Miracle of the week!

P-day--We visited this castle

At the castle

Zone Conference

P-day at a castle

Another picture by the castle

Just a morning run to the sea

Ciao! Come state? Wow this week has been so great! I have the best miracle to tell you! I can't believe I'm almost the end of my second transfer out here--it seriously feels like it has been a week compared to my first one. I'm glad you like your new job! And it's about time you made it to High School ;). Aw Kelsey is at college!! I can't believe it! She just graduated last week, I swear! Have fun being almost empty nesters now...poor Jordan ;). 

Okay now to my miracle of the week :). So a little background info...we've been teaching this girl Emilia from Argentina. Her mom became a member there, loved the gospel, and has been trying to get her whole family involved for many years now. Emilia is now ready and really wants to be baptized, but the other members of the family (there's two sons and the dad) don't really show an interest. This past week we took the bishop with us to the lesson to meet Emilia and to give a blessing on the house (the family thinks their house is haunted). While we were teaching, the dad (Sergio) came home early from work (this never happens) and the bishop invited him to come over. The bishop went on saying how he blessed the house and he noticed a huge lack of priesthood in this house and as head of the household he needs to have the Priesthood to bless his family. It was very direct, but so filled with the spirit! Sergio was like "yes I know." The Bishop gave them a talk about the importance of family prayer each day and invited him to start doing. Then he invited Sergio to prepare to be baptized with Emilia! The wife was saying how she always knew that one day he would be baptized and how he has great faith and sometimes is the reason they make it to church so often. I think that fact that Emilia has been really interested and wants to be baptized and has the dad think about it a lot and maybe now he is really. Anyway we are way excited and I am so grateful for how things work out for us to have this miracle! 

In other news...lately our Mission President (and I think the church itself) is trying to put more focus on in actives in missionary work. There are a lot of in-actives here, but for some reason or another they have fallen away, usually for very small reasons. One of the things we are encouraged to do is to reteach the five missionary lessons to the in-actives so they will have a stronger testimony and come back to church for good. Right now we have two in-actives (who I practically consider as my investigators)--Iolanda and Antonio! We've been trying to teach them each week and bring them to church and I am very proud to announce--both of them came to church Sunday!!! We've trying to get the ward to become more of a family and serve and help each other more so people will stay in the church. This definitely worked for Iolanda and Antonio--so many people greeted them and I could tell they were happy to be back again. 

My ward here is so great and strong. It's a pretty young ward--I can tell you the family tree of this ward and who was a member first. These members are seriously some of the best members I have ever met and the cool thing is that they are ALL converts. Sometimes when I have a little doubt about finding people to teach, I just have to remember how every member in this ward was found through missionaries. There is definitely work here to do in Italy! There are so many people here prepared--I know it! I thought the main problem about serving in Italy would be that everything believes SO strongly in the Catholic church, but honestly I feel like most people don't here. A lot of people have noticed the errors and they only believe in part of it. Jehovah Witnesses are all over the place and there are so many churches and beliefs here. Honestly, I think the people here are a bit tired of all this confusion and has just chosen to have their own faith and not listen to anyone else, even me. Religion here is who you are and not what you do. Everyone is "catholic", but most don't go to church or pray or do anything. It's hard here, but I am so very grateful to be here where people so desperately need this message! The truth is not lost! God exists! He is our Father and wants us to pray to him! I know this gospel is true and I wish I could show everyone what that really means! 

Love you all--pray, read the scriptures, invite someone to church!

Sorella Knudsen

P.S. Thank you everyone so much for your letters and emails!! I appreciate them so much and I am the worst ever and I haven't written anyone back. It's not because I don't love you--I'm just focusing on my investigators :)