Sorella Forbes, Italy Milan Mission: November 14, 2012 -Trasferimenti sono sempre pazzeschi...Transfers are always crazy...

Monday. We're waiting to hear what our fate is for transfers.

Every time the phone rings we're on edge. "WHO IS IT?!"

I call the assistants at lunch to ask them what time their baptism is on Saturday and other ward business.

They ask me "Have you talked to President yet?"

Me: pause... uh, should I have talked to President? (we only get calls from President for transfers if it is a big deal, ie training or opening or closing)

Them: AAAhhh ha she hasn't talked to President yet!

ME: Anziano, you have to tell me what's happening now...

Them: No no, President will call. But I'll tell you this, we're still doing the dance activity!

So there I was. Super anxious all day. Knowing that something was changing, just not sure what.

A few hours later we see the assistants to give them the key to the church. Again, all they say is to Sorella Mancuso, "You're going to one of my old cities!" (Anz. Herrington)

So again we knew something was happening, but not what.

Finally, an hour later, we get a call from President.

Me: Pronto?

President: Pronto, Sorella Forbes?

M: Si sono io. Salve Presidente, come va?

P: Va benissimo, grazie! Listen, sorella, I'm calling about transfers.

M: Oh?

P: Yeah. I'm having to split up a lot of coppia that I didn't want to split up. Like you and Sorella Mancuso.

M: Oh?

P: Yeah. So what I'm going to do, I'm going to have you stay here in Milano Navigli. You have really done some great work and I'm very pleased. You're just so happy all the time and so enthusiastic and everybody just loves you!

M: Wow, thanks a lot President. That means a lot.

P: So what I'm going to have you do is kind of re-tread yourself...and...... train again!

M: OH WOW! Okay!

So I'm training in Milano 3 again! Sorella Mancuso is going to Collegno to finish training Sorella Willis, because her trainer is going to open Firenze! I feel really good about this transfer though. It feels right. So I'm happy. Plus so many good things are happening in Milano Navigli right now and I'm so happy!!! I don't know who my new companion is. I'll meet all the new ones today when they come to the duomo, but I won't know who mine is until tomorrow. So I'll let you know next week!

As you can see, we had a baptism! MARTIN GOT BAPTIZED!!! Last Thursday. And it was so beautiful. I felt the spirit so strong. There was a really good turn out by the members also which made it so much better. AFter he was baptized he just stood there with his eyes closed for a second, then he turned with the biggest smile on his face. Then he leaned over the edge of the font and gave his son a kiss. It was the cutest! He bore his testimony after and I wanted to cry. And his family came! His two kids and their mom. They are such a beautiful family! Karla, the 15 year old daughter, came with her dad to his lesson the night before the baptism and asked a lot of questions. She was really curious to know who we were and what we do. Then at the baptism some of the youth really fellowshipped her and got her number. They invited her to an FHE on Monday, and Martin gave her his Book of Mormon. She said she wants to come to church!!!! And the mom of the kids Karen, is so beautiful. I was able to talk to her at the baptism and she kind of poured her heart out to me. I really want to teach her. They want to get married but have to resolve some things first. It's complicated. But I want to teach them! I think there is a great possibility of them becoming an eternal family in the next year or so. Vediamo.

These last couple of days I have been SO HAPPY! I have felt like Ammon in Alma 26: "my joy is full, yea, my heart is brim with joy... I cannot say the smallest part which I feel." Last night after Martin's lesson, he wanted to stay for another we had with Fernando, a Sri Lankan man who is having difficulty understanding why he needs to get baptized again. I think Sorella Mancuso and I went in there with too much "He has to understand!" And I will admit, I don't think I was loving enough. But Martin interrupts while we're talking about the authority and bears the most amazing sincere testimony. The spirit filled the room. He just poured his heart out to Fernando and told him how he just needed to pray to know. About how he was baptized just last week and how he has recommitted himself to follow Jesus Christ. How he doesn't know everything but that he knows this is the truth because he prayed. I welled up with tears. I was SO overwhelmingly happy. I can't even describe it. Last night when I was praying, I had tears of joy and gratitude instead of the tears of heartache that seem to be a bit more common throughout this experience. I AM SO HAPPY!!!!!

And as I am writing this... We had planned to go to lunch with Martin today because he's sad Slla Mancuso is leaving. And we hear him yelling at us from outside and we look... he's here with his whole family!!! So beautiful! I'm so excited! I feel really good about them all... Happiness!!!

So things are good. I have a lot of pictures to send. But they might have to wait. We climbed the Duomo last week. That was fun. Great beautiful clear day.

Sorella Forbes