Exchanges and Transfers

Scambio with Sorella Wightman

Waiting for sheep to pass on the road

Sleepover on our balcony

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ciao famiglia! Come vai?

Happy 24th of JULY!!!!! Today I'm making hamburgers for my companions so that's my celebration! Are you having fun swimming and watching fireworks while I do important stuff ;) Wow I feel like I just wrote you guys two days ago--how has it already been a week? And this week is my three month point...I seriously have not been gone this long! Crazy! Well anyway this week has been really great! Last Thursday I got to go to Rome 5 to do a scambio (exchange) with Sorella Wightman! It was so great and exactly what I needed! I absolutely love my companions, but it has been a bit difficult at times having two companions and only speaking Italian. It's just difficult when we plan because I miss things they say and then I'm way confused what is going on. Also, sometimes I feel a bit left out in this companionship because I don't know what they are saying and I am not very good at expressing myself in Italian so sometimes I feel like they don't know me very well. It's worth it to learn the language faster and understand my investigators better, so even though it's hard--no way am I speaking English with them. So anyway it was really good just to be able to talk about everything in English for a bit and I learned so much from Sorella Wightman. Seriously, there are some great missionaries here! 

Some good news and bad news...bad news first. On Sunday we received a text from Vanessa, our investigator, saying that she dropped the BOM in our mailbox and she doesn't believe it. I admit, I was more than a little sad. We only had one lesson with her and I really don't think she gave us a chance. She kept talking about how confused she was by all the religions and I was so excited because I was sure this was going to be the answer to her prayer. Hopefully she'll listen to some missionary in the future.   On Monday we met this guy and he said his sister would be interested in hearing us so we went over to their house to teach them. The sister, Samantha, said she's very interested in learning about all religions and would like to have a better relationship with God. I told her a little about the BOM and what it is about and then she asked, "If this is true...how come I have never heard of this book before?" Well Samantha this is why we are here--to tell people! Then her mom came out and invited us in to have lunch with them (Rule #1 you never reject food from Italians). There's six kids in their family--all in their twenties or late teens (also that's a huge family for Italians) and we had a lot of fun talking and eating with them! We have another appointment with them tomorrow night to do a FHE with them. They are seriously a really great family and we are so excited! So maybe we don't have Vanessa--but now we have Samantha!!

Also, this week--we got a baptismal date for Emilia!!! She really is ready to be baptized and we brought a calendar with us and had her chose a date. And she chose September 21...which is a long time away, but it's a special Holiday in her country and she said it would be really special to have that date. We've thought about it and we don't feel like there's any danger with her waiting a long time--it will only be good. She doesn't really ever read the scriptures or pray and she's not going to stay active if she doesn't do those things so now we are working on helping her with that. Also, only her mom is a member, but lately her brother has been listening in on our lessons...so maybe with this extra time we can get the whole family baptized! 

This week we got the big phone call from the Mission President telling us about transfers...and I am staying here! But I will only have one companion--Sorella Spicq! And Sorella Mistura is training a new missionary. I'm excited and happy about this. It'll be nice to only have one companion and I just love my French companion! The past few days we're been moving around the new apartment and getting all this new supplies, such as a bed, for the new Sorella. Our apartment seems so small now, but we're excited to have four sisters here. And I'm excited to not be the dumb one anymore haha jk. It's kind of funny because two transfers ago there were no sisters in Pescara...then Sorella Spicq and Mistura came...then me...then the other Sorella! The ward is really excited to have four sisters here. Also, because there's two companionships...we had to split our investigators; kind of sad, but hopefully I'll still see them at church. Our investigator list looks small now, but if the Lord wants six missionaries in this city (counting the Elders) then there's definitely a lot of work to do. 

Anyway I'm excited for this new transfer! Favorite scripture of the week: Ether 12:27 Weak things become strong in the Lord. A member shared how this scripture made her want to be baptized and I have loved it since then. This fits this past transfer because I am so weak, but I have been able to become stronger when I have faith in the Lord. 

Okay got to go. Love you guys so much! Have fun today!! 

Love Sorella Knudsen