Happiness

I was a bit selfish today and took a lot of my time reading and responding to my emails.  I love getting emails from my friends at home and on missions.  Thanks for the updates. 

YAY Tanner is getting married :) So happy for him. 

YAY Bekah's baby is here :):):) 

SEND ME MORE PHOTOS OF THE BABIES.  I LOVE THEM.  

I am excited to be an "auntie" and play with all of them when I get back.  

Also I've been thinking all week how I was with Zoe a year ago when she met her husband in the ice cream aisle and how that is the perfect "first-time-we met" story.  And how I said, "Watch, you are going to marry him and get to tell everyone you met your husband in the ice cream aisle."  You're welcome Zoe. 

SO THIS WEEK: 

We met an African lady dressed in a bright teal spandex jumpsuit who asked us to come preach to her on the bus.  So that was cool. 

Tuesday we did some finding in this cute park (I love park finding).   There was a bus/metro strike so it took us forever to get there and we only had like 10 min to do finding before we had to leave.  I stopped the first people we saw and it was this cute young couple.  

Happiness

We pulled out the happiness survey:  

"How many times have you smiled today?" 

"What makes you happy?" 

"We are here with a message about eternal happiness through the gospel of Jesus Christ."  

 Anyway, so this guy is SUPER interested.   He starts telling us that he has been going through a trial of faith because he goes to church and realizes that they aren't teaching what the bible says... So we exchanged numbers and he says, "So can I come to church on Sunday?".. miracles. serious miracles. 

 He didn't come.  But I'm not giving up hope.  They are getting married in the Rome temple, 

I can just feel it. 

Hope

Speaking of which, they are HOPING the temple will be done in 18 months.  They shipped in a ton of Americans to figure out why the Italians aren't getting it done fast enough (pranzo hours.. that's why). 

getting the temple spires

So that means more people for me to translate for in Relief Society, but I secretly love it because they spoil us like grandmas do. 

We have been teaching the niece of one of the members and giving her some private English lessons.  So, this week we were teaching her about the Restoration and Sorella Foster was just about to get to the part about Joseph Smith--It was so cute because Sorella Foster says, "and then a miracle happened..." and Marina gets really close and whispers, "What was it?" all intently.   Then Sorella Foster tells her the story of the First Vision. super spiritual power. 

Hospitality

Also we went to visit one of my favorite families, the Iakaniani family, and she made us a cake in the shape of a bear.  We have the best members here in Rome 2 and 6. (our wards names) 

Hey, Hello

We found another new potential just by smiling. hah.  Typical sister missionary story, right?  We were walking down the street and I was just smiling and saying "hello" to everyone that passed.  I realized we wrote down the house number wrong and we needed to go back to the other end of the street.  

So we started walking back and one of the guys that we said "good morning" to was at the stoplight and he started asking us questions.  We were able to give him a Book of Mormon and he asked about church and asked if he could come and we got his number! 

Seriously we are finding people out of no where.  This has NEVER happened to me.  Last night at the bus stop this guy says, 

"Hey, so do you guys have one of those books from Joseph Smith?" 

and I'm like "Excuse me?!  You know about Joseph Smith?!"  

He tells us that he has friends in England who are Mormons.  He is from Romania, so we got his number so we could bring him a copy in Romanian.  We have NEVER had this much success in finding people that will even listen, let alone give us a chance to explain more.  So we are super blessed. 

His Love

Also things are going well with Giorgia.  She came to church yesterday and we had a great lesson with her this week.  As we were studying, I had the overwhelming impression that we needed to explain the atonement to her and how much Jesus Christ loves her and how he suffered for her personally in the garden of Gethsemane. 

It was really powerful. She won't be ready for her baptism this week, but she is making progress.  It was a really good chance to find out where she is at and how we can prepare her. 

How It Works

So it's been a good week.  Since the wards split we have been doing a big less-active search as well. Yesterday we went to look for someone, but her name wasn't written on the citofono.

  

How it works in Italy is that every apartment building has a set of doorbells on the outside, so you have to ring the doorbell to get let in.  Then sometimes you have be let in again to get past the gate INSIDE and then again AT there door.  When you ring outside, there is a little speaker where they ask who it is... but sometimes they don't ask and just buzz you in. 

Heavy Breathing

So after this less-active wasn't there, Sorella Foster and I felt impressed to do the rest of the apartment building.  (We are trying not to do casa because we don't see much success with it.)  

Anyway, we go up to the top floor where this person let us in without saying anything... We are waiting at the door and I hear this noise.. that sounds like Darth Vader... and it's coming from inside the house.. getting closer and closer to the door.  

So Sorella Foster hits the button to the elevator because we are both freaked out.. and the noise is getting louder and louder as we wait for this elevator and it arrives JUST as we hear this loud creepy oxygen tank type thing RIGHT at the door.  We run in the elevator trying not to scream as I'm saying "HIT THE BUTTON! GET US OUT OF HERE!"... the joys of casa. 

So yeah, it's been a good week.  We get transfer calls this week.  

I HOPE I'M STAYING IN ROME 2 because I love it.  

Sorella O'Connor 

I bought myself a beret to keep my head warm.  The anziani make fun of me.

It's classy.

The tourists are gone!  We had the Trevi Fountain to ourselves.

accidental "artsy" shot

Kaitlin received pictures from Sardegna of Maria Rita's baptism!!

 "Isn't she the cutest?  So happy!!"

(Email Sent - November 18, 2013)

Halfway... What?

The Hardest Rule

First of all, I can't tell you how excited I am about TWO new baby Bergquist GIRLS.  Marleigh is SO beautiful and I'm so sad I can't hold her. so sad.  So keep sending me LOTS of fotos.  so many babies.  

Welcome Marleigh Jane!

I agree with Paige, it's been SO hard to follow that mission rule... especially because our ward has the CUTEST babies. seriously. and they speak Italian. and I want to hold them. 

Mid-Mission Crisis
So this week it finally happened.  I hit the halfway mark. SO weird.  I was having a sort of "mid-life" crisis.. but it has passed.  I just can't believe how fast it's going.  Probably because we are SO busy.  A really good kind of busy. 

Dreams Come True

MONDAY I SAW LA CAPELLA SISTINA! (Sistine Chapel) dreams come true. they do, they do.  
It was SO beautiful. I can't even describe it.  

Sorella Foster and I decided to take a tour so that we could have someone show us around.. Because the Vatican is SO huge,  I knew I would miss something important on my own.. and it was so good.  Also we talked to our tour guide about the gospel in Italian and that was cool.  But seriously I never wanted to leave the Sistine Chapel.  

Outside the Vatican

From my point of view

(fortunate placement of the tour guide's head)

Hey Sisters!

Also we got "hey sistered" in the chapel. 

(That is when we see Mormon tourists and they yell "Hey sisters!"... usually accompanied by a joke or asking how many baptisms we have had.. today's "hey sister" was "Do they let you come over here?" referring to the Vatican.) 

School of Athens... an art history student's dream coming true 

Deprived

Tuesday I found out that my companion has NEVER HAD RANCH DRESSING. never. ever. or sour cream. & I can't even make her eat it because we don't have it here.  Isn't that so crazy?  

I just kept saying "CHIPS AND DIP SORELLA, YOUVE NEVER HAD CHIPS AND DIP?" that's like a staple football party food.  Speaking of which, I can't tell you how much I love the BYU football updates.  It's been cold football weather here and I've been slightly homesick for BYU football. Next year. 

We met with our cute RS president and she has this new baby (again with the babies) and I couldn't hold her.  But it was still a good meeting because we are doing a lot of less-active work right now. 

Because they split the two wards and the member lists are smaller, they can put more attention on less-active finding.  So we are going to be doing a lot of that.  Also we had a good lesson with our new investigator Giuseppina at the church before English Course. 

Get the Rust Off

Thursday we did finding at Villa Ada.  Because we have been so busy, we haven't had a lot of time specifically set aside for finding.  We have been getting kind of rusty, so we decided to spend the whole morning getting out of our bubble again to do finding. 

So I made Sorella Foster talk to these two ladies playing with their dogs and it was such a good experience.  Neither of them were interested in knowing more, but at the end they just praised us for all the work we are doing and told us how wonderful we are and how wonderful it is that people our age are making these sacrifices to help people find happiness.  

What Makes You Happy?

We have been doing a new sondaggio (survey) about happiness.  We ask people how many times they have smiled.  Then we ask what makes them happy.  

Then we go on to explain that we are here with a message of finding eternal happiness through the gospel of Jesus Christ. cheezy but we love it.  Anyway at the end, they gave us big hugs and wished us well. so cute. 

That night we went over to our OTHER ward mission leader's house. (Since we work with both wards, we also have two ward mission leaders.) They are American.  It was so weird because we walked into their apartment and it just felt like a classic Utah home.  

We had corn bread and chili (which Sorella Foster also had never eaten) and FRESH SALAD. heaven sent. seriously. The salads we have had here are basically lettuce, oil, and salt.. sometimes tomatoes.. and sometimes olives.  

We're Not Nuns

ALSO when we were going there, I started talking to this girl who was Italian but speaks English because her boyfriend is British.  Then I hear Sorella Foster explaining to this man that we aren't nuns (which we get a lot).  

Afterwards he gets off at our stop and we explain more and offer him a Book of Mormon.   He says, "I don't know if I'll read it because it is black and it looks depressing."   I answer,  "Well its actually blue on the outside and it's white on the inside and it will fill your life with light."  So we will see if that works. 

Parli Inglese

Friday we were doing some English Course publicity in the park and this guy was like "Why are you teaching people English and not teaching people what the Bible says?" and we were like, "Ummm, yeah, we do that too."   I've never had anyone be mad that we offer English.  But he didn't want us to teach him about the Bible either so...  

We have started this English Course for kids once a week for service.  The last time we taught it (which was also the first time we taught it), the parents who came sat in the back read through ALL of the pamphlets we left them.  So that was cool. 

Saturday we traveled a lot.  We went to a member's home because she has a friend who needed some help with English for an exam.   So we went to help her out and at the end we had pranzo together (The Peruvians are good to us). 

We talked a ton about the temple and gave her a Book of Mormon, so we are hoping that all goes well. She seems really excited about the temple and about eternal families because there are a lot of marital problems right now.  Also she is dating a less-active member, so that would be so cool if we could get them ready for the temple.

Reunited

Yesterday we had stake conference! so fun. I got to see Martina Sana (from Cagliari) because she moved to Rome and is in my stake and I got to see Flavia our investigator that we passed to the Ladispoli sisters. so much fun. 

Sunday Ride

Then Sunday night we had no appointments, so we decided to travel all the way to Prima Porta to find Giorgia.  She has been avoiding our phone calls because (we think) her BF is not too happy with the idea of her getting baptized.  

On the way I started talking to this lady on the bus from ORISTANO (Sardegna.. smallest branch where we have missionaries) and now she is living in Prima Porta. 

Anyway, we started talking and we had a lesson with her on the bus and then we exchanged numbers and got a return appointment for next Sunday!  NEW INVESTIGATOR!  and we have great members over there in Prima Porta to help out.  

We got to reach Giorgia at home and her boyfriend was there, so we got to meet him and tried to show him we are not so scary (I hope.. it's been raining a lot so we looked pretty scary) and we have an appointment tomorrow. 

Don't Think About It

miracles miracles miracles. I love being a missionary. so much. I got sad last week thinking that by the end of next summer I won't be wearing the name tag anymore.  So I just stopped thinking about it. 

I love being here in Rome. It's the best.  We have so much to do and I'm learning so much.  But I love all the updates from home, so keep them coming.  Something that sucks about having a greenie at your halfway point:  everyone has forgotten about you, but she is still getting 10 letters a week.  So I wouldn't be mad if I got more letters ;) 

Anyway. love you. I can't believe Thanksgiving is coming so fast.  We have two offers for an American Thanksgiving, so we are pretty excited about that. There are pluses of having Americans in your ward. 

Send me more baby pictures. Hold them tight for me. I sent Brit a letter this week.  Tell Di that I'm SO excited for her :) okay bye.

With Love from Rome,

Sorella O'Connor

Anziani stealing oranges from the church for DDM

The Harry Potter train by our house. 

The train station is right by our house and we hear it ALL the time... 

It also makes our house shake and sometimes glasses fall from the counter in the middle of the night. 

But it's cute

DISTRACTIONS SATAN USES TO MAKE ME TRUNKY:

(Email Sent - November 11, 2013)

Don't Cry Sorella

Another week come and gone and they aren't lying when they say it goes by fast.  We have been SO busy here in Rome.  Here is my little update from this week:

Time for a Trim

It is a law in Italy that parrucchieri (barbers) can't be open on Monday; and since pday is now Monday, President gave the missionaries permission to get their hair cut on other days as long as we do missionary work while doing it (obvi).   

Anyway... so there is this less-active member who cuts the missionaries' hair for free.. Can you see where this is going? oh no... oh yes.  

So you know that scene in Roman Holiday where Audrey Hepburn goes to the parrucchieri and is like "OFF.  Cut it all off!" (gasp from Mom) ... well.. I didn't do that. ha.

We go to see this less-active man and his girlfriend is washing my hair and telling me all SORTS of things that I don't think Artan wants me to know.  People seem to just trust missionaries and we end up knowing everyone's secrets--like how she thought she was pregnant and that she wants to leave him because he wouldn't be a good father and that they were trying to start a family and oh my gosh it goes on and on.   

... Just a Trim

Then Artan comes to cut my hair and he holds about SIX INCHES between his fingers and says, "So about here, right?"  I freak out , "ARTAN.. NO.. POCCO POCCO!!" and he says, "è brutto sorella" and I'm like, "Yeah, I know but just the ends PLEASE!!" 

... so I set Sorella Foster on guard to watch him and he ends up cutting off about that much anyway.   But he does it sneakily.. like "I'm just making it even... It's longer on this side." blah blah blah... 

Don't Cry

So he has me looking down to make it even in the back and what not, and just before he tells me I can look he says, "Don't cry sorella"... good sign right? 

One of the anziani said Artan told him once, "I listen to what they want and then I make adjustments."... so I got a "modern" haircut as he says.. it will grow right? 

I'm sure it will get gloriously long by next summer.  Lessons you learn in Italy.  It's okay really...

 I didn't cry. 

"Don't cry Sorella"

Still long in the back

My "modern" Italian haircut

One of the members was looking at my photos from before the mission and she said something along the lines of "Wow Sorella, you were so glamorous... Good thing we keep feeding you.  You can't be this pretty and serve a mission.  The Lord needs to protect you." He's protecting me a little too much if you ask me. 

Take the Show on the Road

Anyway, so that was funny. kind of.  Also we had zone conference this week which was fun.  Sorella Merrenda and I did an addestramento on "teach when you find, find when you teach" and how to use the Restoration pamphlet. I think it went well.  President said he is going to take us on the road with him.  

New Investigators

Also, we got a referral for someone who lives by the Colloseo, so we had an excuse to go there this week.  It was fun.  The tourist people were trying to sell us tickets to go in and I got to say 

"No thanks, we live here.. We are just going to see a friend."

Colosseum

We had a lesson with a new investigator this week.  She is the niece of one of our members and she said she is going to start reading the Book of Mormon, so we are way excited about meeting with her. 

We have another new investigator:  that lady that we met in Villa Ada park came to English Course and now we have an appointment this week with her and she brought us chocolate. so we like her too. 

Also I got no mail at zone conference so you guys are in trouble. 

Lost in Translation

We went to a Halloween/birthday party for a member, and I really wanted to dress up as "the Holy Ghost" and wear a sheet and put lots of holes in it..  But then I realized that the translation in italian is just "lo spirito santo" and it wouldn't make any sense to why I was wearing a sheet with holes in it.. It was a nice idea. 

Halloween Party

Hate to Give Her Up

Also I got to go on a scambio this week!  So we have this incredible investigator named Flavia.  She is 18 and she is Peruvian and SO cute.  She has so much desire that on Sundays she takes a train from Bracciano to Rome, which takes an hour and a half (at least).   She has an aunt in our ward so she has been coming here.  But it was getting really hard to see her because she has school on Saturdays now and she can't make it out for lessons. 

Bracciano

So we decided to do a scambio with the sorelle in Ladispoli (because that's actually the area where she lives).   She hasn't wanted to go to that ward and meet with those sisters because she doesn't know them.  It was perfect because I went with one of the sisters to visit her so that she would know someone and be able to go to church and meet with them there.  I was sad about it because she is SO golden and knows it's true and you hate giving that kind of investigator up.. but it was for the best. 

Promptings

We had the BEST lesson with her about baptism and the Holy Ghost and how she can receive an answer to her prayers about baptism.  We also brought a member who lives in the same tiny city.. and it was so perfect.  I'm so sad to give her over... BUT that night she called me and she said that she was thinking about everything we taught her and she had the impression she should be baptized on her birthday!

She was calling to ask how she can know if that was a prompting of the Holy Ghost or not, and I'm like "YES IT IS! IT IS! DO IT!".   

Right Impressions

Then I remembered an impression that I had as I was thinking about how to teach her:  I was wondering why Heavenly Father wouldn't just give her a clear "yes" like he had with other questions before.  (She has had several really cool experiences with the Holy Ghost and receiving revelation.)   I had the impression that we were teaching her a pattern for the rest of her life:  she needed to learn how to search, ponder, pray, and then recognize the small promptings of the spirit and go ahead with faith. So we did a fast with her yesterday and it's going so well. 

Filled With the Spirit

I love being a missionary. There were several moments this week where I just was filled with the spirit, making me so grateful for the work I was doing. The first was on a the train ride to see Flavia.  We started talking to the two old men in front of us, then the two ladies in the aisle next to us started asking questions.   Then I realized that everyone in our compartment was turned around and listening to us. 

The second moment was with members in an FHE teaching about "the power of one":  how Abinadi courageously bore his testimony, and from that testimony Alma was converted.. and from Alma came the conversions at the Waters of Mormon.  His son and the sons of Mosiah went on to convert others.. and then before you know it, a whole Lamanite nation was converted and millions of people today are still being converted because of their words.  Yet Abinadi died not knowing his testimony had changed anyone. (Read Abinidi's story in Mosiah)

The last special moment was while we were teaching Flavia.  This RM sister was explaining what it means to "take on the name of Christ" and she gave the example of our missionary name tags--how we are constant representatives of Jesus Christ.  Three different experiences, but the feelings were the same. 

Small Part in a Great Work

I am so grateful to be a missionary:  grateful for the chance I have to share my testimony every day with complete strangers, grateful that my small testimony can help others have the desire to change-- like Flavia and Maria Rita (who was baptized Sunday).  The lyrics of a Fleet Foxes Song come to my mind:  

I am just a small part in a great work, and I'm grateful that I can play that small part with a bunch of other small parts to complete a great work. The work that changes hearts and changes lives and helps imperfect people to find a perfect happiness.. and in return we become changed ourselves.

I love wearing this name tag.. it's the best. I know it's hard.. and I'm not lying about that because it is.. but it's also so beautiful and I'm so happy that it is so hard because it has taught me so much about what is really important to me: who I want to be and how I can build my life on the gospel of Jesus Christ and how I can forever be a part of his work. I love it I love it I love it. 

Also we are going to the Sistine chapel today, so that's pretty cool too. Rome is the best. Missions are the best. The gospel is true. 

Sorella O'Connor 

(Email Sent - November 4, 2013)

Craziest Week and THE BEST NEWS!

I honestly don't know where to begin. SO much has happened this week. 

First of all, I'm happy crying because I just got an email from Marie Rita and SHE IS GETTING BAPTIZED ON SUNDAY! I am SO happy. I can't believe it. 

Kaitlin with Maria Rita in Cagliari

When Sorella Nef came to stay with us she said that Maria Rita still needed to take some time to think about it (which is what happened when I was there), so I was pretty bummed about it... and then I got on my email today and she had written me saying that she is getting baptized THIS WEEKEND! 

 I'm sad neither Sorella Nef nor I will be there but I am SO grateful for the sisters in Cagliari who have been helping her to make the decision. My heart is going to burst. so happy. 

Permesso

In other less exciting news, we have had such a busy week.  Because Sorella Foster is new in the country, we had the pleasure of figuring out her whole permesso approval process.  Well.. knowing me and my sense of direction, you can probably begin to guess what happened... 

SO.  We get the directions to get to the questura, where we do her fingerprints, and we leave with plenty of time to spare.. wanting to get there early and have room for mistakes to be made.  

Mistake Number One:  

We get on the bus and I realize that we are taking it in the WRONG direction.
  

SO we had to get off the stop and go to the other side of the street and wait 20 MORE minutes to catch the bus going the other way.  We are waiting at this bus stop and I'm getting antsy... 

SO this homeless guy with no teeth comes up and starts trying to talk to us in English and he starts repeating 

"WELCOME TO ROME, COMPLIMENTI, WELCOME TO ROME COMPLIMENTI!  I LOVE YOU,
 I LOVE YOU" 

all while dancing in the street and I'm watching the cars trying to swerve out of his way. 

SO now my patience has all gone out the window because I'm afraid we are going to be late because this bus isn't coming... BUT it does come and we finally get to the next stop where we need to get the next bus.. BUT by the time it comes there are only 10 minutes before her appointment starts.

SO I'm anxious, and the bus comes, and it's FULL of people... 

SO we squeeze ourselves on and it starts slugging down the street and I'm thinking, "We could walk faster then this."  

Mistake Number Two:  

This is a bad thought to have because we get to the first stop and I think, "Oh I'm pretty sure this is it, and if it's not we can definitely walk to the next one." 

SO we do get off and I see that it's the right street, so I'm thinking we can run from here.  But then I notice on the sign that there are 8 stops on this street. We need the LAST one and we got off at the FIRST one. 

SO we turn to get back on the bus and it's already gone.  

SO Sorella Foster and I think, "Okay, let's try and walk and see how far it is."  By this time, we are already five minutes late and we are walking fast down this tiny dirt road and cars are honking at us because there is no sidewalk and it's super dangerous.  By this point I just want to cry because I'm thinking we will never get there and Sorella Foster is going to get deported and it's all my fault. 

SO about two bus stops later, I am thinking there is no way we will get there at this rate and it would be better to stop and wait for a bus because if we don't stop a bus could pass us.  

Magic Rome Bus

BUT I'm realizing that no buses have passed at all and we are already about a half hour late.  Then over the hill we see a bus coming and I'm thinking "This is it... This is where we are going to be saved by the bus!"  (Which I had already thought three other times at the three other bus stops where I thought all hope had been lost, and it didn't come, so we kept going.)  

BUT this is going to be the bus that saves us... until I see the big "DEPOSITO" sign on the front, which means it won't stop for us... 

BUT I'm too stubborn and anxious. 

SO I decide I'm going to try and wave it down anyway. 

SO I tell Sorella Foster to make the saddest face she can, and I start waving at this bus driving to stop and HE DOES!  He says "Can't you see the sign says it's 'deposito'?" and I just start begging "I know, but we just have to go to the end of the street.  Please just take us to the end of the street." and HE LETS US ON!  

I start explaining that we have to get to the questura and he says, "But it's 3:00, and it closes at 3:00."  I said "Well we are going to try anyway."  

He shakes his head and laughs at me but keeps going, and I see him deny all the other people at the other stops as we go straight to the bus station at the end of the road.  (There were no other busses passing because there had been an accident and no one could get through.) 

Let Us In!

SO he tells us how to get to the questura and Sorella Foster and I start RUNNING there.  We get there about five minutes after 3:00 (and 35 min late for our appointment) and I BEG the military guys to let us in... and they DO!  

It was the biggest miracle... we made it. we made it. Then we passed out in the chairs for two hours, waiting for our turn, because we were the last people on the list. 

BUT even an bigger blessing was that because we were the last ones on the list, we were able to talk with everyone else who was waiting there.  We invited this CUTE Russian girl that looks like LC (Lauren Conrad) to come to English Course after the questura and she did!  

Turns out she lives in our neighborhood by the church, so we rode all the way back to the church together.  She stayed for English course and we got to share with her the message of the Restoration and why we are here.  It was really cool.  miracles miracles. 

Second Chances

Other Miracles:  I met a man from GENOVA who said that he met with the missionaries there in the 70's, and it made me think of Paige serving there NOW.  Small World.  What are the chances? 

We met this lady named Giuseppina in the park the second or third week of last transfer and we taught her the Restoration and gave her a Book of Mormon.  She gave us her number and we were super excited about her.. but every time we called it said the number was wrong (which happens a lot).  So we were way bummed because she seemed so excited.  

Anyway, this week she showed up to English Course!  I was SO excited to see her.  We figured out that we had written down her number wrong!  (Don't let greenies take down numbers.)  Anyway, we got her right number and talked about seeing her this next week. 

Then Saturday she CALLS US and asks when church is because she wants to come. THIS NEVER HAPPENS. NEVER.  We were bouncing up and down. MIRACLES. 

Miracle Day

About that day (the questura/english course day) Sorella Foster said: "Today was such a miracle day. It sucked, but it was a miracle day." ... Also out of nowhere she said, "I find it hard to look people in the face when they don't have teeth." me too, sorella.

Another Miracle:  We got Giorgia to commit to a baptismal date!  It was the best lesson--probably one of the most inspired lessons on my mission.  We are hoping she'll be ready by the 24th of November. that's the goal.  

She is one of those people who KNOWS it's true.  She reads the scriptures and feels the spirit so strongly and has had so many witnesses.  It's just about getting her to take that step forward and giving up some of the things holding her back from having all of the blessings that the gospel has to give.  So it was a huge miracle to get her to accept a date. 

Thursday we had CAPI CONFERENCE which was so good.  All the Sister Training Leaders and Zone Leaders from the mission came up for a big training meeting with President, and it was such a good conference.  Honestly, it was just what I needed.  I got to see a couple friends from the MTC and we had a big sleepover at the villa and we got to eat Cafe Rio (kind of) for dinner.  

Put in our Path

Also, as we were traveling to the villa from the station, I met this CUTE couple on the subway and started telling them who we were (it's hard to miss 15 elders in white shirts and ties and 5 sisters in long skirts) and they said they MIGHT be interested. 

I know it's just a "might," but it was one of those encounters where afterwards you know you were supposed to meet them.  

Also they live by the temple, so I explained to them why the temple is so important and how families can be together forever.  It just feels so good to share that testimony.  It feels so good just to tell people.  I don't know how to explain it.  

Even when people don't accept our message or want to see us again or anything.. it just feels good to tell them what Heavenly Father wants them to know and to give them a chance to accept those truths. 

We encountered so many miracle people this week: a less-active who called us out of the blue who wants to come back to church (baptized at 15 and is now 40), the niece of one of our members accepted the invitation for the sisters to come to her house for the first time in years of her uncle trying to convince her, and other families we meet on the street who you just know Heavenly Father has put in your path. 

Keep Out of our Path

We are pretty sure this is blood running down the gutter in the street.

And now about the people I'm pretty sure Heavenly Father DID NOT put in our path:

One day Sorella Foster and I were doing finding in the park and she gave an English Course card to a man from Bangladesh.. and he was super creepy.  He started following us and we were eventually able to ditch him by getting on the subway.  

BUT he showed up with two friends to English Course.  The same night two Romanian prostitutes also came... so we had to make a deal with the elders that we would take the prostitutes if they would take the guys from Bangladesh.  

Afterwards, Anziano Teichert (grandson of Minerva Tiechert.. cool huh Mom?) comes up to us and says "Those guys are dumb as rocks.. not husband material."  Sorella Foster explains how they followed us after she gave them the English Course card and he just responds "....your fault".  which is true.  

Blessed are the Dumb and Naive

We are dumb and naive sometimes and need lots of extra protection because I just think everyone wants to know more about Jesus Christ, when in fact they do not.  

Take the other night for example. We were coming home from a dinner appointment with a member and we were on the bus going towards home.  I see this guy driving alongside the bus and he is waving at us.. so I wave back thinking maybe it's someone from EC or something.  

We get to the bus stop and start walking home when the same car pulls over and the guy rolls down the window and says, "So you made it back all right."  I'm trying to think of where I know him from because he doesn't seem familiar. So I just nod and he says "sei bellissima" and then I realize I definitely don't know him.  

He asks for my number and I say that I can't go out with him because he is creepy and old and balding .... oh, and "I'm a missionary.... but you can  come to church if you like."  I give him a card with directions, forgetting that our number is also written on the card... dumb dumb dumb.  Then he asks if he can call me after my mission, and I just say "Buona Serra" and walk away...  

But all yesterday we got creepy calls from a private number and when we picked up no one said anything..  Our bishop said next time he calls to give him the phone or if the number shows up on the display to give it to him.  Somehow it makes us feel safer.  But don't worry Mom... no "Taken" stuff here.  We are all good.  Bishop's got our back. 

I had to translate for two hours of church yesterday. yuck. 

I'm out of time. But I love you guys and I LOVE being a missionary.. and don't remind me that I'm half-way done this week because I'm kind of freaking out inside.  It's going so fast.  Every day is seriously an adventure.  I love it so much here in Rome.  I can't believe how blessed I am. 

With love from Rome,

Sorella O'Connor

Peruvian Food

At the Vatican

The last of the gelato until Spring (most shops close for Winter)

(Email Sent - October 28, 2013)

Gratitude

Bonus Post:  Here is a letter we received in the mail:

I feel I must write an addition to my email home yesterday.  We had a great p-day in Villa Borghese overlooking one of the most BEAUTIFUL cities in the world... and all I could think about is how I complained the whole time in my email.

So I'm adding an extra note of gratitude to make up for my sour email to tell you that even though we don't have 80 lesson a week, & we don't have Ipad minis, & I can't Skype my family into my lessons like other missionaries... there are still hundreds of reasons why I'd rather serve in Rome, Italy than ANY other place in the world:

1.  The language:  I LOVE the Italian language & I love speaking to people on the bus.  Even if they don't have interest in the gospel, I love talking to people about their lives, their families, the city, learning new words, etc... I love learning new phrases and things that we don't say in English.

2.  The people:  are so nice.  People are willing to stop & listen even if they have no interest & aren't willing to change.  Everyone is willing to help me with directions when I'm lost or help me figure out what a word means.

3.  The culture:  the food, the art, the love Italians have for families, how everyone is willing to give up their seat on the bus to the old lady who gets on, how MUCH they love food and love talking about food, their obsession with jazz music.

4.  I pazzi:  which means "the crazy people."  We meet a LOT of crazy people.  Some that yell at us because we refuse to give them money & others that let you in their house to show you all the fotos they have of Padre Pio.

5.  The members:  are incredible.  They all have made great sacrifices to become members and to follow Jesus Christ & many of them are the only members in their families.  I love hearing their conversion stories and the things they felt as they changed their lives.  They have a huge focus on missionary work and genealogy and they do their best to support us in our work.

6.  public transportation:  We don't really use it in America, but I love taking buses and metros and meeting people that way.  I think I would still refuse a car if President offered us one just because it's a great way to find people.

I don't have much time to write more.  But there is much more.  There are many sacrifices and trials on the mission, but they are so small compared to the joy you fell and the ways you grow.  My trials here on the mission are much less than thousands of other missionaries... serving today and in the past.  

I'm so grateful for the support I have and all the many ways I have been blessed here.  That's why I wanted to write this addition.... just because I felt so guilty for the small things I complained about. 

Because really the mission isn't hard, we just make it hard on ourselves when we continually focus on our needs and wants and the things that discomfort us.  But when we realize all the ways we have been blessed, we are able to focus on blessing others.  (So feel free to delete all my complaining in my last email because I feel so bad about it.)  I'm realizing now that my blessings FAR outweigh my small trials.  

I only have one hour every week to write home about my experiences, so I feel bad when I only write about the hard things when there are so many great things about this mission.  I've learned more about the Savior and his gospel in these 8 months, than all the 22 years of my life.  

I love the quote by M. Russell Ballard:
"The essence of our ministry in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is to invite all people everywhere to 'Come Unto Christ' so that He can work miracles in their lives in whatever way He chooses.  For some, that miracle will mean a significant change of life and lifestyle.  For others it will simply mean new purpose and understanding in lives that are already rich with faith.  But for all, it will mean peace and joy and happiness beyond all measure as the Master touches hearts and souls with His love."

That is the message that I strive to send home every week.  That's what my mission and my purpose is.  That is why they say, "Every Member a Missionary."  Because as we truly come unto Christ, we grow in love for Him and our desire will be to share that joy with everyone.   I'm grateful for the trials and the moments that remind me of that purpose so that I can use the atonement to change and grow.

Thank you again for your constant support and for your constant example growing up.  I'm grateful for the chance to help others have this joy in their lives and their families.  Hope all is well on your side of the world!

un abbraccio molto forte,

Sorella O'Connor

"Whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister, and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant.  Even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and give his life a ransom for many."

(Mailed - October 10, 2013)