Palermo

Week 41

(written on 21 Nov 2016)

Well, folks! I wasn't kidding about the whole "week of changes" thing!!

This has been hands down, no doubt, the craziest week of my life yet.
Monday- getting Sorella Adamson to the Villa and saying goodbye. :(
Picking up Sorella Caliò (heyyy old comps, new city!) who came with me
to Rome One to be my temporary companion for the week! Then for
transfer calls. Obviously I was anxious to see who the new companion
would be, but had no thought about changing cities. But the phone
rings......ready... Palermo, blow in training, and Sister Training
Leader. What?!?!
Tuesday and Wednesday- Trainers Training meeting in Rome, blow out
notes, packing, saying good bye, and just trying to wrap my head
around what was happening still.
Thursday- an early morning at Termini where I met my new companion!!!!
Sorella Ferre!!!!! She's the cutest thing ever and so so sweet. (We
are so excited to get going in Palermo...once we figure out our way
around! :/ haha) We had a FOURTEEN HOUR train ride down, including a
ferry across the Messina Strait and lots of beautiful Italian
countryside.
And since then we've been just trying to figure out our way around and
the work here in Palermo, as well as permesosos.
We are in the Palermo 2 ward, but we'll also be working with Palermo
3, an International English Branch. So exciting.

Sicilia..!!!! It's a dream and I still can't believe I'm here.

With this week being Thanksgiving, I just want to take a little space
share what I am so so grateful for. I'm sad to be missing out on the
holiday that I love so much, but gratitude is something we can show
everyday. I'm grateful to be a missionary. This is the best work I've
ever done, and the best decision I've ever made. I'm grateful for the
people here in Italy that have touched my life and the experiences that
I've had. I'm grateful for the gospel that we share and preach. The
fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ is available to all of us, and
this truth and knowledge has changed me life. I'm grateful for the way
it has blessed and helped my family. My family!!! I can't express how
grateful I am for them. Their support, love, and encouragement. I'm
grateful above all to know that I have a Heavenly Father who loves me
and a Savior who knows me perfectly.
Thank you to all of you as well. I love you all and hope you have an
awesome Thanksgiving!

Love,
Sorella Carver

Meeting new comp, Sorella Ferre

Ferry ride to Sicily

First gelato in Palermo!

Beautiful Palermo building

with new friends at theater in Palermo

Theater in Palermo

Roma 1

Week 40

(written on 14 Nov 2016)

Hello y'all!

Another super short and sweet email this week! This week's gonna be
CRAZY!!! I'm dropping off my dear companion off this afternoon as she
gets ready to finish her mission and head home! It's been a wonderful
two transfers with Sorella Adamson and I'm sad to see her go. Sorella
Caliò and I (my comp from Cosenza!) we'll be back together for a few
days while we both wait for our new companions. We get transfer calls
tonight and I'm beyond nervous and excited. So many changes in one
week.
In a world (and a mission) of constant changes and shifting and
wondering and all the craziness that surrounds us, I'm grateful for
the sure foundation that we can have on our Savior Jesus Christ and
the Restored Gospel. I know this message is true with all my heart,
and I'm eternally grateful to be a missionary spreading the good news
to others!

Sending my love to you all!
Love,
Sorella Carver

English Course

with the Aprea Family

Sorella Adamson's last day in the mission!

Roma 1

Week 39

Buongirono everybody!

What a week! Keeping it short this week, we've been running around
seeing Rome and helping Sorella Adamson do everything a missionaria
has to do on her last full PDay!
Some highlights for the week:
-This week we had a baptism in the church of an investigator of the
Anziano. It was a beautiful day and a wonderful experience!
-A Scambio in Roma 5! I was with Sorella Erickson and we had a ton of
fun working together on the other side of Rome.
-Wednesday was the halfway point! I don't even want to think about how
fast the days are going.
-ANOTHER torrential downpour Sunday night... We should have learned to
expect them by now!
-A cute visitor named Lysha from Guatemala came to church on Sunday!
We met the couple she's staying with and had a great time getting to
know her. She's only here for two weeks, but she was definitely a
highlight of this transfer!
-Today for PDay we went to the Catacombe di San Callisto. So so so
cool and so beautiful. The part of Rome around the Catacombs is one of
the most beautiful. We ended up getting a little lost on our way, but the
bus we got on did a huge giro of all the most beautiful sites in
Rome...so it was funny to see how a little setback turned into
something even better.

During studies this morning I read in 2 Nephi 5:27 of the Book Of Mormon. Nephi
and his family just separated themselves from his wicked brothers and
continued living according to the commandments of God. I love what he
said, "And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of
happiness." I know that that is true. HIS way is THE way, and it's
100%, no doubt in my mind, the manner of happiness. It's evident in the
joy, peace, comfort and sweet assurance we get as we keep his
commandments and follow his ways. True happiness is what we receive as
we live the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I love this city and I love this work I'm doing! Thanks again for all
the love and support you send my way! Each one of you is so special to
me!

Sorella Carver

with Aurea, shortly befor her trip to Costa Rica

Colosseum

The rainboots were a good purchase

with Lysha, from Guatemala

Roma 1

Week 38

Le Sorelle playing calcio (soccer)

Le Sorelle di Roma 1

with the Aranda family