A New Companion

Buongiorno!

I hope everyone had a great week! Its is great here in Genova Italia!!

Last Thursday Sorella Russell and I travelled to Milano so she could

go to Como and so I could pick up my new companion!! It was kind of

stressful that morning because we missed our train... twice... haha.

Really I have no idea how. We literally missed them by a few seconds.

But I think there was a reason because we were able to talk to a few

people and we also ended up talking to a couple from Kansas City who

were here for their anniversary. He was a minister for his church and

it was just really great to talk to them about their lives and how

much they love God. They shared how their faith has helped them in

their life and how God has totally led their lives. It has turned out

so much different than they thought, but so much better. They are

doing a lot of good things and helping so many youth believe in God

and do good things. It just gave me a whole new respect for other

religions. It also shows that God has a plan for everyone. This man

has a student who is LDS and actually went through a temple open

house. And then they ended up talking to 2 missionaries in Italy for

about an hour and a half waiting for a train. Maybe it's not their

time to become members yet (he told us he was in the process of

starting up a church in a new area), but little by little they are

being brought to the gospel.

So I got my new companion and she is so great! Her name is Sorella

Gregg and is from Spanish Fork, Ut. She is about 5 feet tall!!  She is in her 9th

transfer right now and has served in Prato and Ravena. She is just

adorable! She is always telling me stories! It's so great. Just stories

of her mission and crazy things that have happened to her. I love it.

She's pretty easy going and easy to get along with. She just loves the

people and is super sweet to everyone. I think we're going to have a

great transfer together :)

Friday we met with Mayra. For the past 2 weeks we have been trying to

meet with her but she either cancels, isn't there, or we have to move

it. So we finally got to see her! She was baptized when she was little

but doesn't really have a testimony. So we're helping her. She's funny

and will always read the Book of Mormon the day after the sorelle

visit her but then doesn't after that.. she said she prays and then

opens the Book of Mormon to a random page expecting a response but it

never works. We told her that even though that works sometimes we also

have to show faith and read everyday to show Heavenly Father we're

serious and will keep doing the right things. She's going to Ecuador

next month but said she really wants to be serious and start coming

back to church when she comes back, so hopefully she does!

We also saw Sophya so Sorella Gregg could meet her. She's so great!

Saturday we passed by Teresa and Madelin and they were home! And the

husband was there, too! That was a miracle. We hadn't met him yet. We

had a great lesson about the Book of Mormon. It's kind of sad because

they recognize that there is a lack of spirit and that life isn't as

great as it was before when they read the scriptures and came to

church, but they just won't do anything about it. We commit them to

read the Book of Mormon, but they just don't read it. We set up a time

to see them Tuesday, but then they cancelled yesterday.

We had English later that day. In our class there is this lady named

Elena who comes every week. She loves learning English. So after

English we always share a spiritual thought and the time before this

time we committed her to pray. Times before that she said she was

atheist and everytime we invited our class to pray she said she would

but never did. But last time she said she really would. So then on

Saturday we asked her and she said she did!! YES!! It made me so

happy! I honestly think that she knows that God exists but has had

hard times in her life and also just caught up with history and

science and stuff. But piano piano she's learning and feeling the

spirit :) (piano piano is a phrase they say ALL the time here. It just

means slowly or bit by bit pretty much. It's just sounds so much

better in Italian)

Then I took Sorella Gregg to see Cate!! Aw she's so great! She called

earlier in the day asking when we were going to come see her so its a

good thing we planned for her that night! She's so funny. When I

answered the phone she asked who I was and I said Sorella Dixon and

then asked if I was the one she has met. haha ya she doesn't really

remember anything. She always tells the same stories over and over.

But they're so great! She just makes me laugh.

So on the way there we were on the bus and this kid sits next to me

and I just say "ciao!" and he says "ciao" back and then we just start

talking. He was nine and his mom was standing there by him but wasn't

much into talking.. so I just talked to him! He was adorable and

carried on a conversation really well! We told him our names and he

asked if we were sisters haha and then after I told him we were

missionaries and a little about what we did he was like, so you aren't

sisters and you work in a church named Sorella Gregg? Hahahaha How

cute! We explained our tags and what the real name of the church was.

I know he'll see missionaries again someday :)

Sunday Talia came to church!!! Finally!!! She said with her work she

can come every other week. She was able to stay for Relief Society

this time and met lots of great people. She LOVED the Relief Society

lesson and could really feel the spirit. She said she felt like it was

just for her. She also said the people were so nice! After church we

had a lesson with her and Rebecca. That was a great lesson! Rebecca

was really able to share her testimony and Talia just ate it up.

Sorella Gregg got to meet members so that was good. Its crazy for her

here because we're over two wards. And since we are, I don't really

know a ton of members either.... so sometimes we're meeting them

together! That night we were able to meet with a great ward family

from Ecuador. Oh that's another thing that Sorella Gregg really

noticed here, we meet mostly people from South America. So many people

from Ecuador live here! I love it!

Monday morning we didn't have anything planned so we just did bus

finding and we ended up finding a lady named Ana from Ecuador whose

cousins might be members. They have gone to our church at least. We

are going to meet with her and her family Saturday! Then the Anziani

in Genova 1 and us split the ward so we actually had people for us to

find and reactivate. So that will be good. We've been wanting to do

that for awhile but we never found a time, so it was good to actually

get that done. Later that day we met with Stefania. I can't remember

if I told you about her. She was in church when she asked us if we

would come study with her since she felt like she couldn't be open

when the Anziani came over. Her boyfriend whom she lives with is a

member... The problem is is that she's married to another man. But

separated and they can't find him to get divorced... and since she's

not divorced she can't marry her boyfriend... So that's lovely. We're

kind of teaching her slowly because of the situation and she wants to

go really slowly to really understand everything.

After that our appointments fell through so we did a lot of passbys...

a lot. And we actually had a good lesson with someone. Everyone else

couldn't, BUT every single one answered! Miracle!! So we planned for

other days to come by.

Tuesday we saw Ester in the hospital. She's always just so sweet. It's

so sad because Ofilia's dad is now at home.... and we have no way to

contact them.... We wanted to continue teaching them about the Book of

Mormon after he goes home but never got their number. Bummer... and

Ofilia was actually reading it! So hopefully a miracle happens with

them and they see the missionaries again someday. Then we saw

Giorgina. She is so great. She is just so down to earth and sweet. We

had a great lesson about God and Christ. She has a lot of faith. She

said she doesn't know if she'll come to church this Sunday because she

doesn't know anyone and we're going to the other ward, but there's an

activity this Friday that we invited her to where we can introduce her

to great YSA (or GANS in italian) members. so hopefully that will help

her!

Then we had a lesson with Talia!! We taught her about the Word of

Wisdom. She pretty much has no problem expect she likes wine and beer

every once in awhile. She said she will start living it next week once

she finishes the bottle of wine she has in her house.... haha. We will

probably have to move her baptism back a week since she has had so

much work.. but I think it will still work in this transfer!

Well, that's was my week in a nutshell! I'm so excited for this transfer!

It's been fun showing Sorella Gregg around beautiful Genova and

introducing Focaccia and pesto to her! :)

Well... have a great week full of miracles!!

Vi voglio bene!

Love,

Sorella Dixon

Sorella Gregg and Sorella Dixon

With Cate, a sweet friend from South Africa!

Can Ye Tell?

Cari tutti!

Well, we got transfer calls this week and I'm staying and Sorella

Russell is going to COMO!! Beautiful Como! She'll love it there!

She'll be in a threesome and one of her companions in Sorella

Insalaco, one of the sisters in my MTC district! So, we had our last

week together. Crazy! We've been visiting people like crazy! But I

love it!

 Last Thursday we saw Chiara and her Mom Elizabetha. They are the

referral we got from the lady in church and they are so adorable! They

are from Peru. So Chiara's Dad is a member but less active and the Mom

is a devout Catholic, but last December Chiara wanted to go to her

Dad's church and ever since then they have been coming. I think more

regularly now though. Chiara is thinking about being baptized. She's

9. We had a great lesson with them and the Mom really opened up.

Chiara also instigates  prayer and scripture study every night.

She's amazing.

Friday we saw Ofilia and her Dad again at the hospital when we visited

Ester. And Ofilia said she started reading the Book of Mormon that we

left them! That was a miracle! They love having us come visit them. He

goes home soon so hopefully they'll let us keep seeing them after they

leave the hospital.

Saturday night we had a lesson with Nimmi and her husband. Mamma mia

that was a lesson... So the husband is a member but less active and

Nimmi is buddhist. Really buddhist. I think I know why I was called to

Italy where everyone here already has a Christian base background... I

cannot teach people otherwise! Ok, I probably could if I had more

practice and learned how to... but it was tough. They are super nice

though. We found out that the Anziani had actually been over there the

week earlier. I think they're going to keep teaching him since he is

less active and doesn't really have a testimony. 

Sunday we visited a lot of members and had a great lesson with Sophya,

our new convert that Sorella Russell taught! I was also talking to

Rebekah, another new convert and she's super interested in coming to

lessons with Talia. We've have been praying to find members for Talia

since everyone we call can't or are gone... It has been hard to find

members for her for some reason, but I think we finally found someone!

And then we talked to a family who invited us to dinner Tuesday night

and since we can't have dinner with just members we asked if we could

bring a friend and they said sure! So we were able to invite Talia! We

had that dinner yesterday and it was am-az-ing. Talia and her Mom came

and just bonded right away with the family! It was so spiritual. They

were able to share their testimonies about the gospel and how much

they have been blessed from the gospel. It was beautiful. Talia loved

it and said she now had friends and wouldn't be alone when her Mom

left for Cuba. It was a perfect lesson for Sorella Russell to end

with.

Monday and Tuesday we were EVERYWHERE visiting people and saying

goodbye. We saw miracles. One was with the train. We were at a lesson

with Chiara and Elizabetha at 6 in Sestri and had to be at Brignole at

6:30. It's a 21 minute train ride or a 45 minute bus ride.... we

forgot to check the train times to Brignole and so as we ran to the

station from their house I was seriously praying the whole way there

for a train, or a miracle, or someway to get to Brignole on time since

it was the dinner with Talia. We got to the station right at the train

was pulling in and we hopped on with a minute to spare. It seriously

was a miracle. We had great lessons and people just loved Sorella

Russell. It was so great! Tiring but so great!

So this week I read Alma 26 and I was thinking about this last

transfer as I read it. It pretty much sums it up. I especially liked

verse 2 "And now, I ask, what great blessings has he bestowed upon us?

Can ye tell?"

Can ye tell? Can you see the hand of God in your life? Are you looking

for it? Because it is ALWAYS there. I love it. We just need to have

the eyes open to see that God is there. Just like the train. I know

God's hand was in that because we needed to have that lesson with

Talia and the family.

Well, I hope you all have a great week! Love ya lots! Can't wait to get

to know my new companion, Sorella Gregg! We will see miracles in

Genova I know it!

Vi voglio bene!

Sorella Dixon

Eating Sushi

The main train station in Genova

Genova Centrale

Arch near the center of Genova

Everything Happens for a Reason

Cari Tutti!

I hope everyone had a great week! This week just FLEW by! I don't even

know why. I guess if you're busy time just flies. This weekend we get

transfer calls! Already! It's crazy!

So last Thursday morning we decided to passby Teresa and Madelin.

We've passed by them before and they are usually home and let us in.

So we tried them again and they were both home! Teresa is the Mom and

Madelin is about 20 and also has a little girl. They became members

about 4 years ago but don't really come to church anymore so we're

working with them. It was a great lesson and we really talked about

reading the Book of Mormon and praying to know if it's true. Teresa

said she prays everyday, but has pretty much stopped reading the Book

of Mormon. So hopefully we can help her gain a testimony of it. It was

a miracle that we saw them because that day they were leaving for

Spain for vacation! So it was definitely guidance from the spirit! So

here in Italy EVERYONE leaves on vacation in August.... so that's fun

haha. Pretty much everyone that we talk to on the bus, doing strada,

or doing casa, say they're leaving so they can't say when we can come

see them again... but we still get their number and will just call

them when August is over I guess!

Thursday night all of our appointments fell through so we ended up

doing passbys and then doing casa (ringing doorbells of that

apartment building). We actually had a few miracles that night! We

ended up passing by someone who when we rung the citofino just let us

right in. Usually they ask who it is before they will unlock the

apartment door. That means they probably didn't know it was us...

and that's what it was. The lady at the door was kind of confused when

she saw us but we still talked with her and found out that her husband

is the member we were passing by and she's Buddhist. The Anziani have

worked with her husband in the past so she's familiar with

missionaries. She thought it was her husband coming home that's why

she unlocked the door. Well, we asked if we could come visit her and

her husband sometimes, and she was really willing. On the way out we

saw her husband coming in so we talked to him for a few seconds. We

are seeing them this Saturday so hopefully that goes well!

Then we were able to walk and talk to a lady who was just leaving her

apartment. She was super sweet. Hopefully we'll see her again.

Friday we had lunch with a member from Finland. She's an awesome

missionary and was telling us she needed copies of the Book of Mormon

in Urdu and Punjabi since she was talking to these guys about it.

Crazy. We had to call the mission office for those. Later that

afternoon we had an appointment for Stefania but when we got there she

said she didn't feel like studying. Turns out that

she was feeling sick and didn't have our number so she told the

Anziani to tell us but they couldn't get a hold of us so we never found

out... but everything happens for a reason because as we were waiting

for the bus there was a lady that we started talking to, and she was

interested. She lost her Mom a few years ago and now lives alone. She

has no family nearby and isn't married. We talked a little about the

plan of salvation. So we hope things go well with her!

Saturday night we saw Talia! So, we were supposed to see her Thursday

night but earlier that day she called us and told us that she got the

job she had been hoping for!!! Yay! She had lost her job and didn't

know what to do. The last lesson the sisters had with her (while we

were on scambio) she was really down and hopeless. But then the lady

who was thinking about moving ended up moving so Talia got her job!

She was SOO happy. So she decided to take one last vacation to the

beach with her mom on Thursday. But we got to see them Saturday and

she was just telling us how much she loves her job. She said the

opening prayer and was  thanking Heavenly Father for everything.

She also told us her Mom wasn't really interested so she wasn't going

to be in the lesson with us... but we still invited her because we

told them we had a video and it was in Spanish! So she'd be able to

understand completely! So she came and we watched the restoration.

After that we talked and it was probably one of the most powerful

lessons I've had. The spirit was guiding both me and Sorella Russell.

Her Mom opened up and really told us what was on her mind. We were

able to bear strong testimony about Joseph Smith and the Book of

Mormon. She is actually really reading the Book of Mormon and likes

it. She feels good with this church, and we told her to continue to

follow these feelings and keep studying it out. She's moving  back

to Cuba in a couple of weeks so hopefully we can send her number and

address as a referral.

Sunday we helped in the primary so they could have a piano player

while they sing. There was a lady in there next to her daughter who I

actually talked to before sacrament meeting and introduced myself. I

didn't realize this, but after church a member came up and said that

the lady isn't a member. Neither is her daughter actually, who is 9.

The dad/husband is a member but less-active. The member said she

talked to them and they are ok with having us come over! So we'll be

seeing them this week. She gave us their number on a piece of paper

and when we looked at it later it was a sweet note. She said that she

had actually prayed that we would be in their ward on Sunday so she

could talk to us about them! Because we're over 2 wards we have to

switch which ward we go to. Usually we go to the ward where

investigators or less-actives will be. We were planning on going to

Genova 1 because Talia was going to come to church, but then she

couldn't because of work (work is a blessing and a curse!!) and so we

decided to go to Genova 2 since we went to Genova 1 last time. And

it's a good thing too since we got to meet the lady and her daughter!

Monday was pretty much talking to people. Getting bidones. Doing

finding. All that good stuff. Luckily we were able to end the day with

Talia. She just makes our day so much better. I don't think she

realizes what a blessing she is to US. She is just so sweet and we

love teaching her.

Yesterday morning we saw a member family who are from Ecuador. I loved

talking to them! They have 2 young women, so with the two of us there

it was like there were 4 daughters! Almost like home haha. The members

are so great and so willing to help us out! Then later we saw Cate,

the member from South Africa :) She's so funny with all her stories.

That she just tells over and over , but she loves missionaries and

we love seeing her!

Well, that's pretty much my week! At least all the highlights :) It

will be crazy to see what happens when we get transfer calls this

Saturday! But everything is in God's hand. He has the perfect plan for

everything. I know that if we trust in Him everything will turn out

even better than we thought it would! I know I'm here for a reason and

I'm so grateful I get to be a part of this amazing work.

Go out and look for a miracle this week!

Vi Voglio Bene!!

Sorella Dixon :)

This is the only photo this week, as the computer was working too slowly!!

I Love Just Trekking up the Hills of Italy!

Cari Tutti!

Happy August! The weather was really nice to us the first 2 days. It was nice and cool and there was a little rain! But now its back to being nice and hot again. 

Last Thursday we visited a lady in the hospital. Her name is Ester. I don't know if I've mentioned her before. But she's really sweet. She was less active before, then broke her leg, and now has nothing to do in the hospital but read so she's been reading the Book of Mormon. All the way through for the first time actually. She loves it! Hopefully this will help her gain a real testimony and come back to church. As we were leaving the hospital we stopped outside for a little bit to try to call a couple of people. There was a hill right by us and we noticed a bunny. Then we saw more. And then they just kept coming! There were just random bunnies hopping on this hill! I was really curious and there happened to be a lady there watching them, too, so I asked her if she knew why the bunnies were there. I honestly just wanted to know that. I wasn't even planning on talking to her before that. Well she told us that the owner of the bunnies just let them loose and now there are about 30 wild rabbits who live there. Then we actually ended up talking about the gospel anyway! She told us she comes everyday to be with her dad who is in the hospital. Her mom passed away several years ago and before that she lost her sister. She said she has kind of lost her faith. We talked about hope and life after death and we asked her if we could come visit her and her dad here again and she said sure since she's there everyday anyway. Sooo yesterday we visited Ester again and then went and found Ofilia and her dad! It was really good! Turns out that her dad had actually talked to missionaries before and has a Book of Mormon at home. So he was open to us. At the end we asked if one of them would like to say the prayer and Ofilia said she would because it has been a long time since she had prayed. And then she ended up getting teary eyed while she prayed. Also, in the room while we were there was another lady who was with whom I assume is her dad. We showed Ofilia and her dad a Mormon message and asked the lady if she wanted to watch and she shook her head but then she ended up standing up during the video so she could see it better. :) Then she told us she liked it. :) Miracles that all started with bunnies!

To make it even better yesterday night after we got back from the hospital both of our appointments we had fell through... so we were trying to figure out what to do. We decided to call this member (it was actually the member we dragged up stairs and to the lesson with Elisabetta who ended up canceling on us!) and asked if we could come visit her. She lives really close to us. She said sure! Whenever we wanted! So we went there and ended up talking about Ester. She is really good friends with Ester and visits her almost everyday at the hospital. This member, Sorella Perez, is so amazing. She is a rock. Even with all that she has been through. And she stays strong even though most of her kids have chosen different paths. We told her about our experience with Ofilia and her dad and she said she knows her! Since she goes to the hospital so often she has talked with her before. So that was neat! We're going to try to get Ester and Sorella Perez involved with helping these people learn about the gospel! 

Friday I went to Savona for a scambio with Sorella Schoenhalls! It was so fun! Sorella Schoenhalls is great! We had great lessons, ended up walking forever in the boonies trying to find this passby, and got to go to these little towns outside of Savona that are right next to the ocean, so they were gorgeous! It was fun to get to know Sorella Schoenhalls. She's a great missionary. But God gives us companions for a reason. I feel like I can teach so much better with Sorella Russell. And we just see miracles happen everyday when we're together. It's just a powerful companionship. So I'm grateful to be with Sorella Russell :)

Saturday we had English class and then shared a spiritual thought with the people there. I love English class here. Because people actually come and they are also kind of interested in the gospel as well. They participate really well during our spiritual thoughts. So there's this lady named Elena and she has come almost since when I first got here. We found out she doesn't believe in God. Last time we were talking about happiness and she actually told us that she hasn't really felt happy in her life lately. We talked about the Book of Mormon and she was actually interested! So was her friend who has come to English class before apparently but Saturday was the first time I had seen her. Tonight we have English class again so hopefully they come!

Sunday after church some members invited us over for lunch and it was delicious! They are a couple from the Philippines and Indonesia. Sophya, our new convert, was also there and it was so fun! Then we had a really good lesson with Mayra. She is less active and told us she doesn't even know why she was baptized. It was a good lesson where she really opened up with us. Hopefully we can address her needs and really help her gain a testimony. 

Monday morning we had no appointments so we went out and did finding. It was a great morning actually! We talked to SO many people! I loved it! We ended up doing bus, street finding, and casa. Later that afternoon we had a lesson with Talia and really talked about trusting in the Lord and recognizing the spirit. She didn't come to church on Sunday because she was out til 3 the night before and was too tired... so that's a bummer. But she said she would for sure come this week. After her we did some passbys in that area. So where we live apartment building are just built on all the hills. So we are always climbing up. There are literally pathways of just stairs that go on forever to get to a street, or you can take a really long, skinny, windy road. But i love it! I love just trekking up hills in Italy! Especially because all the buildings we pass are gorgeous and colorful! 

Yesterday was the day we saw Ester, Ofilia, and the member. And then when we were walking home from Sorella Perez's we ended up seeing Sophya, our new convert. She was taught by Sorella Griffin and Sorella Russell actually. She just loves the missionaries! She wanted to have a short little lesson on a bench so we shared a little thought with her. I think she really needed us at that moment actually because she was telling us she had been having a hard day. She's away from her family and she's also worried about them because they're not doing the best things. So it was good to lift her day. 

Today we went to Camogli and it was gorgeous! Just more ocean, colorful buildings, boats, and cool churches! So pretty! :) Italy is gorgeous and I don't know why I'm so blessed to be here right now! 

Well hope you have a great week!

Vi voglio un sacco di bene!

Sorella Dixon

Here is some Italian eye candy. What a gorgeous place!

She gets prettier every day! :)

"Just a cool old building"

Salmon pizza

Camogli

"Missionary selfie"