I'm getting older... finally!

.. and you would think i would be more mature.. but no.. Still the same
person who left you all almost a year ago.. How in the world did a year
pass? So, i am 21.. i always thought i would be having a party, maybe go to
Vegas for my 21st... but rather i am in Italy serving a mission.. Its crazy
how things change. I would have never in my whole life thought i would be
here at this point in my life.. So top five count down of the best things
that happened this past year.
1. Mission call
2. Going to the temple with my family
3. The day Yosmaira and Kevin were baptized
4. The day Alexandra and Evelyn were baptized.
5. Gaining a testimony of the Restored Gospel
Every single one of these has to deal with something in the gospel.. and i
didnt even plan that out!! Crazy,, right?? but would you just look at the
pattern for a minute... these are the best 5 moments that i can think about
this past year.. and its because the best and happiest things only come
through the gospel. Im reading Jesus the Christ, and he made a very great
contrast between having happiness from something, and rather just having
pleasure from something.. We do a lot of things in one year.. some stupid,
others fun, more than most are just things that give us pleasure for a
time, and then its over.. but what really gave me the happiness, that pure
joy, was from these five things.. Things that have changed me forever, and
have made the biggest difference for the rest of my eternity. I am so
grateful to be here serving the one true Lord.. I know that this gospel is
soo true. The decision to come here, and to actually be here have been the
hardest things i have ever done, but hard things are what creates us.. It
allows God to create us. What gives us that lasting happiness, and not just
a supeficial moment of pleasure. Go and find that happiness because i have
tried to find it in many things.... but in the end, the world does not
offer it.. the only thing that does is the gosple of Jesus Christ.
... and i am happy. (:
I love you all!
Love Sorella Woods

I'M AN AUNT!!!

And i'm in Italy... Now i get to go home to ugly old babies.. but i think i
would still choose to be in Italy.. Let's get real. It's not even a
question. I love these people too much.. SO usually when summer time hits,
the work dies.. but we are seeing the opposite, which is a huge blessing.
Tomorrow we have been invited to a Muslim families home.. We didnt even ask
them... So two weeks ago we were on the tram and i was talking to a man
from Nigeria.. he would not shut up so i could barely talk.. He just kept
telling me that what we do is not in line with the bible or Christ... what
are you saying?? Its the Church of Jesus Christ!!...it is literally His
name... So anyway, this man sitting accross the way goes 'hey, you really
need to listen and to go to the church.. i went and all they talk about is
Christ.. Im muslim, and i still went to go hear the word... all it is is
Christ.' that shut this other mans yapper up real quick... anyway so last
week we see this cool muslim guy again as we were walking home.. as we were
parting ways he said his address without us even asking and said 'i would
like to invite you over to my house to meet my wife and daughter'.. So
right now they are observing Ramadawn (i think thats how its spelled) So
they fast until past nine which is when we are supposed to be home... so we
called Pres.. and he said yes!! We just have to be home by ten.. I have
never heard of a muslim family inviting christians over to talk about
God... especially inviting us over for dinner.. MIRACLE?? I say yes.. He
literally is preparing the hearts of so many people.. It is the most
amazing thing to see... and when we go heavenward, and really discern the
needs of these people with the powers of heaven, it opens up the door.. Not
only to their homes, but into their hearts.. I have seen a difference in me
this week when i really seek the power of the Spirit in this work to know
what to ask and what to say.. Its amazing... One sentence of truth can be
the thing that touches them... like with these two woman from Bolivia
Sunday.. We explained the Restoration and they said thank you but we are
catholic... and then out of nowhere before they left, i told them about the
promise in the back from Moroni... and that allowed us to set an
appointment with them for Saturday to give them the book so they can see
for themselves.. Thats why i love this work.. I donnot force or drag.. we
invite.. And we invite with a backed up promise.. Its nice to know that we
are not working alone. This weeks been great... i made a cake of death for
an Anziano Diego in our district... can you say cookies and cream cake....
i bet one piece was about as bad as a piece of cheesecake from the
cheesecake factory.. sooo good. Well love you all! Have a good week! Seek
the Lord in everything... because He is just sitting there waiting to give
you the answer... This week i continue to think of the story in the New
Testament where they lower the man with Palsy through the roof to get to
our Lord.. It makes me think, what would i do to get to Him.. He is sooo
accessible to us if we just ask for His help. (:
Love Sorella Woods

Summer..

Oh the joys of being surrounded by hot sweaty people every day.. but we are being blessed with rain almost every day and i will take it!! Every time it rains, i look up to the sky and have to say 'thank you.. sincerly, thank you.' This week has been good.. i really dont know what to write today.. every week is kind of just mushed.. We set a bap date with this woman that has dropped us like a good five times, and then we happened to meet up again... three hours later, and shes on date!!! Longest lesson that i have ever had and never want to repeat, but we came out triumphant! I really have gained a love for her.. she is the next goal!!.. Lets just say with her i am grateful that i have found a love for the bible. I seriously LOVE the new and old testaments.. And they have been soo usefull here. I start reading and cant stop.. im reading the New Testament with the book, Jesus the Christ.. AMAZING.. My testimony of Christ and knowledge is so much greater and i am so grateful.. I love this gospel more than i can express. My testimony grows every day about different topics in the gospel. I change every day through the atonement... It is amazing.. That is all i can say. I love you!

Have such a good week!

Love Sorella Woods

Hello... Benvenuta a Bergamo verdina..

Sanremo people

Everyone says Bergamo is a land of miracles, and after four months is when
they decide to hit... So maybe we should say its the land of miralces if
after four months youre still kickin it here.. But im going to say its the
power of a greenie.. and her name is Sorella Destribois!!! Yeah,, and we
all know that is not an english name.. Shes from France!! The night before
they came in i went and stayed in Milano with the Sorelle there and i got
to spend the night with my old comp Sorella Seare!! which was super
legit... We were talking to the other anziani at english class and they
told me a girl from France was coming in... Instant fear struck me as i
realized that there were only two Sorelle coming in, and i knew that i was
going to get Sorella Destribois.. call me crazy, but i knew..and i think
the fear came from the fact that i was thinking she was going to speak only
French, and very little Italian or english... But we have made it to today,
we are still alive, and we made it back home to Bergamo from Milano... SO,
i would say we are doing pretty great.. and shes just amazing. We seriously
have been getting an investigator a day.. I dont know what it is... Maybe
Heavenly Father just knows how we all feel when we first show up and he
thinks, why the heck not? Ill throw them miracles every day so they make it
through the first twelve weeks.. On Monday we met a woman from Argentina
and had a lesson with her yesterday. We met another girl who is muslim but
wants to hear more, and we have an appointment with her this Saturday.. and
she let me pray with her which never happens... We were getting off the
tram this past Thursday after teaching a guy named Elvis who is bringing
his family to meet us!!! but as we were getting off a man starts yelling at
us to stop... He runs up behind us and says 'i have seen you people for so
many days on the tram, and you always talk to people, but not me... and i
want to know why not me... who are you?' He really didnt speak Italian or
English, but what do you know, FRENCH.. They day i get a french companion,
he gets the guts to talk to us.. Sorella Destribois starts bearing her
testimony... i dont understand hardly any of it because it was in french
but the Spirit was like a wall... Noone can tell me that this message
doesnt bring something different... I felt it, and i couldnt understand
more than 10 words of it... Seriously, we are going to see so many miracles
if we trust Heavenly Father, and give ourselves to Him. A new comp is never
super easy. There is always some difficulty, but everything is possible
through Him.. What a blessing that is.. Well, tell next week friends..
Love Sorella Woods

Seare and Carter... i stayed with them in Milano.

Vanny and me:) 

My mom!