April 25, 2012 Pordenone, Italy

First of all, sorry i am a bit late mother. We just got back from a part member family's house for a Festa della Liberazione BBQ! So much fun. This family is from Sicily. Palermo to be exact. And since it's a holiday they invited us over. Their little boy, Piero, is getting baptized next Saturday. So fun! They made SO much meat. I'll have to attach pictures. But it was out in the beautiful country side. 

Pordenone is so great! It's quite a bit bigger than Cuneo. Everything is super spread out. Our first two days here we didn't have the third bike up and running so we did A LOT of walking. It was exhausting. But now the bikes are up and running and it's great. It's a beautiful city. There are trees everywhere! A lovely combination of palms and pines. ha. And not nearly as much cigarette smoke! And it's so clean! I love this city already. It was hard to leave Cuneo and all of the wonderful people that I had come to know there, but so many people here have already jumped right into my heart and I am so content.

So remember how I'm like the luckiest to have TWO gems of companions? It is a festa every day. I love them both so much. Sorella Walton is from Boise, and Sorella Lloyd is from Lehi. They are both so talented and such great missionaries! Sorella Walton is like this bundle full of joy. Every one around her just automatically smiles. Whenever someone tells us they did something that's great or cool (like reading their scriptures, for example) she says 'woo hoo!' haha. I love it so much. And Sorella Lloyd is like miss future broadway diva. She has an amazing voice. I can't wait to see her in a broadway someday. We called President last night after we set a baptismal date and they heard us giggle and Sorella Wolfgramm just yelled 'you're not having any fun are you?!' They have no idea... haha. I love it! I thought it would be weird teaching and in finding situations but so far we haven't had any real craziness. Some confusion sometimes (Sorella Walton has accidentally called Sorella Lloyd and I Sorella Floyd a few times... no big.), but not too much craziness. We're still working hard. We're getting all crazy awesome sorts of ideas of how we can do splits with members to double the work. We have to fill the new chapel!

The new chapel here! Wow it is gorgeous. It's the biggest in Italy right now I think. It's yellow with the red tile roof. Two floors. You walk in and directly at the end of the hall is the baptismal font. Amazing! We'll be using it this Saturday for the baptism of Massimiliano. A 24 year old ex-boyfriend of our Ward Mission Leader's daughter. He is pretty awesome. But everything about this chapel is Absolutely gorgeous. And the members here are so grateful. 

So it RAINED so hard these last couple of days. More rain than I've ever seen! We were waiting for a bus on Sunday and it started raining. Within two minutes the streets were flooding. CRAZY! But today is gorgeous. I think I got a bit sunburned on my face today. 

Have I told you I LOVE being a missionary?! I get to be a part of so many great things. Saturday, the bishop of the military ward called us and told us there was going to be a baptism for his daughter and another 8 year old boy at the church that evening, and they had invited several non members and would love it if we could be there. We jumped on the opportunity. We met Rosanna and Bruno, among others. But these two are really special. Rosanna is a teacher for the kids on the army base, a catholic woman, and she LOVED this baptism. She came to me after and just grabbed my arm and talked about how positive of an experience this was for her and how great it was that these children chose to do this, and how happy all these people were and how different they seemed. She said you could see on their faces something different, and all of this was an experience she will never forget. Hopefully we'll get to see her soon. And Bruno is an older man who is the neighbor of the Bishop's family. We talked to him. He absolutely LOVES the Bishop's family, and they're moving in about 2 months and he's so sad about it. He is like their grandpa. But then the Bishop was telling him of how he just heard the family moving in their place was an LDS family with 6 kids. The mom served a mission in Italy! No chance. Bruno was so excited and said 'Ancora sarò un nonno.' I'll still be a grandpa! haha. so cute. He's so golden. He wants to meet with us so we talked to the bishop and hopefully we'll be going over there soon for a lesson with Bruno with the Bishop's family. But I just LOVE meeting these people! God is truly preparing people to hear the restored gospel, and I love being a part of sharing it!

Okay, times up for now, but next week I'll tell you about the American peanut butter story. ha! I love you all. I know that this gospel is truly the restored and true gospel of Christ, and if we have faith in Him, if we believe he will do what he says he will do, we can find happiness! No matter what the circumstances! I'm seeing it happen to these people I meet everyday! I know that it's true! 

Love you all!

Sorella Forbes

Sorella Forbes and her 'sweet wheels'

Sorella Forbes, Sorella Lloyd, Sorella Walton

Sorella Walton

 Sorella Walton and Sorella Lloyd

April 18, 2012 Transfer Time: Arrivederci Cuneo! Buongiorno Pordenone!

Yes, it's true. I am being transferred. I am being sent on "special assignment" to Pordenone! There I will be in a trio with Sorelle Walton and Lloyd! I'm so excited! We kind of knew this was coming for a couple of weeks now, but now it's here and it's crazy! I am sad to be leaving Cuneo and all of the amazing people I've met here, but I know the Lord knows what He is doing. President told us two weeks ago he had the thought when we called him that one night after the weird experience, and I had had the feeling I wouldn't be in Cuneo much longer either, but it was confirmed on Saturday night. I found out Monday morning I'm going to Pordenone. The Anziani (Elders) will be returning to Cuneo. Some of the members were really sad when we told them. Haha. Sorelle are always best... just kidding...but really... I know that they will do amazing things here in Cuneo. We'll be giving them a kick start. We're leaving them with 5 baptismal dates we've set in the last week. And hopefully two more will be added to that tonight with two of our golden contacts we met on the street. They accepted the soft baptismal invite last Wednesday but we haven't been able to see them since because of work and they were out of town. But one is a red headed italian! Ha! They are an awesome couple that just got married in August.

Our baptismal dates are these: Yaya, a 24 year old from Burkina Faso. He's a member referral from Daniel, a new convert. He was raised Muslim, but he loves learning and talking about Jesus Christ. He didn't even understand what baptism was, but he felt like he should say yes! haha.

Then we have our Philipino couple, Vicky and Alex. They are such sweethearts.

Then there is Desmond, the man from Nigeria we found on the street Easter Eve. He is so golden! He wasn't at home when we had set up an appointment so we were worried, but he called us back like 3 times to say sorry he was at school and couldn't get away and that he wanted to see us tonight at 6. That never happens! Haha. And he came to church on Sunday and loved it.

Then there is Graziella. She's the woman that has been investigating the church for about 10 years, but both Sorella Willey and I felt this time she's really going to go through with the baptism. She is so sweet.

Anyway, The work in Cuneo these last couple of weeks has been amazing. Cuneo is sending off its Sorelle well. It has been pretty sad/hard to say goodbye to all the people I have come to know and love (Clara, my Italian grandma, cried a lot when we left. I'll always remember the image of her standing on her balcony waving goodbye as we rode our bikes away and hearing her yell "Ciao!!!"). But I'm excited for Pordenone. It's funny how I'm going from the furthest west our mission goes, to almost the furthest east. It's the furthest east the Sorelle go. I'm going to have a lot of train time tomorrow... yaaayyy...(have I told you I hate trains? haha not really) There is an American military base in Pordenone, so I hear we'll have a lot of english speakers. They have an english ward there I think. But Presidente also told me they have a brand new chapel that he says is the coolest church building in Italy (but only because the temple isn't built yet). We'll be on bikes again. I'm a little nervous yet anxious and excited to see how a trio is going to work. Look out Pordenone! 

We had an amazing zone conference at Milano last week. I love our mission! I always learn so much at those conferences, and our mission is only getting better and better! President challenged us to kneel down and say a companion prayer together every day right at 9:55, so now we have all the missionaries in all the North of Italy praying together at the same time. I have felt a strength from this that I can't even describe. I know that the work in northern Italy is going to explode these next couple of months. I love the Italy Milan mission!!!

A few words about my dear Sorella Willey: oh how I love her. I am going to miss her! And it's weird to think I won't see her for a year. But she has been such an example and a light for me these last three months. I have loved working with her and have learned so much from her. She truly is one of the most Christlike people I have ever met. She is so loving and kind and generous to everyone she meets. I have been so blessed to have her as my companion and trainer.

Sidenote: sometimes I forget I'm in Italy, but then I'm reminded when I'm studying and all of a sudden I hear an accordian right outside my window, and look out to see a man just walking down the middle of the street playing. Or when we're riding our bikes to church on Sunday and there are church bells everywhere going crazy. I love Italy.

I love this gospel and every day I am reminded of how blessed I am to have the knowledge that I have. I am so blessed to be a missionary for our Lord, and I know that this work is His. I would not be able to do it without His help. I'm constantly reminded of the quote from the Joseph Smith movie: "God calls us in our weakness, but he qualifies us for His work." It's so true! There is no way I could fulfill this calling I have been given without divine help. We see so many miracles every day and I am truly blessed. I am so grateful. I know that Christ is our Savior and Redeemer, the Son of God. Only He could fulfill the Atonement for us, and I am eternally grateful to Him.

I hope all is well on the home front! It seems everything is great.

Love you all! Buona Settimana!

Sorella Forbes

  Our giant easter egg. There are some much bigger than this, but this is what the

 Italians give for Easter. It's all chocolate and there is a prize in the middle. Haha.

Holding my first Easter Colomba. It's a delicious little cake thing shaped like a dove. 

Also an Italian Easter tradition.

  Shout out to Sorella Anna Thurston! 

(I don't know if you will even see this, but I thought I'd try anyway. :)) This little treasure found it's way to the apartment in Cuneo.

 I was so happy to see it! haha. Small world.

 Roccavione, Italy

 A member lives out there. It's beautiful! Up in the mountains. Dad would love it. 

 It was a bit rainy so you couldn't see the alps as well, but they're there! So gorgeous!

  Graziella and Elisa. 

Graziella is the woman we set the baptismal date with this last week,

 and Elisa is her daughter. A member.

Clara and Giuseppe. 

Clara was really sad. They love the Book of Mormon. I love them so!

 My Italian Grandma!
Here is a reminder about their story from a previous post:

Ho trovato la mia nonna italiana! (I found my Italian grandmother!) Let me tell you about Clara and Giuseppe. I love them. We met them while doing casa and Clara just kept saying "Siete bellissime! Bellissime!" (You are beautiful! Beautiful!) It was so great. And she kissed us a lot. Ha ha. But we went back and taught them the restoration. The lesson started out with Giuseppe saying how he thought it was so strange when someone old like they were (Clara is 85 and he is 82) changed religions, for so many reasons. But we pulled out the Book of Mormon and he was immediately hooked. He just stared at it, opened it up, looked at the pictures, started reading the title page and the introduction, and just held it in his hands for the rest of the lesson. We read Moroni 10:3-5 and he just said "Beautiful! I could read this in two afternoons!" He LOVES it! He wanted to give us something in return but we wouldn't take coffee so he gave us each our own 80 piece pack of these little toasts that the italians eat. haha! They gave us a referral, we invited them to church, he rode his bike there (unfortunately he was scared off before sacrament so he didn't stay...nother story that's coming) but he came! And I think he'll come back! We ran into him on the street on Sunday while doing casa and he had read from the title page through all the witnesses. And he loves the Book of Mormon! But when we left that lesson of the restoration Clara just said "La vostra nonna posso essere!" (Your grandmother can be!)  Our grandmother she can be! I loved it! So happy. And then they stand out on their balcony and just wave at us until we turn the corner. They're napolitani also so they talk really loud and I just love them so much!

April 11, 2012 Wow!!!!!

What a week! I know I say that every week, but it seems they're just
getting better and better. Miracles are happening here in Cuneo! Every
day! 

A few random things first: yes. It's winter again in Cuneo. It's like
Utah! We have a few weeks of really nice warm weather, and then this
morning we wake up to SNOW! Yes. It is snowing. And it's cold. I had
to pull out my wool coat and thermal leggings again. Boo. We had a day
last week where it was beautiful and we were out doing casa, and then
BOOM! Lightening. Then rain. The BUCKETS of rain. Luckily we had taken
the bus and we were close to our next appointment, so we just ran
super fast and got there a little early. Ha! 

We were able to see our little Giulia last week! It was the first time
in about a month. She is so adorable. She wrote me a poem about spring
in my planner. But we found out yesterday her mom is sending her to
Romania to her dad. Super sad. We're not really sure what's going to
happen to her. We'll just pray pray pray. 

Weird experience we had last Wednesday: we were out doing casa in
Cuneo Vecchio. It was about 8:10 and just starting to get dark. We
were walking down Via Fossano when I started getting a weird feeling.
Suddenly it got so bad I just stopped in my tracks. I said to Sorella
Willey, "I have a really weird feeling." She turned around and said,
"Why do you have a weird feeling?.... wait, I feel it too." We just
kind of stood there not knowing what to do, but this feeling kept
getting stronger and stronger. Sorella Willey suggested we prayed, and
we were both crying by the end of it. As soon as we said amen I heard
myself saying "We need to get to Via Roma." which is a bigger street.
So we headed off in that direction. We still felt this super weird
sinking feeling but it was diminishing a little bit. But we both were
crying and we didn't know why! For a second I thought something
happened to my family, but I prayed and received a confirmation that
you were all fine. So we just kept walking home. We thought we saw
someone following us, but we may have just been paranoid. Anyway, we
went straight home and called Sorella Wolfgramm. We told her what
happened and she said to pray and then call her back. So we both said
a prayer and felt a peace come over us. We were okay. We called her
back and talked to both her and Presidente. They both just told us it
was the protecting hand of the Lord, and as missionaries we are
entitled to His protection. It was the spirit telling us to get out of
where we were, and luckily we didn't have to find out what would have
happened if we hadn't. But I had never felt like that in my life. It
was so crazy! That night seems like a dream now looking back. I'm so
grateful for the protection of the Lord. 

Easter was so great! Yes Easter is a bit more of a big deal here in
Italy than in the US. There is Vigilio, Pasqua, and then Pasquetta.
Finding work was hard because everyone was out of town or with family
or having parties or at church or something! haha. But we had Easter
lunch with Rosy and David. And of course it was delicious. She fed us
crepes with mozzarella inside with ragu sauce. And then some yummy
peppers and of course cheese and bread. She stuffs us every time we go
over there. I love her. 

Speaking of Rosy, she's gone from 20 cigarettes a day to 4 in the last
4 days! We did a stop smoking program lesson with her on Friday, and
it's 100 percent effective for those who follow through and do all 15
steps every day. She hasn't been doing all of them, otherwise she'd be
to 0 a day, but she's really proud of her progress and we're trying to
help her out. She won't be baptized this Saturday, but we're hoping
maybe next week sometime. 

Miracle highlights of the week: (hold on to your hats...)
Sunday night we had been doing casa for about 3 hours with absolutely
no results. No return appointments, no phone numbers, niente! It was
8:35 and we decided to hop on the bikes and just talk to every one we
saw on the way home, because we were at 19 lessons and we needed 20!
We were about halfway home and we didn't know where to go to find this
person that needed our 20th lesson. So we pulled over to the side of
the road and prayed. Immediately Piazza Europa came to my mind. But
then area that's behind the church came to mind. So we rode there
first but there was no one there! Disappointment. So we started
heading to P. Europa. There we were led to Desmond. He's from Nigeria.
We started talking to him and he told us how he's searching for
something. We were able to tell him about Joseph Smith and a bit about
the Restoration. In our lesson with him on Monday morning, he accepted
a baptismal invite. He's so prepared!  (Something to add about the Desmond story that's important: we found him on the way to P. Europa. We were on a street we wouldn't have been had we not gone to the area by the church first. Miracle!)

Monday night we received a bidone (cancellation. they weren't home).Which we hate. But once again we decided to take the "heavenly airstrike" approach to a bidone, and we went out and did casa. We rang the doorbell of Alex and Vicky. The two most elect people I have yet met on my mission. Alex answered the door and was super confused when we started throwing our testimonies at him. Then he told us he doesn't speak italian. ha! We found out he's from the Phillipines and just arrived around the same time as me. He invited us in. We taught the Restoration to him and his wife, Vicky. THey were so happy and excited. He told us he had been reading the Bible when we rang the doorbell and was thinking of how he wanted to learn more about Jesus Christ and his Gospel. He offered the closing prayer, which was so sweet. He thanked our Father in Heaven for sending us to them, asked if the things we taught were true, and closed in the name of Jesus Christ (which is actually a really difficult thing for people to do. Especially at first.). Vicky had tears in her eyes and said that was the first time she had ever heard her husband pray and she was very very happy. They both expressed the feelings that come from the spirit. We felt prompted to give them a baptismal invite then and there, and they accepted! IT was so cute. Alex said Yes of course! right off, but then Vicky paused for a second, and then said Yes okay me too! We're taking them Book of Mormons in tagalog tonight and giving them a date. They are so golden elect chosen people! IT was a miracle we found them!

Sorry if my emails are too long. I just have so much greatness to
share with you! I hope you all had a fantastic Easter. Mine was
marvelous. I love this work and I know that it is the work of the
Lord. I am so grateful to be a part of it. I love you all!

Buona settimana!

Sorella Forbes

April 5, 2012 Che Miracoli! The Miracles!

It has been a week of miracles. Mamma mia. Yes it has. This email might be a bit scattered, but what else is new?
 
So we have been doing SO much finding work. We've been doing red zone finding time very faithfully and we're beginning to really see some fruits of our labors. As well as some bad fruits... haha. One atheist man asked me if I was in a coma after I asked him for referrals after he said he wasn't interested. Then Sorella Willey got propositioned through the citofono...if you know what I mean. Then we have a lot of people give us the "are you kidding me?" look and slam the door. And then there are the people that pretend to be interested, give you their number, set up a return appointment, but then when you try to call them it's a bogus number. Or when you ride your bike 20 minutes out for the return appointment they're not there or they tell little fibs through the citofono. It's times like these I find myself thinking "If you're not interested, just tell us! Don't waste our time! We're sifting for the elect!" But it's funny, because we generally end up in the right place at the right time to talk to someone. We learned in our district meeting this week that bidoni (cancellations) are "airstrikes from heaven" because there is someone close God wants you to find. But when people choose to listen we really feel the guidance of the spirit and the words just flow and the spirit is so strong. Even when you're standing in someone's doorway! I love being a missionary! Yesterday we met two families and we have return appointments with them later in the week. And they were actually results of the work we went out and did after getting a cancellation.
 
We set a baptism date with Rosy! For next Saturday. But we might have to postpone because we still have 4 commandments to teach and she has to have her interview, and she is a very busy woman. But I just love her.
 
Clara and Giuseppe are still awesome. When we taught them the Plan of Salvation, we left with a whole pizza. Ha! And it was delicious. They're Napoletani, where the best pizza in the world comes from. And she told us how to make it! Yum.
 
We've really been working with the members a lot this last week. We had lunch at the home of the Ciccios and it was so great and uplifting. Adelena is the Relief Society president and she is so supportive and loving of the Sorelle missionarie. We love her. She said they have a family they want to refer us too soon, but they're giving them a Book of Mormon this week. Yay! And she brought two friends that are interested to english class. I love member referrals! And then we had dinner at Presidente Pepe's with some new converts. He makes AMAZING pizza. That was marvelous. He's hilarious. Such a nice great loving teddy bear of a man. Cuneo is blessed to have a Branch president like him.
 
We've been on the bikes a whole lot these last two weeks, riding out to Cuneo 2 almost every day and then Borgo san Dalmazzo ogni tanto. It's about a 45 minute ride on a slight incline, so it's a workout. But it's a beautiful ride. Coming home is a bit faster since it's all downhill, but I'm really beginning to love bike riding! It's fun. :)
 
Conference was so great! I didn't even get to see all of it, but what I saw I loved. Saturday evening session we watched in french, spanish, one talk in english, and the closing prayer in italian. Ha! So I didn't get a whole lot of it. I LOVED Elder Holland's talk, and Elder Uchtdorf's talk. When we watched Elder Baxter (Dexter? the british guy?) We were watching the session with one of our single mother's on the computer of the church and she had tears running down her eyes. It was as if it was meant just for her. Then Sunday morning we watched in all italian. I loved it all. Oh and also Elder Scott's talk was so perfect. I had so many questions answered in just the few talks I was able to hear. And of course the prophet...THE CHURCH IS TRUE AND TRULY THE CHURCH OF CHRIST!!!
 
Miracle of the week: Saturday we felt like we needed to cut studies a bit early and go to a park to talk to some peeps. So we did it. We had been there about 45 minutes, taught two lessons, when Marco came up to us with his son to say hello! The same Marco we randomly ran into on the street two or three weeks ago, the same Marco of the Marco and Anna that we were guided to one night of miracle casa that are so golden and elect! We haven't really been in contact with them a whole lot since they got scared away from church, but it was by no chance that he was there at the exact time we were. We wouldn't have been there if we wouldn't have followed the impression to leave the house early and go to this park. This is the Lord's work!
 
Sorella Willey is the greatest! I love my collega and am so grateful for her. I have been learning so many great and marvelous things these last 10 weeks with her. She is a GEM. And such a marvelous missionary.
 
In closing, I would like to share a scripture for this happy Easter week: : "And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, whcih we give of him: That he lives! For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father- That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God." (D&C 76:22-24) I would like to add my testimony to that of Joseph Smith, that I know that Christ lives! Let us remember this Easter week of what He did for every one of us, and that He is risen. Thanks to him we will rise again too! We will all live again and be resurrected, with perfect bodies, we will be immortal! Thanks to Christ, we can live with our families forever, with God forever! As a representative of Christ and his servant, I bear witness of this. I know that it is true. Have faith on His name. He suffered everything so that we can have everything. I love Him for it! Buona Pasqua! Happy Easter!
 
Buona settimana tutti!
 
Sorella Forbes