October 31st, 2012 Update

Ciao tutti,

Happy Halloween! I hope that you all have a great time
trick'r'treating It's not as big of a holiday here, but we'll see how
it goes with the day of the dead tomorrow.

What an amazing week this has been! Alberto, a nw convert from Rome 1,
received the Aaronic priesthood this last Sunday. It was an amazing
experience to feel that the priesthood is that much stronger and the
spirit filled the room.

It had felt like doors have been closing latetly, but we have have
more people to teach in the past week then we have had time to fill,
including 4 new investigators, which means a lot of baptismal invites.
Many of these people it feels that they are finding us, sometimes
literally stopping us. The Lord knows how to put us in the right
place.

An amazing part of the week was a meeting with Anz. and Slla. Kruegar
the Senior missionaries here. They are have put together a program on
the scriptures and the atonement that is amazing!

Also, Slla. Miles and I have been working to put together a concert
for the past month and the date has been set! It's coming up on the
14th of November. I love being able to share the spirit through music
and this is going to be amazing. I will keep you updated. Our ward
here is amazing and very warm. It's going to be a great hit for people
to come to the church.

Life is beautiful and I hope you enjoy the great fall weather!

Love and prayers,

Sorella Lovell

October 24, 2012 Update

Ciao a Tutti!

Georgia has made it clear that she is not ready to see us right now. We went to see her and heard her on the other side of the door, but no one answered. It was hard to see her make this choice, but she just is not willing to consider that having a companion is wrong.

Cristine almost left as well, but her relationship with Hanim Shakir allowed us to have one more lesson. We brought it back to the basics and focused on the Savior and showed how the Book of Mormon applies in her life. She was very touched. That built to a lesson yesterday on the plan of salvation that with a member that was just filled with the spirit. Slla. Tapia bore an amazing testimony and She was really touched to think of life as a time to learn and the loving nature of God.

Rossana is well over seventy, but loves reading the Book of Mormon. She prayed at the end of her lesson, which was great a first for her.

Fratello D'Angelo came to church! It has been years, and we were so excited. 

Fiametta still does what she can.

We want to focus on working more with members and focusing on asking more referals. They are such a great opportunity to have relationships.

I have been spending a lot of time reading the book of mormon and I love the special experiences. . A couple versus I love: Mosia 7:18-19, 33. I've been studying the atonement everyday and have asked a different question each day. I love this time to study.

I translated in Primary this last week for the teachers and kids. I thought of all the good times you have put into the primary. We have the U.S. Embassy in our ward and even had a Thanksgiving dinner last week. A little early I know, but still great. I have spent a lot of time sharing the picture of our family on the bus, and my entire english class and just have to that they all love it. It has been great to be able share the people I love most with those I meet.

The church is true!

I love you all!

Sorella Lovell

October 17, 2012 Update

Zone Conference is just amazing everytime. I love the time to learn and to see other missionaries. Slla. Kelly shared more of the History of the mission in Italy. It definately is true that Italy sta fiorendo as we say, which means, is flowering. There have been many miracles to bring this about. We also spoke a lot about preparing for all the new missionaries that will be coming. It means a lot to hear how much confience and trust he has in us. It will be a great adventure and we are so excited. I love a quote he shared, that change is a part of life and if we choose to be frustrated by change, then we are going to choose to have a frustrated life. However, it is truly one of the most incredible part of life that we can change. It is there for us to ask Jesus Christ to come help us change. I love hearing the testimonies of missionaries before they go home. To hear of their insights and how they have changed. We each hold the same ability. Elder Christiansen has said that there are times in our life when we are

On our way from Zone Conference, we were actually able to go by the temple site. They say that the walls may be complete by the end of the month. There is an excitement here as we work to encourage the members to prepare for the completion of the temple. There is a power in the temple. For every block of the temple that is laid, the power of Satan dimishes on the earth. I can't

We had a baptism this last Sunday of a little boy in our ward and it made me think of Karlie's baptism coming up.

Georgia seems to have decided to have conflicting feelings over her companion and the experiences she has had. She had her son call us tell her that she never wants to see us again. She knows that the Book of Mormon comes from God and loves how she feels when we are there. We have had so many amazing lessons with her that we hope giving her some time will make it possible for us to meet again.

 

Rossana is over eighty years old and so sweet. She has a short attention span in lessons, but has started reading the Book of Mormon between our lessons. Her grandson was born prenatal and grew in the hospital. Her family is everything to her, so she has a lot of anxiety over this. However, she recognizes that reading the Book of Mormon helps her to feel calm and peaceful. Through all of this, she has agreed to a baptismal date for December 15th. She needs to talk with her son, who we hope to meet soon, and we hope that it will all work out. She calls us her granddaughters and loves seeing us.

Fratello D'Angelo was ready to come to church, but thought that we were coming to pick him up.... We have made double sure that he knows the Anziani are set to pick him up this week. He showed his website that has a whole page for the church. We spoke about general conference and invited him to watch a talk. He immediately wanted to add the link to his wesite. He is great to share what the church through his own way.

Fiametta is so faithful, reading her scriptures everyday and come to church whenever she doesn't have work at the hospital, and has such a desire to go to the temple. The only part is her companion, Manny is also a less active, who left the church after seeing people not living what they said to believe. She loves him, but we will see.

Oct. 10, 2012 Update

This has been a time learning about flexibility and taking the moments as they come. I will be staying in Rome for another transfer with Slla. Miles, which will be great as we're really starting to get a sort of rhythm worked out. It is a lot more spontaneous and seeking to follow the spirit rather having a completely planned out moment. It has come with the understanding that people can't totally be planned for. There are moments when you have the idea of what you want to share and you are prepared with that, but then you simply follow what their needs are. It has made it more real for me to look to simply see people for who and where they are, knowing that I can't always anticipate what is going to happen. All I do is prepare and then go and listen to how we can create an experience together with them rather than simply what we had planned in advance.

This has also been a great time of learning patience and understanding. Sorella Heiner is still here with Sorella Clark from Bari (I was sad to have her go, but so excited that Slla. Wagoner has the chance to serve in Bari, Puglia is just magical). She arrived in Rome last transfer with a fracture and continued to walk on it with a boot. As it hasn't healed, she has been put on crutches and has been staying home for the past week. We have been doing rotating splits everyday so that Slla. Clark still has a chance to go out some and to keep both companionships going. Being so interdependent has become an adventure, but we are really learning to rely on one another. We are working together to make it through this and to support each other. It also makes me value every moment that I have to be out even more.

General Concerference was amazing! There were so many answers to prayers given throughout the sessions. I can't say enough how greatful I am for our living prophets. As we invited people to come watch the session, I sometimes marveled at the fact that I was inviting a random person on the bus to come listen to a prophet of God. President Monson is truly inspired and called to this work. We knew that a big announcement was coming and we are excited to see how lowering the age will affect the mission. We have a new missionary in our mission this transfer and he is just great (Anziano Davids, being trained by Anziano Telaroli, I was sad to see Anz. Hughes return to England to finish his mission out.)

I have so many experiences that I want to share from this week, but just one is meeting with Tiziana. We met on the metro some time ago who was finally able to meet with us this week. As we spoke on the metro, I shared that this gospel helps us to find our purpose in life. She simply responded that that is something she is looking for right now. When we met this week, she told me the whole story. She had noticed me and saw that I was different, that I was so happy and, well, she said that I looked strange and she wanted to know what it was about me. When she saw my nametag, she thought she had her answer. However, she had been praying earnestly to for God to help her find her purpose and direction in life. After we met, she felt like she may have found her answer. I know that Heavenly Father answers prayers and I know that as He cares for each of us and I know that as we earnestly seek Him, He will giude us. (And P.S. we met in a park on the south side of Rome next to the Appian Way where Peter was crucified. I am bearing my testimony in the same place they have born theirs. I love my mission!)

Loves and prayers always,

Slla. Lovell

P.S. After reading emails, I think that this will be awesome for the missions. I felt like they are young and enthusiastic and will be just amazing. There will probably be a swarm of new missionaries, which is just going to be amazing. I know that we are guided by inspiration and that we have the same power to receive the revelation for our own lives. I invite each of you to take moment to see how they can make a difference in your life to feel more of the spirit in your lives.

Thank you for all of your thoughts and prayers, I feel so blessed to have such a wonderful family and am grateful for each of you.

October 3rd, 2012 Update

I can hardly believe that I have been out for six months. I have had such an amazing time to learn so much. One of the greatest things I learned this week is that understanding comes before being understood. We met this last week with a young buddist as well as a man from India (which was so fun and reminded me of my great friend Sister Thulasidass from my district in the MTC). Both felt that there is something for them to learn and that would make a difference in their lives, but need to understood where they are now. I also had a great time talking with Ahkmed from our English course.

A slight wrench was thrown into our lives with a bit of a sciopero, which is when all Italians decide not to work for a certain amount of time. This was for the mezzi.

Georgia and Antonio have accepted the invitation to live the word of wisdom. It can sometimes be an intense lesson in Italy but they were joking the whole time. Georgia loves to eat healthily, as she actually used to be a chef for athletes. They drink wine and coffee with the occasional meal and will time will be able to quick that as well. She was not able to read the book of mormon, but is able to read the website and we are getting a recording for her to listen to.

Mary Louisa was touched by the idea repentence is a way to bring change into our life. She continues to read the Book of Mormon piano piano, but has a busy work schedule.

Rossana is a great talker and we work to keep a focus in our lessons because she always thinks of something else to offer us or another idea. We watched the restoration and she loved it.

 

Fernanda has a great desire to continue to come to church (less active) and help her mom and her grandmother.

We started doing more exchanges this past week, which has been interesting. However, with all of our investigators, etc. We are going to look at the next week and see how we can allow Slla. Heiner to stay home for the week, to basically merge our two companionships into one, except for opportunities when perhaps she can get a ride into church. We will switch off taking turns with exchanges and make our schedule together. There is a small change in our house as Slla. Wagoner will be exchanging places with Slla. Clark from Bari.

This week I spent time studying 2 Nefi 4 and really fell in love with the Psalm of Nefi. With so much strength that comes from our relationship with God and our abilty to feel of His presence in our lives. The word awake has such a powerful meaning in recognizing who we are, etc. and applies to so many people. The bishop in our ward this week has issued a challenge to all the members of the ward to read everyday for two weeks. He gave an amazing talk on how the scriptures, including the idea that in you are what you eat with your body, so it is with your spirit. This is true for our spirit, our relationships with others, etc. I also love the idea of the power of drop by drop of water creating a great hole in the stone. I would love to invite everyone to read more of the Book of Mormon this week. I know that it makes all of the difference in our lives. I have definately seen the changes in myself.

 

Life is great and I love you all! Keep smiling. :)

 

Sorella Lovell