Happppy Humpty Dumpty Day to Hermana Alley

Happppy Humpty Dumpty Day to Hermana Alley - oh and Happy Year to me! It is crazy to think that it was a year ago today, I became a missionary. I have learned many things in this year, far to many to scrivere but let's jump right in to this week!

"everyone loves a nice rifle in the happy couple's picture"

"Naturally i celebrated Irish with Green Eggs and Salami!"

Last week, we were in a little area called Villafranca and we were feeling a bit down. We had two options, we could either go home and do area book contacting, updating and calls and be home on time, or we could stay out and work till nine and guaranteed get back late. We dediceded to hit the Miracle Fence. We talked to quite a few people who were "non mi interessa" and one specific man wanted to argue about us for an hour about why we think we can marry Jesus. Brother, that is not us, that is your people called Nuns. Bah! We were a little further down when we walked to the station to catch our train (40 minutes late....) Well, there we met Luca who walked up and initiated the conversation. He said he knew instantly we were Americans (not because of the accent WIN!) but because we are both tall and blonde. haha So we leered him into our perfectly laid trap and had an hour lesson with him. At the end, he invited himself to church and asked us for the restauration pamphlet. MIRACLE FENCE SHATTERED! The concept of the miracle fence is as follows.

Casa di Gulietta

I must start off this email with wishing my favorite mamma and the little niblet happy birthday! Naturally, I celebrated your days of birh in my own little country and I sounds like you both will celebrate fantastically in yours! Buon Compleanno you two! AUGURI!

Now, this week in my life....well I was a missionary again...ummmm nothing super eventful happened but I will just ramble for a few paragraphs. So in each area, I seem to find a few people who become "my people". It's the darndest thing, but I have come to really believe that I knew this people premortally, It is more like our spirits communicate to each other and express more than our words actually do. I found my people this week in a older couple, the Ramini's. They are converts to the church of 11 years, when they were 62 (and people think they are too old to change). We have visited them twice and I have completely fallen in love with them. dang city of love. Fratello Ramini was gone blind and his wife just takes wonderful care of him. They are both artists and have a zeal for life that is uncommon amongst loss who have more years....Last night we were sitting around their table as we feasted on salami and olives (PROPRIO ITALIAN) and I just looked up and knew........I knew them before this life. They quickly volunteered to be my itailan grandparents and they are perfect for the job. People are the best part of this mission! I think Heavenly Father thins the veil a little bit for His missionaries because I feel love and support of those on the other side daily.

Miracles in Verona

The mission time wrap is crazy - pretty sure twas yesterday I giggled through your emails and yet here I am again...still giggling. But what a celebration it is to feast on the words of loved ones.

So Miracles is a good way to describe Verona. Sorella Quinton has stuck with me through the hours of being lost in the rain and having angry non active members slam doors in our faces. She has shown Coach that she is ready to play and set 6 BAPTISMAL DATES THIS WEEK! We had 6 referrals from street contacts and she set 6 dates with each of them. So in the last week - 6 baptismal dates and 6 new investigators. Essentially, we completed the monthly goal of the previous companionship and then some in a week of being in Verona. MIRACLES! 

This week we had an incredible lesson about the apostasy and how churches all have parts of the truth. It is always interesting to tell someone that their church is a direct fruit of the apostasy....and you just hold your breath to make sure they dont immediately kick you out of their house. But during this lesson I felt the Spirit testifying about the truthfullnes of the restored gospel. I am so grateful to have the truth in my life and know the source of All Truth. 

I am in Verona, Italia.

I still cannot get over it. Lowdown of the events. We arrived in Milano early Thursday morning and dropped my baggage off (I am pretty sure Heavenly Father shrunk my bags and tripled the load and just laughed...) and headed to meet the victims...our verdina's (greenies). Again, it came down to the very last two girls and Sorella Smart and I. My new baby girl is Ashley Quinton from Price, Utah! She is an infant - graduated in 2013 (haha i had a good chuckle seeing I am nearly the 5 year reunion haha) and feel like a little mother hen. She's got a fantastic sense of humor, has great pronunciation and doesn't snore - so I am happy.

We grabbed herself (I think she came with like 10 things and 4 books...) and myself and headed off to Verona. Luckily, we are living in four as there is another coppia of sisters here and Sorella Haslem (from my MTC group) is also training so we got to follow them to the apartment! We live in a very spacious apartment and it is right on the main strip of town. We got a little organized and jumped right into work. 

Romeo, Romeo, where are thou Romeo?!

Romeo, Romeo, where are thou Romeo?! 

Juliet, Juliet, Let down your hair! 

Romeo, Romeo, Kiss me you fool! 

That sounds like a fairly accurate accounting of that o-so-famous story written by a foreigner English bloke. 

Oh that isn't how the story goes?! Oh, well I will let you know when I get there......I AM GOING TO VERONA!!!   That is right, Verona! The land of beauty and so much history. I could not be more excited about this new adventure. Transfers came on Monday and while we were cleaning the house, the phone rings - President Dibb. My initial thought was to throw the phone off the balcony but thankfully, the natural woman did not succeed as a perfect composed Me answered the phone. Well I folks, I have been given a chance to repent from messing up my first daughter. I am having a baby again! So yes, you are reading this correctly. New city, new girl, no knowledge of anything, and a lot of prayers will be my new normal come Thursday morning. Sorella Smart will be training in Lodi! That lucky new greenie! 

Big news part two! President Dibb interviewed Alessandro for baptism and found him more than ready to be baptized! Alessandro will enter the waters of baptism on Saturday (36 hours after I leave...tears....) but I could not be any more excited or happy for him. He is going to be the best asset for the ward and the entire church. He tells me things all the time that I had no clue about....he is like the Mormon encyclopedia for missionaries. 

Week 5

I cannnnnot believe that it is already week 5 of transfers! Next week are transfers so hold off on any mail. I feel like I will be out of here next week (especially because I told President that Sorella Smart should be considered for a training opportunity....she's not so thrilled...hehe) so perhaps next week I will chatting in between packing!

But let's just jump right in. This week, we had Alessandro's baptismal interview and he needs a bit more time to prepare. He is having a harder time quitting smoking but honestly recognizes the need and the blessings that will come from living the word of wisdom. However, when a person does not meet their date for baptism it is always heartbreaking. I was pretty upset and hit the knees hard for a solid 20 minutes seeking direction. Sorella Smart and I talked and decided that time is this man's worst enemy considering he received a Book of Mormon 15 years ago. We headed back to his house for the second time that day and had an incredible lesson about becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ and what it means. There are moments in my mission, when I realize that I love these people with every fiber of my being and I know it is just a smidgen of what our Savior feels for them. At one point, I looked Alessandro straight in the eyes and said, "There is no one on this earth more important than you are for us. We will do this together." I am a representative of Jesus Christ and I could not be happier with my current full time job. I just may never come home. 

A big surprise...

The time is approxiamately 8:17 am and I am intensely studying when I am startled by the citofono goes off.

"What the heck, who could that be?"

"Chi è?" (Who is it?)

in an awful arabic sounding accent "Sorella Alley, do you do corso d'inglese?....corso d'inglese?" 

"Si, ma in la chiesa e il martedi. Chi parla?" (yes, but in the church on tuesday, Who is talking?) ((in my head - OH no!!!! Armondo the creep has found my house!!!!!)

"uhhhh Fratello Alley..:"

"SHUT UP YOU ARE AT MY HOUSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" 

I then ran, through the rain, in my socks, to find gooood ol' Richard P. Alley standing at my gate. What the heck, the best sorpresa (surprise!) in my entire life! Literally, i was so happy i had little happy tears explode from my eyeballs. Well We then sat outside my door and chatted for about 48 minutes hahaha and then he had to go on his way as I was on an exhange. I then got to talk on the phone while being totally Italian and chatting on the metro. But seriously it was such the bomb surprise and brightened my entire transfer. Basically what I am saying is that I have the bomb diggity oldest brother who thankfully likes surprises more than anyone does! Also, he gave a little cash (A LOT; THANK YOU!) to the Sorella Alley Italian Shoe Fund (sorry Dad, i am coming home with double the amount of shoes!). Oh how wonderful! 

Other than that, I was a good old boring missionary. Except we taught Mima this week about Prayer. She loves that we prayer directly to our heavenly father but she says "non sono capace" (i am not capable!). Well Sorella Alley wasnt having that negative thought from little red horns any longer. Sorella Smart offered a prayer to calm her down a bit and then I asked her to pray. She was so nervous and shy that I just sat down (practically on her) and took her hands in mine, looked her dead in the eyes and said, "Mima, you Father is waiting to hear from you." and closed my eyes. Her hands were shaking in mine but she offered the most sincere and humble prayer I have ever heard! The Spirit immediately filled the entire room and it was incredible. Prayer is something that I personally struggle with and often have to really convince myself to pray but oh baby does it work!!!!!!!! Mima is progressing towards baptism and she changes daily.