Sorella Williams: Christmas time in Milan

     This week was good! Genova was beautiful and amazing and so was their focaccia and pesto even though we were only there for a little bit. We had a big miracle on a bus. We were talking to the lady in front of us and we said that we were Mormons when this lady behind us says "you are Mormons?" And I said "yes have you heard of our church before?" And she said chuckling "yes, I was baptized in 2002" WHAT. She was a less active that didn't even know where the church was in Genova. We swapped information and now she is found! Also the lady we were originally talking to was extremely interested. Her name is Elena and she is amazing. Her parents died not too long ago and she feels extremely lonely. We told her that God loved her and that our church members are like a big family because that's what we really are. She told us there was a light in us that she had never seen before and that she wanted it too. It was such a tender mercy meeting her! We taught her and when I told her I was going back to Milan she was so sad and offered her spare room to me for as long as I want haha. I almost accepted. Luckily we had gotten lost and were in a strange part of town otherwise we would have never taken that bus and met those two ladies.

     2 new investigators came to church this week!! Fernanda and Janet. Fernanda has been challenged to come to church for a while and finally did for the primary program. And Janet came to all three hours of church! We are excited about them.

     We taught a less active family Guastella. She is extremely sensitive and if you are too strong or too bold she never lets you back into her house. It's been a year since she last let the missionaries in so we are being really careful. Which is different because I am not necessarily a very patient person. Especially when you look around her
house and she has pictures of Jesus and temples all over. We found out that she had served a mission in 2001 in Rome and loved it. We couldn't believe it. She has two cute kids ages 10 and 13 that need the youth and the activities of the church in their lives. She still has such a strong testimony so I don't get why it's so hard to come back. But they invited us for dinner next week which is a huge step.

     Saturday we had a breakfast party with Fernando and Iglida which was hilarious because I made pancakes and they could not understand it. Syrup made them very confused. Well I was just whipping it up IHOP style in the kitchen and they were like ENOUGH THERE'S LIKE 10 PANCAKES. and I was like I KNOW YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO STACK THEM. they only put like one dot of syrup on their plates. Hahaha oh my goodness it was so funny.

     We went with the Anziani to Edgar's house to give him a blessing for his leg and it was such a great experience. Edgar got hit by a car a year ago and has had multiple surgeries. He is still home bound and it is so hard for him. He is an amazing person I love him. His wife Teresa is an investigator. He had funny Christmas hats so that was a
huge plus in my opinion.

     We taught Betti our investigator and it was a big step. She did not read the Book of Mormon but we taught a lesson on Jesus Christ and the spirit was strong. She said she feels different with us in our church. We bore testimony that it was no coincidence and that this is truly the church of Jesus Christ and that she can know so too if she reads and prays about the Book of Mormon.

     We had youth stake activity and it was THE BEST. each kid wrote their testimony in a Book of Mormon and then we wrapped them up with Christmas wrapping paper and went to the duomo and gave them to people. Since we are missionaries we were assigned with groups of kids to help them do it. It was a lot of pressure because they all speak perfectly but when it came down to stopping them or answering questions they would get so nervous and not know what to say. But my little group handed all of theirs out and it was such a cool experience for me and
them. We got some numbers of people and I really hope they read the books. By the end they had a lot more confidence and were able to talk to people. I loved it so much!!!

     We had a scambio with Savonna yesterday and we taught Helen and Mamma Repoyo. We were two hours outside of Milan on a bus in the middle of NOWHERE when I hear "ciao Sorella". I look up and it's Sorella DiCriscito from BRESCIA!!! It was the best moment of my life I think. I was so happy to see her and to hear about how Brescia has been. Oh how I miss that celestial kingdom. Then we had a funeral to go to which was sad, but then we helped this funny lady Marta move which was fun and she fed us so it was worth it. The poor Anziani had to move all her furniture down 6 flights of stairs all the while all the neighbors would poke their heads out doors or windows and shout at them how to do it the right way hahah. Italians are so funny.

     Today we have a member of the 70 visiting the mission so the whole mission is coming together over the next two days!

This work is true and I know it!

Love Sorella Williams