Sassari Sta Fiorendo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ciao tutti!!!

Well first off I got transferred. All I can say is that I'm devastated!!! This week has been harder then any week on my mission. I have cried almost every night. My heart feels like it has literally been ripped in half. I just really can't say goodbye to these people here, I love them SOOOOOOOO much!!!! My new city is called Foggia, it is in Puglia... the only way to describe where it is is to imagine if a lady was wearing high heels and she walked into a cemetery... My city is the part of her stilettos that sinks into the dirt as she walks :) hahah I'm at the very bottom of the heel. I've heard that they eat very well there (as in they eat A LOT) I'm nervous!! I know that they eat a lot of fried food like they fry cal-zones and stuff..... oh boy! I'm just so sad... when President called me, he said “listen its time you have to go” and I was like “NOOOOO” hahah but I'll go anywhere and I'm happy to go if the Lord wants me to. The city was opened when I was in my third transfer... so right before I came to Sassari... and Sorella Rossell (my MTC comp) opened the city! My companion is Sorella Baker (we were in the same MTC district) so its going to be weird having a comp the same age as me… also, I'm going to be the STL which is the zone leader for the sisters, my STL comp is Sorella Stevens. We went to Jr. High  and High school together. She is awesome so I'm excited.. also if I were to have stayed in Sassari, there would be four missionaries from Olympus!! hahah but I'm leaving so there is only 3 (I still think it's awesome though that this tiny little island that is half way around the world has 3 Olympus students on it haha). So now for the crazy news about transfers... they are bringing in a new set of sorelle here!!!!!! THERE WILL BE FOUR SISTERS IN SASSARI!!!!! Knudsen is staying and her companion is someone that she has already served with! CRAZY! Then they are bringing in a Sorella from Cagliari and a Greeny!!! So we are super busy this week trying to turn our apartment into a four person apartment, and trying to pack all my stuff up. Anyway, that is transfers. (OH also Anziano Birberg is coming with me to Foggia to be the district leader).

So this week was CRAZY!!!! PROPRIO PAZZA!!!!! First off we had zone conference and it was awesome!!! Best zone conference in my life!! I cried like three times and I just felt the spirit so strong!!! We also went and saw tons of flamingos since it was p-day. And that was fun!

Valentines day was awesome. We went around like normal for the first part of the day and then we got a bidone after lunch (no show) so we did finding and we decided to buy flowers for each other for valentines day. So we get to all these flower stands and one rose was 8 EURO!!!!!!!! That's ten dollars!!! So we then are going back home and we stop at Fratello Marras flower shop (he is a member and THE BEST MEMBER IN THE WHOLE WORLD) and he sees us and he is like "SORELLE I have something for you". He came back with a HUGE BEAUTIFUL ROSE for us!!!!!! It was so nice!!! He is just the best!! Then after that we went to a Relief Society party (for all the single women hahah) and we ate a lot of donuts!!!!!

Ok, so the end of this week was just crazy!!!!! It feels like its been three weeks, first off Saturday (transfer call day) We are over at our simps house, her name is Lucia and she is sooooooo cute!!! and we got our call when we were there... so then she proceeded to tell me all about foggia and puglia. Then our time ran out and we didn't have time to teach our lesson so we left her with a couple of things to watch on lds.org and a pamphlet. She promised she would come to church!! Then that night we went to our other simps house named Lucia (different Lucia) and we had the best lesson with her!!!! We taught the gospel and she really liked it!! Then we asked her about how her prayer went and she got all shy and timid (I could tell she totally received an answer!!! plus I prayed so hard this week for her to receive an answer!!!) So she goes in to telling us how she isn't sure yet and she needs to pray more. Then we asked her if when she gets her answer if she would be baptized!!! and she DIDN'T SAY NO!!! She was really quite and we sat there in silence. I just know the spirit was eating her up!!! Then Sorella Knudsen bore her testimony about how this gospel has blessed her life and she started crying and told us how the spirit can change hearts and AHHH it was just such a great lesson!!! Then we committed her to come to church too!!

So then comes Sunday!!!! DAY OF MIRACLES!!!!!! It was so crazy!! I've worked so hard here in Sassari and I've given my whole heart to this city and to this work. In one day all of the blessings came and I could finally see the fruits of our work! First off LUCIA came to church FOR ALL THREE MEETINGS!!!! All the sisters LOVED her!!!!! Then during sacrament we had 3 SIMPS (investigators) COME!!!!!!!!! I haven't seen a simp come to church since I've been here so it's truly a miracle that we had 3!!!!! Then I had to give a talk and I started bawling of course! All the members and simps started crying too and then that made me cry more. The SPIRIT WAS SOOOOO STRONG!! After my talk Anziano Birberg goes up and gives his testimony (I actually had a real talk and then I had to give my goodbye testimony) and I sit down and all my simps come and sit by me and hold my hands!! SO CUTE!!!! Then for pranzo we went to a members house and they made brick oven pizza, so that was yummy!! Put some more pounds on :) and then our simp Sandra (who came to church too) Came and picked us up and took us to the beach to go on a walk and it was so Bellissima!!!!! We just talked and walked down the beach! After we had a lesson and showed her a bunch of Mormon messages and she loved them!!!! We showed her the one about Stephanie Nielsen and she was bawling!!! Then she asked to watch one about the temple and it talked about baptisms for the dead and she LOVED IT!!! She loves her Dad who has passed away and we talked about how in the temple we can feel love from our loved ones on the other side. So she really wants to go to the temple but she knows she has to be baptized first. So we are excited that maybe that triggered her want to be baptized!!!!!!!

Know for one of the biggest MIRACLES!!! Three weeks ago Sorella Knudsen and I were finding and I felt like doing bus finding.. So we hopped on a bus and just started talking to people. I sat down next to this kid named Andrea and we talked a bunch (he plays the flute so we talked about that hahah). I asked him if he would come to English course and explained how we were missionaries for our church and how we do it as a service to the community. Well the next day HE CAME!! We talked to him and then let the Anziani take him (he was 20 years old so obviously he goes to them) So we asked him to take the lessons and he said yes! and now the Anziani are teaching him!!! NOW FOR THE MIRACLE!!!! HE HAS A BAP DATE FOR MARCH 15!!!!!! I can't believe it!!!!!!!! He has also invited all of his friends to English course!!! He was so cute yesterday at church, he came in a suit and a new tie and had his little book of Mormon!! All the members were like “are you sure he isn't a member already!!” ahhhh I'M JUST SO HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyway that was my week! OH.. I forgot one of the members came up to me and said the sweetest thing!! She told me that the reason they are bringing in two more sisters to Sassari is because they need all four sisters to do the work that I did... isn't that so sweet!!! Sassari is really just growing!! This city is going to filled with saints one day! I know it!! It's really just a special city!! The church building here is huge!!! and we have no members to fill it up, we now have 8 missionaries in this tiny city and I know that Sassari is going to see the Hand of God!!!! I'm just devastated still... I feel like I'm really leaving my home. Anyway I don't know my travel plans yet but we might take a boat this time to get to Rome.... so that could be interesting.

Well I love you all so much I'm sorry this email is SOOOO long!!! My fault!! I love you all and can only think of one other place besides this city that is my home. I cant believe how the time is flying by and I cant wait to see all of your smiling faces!!! However, I really don't want to leave my mission AT ALL!!!) I love you!!! Remember to always be happy!!! And to do something good in the world!!

con il mio cuore

Sorella Felice!!

(update) Hey, so I just got my travel plans. I don't leave until Thursday and I go in a airplane while all the Anziani are going on a boat (the boat takes 24 hours and I'm the only sister so they would rather have me fly alone for an hour then be on a boat with a buch of anziani for a whole day. But good new is that the boat lets you take as much luggage as you want so they can take all my luggage for free!!! Wahoo! I don't have to take anything!!! hahah! love you all 

flamingos in calgiari

flowers from fratello marras (also he has like an ancient cave/kitchen thing under his negozio so we went with one of the new converts down there to check it out and it was creepy!! plus maruizio looks like golum hahahah my little cave creature 

a really fresh egg

courso students (dad the at the end that is darker reminds me of you!! he is awesome!!!) 

and a random pic my simp took of me 

me saying good bye to members and friends on sunday 

one pic is the missionaries and all of our simps that came to church 

hahah can you find waldo!!! hint he is making pizza 

lucia riding home from church on her motercycle 

all of us in the car going to the beach 

me and the presidente of the branch 

me in porto torres (small city) we liked the wild flowers 

me three simps that came to church 

ANDREA AND HIS FRIEND!!!! THEY LOVE THE BOOK OF MORMOM)

and me at the beach yesterday (we need to teach our simps about keeping the sabbath day holy hahh) 

Wouldn't It Be Nice

Ciao Tutti!!!

Well this is probably going to be a short email because I can't think of anything that happened this week! hahah The weeks seem to be just shooting by! It's crazy!

This week we had a scambio with the Sorelle from Cagliari (like always cause they are the only sisters we can do exchanges with without taking a boat or a plane hahaha) (actually interesting fact. the closest sisters to us serve in the french mission! hahah! they are only an hour away from Sassari... weird no) (on a different island though) Anyway, the sisters came up to Sassari this time which was SUPER exciting because we have never done scambis up here before. The other sorelle found us a family!!!! We are super excited to start working with them.

So this last fast sunday the President asked us to fast for his grand daughter Emily. This is the update from this week. It's so cool!!!

"Finally, Sister Waddoups and I want to thank you all for the faith and prayers that were offered on behalf of our granddaughter Emily.
Our eleven year old granddaughter has leukemia. It was a tough decision to leave her and come to Italy, but President Eyring told us our family would experience miracles as we served. We believed him.
Last week our daughter called and said the doctors were concerned because Emily’s blood count was extremely low and continued to drop. The concern was this could be an indication the cancer was coming back and she might need a bone marrow transplant if it didn’t improve.
We made a decision to call family members and ask them to fast for Emily on Sunday. This is when we asked all of you to include her in your prayers and your fasting.
Three days later Emily went to the hospital for the determining blood test. For this stage of her cancer, the doctors try to keep the ANC count (the ability to fight off infection) at a minimum of 500-1500. The test results were astounding. Her ANC count had jumped from 100 the week before to 4,800--AN ABSOLUTE MIRACLE."

Cool huh?? What a miracle! 

Lets see this week we went to a Mexican restaurant that we found..... Sorella Knudsen and I have made  a rule that we will never order anything at a restaurant unless it's italian food. The italians make good Italian food and thats the end of it....

ummmmm... Oh this week one of our simps (investigators) invited us over for a dinner appointment. She made us SARD GNOCCI!!! My absolute favorite!! Everyone here knows it's my favorite so now they always make it for us! I'm going to be sad when I can't have it anymore. Sorry this letter stinks!

Not much else has happened. Sorella Knudsen and I work like crazy and the weeks are just flying by. This has been one of my best transfers so far! We are just loving all the work. We are working with the members a lot!

Right now we are actually in Cagliari. Zone Conference is tomorrow and we have interviews today so we had to come down yesterday. This time we took a bus instead of a train and we saw A LOT OF SHEEP.

ok, I'm sorry this letter is horrible... I just really can't think of anything that has happened this week. hahah! Love you guys!!! if I get transfered I probably wont be writing next week because I'll be traveling to get off this island (that i love with all my heart)

I love all of you so much! and i'm so thankful for all of you in my life. con tutto il mio cuore

Sorella felice

(ps this internet place is playing the beatles and beach boys. Love it!! hahah)

pics

some new friends in cagliari (one of them has a SLC, utah shirt that he found here????

um the best pic with a cat in the back ground (thats why its the best pic)

It's Carnival

Ciao tutti!!!

Well this week just shot by again!! I really can't believe how fast the time is going!!!! I feel like this whole transfer has been one week!!! I'm getting really scared for transfer calls again. I'm dying to stay in Sassari for at least one more transfer! I love this city and all the people in it!! I love the culture and the food and the members and my companion!!! I just want to stay here forever!!!! But, if I have to go I will.

Last week we went to a city called Alghero for p-day. Its an old city that is right on the sea. Sardenga used to be part of Spain, and over the last hundred years there have been tons of wars between Italy and Spain to claim Sardegna. So Alghero is this city with a huge wall around it with catapults and huge watch towers. It is so cool! The waves hit the walls of the city and it sounds like thunder! I loved it!!! Its not that far from Sassari. Only about 30 min away. Anyway we had fun there!

This week was just full of work!! We have this idea with the members to get them excited to do missionary work. We split the members and divided them between missionaries, and in the next two weeks we are visiting all the members and teaching them how to talk to there friends and how to be comfortable sharing the gospel. Then after we have visited all of them we are going to have a HUGE open house at our church and all of the members are going to invite their friends!!! We are super excited!!! People love to go see churches here (OBVIO) so a church tour will be really good!!!

ahhhh part of my letter was just deleted!!!!!!! blahhh!!! Our simps (investigators) are doing really well!!! We have one that lives in a little city called Porto Torres and she is awesome!!! She is keeping all of her commitments and she is praying hard for an answer to see if this is the true church!! She read Alma 32 this week and just LOVED the part about "faith is a little seed." She has a lot of faith!!!! Then our other investigator is the girl who fell out of a tree and broke her leg. She is doing really good though. We taught her this week and she had sooooo many questions!! She said when she can walk again she wants to come to church with us!!!!!!!!

Ok, funny story! So when we are on the bus and we pass churches almost everyone crosses themselves. So we like to count how many people do the cross. Anyways, it's usually all the old ladies on the bus who do it. So the other day we pass this huge cathedral and NO ONE CROSSED!!!! I was shocked. So I told Sorella Knudsen and she looks at me all seriously and does a cross. hahahah! It was so funny!!!!!! She is the best! Always makes me smile!

Ummmmm, thats all I can think of right now! Love you guys so much and miss you more!!! Remember to always be a missionary wherever you go!! Always do what Chris would have done!!!! LOVE YOU!!!

con tutto il mio cuore!

Sorella Felice!!!!

Oh, by the way its carnival season!!!! You know, like in Rio!!! but it's not as big. There is always confetti everywhere and people go out at night and dance with masks... hahah it's awesome.

pics.... there are a lot.. um Alghero.. me dead after planning this week... our friend daniela on the bus with us... um a really cool car... oh and a beautifull painting of obama and posh spice as sard people. ok love you guys