Strata

Scambio with Varese Sorelle

I was very sared to have scambios this last week becauseI knew that would mean I would be working with a sorella that only knows italian because she is from rome. But it was actually a great experince because it made me realize how much I can say in Italian. I guess I havent been giving mself enough credit for how much I actually do know. I was surprised of how well I could communicate to this sister and I am grateful for this companion exchange because I also had to just open my mouth more which I usually have a hard time doing...shocking I know. It was great and it gave me hope that I will someday be good about opening my mouth when I meet people.

 

Strata

I think one of the funniest things that happens during strata is when we start speaking to peple in italian and then they say they dont know italian but are speaking to eachother in italian. So then we ask them if they know english but then they say in english..no we dont know english..hah I think they know more than they think they know in tese languages.haha

 

President and sorella Dibb

We got to meet our new mission president on monday! They are seriously so sweet and I know that they are going to doing an amazing job in italy. There theme scripture is 3 Nephi 5:13..which basically says I am a disciple of Gesù Cristo, the son of god...He told us to say this to ourselves on the good days and on the very hard days. It has truly already helped me during the hard days because it reminds me that I am a disciple of jesus Christ and I need to be a good representative of him. There is such a powerful feeling when we read this scripture in Italian for the first time in our apartment.

 

Singing

I am so excited because next week Sorella McCann and I will be doing a musical number for our investigators baptism next week. I have missed singing soooo much! I will be singing "Nearer my God to thee" and Sorella McCann is going to be playing this beautiful piano arrangement. There is something so special about music and the powerful spirit that you can instantly feel when you listen to a hymn or a primary song.

 

Yesterday

It was a hard day...But the days that are the hardest almost always are the days were we have a miracle that happens. All day we did strata(street contacting)...which is usually never sucessful..So to say the least it wasnt very fun. Plus it is very humid and hot so Sorella McCann and I didnt really want to be doing starta but we knew we needed to do it.

   Then at 7 pm we had a miracle lesson. A few days ago Sorella McCann decided to call this meno ativo (less active member) and left a message asking if we could come by and visit. So this man calls back and says "sorelle! I want you to come over and teach my wife!" In a very excited voice..so we taught his wife after this hard day of strata..We also had a member there who is best friends with the family..Seriously I have heard so many stories of people who are being prepared to hear the gospel and last night I witnessed it first hand..

  So we taught her the restoration and asked her if she has ever read any of the book of mormon and shetolda us that she is in 3 Nephi already and has prayed and knows it is true....

then..

they all started talking about the temple and how they all want to be an eternal family and the temple that will be here in rome..haha ahhh it gets better

she starts talking about baptism and how she wants to be baptized..so we asked her to be baptized and she said YES! She is getting baptized September 1st!

It was so strange because during the whole entire lesson everyone there seemed so familiar..the room..the conversations..it was a deja vu moment.It felt as if I remembered this moment. It was one of the coolest experiences. I felt that I had seen this moment before..It was crazy because Sorella McCann and I felt the same way that we knew these people before...I am soo happy fo their family because now they can all go back to church together..She has been preparing for this moments for probably over 10 years. I am excited for their family to be an eternal family because they have two cute little boys.

 

After this moment I realized why we had to do strata that day..It helped us to appreciate the moment and also to humble ourselves. It seriously is moments like these that make the mission great. To see people realize what they are missiong in their life and the joy that they can have when they live the standards of the gospel.

 

It definitely feels like summer here in Italy! It is humid but the Lord is truly helping me with not being tired in this hot weather. Tonight we are planning the rest of the baptismal program for next week.

 

Thank you all for your love and prayers! I need them! Thank you grandma and grandpa hansen for your letter! I got it at my como address! It is akways fun getting mail.

 

love,

sorella carter