Week 14
Ciao, everyone!
This week has been so so great. Probably one of the best in my mission so far! Just keeps getting better and better.
We've had a week full of miracles, to stay in the least! This week we focused a lot on working with our less active church members, strengthening and helping them.
We had a lot of really good lessons and a lot of good relationships built with them.
One of my favorites was with Sorella Scalera. She is a miracle in and of herself! We were able to come in contact with her a few weeks ago, but we could never find her house before that. This week, instead of meeting us at a Piazzo, she actually showed us where she lived, took us in, made us food (of course), and let us share a little spiritual thought with her. It was a really amazing afternoon! Now that we have visited with her a few times we are really hoping we can continue to build our friendship with her, help another sister in the branch fellowship her, and continue to grow her testimony and desire to return to church.
We also got to visit a few other sisters and families. Some of my favorite were with Sorella Minieri (nicest and calmest lady I've ever met), Sorella Tamara (Dad-she's from Russia and when I told her you served in Russia she got so excited. She's from Saratov, and she said Samara is right near by...? She's amazing.), and la famiglia Lopez (who just received news Tuesday that two girls they have been trying adopt for a year have been cleared by the judge for their adoption...I've never seen them more happy!).
Another miracle we saw happened Friday night. Most members and others we visit like to have us come visit during the week, so the weekend is usually spent doing finding. Friday night we walked all over Cosenza doing casa a casa, ringing citofono after citofono with no luck. We ended up near a street, and Sorella P said that in a complex a little ways down the street, a women lived that she had taught a lesson to once but hadn't been able to meet again because she was too busy a few months ago. We decided to give it a try and see if we could find her again. We didn't know her name, so we rang a few buttons on the citofono, until someone said "va bene" and opened the door to the building. Not knowing which house had let us in, we started knocking doors, again with no luck. We had two doors left, and we were thinking like its late, we should probably start heading back...but we decided to finish the doors in the building anyways. We get to the last door on the top floor and knocked...
This week has been so so great. Probably one of the best in my mission so far! Just keeps getting better and better.
We've had a week full of miracles, to stay in the least! This week we focused a lot on working with our less active church members, strengthening and helping them.
We had a lot of really good lessons and a lot of good relationships built with them.
One of my favorites was with Sorella Scalera. She is a miracle in and of herself! We were able to come in contact with her a few weeks ago, but we could never find her house before that. This week, instead of meeting us at a Piazzo, she actually showed us where she lived, took us in, made us food (of course), and let us share a little spiritual thought with her. It was a really amazing afternoon! Now that we have visited with her a few times we are really hoping we can continue to build our friendship with her, help another sister in the branch fellowship her, and continue to grow her testimony and desire to return to church.
We also got to visit a few other sisters and families. Some of my favorite were with Sorella Minieri (nicest and calmest lady I've ever met), Sorella Tamara (Dad-she's from Russia and when I told her you served in Russia she got so excited. She's from Saratov, and she said Samara is right near by...? She's amazing.), and la famiglia Lopez (who just received news Tuesday that two girls they have been trying adopt for a year have been cleared by the judge for their adoption...I've never seen them more happy!).
Another miracle we saw happened Friday night. Most members and others we visit like to have us come visit during the week, so the weekend is usually spent doing finding. Friday night we walked all over Cosenza doing casa a casa, ringing citofono after citofono with no luck. We ended up near a street, and Sorella P said that in a complex a little ways down the street, a women lived that she had taught a lesson to once but hadn't been able to meet again because she was too busy a few months ago. We decided to give it a try and see if we could find her again. We didn't know her name, so we rang a few buttons on the citofono, until someone said "va bene" and opened the door to the building. Not knowing which house had let us in, we started knocking doors, again with no luck. We had two doors left, and we were thinking like its late, we should probably start heading back...but we decided to finish the doors in the building anyways. We get to the last door on the top floor and knocked...
And low and behold... The woman Sorella P knew answers the door and says basically, "What took you guys so long to get up here?! I've been waiting!" :) Her name is Manuela! She has three small children, she's really young, and is a widow. She is SO SO nice. We shared with her a Mormon message video, and she agreed to meet with us again if we call and reconfirm again an appointment with her. We are hoping and praying that we get in touch with her this week. I know the gospel can bless her life and her family so much.
And the last miracle but DEFINITELY not the least...MOTHERS DAY.
As missionaries we are allowed two phone calls or skype calls home a year, typically Mother's Day and Christmas. However, the Internet in the Church has been out for a couple of weeks, and things weren't looking good come Saturday. Most members don't have Internet, and the one family that does was in the process of getting theirs fixed also. I was totally and completely prepared to not be able to skype this week. I was so so sad, even though I knew we would be able to push it off to another day.
I knew before, but now I know for sure one thing: Heavenly Father loves the mothers in this world, and wants them to be able to talk to their babies on Mother's Day.
The Lopez Family miraculously got their internet fixed Saturday night.
They are so kind and loving to the missionaries, and as soon as it was fixed the first thing they did was call us and invite us over so we could skype on Mothers Day. I'm so grateful for them, for modern technology, and the amazing time I had talking to my family. We were able to get a three way skype going so we could all be "there", the connection worked great, and it felt like the happiest hour of my life.
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| Mother's Day Skype with Dad in Michigan, Momma and kiddos in Florida |
Today I want to share with you my testimony that I know that families are meant to be together forever. I miss home a lot, but I've never felt more at home than when I was talking with my family, even though I'm across a huge ocean and seven hours ahead in time. The family is central to our Heavenly Father's plan for us. They help us learn, grow, and provide support for us in the good and the bad times.
And what would families be without mothers?! President Thomas S. Monson said,
“May each of us treasure this truth; one cannot forget mother and remember God. One cannot remember mother and forget God. Why? Because these two sacred persons, God and [our earthly] mother, partners in creation, in love, in sacrifice, in service, are as one.”
I cannot adequately describe how grateful I am for my mother. I appreciate her more and more everyday, and think of her example and teachings whenever I need support or help. She has been my biggest role model, someone I can always turn to for love, and one of my best friends. I strive each day to become like her, and I only hope I can be the mother she has been for me for my future children. I look forward so much to the day when I can be a mother and love my children as much as she loves me.
I'm grateful also for all the "mothers" in my life - grandmothers, YW leaders, teachers, friends, friends' mothers, and any one who has shaped and molded me into the person I am today. Thank you. You are all so amazing. Happy (late) Mother's Day to all!
I love you all and hope you all have a wonderful week ahead of you!
Much love,
Sorella Carver
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