I GOT TRANSFERRED, BLOWN IN, TRAINING. Sharp rocks at the bottom? Bring it on!

Saturday morning I got a call from President Waddoups telling me that I have to leave this beautiful city of Battipaglia because I'm getting TRANSFERRED to COSENZA!!! Which is this little city on top of a hill down south (look it up...you have google :) ). I asked who my companion was going to be and President said ''I don't know yet...because you are getting blown in...and you are TRAINING!'' So there were two sisters already there and now they are both getting transferred and I get to come in without knowing anything or anyone...and have a great adventure. I AM PUMPED! This is going to be awesome! I've always wanted to train my whole mission but because of the age change, a TON of girls came before me and not many sisters have come in since so not everyone has had the chance to train. Since I was still younger in the mission than half the girls until two months ago...I figured I probably wouldn't get a chance. I'm way excited! I'm not even scared of this challenge, I think it's exactly what I need for my last transfer. I really want to end my mission strong and I think going to a new area and trying to set a great example for my Greenie is exactly what I need. There will be no truckiness here.

Also, I want to tell you about a Italy Rome Mission tradition. Every week before the transfer call comes, every missionaries buys a Kinder egg (which is a hollowed chocolate egg with a toy in the middle) and according to the toy we make guesses on where we are going. For example, if you get a car...you are getting transferred where there is a car. If you get something that flies...you are getting transferred- Etc. Etc. I am a firm believer in Kinder toys...they know all. Anyway last week I got a green frog that blows out water. And I'm getting BLOWN in with a GREENie. Kinder always knows.

But I am a bit sad to leave Battipaglia. These people are AWESOME and I'm going to miss them. This week was really good and I feel like I made a difference. We had a lot of lesson where we got to be there for someone and even if it didn't end in a baptism...I feel like we really helped people.

There's this new convert named Carrie who we finally got out to see. She is actually American and studied with the missionaries a long time before she decided to get baptized. We were talking and she told us her whole conversion story. Then she mentioned how she wants to go running every morning at 630 and thinks about us missionaries who can do that. I said ''yeah but we get up at 630 so that we can get blessings from being obedient...otherwise I couldn't do it.'' She said that hit her and she thought it was really cool. Then she told us how she is not doing so well with the word of wisdom...she really likes wine and she had some friends and family over and she has slip up a few times. We talked about obedience and Sorella Williams mentioned how the blessings of the W. of W. is that you can run and not be weary. She was like ''oh!!! That's why I'm so tired lately!!! I need to stop drinking.'' We told the story of Joseph Smith and shared our testimonies about him and the BOM. At the end she just thanked us so much for following the spirit to come visit her because she really needed to be reminded of all these things and she committed to living the word of wisdom again. It was just a really sweet lesson and I'm grateful that God used us to help her out.

Okay there's this funny thing in Italy where every day of the year is assigned a certain Saint and they celebrate those saints every day. (there's always a reason to party!). But the best part is, is that if your name is the same as the Saint's...you get to celebrate too. So all Catholics get two birthdays--their birthday and their saint's day! (meanwhile the Jehovah Witnesses don't even celebrate birthdays...so if we have to convert to another religion...I say we go catholic! haha jk!) Anyway this is a big deal here and people are sad when no one tells them ''Auguri''--wishes on their saint day. We have this new convert who's name is Maria and September 12th is Maria's day (the mom of Christ, Mary) and even though she is Mormon...she still wanted to have two birthdays and invited a ton of people over for lunch. No one could come, but us. It was the littlest thing--coming to lunch, but we could tell it made a huge difference for her, especially since her husband has died in the last year.

Every week I do service for this family and help this little girl do exercises.

Have I have told you about mozzarella di Bufala? It's mozzarella made from Buffaloes and it is the BEST. Battipaglia is famous for their cheese. It's just this big white ball of cheese that you eat. I found a picture of someone doing twilight with it hahah. Also, last P-day I got to touch some buffaloes!

mozzarella di buffola

Feeding buffalo.

 There's this children's song that goes through the animals and what sounds they make. Cat goes meow, cows go moo, etc. Then it says ''il crocodrilo come fa? (what does the crocodrile say?) ''non ce nessuno che lo sa!'' (no one knows). Anyway it has a great tune and I randomly sing it for people and every time I do...people go crazy and love it. Who knew you could reach so many hearts with a children's song?

Also, before I leave Battipaglia...I need to tell you guys a really cool story about this branch! First, I want to tell you a story that happened 150 years ago in St. George Utah. Once there was this catholic priest in St. George who wanted to have the very first mass in St. George history. But one problem...he had no place to do it. Recently a tabernacle was built in St. George and the guy in charge invited this priest to have his mass in the tabernacle. BUT this priest did not have a choir...so the Mormon St. George choir volunteered to sing for them. BUT this priest needed the song to be in Latin so the choir learned Latin and they had a great mass. Fast-forward 150 years. There's this guy named Alfredo who lives in a city called Salerno. He is friends with the Mormons. He hears that none of the members in Battipaglia can play the piano. Then he hears of this story about this tabernacle in St. George. He is so touched by this story that he offers to come to church every week and play the piano for the Mormons in order to pay them back for what they did for the catholic church. This guy is the sweetest guy and he has played the piano almost every week for years. We love Alfredo!

Saying goodbye to the Melella family

Two of my all time favorite people

Anyway I am off to say more goodbyes and pack. Also, this morning we went to Napoli because we had to pick up Sorella Marsh, who's companion is going home tomorrow. So now we get to have sweet Sorella Marsh with us for the next couple of days. The best.

The subway in Napoli

Napoli!

Vi voglio un MONDO di bene!

Sorella Knudsen