptism because they always talk a lot and ask a lot of questions. Slowly but surely with them. I just feel so comfortable when we are there and the spirit is always there. Salvatore is such a jokester, I love his sense of humor! I wish you could all met them! One day!

Everything else is going good here in P-town. I've been getting a little sad knowing that in about 2 and a half weeks I'll probably be leaving! I'll have been here for 6 months. I was sitting in church last week and just looking around at all the members who I've come to love and respect so much...even the crazy ones...each ward has em! I love this work!

Thanks for your prayers and support. You don't know how much it helps!

Love you all and miss you!

Un baccione!

Sorella Boynton

p.s. HAPPY BIRTHDAY LITTLE CASH!! 1 year old!!! I'll be home for your
2nd Birthday okay!!!

p.s. THANKS Titi, Aub, and Casey for the awesome package! You guys are
rad. I'll be writing you soon.