Palermo

Week 49

 (written 17 Jan 2017)

Happy Tuesday, everybody!

As we walked to an appointment last night, Sorella Ferre and I were
talking about all the amazing people we've met and are working with
here in Palermo 2. She summed it up pretty well...."the creme of the
crop!" We just feel so blessed to know the members, to work with our
investigators, the English Course students. Seriously. There are not
words to describe these wonderful people and the love we have for
them.

Mamma mia, non vi posso spiegare tutte le belle cose di questa settimana!
We had daily contact with Rosy and several good lessons. She and her
whole family came to church again on Sunday!!! I was leading the
sacrament hymn (and by this point with all the rain my faith was being
spread thin that she would come) but lo and behold the doors opened
and in she walks, with Pietro and cute red head Mattia coming in
behind. The smile Sorella Ferre and I shared in that moment was bigger
than I can tell you! We passed by her store last night for a drop by
and she was like, "Oh yeah, I was just trying to download the Book of
Mormon on my tablet but couldn't figure it out, so it's good you
passed by..."
.......
We got that whole gospel library app downloaded before you could say
formaggio. We showed her Alma 7 and asked her to read it before we
came back on Wednesday, and then showed her the Gospel Principles
manual we use on Sundays (she was like...what's that book the teacher
uses, I want to read it before next week?) and Mormon messages she can
listen to while she works. I bear testimony of the power of church
attendance and member present lessons, folks. Our red head fire ball
Rosy has made so much progress in the past week. We still have yet to
make it through the Plan of Salvation lesson (lots of interruptions
and life stories...#italians) and she still has lots of questions and
doubts, but seeing her progress over the past 7-8 week has been one of
the most amazing things I've seen on my mission.

Monday night we went to Cristina and Enzo's home for dinner (they're
the corso studenti that also took us out for ice cream and panelle e
crocche a while back and had lots of questions about the BOM.) Mamma
mia these people are seriously my grandparents Italian style and we
love them!! Cristina made homemade pizza and they loved just showing
us all their family pictures and stories, while Enzo shared stories
about his engineering days and how much he loves being in pensione
(retired haha). The coolest part though was at the end... before
Christmas we gave Books of Mormon as gifts to our English Course
classes and invited them to read it. And well, they'd read un bel po!!
Lots of questions and discussions came up (just what we were praying
for haha!). We explained and shared testimony to the best of our
ability, and asked if sometime we could explain our message from the
beginning. They politely agreed that someday they'd hear it all.
They're very firm and solid in their faith, but also respectful
towards ours and curious about what we believe and do. They're golden
and they don't even know it. We are praying that as they continue to
read the spirit will do its job and touch their heart as it did for
us. Their beautiful family will be so blessed by this message when
their hearts are ready.

Also, funny side story. When we first got to their house we took off
our coats and then went into the living room/kitchen on the other side
of the apartment. We sit down at the table and start chit chattin, and
Enzo looks at me, gasps, and then puts his hand on his shirt right
where a missionary tag would be. In panic, I look down (we're running
on my last tag right now, y'all, gotta order some more haha...ones
floating around the streets of Palermo someplace) and he goes, "who
are you? Where's your tag?" "Oh no, I left it on my jacket, I'll run
and grab it!!" "No, don't worry, you don't HAVE to have it!?" "Yes!" I
run and get it of my coat and run back it and sit down. "Whew...for a
second there I couldn't tell who you were!! Now you're a real
missionary."
Oh Enzo. 😂

We had an awesome zone conference yesterday and I walked away so
edified and full of instruction and guidance we can't wait to use to
bless the lives of those we are serving. Missionary work is hard work,
and sometimes scary, tiring, frustrating, etc etc. But I walked away
yesterday so full of love and gratitude for the opportunity to do
this. To be here. To know what I know. To share it with others.
Last night Enzo also said that they just loved being around us because
they love the difference they see in us, the light, and the joy. I
love the word difference. Sometimes change or difference is scary..and
rightly so! But I promise that the changes that come into our lives
and the difference we find through the restored gospel are true. I
know that we can change and become better everyday. I know that there
is a difference in the message we carry as missionaries for the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that brings change into the lives
and hearts of others that will allow them to begin the process
necessary to return back to our Heavenly home. It's my hope that you
all will have the chance to listen and think about these things and
let them work in you and change you as well.

I feel like Ammon in the BOM when he says, "Behold, I say unto you, I
cannot say the smallest part which I feel." (Alma 26:16) but I can
tell you that my heart, like his, is filled with joy and that I'm so
grateful to be a missionary. Weekly emails can't do it justice!

I'm praying for y'all and hope all is well wherever you may be!
I love you and miss you all! Vi voglio bene
Sorella Carver

Rainy days in Palermo

dinner with Cristina and Enzo

Palermo

Week 48

(written 9 January 2017)

Ciao everybody!
We had a good week here in Palermo!
-SNOW!! Snow in Palermo is basically like saying there's snow in
Africa cause that's pretty much where we are. But. It was an
adventure!!! And it made for quite the bus/tram conversation starter!
I wouldn't call it your usual Utah snow, it was more like little
frozen balls of ice falling from the sky (okay, hail...I admit it was
more like hail...) BUT it was white and stuck on the ground for 2.5
seconds. So neve. Ha nevicato.
-I turned twenty. Which is old. But we made it better with some
Italian pizza and a Cannoli lunch with the other missionaries.Talking
with Sorella Ferre this morning and she goes, "Can you believe your
birthday was in this week?!" The days sometimes seem like
eternity....but the WEEKS are flying by. Thank y'all for all the Bday
wishes!! It was a great birthday :) Definitely one to remember!
-This week we had a wonderful visit with one of our favorite sisters,
Antonella. She's the only active member in her part member family, and
she is just a light. We went to her house, and her sister, Michela,
was there as well who we've been trying to see for the whole past
transfer. We decided to sing hymns with her, and Michela joined us.
There is nothing quite like a good ol "Bisogno Ho di Te" or "Sono Un
Figlio di Dio" to bringin the spirit and remind us of these eternal
truths. The spirit was strong and on Sunday Antonella made sure to
remind us to come back this week and sing with her again, and gave us
some suggestions for more of her favorite hymns. ;)
-This week we had Pranzo with the most interesting man in all of
Palermo...ENZO. He's a corso student and he kinda kills me. His family
owns a ristorante here in centro storico and he's been BEGGING us
since forever to come and eat there. Food = the love language of the
italiani. So, we finally made it over there this week and he invited
the new Anziani as well. The food was "da morire" as Enzo likes to say
(to die for) and his family and him just cracked us up. He practiced
his English (ha..haha) and talked to us about a lot of different
things...that'll be a story to share after the mission because it's
just too long. But we walked away full of good risotto and with heads
that hurt a little bit.
-This week we also had an appointment with one of our favorite
families...the Aloisios! We had a fun spiritual thought with them
where we gave their son a name tag and had him help us teach the
Restoration. We then invited them to keep being awesome member
missionaries and prepare one of their family friends to meet with us
in their home and help us share this message with them just as they
had done. Side note: this was also the day before it snowed, and it
was freezing and pouring rain!! We could see our breath inside their
house. 😳
-ROSY!! By far our biggest and happiest miracle of the week! She came
to church AND brought her husband and son. It was a really spiritual
sacrament meeting and I know her heart was touched by the Holy Ghost.
We can't even describe the changes we've seen in our rambunctious,
hard-to-get-a-word-in, red head Rosy over the past six weeks. We are
excited to teach her Tuesday and see how she's progressed.
-Sunday evening we wanted to do some service and so we went out
seeking some rest homes so we could visit some elderly. The first one
we went to let us in, but the nurse very firmly reminded us that the
visiting hours ended in thirty minutes and after that we had to leave.
We floated around from room to room, and let me tell ya, Italians are
crazy but Anziani Italiani are pazzi. It was really fun and I think we
brightened their day. We sat and talked to one in particular for a
good bit of time. Her name is Margherita she doesn't have anyone to
come and visit her, and she just loved talking to us and asking all
sorts of questions. (Honestly she was the only one I could understand
sooo...) By the end of it though the nurse had warmed up to us a lot,
asked a lot of questions about our mission, and I honestly don't think
she wanted to leave. It was a little miracle to be able to find this
place and be able to serve on a cold and rainy Sunday evening!

All in all it's been a crazy good week here on our crazy island of
Italians! We are doing all we can to help them know their Savior and
Heavenly Father better, and we just keep finding more joy and
happiness in this work we are doing. Thank you for your love and
prayers and support. I love and miss you all!

Sorella Carver

"How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those that are still publishing peace..." (Mosiah 15:16)

Palermo

Week 47

Buon Anno, folks!!
It's been a crazy good week and a great start to this new year! I love
you all and hope that you have been able to enjoy this holiday season
with your loved ones and your ready to start this new year running.
I'm so excited for all it has in store!
To quote Anziano Uchtdorf, "There are no real endings, only
everlasting beginnings!"

Bday-Eve Gelato!

with Sorella Ferre

Palermo Coast

Palermo

Week 46

(written 26 December 2016)

Hello!

I hope everyone had the best Christmas ever! We've had such a great
week and that was definitely a Christmas to remember.
This week was filled with more food and chocolate than I care to
disclose. Ha. But it was also COMPLETELY FILLED with love and service
and good memories. We had a zone Pranzo at the Garretts, we had a huge
and absolutely hilarious Christmas party (Christian and Zina came and
loved every minute and our nativity was beautiful!). Saturday we
served by helping prepare our Christmas Pranzo for Palermo 3 lunch on
Sunday with Elizabeth and Sorella Aloisio. We chopped and diced and
cried from too many onions, but we had a ton of fun. That night, we
watched our Christmas movie at the Garrets house. It was just Sorella
Ferre and I and the Garretts, who surprised us with soup and Christmas
oranges. We decided to watch Its A Wonderful Life and we fell in love.
New Christmas tradition hands down!!
That night we put all our mattresses in the living room and woke up
bright and early and had a pancake breakfast, opened gifts, and got
all ready for church. We had a wonderful sacrament meeting, and then
enjoyed our Pranzo afterwards. So many people and it felt just like
family. Speaking of which........SKYPING. Biggest Christmas gift ever.
I love my family.

So to wrap up this week and steal some words: it's a wonderful life.
And I'm excited to start this new year and keep going forward with
this wonderful work.

I love you all and hope you continue to enjoy this special season!
Love,
Sorella Carver

prepping for Christmas Pranzo

Le Sorelle di Palermo

Sorella Ferre & me

Sorella Ferre & me

Zone Pranzo at the Garretts

Palermo

Week 45

(written 19 December 2016)

I can't believe that this week is here already but I am sooooooooooo excited!!!
This week's been wonderful! Not a ton of huge things happened, but
just lots of little miracles, fun moments, and laughs :)

-Tuesday we had Pranzo with Sorella Luinetti for Santa Lucia (one of
the 173949473 Italian Holidays) quando si mangia Arancine and
Cannoli... We loved spending time with the Sorella who hasn't stopped
being a missionary since hers 40+ years ago and her sweet sweet mom
whose 93 year old soul is just so close to heaven. (To keep her
occupied they have her roll and roll and roll ribbons of fabric. I'll
attach a picture. We'd have to sneakily unroll some while she wasn't
looking so she'd still have work to do!)

-Wednesday I had a Scambio with Sorella Frogley! We had a great day
teaching English with the ragazzi at the Centro, visiting less active
members, and talking with as many people we could. We saw lots of
miracles!

-Thursday was fun! We had a good lesson with our investigator Rosy. We
read from the Book of Mormon together and the spirit was really, really
strong. We're excited to see her progress :) After English Course, the
Garretts surprised us by taking us to a home store (as big as Lowes)
and getting us space heaters for our little, cold apartment! I haven't
been in a parking lot or store that big in 10 months and it sure was
weird, but we had a lot of fun haha. It's the little things.

-Friday was an adventure!! In all senses of the word. We had a less
active lesson with a woman the Anziani came in contact with and said
we should try and visit. This woman, since becoming a member of our
church, had left and started going to another church. I won't give all
the details, but let's just say she's exuberant and very passionate in
her mannerisms, and it was quite the show. Literally. 5 Guitar/Singing
performances and one very very loud, fervent prayer later, we were
leaving the palazzo with sparkly yellow butterfly ornaments as parting
gifts and a really big headache. Let's just say...that was one of the
most interesting Meno Attivi lessons I've ever been in haha! If you
could even call it that...?! Comunque. After that we headed out to the
GANS activity/FHE, which they had planned to go to the Palermo Street
Food fest that's going on this week. It was really crazy but fun. I
love Italians and their love of food.

-Sunday was great as well! I butchered the right hand of Joy To the
World in the Palermo 3 branch BUT we had the Christmas spirit going
strong. We helped a couple from SLC figure their way around Palermo.
They had WALKED all the way from their hotel to church that morning, the
poor things!!! We spent some of the afternoon helping them get back and
figure their way around, and then they showed up to our Caroling that
night at Politeama! Little things like that just make serving a
mission so great.

Seeing as how amazing last week was....I am SOOOO EXCITED for this
week! Y'all. Christmas IS HERE.

As I sit here trying to think of a message to share for this sacred
and special week, nothing seems to do it justice. So today I simply
want to add my testimony to the many we hear during this time of year.
I know Christ lives. I know he prepared a perfect way for us to return
to our Heavenly Father. I know he loves us.
He is the reason we celebrate this time of year. But he is also the
reason we can celebrate everyday of every year.
"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace.
In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have
overcome the world." John 16:33

How grateful and excited I am to be serving as a representative of him
during this special season.
I love you all and I wish you a merry Christmas!

Sorella Carver

English Corso diagram :)

Italian Lowes

Scambios with Sorella Frogley

service at the boys' school

Sorella Luinetti's mama, rolling fabric

Palermo

Week 44

(written 12 December 2016)

Ciao Cari!

How's the lighting the world thing going?! On our side of the world we are loving it! Every day has been a new opportunity and challenge to serve and follow the example of the Savior.

The highlights of this week:

-Monday night we had a great evening with two of our English Course students, Cristina and Enzo. This couple is quickly becoming our grandparents over here, and they wanted so badly to take us all out and show us a sandwich of Panelle and Crochette and then out for gelato. It was a really fun evening and we had a good time sharing about the Book of Mormon, which they had a lot of questions about. We want to try and share one with them this week. :)

-So last Monday, Sorella Frogley slipped and fell on our barely mopped floor...and got a concussion. I shouldn't laugh, but we have been all week. The poor girl has been confined to the house for the week, so we've been taking turns staying home with her and reading conference talks from 1980. Haha...

-We are still visiting our Ragazzi every Wednesday morning and teaching English at the Centro and Sorella Bonzo and I went together this week. :) They're absolutely NUTS but we had fun and just had to laugh a lot. Then, on our way home, it starts POURING. We had to stop and get some groceries too, and by the time we made it home, we were just soaked through. 

-The end of the week was filled with lots of good member pranzo appointments. The Garretts (our senior couple) taught us how to make a dish after DDM, and then Friday we went to visit the Pulvirenti family. They are seriously my family and I felt right at home. Their son, Giovanni, may be my favorite person I've met over here so far...he's 9, likes Legos, and does Tae Kwon Do, and has about the best personality I've ever seen. (Sounds a lot like one of my favorite little brothers.... ;)) And then Saturday pranzo with Sorella Saccone and her daughter Tosca as well as Marzia, a member we've been working with. She was baptized a few years ago but is just coming back strong now. We had a fun time with her on the train out to Bagheria.

-Sunday we CAROLED!! We had a big group of missionaries and members and we all sang at the Politeama Piazza. It was really fun and we had some good conversations with the people who stopped to listen. We plan to do that for the next two Sunday nights and hopefully a couple others too.

We are excited for this week and the new adventures to come! I invite you all to continue or start the #LightheWorld initiative. This morning, I read in the BOM a verse from Mosiah 16:9 that says,

"He is the light and the life of the world; yea, a light that is endless, that can never be darkened." 

I loved that verse and just how true it is!! His light is endless, and can never be darkened! I hope and pray that in this season of Christmas we can be instruments in his hands to spread that endless light to those that need it. 

I love you all and hope you have a great week!

Love,

Sorella Carver 

Christmas lights in Palermo

Caroling in Politeama Piazza!

The Sorelle di Palermo

On the train with Marzia

Pizza with the Sorelle di Palermo

Palermo

Week 43

(written 5 December 2016)

Dear cari, 

What a week we have had! It started off with lots of those moments where you're like "What do you want us to be doing right now, Heavenly Father, cause our plans aren't working?" But by Sunday we were surprised to see his tender mercies, answers to our prayers, and many many blessings. Some highlights from this week:

-Another good lesson with Rosy! Her son Mattia was there as well (he's this cute red head eleven year old) and we're excited and hopeful to see where it goes this week!! 

-Sorella Ferre stepped in dog poo on our way home one night. It was kinda the cherry on top of a day of cancelations and rude meno attivi. BUT it made us laugh a LOT and we took what came and loved it. ;) 

-Maninos! We had a great dinner with the Mannino family this week! She's the RS president and he's in the vescovado. Super awesome family and super strong! We felt right at home in their apartment and are excited to keep working with and helping this family.  

-Christmas Cookies!! We made a bunch of "Sii Una Luce" sugar cookies one night this week and have been trying to deliver them to ask many people as possible. 

-Participating every day in the Sii Una Luce // Light the World initiative. Mamma mia I love this calendar! It's made our day every day as we search for little opportunities to serve. My favorite was Friday, we wrote little notes for President and Sorella Pickerd and called the Garrets to thank them for being our mission "parents" as we tried to "Honor Your Parents like Jesus Did"

-And then there's SUNDAY which by far the biggest miracle of week. Our sweet 

Zina! I can't remember if I mentioned her in a past email, but we met her on a tram ride our first Saturday here and has a REALLY good conversation with her. She's come to every English Course since then with her cute son Christian, and has become such a light in our weeks. Last Saturday, we gave her a call and invited her to church, and she had things planned but was grateful for the invite. Saturday this week we were near her area and asked if she could let us pass by with some Christmas Cookies we were out delivering. She wasn't home at the time, but was like, "I'm going to try and come to church tomorrow...and Christian wants to come too." I finished up the phone call and was like, "Sorell...she wants to come to church!" We couldn't really believe that she had remembered but we were hopeful she would be able to make it.

Seeing as how it was the first Sunday of the month, it was fast Sunday and we decided as a companionship to fast for a few things in specific. 1) Zina and the chance to actually start sharing this beautiful message with her and her family. 2) A couple at English Course that we have been wanting to work with since we got her. Their older and so cute and always ask us questions about the church. 2) For hope and faith and trust. This week was full of good things, but we felt like we needed some direction in our efforts and a little bit of encouragement. We prayed and prayed and did all we could to seek help and guidance from Heavenly Father. 

On our way to the church building in the morning, we were both a little down trodden, tired, and hungry (haha). But as we prepared to sing the Sacrament hymn, we hear the door open and low and behold...who walks in?! Zina AND her son Christian. We look at each other with tears welling up in our eyes. We really couldn't believe it. 

We rushed to go sit by them and welcome them. It was testimony meeting so we were able to introduce ourselves to the Ward (finally) and bear our simple testimonies of the truths of the restored gospel. I know they felt touched by the spirit and they listened so intently to all the speakers. (Even cute little twelve year old Christian!) after the meeting was over, they were given a warm welcome by the Ward. They said they liked the meeting a lot, and we tentatively set an appointment up for Tuesday before English Course to meet and talk more. (Missionary code: sharing with them  this beautiful message!!) 

Seeing as how this little miracle happened with Zina and her son, AND my sweet parents celebrated their 21st anniversary this past week, I want to share on of my all time favorite quotes on the family. It's from Anziano Perrys last talk!

"My brothers and sisters, the restored gospel centers on marriage and family. It is also on marriage and family where we can unite most with other faiths. It is around marriage and family where we will find our greatest commonality with the rest of the world. It is around marriage and family that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has the greatest opportunity to be a light on the hill.

Let me close by bearing witness (and my nine decades on this earth fully qualify me to say this) that the older I get, the more I realize that family is the center of life and is the key to eternal happiness." 

This is why I am here and this is what I want to do with my time in the mission!! Help a family. I've seen the blessings of the restored gospel and the things it has done for my family. And I want to help another family receive that as well. I know the family is ordained of God, and that they can be eternal. I know that we are all children of a loving Heavenly Father, and that this is his work!

I love you all! Have a wonderful week!

Sorella Carver 

Sorelle at zone conference

Our 'Light the World' goodie bags

Sorella Ferre and me at zone conference

Sorelle Ferre and the dog poo moment