Gesù & Gelato: Pescara🐡🐠🐟

Sorry it's short this week! We had a super fun pday visiting Citta Sant'Angelo! (also forgot to mention that last week's pics were from the Vatican)

Citta Sant'Angelo

I really thought I was going to finish my mission in Rome 2, but God has other plans!! Now I'm living in Pescara!! Which means I've hit 6 of the 7 zones in the mission! And this is my 6th city, 12th transfer...... mamma mia basically by this point I have packing down to a science!

Saying goodbye to everyone in Rome 2 was really sad.....especially because things were just getting really good and we were really establishing a good relationship with the members! Speaking of which...

senso unico=one way= The Book of Mormon

We visited with the Salerno family on Tuesday (we were in a trio Monday-Thursday because Sorella Silva's companion finished her mission) to follow up on the Book of Mormon challenge! They are doing it, so we did that day's challenge together and had them teach us the plan of salvation. Then we bore testimony that we know God has prepared people in their lives that need the plan of salvation! We invited them to pray to know who those people are and when the time is right. And then we asked them if they had anyone we could pray for and wrote down their names (this has been a game changer in gaining member trust! plus something to follow up on next time you see them!). Okay fast forward to the next morning. We were walking to the bus stop and the phone rings. It's Fratello Salerno. He says "Ciao Sorelle, thank you for bringing the missionary spirit into our home last night. It really touched my heart and has inspired me to be more missionary minded and share the gospel more frequently. A repairman came over this morning to work on our hot water heater and we started talking, then next thing I knew I was giving him a copy of The Book of Mormon and inviting him to do the challenge, too." Plus he thanked us several more times. So when that phone call ended I had to pick my jaw up off the ground.. but I have a testimony of member missionary work! I hate to admit that before I really didn't. This last transfer has helped me recognize the importance of that and I'm excited to get to work her in Pescara.

Sorella Zapata came home from her mission, she's in the Rome 2 ward and was getting released at the church after english group. It was so weird!!!!! But so good to see her!! Then her family and friends, the ward showed up for her homecoming. So crazy!! Never thought I would be at a companion's homecoming while still a missionary!

the Van Tassell family

Did some service this week, cut Veronica's hair! I'm going to miss her!!

Also said goodbye to the Van Tassell family, they have been so incredible to us! We even got to have dinner with them... TACOS! Oh wow I couldn't tell you the last time I had tacos. Gotta love americans!

I had to say goodbye to Lina, too. That one was really hard! We had a beautiful lesson with her about the Plan of Salvation and she even asked to take the cards home to study! It was amazing to see her change just during the course of the lesson from "well I hope there is something after this life" to "wow, I'm going to pray to make sure this is all true". It was a tender lesson for me, I shared with Lina how the plan of salvation has brought me comfort. I told her about how my grandma passed away while I was here in Italy, something I wasn't expecting to happen. But, because of this plan that God made for our happiness, I have no doubt I will see her again! Then I just started crying and said "that's why you're so special to me Lina, you remind me so much of my grandma." And she said "Perfect, you can be my newest granddaughter!" And we cried and hugged and said goodbye, one that I know won't be permanent.

with my new comp Sorella Guymon

Then after a beautiful 3 hour bus ride through the mountains, we arrived in Pescara! My new companion is Sorella Guymon, she is from California and went to BYU before the mission. Funny story actually, she worked at chick-fil-a at the cougareat. She asked me if I went to BYU and I said yes. Then she said "I thought you looked familiar... did you eat at chick-fil-a a lot?" hahahahah wow I'm glad we can now bond over our love for chick-fil-a! She is in her 6th transfer and has spent all of those transfers in the same district! 3 in L'aquila and this is her 3rd in Pescara. She is SO cute and sweet and we are going to do a great work together!!

Basically we unpacked and then the next day went back to Rome because I had MLC! MLC is always really inspiring and we are going to have some great changes come to the mission that I'm really excited for! Plus it's always great to be trained by Presidente and Sorella Pickerd! We even had a short devo at the temple and watched the sun set!

So yesterday was our first full day in Pescara and it was nothing short of amazing.

dinner with Di Luca family

The ward is incredibile. Going to church yesterday was like a big welcoming hug and coming home. I have never felt so much love from ward members in my life! I am so blessed to be serving amongst them and can not wait to get to know them!! We had dinner with the Di Luca family on Saturday night, they took us to a Napoli pizzeria so I guess you could say we are off to a great start! Can't wait to get to work this week!

Scripture of the week: "and the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea" 2 Nephi 30. I read that this week and was so uplifted knowing that I am playing a small part in helping that knowledge fill the world! And so are you! And if you aren't... you can! I want to invite you to at least pray this week for 1 person with whom you can share the gospel! It doesn't have to be a lesson, just a testimony. Or a facebook post. Come volete!!!!!! It's all true, yall. This work is the best and there's nothing I'd rather be doing. I know God lives and so does His son Jesus Christ! And I know that they love us so much.

Have the best week!

Ci sentiamo!!!

XOXO