Week 2

Ciao Family!!!

 

Its soo good to hear from you all!! I got Grandma Okeson's letter today and loved it! I also got an adorable letter from Sisters Kuhns and Jacobson. Tell them thank you for me!  Also, Mom I was able to access your letter on this computer so no worries :)

Wow! This week has been amazing! Last Thursday we were told that we were no longer going to be teaching Nico anymore. It was heartbreaking especially since we had him thinking about baptism! I learned so much from that first week so Nico will always have a soft spot in my heart. We gained two new investigators this week- Francesco and Raymond. We've only taught one lesson to each, but they're each so amazing! We also had our first TRC on Monday- so we had two members walk in and just talked to them. It was fun to talk to someone as a member and not an investigator. Plus since there are 50 Italian missionaries, they didn't have enough volunteers, Sorella Holloway split from her companion and joined us. She's amazing, and her comprehension of Italian is really good.

The language deffinitely seems to come slower this week than last, maybe because now we have a foundation and are just building on it. The amazing this is that when you need to say something, you are given the ability to say it. That doesn't mean you always say it in a way that makes sense. We ran into a missionary from Italy today- Soeur Buonanotte (headed to France) isn't that the coolest name ever? Sister Goodnight. haha. Anyway, I tried to bear my testimony to her, but she said my sentances made no sense at all! haha. We've started working on SYL far more this week and I feel like it's making a difference.

Dad- I wanted to tell you that Il Violo Drago is still around! It's just now in two sections called the White Rhino (I don't know the word for rhino in Italian sorry!). but we have another little purple vocab book that all my teachers call the purple dragon. I'll be one of the last groups ever to use the white rhino. They're coming out with a new book in a couple months. But it's really fun to study out of it and know that it's the exact same book you used all those years ago.

On Sunday evenings they show movies- Legacy, The Testiments, and old devotionals from the MTC. We'd heard that the one you have to see in a Christmas Devotional from Elder Bednar. So on Easter we went and say it. It was by far the most amazing thing I have ever listened to! Wow! Dad I know you would love it, but I think it's only available in the MTC, so you're just going to have to go on a mission soon! Anyway, Elder Bednar said that the character of Christ was that when the natural man would turn inward, Christ turned outward. He shared so many examples from the scriptures of when Christ endured something that would make anyone feel sorry for themself, but instead He focused on the needs of those around Him. That's what I'm trying to do as a missionary. When times are hard, which definitely happens alot, I need to forget myself and go to work.

One thing that I've been thinking about alot is enduring to the end. That was the focus of our Tuesday night devotional. Can I just say that every single talk, devotional, and lesson here is so powerful. I love it! Anyway, I love to think of the scripture in D&C 121 where it says that "if we endure it well, God shall exault thee on high." We aren't just here to endure life. I'm not at the MTC to endure life. I'm here to be joyful, and bring that joy to others. Everytime we walk outside S. Bollwinkel and the other Sorelle of my district laugh because I'm always talking about the flowers that are blooming. I seriously anticipated the blooming of the daffodils for a week. And now I'm pretty sure that a few of the columbines will bloom by next week. Yes! Anyway, I love finding joy in everything around me. In the beautiful world, in sharing the gospel, in reading the scriptures, in my wonderful sorelle.

I feel like I have 5 companions, not just one. The best thing for a person's self-esteem is sharing a district with 5 other beautiful and wonderful sisters. They are all incredible!!!  

 

Well, I'm out of time. But I love you all and will write more next week. I love the letters and hearing from you. Thank you Nicole Okeson for your letter, I loved hearing about your investigator and what you learned.

David- One of the teachers here is a Fratello Pesci who says he knows you from his mission. Also we meet an Anziano e Sorella Franceschini who serve in Catania and then Rome and they remembered you as well. They're going on another mission, first as family hisory advisors and then as temple workers in the Rome Temple!!!!!!!

 

Lisa and Meagan- I sent you some letters a week ago, but I'm not sure if I put the right address (I still can't remember it. Whooops!) So if you don't get them, know I was thinking about you. Also, I ran into Arturo in the cafeteria the other day and he said he was going to Meagan's house for GC!

 

Oh! I'm so excited for General Conference this weekend. It's going to be AMAZING!!!

 

Well, I love you all. 4 more weeks in the MTC and then I'm in Italy!!!

 

 

Love,

Sorella Pace