Wednesday, April 22, 2015

"I Want a Sack of Good for You"



Cari Famiglia e amici,
Buongiorno! I hope everyone had a great week! Last week was transfers and we got two new elders in our district. Anziano Orso and Anziano Benge. This is Anz Orso's last transfer and Anz Benge's first! So I'm not the youngest anymore! I can tell its going to be a great transfer. Anz Orso is our district leader and he is on fire! He is definitely a hard working missionary and I can tell he wants to end his mission well. Its amazing the difference you can feel between different leaders. I'm glad I'll be here this transfer to really get the ward involved with missionary work. That's probably one of our biggest struggles-getting the ward motivated to do missionary work. To bring friends, to come to lessons, to fellowship investigators and new converts, etc. One thing you definitely learn on a mission is the importance of members. It just helps me realize the kind of member I want to be when I get home so I can help keep this work moving. 

On Friday Sorella Nedelkov and I had a great meal at the Bishop's home. We haven't really talked a lot with the bishop before this so it was nice to get to know him and know his thoughts on missionary work. He also expressed to us his vision for the ward, but really needs help getting the members to see that vision. He is a great Bishop and we had a great time with his family.
Saturday we had a lesson with Elda. She is a lady who we met at the bus stop after Gloria's lesson and who just started talking to us! She had a Book of Mormon, but lost it. Got another Book of Mormon from Elders, lost it again! And now has one from us. She is from Milano, suuuuuper sweet,and has a pretty rough life. Her husband left her for another woman younger than their daughter and she has some sort of leg problem that makes it hard to walk. But she is such an example of strength and endurance because she still walks everywhere even if its "piano piano" or little by little. And she is always smiling! I just love her already! We had another lesson with her on Monday and she is loving everything we have taught her.

On Monday on our way to visit her we were riding the bus and I started to talk to this lady who had a baby. She is from Ecuador and had 2 kids. We just talked the WHOLE bus ride--WAY past Elda's stop!--and I taught her the restoration. It's amazing, when you recite the first vision to someone, they really can't unlock eye contact with you. They always feel something. The only issue was she wouldn't give me her phone number because she had NO time to see us... she works everyday and when she's not working she's travelling to pick up her kids or drop them off places. Bummer. That's actually a HUGE dilemma here. Everyone is ALWAYS working and can never see us. And they don't come to church because of work. It also makes it hard to get a hold of them because they don't answer the phone when they're working. But anyway I know that someday she'll find the church. And she'll be able to learn from missionaries at the right time. She was an amazing person. 

While I was talking with her, Sorella Nedelkov was behind me talking to another lady and taught her about the restoration. She wasn't really interested in learning more, but she still gave her a pass along card. Then the guy across from her asked her if she had another pass along card! He had been listening to the whole thing. That was a miracle bus ride. We were late to Elda's lesson because we went WAY past her bus stop, but it was ok because we had amazing experiences on the bus. It was kind of funny because that morning in District meeting Anz Orso talked about that and said if you're having a good spiritual conversation with someone on the bus, don't get off. Keep talking. If you're late, the person will understand if you explain why. So we did exactly what he said and it was so worth it!
Also on Monday we were riding a bus and got off the same time a lady got off who had just gone shopping. She walked for a little bit and put her bags down and it looked like she was having a hard time carrying them, so we offered to help her! She was so grateful and actually let us carry them for her! Most of the time when we offer our help to people they refuse. So we talked with her as we carried her bags and ended up having a lesson with her and set up another appointment for this Friday. So we hope and pray we'll actually be able to see her! She's from Ecuador too. I love having that small connection when I find out they are from Ecuador :)  (Mom's note:  SHOUT OUT TO LENA!!! LOVE YOU LENA)

Sunday was a great day! I saw the Georges, which was super great!  People I know from Home! So that was fun to get to talk to them!(***Mom's note: the George's are friends of Sorella Dixon and our family.)

Sorella Dixon with the Georges.

" I saw them(referring to the Georges) and I just thought "HOME!!! Someone from HOME!!!" haha I just wanted to keep talking and talking, but I knew I couldn't. :) But yes, they delivered a package!! Thank you SO Much!!! I LOVE it!! Peanut butter! YES! :D Grazie mille!"
(The George's were so very kind to deliver a package for us to Sorella Dixon--she wanted peanut butter!! :))


 Then Sorella Nedelkov and I went to lunch at a member's home but whose parents aren't members. His name is Moreno. He actually joined at 18 or 19 and served a mission in Manchester. He is super great and wants to slowly get his parents to church. The missionaries haven't been over there in a LONG time, so we went to his house for lunch and got to know his parents. They are so nice! And I think they like us :) They said "Alla Prossima" or "To the next time" pretty much. So they'll let us come back again :) After lunch Moreno took us around Rho, the little town they live in. Its outside of Milano but still in our area and missionaries haven't really been there in awhile. This was such an answer to our prayers! We have been trying to find new simps but have been having a hard time! But we feel like we need to start working in Rho and possibly other little towns around it! He showed us great finding places at parks and different buildings. It was such a blessing!
Things are always great here. It's great to remember that I'm walking along the streets of Italy! I love everything here! We always have great conversations with people from all over the world, which is amazing. I am understanding more and more everyday! I just love the Italian language!

Next Monday we'll get to sit at an apostle's feet (Elder Bednar) and hear inspired words just for this mission. It will be so amazing. The whole mission is so excited. It will be great to tell you all about it next week! 

Vi voglio un sacco di bene!  or Love you bunches! (ok the actual translation is I want a sack of good for you :) 

Sorella Dixon



 "There's an EXPO here that is huge! Its starting the beginning of May and there are signs all over for it! So I had to take a picture with one. I don't exactly know what it is... but its something with food from a bunch of countries all over the world. President Obama is coming for it."


"I love all the bikes here"


"Sometimes the art on the walls is actually really cool;)"

"A train station! I got to ride on my first train! Well for like 5 minutes".


"This what the mailboxes look like that are found on the side of roads.
 A little different than the blues ones we are used to."



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