Sorella Forbes, Italy Milan Mission: March 20, 2013

First of all... thanks to the new rule change (we can email basically whomever we please), I'm sending this email direct to a lot of you. More convenient if you want to follow along... HI!

Yes. Round 3.

I'm training.

Again.

For the third time.

Today we received the first shipment of the younger missionary generation, and tomorrow I'm going to Milano to pick up my bambina. I'm so excited! I was thinking for just an instant "Oh gosh, training again... woof. I'm so tired!" But then subito that was replaced with "YES! I'm training again!" I love training. I think it's because when I train I learn and grow so much more. It's a lot of work and a big responsibility, but I know that as I rely on the Savior I can do it! For the third time! Ah! I wonder if President is sick of having me at those training meetings yet... ha! Sorella Durfee is going to MILANO! Milano Lampugnano. Which is not the area I was in, but they have a real chapel. Which is nice. She's excited. I gave her the Milano low-down last night.

This has been a really great week. 1 because Enrico is back! Remember Enrico? The man we found doing casa when I first got here? And he seemed really elect and prepared? And then there were problems with his brother and we lost him for a bit? (He doesn't have a phone...) But then we ran into him on the street outside the church last week and he says "Sorelle! I've come to the church a few times and you're never there! I have been reading the Book of Mormon and I want to keep learning!" .... that's fine. So we've been meeting with him and he accepted a date for April 20 and we'll be working for that. We taught him the Restoration last week and Anziano Hauck was there. He was in shock to see a man so prepared and open and willing to make the changes necessary... he was just shaking his head after the lesson. Things were a lot different when he served here 46 years ago. Enrico came to church (he was early!) and stayed all three hours and just loved it. He was shaking everyone's hands after and just smiling and so happy... ah. My heart is happy.

Other than that... we've had yet again a LOT of bidoni (no shows, cancellations, etc.). But we are striving to be diligent in finding the elect! A lot of doors have been knocked and slammed these last couple of days... va bene. Andiamo avanti.

I had one of the best days in the mission last week. The sorella conference. I can't even describe to you how amazing it was. We left that conference exhausted from so much joy, tears, sadness (Sorelle Hanks and Soh are dying and bore their "dying testimonies"... mamma mia! They are incredible!), and LOVE! So much LOVE was in that chapel. I can't even describe it to you, but I was so happy. We are blessed with some amazing Sorelle. They talked a lot about preparing for all these new sorelle coming in, about living in 4 (I was asked to give some tips... ha), about make up, hair, dress (yeah... that was interesting. Those pictures they showed were NOT from people that had served missions...) And about being good missionaries. Just the usual. But power packed with Wolfgramm awesomeness and so much LOVE! Can't even describe it. On the train home after we were with the Genova Sorelle (and we actually had to stay the night with them because our first train was late so we missed the connection to Savona and would have gotten home real late) and just talked about the joy we felt in our hearts. It gave me a really good boost and I am ready to take on the world. Sorella power!

I have also really had a strong testimony builder of the atonement this last week. Sometimes we are faced with things in the mission, in life really that we just think we can't go on any long. Non ce lo faccio più! But I know and have experienced this last week that if we get down on our knees, pray to our Father in Heaven and turn everything over to the Savior, we will have the power and the energy and the capacity to overcome our sadnesses and trials. Anything! It's amazing! I went through the rest of that day not knowing how I was doing it, going on, keeping my mind focused on the work, but I know that it is because of Christ and His enabling power of the Atonement. It is real! And we can use it and apply it every day of our lives. We MUST. I'm so grateful for it.

I love you family! HAve a good week and I'll talk to you next week!

Sorella Forbes

Sorella Mancuso, Sorella Durfee, Sorella Forbes, Sorella Lyman

These are Sorella Forbes last three companions.

And then my "mission family".

My two daughters and step grand daughter Sorella Willis (Sorella Mancuso finished training her and she is training! Does that make me a step great grandma? Ha!)