October 24, 2012 - Io. Amo. La Gente. I. Love you. People.

Yes. I. Love. People. I feel like every day my capacity to love grows so much. Who knew I could love so many people so much! I really do! We walk away from people after talking to them for a bit and I just have to say "Sorella! I love them SO much! I want to teach them!" I've really had some amazing experiences this last week where we have been guided to the people that really need to feel the love of God. Our approach for finding these last couple of days has been something to the effect "I know that you are a child of God! How do you feel about that?" We get a lot of "Non mi interessa." (I do not care.) But we've gotten a surprising amount of people who want to talk about this subject. Even if they say "Non sono un figlio di Dio," (I am a child of God.) a lot of them have been stopping and talking to us. A lot of them actually respond to the question! I've learned a lot about people this last week and it's really sad to see how many people don't know/believe they are children of God and that He loves them. But I know he does! Because I feel it! I have felt SO MUCH the love of God for these people this last week! It's the greatest thing! And I just hope and pray while I'm talking to these people that they can feel it too!

We went out to Corsico this week and we have a lot of return appointments for Saturday. I'm excited! Corsico is just a little ways outside of Milano. We did casa. Can I just say I LOVE doing casa with Sorella Mancuso? She is so funny! I think she secretly really hates casa, but she does it! And does it hard core! I love watching her face when we suon the citofonos. It's the greatest. We laugh a lot while we do casa. Which is really good. Because otherwise I would be miserable. Our teaching pool seems to be shrinking, and we don't have a lot of solid people to teach. So we're doing a lot of finding. But that's okay! Because I have re-found the joy in finding! And We're working on developing more faith to find the elect! I'm really excited for these appointments on Saturday. One is with Chiara. We had picked two streets to do casa. We walked down the first and rang at just one door, b ut then kept walking to the end because I felt like we needed to move on to Garibaldi. We rang at the first gate, someone opened up, so we went in to try to find them. Well, we couldn't find them, but we ran into Chiara out on the balcony. We told her God loved her and she wasn't sure. She wants to believe in God but says she hasn't had many experiences with feeling that He loves her and doesn't really have a relationship with him. We bore testimony to her that with our message she will come closer to God and be able to develop a strong relationship with him, and that the Book of Mormon would help her better understand his plan for her. She told us she is rarely home and it was lucky that we caught her there (not by chance!). We will see her again on Saturday and take her a Book of Mormon! So excited. Here's what's great about this... if we hadn't walked down the first street and THEN turned to Garibaldi, if we would have started at the end of Garibaldi, or if we would have taken any other route, we would not have had time for her door. And if we had arrived later she probably would not have been home. Miracles! Did you know this is the Lord's work? I'm just reminded more and more every day.

MARTIN IS GETTING BAPTIZED NEXT WEEK! He came to sacrament meeting! And Loved it! He loves church! And all his member friends that we bring to lessons were so excited to see him in church! He has his interview tonight, we're going to set up the program for the ceremony tomorrow and try on the white clothes, and all will be set. So if all goes well with the interview and he comes to church again on Sunday, and there will be a baptism at Milano Navigli next Saturday! He is so solid! And he has seen so many blessings in his life since he started making these changes. We love teaching him. A)because he has had a set schedule for the last month where we see him every Tuesday and Thursday and he ALWAYS lets us know if something changes and B)We just have fun! We have really spiritual lessons, but then it's also so fun and relaxed and every one trusts each other. He loves teasing Sorella Mancuso. It's way too fun. Last night we taught him about the priesthood. And then we just sat and talked for like 45 minutes about what is going to happen from now until his baptism, his worries and fears, etc. etc. He is doing so good. I can't wait for next week. 

As for our other baptismal dates, they all fell through... don't want to talk about it.... But it's okay! Our schedule is freeing up for the elect!

I wish I could tell you about ALL THE people we teach. There are so many. Maybe some day.

Let me tell you about Gaber really quick. He's from Egypt, he's Christian, speaks arabic, and not really italian. But he wants to learn and we think he understands things, but then we're not really sure because we don't actually know how much he's understanding. We ask him comprehension questions and then he rambles off and makes no sense. Most of the time. Sometimes I can get it really easily. But he will come to the church even when we don't have appointments just because he wants to learn. It's great!  I get really frustrated in lessons sometimes, and then Sorella Mancuso and I just laugh after. It's quite fun. But we're trying to figure out how we can make sure he really understands. Because we don't understand him. Ha! He accepted a baptismal date, however. We think.

Zone Conference was SO GREAT! We talked about Real Intent and Desires. Did you know you can't get to the Celestial Kingdom without real intent? Do you know what that MEANS? Once again, as always at conferences with the Wolfgramms, mind BLOWN. Maybe I'll try to explain more next week. But I was sitting there in Zone conference and the thought "I could stay here forever" came to mind. I want to be a missionary for EVER! I love it so much. Happiness! 

I'm doing good here in Milano! I love it so much! I'm scared I'm going to get transferred in three weeks. Gah! I'll cry. I hate transfers.

Love you all! Hope all is well! Thanks for the love and support!

Sorella Forbes

Picture: Colonne e Basilica di San Lorenzo. 

 Our Church - Milano Navigli Ward 

It's in a palazzo - 2nd floor
Yes, I live in Milano!

Our Zone - Milano OVEST! 

(Milano West)

October 17, 2012 - Thisspacebardoesn'tworkverywell.Beware

So, the space bar on this computer is not the best. Faccio fatica. But I'll try my best to keep things separated so youcan understand.

Hi!

It's me. 

Just here in Milan.

Being a missionary.

I love it here. I was thinking the other day, "I really hope I get to stay in Milano for another transfer!" The work is going pretty well right now. I love the members. I get to hear a lot of news from around the mission from our frequent run ins with the assistants. There's lots of people to talk to. It's Milano. I love it.

Anyway. Things are going good. We'rekind of at a stand still with Gladys, Natalie, and Pedro. Wedidn'tsee them last week so already we'll haveto postpone their dates. Butthat'sokay! Martin didn'tcometo church. Hestill is struggling getting work ofon SUnday mornings. But he'sstill progressing like a rock star. We'll have to postpone his for atleast another week, if he can come to church for the next three Sundays. But he's doing good!

Our new golden boy (man) is Gianni. He's an older man we found doing casa. We told him we carried a message of happiness and he said he wanted to learn more! So we went back with a member and taught him the Restoration. It's a little bit harder for him to understand things, so we'll have to go a bit slower, but he is really great! REally sincereand wants to learn all he can. We'll see him again tonight.

Miracle story: We havethis really great member. I think I've mentioned her a few times before. Sorella Ramos. I adore her. She has a list of all the friends she wants to share the gospel with and prays for them every day. Recentlyshe has been feeling really discouraged because her efforts haven't seenmuch fruit. And hersister was set to get baptized lastmonth but then decided she didn't want to. SHe had this one friend in particular, Jackie, and she had been praying to know how to help her learn about the Gospel but she wasn't reading the Book of Mormon she had left her and she didn't want to meet with us. Thursday Sorella Ramos was going to stay for the ward FHE we do but felt like she needed to go home. Shewas waiting at the bus stop thinking and praying about Jackie, the bus pulled up and Jackie basically fell off the bus into Sorella Ramos's arms. She has been having a really hardtime lately and has been struggling with health. She went home with SorellaRamos and her husbandandthey had dinner together and talked about things. They told Jackie about blessings for health, and invited her to think about it and to come to church. Jackie came to church! All three hours! Sorella Ramos was glowing she was so happy! We have an appointment to teach Jackie on Friday. FOLLOW THE SPIRIT! I have no doubt that it guided Sorella Ramos to be precisely in the right place precisely at the right time to be there for her friend when she needed her and to give her the opportunity to teach her a bit about how the gospel can help her. I'm excited for our appointment on Friday!

It's taken a turn for the COLD! It's been getting colder and colder by theday. But I love it! And I love being in Milano for the Fall FAshion season. It's my favorite time of year! Scarves, coats, jackets, boots.... Milano is fun. But since it's been getting colder and rainier, there are less people in the parks. We've taken to casa as our favorite finding activity. It's different here in Milano. We get yelled at a lot more. And kicked out of palazzi a lot more. But hey, we keep on trekkin. Sorella Mancuso is such a blessing tohave. She is SO HILARIOUS. Our new favorite thing to do to keep us smiling is adding to our list of "things not to say while on a mission in Italy." Maybe someday I'll share this list with you. It's a good one. We need to complete it. But as a sneak peek some of my favorites are "Why do you hate God!?" and "Well that's just apostasy..." Good times.

WE have zone conference tomorrow. That will be fun. I love zone conference.

So I'm doing good.Thanks for the family updates. I love all the Halloween costumes! I didn't think they had a halloween like they do in the US, because they do Carnevale in March, but we've seen some decorations in the stores and halloween cookies in the stores. We'll see!

Happy Halloween tutti! Know that I am praying for you everyday and I miss you! Hope you are all well!

Sorella Forbes

The view from my apartment and some pictures of inside.  

Thought you might like these!

October 10, 2012 - Inizia un altro trasferimento! Start another transfer!

So, we've started another transfer. Sorella Mancuso and I here in Milano. We love it. The work is going well. Still at times there are the disappointments and the struggles, but we're pushing ahead with smiles on our faces! (most of the time with smiles... ha!)

Let me tell you about one thing that happens here in Milano that mi da fastidio. It bugs me. There is like a local joke here in Milano. It's called "The missionaries want to come teach you about the gospel, so act like you're interested and talk to them for a while, and then when they ask you for your address, tell them THIS address and then watch how funny it is when they try to find it." Here's the thing about this. It has happened a number of times where they give us their address. We go look for it, but it turns out to be the ONLY number on the entire street that doesn't exist. 74...76...80... WHERE?S 78?! This has happened numerous times to us but also to the Milano 2 Sorelle. We used to laugh about it. How do they know the ONLY number on the street that doesn't exist? It has to be the local joke or the local scapegoat for when someone wants to come visit you but you don't want them to. Just tell them you're not interested! This happened to us yesterday. Monday we met a really sweet single mother and taught her a little bit about the Book of Mormon. She was really super interested. We set up an appointment to go to her house the next day at 3:15 and she was going to read Alma 32 and pray to know if it was true. She gave us her address and her phone number and watched me as I wrote it down and said "Sì, giusto." So we go to find her the next day. Address doesn't exist. Phone number? Inactive. It's still a soft spot for me and I was a little upset. I'm trying to pray for more charity!!!

But other than the things like that, things are great! Martin came to conference! It was great! When they announced the temple in Perù, I looked at him and he was excited with a big smile. Yesterday in his lesson he talked about his baptism and how he's working to fix things at work not only before his baptism but also after so he can come to church every week, which is always a good sign. My heart was happy. He's doing so great! His baptism is set for the 27th, but he still has to come to church 2 more times so we're hoping and praying it will all work out. 

Gladys is doing good. It's hard because we can only see her about once a week. She is pretty hesitant about baptism because she feels there is so much she needs to know before. We reassured her that if she would keep the commitments we leave her with, she will be ready. She is so sweet! She just wants what is best for her family and for her kids. And she and Juan (her less-active husband) were talking a little bit about temple marriages. That made my heart happy too!

We set two more dates with Natalie and Pedro! They are so great! Pedro studied with the Jehovah's Witnesses for three years and almost did baptism with them, but didn't in the end. Their worries are that they get baptized before they are ready or they turn indietro (uh, backward?) in the future and that would be worse for them. But this is good! They realize how important it is and they are willing to act to know if it is right! They're reading everything we leave them with, so that's great. This means we might have a wedding coming up! Happy day! Happy heart!

So things are shaping up here in Milano. Makes me and my heart happy. Sorella Mancuso is so great and I'm so grateful we have at least one more transfer together. She's teaching me a lot. And it's also fun to watch how much she's grown already. Already her Italian has had so much improvement. I mean, she could always speak, but it just gets better and better! She's such a hard worker! I love her!

CONFERENCE WAS AMAZING!!!!

Can I just tell you how much I love conference? Okay, no, I can't express it. But I love it so much! What do you think about the missionary age! We were watching conference with President and after we asked him what he thought and he said a while ago someone told him to not close any apartments because he would need them. There are going to be so many more missionaries in the world!!! Especially SORELLE!!! THE WORLD NEEDS MORE SORELLE! If I do say so myself. It also gave me chills when I thought about the Gordon B. Hinckley quote about how more women are going on missions because the Lord needs more strong mothers to raise his priesthood army... Woof! Cool things are happening.

I LOVED the talk by Russell M. Nelson. "ASK THE MISSIONARIES!" If only the world could have seen that.... Speaking of that, when we were going to conference we had to take the metro. It was PACKED with people going to the soccer game on Sunday. I just kept thinking, "If only they were all going to watch conference and were as excited to listen to a PROPHET as they were to go watch a bunch of men run around on a big field..." Seriously! How blessed are we?! But then I thought about how Salt Lake is like that at conference, and how everyone really is going to listen to the prophet... ha! Tinge of homesickness thinking about that. If only the world knew! I'm trying to help them out...

I really really loved Elder Holland's talk. Of course. It really makes you think... Do we love the Lord enough? And if we do? Do we show Him that we do by our actions? It opened up my eyes a lot. 

So many others I loved. We still have to watch the Sunday Afternoon session. But MOM! When the conference edition of the Ensign comes out, will you send it to me? Subito? Grazie!!!

So I'm good and it sounds like you are all good! Miss you, pray for you every day! Love you!!!

Have a good week!

Sorella Forbes

Hiii!  Here are some new Pictures!

 Me and Sorella Soh before she partir-ayed for Firenze!

 Me and Sorella Nilson before she left for Firenze too!  Love these two Sorelle!  

I'll miss them and probably won't see them again in the mission.

 Me and my greenie!  Love 'er!  

September 3, 2012 - Transfer Week!

Another transfer has come and gone! I can't believe it. I will be staying here in Milano Navigli with Sorella Mancuso for at least another six weeks. I'm really really happy. I have come to love this city so much and I feel blessed to be here. We were in Parco delle Basiliche the other night doing some finding work and I just looked up at the Basilica and wanted to cry. I am so lucky! I LOVE ITALY! I never want to leave. Family! In eight months you can just come here, k?

In other transfer news, this transfer was CRAZY! So remember how usually when you are training you stay with your trainee for two transfers? Well Sorella Soh got a call from President on Monday with some of the most exciting news I've ever heard. She and Sorella Nilson are going to Florence for 10 days and are just going to find find find and give everything to the Anziani there. And then... THEY'RE OPENING SIENA TO SORELLE!!!! There have NEVER been Sorelle in Siena. But listen how perfect this is for them. They were MADE for this grand opening of Siena to the Sorelle. They both did the Siena program at BYU. They've already lived there. They know the city. They know the members. They know non members. And now they're going back as missionaries. I think Sorella Nilson cried on the phone when she got the call she was so happy. She had been praying for this. A senior couple that has been here in Milano is going because Anziano Capece has been called as the branch president there. So it's a tiny tiny branch. But it is going to EXPLODE with these two amazing Sorelle going there. I'm really hoping that maybe I'll be able to get to go there in a few transfers... ha! That would be amazing. SIENA! arguably the most amazing city in Italy. And it is now open to Sorelle. How awesome.

Also, they split the Milano zone into the Milano West and Milano East. A member of the stake presidency came and spoke in church last Sunday and told us this is the first division of a stake in Italy. EVER. They have created new stakes, but never split one. That's huge! 

In other news, we dropped two baptismal dates, but set another one. So we now have three. We've been really blessed in our finding this last week too and hope to set two dates with Natalie and Pedro. We met Natalie on the tram and I almost didn't talk to her because we had to get off but I'm so glad I did! They are this cute little family. They have a three year old daughter and were so excited for us to come over. Natalie said she's always wanted to know more about God and understand him and his plan but never had the opportunity. Nobody ever tried to explain things for her. They accepted soft baptismal invites. I'm excited to teach them the Plan of Salvation tonight.

Martin is doing fantastically. He is progressing so well and we've really got to know each other this last week. He has had a rough life and is so ready to leave it all behind and start fresh with baptism. Gladys is a referral we received from the Milano 2 Sorelle. She accepted a date on Saturday for next month. She is so great and they have the cutest family! I love them.

Random side note: I got the EFY cds and LOVE them. BUG! Eric Michels is on this year's album! Number 3. It's my favorite. Remember how he was in the MTC with me? I heard the song come on and thought "his voice sounds familiar..." Yup. It's Eric. That's cool. 

Well, I don't have much other than that to report. We've kind of just been going in circles with the work here but I think now we're finally getting some really solid progressors and going to be seeing lots of baptisms next transfer! So happy and exciting!!! 

I've been thinking alot about the 4th missionary talk. It talks alot about leaving behind all your desires, wants wishes dreams hopes everything and focusing on the Lord's will and what He wants you to do. I've really been trying to implement that these last couple of weeks and it is working! I spent so much time on my mission thinking about what's going on at home, or how life will be like after the mission, or friends that haven't written me and why they haven't written etc etc. But now when I think about that... I DON'T CARE!  I don't CARE that these people just got married. I don't CARE that this person is moving. I don't CARE that I haven't heard from this person my entire mission....

 I care that this person isn't going to make their baptismal date because they didn't come to church on Sunday. I care that a new investigator who is so dear to my heart isn't responding to our phone calls. I care that that person on the bench we talked to was really searching for answers and felt the spirit, but rejected the message anyway. 

I care that this person told me they were tempted to break the word of wisdom the night before when they were out with their friends but they didn't drink or smoke and they feel really good. I care that this person is fixing their relationship with their daughter and seeing the blessings of keeping the commandments of the Lord. I care that this person had a new light that was visible in their eyes come into their life after we taught them the Plan of Salvation and they understand they are a child of God. I care that this family will be able to be sealed as an eternal family in the temple in a years time after their mom is baptized.

I thought doing this would be so hard and difficult. There are still the heartbreaks and the sorrows, but you know what? 

I'VE NEVER BEEN HAPPIER! 

I feel like I get happier and happier every day as I strive to do this. Like it says in the Fourth Missionary... it's not the easiest, it's just the most intelligent thing to do. To give your will to the Lord. Because he'll make you happier than you could ever make yourself.

I know that is true!!!

And I'm sorry if that bothers you that I don't care about what you're doing right now. I still love you. I just have another work to do for now. :)

Vi voglio un SACCO di bene. Buona Settimana!  (I want a LOT of good. Good Week!)

Sorella Forbes

Rain coming off of the Duomo.  Look at the Gargoyles!  Cool!

Me and Sorella Bush p'daying it up at the Duomo.  

She came down from Varese a few weeks ago.

My cute greenie!  Sorella Mancuso

I wan't supposed to post this! ...but I couldn't resist!

I asked for a picture of her cute face and this is what she sent!! haha