Sorella Forbes, Italy Milan Mission: 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