Transferred!

Ciao famiglia!!

I am so sad to hear about all the deaths in our area. Sister Wilkins and Jarod Crosby are truly choice spirits of our Heavenly Father and they have a great work to do on the other side of the veil.

First things first. Transfer calls....bum bum bum.....PALERMO! I'm going down to Sicilia! We will be opening up the city to Sisters and I will be an assistant trainer with Sorella Bradford! And we don't meet our greenie until tomorrow. But I am so excited to experience the culture of Southern Italy!! I hear the food is to die for and I will be right on the coast in one of the most beautiful cities in the mission.


I am still really sad to leave Roma 5. Where I was born! I have met so many amazing people and I am so glad that they were all part of my mission experience. Roma 5 will always have a special place in my heart. And Sorella Wightman will be training again! And I am so excited for them to continue doing some great work.

Saying goodbye!

Mamma Gigante and Allesandra

The old man who wanted to give us his dead wife's clothes.

Our amazing neighbors.

The packages still haven't come :( And I won't be able to get mine until zone conference! Ugh I am so sad!
But about the Italian, it is coming along great! In my first transfer, Sorella Wightman had this great idea to record me bearing my testimony. And then I did it again last week. I went back and compared the two and it is amazing to see the difference. So even though it's hard to see my progression, I have taken leaps and bounds with the language and it's all thanks to the Lord. It truly is a miracle to see us as missionaries learn a language so quick.

This week has been so great! We have had tons of lessons! And we have quite a few investigators. And since I have had my little language boost I have started feeling more comfortable speaking in the lessons.  I'm not sure if I ever told you about Maria Rita Valenti. She is probably about 40. She has three kids. The same order as our family, a girl and two boys, and they are all about the same age as us, maybe a little younger. We started teaching her the week before ferie. We only did the Restoration, but we watch the Restoration video together and she cried the whole way through! She loved it and it just made sense to her.  But....she went on ferie. And we hadn't seen her...until this week! We were walking down the road and we see a car stop and roll down its window. She was so excited to see us and she told us she was back and we could come over this week.

So yesterday we went and visited her. After a little bit of small talk she started asking us questions about death. She wanted to know our doctrine on it. So we told her a little bit about the plan of salvation. That we believe that there is more than just life on earth. That because Jesus Christ was resurrected, we will be too! And she was just crying. She then went on to tell us about her husband. When they met they were just so in love. She had never been happier. They got married and started a family. They had a perfect life. And they knew it! So they did everything they could to give back. Always feeding the homeless people and doing service for the community. Then out of the blue her mother-in-law died. For no reason. And then Maria's husband was just devastated. They didn't know why and the doctrine for their church was never clear on what happened after death.

Then a few years later, Maria's husband died! Then same thing. They had no idea why. He was a healthy man who did great things. Had a family. And she just didn't know why. So ever since then she has been trying to find out what happened to him. She didn't want to accept that her happiness with him was just over. That they would never see each other again.

And we were able to teach her about the plan of salvation. That there is more and that they will see each other again! And the most amazing spirit was in the room. She was then crying tears of joy. She couldn't stop smiling. I know that her husband has been helping us. I know it! And I am so grateful that Sorella Wightman and I were the ones privileged enough to be able to share this wonderful news with her.

The gospel is so true! Why would a loving Heavenly Father leave us in the darkness. He never wants us to feel lost and alone. And our message of the Restoration is so special. It is a message of happiness and peace. And I am so happy! I have seen so many people become so happy! Especially on my mission. Where I am reading my scriptures every day and praying earnestly every day! I just know the Lord loves me. I know he has a plan for me. And I know that if I do the things that he has asked me to do, I will be happy! And I am so glad that I get to share this joy with all the people in Italy!

Well I am out of time, but I love you guys!!!!! It looks like labor day was fun! Everyone looks so big!
PS. how is Aunt Amber?
And to all of my friends who I haven't written letters to. I.am.so.sorry. But I have a 12 hour train ride tomorrow and I will be sure to get some letter writing in!!! :)

Love
Sorella Wiltbank

Nicolina

We got stranded at a train station in the middle of nowhere. There was nobody in sight.

Again. we were really in the middle of nowhere.