February 6, 2013 Update

Dear Family and Friends,

 

Thank you all for your birthday wishes. I really appreciate your thoughtfulness.

 

My birthday began fairly calm, making myself german hotcakes for breakfast and enjoying my morning. Suddenly the door bell rang. There at the door was the entire Silva Family and Sharon. They simulaneously broke into a rousing rendition of "Happy Birthday" as Fatimah held up holding a birthday cake. The candle on this cake was more of a small firework with a foot and a half flame. I couldn't exactly blow it out, so I had to wait for it to extinguish and blew out the little flame at the end. What a way to start an amazing birthday.

 

I'm lucky enough to have a P-day for my birthday, though this is a little crazier than normal becuase tomorrow I will be moving to Ostia, or Roma 4. It is close to Rome 1, yet southwest and more along the coast. I will be serving with Slla. Caramia! For those who don't know, she was Brittany's companion in the MTC in Spain. I have loved getting to know her and am really excited to serve with her. My first transfer with an Italian and as senior companion. I know that I'm going to learn alot.

 

Getting ready to leave Rome, here are some quick lessons that I have learned:

1. Don't accept biscotti from people on the street, which may or may not contain alcohol, but the clementines shoved through the bars on your bathroom window are just fine.

2. Don't use the washer and an appliance or else you will have a quick morning lesson on how to handle a blown fuse from your landlady.

3. The gift of tongues and interpretation thereof is real. Teaching lessons with 2 or three languages at once I feel blessed to have been able to understand and be prompted in how to respond. Church has also consisted to translating for 2-3 hours every Sunday, with lots of guidance.

4. The Lord knows all of his children, whatever language they speak. No matter what language, whether it be Arabic, Tamil, Tagalog, English, Italian, Hindi, Romanian, or Spanish, every prayer ends with Amen.

5. The bishop here, Bishop De Matties, is one of the most inspired men I have known. I feel honored and grateful to have been able to and know and learn from him.

6. Rome P-days: Many people have parts of the truth. Last week we went to San Giovanni in Laterno, one of the four original churches built during the Roman Emperor Constantine's time. The church and St. Paul's have pieces of the original church. This church has the original baptismal font for immersion (changed around 1600), while St. Paul's still has it's font with writing labeling it as a baptismal font for the dead.

7. In reading the writings of Paul to the people of Rome, the same truths of the teaching of the prophet are very real in the lives of the Romans today. Scriptures are still relevant.

8. There is sacredness even in being close to the site of a temple.

9. You can never run out of people to love.

 

Thank you for your love and prayers. I am grateful the Lord is near each of us and lies as a fount of strength in the face of every uncertainty. (3 Nefi 3)

 

Love and prayers,

 

Sorella (not Anziana...) Lovell

 

PS from Kathryn: I looked up Anziana in an Italian to English translator for those of you who are curious, and it means elderly :)