Mostra (Miracle) Week

This week was pretty awesome. On Thursday, we did what is called a Mostra. Basically, we go somewhere, set up some signs that are made by the church about the Book of Mormon, and God, and then we basically do super finding. Our district works together, but splits up and each of us personally talks to people. Members come too, and they do finding as well. We made a survey, and it was really effective.

It was kind of scary to talk to people by myself, but also really exciting. I got five phone numbers. And two of the people I talked to are investigators now. One of them even came to church this Sunday! Mostra= miracle.

This week I have received some of the clearest answers to prayer I have ever received. Specifically regarding one of our potential investigators. It was really cool, I was sleeping, then I woke up and got the warm feeling that comes with the Spirit. Then, I had thoughts that were so clear about things I need to say to our potential investigator. I got the feeling that I needed to write them down, but it was dark, and I didn't want to wake up Sorella Greco. I reached to my right, and there was a pen. Then I reached again and my journal was there. I had some doubts about whether this would be effective, because it was pitch black, but I went for it and wrote down all of the promptings I was receiving. When I woke up in the morning, I was nervous to see the inside of my journal, but everything was written nicely and clearly. It was a miracle!  We are going to start teaching this potential investigator soon.

This week, I was kind of sneaky, and I decided to record an alarm tone on our phone while Sorella Greco was in the shower. I did the rap from Sons of Provo "Diddly Wack Mack Mormon Daddy". It was really funny. When the alarm went off the next morning to wake up, we heard, " I was born in the church, just like my daddy was yo," etc, and it was really funny. The unfortunate side of this story is that one day, we were going to take a nap during lunch, so Sorella Greco set the alarm. Then one of our investigators wanted to see us right then, but we forgot to turn off the phone. During our lesson, right after Sorella Greco said, "We are here as representative of Jesus Christ," the alarm went off. Oh bother.

Anyway, everyone keep up the awesome stuff!

I love you all!!

My Address

Some of you have been asking for a mailing address. This is the mission home address:

Sorella Hayley Worsham

Piazza Camaro, 20

00141 Roma (RM) Italia

Adventures in Cosenza

Holy smokes it is hot in Cosenza. This week is the start of a very hot summer. I am wondering what August is going to be like. Aw well. I might just be sweating gelato for the next few months.

I get to give a referral to Oklahoma this week because the guy who was sitting next to me on the plane ride to Italy and he emailed me saying he would be interested in having a Book of Mormon. :) Wooo!

This week we had lunch with one of our English course students, Mila. She also invited two friends. When her two friends saw us, they kept telling us how beautiful we were and that we had the glory of God with us. Then Mila, said that having us over was like having Jesus over for lunch. It was a bit of an exaggeration. Then a really funny ironic thing happened. Lenora, (one of the friends) was talking to Sorella Greco, and then she said, "You don't talk much, do you?...I'm going to talk to her," and she started talking to me. Hahahaha. If only she knew. Then she was raving to me about my blonde hair, and asked a bunch of questions, like how to say "blonde" in English. It was crazy. The rest of the lunch was really funny gossip by the three Italian ladies. We gave a spiritual thought about "The Ten Rules of Happiness" by David O. Mckay. Look it up!!!! It's good. They loved it. Then, somehow the topic changed to temples, and they had all heard crazy things about it. They kept saying things like, "Yeah, I heard they have great huge parties in there!" Hahaha. We had to set them straight that is is more sacred. Long story short, lunch with them was REALLY entertaining.

Later that night, we had a fireside. We were supposed to invite investigators and other people, because it was supposed to be about the Book of Mormon. It turned out to be SUPER deep ideas about the book of mormon...that weren't actual doctrines. Sigh. It was really confusing, and luckily not a lot of investigators came. I think Heavenly Father knew that certain people wouldn't be able to handle it, so they couldn't come. Phew.

On Monday, we had a lunch with one of the members who lives kind of far away, so we have to take a Pulman. I talked to some people on the bus, and one named Francesca was interested. She wanted to give me her number, so she called our number, and since Sorella Greco had the phone, I didn't know that the call didn't go through. So we don't have her number. Most people we see more than once though, so I'm sure she will either call us, or we will run into her on the bus or streets. :)

Yesterday was really cool. For English course, we did an activity that was like Speed Dating, to practice conversation skills. They had one or two minutes to have a conversation with someone, and then the timer went off, and they had to switch. The students really liked that activity. Then, originally we were going to do a spiritual thought about how the gospel has blessed us. However, one of our students asked a question, which led us to talk about the restoration. We basically did a Restoration lesson at English Course. It was so cool. I felt like one of the missionaries in the Book of Mormon, testifying to the people of the truthfulness of this gospel.

After English Course was over, I talked to my good old pal Claudio (the one who teaches the self defense class, and tells me little Italian language tips). I really want to start teaching him and his girlfriend Illaria (the one who was teaching us Italian disney songs) the lessons. Last night I talked to him to see where he was at. He has a Book of Mormon, that he reads sometimes. I asked him what he thought about it, and he said, that there was something he disagreed with in our spiritual thought. I asked about it, and he said that he thinks that there isn't just one right way to God, or one true religion because God is infinite. He told me that he is searching for truth, but he isn't sure if God exists. After he said that he didn't think there was one "right" religion, the Holy Ghost took over, and I knew exactly what to do and say.

I went to the chalkboard, and wrote the names of a bunch of different churches. Then we talked about what each church believed. I then pointed out that all of these churches have not only different beliefs, but opposite, contradicting beliefs about God. The conclusion after that is that they can't all be right if they say things that disagree with each other. He sat for a minute in silence, looking at the board, and then the lightbulb came and he said, "Whoa...you are so right. I had never thought about that before." We had a great discussion, and he said that Anziano Burley (the one who just left) would give him Book of Mormon chapters to read, and then he would write down  questions. He asked if I could help him answer his questions. I of course, agreed.  Then I told him to read some of my favorite Book of Mormon chapters, and he agreed.

This week was just so cool. I love being a missionary!!! :D

Oh, here is one more funny story. Sorella Greco and I got asked out by a guy on the street while we were doing finding. It was SUPER random. Hahaha.

Still Happy in Cosenza

I can't believe I have already been in Italy for a transfer. Weird.. If all transfers go as fast as this one....Man.

Here is the verdict for transfers:

Anziano Cortez , Sorella Greco, and I are staying in Cosenza! We are getting a greenie anziano!

My brother, Anziano Burley is leaving for Rome. :( But, he is going to be Anziano Bradford's companion! :)

Yesterday I had to go to a three hour Integration Course that is now required to receive a permesso. The idea is that immigrants will be able to ease into the country better with this class. Basically it was a whole bunch of stuff about the Italian Constitution, and a bunch of immigration processes I had already gone through.

Last night we did a fun activity, that we called "Pancake Pow-wow" where it was basically a big party where we ate pancakes. It was awesome! We had a lot of ward members come, and a lot of people from our English Course came, so it was an awesome opportunity for them to mix and mingle. All the Italians were really excited to try pancakes for the first time. They all loved it. We had a really good team work thing going with the Anziani. Sorella Greco made the batter, I filled the pans with the batter, and Anziano Bradford flipped the pancakes. The day before, Sorella Greco and I made maple syrup and peach syrup and peanut butter. Then of course we had nutellla, bananas, panna, and other yummy things. I think Dad would be proud. :)

This week we had zone conference, and district conference. It was so cool to get together with the missionaries in the Taranto and Bari zone. Ooooh. I had my first panserotto in Bari. It was so good. It's basically like an Italian pizza, that they fold in half, and fry. It tastes better than it sounds.

On the way up to Bari, we got picked up by the AP's to go there. It was us, the AP's and the rest were Italians. Long story short, all of us rocked out to Italian disney music.

At zone conference they have all the new missionaries and leaving missionaries bear their testimonies.  It was a really cool experience to bear my testimony to a bunch of missionaries in Italian.

This last Sunday  Sorella Greco and I had lunch with a nun named Sister Mia. Apparently there is a type of nun that wears normal clothes, and not the habit. We met her at the questura a few weeks ago, and we wanted to invite her to the activity, but she instead invited us to her house. We talked about the Godhead, but she is SUPER SUPER attached to Mother Mary. It was a really cool experience. I learned a lot about what Catholics actually believe.

This week has been great, and I am really excited to be staying in Cosenza.