Gesù e FIGHISSIMO

CIAO TUTTI!!!

Well this week went well!! 

Last pday was crazy!!! we finished emailing and then we went outside to catch  a bus home and it started POURING RAIN!!! I have NEVER seen it rain that hard in my life!!! We were stuck under this canopy thing and it was hailing and the street LITERALLY turned into a river (it was so strange because that morning it was super hot) Anyways.. so we needed to catch a bus home and it was starting to become pranzo time (from 1 to 4 even the biggest cities in italy die and everyone is inside. All stores are closed, and no busses come) So needless to say we HAD  to catch the bus but the bus stop was like 50 to 70 yards away. So we are sitting there watching the busses pass and trying to get up the courage to start running in the hail and then the hail stops... so we book it!! The sidewalk was already a river too at that point and the water went up to my ankles. So we are running and I couldn't see that the side walk ended and I ran right into the street (there werent any cars). The problem was that when I stepped off the sidewalk the water went up to my KNEES!!!! HAHAH I felt like I was swimming to the bus stop!!! Sorella Fossa was behind me laughing because she saw me fall into the huge river street thing. haha, anyway we got to the bus stop and by the time the bus came the storm had passed.... okay sorry that was long

This week was zone conference and it went pretty well. I had to give a training all by myself since there isn't another stl in my zone so that stinked.. it was about finding. Then I gave a training with the zone leaders about role plays. At the end we got yummy panzarotti!!!! (fried calzone) and faccacia and cherries!!!! so that was worth it!

We had a ward activity this week that one of our investigators and one of our less actives went to... so we went too. We went BOWLING!! It was so fun!! We bonded really well just having fun with the people we work with!! There was an arcade there and there was this crazy air hockey table that had over twenty pucks at a time... anyway super fun!! however... my bowling skills have gone down a bit... i got a score of 20. YIKES! oops. haha

Ok, Funny story!!! So yesterday in sacrament meeting Anziano Kiser comes up to me and asks if I would translate for a african lady because she wants to bear her testimony (so she would bear it in english and then I  would attempt to translate it into italian for the congregation.) Anyways, I dont know if many of you have heard a REAL African speak english.... but it was the funniest thing of my life!! She was screaming how sacrifices are of the devil and how she had been saved and...... it was the most interesting testimony I've ever heard. I had a hard time translating her testimony into Italian because half the time I had no idea what she was even talking about!!!! it was a pretty good moment. 

Anyway now for THE BEST PART!!! So a couple of months ago Sorella baker and I went to a little town called Troia and we did absolutely nothing (worst pday of my mission) We were leaving and it was raining and this nice lady gave us a ride to the bus stop and took us to the only grocery store that was open at that hour to buy something to eat on the way back. We talked to her about the gospel but she said she wasnt religious....etc. Anyway she called us Saturday and asked us for help translating something into english. So we met her at the church last night and helped her and after we watched a mormon message with her called "because Of Him" It's the best Mormon message I've ever seen and at the end she was BAWLING!!! She told us how she lost her Mom and she doesn't believe that she will see her again but she wants to believe. We bore our testimonies that we will see our loved ones again and she started crying more. We waited and she said... what do I have to do. I'll do it, but what do i need to do? AHHHHH SOOOO COOL!!!!!!!! It was the coolest first lesson I've ever had on my mission!!! So we talked to her for a bit more and then she said we could come to Troia whenever we wanted!! Ahhhh I'm soo excited!!! It was the COOLEST LESSON!!!! Oh, and then the best part is that after the video she is crying and its really quiet and we are waiting for her to say something... and the first thing she says is 'Gesù e fighissimo!!!' which means Jesus is freaking HOT! hahah so good!!! We were laughing about that for a while! 

Anyway love you all so much I LOVE MY MISSION!!!! Im enjoying these last couple of months I have and I'm relying on the Lord. I cant wait to see you all and remember that Jesus is so freaking cool! and that he can change lives!!!!  

Con tutto il mio cuore

Sorella Felice 

me finally on the bus after the rain storm

us at the bowling alley with all our cool peeps 

how i do missionary work (distract the kids with my hair... ) 

E CICCIO è ROSSO!!!!!!!!!

Ciao tutti!!!

This week was pretty fun! Ok, first of the title is because we were crossing the street the other day and this guy was running a red light and we were walking through and Sorella Fossa screams E CICCIO è ROSSO!! which means "hey little chubby one its red!!!!" hahahahah so funny

So last p-day we went to the church to do Family Home Evening with the members that don't have families. Some of our less actives came that we were working with and also a student from our English course. So there is a spiritual thought and then after we played spoons (with special cards that are from napoli....) but in Italian its called Cucchiaio. It was so funny because the student form our English course didnt understand the game and when he got three of the same card (instead of grabbing a spoon sneakily) yelled CUCCHIAIO!!!!! And then all of us grabbed spoons and he lost haha… sad! OK, maybe we just thought it was funny. It was one of those "you would have had to been there moments" (i'm still laughing) 

OK, so every week we have a meeting with all the missionaries called ddm and our district. Everyone participates, like one person tells a miricle they saw this week or pick the hymn blah blah blah. One person always does an activity and this week it was Sorella Fossa. So we went to the church early and with some yarn we created a huge spider web mess thing and at the end of the yarn was a cake that I made. So then when we did the activity all the elders were blindfolded and she read the story of the iron rod and how at the end of the iron rod was the precious fruit.... well anyway, the Elders didnt do so good and I got it all on film! hahah it was sooo funny!! they kept falling over chairs and running into things that we placed as obstacles! Ha. It was sooo funny!! 

As for the work. It's going good! We found a new less active that we have started teaching and our less actives are REALLY progressing!! We have made the temple the goal (because it should be done in a year) and we are helping prepare all of them to enter. We had a beautiful lesson yesterday about the temple. It made me miss being able to go whenever I wanted. ahhhhh! The temple really is HEAVEN ON EARTH!! 

Our investigators were all super busy this week so we didn't get to see a lot of them. So we are hoping better for this week.

OH fun story.. short story too. I got bit by spider this week and I tried to tell Sorella Fossa that I got bit by a spider but I actually said that I got bit by a peanut!!! hahaha.. oops. 

ok well thats about all I have for this week. Love you all so much and can't wait to see all your smiling faces soon. 

ALSO HAPPY BIRTHDAY WESLEY!!!!!

Con tutto il mio cuore 

Sorella Felice 

Un sacco di italiano!!!

Ciao Tutti!!

Wow I don't even know where to start this week!!! I LIVE WITH AN ITALIAN NOW!!!! It's so different! She is always making food for me and I'm going to get so fat!!! ahhhh! I'm running extra hard in the mornings now… haha. This morning we went running, when we got back I hopped in the shower real fast and when I was done she was in the kitchen saying "I made you an American breakfast!!!!" (in italian) and she made me scrambled eggs a hot dog and a grilled cheese sandwich…. hahahahahahah sooo funny!!!! She is very fun and has A LOT of personality!! hahah I just love her!!!! 

so this week we had a pranzo in church and it was super fun. It was all the missionaries and then a missionary (who is italian) he finished his mission and his parents picked him up from the Villa in Roma and took him to visit Foggia cause he served here. His parents fed us all lunch, it was super fun and yummy. Then the next day we went to Bari to drop off Sorella Baker at to pick up SORELLA FOSSA!!! When we got back to Foggia we took all her bags to our apartment and then the Anziani called us and told us that the new Anziano (who i served with in sassari) had no one to pick him up at the station cause they were in a lesson... so we had to hurry back to the station and do a split and take him to the church. It was a fun day. 

Our new district is SOOO cool!!! We are already all super tight, so I'm excited for this transfer!! 

Our simps are doing good. I was scared because a lot of our simps were really attached to Sorella Baker but we met most of them this week and they all seem to really like Sorella Fossa so that is good! 

FUNNY STORY!!! so this week we were walking home and suddenly these men were walking with us and they were kind of following us... So instead of walking to our house we walked to the Anzianis house and they left . Then this sunday in church THEY CAME!!!!!! I've invited people to church my WHOLE MISSON AND THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT EVER ACTUALLY CAME ARE THREE STRANGE MEN!!!!! (you know what they say... flirt to convert right.. haha jk) So that is my funny story for you all.. also some guy at the Bari train station tried to kiss me... so that was just great. I'm sooo sick of Italian men trying to kiss me! 

ok that is about all... in conclusion I haven't spoken english in a week... which is way wierd. I'm going to get fat AND I LOVE MY MISSION!!! It's the best experience of my life and im so happy that I had this oppurtunity. I cant believe how well god knows us. I NEVER wanted to serve a mission and if the time wasnt right (like it was ) I never would have. But I've grown so much from what I've experienced here and I'm so happy SO SO SOS OSOSOSOSO HAPPY! Its really changed me for the rest of my life.

ok thats all... I love you all so much and I'm so happy that I have you all in my life.!!! miss you and love you

Sorella Felice 

ps the mosquitos are coming back :( i already have soooo many bites!!!

this is the food was talking about. after the huge plate of pasta they fed us salami and mozzerela balls (which were so good!!!! i went to the store and bought more for the week haha) 

one of my favorite anziani with MY NEW COLLEGA 

Me and sorella fossa picking up the new anziano from the train station cause the anziani couldnt get there in time 

pesto cream pasta fossa made for me 

our first gelato together (its starting to be gelato season again!!!!!) 

the breakfast sorella fossa made for me.... again

fuggi da foggia (it means flee from foggia)

the new BEST district IN THE WORLD

Its a really hard time right now to see our investigators cause its tomato planting season....

Ciao tutti

Ok so the title is just because this was a line I heard this week in DDM and thought to myself.... only in italy would the missionaries have this problem!

IT WAS SOOOO GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!! I was so happy it was just what i needed!!!! HAPPY MOTHERS DAY AGAIN MOM!!!!!

ok so this is going to be really short today because I don't have much time and I talked to you all yesterday and got out all my juicy stories! 

So transfers came and I'M GETTING A NATIVE COMPANION!!!! Her name is Sorella Fossa and she is somewhere from the Northern Italy! I'm excited but super nervous!!! Also one of the missionaries from Sassari is coming down to Foggia so we have have the Sassari district now in Foggia hahah! Too good. 

Anyways, This week we did a Scambi with the Sorelle in Bari and it went really well!! Me and Sorella Andersen were together a year ago (as companions) so we decided to see what we did last year. we climbed Saint Peters Basillica that day!!! hahah ok thats not that cool but it was for us! 

Thats all I got and all the time I have! love you all so much and cant wait to see you all in 4 months!!! mwahhhh

Sorelall Felice 

Two Pidgeons one Fava Bean!

Ciao Tutti!!!!

Well first off I just want to thank everyone! This week was so amazing and I could all of your prayers. In fact I KNOW it was because all of you were praying for me so thank you!!!!! 

This week went so well! Last week was probably the hardest on my mission so far. This week I think God gave us a break! hahah Everyday just went perfect! 

First off Tuesday we went to Lucera to have a lesson with our investigators and they wanted to show us the castle there... So we went and did that and then we had a great lesson on the Atonement!!! Then we went back a couple days later and did a lesson on the plan of salvation with a member there with us. It went SOOOO WELL!!!! The lesson was so good!!! The member we brought, her name is Raffaela and she is one of Sorella Rossels investigators that got baptized! She was baptized last year and super cute! She answered all of their questions PERFECTLY!! Plus they brought a friend who was curious so we had a referral! I feel like the spirit was sooo strong in all of our lessons this week!!! 

We have this cute mom and daughter that we are teaching right now and I JUST ABSOLUTLY LOVE THEM!!! With my whole heart i love them!! Anyway the Mom knows the Book of Mormon front and back and her daughter it the cutest!!! They are both ready to be baptized but the Mom is a little hesitant. 

Then we have this new less active that we found and she kept giving us bidones (no shows). After one of the no shows this we we sent her an upset text because she no showed again after we had set the appointment and took the time to travel there. She sent us a text back saying .. "you're right Sisters. I'm sorry. Next time I'll be there!!" So the next lesson we had with her was super good and I've never felt the spirit in a lesson that strong. We both kept getting promptings of questions to ask her and basically the whole lesson turned into a we ask questions and she answered them. It went really well!!! 

anyways, besides that this week we also had a WARD BEACH PARTY (at the church due to non existent rain)(italians are babies when it comes to "it might rain") and that was super fun!!! We had a BBQ and a member brought (get ready for this ) TABASCO SAUCE!!!!!! So basically I drank all of it! hahah. We played Uno and football, soccer, and volley ball. super fun!!

So one of the times we went up to Lucera it was later at night and our train to go home was at nine (cause we have permission to get home at 9:30 if we have a lesson) So we are teaching and its going really well and all of a sudden sorella baker kicks me under the table and points to her watch and it was 8:45!!! Our train is leaving inl 15 min and the station was across the city!!!!!!!!!! So we are like "sorry, we gotta say a prayer and run so we can catch our train" So we just busted it through this tiny city and as we are running I have this image come to my mind of Bella from Twilight running through that Italian city. hahah (which that city is actually in puglia) Anyway as we were running I couldn't stop laughing. I twisted my ankle like 80 times though on the stupid cobblestone. So hard to run on. (editors note: I'm guessing they caught the train because she never said she missed it)

One day this week, one of my most favorite members in italy had a lunch for all the missionaries and she went all out and fed us more than I've ever had in my life! hahaha! Sooooo good!!!

The week ended with a baptism on Saturday which was really good. The guys name is Temple (he is Anziano Birbergs simp) He is super cool and african. So that was my week.

I'm super excited to see you all next week for MOTHERS DAY (my new favorite holiday) Anyway love you all so much can't wait to see your smiling faces!!!!!! MWAHHAHA 

Sorella Felice 

ps the title of my email is how italians say two birds with one stone. by the way fava beans are really gross!!! also the anziani here had to go to napoli today to do stuff with there visas and they are bringing us back REAL NAPTOWN PIZZA!!!!! so excited 

The Rains Down in Africa!!

Ciao tutti!!!

Well this week was good. It has been very rainy here!! Every morning we wake up to a beautiful day and we go out running. In the afternoon we eat on our balcony and bathe in the sun and then we go out to do missionary work and BAM its raining cats on dogs!!! literally, it's perfect timing! Every day at the same time it rains and IT RAINS HARD!!!!! Well, thats it about the weather.

This week we threw a surprise party for one of the members in our ward. We asked if she could come to the church to help us in Mirianas lesson (one of our investigators) That is how we got her to come over. There wasn't really a lesson. hahah. So ALL the members are at the church and we are all waiting for this girl to show up, and suddenly, we see someone so we all scream HIDE HIDE!!!! Well it wasn't just Miriana but there was someone with her. So everyone gathers by the enterence-foyer place to see who it was. Miriana was with her boyfriend and all of us are sitting in the entrance watching and they say good bye and walk away and then out of NOWHERE her boyfriend runs back and plants one on her!!!! haha there they were just kissing goodbye for a while and we are all inside watching…yikes! hahhaha AWKWARD! When Miriana walked in all the members where like YEAH MIRIANA hahah sooooo awkward!!!! but sooo hilarious!!! There was probably a good 25 of us that saw it. 

This week we went down to Bari to have our Zone Conference and it went really well. Sorella Stephens and I did our training on fun and creative finding ideas. That was really fun!!!!! Like drawing the plan of salvation in chalk in the middle of a huge piazza or doing shoe shining in the park for service.... etc. It was way fun and we had fun presenting it. Sorella Stephens is the best!!! It was way nice to go down there and talk to her! 

Oh I found a pasticceria this week that had cannolis so I ate some of those... 

We have this new investigator that is a beautician and this week we stopped by her work to say hi and ask how she was doing and PLUCKED OUR EYEBROWS FOR FREE!!!! haha! We walked in and she was like who does your eyebrows and I was like "me" and she was like "I can tell." HA! Then she told baker that hers hadn't been touched in a while so she plucked our eyebrows!! hahah It was very relaxing and I was so happy to get them done!!!! 

Our work still isn't doing so well. None of our investigators have been able to see us this week. (well actually for the past 3 weeks) We've been doing a lot of finding but since its kind of a festa season here in Italy no one has been out so we haven't had much success in finding. Which has been hard! Sorella Baker and I have just been stressed out of our minds the last three weeks. But I guess we will get through it some how.

Anyway, I love you all so much!! I miss you a ton and I'm so excited to see you all for mothers day!!!! we are just going to party it up on that skype call hah.

con tutto il mio cuore.

Sorella Felice 

IO SO CHE VIVE IL REDENTOR!!!!!!

Ciao tutti!!!

Wow this week was soooo amazing!! I've decided that Easter is my favorite holiday in the Mission. Christmas is great but Easter we get to celebrate the Atonement and the Resurrection. I woke up and just felt sooooo happy in my heart. That sounds so cheesy but I just had this peaceful feeling that because of the resurrezione we all get to live together for ETERNITY!!!! Anyway. Easter is CRAZY HERE!!!! The whole week is just pazzesca!!! First off they start out with Palm Sunday. Then things settle down but on Good Friday everyone GOES CRAZY!!!! Then Sunday they all celebrate. It was kind of cool! 

For Easter we went to a members house and we had the traditional Easter Dinner. (get ready for this) We ate hard boiled eggs (cause they represent life (something about the yolk) with salami (italians.) olives (represents the atonement I think) and then they put lemon all over it.... so weird! Eggs, meat, olives, and lemon. Let me just tell you, they do not go well together! Then for the second course they brought out a lamb of course... remember when I was young and said I would never eat lamb... well it's impossible here to not eat lamb. Then after that we went and visited an investigator and did a lesson on Christ..HOLY MADONNA YOU GUYS NEED TO WATCH THE NEW BIBLE FILMS THE CHURCH HAS MADE!!!!! They are on lds.org I think and they are STUNNING!!!! so cool!!! Me and Sorella Baker have started to watch them during our lunch hours... they are sooooo good!!!! anyway sidenote.

Yesterday was Pasquetta which is another holiday they have. (with christmas and easter they celebrate for two days.) So we had a ward activity and we went to a camp ground - carnival-market-church. It was super fun we had a bbq and the Anziani (Elders) brought a football so we played football (a real football the one that is shaped like an egg) One of the Anziani here played football for ASU so he taught us all how to play. Anyway it was super fun!!!! 

For the rest of this week... what happened. Last p-day we went shopping with some of the young women in the ward and they all hate our missionary clothing and we trying to put outfits together for us that were italian style... but they werent... and then they just called us ugly! hahah! oh well. 

Our investigators are not doing so good. Last transfer they all had baptism dates and were just rock solid and right now they aren't even seeing us so thats been hard. we've been trying to think of ways to be more creative but... we just cant get through. So pray that this week is better and we get some lessons. 

We did find two new investigators this week and we got two new investigators last week so that is AWESOME!!!!! One of them is a mother and daughter and I just LOVE THEM!!!! The 11year old always wants to pray and she blesses all the animals and they are just soooo cute!!!! Anyway thats about it for this week. 

I love you all so much and I KNOW this church is true. I love God with all my heart and i'm eternally grateful for my Savior. I love you all so much!!!! I'LL SEE YOU IN THREE WEEKS FOR MOTHERS DAY!!!! 

con tutto il mio cuore

Sorella Felice 

ps.. in Italian Foggia actually means beautiful, but then foggia got bombed in world war 2 by the Americans and now its not beautiful (say the foggians)