Counting Miracles

Ciao Family :) hi hi hi hi

Just writing from a little internet point with church bells ringing in the background. I absolutely LOVE serving in Rome. We are always SUPER busy and there are so many people to talk to. I still miss Sardegna a lot, but I'm loving serving here in Rome. 

We have done SO much this last week that I don't know where to start. I wish I had time to write EVERYTHING... but I guess I need to save SOME stuff for later or no one will want to listen to my mission stories when I get home. 

SO.

Miracles for the week: 

I got W.O.K. for lunch last week. Who knew curry would be such a treasure when there are 12 pizza places that make up the food court at the mall here in Rome? (I had to buy more clothes because they couldn't bring my other suitcase over from Sardegna at the conference like they thought they would... no complaints here.) 

We got 2 new investigators!  One of them is Muslim, so we had to get special permission to teach her.  She comes from Morocco and she is the coolest.  Her name is Zara.. so we get along real well. (ZARA is also the name of a popular clothing store).  

We are teaching her English and then we teach the gospel after our lessons.  The other investigator is a daughter of a lady who is getting baptized tomorrow! (double miracle)  

Anna is an investigator the previous sisters were teaching, so Sorella Foster and I have been teaching her with the elders (to make the transition easier because she already knows them), and she got the okay go to get baptized this Thursday!  SO we are way excited about that. We are also teaching her daughter, Giorgia, and now the other daughter, Elaina. 

Miracle:  I got to do a scambi with Sorella Fossa who is from Pordenone and her parents know Paige!  How cool is that?!  

Sorelle:  Bennett, Fossa and O'Connor

It was really fun having an Italian companion for the day. She served here in Rome 2 her first transfer so she really helped show me around and know more about the members and some investigators and just where everything is. 

Pajama Time
Side Story:  So for my birthday, Paige sent me this pink floral nightgown which apparently is really popular where she was serving.   They sell nightgowns everywhere in Italy.. like they have whole stores just for pajamas.  

Anyway, Paige sent me one for my birthday because she has a matching one.   I had it on to go to bed and Sorella Fossa says "No way.. where did you get that?"   

I told her Paige sent it to me and she goes, "I have the same one!  I just didn't bring it with me because I was too embarrassed to wear it in front of people."  So I thought that was funny.  Famous Nightgowns of Pordenone. 

Paige and the other Pordenone Sorelle

Hypnotized
Also, we've finally been able to meet with some of the other investigators that we had before.  A big challenge we have working with investigators is teaching them a different way to pray. We have one investigator who seriously becomes hypnotized.  

We'll be teaching and a word we say will remind her of a certain prayer and her eyes will glaze over and she'll start reciting the prayer and then turn back to normal.  So yeah, we are working on teaching more about prayer. 

Political Party
Also another investigator told us that she thinks that God should just destroy all the wicked people now. She also thinks that God TOLD Obama to send a bomb to Syria. 

(By the way... are we in a war or something?  I know you want to keep me sheltered from world news, but I would like A LITTLE political update if our country goes to war or sends bombs from the base here in Italy. ??  ...at least that's what they say on the streets) So it's always a party. 

They Come at the End
Miracle:  I'm trying to teach Sorella Foster how to do park finding and we found this BEAUTIFUL park called "Villa Ada."  

So we get there and we sit on the bench for a minute because I wanted her to practice talking to me first.  

Then this girl sits next to us and is like, "Hey can I sit here?"

and I'm thinking "YES YES YES!"

...Everyone else runs away from us.  We ended up teaching her the whole first lesson!  It was just a small miracle because she didn't accept our offer to know more, but it was a sweet little teaching opportunity. 

So anyway, we decided to make a goal of how many people we are going to stop.  I had already stopped all my people and Sorella Foster had 3 left:  two immediate shut-downs and then when she goes to stop the last lady,  Guess What?  

We got to take a bus back to the metro with her as she is reading the Book of Mormon and we get her phone number.  So cool.  Miracles always come at the end... after we've exercised all our faith and talked to everyone in the park.. 

the miracle is always the last one. 

Keeping us Busy
Miracle:  Monday we had one lesson scheduled and planned to do a couple hours of finding afterwards.  Then we get a call from the new bishop. 

(Our ward was just split in two, and we still don't know which one we will be a part of... but one of the bishops is the husband of the cute family that is the Italian version of Taza from "Rockstar Diaries."  seriously, the cutest couple ever. I want to be them.  Sorella Foster and I have the biggest crush on their family... anyways.) 

So he calls and is like, "Hey sisters, do you have an appointment tonight?"  

We tell him that we are free after 18:00 (6 pm), and he says 

"Want to come over for FHE?  I have a co-worker coming over and I want you guys to be there.   Then we can invite him to stay for a spiritual thought."  

Sorella Foster and I were dancing in our seats on the bus.  

THEN the 1st counselor from the OTHER ward calls and says, "Hey, so we have been talking to the mission president and we are basically begging him to assign the sisters to OUR ward..."   

So I thought that was funny because we have 8 elders and only 2 sisters.  

Then on Sunday, the members were saying to us, "Hey so we have this friend we want you to come see."  

and we are like, "YES!  EVERYONE IS GIVING US REFERRALS." 

Don't tell the anziani.  Everyone asks them to do the service projects and then they give all their referrals to us.  it's cool. 

Kaitlin with a member.  The Rome Temple is to the left--under the big crane in the skyline.

ANYWAYS.  We love it here in Rome.  Lots of work to do, but we are happy and we are working hard. 

Thanks for all the updates from home, Mom.  I love getting those letters.  You can send everything to the office because I get it right away (perks).  So, thank you.  Also, can you send me a pic from my baptism?  Thanks. 

With love from Rome,

Sorella O'Connor 

Also:  the bishop's wife asked me to take family photos for them as a service.  She also said I get to pick the location and her clothes. dreams really do come true. 

(Email Sent - September 25, 2013)

L'Italia è in Fiore

Really great week here in Italy. I kind of feel bad because I think my last letter might have been slightly on the depressing side.  Mostly because I was stressed out of my mind.. 

Too tired to open the door

The only comparison I can come up with is: "trying to jump onto a treadmill on full speed in a room full of people watching you WHILE carrying someone on your back... and trying to speak italian." 

(she'll be dancing in no time)

Greenies say the funniest things
BUT it's getting a lot better.  Sorella Foster really calms me down because she is always joking and makes me laugh.  

The "non fregga niente" face that Italians give us when we say we have a message for them.

The face we make when we are standing in front of a door 

and we know someone is looking at us through the peep hole. 

I told her yesterday that every day I am writing down something she says or does in my planner. She said, "Yeah they did that to me in the MTC too.  I don't know why everyone thinks I'm so funny."  

Some of my favorites:  

"That's why I like tigers: because they are so regal.. What's your favorite animal?"   

Yesterday she started singing the preamble to the Constitution during our nightly planning session.. 

and then there was the time she told me how she loves to read fact books and how shark babies eat each other in the womb.  She is hard not to get along with. 

Apostolic Teaching
We had some really incredible things happen this week.  First of all, we had Elder Ballard come on Sunday!  It was soo cool.  

He asked to have a special meeting with the missionaries beforehand (It was all the missionaries from Rome, Sardegna, and Napoli.. who will be part of the new stake) and he was the best.  

He basically started out by teaching us the first lesson, but much more eloquently then I've ever taught it.  It was cool to sit and be taught by an apostle of the Lord of the importance of the message we are teaching.  

Future Leaders
He also told us to start focusing more on people between the ages of 12-40 because those are the people who will be the future leaders in Italy.   Our job is to find those future leaders.  

He let us ask a few questions and he prefaced it by saying, "But don't ask me where Kolob is, because I don't know."  ... so he took my only question... just kidding.  

Apostolic Advice
The best advice that he gave us is to teach clearly the Apostasy and the need for a Restoration... and to teach it with the Spirit.  It was really cool to get direct revelation and advice for our specific circumstance.  

We all got to shake his hand and head into the conference with all the members.  During the conference he had the new Stake Presidents bear their testimonies and then he had them stand up with President Waddoups and make a promise to do missionary work.   

Then he asked ALL the missionaries to come to the front stand and he made all of us raise our hands and promise to work to share the message of the gospel here in Italy.  

(Kaitlin is on the far left in the green coat)

Then he had all the bishops and branch presidents stand up and he said, "These are your missionaries.. put them to work." and he made them all promise to do missionary work and to work with us.  

It was one of the coolest things ever:  to stand on the floor in front of the podium where an apostle of the Lord is speaking to us, in front of all of the members here in Rome, Napoli, and Sardegna, and to make a promise to continue our work.  

President said that he has been to a LOT of conferences and he has NEVER seen anything like that happen.  It was amazing to see the emphasis he put on missionary work.  

That's what he wanted the leaders and members to take away from the conference.  He wants us to go forth and help others to have the same beautiful knowledge that we have here... & it's going to take more effort and more sacrifice.. but we have been called of God to do this work, to do his work, and we are entitled to his power. 

Zone Conference
THEN on Monday we had ZONE conference.  So two days in a row of spiritual uplift.. which I desperately needed.  

MTC friends at zone conference

I realized the reason WHY I was so stressed was because I was lacking faith.  I was lacking the faith that as I am willing and obedient, I am entitled to the Lord's help.  

President is making a big push for more baptisms.  Here in the Rome mission we are a lot lower on the number scale compared to other missions, and I think we let that get to us too much.  

It was great to remember our goal:  we aren't here just to serve or to help people to feel the Spirit, but we are here to help people change, to help them make the covenants that they need to make in order to receive a fullness of joy.  

Faith and Miracles
So this week I've really been studying to work on my faith.  The faith that people WILL accept the message and that people WANT this in their life... and I've seen many small miracles come from it. 

So here is a quick list of miracles I've seen this week: 

-WE GOT A NEW INVESTIGATOR her name is Alesandra and she is super Catholic... like reciting at least 5 different Catholic prayers in the first lesson.  But Sorella Foster taught her when I was on my scambi in Rome 3 so she found her first investigator!  We met with her the second time last night and she came to the conference. 

- Here in Rome I've found a ton of different opportunities to serve that I had a hard time finding in Cagliari.  For example, I got to help a blind lady cross the street and I got to hold a little boy's hand down the escalator to the subway because he was scared and his mom's hands were full. (my heart melted)

- We miraculously ran into a less active (the only one I've met here) riding his bike the other night as I was praying to find someone to talk to.   He said that he wants us to come by and start teaching his girlfriend who has started reading the Book of Mormon

- Yesterday an investigator called US to set an appointment. 

-We ran into an English Course student on the bus and we were able to pass his information to the anziani who are going to start working with him. 

- We met these two businessmen by the metro when we got lost and spent 45 min talking about the church (and were late for lunch) 

- and my FAVORITE miracle... Sunday after the conference we had nothing planned because we didn't want to set any appointments because our schedule was constantly changing.  So we decided to go do finding near the temple... and it was RAINING.. so there was no one on the street.  

 I said, "Well let's do some casa, because God always gives miracles in the rain."  So I said,  "Okay Sorella Foster, pick a house."  So she did and I had been thinking about the one before it, so we walked over to these two apartment buildings.  

We were getting rejections and then we hear a voice behind us say, "Ciao sorelle!"  

We turn around and it's our cute young Relief Society President and her husband who is the 2nd Counselor, and she says "My husband always says Sunday night is the hardest time of the week.  Do you want to come for dinner?"  ummmm.... yes.  

Then she points to their building which was the one Sorella Foster had picked to do casa. miracle.  So we got to go to their house and it was so great.  They are the cutest family.  They are like the Italian version of Taza and family.. seriously.  

Miracles always happen in the rain. 

Blessings
And there were lots more blessings that I don't have time to write about.  The Lord really has been blessing us.  Blessing us with more appointments, more investigators, and more service opportunities.

It really is a huge blessing to be here in Italy.  I'm growing so much and learning to have more faith in the call Heavenly Father has asked me to do.  

I love being a missionary.  

It's not easy.. obviously.. but its the most fulfilling work I've ever done.  I know this is the most important work in the world and I am grateful to be doing it full-time for this short time here in Italy. 

Also!! I almost forgot... there is a brother and sister serving here in the Rome mission from Paige's last ward in Pordenone! I met them at the conference and they said Paige had emailed them and told them to say "hi" to me. small world.  Watching them see each other for the first time on the mission was so cute. Sorella Fossa and I are doing pday together.. also cute. 

Elder and Sorella Fossa from Pordenone

LOVE AND MISS YOU GUYS!

Sorella O'Connor

(Email Sent - September 18, 2013)

Lost in Rome

From the Editor:  So Kaitlin has left her small-town, island living far behind and is adjusting to the hustle-bustle of city living in Rome.  

One of the advantages of serving in Rome is that the APs can come pick you up when you get stranded.  

One of the, umm, other advantages is that the mission president's wife might use your experiences as metaphors for her "spiritual thoughts":

From Kaitlin:

First full week in Rome and I came out pretty much unharmed.  The weird thing about being in Rome is that you guys know everything before I email you about it.  I don't even have anything to say anymore.  Sorella Waddoups already stole my grand story... 

Honestly

Yes, it is my grand story because it's probably one of the most eventful things that happened this week.  

We have spent a LOT of time at bus stops this week. 

ROME IS HUGE. 

 Like, I don't even know where to start.  Our first day I got to pick up my greenie from the villa.. Sorella Victoria Foster.. she is great.. and SO patient.. which is needed because I went and got her and then said,  "So I don't know where we are going."   

Everyone told me to be confident and pretend like I know things, but I had to be honest.  

I know nothing.  

But I DID take her to the Coloseo the first day and get her gelato (mostly so I could start figuring out the subway system) and that's where we got lost.  

Colosseum

Trevi Fountain

Spanish Steps

My Grand Story

I took the metro back to our stop giving myself a good 30 minutes before we needed to be home on time. (That's the max it takes in Cagliari, so I thought I was good.)  

Unfortunately there is only ONE bus that I KNOW takes us home, 

so we waited for it.. 

and waited.. 

and waited.. 

and an hour and a half later I gave up on my pride and called the elders... 

They were just like, "We'll just send the assistants to come get you." 

so embarassing. so, so embarassing.  

We finally got home around 10.  I felt so bad for my new greenie.. breaking rules the first day. Then Sorella Waddoups comes up to me on Sunday and tells me the same story she wrote on her blog and I knew.. I knew it was going on the blog.. so embarrassing. 

Lost... the series

So most of this week has been spent getting lost:  

getting lost on the way to church, 

getting lost trying to find an UPDATED bus map, 

getting lost on the way to appointments, 

just getting lost.  

Most days I come home and I think, 

"Why in the world do they trust me to do this?"  

Figure It Out

Starting in a new area is really hard. 

I have to figure out the city.. how the ward works.. how to train someone to be a missionary.. what the needs of all our investigators are.. how to work in the same ward with 8 elders and the mission president.. 

Yes there are 10 missionaries in our ward and we are the only sisters.  

Whenever we are by the church we always run into the elders, so I snapped a photo...

proselyting in Italy.

Plus I got made Sister Training Leader again and I already have scambis (exchanges) planned for this week, so I've been really stressed out this week. 

Training my Sidekick

I felt really bad for my new companion because I want to be a really good trainer for her.  I want to do everything really well and I haven't been very patient with myself.  

But luckily she is really patient with me and is positive and hard working. seriously a blessing. and she is so so so funny. Whenever I'm stressed, she makes me laugh by something she does or says or a face she makes.  

Three Generation Photo:  Cojan (came to visit from France!) - O'Connor - Foster

I really like her a lot--She is like the sidekick character in every movie, which makes me happy... like the Patrick to Spongebob or the Dory to Marlin & Nemo ... cosi via.. really though.. it's a weird funny, but I like it, hah.

The Help

So sorry, not a lot of fun things to update you on.   I've just been stressed a lot because I want to do a good job and be a good missionary.  But I feel like I don't have the capacity to do it all.  

I was at the metro stop the other day and I was just enveloped in thought... thinking about how I can do it all.. how I can do a good job... how I can organize myself better and do better and get better numbers and cosi via.. 

and I just had the thought come into my mind: "Just serve them." 

And that was it;  that was all I needed:  to be reminded to just serve.  I looked around and remembered that I was in the middle of the city with hundreds of people piling onto the metro and a brand new missionary by my side who looked just as lost as I felt.  

I needed that reminder to serve right then and there with the people I was with.  

So now when I'm stressed, I just remind myself to serve where I am and do what I can and Heavenly Father will do the rest.  He's the man in charge.. I'm just the help.  It sounds strange, but it really helped me a lot. 

"I Made It!"

I don't want to sound like everything is difficult and depressing though.. I really love Rome.  It's so beautiful.  

 Often I walk  down the street and I just think, "Wow, I made it... I'm in Rome".   

We did finding the other day at Villa Borghese and Sorella Foster gave away two copies of the Book of Mormon.. her first ones which was cool!)   

There was just this incredible view over the city... the city where Peter and Paul once taught... 

and now it's us.  

How cool is that?  

... Name Them One By One

There is literally no better mission in the world.  So Sorella Foster and I started counting our blessings. 

Every night we write down the miracles we've seen.  Even though it felt like I was just waiting at bus stops all day, I realized that even there we find miracles. 

sweet blessing - man playing the violin on the bus

So that's it for this week.  I haven't seen the pope yet.  He's actually headed to Sardegna this month.

Even Better

WE GET A VISIT FROM AN APOSTLE! 

Anziano Ballard is coming this Sunday to split the stakes (congregational groups - See Isaiah 54:2) because they are adding another one here in ROME.  There is going to be a huge conference and I'm so so so so excited for it.  

Rome is the best.  It's completely different from Cagliari but I love it so much.  It's getting easier and we are adjusting a lot and I just feel so blessed. blessed to serve.  I love being a missionary.  It's the best decision I've ever made. 

Also thanks so much Mom for the package! I loved it. We watched Mormon Messages until it was time for bed yesterday.  

Also I loved the music too... I love music.. but I still don't know why you won't just let me have Coldplay... you keep teasing me with these other not as good versions of the real thing. torture. 

(Answer:   recreational harrassment.  she shouldn't have to go 18 months without it.  plus, Coldplay, really?? I don't know...)

BUT I still loved the cd.  Also every time you said JT I had to remind myself that it wasn't Justin Timberlake you saw.  (James Taylor did a concert with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Utah Symphony.)

The original "JT"

Also we had tourists at church on Sunday which I loved because they gave me the updates on the BYU football games.  (Thanks for the shirt too.. loved it all.)

Miss you guys a lot! 

With love from Roma,

Sorella OConnor 

(Email Sent - September 11, 2013)

All Roads Lead to ....

ROME!  

Although you guys already KNOW that. Not so much of a surprise...  
(One of the members in Cagliari sent us a message beforehand about the transfer.)

Going Green

But the biggest surprise is that I'LL BE TRAINING. 

I know. 

What are they thinking? 

I don't know. 

I've been super stressed out because I've only ever served in one city (and a small one at that) and now I'll be taking the place of two of the best sorelle here in Rome and training. I know nothing of Rome, but I've got to figure it out fast because apparently we have a ton of investigators and some are getting baptized this month.

Gotta Have Faith
I am very excited for the chance I have to now serve here in Rome.  Honestly... I'm really nervous to come to a new city and train at the same time... but I've had a lot of studies centered on Faith lately that have helped me to remember why I'm here and whose work I'm doing.  

I know this next transfer won't be easy, but I am grateful for the comfort that Heavenly Father has given me and the assurance that it will all work out as I continue to try my best, be obedient, and just work hard. 

The Cure

This morning coming to the internet point, I was feeling really overwhelmed about my new area and trying to remember everything and just as I was thinking all of this a woman came and sat next to me.  

We started talking and I told her a little bit about our church and was able to give her a Restoration pamphlet.  She has no immediate interest to meet with us, but somehow that little experience gave me comfort... It reminded me that whenever things get hard or overwhelming, the one cure is really to forget about yourself and go to work.  Missionary work is the best cure for anything. 

Sweet Summer Fruits

The work in Cagliari is going well too.  We finally got a new baptismal date for Maria Rita and Giuseppina which was my ONE wish before leaving Cagliari.  They want to be baptized together the second week of October.  

I'm really sad that I'll miss it, but I'm so grateful that I had that time to work with them and to prepare them.  Marie Rita told me how much she has seen her life change since she met us and Giuseppina said it was a the best summer she has had, meeting with us. 

God really does allow us to see fruits of our labors.  Even if they seem small, they are oh so sweet. 

People That I Love

Piece of My Heart

Leaving Cagliari was really hard, just because I have spent all of my mission there and I have given so much of my heart to those people.   

But I'm excited for the chance to have that same love for the people here in Rome.  I just need a lot of prayers coming my way & a lot of help from the Lord... 

but I know he qualifies those he calls and I am no exception.

Celebrating
I had a really great last week in Cagliari.  For my birthday on Thursday, we had a nice full day.  Sorella Nef and I planned a movie night with Maria Rita and Giuseppina and some members.  We went to the church to watch the Restoration film and eat cake.  

Birthdays on the mission are the best because you realize just how much the day isn't really about you.  

One of the sweetest moments on my mission so far was when, after watching the film, all the members bore their testimony of Joseph Smith as a prophet of God.  I got really emotional as I bore my testimony to Maria Rita and Giuseppina, because I realized that all I really want is for them to have the same knowledge and to be blessed the way I have been from this knowledge.  

Afterwards we went to Sorella Saffina's house where she and her daughter had made me another cake.  It was really great because her daughter is handicapped and has a special teacher who comes to help her and we were able to have a small lesson with her teacher as well.   

 That makes three for my birthday-- one from the pizza place too.  

Also, another small miracle: in the morning we were on the bus and I started talking to this lady and telling her who we were and asked if she had interest for us to come tell her more.. and she was like

 "Oh, I've already been baptized in your church, but I really would love it if you would come visit me again."  

So weird.  There aren't that many members in Cagliari, and the meno attivi (less-actives) that we DO find don't normally want to see us.  So we (I mean Sorella Nef and her new companion) will be working with her.

Goal Met - Artists Meet
Friday we decided to go by the studio of that graffiti artist again because we were close by and he was THERE!  I've been saying since my first transfer that I wanted to find and give a Book of Mormon to the man who does the whale graffiti around Cagliari... and Thursday I met my goal!  So cool.  

We went in and he gave me a tour of his studio and then I told him a little about who we were and he said he has seen missionaries before but none of them ever gave him a Book of Mormon!  (He also said he probably wouldn't read it... but I gave it to him anyways... just in case.)  

Then we had a dinner with two families from the ward which was really fun.  It felt like I was back at home having a serrata with the Brambilas, Bergquists and Harpers.. but all in Italian.  We all just made fun of each other and talked about missions, and it was cool to bear my testimony to the kids about how amazing a mission is..because it is.

Transfer Call
Saturday was the big transfer call day.  We were in a lesson with Maria Rita and Giuseppina when we got the big news. 

I'm going to ROMA 2.  

Seriously I feel so blessed. It's where all the sisters dream of serving.  Then I asked who my companion would be and he said he didn't know.  

I was like, "Seriously you guys haven't thought that far ahead yet?" (in my mind) 

and he said, "BECAUSE SHE IS STILL IN AMERICA"... what?! 

I'm still really scared.  I pick her up from the Villa tomorrow. Pray for me.  

Doubling Up
In other big news, they are DOUBLING the missionaries in Cagliari:  4 Sorelle and 4 Anziani!  

So Crazy.  Also... there is going to be a big conference with Anziano Ballard to split Rome into 2 stakes (one of which Sardegna will join) and ALL the missionaries are coming and a ton of members too!  So I get to see them all here in Rome on the 15th!  (It's not where Martina Sanna lives, but it's really close to her so I hope to see her often). SO exciting!

In other big news... one of our meno attivis we work with tried out for Italian Idol and made it to the next round! Sometime this month you can find her video online.. exhibition Erica Loi--Italian Idol.  She sings Beyonce. yeah. the best.

See You Soon Then...
The last couple days were really sad, saying goodbye to everyone. Especially the Sanna family.  When they found out I was leaving Fratello and Sorella Sanna started balling.. which then in turn made me cry.  I love the branch so much. so so much. But I'm glad I'll see them soon. 

Everyone has offered to host me if I ever come back to Sardegna, so there is that too.  It was weird flying out and saying goodbye to my beloved island, but I'm glad I'm here in Rome too. It's such an incredible city.  I'll be preaching where Peter and Paul taught.  I often ask Heavenly Father just why he blesses me so much.

More People...

That I Love!!!

Starting New
It feels a little like I am starting a new mission, just because it's so different here.  But the mission is always the same.  It's the same work no matter where you are.  

I've heard tons of people talk about the blessings of the mission and how incredible it is, but it wasn't until i left Cagliari that I realized that I knew it too.  I've never felt so full of love and gratitude for the gospel.  

You Just Know
There is a quote at the beginning of  "Our Search for Happiness" when Anziano Ballard talks about his mission in England.  One day he was walking home and it just hit him that he knew.  He knew Jesus Christ loved him.  He knew that the church is true and that it brings us closer to Him.  He had believed it all his life, but there comes a point when you realize that you just know.  You know just as strongly as if the Savior was standing in front of you telling you the same thing.  

It's hard to describe, but this week I realized that I too know.  I don't know everything.  But I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior.  I know that He knows me and He loves me.  I know that this is His church here on earth and I know he wants all of God's children to have that same knowledge.

True Convert
I love being a missionary. They aren't lying when they say you find yourself when you lose yourself in His work.  I've seen a lot of changes in a lot of people since I've been here,  but the biggest change I've seen has been in myself.  I've become the true convert. & I can't thank my Heavenly Father enough for that knowledge.

With love from ROME,

Sorella O'Connor

(Email Sent - September 4, 2013)