Cosenza

Week 8

Easter Greetings from Sorella Pinnegar and me!

Hello all!

Hope every one had a wonderful Easter. We definitely did! 

I have officially been in Cosenza for a week now! This week has been full of new experiences and adjusting to the new missionary life! The "greenie" adrenaline is wearing off a bit, and we "sprang forward" in time on Saturday night, so there are some days I can't keep my eyes open ;). But the work is going well and I'm loving everything we do!

This week we spent a lot of time visiting with members of the church and getting to know them. It was nice to put names to faces and start to build relationships with the wonderful people here! 

Easter Sunday was really great! We had church as usual and then had Pranzo with la famiglia Lopez. They are a really sweet family and it was great to be in a "home" environment for this special holiday! Not to mention homemade gnocchi and giant chocolate eggs ;) (It's a good thing we walk everywhere!)

Easter Pranzo with La Famiglia Lopez and Roberta

 

One neat experience I had is week was when we went to visit a less active Sister who lives in Amantea. We had to take about a 40 min train ride and then walk for 30 minutes once we got there. It was really really rainy and cold that day, and just super cloudy and gloomy so it was a bit of a trek. We also didn't know exactly where she lived and got lost a couple times haha. 

Sister Leone is a very humble, sweet women. We spent a lot of time visiting with her, and she seemed like she really needed the company. 

However, I felt somewhat discouraged as we left her apartment way out in the middle of nowhere... I had hardly said anything (I think I said the prayer and then "sì" a few times and that was about it haha) and hadn't understood much more of the conversation. I felt like I had done very little to help this sweet woman...

As we walked back to the train station we took the street that is very close to the beach. The water was clear blue, and the waves were really big and choppy. I'm super grateful we walked that way :) It reminded me of home and the people that love me there.  I was reminded of my all powerful and all knowing Father in heaven, who is aware of me and knows I'm trying my best. He knows I was called to serve in Italy and for specific reasons, even if it would be challenging sometimes. 

Later, during studies, I came across this quote from President Thomas S. Monson:

 “I testify to you that our promised blessings are beyond measure. Though the storm clouds may gather, though the rains may pour down upon us, our knowledge of the gospel and our love of our Heavenly Father and of our Savior will comfort and sustain us and bring joy to our hearts as we walk uprightly and keep the commandments.”

I'm grateful for the chance we had to go visit Sister Leone. If anything, I hope she felt our love and care for her, and she was reminded of the comfort and joy of the gospel. Sometimes rain clouds and storms gather in our lives (literally and spiritually!) but with our Heavenly Father and our Savior, Jesus Christ, we can always have hope and happiness. This gospel has brought so many blessings to me throughout my entire life, and it's what's keeps me grounded now. It's the joy and gift that I now get to share with everyone that I meet, every day for the next year and a half :) And I'm so so grateful for that!

Love you all and hope you have a fantastic week! 

Sorella Carver :)