February 27, 2013 - "Buona Guarigione!" "Happy Healing"

This is what people sometimes say when you are sick. It means "happy healing." We say "feel better" or "get well." I like "Buona guarigione!" so much better. Italian is wonderful.

I'm healed! Well, for the most part. I still don't feel 100%. But do we ever? It was a miserable week of being soooo sick. We didn't go out to work until Thursday last week. Then Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, we only went out if we had appointments. But I am well rested and I think we kicked that thing out so it won't come back! We are back to work and in action again. It feels so good. We have a lot to work to catch up on this last week. Our teaching pool is pretty shallow, so we're still trying to build it up. But the Lord is blessing us with little miracles here and there everyday and we know good things are coming for Savona. President sent us a text about the "Sorella Power" engine. Apparently the Sorelle are not leading in lessons taught anymore! The zone leaders and APs have taken over! Not cool. I think that is the first time in my mission. So he challenged us Sorelle to step it up and take back that lead. Sorella Durfee and I are fired up and ready to work our very best and to teach all those people we need to to help them come unto Christ! As President says "You'll never baptize someone you never teach." So, we're looking for people to teach. But not just anyone, people that will commit! People that will listen! That will act! That will see their faith grow as they read the Book of Mormon and will continue! And WANT to act and learn more. We need solid strong disciples of Christ for this branch. 

Oh! Random! I don't know if I told you last week that we will be getting a family from Salt Lake here in this branch next month. I knew about a month ago, but we found out who it is this week from our branch president. My italian professor from BYU! She taught me for a year! and now she and her husband and son are moving here! I'm so excited! I'm pretty sure she is sisters with my friend Fabrizio, who was on my dance crew a few years ago. Small world! When he said that in consiglio on Friday I gasped. Ha. It was funny. 

Our two new investigators from yesterday are wonderful. Two men from Nigeria. Joseph and Jonathan. We went to visit Queen in hopes of setting a date with her for baptism, but she was super distracted with some chaos in her life right now. But we had the opportunity to read from the Book of Mormon with these two men, and you can tell their desire to learn about Christ is so strong! They ate it up! The spirit was so strong and they both accepted soft baptismal invites. We are seeing them again tonight and they said they are bringing friends. Ha! Awesome.

I got a letter from Grandma and Grandpa and they asked about Delia, the woman we had met on the street and then again by the elevator in her building. We went back a little while ago and she has kind of reverted to her very catholic ways. She said talking about all of these wonderful things made her remember the good feelings she had in her church and the good experiences she had with her priests. We tried our best to testify of the restoration and authority and how this is the only true and living church on the face of the entire earth, but I think she was too closed. We were sad. Maybe in the future.

Bertha is doing so well! She is pretty much best friends with every one in church. She is so eager to learn and to gain knowledge. We love her. She just glows when she comes to church on Sunday. She is a strong addition to this branch.

I'm doing good family! Thank you for your prayers this last week! (and always!) I know that Heavenly Father answers prayers and yours really helped me get better and feel comforted in that down sick time. Thank you! Grazie di cuore! (Thank you!)

Vi voglio bene! Buona settimana!  (Have a great week!)

Sorella Forbes

Pictures: Sorella Durfee in our chapel. And our lizard friend we found in our apartment. We were cleaning it last Wednesday and moved this table out and found this guy. I don't know how we missed it before, but it looks like it's been there awhile. SICK! °These things are everywhere in the summer. They told us this week they are going to get us a new apartment. But it won't be for about three more months. 

February 20, 2013 - Never give up, Never give up, Never give up!

Those are the words of President Monson to all European missionaries. But let me tell you, as President Wolfgramm was telling us this story yesterday, I felt those words were meant just for me.

Yesterday we had interviews/training in Genova. Yesterday morning I was really debating in my mind whether or not we should go because I felt so miserable. But something told me I needed to go and i pretty quickly i felt well enough to go. The Haucks took us in their car too so that was a plus. When we go to conferences I usually like to think about a question I need answered a few days before and then pray about it. THe question I wrote in my notebook for this training was "How can I better endure to the end?" well, this training was tailor made for me and that particular question. President told us a story of how Anziano Tisheira (spelling?) of the area presidency came to speak to all the stake and district presidents. He had just been in salt lake and had dined with President Monson a few times. But on the last night he asked President Monson if he had anything he should tell the missionaries in Europe. He said President Monson stood up, squared his shoulders to him, and pointing at him said " Never give up. Never give up. Never give up." It hit me hard in the heart. Heavenly father loves me and has truly called a prophet today!

And then after that story, the APs talked about doing things "The hard way" They compared it to this photo of a river that goes from the top of a mountain and works it's way down, taking the path of least resistance. They compared it to a scripture in D&C about how the Lord's path is a straight one and he never doth vary. At times we may want to take the path of least resistance, but we need to do things the hard way. This is hard! We all know it. But we can do it because Christ overcame all. 

And THEN Sorella Wolfgramm, whom I love so dearly, talked about this and how in the end the hard way becomes the easy way. She called it the "heart" way instead. Because it becomes a part of us, it changes us, it makes us better. And we do it with our heart because we love the Lord. 

That is a very brief summary of the amazingness yesterday. I was so glad to be there. We have inspired leaders. I'm ready to get out and WORK. As soon as this second round of sickness goes away.

Yes. I'm sick. Again. And it's making me mad. I was fine until coming home from the baptism on Saturday (I'll talk more about that...). I felt like I had been hit by a train. And my head weighed 200 kilos. We went to church on Sunday and then came home and I had a fever. So we stayed in and I tried to rest. No work done. Monday I had to get up and go to the questura to renew my permesso. After I was exhausted. Still had a fever. Came home and went to bed. Yesterday we got up and I was feeling miserable again but then prayed and felt well enough to go to the conference (by now my fever was gone). After we came home and I was so exhausted and miserable we just stayed in. Again, no work done. Maybe some area book here and there and Sorella Durfee made some calls, but it's frustrating. Our teaching pool is very shallow right now and I'm anxious to find more people, but my body is saying "Sit down! I'm tired." ha. So that's what we've been doing. Today is better. I still need rest and am dreading climging this hill tonight for an appointment. ah.

BAPTISM!!!! Bertha was baptized! It was so wonderful. We were in the church getting everything ready before and Bertha was waiting in the hall with her sister after changing into her white dress. I came out and they both had tears in their eyes they were so happy. Bertha was beaming afterwards and in church on Sunday she said hi to everyone like they were all her best friends. And had been for years. She is so happy and radiant! It was a happy night and there was a good turnout from the branch as well to support her. This branch is really growing fast! I might have said last week, but we have been approved for a new chapel! So they're looking for something bigger for our little branch that is growing like crazy. 

Not much else has been happening. I've been pretty sick. blah. Hopefully I'll have more exciting stories for you next week.

As far as talk on the pope... maybe it's because I haven't been out a whole lot but I still haven't heard a lot of talk. Not many people like the catholic church here... you'd be surprised at how many people don't really care. It's kind of sad, really.

Anyway, Pray for me to get better! I need it. I'm grateful for all the prayers already. 

HAve a happy week! 

Sorella Forbes

Cleaning the baptismal font...

 Sorella and Anziano Hauck

Pictures of Bertha's baptism...so exciting! 

 She was so happy...

The garden at our Ward Mission Leader's home. 

 We went there for lunch before the baptism.

 Sorella Durfee

 Me being goofy with the camera.

 Walking to the car from our Ward Mission Leaders house. 

February 15, 2013 - Tanti Auguri a ME! 'Happy Birthday to ME!'

It was my birthday yesterday. Ask Sorella Durfee. She knows. I was on the countdown everyday for a week. I like birthdays. I love that in our family we love birthdays so much.

My birthday was fairly uneventful. Ha. Let me go through my day:

I woke up. I exercised. I showered. I got ready. I ate some breakfast of my favorite cereal (MASTER KRUMBLE! All you former Italian missionaries know...). I studied. Then I companion studied. Then we went to an appointment in centro. One new investigator! She's wonderful. From Nigeria. A friend of Happy. Our other Nigerian investigator. We went and bought a space heater I've been wanting for WEEKS but the store has always been closed when we go. No more being cold during studies! We made some lunch... I made Zucchini risotto! which was kind of a fail because I added too much rice and not enough spice. But considering it was my first time: WIN! and language studied. We get a call. Appointment with a less active cancelled. We spend some time finding our part member families and less actives in the area book. That's our district focus this transfer. We go to the church for an appointment with our GANS friend Joselin. Someone broke into the church. We manage to get in even with a broken lock. Someone trashed the branch president's office and broke open all the locked cabinets...yikes. We call the members who say they'll be there later. Our appointment doesn't show up. We salute Joselin and go to do some finding. We knock lots of doors for lots of hours... no luck. We go get a few dolci (it is my birthday...) and head to the next apointment with Berta and family. They are at the door "come tomorrow!" Fine... we go knock on more doors in an area where we've wanted to knock for a long time. We find a family! They said we can come  back on Friday to talk more. Happy Birthday Sorella Forbes. On the way home, we stop for some pizza napoletana. Capricciosa for me Pesto for Sorella Durfee. We go home. Plan. Eat. Chill. Go to sleep.

That was my birthday. It was great. Nothing out of the ordinary really. It beats last birthday (ER with Sorella Willey...was that really a YEAR ago?!) But I had little birthday celebrations here and there. Sunday a member invited us to their home in the mountains for lunch. It was beautiful and you can see the sea from their house up there on the mount and the meal was delicious. Full italian meal! We were there for way too  long though. Note to self: Never accept invites to lunch by members who live an hour away after church again if you plan on doing anything for the rest of the evening...Yeah. Stress. We got back late to go to the GANS FHE at the Haucks place and they sang to me and Sorella Hauck made me a cake. They are the sweetest. Sorella Durfee gave me this little tiny baby Bible that she bought in Genova! I have been coveting it (yes... I know that's a commandment...) for weeks. Now I don't have to haul my giant heavy bible everywhere. I'll send a picture. Happy day! I can't believe I'm 23... mamma mia.

Thanks for all the birthday wishes! Siete i migliori!

Berta is getting baptized on Saturday! She's so excited and so ready and happy. She was glowing on Sunday when they announced the baptism and had her stand up so everyone knew who she was. And even more when she tried on the white dress. I'm so excited for her! She's all interviewed and ready to go. We love Berta!

There were SO many people in church this SUnday. Our tiny chapel was more than overflowing. MEmbers of the stake leaders were there and they told us we have been approved from Salt Lake for a new chapel! We are the only ones to apply and get accepted on the first time. Woop! So tI think they have a place and we might be there by April. Speriamo. We need more space for this growing branch. They are also probably going to find us a new apartment. Maybe. I hope. The Lynchs from the office came over with the Haucks

About the Pope resigning... hadn't yet heard about that... When did that happen? I'm kind of behind on world news. Although you would think that would be a huge thing here... Interesting...

I didn't get to read all of your emails, family. There were kind of a lot this week so I'm printing them all out to read. 

I'm doing well. I am finding that at times it is a real struggle to endure to the end. But I am doing my best and trying to really push myself. I want to make these next couple of months the greatest and most successful and most hard worked months of my LIFE! Any advice or encouragement would be greatly appreciated. 

Love you all family! Hope everyone is well! Buona settimana!

Sorella Forbes

Birthday Risotto I made for lunch...

Pizza for Birthday dinner...Delicious!

February 6, 2013 - "What happened to Italy?" and Sorella Forbes Birthday Week!

Those are the famous words or Anziano Hauck. He's the new Anziano of the senior couple. We've spent a lot of time with them these last couple of days helping them get adjusted and settled in. It was a rough couple of first days for them. Monday was crazy. Let me explain.

So they came Saturday night. We met them at their apartment to let them in because we had the keys. We helped them set up a bit with the office missionaries. They were SO tired. Jet lag. But they toughed it out so they could get on a normal schedule. The next morning in sacrament meeting, Anziano Hauck bore his testimony. In italian. It was awesome! It's been about 46 years or something since he's been here, and he still speaks great italian! They came with us to our family home evening we do with the YSA on Sunday night. Oh yeah! THat's their specific calling is to work with the young single adults here in Italy. They seem to be really excited, as that is where the future of the church here in Europe. They are wonderful. 

Monday we go to their place to take them to the post office to start the Permesso di Soggiorno process, which is pretty complicated. But we step outside and they say "Uh oh, where's our car?" Yeah. It was gone. THey had parked it in a yellow space (which is handicapped. We didn't know either.) So we call a member and he starts searching for it. We go to take money off of their cards for the permesso... their cards won't give them what they need. So we couldn't do the post office that morning. So we walked to the grocery store and showed them how italian markets work. It's actually quite complicated! They wouldn't take the card at this place so they had to use cash. While we're in the store, the member who's searching for the car calls me. He called the police, the caribinieri, and the vigilio. Those who should know about towed cars. No one knows where it is. They say it's probably stolen... So we call the office and tell them. They put out an announcement. Meanwhile me and Sorella Durfee had to go to her italian laws and regulations class for the permesso for three hours. I called after and asked how they were doing. The member had found the car after calling basically all the towing companies in the city. They went to pick it up and then went to get their internet all set up so they could let their family know they made it to Italy. Well, the internet can't be set up for 20 days... mamma mia. So it was a crazy day. Anziano Hauck said "What happened to Italy?" as we were going through all these complicated processes. I guess when he was here 40 years ago it was a lot simpler. Or something. Ha! BUt they're doing so great now. We're going to a member's family house this afternoon to make pizza. They're excited. 

So that's basically all the excitement that's happened this last week. I was pretty sick and had to sleep a lot. I called Sorella Wolfgramm Wednesday night and told her I was starting to really feel a bad cold in the lungs coming on. She asked me what I was doing to take care of it and I already had some medicine (from the other times this had happened) so I told her I was taking that. She says "Are you resting?" "Uh..." "Sorella? Are you resting?!" "Well, Sorella..." " Well, you WILL rest right?!" "Yes okay, Sorella Wolfgramm I will rest." "Good. I know it's hard but you need it. REST!" So, I rested. A lot. And I kept thinking everytime I laid down to rest.. ." THis is probably thanks to my mother. She wanted me to take a break and rest, and so I'm probably sick because she prayed that I would rest and this is the Lord's way of making sure I do it..." Am I right mother? And probably father as well? Welp, thanks. I rested a lot this last week and did me a lot of good. I feel refreshed and my mind is cleared, I was able to take time to think a lot and work things out in my mind, and now I'm ready to get back to work. I probably should still be really sick, but I asked Anziano Hauck for a priesthood blessing on Sunday and the next day I woke up feeling WORLDS better. I am so grateful for the priesthood. We are blessed. 

Berta is doing so great! she's ready to get baptized and would be getting  baptized this week, but she's been sick too so we are postponing for the 16th. She is so wonderful and so ready. 

And  we're staying the same here in Savona this transfer. I forgot to put that in ... woops! Ha!

10 Sorelle are coming in next transfer.  By June, there will be 40 something new sisters in this mission!  Some will be training 2 at one time...mamma mia...Craziness!  The Lord has big plans for Italy/the world!

The pictures are from last week when we went to our investigator who lives in Spotorno. It's beautiful! That first picture, the top balcony on the right is hers. It's a wonderful view of the sea. But also, they are doing really great. They investigated the church about a year ago, but they've kept reading the Book of Mormon. We'll see how things go with them. 

Well, I love you lots family! Thanks for all the birthday wishes! Can you believe I'm going to be 23?! I can't. Mamma mia. I'm old. I don't know what I'll be doing. We have an appointment next Tuesday night and have correlation with our WML. So I'll probably be partying next P-day. 

Love you family! Buona Settimana!

Sorella Forbes

 Sportono, Italy

Compagni  in Spotorno, Italy

This picture is of my future house/dream house. It's on the mountain right above 

our investigator with terraces for olive trees. 

It's wonderful. 

I want it... Sea view but in the mountains! What a dream! :)

Hi family...