January 30, 2012 - Scambi!

Hello people! It's been a crazy week. Let me tell you about it.

First of all, we had two scambi. First, the Sorelle from Genova came on Saturday to blitz us. They are fantastic. Sorelle Stewart and Santoro. From Salt Lake and Bari. I love them. Sorella Stewart and I did some good ricerca (finding) and found a woman that could potentially be golden and a man we decided was either elect or a creeper (and it was confirmed in a meeting with him in the church on Sunday that he was a creeper. He just wanted to come talk to two young american girls... I basically told him we just wanted to baptize him and said if he wants to come to church on Sunday he can tell us if he wants to learn more. It happens. ha) And then yesterday Sorella Durfee and I went to Genova to blitz those Sorelle. That city is amazing! It's big. I did a scambio there last year with Sorella Baker and I was having flashbacks. Ha! It was so great. We taught some lessons to a less active and a woman getting baptized next month there and then got lost and found a woman who met with the missionaries years ago in Torino! I would say it was a success. Scambi are so great and it's nice to get out of the same old usual routine every now and then.

We have had REALLY great district meetings these last two weeks. I have left feeling so uplifted and inspired and I'm so grateful to our new district leader, Anziano Payne. He's doing great for having to have stepped in half way through the transfer. THis last meeting (we got to go to San Remo again) at the end he asked us all to bear a 3-5 minute testimony about why we are on a mission. I really needed that. It was too perfect. My Heavenly Father knows me perfectly and knew that that was what I needed and inspired our leader to do that. Hmm... yup. Padre Celeste mi ama!

This Saturday we get a senior couple here in SAvona! I'm so excited! I've been waiting since I got here since when President told me he was transferring me here he said that would be one of my responsibilities to integrate the senior couple and help them get a good impression of the mission. I talked to him again this week and we've got some good ideas to help them out. Starting out with a baptismal interview for Berta! Who's getting baptized next week. President said "We'll be getting him speaking italian again real quick." haha. The Anziano in the couple served his mission here years ago. We're excited to have them. This branch will be blessed immensely by them. 

Today was fun. We took pictures (finally) for you mother. We went and ate some lunch at this old Savonese restaurant and ate farinata (a savonese specialty) and I ate clams! Sorella Durfee tried rabbit. It was fun! I have pictures...

Saturday was my italian birthday. 1 year from when I arrived in my birthplace of Cuneo! 1 year ago I met my beloved Sorella Willey! (Now Sorella Marsh...). Time flies. It seems like an eternity ago, but then again it seems like it was just last week. Where does the time go?! We celebrated with some italian dolci after lunch with the other Sorelle on Saturday. It was fabulous. My real birthday is in less than two weeks. I'm getting old...

Last thing: This will require the participation of everyone. We are looking for a family. All the young families we've come across don't really want to listen to us. So what I want to ask of you is this:

Pretend you are a young mother/father. Two sister missionaries knock on your door or stop you on the street. They have 2 seconds to make an impression/say something that will hit you as what you need. What do you want to hear?

I've tried eternal families (you would think that would be more appealing...), peace, happiness, joy, guidance, stability.... We're seeking some inspiration from the spirit as well, but let me know if you get some ideas. Fun to involve everyone!

Love you all! I hope you have the best week ever. Happy groundhog day! They don't celebrate that here in Italy. I wouldn't even know how to say groundhog...

Buona settimana! Vi volgio un sacco di bene!

Sorella Forbes

Sorella Durfee

My new bike!

The Port and sights around Savona...

I ate clams!!

January 23, 2013 - C'e la piogglia "There the rain"

Buon giorno from a cold SUPER rainy and SUPER windy Savona. It does not make for a happy Sorella Forbes. We probably should not have even ridden our bikes here to do email today. I'm soaked. And a little freezing. We had big plans for P-day, because I need to send you some pictures from my city on the sea. But, alas, you probably won't get any any time soon. Maybe next week. Vediamo. IT's cold and wet outside. Non mi piace. (I do not like.)

Things are going good here in Savona! Our lesson count this last week wasn't that great. We are doing a LOT of finding and building up our teaching pool. We've got some really great potentials that I'm really excited about. We are still searching for our strong young family that is going to help grow this little amazing branch here. No luck yet. But I talk to just about every woman I see with a stroller. None of them are really interested so far and just keep walking... DON'T THEY KNOW I CAN TEACH THEM HOW TO BE WITH THEIR FAMILIES FOREVER?! It's weird, you would think eternal families would be more appealing to people...

Yesterday we were walking along the pista ciclabile where, on a nice day, lots of people are out and about. We stopped a woman who didn't speak italian so I asked her if she spoke english and yes! She was from Minnesota. I think that was the first American I had ever stopped. And I was SUPER weirded out by what she said to me: "I think it's just important that we live well, that we do good to others, that we enjoy our lives..." Jaw dropped. Want to know why? Well, here's the thing, this is not the first time I've heard this. I hear it from just about every other person we stop who doesn't want to talk. But this was strange because this was an american woman! Not an italian! It's a worldwide epidemic! No, people. You can not be saved just be being a good person. That will only bring a terrestrial glory. If you want to receive eternal life (cioè, live with God and Jesus Christ in eternal families with eternal happiness and a fulness of joy), you have to be obedient to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel. It seems so simple to me. I'm trying to work on my simplicity to help people understand. I love them so much! Yesterday we stopped a man and right off the thought "Oo! He'd be a good priesthood leader!" Came to my mind. But in the end he told me that I needed to know the Bible better and realize that there can be no prophets after Christ... I had so many retorts to shoot back his way, but refrained and just bore a testimony as he walked off yelling to me that one day I will remember his name because he was the one that had warned me I would never see the kingdom of Heaven if I continued on così. (there isn't a translation for that word...). I just felt sad. I don't like when people try to tell me my testimony (knowledge received from God...) is nonsense. Well, that's fine. At least I know. That's one of the hardest things about being a missionary. I desire so much the salvation of these people we meet everyday, but a lot of times they just don't want to listen, or don't think it's important, or have other things to do... frustration. But it still makes me happy everyday trying to share. I do my best.

Miracle: There is a woman who is the sister of a less-active member in our ward. Her niece was recently baptized, so she's sat in for a lot of the lessons for her niece, but never really seemed interested in baptism for herself. We've been continually inviting her to read the Book of Mormon for herself every week we go to visit the new convert and last week she read 2 Nefi 31 and was really excited to tell us she read and that baptism "is the door." This Sunday the entire family came to church! The less-active parents and the new convert with the aunt who is an investigator. She was left alone in the third hour because the rest of the family had left or were in other meetings, so she was sitting next to my companion. It was a beautiful lesson where everyone was invited to share their brief conversion story and the joy that comes from helping others find the gospel. Near the end of the lesson this woman leans to my companion and says "Voglio prepararmi per battesimo" with a big smile. After the meeting she started to cry and said she just felt in her heart that it was right and she had decided right then and there that she wanted it. And that she wanted it for her family as well. It was beautiful! She is set for baptism at the end of this transfer! 

Miracles are still happening! I am so blessed to be a part of this work. I know that it is the Lord's and he guides us. There are too many miracles that i have seen for it NOT to be the Lord's work.

We get a senior couple here next week! I'm really excited. They are going to work with the GANS (YSA). I love working with senior couples! 

Well, buona settimana, cara famiglia mia. Happy baptism to Niah! I'll be thinking about you all day on Saturday! Auguri! 

Sorella Forbes

More pictures from training...

January 17, 2012 - Ho sentito la tua voce!!! I heard your voice!

I'm talking to you Sorellina! (Sister!) I got mom's "music" package (loved the theme mamma) and I was SO happy!!! I called President last night to ask if I could listen to it and he said "Well of course! That's like listening to a letter from home!" He's the greatest. Um, Hi. Westward the Tide is my new favorite band. I wanted to cry I was so happy! Ask Sorella Durfee. She will be a testimony. You guys are amazing! And I haven't heard bug's voice in a YEAR! I was so happy. I can't wait to be your biggest groupie in 5 months. I love Westward the Tide! ha!

Now back to my world... I'm here in Savona. It's cold. And windy. The wind is rough. Our windows aren't the best and we live on a busy street, so between that and the wind, sleeping at night is kind of tough. But! We got ear plugs. And they work pretty well. So we're doing good. 

Things are getting back to normal here in Savona. We're trying to get ourselves back on a regular schedule (with conference on Wednesday that hasn't been the easiest, but I'm not complaining. We had a great training yesterday.) We have found some really great and wonderful people.

Remember Delia from last week? (the woman we met on the street and then again at her palazzo and she invited us in and we taught her and her daughter?) Well she came to church on Sunday. AND she brought a friend. AND she read all of Alma 32. AND she accepted a baptismal date on Tuesday. She'll be baptized February 16! She is so wonderful! She was so excited when we told her there was a living prophet today. She wanted to see a picture of him and know his name and she asked us what he says... it was a beautiful lesson of the restoration. Her daughter was ill so we havent' seen her since last week, but Julianna is also wonderful and beautiful and we have good feeling about her too. 

We set another date this week with Happy! A beautiful woman from Nigeria who just had a child! She's the cutest. Happy has been investigating the church for a while but she has never accepted a date. But she is truly prepared! I love her. She's wonderful. 

And Lita is our other baptismal date from Cambodia that is doing great. She's super busy with school right now (it's exam season) and so that's kind of a difficulty. But we're working towards February 9 for her baptism. She is wonderful. I asked her why she liked reading the Book of Mormon and she said because it was "a cure for the soul." YES! It's true. Jacob 4:23 (I think...) The word of God heals the wounded soul. We all need to be healed in some way. The scriptures help us do that as we learn more of Christ and put into practice his teachings!

Our training yesterday was great! It was themed Missionary 101, and we just went over all the basics of missionary work in the Milan Italy mission. It was so wonderful. I received some great inspiration of things I can do to better myself to be a more effective missionary, and I'm excited to really strive to put everything into practice. Our leaders are inspired! 

I only have a few pictures. One I took real quick of my collega Sorella Durfee and then one of me and Sorella Lloyd at the station at transfers. (Miss you Sorella Lloyd!) P day has been a day to kind of just rest and get ourselves organized at home. We have some ideas of things we want to do, we just need the energy to do it. ha! One needs p day to recover and re-energize for another week of work sometimes. 

This Sunday our ward mission leader, Fratello Montalto, invited us over for lunch after church with his family. It was beautiful! First of all, delicious. But remember how they have my dream home?! They live out in the country up in the mountains in this little town called Montemoro. They have a big terraced garden with apple, orange, lemon, olive trees, a dog, and it's just this little house but it is beautiful! I wish I had a picture! I'll take one next time. They offered to teach me how to make homemade pasta one p-day. (Finally! That was one of my goals when setting out for Italy. ha.) I love that family. 

This little branch is so wonderful. I have a really good feeling that this next year they are really going to grow. We're looking for a young strong family to help them do that. 

Wish you all the best! Have a good week!

Alla prossima! (At the next!)

Sorella Forbes

Sorella Bunker, Sorella Bush, Sorella Forbes

At the station for transfers.  It's not very often we get to see each other.

We were all in the same MTC group.

Saying goodbye to Sorella Lloyd who was going home...

"I miss you Sorella Lloyd!"

 My new collega, Sorella Durfee

Mil Ovest Zone

and then more Italy Milan Missionaries!

Notice their ties and scarfs... the Mission Presidents in the two Italy Missions, Rome and Milan,

got together and gave all the missionaries of Italy the same ties and scarfs

for Christmas.  

This one here is a favorite!  Love these Sorelle!

January 9, 2013 New Area

I don't have a whole lot to report this week. It's kind of been a crazy week! We have a lot going on here that is not part of normal missionary work. A lot of situations I've never had to deal with before and never would have thought I would face, especially on the mission. But we're doing good! Pushing on. Our transfer theme is "AVANTI ANDIAM!" It's the title of my favorite hymn, Press Forward Saints. And so we are doing it. Little did we know how perfect that theme was! 

MIRACLE: Last night we had an appointment fall through. So we went to pass by a potential who doesn't have a phone to try to set up an appointment. On the way, we were waiting to cross the street and I started talking to the woman next to me. I asked her if she was crossing and she said yes. The light turned green and we started crossing expecting her to cross with us. She had seen someone she knew on the other side and stayed behind. I was sad because I had missed the chance to invite her and now the light was turning red again and we couldn't go back. So we went on to the palazzo where our potential lived. By the time we locked up our bikes and went in to the palazzo, this woman was there waiting for the elevator! She had to go to the same floor as us. We asked her a bit about herself as we rode up the elevator. We got out and started a teach to find. She says "It's too cold out here to talk!" And started walking to her door. Not sure what to do I started reaching for a bigliettino. She turns and says, "are you in a hurry?" "Uh, no?" "Do you want to come in and talk?" "YES!" So she let us in, we met also her daughter, used the "how to begin teaching" skills we worked on at Zone Training, introduced them to the Book of Mormon, and set up a return appointment. It was perfect! They are now to new investigators we are so excited to teach. Miracles! 

 Savona is beautiful. It is warmer than Milano! Last week it was way warm and feeling like spring. This week it's cold and windy. We are on bikes! I'm so happy! I missed the bici. I feel like Savona will get me back into shape. There are a lot of hills. :)

We had zone training on Monday in Alessandria and I saw Sorella Mancuso! She's so great. They're doing good work in Collegno. She's with Sorella Willis from Florida who knows my friend Kaycie. Small world!

I'm tired. I'm exhausted. But still loving being a missionary. It still is the greatest in the world.

Love you family! I hope all is well! Happy travels from Australia parentals! And HAPPY BIRTHDAY NIAH!!!  A card is coming your way. AS is one coming to Jonah. Super late, but coming. :)

Sorella Forbes

January 2, 2013 - Il mare e le montagne..."The Sea and the Mountains..."

I have a dream life. I live in Savona. On the sea. With mountains. Remember how that's my dream? Every one always asks me if I could choose mountains or beach which would I choose? I always say mountains, but if the mountains could be on the beach that'd be ideal. Well, that's just my life. Liguria is a dream.

Savona is great! Sorella Durfee is a GEM! She is so great and I'm so excited to work with her. They had 6 baptisms in the last two transfers here, so we are getting everything organized and now trying to build up a new teaching pool. We haven't really been able to teach a whole lot of people yet because of the holidays.

My life is a dream. We had to go to San Remo for district meeting. that includes a train ride along the coast. That's fine... San Remo is gorgeous. And the church is proprio at the beach! There is a yacht club right outside the door. It's beautiful. Also, we run to the beach in the morning. (well a boardwalk that is on the beach. We're on the beach without being on the beach... ha) I watched some cruise ships come in on Saturday morning.It was nice.

The members here seem great. I'm really excited to work with them. I still have yet to meet and get to know all of them. It's a branch of about 50 active members. Or from what I could tell on Sunday. They meet in a tiny space of two old apartments put together to make a church. It's beautiful, but small. We'll need a new place for all the expansion that's happening!

WILLIAM WEST!!! My dear friend William... I found your name in the area book. You served here. About two years ago. I was really excited when I found that out. Any old investigators you want me to look up? :)

ANNA THURSTON!!! An Anziano that was in Pordenone is in my district. He told me that Madelin was baptized. Madelin that you found last year. I refound her in the area book and started teaching her again with Sorella Walton. She was baptized with the Anziani came and took over. How happy!!! I was excited about that too. :)

It was hard leaving Milano! That was the first place I had been for six months. The hardest was saying goodbye to Martin, the Ramos family, and the Albello family. Those people have such a special place in my heart. I included pictures of them. Me and Sorella Ramos cried together a bit. She is truly so special. We worked really close together in Milano. I will miss her until I can talk to her again in June! Same with Martin! It's always the worst saying good by to new converts. Read Thessalonians 2! That's how I feel about them.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JONAH! I'm late. But I didn't forget. 

and HAPPY NEW YEAR TUTTI!! It was like abattle outside the other night with all the fireworks. They have ones here that literally sound like giant explosions. I didn't sleep very well. We had to be inside at 7 PM Monday and then deep clean the apartments yesterday. So it's nice to be outside again and ready to teach... :)

Vi voglio un sacco di bene! Vi auguro un felice anno nuovo!

Sorella Forbes

 Ramos Family

Martin