Capuchins

Dear family,

I am alive. Today is P-day, because yesterday was Pasquetta (day after Easter), which means everything was shut down, which MEANS...yesterday was Deep Cleaning Day. So, we cleaned...and cleaned...and cleaned... :)

It felt good to do some Spring Cleaning. It was liberating to get rid of things that I don't need anymore. Since I have three weeks left, it was a good opportunity to get some things organized. Hopefully that will make packing a little easier.

Last week, for Pday....was awesome. There is a church here in Rome which is actually a Capuchin museum now. Capuchins were the hooded priests. Anyway...it is pretty dang cool. It is nicknamed the Bone church, because there is a sanctuary, where everything is made out of human bones. Even the lamp holders were bones. The story is that there was a guy who was basically in hiding at this church, and he got permission to make artwork out of the bones that were priests and poor people. Crazy, huh? It basically looks like a scene from one of those forensic criminal shows. It's pretty graphic, but one of the coolest things I've seen.

For Easter, we had lunch with an American family. On the mission, to be invited over by an American family is one of THE best things. It was pretty traditional, with ham and potatoes. Then, we went over and had dinner with a Romanian family. Lots of pasta, lamb, and other meats. All the food I had for Easter was really good.

There was a stake missionary activity this week for the youth. We went out on Saturday morning, with some of the young women, and did some finding, and door to door. I was with Sorella Zio, one of the sisters in my apartment, and three of the 17 year old young women. One man opened his door, and we asked if we could share an Easter message, and HE SAID YES!!! It was so great. The girls were so excited that we were let in, and that they were able to share their testimonies. The girls thought it was really cool that the only reason we were able to go in, was because they were there (We can't go into an apartment by ourselves with a single man). They felt really important. Then we did a lesson at the church with an investigator. After, the girls said they all wanted to serve missions, and that they had a lot of fun. It was really cool to be able to be an example and a role model for the young women. One of the girls that came with us doesn't have sisters in her ward (she's living in the Napoli area), so she has never gone out with the sisters. This was really an awesome thing.

I also did an exchange this week with the sisters in Ladispoli!! I was able to see the ocean! That's one of the downsides of Rome...No ocean! It was cool because the sand was black. Anyway, the exchange was good.

As far as Lizbeth and Michael, they are still on track to get baptized, but it will probably be May 4th, because Lizbeth has work now. I love how when people start doing the right thing, they get blessed, but at the same time, it was a lot easier when we could just go over to their house whenever we wanted. Ah well, it will all work out. :)

Love,

Sorella Worsham

A Reminder From Cosenza

Dear family,

This week was a good one, also still hard with the shoulder.

To those who are wondering, I have a shoulder injury, and I will be coming home from the mission May, 13th to see a shoulder specialist. I know that it is the right thing to do, and I feel a lot of peace with this decision. Anyway, on with the work!

Last week, we received a call from the relief society president, saying there was a woman in the hospital who was a member she didn't know. I asked some more information about this woman, and then about half way through the conversation, I thought, "Wait a minute...I think I know this person!" I asked if she was from Cosenza, and the relief society president said yes. AH! I was so excited! We were able to visit Eleonora from Cosenza! I was really happy because she was like a mom to us when we were in Cosenza. It was really great. :) She told me that she still had things that I made for her out of paper in the geneology office. It made me really happy to see someone from Cosenza here. Sometimes I really miss that place.

Other news, Lizbeth was talking to us about how she might be getting a job. She told us that if she gets the job, she will be working Saturdays, and wouldn't be able to get baptized. She told us that she really wants to be baptized, but she needs this job also. Lizbeth said that over time, when she would be trusted at this work, she would ask for a Saturday off to be baptized. I was kind of sad when she was talking about this. I was just praying really hard for help with this situation. Then I said, "Wait, what about a Sunday? How do you feel about getting baptized on a Sunday?" Then she said, "Wait, I can do that? I thought baptisms only happened on Saturdays!" Then we explained how they can actually happen any day of the week, it's just that Saturday is usually the most convenient. So, she will still be baptized if she gets this job...just on aSunday. :)

We have a new bishop in our ward now in Rome 1. The old one got released because he and his wife and two little kids will be moving to Provo in a few months. I am actually really excited for them to come, because it means there will always be a family for me to practice italian with. :) Or at least to learn a few more italian dishes. They are a great family. Also the new bishop is great too. We had a meeting with him about missionary work, and he seems really on board.

That's about all I think... :)

I love you all! Have a great week!!

Love,

Sorella Worsham

A New Transfer

Dear Family,

this week was transfers, and it was crazy. I was really glad I wasn't being transferred, JUST because of how crazy it was. I felt pretty unhelpful, because of my shoulder...but I definitely cheered others on as they carried heavy suitcases. :)

My new companion is Sorella Fairbanks. It is fun having a new companion, and as always is interesting getting used to a new person.

This week was general conference. My oh my, how great that was! I absolutely loved it. I think my favorite talks were by Dallin H. Oaks in the priesthood session, Uchtdorf's gratitude talk, and Bednar's talk about loads. I took a lot of great things from conference, and I'm grateful for the counsel that I received. We didn't get to hear the sunday afternoon session because of the time difference in Italy. I'm sure it was really good thought too.

Last week on Monday, we went to a lookout place where you can see all of Rome. It was a cool thing to see the area that I am serving in from a different perspective.

Hey! Lizbeth came to conference! She brought Francesca (two year old) to women's conference, and it was awesome. Things are moving along nicely with them. She and Michael are getting baptized in a few weeks, so we have to make sure that they are ready. Crunch time!

Anyway, this week wasn't super exciting. Mostly just the crazy stuff that goes along with transfers, and like having companions pack, then new companions unpack, and all sorts of puzzling to make sure no one is left alone without a companion.

Keep on keeping on!

Love,

Sorella Worsham

Hello From Rome!

Dear Family,

Transfer calls came! I am staying in Rome, which means I will get to see Lizbeth and Michael get baptized. :D

Sorella Smithson is getting transferred, and I am getting a new companion, Sorella Fairbanks! I've done a few exchanges with her before, so I know that she is great.

My shoulder is still having some problems. Here's hoping for the best!

This week I did an exchange with the Rome 2 sisters. It was hard, but cool because we got to do some finding by the Rome temple that they are constructing. The Spirit is really strong near there. I got off the bus, and felt an overwhelming good feeling, and I told the sister that I was with that, and she said, "That's because the temple is right around the corner. Then I saw it, and was just filled with awe. It is beautiful, and just so exciting that the people of Italy are getting a temple. :)

On Saturday, we were invited over to Lizbeth and Michael's house for dinner. They invited a bunch of their friends in the ward (They are getting intergrated so nicely! They really are a part of this ward already). We ate some peruvian food (Arroz con pollo, and cerviche), and it was sooo good. It was really cool because it was like a family home evening. Michael conducted the night, and I was just thinking about how he is going to make a great priesthood leader soon. Michael gave a testimony, and told us how grateful he was to us that we found his family. Then, it went into a testimony meeting. It was so great. The Spirit was really strong, and Michael told everyone that he wants to be baptized with Lizbeth, on the same day. This was really significant, because for awhile, he told us he wanted to be baptized, but sometime after Lizbeth. Now he's officially decided and told everyone he wants to be baptized the same day as Lizbeth! I am so excited. April 26th. Can't come soon enough. :)

Then yesterday, we were invited over to the Silva's house, for Sharon's birthday. It was an awesome Filipino party, with lot's of food. There was even a roasted pig head! Also, there was karaoke, and it was one of the most hilarious things ever.

Anyway... I am really excited for general conference this weekend. :) Woot woot!

CIAO!!!!

Love,

Sorella Worsham

Things Slightly Less Downhill

Hey! I have officially been on my mission for over a year now. It was funny thinking about my first day in the MTC, and all the things that have happened since then, and all the amazing people I have met in this year. This mission really has been such a growing experience, and I am really greatful that I have been able to have it, even though at times it's been hard.

Hey, remember how Lizbeth has a baptism date for April 26? Now her husband Michael has a baptism date for the same day!!!!!!!!!! I am so excited!

:D

This week we had a really interesting conference with Elder Patrick Kearon. He is over the Europe area. A TON of missionaries were there. I think over half of the missionaries in the mission came. Afterward, Sorella Smithson and I were waiting to talk to the mission nurse, and he came up to us and started talking. He was really funny, and we joked about how he thinks Sorella Smithson pushed me down the hill. :)  

We found a less active woman this week! She lives in a building that used to be a school, and now is converted into housing for people who need it. It was really cool to see how great she and her daughter are. It was a really humbling experience.

I have been having a hard time lately with my shoulder, and getting around places. I realized that the times when I feel the happiest is when I am teaching. For example, when I am teaching Lizbeth and Michael, everything bad doesn't matter anymore, because I know that this is what they need to hear. I have been blessed. :)

I hope everyone has a great week! I love you all! :)

Downhill...

Dear family, (I won't be able to write as much this week, and you'll know why as you read)

The beginning of this week was good. :)

Then it sort of went down hill. Literally, on Friday, I actually kind of traumatically fell down a cement/gravel hill near our house. I was running down the hill to catch a bus, when I saw it go the other way, so I knew that I still had time to catch it. I stopped, but unfortunately fell forward and made full body contact with the ground. Both my hands are really scraped up (they're both wrapped right now...which is why I won't be able to write as much as normal). Also my right leg is pretty scraped, I have a big heart shaped bruise on my side, and my ribs and back hurt pretty badly. These last few days have been really painful and hard.

Have any of you heard of Padre Pio? If not, you should look him up. It's an interesting story. Anyway, all the ward members have been joking that I look like Padre Pio because both of my hands are bandaged. :)

Right now I kind of feel like a cross between Padre Pio and Edward Scissorhands. If any of you want to send inspiring quotes right now, that would be appreciated.

On the plus side, Lizbeth wants to be baptized and she chose the date of April 26th. :)

Thanks everybody!

Love,

Sorella Worsham

Home Sweet Rome

Dearest family,

This week went pretty well.  

This week we had the most beautiful lesson with Lizbeth and Michael. We were all crying as we all bore our testimonies about Joseph Smith, and this church. The Spirit was really strong, and we taught them about the Spirit in that moment. It was very powerful. Then, last night, we committed them to pray about baptism for the 29th of April. This family is just the best. They both mentioned again how they want their 4 year old son to go on a mission. Sigh. Also, Lizbeth gave us two referrals. I just love them so much. Their faith has just grown so much since we met them. The Book of Mormon and church and prayer is just the best. :)

(Also, another cool thing about them is they make us Peruvian food sometimes. It is a really nice break from eating Pasta all the time.)

This week the goal for our zone was to find new investigators. We talked to so many people this week. I even ended up teaching a very abridged version of the Restoration to a man on the metro. We are going to meet him this week to give him an English Book of Mormon.

We had a crazy family home evening with a family in our ward, and and english course student who is their cousin. The plan was to watch the Restoration film. Let's just say...just about everything went wrong. Hahaha. It was almost comical. I just always say that a mission teaches people to be flexible and resilient.

You know, it is interesting, because my whole mission I was kind of scared and intimidated by Rome. It is such a big city. At first when I came to Rome, it was hard because it was nothing like the other cities I have served in, and it was hard to figure everything out (especially my way around the city, and the public transportation). I was thinking about it today, and I really have grown to love it. I really am happy here. :)  

THANKS EVERYONE!

Love,

Sorella Worsham

Sickness Strikes Back

Dear Family,

This week was pretty dang good.

Today for Pday, we saw the Vatican Museum, which includes the Sistine Chapel. It was really cool. We kept getting harrassed by street vendors, and we decided it was because of our hair. At one point, I had lost my patience, and I said, "That's it! I'm dying my hair!!!" Hahaha. My hair is still it's natural color right now, but one day I might crack and dye it.

So, I have been feeling better, but whatever I had last week has been spreading. Sorella Samuels was sick this week, which made things hard at times, but the week ended up to be a good one.

On the Lizbeth and Michael front, things are going really well. In one of our lessons this week, she told us that she wants her son (who is 4) to go on a mission when he is older. :D We had a family home evening with them last night and a family in the ward (the Arrondi family), and it was great. We watched the Restoration, and the Spirit was really strong. The evening was actually mostly in Spanish, and it was really cool. It has been cool to see the gift of tongues really working. They talked in spanish, and we would respond in Italian. We talked, and eventually the topic changed to the temple, and how we can be together with our families forever. Sorella Arrondi talked about what a blessing it was, and how beautiful it is that everyone in the temple wears white. Then we talked about how people can be sealed after being baptized for a year, and how the Rome temple will be completed in a little over a year. Michael told us that a while ago, he was looking for a church in Rome. He was asking around, searching, and then a few days later, we were at his house. It is so funny how the Lord puts us places to find people who are ready. We found Lizbeth because we had taken the wrong bus. I am really excited for them. Keep praying for them! They are ready for baptism, they just need their testimonies strengthened a little bit.

This week we taught one of our English Course Students, Simon, the Restoration. He seemed to really like it. He accepted the baptism date of March 29, so pray for him as well.

This week was also Zone Conference, and Stephen B. Allen came. He kind of chastised our mission for being a low baptizing mission. At first it was kind of shocking, but it was a really big push to try even harder. People have their agency, but also I can always talk to more people, or do other things better. In our mission, we just got texting a few weeks ago, and they hinted that maybe after general conference we might be getting some other technology that other missions have, such as using the computer/facebook/maybe ipad for proselyting. We are still pretty old school in this mission, so it will be interesting to see what happens if we get technology.

LOVE YOU ALL!

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!

Love,

Sorella Worsham

The Moment of Truth: Pinata Style

Dear Family,

The long awaited pinata has finally officially been broken! We did a P day this morning as a district and decorated shirts, and surprised the district with the pinata. Basically, it was awesome.

Last week for P-day, Sorella Winston, Samuels, Asher, and I went to La Bocca della Verità (Mouth of Truth). The story is, if you stick your hand in the mouth and tell a lie, it will chomp on your hand, but if you tell the truth, then you are fine. Sorella Asher stuck her hand in it and said, "The Book of Mormon is true!" and she was fine. There you go, folks. La Bocca della Verità says the Book of Mormon is true. :)

This week was pretty great. It definitely had it's ups and downs, because I was sick. We were still able to have a great week. We had five investigators in church again this week, so it was pretty crazy, but it was awesome.  

This Saturday, we had a huge Family Home Evening with Sorella Bretti, a woman in our ward who has been helping us with missionary work lately. She has been coming with us to the Peruvian Family (Lizbeth and Michael), and so she invited them, along with a bunch of people from South America to come to this family home evening. It was pretty awesome. It was a very "Mormon" family home evening, with it all planned out. The son conducted, Sorella Bretti gave the lesson, another one of the sons was in charge of the game, and then of course, there was food.

My team won the game, and the losing team had a "punishment."  She made a "cake" which was actually just flour that had been molded into the shape of a cake with a little ball on top. They each had to take a slice off, one by one, trying not to make the ball fall. Whoever made the ball fall had to eat part of it. Hahaha. Good thing my team won! :)

Good news, Michael said he wants to get baptized! He just wants time, which of course is what he needs. They have come to church now three weeks in a row, which is awesome. The ward really loves them. This week is Francesca's (the daughter) birthday, and we have another family home evening planned with them for this Sunday, so that combined with our normal appointments, we will be seeing them a lot this week. We are really excited for them.

Anyway, I hope this week is great for all of you. I love you all!

Love,

Sorella Worsham

Finally Sunshine!

Dear Family,

IT FINALLY STOPPED RAINING!!!!! :D

This week was pretty up and down. It ended on a good note though, so it was a pretty great week overall.

Sorella Samuels and I had five investigators in church this week! It was awesome.

We see our Peruvian family, Lizbeth and Michael and their two little kids, Sebastian and Francesca twice a week now, and they told us that they want us to come over whenever we can. This is great news to hear from investigators. They came to church again this week, and three different families have offered to have them over for a family home evening. This family has been sucked up into this ward so fast. It is a really cool thing to see. We are hoping to have a baptismal date for them this week, so please pray for them!

We picked oranges this week! One of our investigators is in a part member family, and they needed help with their oranges. I've realized orange trees are a lot cooler than the apple trees that I grew up with. I wish Utah had orange trees! Anyway, we did a good service, and then they gave us a lot of the oranges. Doesn't get much better than fresh oranges off the tree.

Yesterday, we had a family home evening with a family in our ward from the Philippines. It was all about unity, and then we ate food. You guys...they know how to do food right. AH! It was so good. Although...in the near future they want us to try a food called bulat (I think that is what it is called). Anyway...it's a fertilized duck egg... So we will see what happens with that.

Anyway, I hope this week is great for everyone. Please pray for me and my investigators. Thank you.

Love you all!

Love,

Sorella Worsham

Speaking Spanish

Dear family,

Pinata has still not been destroyed. We were going to destroy it today, but one of our elders is getting strangely transferred today (official transfer calls are in a week)...so it will have to wait again.

Instead of destroying a pinata today, Sorella Samuels and I decided to go to the Sistine chapel, and check out some of the stuff at the Vatican. It is still rainy, so it should be good.

The ward I am in is very interesting. About half of our ward is from South America, then there are a lot of people from the Philippines, then there are some Americans (because of the embassy), and then the Italians. Some days it feels like I am serving in South America, and the next it feels like the Philippines, and so on and so forth. Anyway, the point is that there are a lot of Spanish Speakers in the ward, and I have been learning some Spanish. :)

Then, this past week we found and started teaching a family from Peru. They haven't been here for very long, so sometimes its hard for them to understand italian. We were teaching, and then I started teaching them in Spanish. My companion was a little bit lost, but it was really cool. Yesterday, I started working on memorizing the first vision in Spanish, and I have about half of it down. It is really fun.

Also, the family from Peru came to church yesterday! It was the best, and everyone was so excited for them to be here. There kids didn't want to leave primary. We are all pretty sure they are going to get baptized. Pray for them!  

This week we did a "Mini MTC" activity. We did some training with the members on how we can all work together. My part was teaching about Preach My Gospel, and how it is usual for everybody. The main point is that there is supposed to be Preach My Gospel in every home, and it really is helpful for everyday problems and questions. It was a good activity.

My birthday was pretty dang fun. My district did a little birthday party at district meeting, and they all told me why they loved me, haha. Then we ate pizza. One of the investigators that we gave to the Elders is a street performer. We saw him, and he started playing happy birthday, and then he sang me a song.

Anyway, this week was great. There were a lot of miracles this week. One of our investigators, said yes to baptism. We just have to figure out the date. Thanks for all the prayers and thoughts in our behalf! I love you all!

Thanks everybody! I love you all!

Love,

Sorella Worsham

Lots of Rain! Turning 20!

Dear Family,

The pinata is almost done. We are going to be putting the final touches on it today. It will be an alien robot thing. We'll see, I guess. It is a surprise, and none of the other missionaries know that we have been making this, so we code named it "Bubblegum". Next P day will be the big reveal. >:)

It has been raining a lot here. Everyone keeps telling us that we are getting an abnormal amount of rain. I always tell them that I think it's following me. I have a pretty interesting track record with rain here in Italy.

It's true. Tomorrow I turn 20. AH! Weirdness!

This week was pretty dang cool. We were able to get four new investigators! It was really rainy, and some of our appointments fell through, so we decided to do door to door. There were some open gates, and open apartment doors, so we were able to go right in. Sorella Samuels said, "Are we allowed to do this?" and I just sort of stopped and said, "You know...it's the only way we really can do this." We walked in, and got some lessons and investigators. It was great!

We tried to go to a university on Wednesday, but we took the bus going the wrong way. We ended up at a golf course and a kennel club. Sorella Samuels and I figured we were already there, and that we would try and do work around there, so we started putting English Course publicity in the mailboxes in the area. I also started putting Book of Mormon pass along cards in as well. Yesterday, we got a text from someone who said they want a Book of Mormon! WOO! See, sometimes it pays to get lost. :)

We actually went to the university the next day because we thought it would be a great place to do English Course Publicity. It wasn't until we were there that we realized it was a Catholic University...

Anyway, this week was a very awesome week. Make this one a good one!

You are all awesome!! LOVE YOU!

Love,

Sorella Worsham

Blurry Week

Dear Family,

This week has kind of been a blur. We have been constantly going and going, kind of like the energizer bunny. I am actually having a little bit of a hard time remembering what happened this week. The main thing I remember is that it was really cold, and really rainy.

Yesterday, church was crazy. We had one of our investigators come, and she said she really likes the environment of church. She and I keep talking about the Spirit, which is why she feels good when she comes. She also stayed for a really long time after church, and we had mini lessons with her and different members. It was awesome. She is a little caught up on the fact that we don't use our first names.

We are teaching two cousins right now. One is ten, and the other is thirteen, and they both have member moms. We decided that they both have different needs,  so now we teach them separately. It is a pretty funny compromise. Either we stay for a really long time at their house, teaching one, while the other gets tutored in school, or we teach them at the same time, in different parts of the room. It is pretty funny, and we have to get creative, but we are already seeing more progress in both of them.

Today, Sorella Samuels and I have secret plans to make a pinata. The word "pinata" somehow came up in our english course, even though it's not english. Ever since, we have been gathering supplies to make one. I will let you know how that goes. :)

Anyway, I hope everything is awesome!

Love,

Sorella Worsham

Home Sweet Rome

Dear Family,

This week, Sorella Samuels and I have been working hard, and we feel it. I remember someone saying this, but I don't remember who, "It feels good to be exhausted in the work of the Lord."

...True.

This week we had zone conference, which was awesome, and we started an English course for kids and their parents. We are really hoping this will take off. We had a father and son attend our first class, and we invited them to take the missionary lessons as well, and they agreed! WOO! We have been doing a lot of english course publicity, and we have met a lot of great people along the way. We decided our strategy is to go to schools and libraries, and ask if we can put our posters up there. The first school we went to, we walked into the doors, and one of our members was there!! It was awesome. She basically talked to one of her co-workers and said, "These are my people, let them put their publicity up." It was awesome!! An awesome miracle there.

On Saturday, we had the infamous pranzo lunch appointment with the same member who was at the school. She is infamous in the mission for all the food mishaps. I have never been forced to eat so much food in my life. She really is great...just sometimes her food ends up in our purses...or pockets...or anywhere else. It's all about survival really.

Earlier this week, we did a spiritual thought with the bishop's family about family, and he really liked it. Yesterday at church, the bishop came up to me and told me he did the commitment we left with them. Woohoo! His wife is going to give birth to a baby girl pretty soon, and we are all really excited. We made him promise that he would text us when she is born. We are trying really hard to serve them, and make sure that their life is easier.

Anyway, our investigators are doing great right now. We have a lot of great plans for a lot of them, and we are really hoping for baptism dates set this week. Pray for us!

Anyway, Hope everything is awesome!

Love,

Sorella Worsham

13 Gennaio 2014

Dear Family,

This week was pretty awesome. It has been cool to see how well me and my companion work together. People have been wanting appointments with us! It is cool, because we have a week full of appointments, and then not having space to see everyone, so they just schedule with us for the next week. So now we already have plans for next week. Sigh, it feels good having a lot of work to do, especially after the holidays.

As far as investigators, four of our investigators came to church. :) We have a woman named Marisa, who we taught the Plan of Salvation, and she loves it. She wrote it down so that if anyone ever asked her a question about it, she can pull it out and explain. I love seeing when people learn about the gospel, and then want to share it. It is awesome. We are going to invite her to be baptized this week, hopefully for one of the first weeks of February. PRAY FOR US AND HER please! I feel like she has a lot of potential, and that she is going to rock being a member.

This week, there was the ward talent show. Us missionaries did a skit about a "Dear John" that one of the members wanted us to do. It was pretty fun.

Yesterday we ate dinner with one of the American families in the ward. It was so funny, because that morning, the sisters and I were talking about Mexican food. I literally said, "Do you remember taquitos?" Hahaha. Guess what we ate at dinner yesterday? American Mexican food! It was the best. It's funny, because if you ask any missionary in Italy what food they miss the most...almost 100% will say Mexican food. It was the first time I have had cheddar cheese in almost ten months. It was beautiful. :D

Also, it was pretty interesting this week. My scar on my leg where I got the injury (with the wood) in 7th grade started to hurt. I got a priesthood blessing though, and then ever since, it has been great. I think one of the biggest things I have gained a testimony about on the mission has been the priesthood.

We also visited the bishop and his family this week. It was awesome, and we really became friends with them.

Life is good, the work is good, the Lord is good. :)

Love,

Sorella Worsham