PAVIA

Bergamo goodbyes

Pavia

Bye baby one..I love her alot

Talk about the most beautiful city.. i finally feel like im in Italy. And baby #2 is Sorella Burt. Frommmmm.... utah. Like most of us.  It has been crazy coming in and taking over someone elses city knowing nothing... Meno male that we have acutally helpful anziani who tell us stupid sisters where to go. Usually i feel somewhat compitent in what im doing, but this has been a humble kick to the face when i feel like im asking the anziani every day stupid questions.. I hate questions, and asking them is probably worse, but hey we got this. Things that have happened this week... 

The fridge broke the day we went shopping=wasted money and surviving on rice cakes, tortillas, and peanut butter (thanks mom and dad for that peanut butter... its being used very well)

Our apartment doesnt have lights.. so we use lamps, and two days ago the one light in the kitchen decided to stop working. We are going back to living in hut i feel like.. Actually it feels like my missed summer camping trip. My easy fix for the kitchen having no light, scotch and a flash light. I just taped it to the cupboard and it works nicely.

We had a mostra Saturday and passed out 2,000 flyers to our ward conference. Lots of no's, and a lot of success too. We got three new investigators that day and they all have big families! SCORE... We thank the good Lord!!. We actually have this giant cut out of Jesus that someone here painted for the mostra and we got to carry Him down the street to take Him back to the anzianis apartment.. I just kept laughing as i helped carry a giant Jesus down the middle of centro and everyone just kept saying Gesù, Gesù!! It is just one of those things that i never thought i would be doing, and none the less in Italy. Other then that we just keep talking, and talking and are trying to find our way around. This ward is amazing. I havent felt needed really since i left Sanremo, and i just cant say how grateful i am to be in a place where i can feel that again. They are just real people and so full of love for everyone. They have a desire to do the work with us and there is no better feeling then that. They do it out of the genuine love they have for others, and their genuine love for the gospel.. It is like that change of air that these Italians are always looking for. I love you all! Have a good week!

Love Sorella Woods

What...? I am moving.

TO PAVIA!... and im pinkwashing\training again.. SO the phone rings at 8.30 saturday morning, and its pres. He talks to Destribois and she passes the phone to me.. I knew i was leaving, but when he asked me if i would train again, he just chuckled.. I said 'are you sure Pres? Have you really thought about this??' 'im absolutely sure, are you up for it?' hhaha, yeah..  do i have a choice? Seriously though... Was not expecting that one the least bit. I love Bergamo.. i can finally say i have found a genuine love for this place and especially these people.. And Heavenly Father is letting me see a few more miracles before i scap. Yesterday we met with one of our new investigators Olenka, and we taught the Plan of Salvation and then invited her to baptism. She just got the biggest smile on her face.. and said 'i am so happy to have found people that think like me.' and she started to cry. We knew these truths in the pre exsistence. That is why the gospel is familiar and comforting... It is because we knew it before and Olenka bore testimony of that to me yesterday. Heavenly Father found Olenka. I got a letter from Nana that said our Father found her when missionaries came to her.. He is trying to find all who are lost through us. We are His instruments. He has now found Olenka through us and all these other amazing people we are working with. The gospel is simple and in the simplicity is the reality. I am so grateful the Heavenly Father has found me and my family, and now its to do all we can to help Him find the rest. I seriously am so stoked to go to a new city where i know nothing. Everything will be new just like when i first came to Sanremo. I asked for a new situation that would give me the push and God never ceases to answer prayers. So tonight i will go sleepover with the other Bergamo sisters.. I managed to fit everything in my suitcases and i am so blessed as to have found a member with an extra backpack because not all of it would go in.. It is amazing how much junk i have aquired in the past 7 months... Destribois just told me i should probably pick and choose but i refused.. All this useless stuff is going to make it to the end tell i really have to decide.. But tomorrow it is off to Milano Centrale, then Cimiano to pick up baby number 2 and then we head to our new land of Pavia... Sorella Destribois just looked at me after i told her i was getting another baby and said 'once they start coming, they come like popcorn..' haha oh i will miss my little french baby. It has been 2 crazy transfers.. and here we go again.

Love 

Sorella Woods

Hey, hey, hey..

So we walk out the door yesterday.. We had one planned lesson and within one hour we had three new investigators.. Soo the lesson here is put your faith first, open your mouth, and the Lord does the rest. It is really amazing. Yesterday Anziano Ballard and Bednar came to the Europe area and they had a womans conference. I cannot say how much i love conferences. To walk away just feeling full. Full of love and a desire to do so much more to push the kingdom of God forward. And that is my ultimate goal.. How do i live in a way to always push that. A thought came to me that even when i come home, i will never stop being a missionary. Even when this tag comes off, there is no reason to stop. There are callings that will need to be fullfilled. Temple work that will always need to be done.. There will always be more. In this past zone conference i about died.. First because i got to see Vanny and Jones, and secondly, they gave us pulled pork! Tender mercies of the Lord i tell you.. Other than all those great things, Pres said something that just stuck. The Lord is hastening His work... are we going to keep up with Him? Am i going to fulfill my responsibility here as well as afterwards. The work never stops. We are surrounded by others who need us, our love, and our testimony. They really do need what we have. SO i told you all about the goal.. Ten people ever day.. When i do that, i will have talked to at least 1,680 people here in my last four transfers.. Immagine if everyone, every member would just open their mouth, be a little more bold, and share the gosple.. That would be millions of people who would have the knowledge we have. The knowledge that God leads  us today through a Prophet... that we can be together forever. That my brothers and sisters, and their kids, and my kids, and the kids of my kids... We can all be together.. Sealed by the power of God for the rest of eternites.. It is amazing. It is mind blowing! And it is our job as members of this church.. as people who have taken upon us Christs name to share what we have.. To emulate our Savior, and His ministry. To prepare this world for when He comes again. I never want to stop.. i dont think i can. There is too much joy, too much happiness that comes when i see anothers eyes open to the knowledge that we have. The world doesnt understand who we are.. Something came out of my mouth before i realized it in a lesson yesterday.. WE are more.. We are more than this body that we are in.. It is the Spirit inside of us..The part of God that is in us.. Anziano Ballard said last night take 100 people on the street and ask them who God is.. What number of responses would come... many, and how many would be right?.. not many. Then take a hundred 12 year olds from the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and ask them who God is. The answer cento per cento would be we are children of a Heavenly Father. We know who we are.. God has given us every single thing that we need, including the knowledge that we need to preseverare sino alla fine.

Love you all un sacccoooo

Love Sorella Woods

ONE YEAR..

I went to sleep and woke up and where in the world did the time go.. Tomorrow makes a year that i left everything for the life of a sister missionary... MTC, good place. I'd go back if i had to.. First 2 months in Italy, i didnt understand why i would put myself through this and now i think, Best decision ever?? Yeah, id say so.. Hardest and probably the most strangest as well. This past week has been a little slower.. Sunday night we went to a birthday party of one of our investigators. It just so happens that all of her kids are members and just inactive.. She has a problem with smoking but we have really been working with her.. I have been here in bergamo since the end of February and i finally get to see the fruits from my labors... or at least the beginning of them.. i think im out this coming transfer, but who knows. Maybe i could serve my whole mission here. Soo at her party out come the alchol and all my Santo Domingo friends really start the party.. and when they offerred her some, she said no thanks, ill take coke.. WHAT. MIRRAACCLLEE. She comes to every activity, and church. I remember the day i saw her and i wasnt going to talk to her.. I will always be grateful that i decided to listen to the Spirit that day.. I feel like it differs from day to day.. One day i think heck yeah that came from the Spirit, and the direction is so easy to follow.. and then the other days where i feel like im blind, deaf, and dumb. I wonder if Heavenly Father ever thinks really, really Sorella Woods? The opprotunity was right infront of your face.. So because im a list maker and i have only six months left i made a list of things that i want to do so i can go full out and fulfill the purpose of Heavenly Father sending me here..

1. Finish reading everything that i started reading... we will see if it happens. But i hope so.

2. Talk to at least, at the very least 10 new people every day.. i mean a profet asked us to do it, so it must be a wise thing to do.

3. Try to become a disciple of Jesus Christ.. I feel like i do good things.. but a disciple, i dont know if i can give myself that title yet..

so basically i write some of these out because then i feel more accountalbe if you people know instead of just writing it down and thinking, yeah those are some really good goals... and six months later, nothing changes. Great thing about the gospel though is that we are always changing and if its through Christ, we can become His desciples. Well friends, all i can say is its been one year, and i'm still kicking.. It really has been the most eye opening and most rewarding time.. Hard. Yes.. Sucks at times,, yeahhh. But i wouldnt be anywhere else. Last six months are going to be better. Love you!

Sorella Woods

FRIENDSSS..

.. that has been the topic of the week. Whether its because people are
angry because God has taken their loved ones away 10 years ago.. or hearing
of recent incidents. When we think about death, it is just such a sad
thing. There is an elder serving here and his dad passed this week.. at 9
o'clock yesterday the whole mission united in prayer. As we prayed for this
elder and his family, i just felt the Spirit so strongly and i realized the
reality of the plan of God.. When Connor died, i was sad yes, but i feel
like it never really really hit me because i was never depressed or just so
drug down.. as i have been here i realized that it is a gift from Heavenly
Father.. I talk about him all the time here. When i tell people that my
brother has died, and how, they are just struck. How is this 21 year old
girl sitting her talking about the death of her brother with a smile? When
i talk about him, i dont feel sad.. I feel the reality of the plan of God.
His body is here, and thats it. He lives elsewhere doing another work. This
life here is so short and we all too often forget the eternal perspective..
This elder's dad was called by God to work elsewhere. It just all really
hit me this week. The plan of God is perfect and real. When i think about
Connor, he literally saved our family.. Whithout his death i dont think any
of us would have realized the importance of the gospel. The importance of
temple work. I want nothing more to go home and serve in the temple weekly
tell the day i die and am called elsewhere. There are people waiting for
these saving ordinances, just like Connor was. Its our job to go and help
them.. They cant progress without us. Connor couldnt progress and move
forward if we hadnt of done his work... and no matter how we die we have
the promsie of God in D&C 138.. we are ALL heirs to salvation. The plan of
God is real, as well as the saving ordinances we do in the temple. I know
that my family is a forever family.. It is amazing. I chose them in the
pre-earth life and they chose me... and we will continue to live in the
eternites forever. Every promise that is written in the scriptures or said
by living day prophets can be ours if we make the gospel first in our life.
Maybe that was the mission of Connor and his life here, to allow us all to
be together in the end, because without him, i dont think we would have
ever realized the need. God is great my friends.. and i see that and feel
that more every single day that passes. Have a great week! Pray for this
elder and his family that they may always remember Gods plan.. because of
Christ we will all live again. :)
Love Sorella Woods