Diligence

Family! Hi!

I think that the Italian postal service is on strike. They aren't even selling stamps at the Tabacchi!! (tobacco shops) And I have so many letters I am wanting to send to you guys. But today we are going to go to the post office and just send it directly from there. Also could you email me Brother Smith's address? I wrote him a letter in Italian for language study!

UNCLE ROBERT!! I am so so so happy for you!! This decision you have made will effect your family for generations! When my mom told me you were going to get baptised I was so happy! I am a little baby and I even cried a little bit. But just because I am so happy for you and Aunt Krissy! :)

Also I am so excited for Brother Madrid! It sounds like so many amazing things are going on at home. The gospel is blessing families everywhere!

I haven't gotten your package yet, but the office will bring it to me next week at zone conference. I have heard that you should always send packages to the office. It's safer that way. But speaking of zone conference, it is next Wednesday, so we are doing P-day on Tuesday, so make sure to send emails a day early!

I was just skimming Sister Derrik's letter.... 20 lessons a week! 100 baptisms a month! Holy cow! Our goal was to have 12 lessons a week...we had 5. It reminds me of just how different every mission is and how specific each call is. Every missionary is called to the right place to touch certain people that only they can touch.

This week is hotter than ever! I have been working on the attribute of dilligence. Have you noticed that when you make a goal, the days/weeks proceeding always seem to test you hardest regarding that goal? But I have learned a lot about dilligence. I have noticed that if you put in a little bit more effort, Heavenly Father notices and will bless you so much more!

Wednesday we went to the Vatican! So cool! It is amazing to see the great art. I even saw the pope!....okay just kidding. Didn't see the pope. But it was still a fun day!

We also taught Manuele. This guy is so amazing! He has such a desire to know the truth and he follows through on all of the commitments with great dilligence.

By far, my favorite part of my mission is the people. Italians are most definently the greatest people in the world! There is this old man that lives on our street. He is always out on his padio and we say hello to him every day as we pass by. He never really responds well, usually just does a half smile and waves. One day I decided to try to talk to him and we found out that his wife had died about 4 months ago. We gave him a Plan of Salvation pamphlet and told him we would come back to talk about it later. After that he loved us! And when we would pass by we would say "buon giorno!" and one day....he looked at us for a few seconds, recognized who we were, then his eyes got all big and he yelled "SALVEEEE" (a formal way to say hello...really formal way to say hello). This guy is the best. He's probably in his 90s. Then last Wednesday we passed by and he stopped us from his 3rd floor balcony. Slowly walked down the steps. Then from the gate told us that he notices that we wear nice dresses and skirts every day. He then offered to give us his dead wife's clothes. What? yes. He wanted to give us his dead wife's clothes. We told him we would come back in the morning to look through them. So we go back and his care taker was so confused. haha. She ended up telling him he couldn't give away his wife's clothes without permission from his kids. And he got so.mad. "I bought these clothes! I can give them to these girls if I want!". We told his caretaker we understood and walked out of the house. Oh the life of a sister missionary.

My second favorite thing about my mission is my wonderful companion Sorella Wightman. She is literally my second mom. Literally. And she is so amazing! She is so patient with me, but still makes me stretch. She believes in me. She is the perfect definition of selflessness. Everything she does is for the happiness of someone else and always puts her own needs last. She is an amazing missionary and I feel so privileged to serve with such an amazing person. (She has also convinced me to go to BYU after my mission....just a little heads up). Don't worry! I will still come and take pictures in Arizona!

This Sunday was fast Sunday! And I really didn't have that great of a testimony of fasting, but I really wanted one. So I was very specific about the things I was fasting for and very dilligent in my prayers. And there were so many temptations to eat! On Saturday night we had an appointment and we had to walk right through the middle of this food fair! Selling all types of delicous treats! Then we got home and our neighbors were having a barbeque right in front of our apartment! Declining that invitation was a bit painful.

One of the things that I was fasting for was for the gift of tongues. My sweet companion needs my help! I can only imagine how hard it is for her to have to do all the talking! So to show the Lord just how much I wanted to recieve this blessing, I decided to bear my testimony. In sacrament meeting. In front of a room full of Italians. I was so nervous, but I got up there and did it! It was short and simple, but I did it. And I was able to say the things that I have been studying, and they came out clear. I wasn't fluent like an Italian, or even as good as the other missionaries, but it was good for me. And I now have a testimony of fasting. That Heavenly Father is ready to bless you! But you need to show your willingness. Show God that you are willing to sacrifice 24 hours of no food and water and he will be more willing to give you those things you are in need of.

I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!! I hope you know! :)
Sorella Wiltbank :)

These days I try to limit the amounts of pictures I take of myself.
I am so sweaty and gross, but I knew you would love this one!

Beautiful view of a classic Italian town :)

The area code for Passo Corese is 333 :)

I found Taylor Swift on the metro! Okay not really....but this girl is the Italian version of T-swift.
(I listen to my Taylor Swift Christmas music almost every day. Miss her!)

We were knocking on doors the other day and found a dead cat in someones yard!
It really is that hot! And everyone is on vacation, so nobody even noticed it was dead!

(You can get the rest of the cat story from Sorella Wightman's blog - HERE.... so funny!
Kaeli truly is her mother's daughter!  ha ha)