May 1, 2013 Update

1.Stake Conference. Three days with Elder Callister (including our special missionary training.) I have learned so much. With us, he spoke of how much of the Plan of Salvation we have because of the Restoration. Amazing. Also, he spoke much of how wonderful his wife is. The stake president, DeFeo, was called as a 70 last conference, so it was all reorganized. This is an amazing time in the growth of the church in Italy!

 

2. Mency with her adorable children from India!

 

3. English Course!

 

4. Seeing the Pope this morning. In the photos, imagine he's behind the crowd.

5. Segway tour of the Villa Borghese!- like Central Park. It was packed because of the Holiday. 

To the general public, I have chosen, for many reasons, to discontinue my blog. Instead I will be emailing a letter. If you would be interested in receiving this letter, please email me at erica.lovell@myldsmail.net.

Happy May Day Everyone!

 

-Sorella Lovell

 

April 25, 2013 Update

Ciao a tutti!

 

Here's a quick investigator update:

I spoke with one investigator this morning and he has shared that he knows the church is true, yet isn't willing to give a response about baptism because of his relationship with his wife. She is not against the church, yet they have their own issues they are working through. We have hopes to build a relationship with her and give some encouragement and show how the gospel can bless their marriage.

Giorgiana is a new investigator from Romania and has a lot of promise. She is a young mother who comes to our English course and is excited to learn more.
After typical weekly lesson with the Agomeri's, a part member family, we stayed a moment afterwards to play with Sorella Agomeri's granddaughters. As we left, S.lla Agomeri invited us for dinner this Sunday and her two granddaughters (who are not members), came up and said that they would try to come to church this Sunday. I appreciated the opportunity to see that time and love goes a long ways.

Yesterday, we spent our day finding the less-active members in Latina as part of the efforts to open a new group there. Let's just say that I have the blisters to prove that we were out from 8am to 10pm. The areas here are huge and the transportation...not always the most reliable. We have a great experience and the people were very quick to talk about the gospel and listen to our message. As the delay of over an hour to our train kept us at the station, I overheard someone singing the theme of "The Dance of the Slaves" from Verdi's opera, Aida. I was really excited to talk with them and turned out that, the two composers, percussionist, and trumpeter are all music students. They found a lot of truth in our message and we left them with copies of the Book of Mormon. I look forward to go back when we can, yet know that the time is an issue. There is so much excitement with all of the new missionaries coming out. Three sisters go home next week and 15 arrive.

 

For me, I am realizing how other people have different priorities and personalities. The core doctrine and commandments of the gospel are set, but I can learn good principles from everyone and be happy being myself.

 

I love you all.

 

Erica

April 17, 2013 Update

Last night, I turned to my companion and said, "Hey, would you like to go to St. Peter's tomorrow?" Yes, I have to remind myself that I am still in Rome. Going to the Vatican, we got there shortly after the pope's weekly blessing to the square. There seems to be a special event today because the tombs of all of the Pope's set aside in a special way and the basement of the Vatican was open, the grotto where we are able to go down and actually see the tomb of St. Peter's. I love my life.

Tonight is the night. Roberto came to church this past week with his wife, whom I have never met and is more open than I thought, more open to let Roberto go forward that is. This evening the stage has been set and we plan to invite him to set a baptismal date. I have never had an investigator not be able to meet with us for weeks and yet come to church for a month in a row, including Priesthood of General Conference. If you read this before this evening, prayers would be appreciated. We'll take all the help we can get.

Rita and her Mother, Rafaella weren't able to see us until tomorrow, so we'll see what has happened in the past week.

To give you an idea of the rest of our life, finding in Rome, a bit different from the south, can be an interesting experience. S.lla Pace was so excited when we first did Casa in Casa as she turned after the fifth person politely informed us that they were not interested and said, "They're so nice!" It's true. Italian's are immensely kind, polite, and in Rome they are clear to let you know when they are not interested. We've been doing more street lately, well, we're doing a lot of finding.


Then there are the members. One S.lla in particular this week has been an amazing testimony of strength and trust in God. Her husband is a drug addict and she has gotten to the point that she no longer always feels safe for her or her daughter in her home. Some of her experiences, well, rang a bell for me. Yet we made arrangements for the elders to give her a blessing and all I can say is that the Priesthood is real. I have seen her, by chance and appointment five times in the past week. I know that the Lord looks out for his children and I have seen specific miracles in her life that show to her how much the Lord is mindful of her individually. I love her and I am so grateful and amazed by her. I know there is a power in prayer and she have felt that she is going to be alright. Power in testimony, music, and faith, brightens and strengthens always.


I love you all and hope that you remember that God knows and love you.

Un abbraccio,

S.lla Lovell

April 10, 2013 Update

Dear everyone,

So my head is a little foggy as I write this, but considering that I woke with a temperature of 101.6, I'm feeling pretty good for being out of bed. I realize that I've been a little to excited about the warmer weather the past few days and went without a scarf. Colpa d'aria, (ie. the Italian belief that cold air on the back of your neck will make you sick), gets you everytime. I received a blessing from the Elders this morning and am doing much better, so here's hoping. One thing that I have learned in my mission is that, while there may be moments when you shake your head at the Elders, there are miracles that come from Priesthood blessings. Nevertheless, this email will be a little short.

General Conference is always such a special experience. We returned to good old Rome 1 Saturday afternoon at 6pm for the Saturday morning session and then Sunday in the evening to watch the Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning session. I especially enjoyed Pres. Uchtdorf's talk. There are so many people here who can get caught up in the dark. We know it exists, yet we know there is light and choose that's where we want to be. Oh, and S.lla Pace's pie experience was amazing as she saved our Torta Napolitana.

I hope that all of you had the chance to listen to conference and look at how to apply it in your life. Do you realize how lucky we are to have a modern living prophet?!? 

Love you all,

Erica

April 3, 2013 Update

Buona Pasqua!

 

People seem to have a new approach for us on the bus - what do we think of the new Pope. It's a great opportunity to explain that we don't follow the Pope, but a living prophet. Even if that lies outside the realm of comprehensibility for some of the neighbors of the Vatican. The others can't stand the mere thought of a Catholic Priest, so there is definitely a lot variety.

 

There is something new each week. Roberto came to church for the third consecutive week (miracle of miracles!), yet we are having trouble setting a time to meet with him. We just met two great new women yesterday, Rafaella and her daughter Rita, who told us right out that if she wants to know how the what we say has to do with making a difference in her life. She already gone through Catholics and Testimoni di Jehova, so I'm looking forward to giving the truths of the gospel, which make the greatest difference in our live.

 

Last week I hit my year mark, yet I find it amazing how there is still so much to learn and experience each day. Easter was an amazing day. S.lla Pace and I performed a musical number in church, as she is wonderful at playing the violin, yet it was a warm up for the surprise that night. We ran into a member while doing strada who's entire family was in town for Easter. After running home to get the violin, we were on our way for an impromptu concert at her home for all of her family, friends, and even some neighbors, with a mix of hymns, opera, and throwing in a song from Naples.. It was a great experience and we hope to follow up with S.lla Calvagna's sister and daughter.

 

For Easter, I really value the verse in D&C 88:126 - Pray always, that ye may not faint, until I come. Behold, and lo, I will come quickly, and receive you unto

myself. Amen. I know He is there and at times when we just need to hold on, he will rush to our aid with legions of angels. I have seen that in my life and that is the message that we have to share. In being in the mission over a year, I've had the thought come again as to why I am here. Why I came in the first place. For me, it was what I shared with Rita. My concrete reasons may have shifted over time as my understanding of the significance of the gospel and a mission deepens, yet the core is the same. My own life was forever changed. I know that my savior is there in every moment and therefore every moment of my life has the opportunity to be changed by his touch when I allow him in. That is why I am still here. Though at times, I wonder if the Lord wanted it more for me than for those I meet. Either way, I look forward to the months to come.

 

Tanto amore e un abbraccio forte,

 

Sorella Lovell

March 27, 2013 Update

Buona Pasqua a Tutti!

Well, last Thursday, I met Sorella Pace, my great new companion from Holladay, Utah. She came with a great sense of missionary work and we are getting along really well together. It has been so interesting to see the Italian missionary life through her eyes. Her first pizza, first double kiss greeting, first time going to someone's house and realizing that, no, they aren't in the middle of an argument, that's just how they talk with one another. Also, to see how much the mission becomes a part of you and how much I have changed. The other day, we were walking to the metro, when I saw it coming and automatically started running. After arriving, she said that her initial thought was wondering I was running because someone was about to shoot us. We laughed a bit, but let's say that sprinting skills are an asset in a mission with no set transportation schedule and buses that may or may not pass every half-hour. A fun twist, her dad actually served his mission in Argentina and her grandparents were mission presidents there. At their time, all Argentina and Chile were one mission. How times change! I may learn some Argentinian food, so we'll see how it goes. 

One thought I had from this week came from reading over D&C 88, which talks about light. The verses describe the Christ as the light that is in us. It is a light that shines into the darkness and the darkness does not understand it. For my whole mission, I have looked to understand what it means to let your light shine. It comes steady and constant, so matter what is around you. Whether those around are dark or light. When it is dark, it may take more courage to allow your light to shine, yet it in of itself is enough. It's source: your testimony of Jesus Christ and all that his gospel entails. 

Everyone keeps asking us what we think about the new pope. He seems like a good man that will do good. However, I know that nothing is more than having a living prophet,  President Thomas S. Monson, of whom I have the humble honor of representing for 18 months of my life.

I love this work. I love all of you. Your photos in the package were lovely!

Sorella Lovell

March 20, 2013 Update

Hey Everyone,

Ok. I enjoy rain as much as the next person and have some great memories of getting completely soaked. This has not been one of those weeks. Ostia is beautiful, but is not known for it's draining. Yet some adventure can be added to any day by making it an obstacle course to get to the next lesson. And it's all done in a skirt.

This past week we had the chance to see a the hand of the Lord in the hand of a special family's life. Two small boys, Matteo and Federico Bachini, were baptized by their father. Their sister Micaela has been the force in their family for the past three years and it all came to this. She is going to be a great misssionary and is a sweet friend. As I saw their father walk with them into the baptismal font, I was hit by the events that I have missed in my own family. You mean so much to me. Yet I felt in the same spirit a feeling that this is why I am in my mission. It was a seasoned and, perhaps somewhat battle-scarred, feeling. Yet I felt the joy of having fulfilled the call of the Lord to serve a mission. For this time, I was to be here for this dear family.

A transfer is ending and I am going to miss my companion, S.lla Caramia. I have learned a lot about being yourself, whatever that sponataneously may be. Oh, and P.S. I have been called to train next transfer. The new missionaries have arrived and I will meet my new sister tomorrow. I'm excited to be able to serve and help a new sister. Here goes nothing. I need to be myself more than ever.

Love you all,

Erica