Halloween in Italy

Another giorno di preparazione has come and I am freezing in a little internet cafe. Oh how the times change, and Italy is strikingly similar. Yesterday - freezing cold. This afternoon - beautifully warm. Now. Freezing again. Home sweet home.

Well let us start of with Halloween. The day was very uneventful until the evening. We had planned a party for the ward members that night so we were excited. The Clock struck the appointed hour of seven thirty and not a soul to be seen. Now, I cant say that I blame them, I definitely wouldn't ever go to the sister missionaries Halloween party either pre mission but after....I will be throwing it down with them. Anyways, we are packing up to leave and 3 members from our weekly English class show up! We gave them a quick tour of the building and then we had a beautiful lesson with them. Manuele and Nelli and their family are so ready for the restored gospel- They accepted baptismal dates and now we work our behinds off to grow them! 

From Rimini to Lodi...

We are not in Rimini anymore, Toto.

But we might actually be in Kansas, considering how many random farming communities are in my area....anyways besides the fact. 

Let's jump into this week! 

So last Thursday, Hermana Alley flew to Argentina and what did Sorella Alley do? Well we had FHE with, drum roll for a tender mercy, an Argentian family! They moved here from Argentina 10 years ago and they have family there that might be in Becca's same mission! Well I instantly loved this family, Riuz-Diaz, and now that Becca will be taken care of because the Italians and Argentinians are incredibly linked. We are closer than we thought, Boo. 

Mamma Mia (Fun Fact, literally translates to Mother of Mine!)

 Another week has come and gone, another leaf has fallen, and soon enough it will be snowing!!!! Around herrrrre in Lodi, the locals say about -17 degrees cel. is normal for the winter. For you Americans, 0 cel is freezing. Basically I am about to freeze to Death. I am going to have to find lots of people to save to warm my soul.

 

So, let us start with the end of last transfer. For our last night in Rimini, Sorella Burkman and I ate dinner with Emilio and Ilaria. The evening was wonderful and then we gave Emilio a surprise. Burkster and I had made a shirt with our faces on it and when we presented it to Emilio, his face exploded with pleasure! He was so happy and now he will Always have his two favorite missionaries with him :) So we said goodbye to Mamma Ilaria and surprise, tears. We packed, went to bed and then woke at 5 to catch our train to Milan. Emiilo took us to the train station, helped put our luggage on the train and then we said our goodbyes. Okay, now that really sucked. He is hands down the best person I know I literally saved my life so many times in Rimini. He went out of his way to make sure I was happy and okay. He wrote me a beautiful letter and I am contemplating being buried with it. hahaha :) Well we made our way to Milano, and actually passed Lodi on the way....

 

Goodbyes in Rimini, part 1

Here are some photos of Sorella Alley saying her goodbyes to her family and friends in Rimini. The ward members have really taken her under her wing and been her home away from home. Thank you Rimini for taking care of our Sorella Alley!

Gelato with Babbo (Daddy)

I'm "totes" the fav daughter

"Many tears were shed saying goodbye to Nonna Luisa (grandma)"

 

Hi Halloween Hooligans!

This week has been a wonderful end to the transfer. Our boy Abraham took the plunge into the waters of baptism Sorella Burkman and I found him on the first day in Rimini, so we have taught him 2-3 times a week for 3 transfers. He started off with no understanding or knowledge of Christ and now he knows that Christ is his Savior and Brother. His pal Sunny, a convert of just a year, baptized him and it was magical. We met with them many times to practice and it paid off. Sunny said the prayer perfectly and it was a success on the first dunk! I thought my soul had taken flight, I was so happy. While they were changing in the bathroom, Sorella Burkman and I could hear them laughing and crying together. These are the moments when every crappy moment suddenly doesn't even matter. Sorella Burkman and I just cried together and welcomed our boy "Abbey" as a new member of Christ's Church. He was confirmed on Sunday and given the Holy Ghost in a beautiful blessing given by Fratello Draghi, who speaks English very well. The Holy Ghost is the bomb.

"Sunny (next to me), a convert of less than a year baptized
his best bud Abraham (on the right)"

"Chillin' with my Nigerian brothers."

Hello again from Italy!

It is week five, so you all know what that means! Get the transfer guesses in! Also, no more mail for this transfer or I might never ever get it. Sorella Burkman thinks that she will be staying and training and I will be leaving and training. I currently just feel like I could just a gelato so I am not trusting my instincts. ooooooo let the anticipation begin! 

"the only three people in Italy wearing helmets."

"Why must it rain on the sister missionaries, why?!?!"

Okay, highlights of the week! 

I was able to watch the Saturday morning, evening and Sunday morning sessions of General Conference. It was the perfect spiritually uplifting that I needed. My favorite talk was Elder Neil Andersens, restating that women are as equally as essential to God's plan for happiness and if we all had the priesthood then hello, we wouldn't need our exalting covenants. It was a delightful reminder of my eternal role and purpose :) I also loved Elder Holland's talk about mental and physical illness. Obviously the situation with Sorella Burman's dad has left an impression on me and I felt a lot of peace knowing that he may be limited here on earth but he will be freed from his limitations through the Atonement. it has us both in tears and again. he threw it down! 

Next good news, our boy Abraham decided he is ready for the waters of baptism! He passed his interview and will be baptized on Friday night by Sunny! This is a huge miracle for Sorella Burkman and I because we found him and started teaching him in our first transfer together. To watch his spiritual growth has been rewarding and incredible. 

A letter to the future... plus some gorgeous pictures!

Dear Family,

This week Sorella Burkman and I found ourselves in the midst of today's youth. We rode for about 30 minutes on the train as the only two people over the age of 16. As I observed these young teenagers and eased dropped into their conversations(what, it is great language study) I felt a great sadness for these lost children of God. It left a heavy impression on me and inspired this unusual and strange weekly letter.

It doesn't get anymore missionaryesk than this, folks.

September 30, 2013

To my future children and rebellious teenagers,

Hi kids, it's Mom. Now before you roll your eyes and mimick me while my back is turned (that is not a new trick, I was the queen of it) please read this before telling me to get lost.

Today you are faced with many challenges and society has determined the standard. In the eyes of the world you must be the smartest in the class, the prettiest girl  or the hunkiest boy in the school, the best player on the field, the funniest person in the world, fashionably in style, up to date on the latest gossip, have the most "likes" on Facebook, be perfectly thin or ripped with muscles - all while maintaining the attitude of "I'm too cool to care what you think". Society demands that you to meet the standard of "acceptable" or you will never by anyone. IN today's world to "fit in" you must "stand out" by shaving half your head, having strange piercings, smoke, drink, be disrespectful, walk around with your pants on the ground and have a bad attitude. Simply stated - you must change your identity to be "one of them."