Hi from Rome!
Happy Birthday to all the birthday's....Paul and others!
These weeks are flying and already another transfer is ending! We got our transfer calls and we get our wish and are staying together! Yea! We're happy and I'm glad I get to end with such a cool companion.
This week....
Thursday was a day full of finding work. It's just been really hard to get appointments lately with all of our contacts, they are either working or out of Rome for work or sick! But, I always enjoy doing finding work so it's all good. We got a few phone numbers from people with whom we spoke so we'll see what comes of them.
Friday morning we had to go to the other side of Rome to finally get my permesso, my permit to be in the country. After more than a year it finally came through! Haha, so that took all morning. We had a funny time waiting in line with all these different foreigners. I talked with a lady from some African country by Ethiopia. Interesting. Then I got fingerprinted and handprinted. At the end she said, okay, we'll see you back here in about 6 months....haha, I just smiled and nodded. Poor Italian government struggles! Friday night we had a good lesson with Yana. We talked more about the restoration and gave her the invite to be baptized when she knew that what we were teaching was true.
Saturday morning we met with new convert Nancy and her 7 year old cute little boy. We had a lesson all planned for Nancy but had to change it on the spot so that her son could listen to. It was impromptu but went well, talking about the 2000 warriors of Helaman and how the mothers knew it etc etc etc. We had exchanges set up for Saturday afternoon but unfortunately, they fell through. A member who's my age, Andrea and I were going to go to an appointment with our investigator Rita while my comp and another member our age were going to go do some finding. But Andrea called and said she was sick, then Rita called and cancelled. So, it was going to be cool but I guess we'll have to do it another time.
Sunday was church. The man who got baptized, Ivan, received the Holy Ghost in Sacrament meeting and then the aaronic priesthood too! He even chopped of his long hair! He's soo cool and now a member of the ward! Then we headed into Centro to sing with all of the other missionaries in Piazza Navona.
Monday...district meeting like always and then we had an appointment with Concetta again. She totally doesn't understand the plan of salvation so we're going to plan a good lesson for next time. She's so nice and we really want for her to be able to come to church again.
Yesterday we tried to stop by Claudio and Maria's in the morning. We are getting sort of sad about this situation because we go and ring the door and we can hear them looking through the peep-hole that all Italian doors have, and then they just don't open! So we don't know if they're interested anymore. We'll see. Then in the evening we went out to Cave again to visit with a member, Maria Ramos, and her son and then her non-member husband. Her husband has been to church the past 3 Sundays so she wanted us to come and have a lesson with the whole family. We found out that he doesn't like church at all. He was raised in an orphanage type place that was very strict and orderly and doesn't like how on Sunday we have relief society and priesthood separated and then everyone goes to Sunday school, and then everyone moves again for sacrament meeting. And he was complaining about all the men looking the same wearing white shirts and ties. Absolutely just doesn't like the orderliness of it all. Oh brother! That's the first time I've heard complaints about that aspect of the church. I've always marveled at the incredible organization of the church. He's nice though, just an intellectual and introvert.
And that brings me to today. We are having a relaxed day... just doing the shopping and hopefully writing some letters! Thanks for the package Jenn and Jack! And mom, the package you sent got stuck in customs and I have to pay 6 Euro to get it just fyi, no problem though.
Okay, sorry, I feel like this is a boring email but it'll be better next week because miracles will happen!
Love you all,
Sorella Boynton
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
20 FEB 2008
Ciao ancora una volta!
First of all a shout out to my bosom bud.......JENN.......Have a wonderful wedding! Congrats my friend!!! I'll be thinking of you Friday!
This week as really flown by, it's seems like things are getting busier and busier.
Thursday we had a Zone Blitz where all the missionaries in our Zone got together and did some exchanges and just did finding work all morning. It was fun and we taught a good amount of lessons and invited people to come to our english class. It's a good way to get all the wild ragazzi here to at least think about church things! We also stopped by Rita, one of the new investigators and she is just crazy busy! We brought her some cookies and she said for sure we'll met for a lesson this week...speriamo bene.
Friday we did weekly programming in the morning and tried so hard to get an appointment with Claudio and Maria, the other new investigators but they just weren't answering the phone. So we decided just to go drop by their house and left a Book of Mormon in Romanian outside the door for Maria. Hopefully we can see them this week.
We also met with an old investigator who was nice but not really ready to commit. Then we decided to do some house. We choose a palazzo to knock and started ringing the citofono. The second one we rang let us in. We walked up the stairs and saw this lady welcoming us in. This has happened a number of times on my mission and it's always a little scary because you don't know whether they are going to be crazy like that one hypnotizing lady in Oristano or golden like others. This one is pretty golden! Her name is Zohra and she's from Tunisia but has lived in Italy for over 15 years. She told us how right before we rang she had been in her room praying for a sign and that's right when we rang. She said to us, " you said you have a message of Jesus Christ, so let's hear it!" We got to teach her a brief first lesson and she was very interested and said she believed all of it! She said she wanted to come to church but she was sick and so wasn't able to make it on Sunday but really wants to come this sunday! She is a cristian and has so much faith in Jesus Christ. She's had her fair share of trials, like her 26 year old daughter passing away while giving birth to her second son. We are so excited about her and know that the gospel can really help her. So cool to see Heavenly Father's hand in guiding us to her that night.
Saturday morning we went with our Elders, some members and contacts to play volleyball. It was fun and reminded me of when I was in Milano and went to play volleyball with those missionaries. That night we had an appointment with Elena, that lady I met with that one Sunday night we were singing in the Piazza. We talked to her for a while and she's just not ready, she said, to be spiritual right now when there are no material things for her. Va beh.
Sunday was great and we had two investigators in church. Marilena and then the daughter of Tawna, a member. The talks were amazingly perfect for them and now we are beginning to teach Tawna's daughter, Yana. We had a family home evening with them on Monday night and hope that we can continue to teach her. She's 18 and just really with it, kind of a fireball but awesome.
Yesterday there was a baptism so that was neat to go to. Our Elders have been teaching this Romanian guy named Ivan. He's awesome and so it was his baptism yesterday. We tried so hard to invite our investigators to come but eveyone is just so darn busy that none came!
Today we went to the Zoo here in Rome with all the other Rome missionaries. It was beautiful weather and we had lots of fun. This week is week 5 of the transfer which means we get transfer calls yet again next Monday. I'm obviously staying here in Rome and we are hoping that we get to stay together but we'll see.
Life is so good as a missionary and I just have to treasure every minute because I know time is going to fly this next month!
Thanks for your emails and love, support, and prayers!
Love you all,
Sorella Boynton
First of all a shout out to my bosom bud.......JENN.......Have a wonderful wedding! Congrats my friend!!! I'll be thinking of you Friday!
This week as really flown by, it's seems like things are getting busier and busier.
Thursday we had a Zone Blitz where all the missionaries in our Zone got together and did some exchanges and just did finding work all morning. It was fun and we taught a good amount of lessons and invited people to come to our english class. It's a good way to get all the wild ragazzi here to at least think about church things! We also stopped by Rita, one of the new investigators and she is just crazy busy! We brought her some cookies and she said for sure we'll met for a lesson this week...speriamo bene.
Friday we did weekly programming in the morning and tried so hard to get an appointment with Claudio and Maria, the other new investigators but they just weren't answering the phone. So we decided just to go drop by their house and left a Book of Mormon in Romanian outside the door for Maria. Hopefully we can see them this week.
We also met with an old investigator who was nice but not really ready to commit. Then we decided to do some house. We choose a palazzo to knock and started ringing the citofono. The second one we rang let us in. We walked up the stairs and saw this lady welcoming us in. This has happened a number of times on my mission and it's always a little scary because you don't know whether they are going to be crazy like that one hypnotizing lady in Oristano or golden like others. This one is pretty golden! Her name is Zohra and she's from Tunisia but has lived in Italy for over 15 years. She told us how right before we rang she had been in her room praying for a sign and that's right when we rang. She said to us, " you said you have a message of Jesus Christ, so let's hear it!" We got to teach her a brief first lesson and she was very interested and said she believed all of it! She said she wanted to come to church but she was sick and so wasn't able to make it on Sunday but really wants to come this sunday! She is a cristian and has so much faith in Jesus Christ. She's had her fair share of trials, like her 26 year old daughter passing away while giving birth to her second son. We are so excited about her and know that the gospel can really help her. So cool to see Heavenly Father's hand in guiding us to her that night.
Saturday morning we went with our Elders, some members and contacts to play volleyball. It was fun and reminded me of when I was in Milano and went to play volleyball with those missionaries. That night we had an appointment with Elena, that lady I met with that one Sunday night we were singing in the Piazza. We talked to her for a while and she's just not ready, she said, to be spiritual right now when there are no material things for her. Va beh.
Sunday was great and we had two investigators in church. Marilena and then the daughter of Tawna, a member. The talks were amazingly perfect for them and now we are beginning to teach Tawna's daughter, Yana. We had a family home evening with them on Monday night and hope that we can continue to teach her. She's 18 and just really with it, kind of a fireball but awesome.
Yesterday there was a baptism so that was neat to go to. Our Elders have been teaching this Romanian guy named Ivan. He's awesome and so it was his baptism yesterday. We tried so hard to invite our investigators to come but eveyone is just so darn busy that none came!
Today we went to the Zoo here in Rome with all the other Rome missionaries. It was beautiful weather and we had lots of fun. This week is week 5 of the transfer which means we get transfer calls yet again next Monday. I'm obviously staying here in Rome and we are hoping that we get to stay together but we'll see.
Life is so good as a missionary and I just have to treasure every minute because I know time is going to fly this next month!
Thanks for your emails and love, support, and prayers!
Love you all,
Sorella Boynton
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
13 FEB 2008
Whoa it's already mid-February, I can't believe how fast time is flying these days! I wish everyone a Happy Valentine's Day tomorrow!
This week had been incredible, filled with many many miracles! Last week after doing email we hurried to an appointment with a lady we had never met named Rita. She was a referral from the elders. She was expecting us to come and when she opened the door she was so suprised that we were so young! I think she was expecting older women but she invited us in and we sat at her kitchen table and talked to her. She told us a little bit about her past...marriages and divorces and how she is just barely getting by these days as a single parent of 3. Tears flowed from her and like so many other times on my mission I had to try to keep back the tears as well. It's hard seeing these people just trying to hang in there! We told her that our message would help her and then went in to teaching her a first lesson about the restoration. She listened intently to the Joseph Smith story and we left her with the invite to read a chapter in the Book of Mormon and pray to know what we taught her was true. The spirit was strong and as we left after having said a prayer she said "I was crying when you first came and now as you leave I'm happy and feel good." Anyway, it was a really neat experience and she's a new investigator. Hopefully we'll see her again tomorrow.
Thursday we met with another investigator, Asia Rhina. She is probably nearly 60 and comes from Santo Domingo. She is great but due to her work can never come to church which is an obstacle. We'll continue teaching her and praying that some way she can come to church. Thursday evening we did an exchange with the Rome 2 sisters. I stayed here in Rome 3 and an Italian sister, Sister Mura, came here and we worked together that afternoon and evening. We did some finding work in the park and then we had an appointment with another lady we had never met, Carmen, also from Santo Domingo (wierd huh!). She's probably 50 and has heard about missionaries before. There was nowhere to go because she's in the middle of leaving her husband so she didn't want to go have the lesson at home. We sat in a little park in the middle of a piazza and taught her a first lesson until we were all freezing. It was really neat to be with an Italian and teach with sister Mura! It was a good lesson and we'll meet again with Carmen next week because she's out of town now.
Friday we had one of the most amazing lessons, maybe of my whole misison. The sister before I got here met a couple doing street. We finally got a hold of them and set up the appointment for Friday. We got to their apartment and met them. Claudio is Italian and Maria is from Romania. They've been married for like 3 years and have 2 little kids. We got to know them a little bit and talked a little about what they believed etc., normal intro stuff, and then we told them we wanted to share our message and told them how much it could help them. This was one of the most incredible lessons ever. It was a first lesson aimed at the family because, obviously, they're a family. Everything that was said came out perfect, one of those "open your mouth and it will be filled" lessons. The spirit was amazingly strong and they were all listening intently. We pointed out the spirit and asked them how they felt. We left them with the invite to read and pray together and promised them they could find more happiness with this message. When Sister Steensen and I got out of that lesson we were smiling from ear to ear and sooo excited! These people are amazing and the spirit had taught the lesson! We are going back this week! So this past week we got 4 new investigators and now the work is exploding! We are so excited for these people and pray that they can progress in the gospel!
Saturday we got to watch the broadcast of the worldwide training meeting. I liked it a lot! What an emphasis on the family. Thanks mom and dad for all that you did and do for our family!
Sunday was a great day too. We went to church as usual and then had zone singing that evening. We all met in Piazza del Popolo and sang the hymns and talked to people that stopped to listen. I had been singing for a while and was praying that someone would stop so I could teach them. I saw this lady stop and went out to talk to her. She was from Romania and told me she was here alone working. I could tell she was lonely and needed to know that she was a daughter of Heavenly Father who loved her. I told her that He loved her and she started crying. She asked me if it was true and I assured her that it was. I told her our message could bring her happiness and she continued to recount how she was living under the stairs in some building. Anyways, we probably talked for a good half an hour. She wouldn't except a Book of Mormon but she gave me her number so hopefully we can call her and get her one in Romanian. It was a neat experience.
Monday was great too. We had interviews at the mission home in the morning. President Acerson is amazing as usual and I thanked him for his work and he thanked me for mine. The Acersons are amazing and I love them a lot. That night we had an appointment with a girl named Marilena. She's an investigator of many years and just can't quite commit to things. But she called us and wanted to meet so we did. She's the cutest girl ever and really searching for answers. We met on the Spanish Steps (who has lessons on the Spanish Steps! only the porsche-a girl I guess!) and tried to help her as best we could. We'll see how it goes with her.
Yesterday we had a member appointment and did some finding work. So it's been a pretty busy week and FULL of miracles. We are so exciting to be here working together. Sorella Steensen is awesome and we have lots of fun laughing and working together. I couldn't be happier!
Hope you all have a wonderful week.
Love Sorella Boynton
This week had been incredible, filled with many many miracles! Last week after doing email we hurried to an appointment with a lady we had never met named Rita. She was a referral from the elders. She was expecting us to come and when she opened the door she was so suprised that we were so young! I think she was expecting older women but she invited us in and we sat at her kitchen table and talked to her. She told us a little bit about her past...marriages and divorces and how she is just barely getting by these days as a single parent of 3. Tears flowed from her and like so many other times on my mission I had to try to keep back the tears as well. It's hard seeing these people just trying to hang in there! We told her that our message would help her and then went in to teaching her a first lesson about the restoration. She listened intently to the Joseph Smith story and we left her with the invite to read a chapter in the Book of Mormon and pray to know what we taught her was true. The spirit was strong and as we left after having said a prayer she said "I was crying when you first came and now as you leave I'm happy and feel good." Anyway, it was a really neat experience and she's a new investigator. Hopefully we'll see her again tomorrow.
Thursday we met with another investigator, Asia Rhina. She is probably nearly 60 and comes from Santo Domingo. She is great but due to her work can never come to church which is an obstacle. We'll continue teaching her and praying that some way she can come to church. Thursday evening we did an exchange with the Rome 2 sisters. I stayed here in Rome 3 and an Italian sister, Sister Mura, came here and we worked together that afternoon and evening. We did some finding work in the park and then we had an appointment with another lady we had never met, Carmen, also from Santo Domingo (wierd huh!). She's probably 50 and has heard about missionaries before. There was nowhere to go because she's in the middle of leaving her husband so she didn't want to go have the lesson at home. We sat in a little park in the middle of a piazza and taught her a first lesson until we were all freezing. It was really neat to be with an Italian and teach with sister Mura! It was a good lesson and we'll meet again with Carmen next week because she's out of town now.
Friday we had one of the most amazing lessons, maybe of my whole misison. The sister before I got here met a couple doing street. We finally got a hold of them and set up the appointment for Friday. We got to their apartment and met them. Claudio is Italian and Maria is from Romania. They've been married for like 3 years and have 2 little kids. We got to know them a little bit and talked a little about what they believed etc., normal intro stuff, and then we told them we wanted to share our message and told them how much it could help them. This was one of the most incredible lessons ever. It was a first lesson aimed at the family because, obviously, they're a family. Everything that was said came out perfect, one of those "open your mouth and it will be filled" lessons. The spirit was amazingly strong and they were all listening intently. We pointed out the spirit and asked them how they felt. We left them with the invite to read and pray together and promised them they could find more happiness with this message. When Sister Steensen and I got out of that lesson we were smiling from ear to ear and sooo excited! These people are amazing and the spirit had taught the lesson! We are going back this week! So this past week we got 4 new investigators and now the work is exploding! We are so excited for these people and pray that they can progress in the gospel!
Saturday we got to watch the broadcast of the worldwide training meeting. I liked it a lot! What an emphasis on the family. Thanks mom and dad for all that you did and do for our family!
Sunday was a great day too. We went to church as usual and then had zone singing that evening. We all met in Piazza del Popolo and sang the hymns and talked to people that stopped to listen. I had been singing for a while and was praying that someone would stop so I could teach them. I saw this lady stop and went out to talk to her. She was from Romania and told me she was here alone working. I could tell she was lonely and needed to know that she was a daughter of Heavenly Father who loved her. I told her that He loved her and she started crying. She asked me if it was true and I assured her that it was. I told her our message could bring her happiness and she continued to recount how she was living under the stairs in some building. Anyways, we probably talked for a good half an hour. She wouldn't except a Book of Mormon but she gave me her number so hopefully we can call her and get her one in Romanian. It was a neat experience.
Monday was great too. We had interviews at the mission home in the morning. President Acerson is amazing as usual and I thanked him for his work and he thanked me for mine. The Acersons are amazing and I love them a lot. That night we had an appointment with a girl named Marilena. She's an investigator of many years and just can't quite commit to things. But she called us and wanted to meet so we did. She's the cutest girl ever and really searching for answers. We met on the Spanish Steps (who has lessons on the Spanish Steps! only the porsche-a girl I guess!) and tried to help her as best we could. We'll see how it goes with her.
Yesterday we had a member appointment and did some finding work. So it's been a pretty busy week and FULL of miracles. We are so exciting to be here working together. Sorella Steensen is awesome and we have lots of fun laughing and working together. I couldn't be happier!
Hope you all have a wonderful week.
Love Sorella Boynton
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
6 Feb 2008
First of all, HAPPY WEDDING TO AUBREE this week, getting hitched on the 9th, whoop whoop! Congrats my friend!
Today for p-day we went to the Vatican museums! We went with a bunch of other Rome missionaries and it was quite amazing. I'm wishing more and more after every p-day that I knew more about the amazing history of Rome! But it was really exciting to be able to see the famous Sistine Chapel! Incredible. This next part is especially for Tom and Andy but anybody else who knows what a neck-o is might get a kick out of his: As I was looking up at the painting on the ceiling I then dropped my head and looked at everyone else looking up. I looked around me and saw all of these bare necks and they were all just yelling..."come give me a neck-o!" haha. So, I decided one of the things I want to do before I die is come back to the Sistine Chapel and run through it giving everybody huge neck-o's!!! Tell me what you think about that! Anyways, on to more important things.....
This week was great. On Thursday we met with an inactive lady that we found, Concetta. She's a really nice lady but just lost contact with members of the church and felt sort of abbandoned (I can't spell anymore, sorry!). We had a good lesson with her and hopefully we can slowly get her back. One of our members got in a car accident last week so we were able to stop by the hospital and give her some flowers. I'm glad we stopped by because no one from the ward had stopped by yet! She was happy to see us and it's nice to be able to just go about doing good.
Saturday we had an appointment with a member, Sorella Franca. She's older and can't read so we went and she likes to have us read her a little bit from the gospel principles manual with her. She's really amazing and her husband is less active. She was so happy because for the first time in all of their marriage (they've almost been married for 50 years!) he prayed with her! He's never done that before so she was so grateful for that. We ate a huge lunch with them! Saturday night we were able to go to the church and watch President Hinckley's funeral. It was great. I enjoyed it a lot.
Sunday was pretty normal. We went to church and then spent the afternoon doing finding work. It was raining hard to our plan to go talk to people in the park was sort of ruined so we just did some house. I'm lucky and really don't mind doing house. Ever since that amazing experience with Rossella in Prato and her letting us in doing house, I have faith that we can find another "Rosella!"
Monday we had DDM as usual. I gave the addestramento, probably not one of most exciting ones I've ever done but hopefully someone got something out of it. I always learn a lot preparing them so I enjoyed it!
Yesterday we met with a daughter of a Peruvian member in the ward. She got here to Italy like two months ago and is trying to learn Italian etc and just get situated so it was fun to get to know her and hopefully we can help integrate her into the ward.
Well, times up. We have to run to an appointment with a potential investigator so hopefully things go well!
Thanks for everything! Got your packages Ell and Shirley! Thanks a million. Until next week...
Love,
Sorella Boynton
Today for p-day we went to the Vatican museums! We went with a bunch of other Rome missionaries and it was quite amazing. I'm wishing more and more after every p-day that I knew more about the amazing history of Rome! But it was really exciting to be able to see the famous Sistine Chapel! Incredible. This next part is especially for Tom and Andy but anybody else who knows what a neck-o is might get a kick out of his: As I was looking up at the painting on the ceiling I then dropped my head and looked at everyone else looking up. I looked around me and saw all of these bare necks and they were all just yelling..."come give me a neck-o!" haha. So, I decided one of the things I want to do before I die is come back to the Sistine Chapel and run through it giving everybody huge neck-o's!!! Tell me what you think about that! Anyways, on to more important things.....
This week was great. On Thursday we met with an inactive lady that we found, Concetta. She's a really nice lady but just lost contact with members of the church and felt sort of abbandoned (I can't spell anymore, sorry!). We had a good lesson with her and hopefully we can slowly get her back. One of our members got in a car accident last week so we were able to stop by the hospital and give her some flowers. I'm glad we stopped by because no one from the ward had stopped by yet! She was happy to see us and it's nice to be able to just go about doing good.
Saturday we had an appointment with a member, Sorella Franca. She's older and can't read so we went and she likes to have us read her a little bit from the gospel principles manual with her. She's really amazing and her husband is less active. She was so happy because for the first time in all of their marriage (they've almost been married for 50 years!) he prayed with her! He's never done that before so she was so grateful for that. We ate a huge lunch with them! Saturday night we were able to go to the church and watch President Hinckley's funeral. It was great. I enjoyed it a lot.
Sunday was pretty normal. We went to church and then spent the afternoon doing finding work. It was raining hard to our plan to go talk to people in the park was sort of ruined so we just did some house. I'm lucky and really don't mind doing house. Ever since that amazing experience with Rossella in Prato and her letting us in doing house, I have faith that we can find another "Rosella!"
Monday we had DDM as usual. I gave the addestramento, probably not one of most exciting ones I've ever done but hopefully someone got something out of it. I always learn a lot preparing them so I enjoyed it!
Yesterday we met with a daughter of a Peruvian member in the ward. She got here to Italy like two months ago and is trying to learn Italian etc and just get situated so it was fun to get to know her and hopefully we can help integrate her into the ward.
Well, times up. We have to run to an appointment with a potential investigator so hopefully things go well!
Thanks for everything! Got your packages Ell and Shirley! Thanks a million. Until next week...
Love,
Sorella Boynton
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