Sorella Nelson: Week 11

(Week 5 Caserta)

"Be cheerful in all that you do. Live joyfully. Live happily. Live enthusiastically, knowing that God does not dwell in gloom and melancholy, but in light and love."

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-President Ezra Taft Benson

"Together" we found hunger games berries

Cool aqueduct

This week had a lot of failed appointments and lots of finding. Towards the middle of the week I was feeling kinda bummed because I didn't feel like we were doing much work, BUT.... On our way to visit a less active, Maria Russo, there was a massive catholic ceremony going on in the street. We were just passing through and a woman (her name is Vincenza but she goes by Vini) comes literally running up to us and gives us the baccio. She starts explaining how she is so happy the Sorelle missionaries have returned to Caserta! She told us where she lived and when we went back to visit her I was blown away... This woman and her husband had been taking the missionary lessons and were literally so close to being baptized in 2002. Then for whatever reason, the mission president took the Sorelle out of the area. They were taught by a couple of Anziani but they haven't seen the missionaries for over 10 years. This woman pulled out her Book of Mormon when we arrived and and was so excited to "pray" with us! In Italy they call our lessons "prayers" like what nuns do. She told us that every time she has a hard time in her life, missionaries show up and she knows that it is God sending us to her. This woman is seriously amazing and we hope we can help her feel ready for baptism again.

First Zone Conference with Sorella Hamilton!

Beginning Testimony

Zone Conference in Napoli! Gave my "birth" testimony in Italian, Presidente Waddoups gave us an awesome lesson on overcoming FEAR of man or anything. The sister training leaders and zone leaders had an awesome addestramento (training) on boldness and the three hours of preparation in the morning. Super grateful for awesome leaders who are huge examples to me. As a surprise to Presidente and Sorella Waddoups we all sang the EFY medley and we ended the conference with... NAPOLI PIZZA!!! It was also Sorella Hamilton's one year mark!!!

Quote from Zone Conference: "When people feel your love, you can never be too bold"

Update on Felix, our African investigator! Super awesome and loves learning about the gospel. Sadly we had to move his baptism date, either the 3rd or 10th of October, depending on general conference schedules... But it's OKAY! He is stellar and keeping all the commandments and our awesome ward mission leader even bought him a white shirt and tie. Literally wanted to cry, it was the sweetest thing!

Crazy/cool story: As we were walking to the train station one day we saw a man (Rafaele) giving bread to pigeons and he stopped us and asked who we were. We explained and he took us to his garden and we ate figs and found out his wife had died and we left him with a plan of salvation pamphlet! Couple days later he was outside so we went to just say hello again and invite him to church. Well Sunday comes around and we are in a meeting after church and our friend Daniel pops his head in and goes "Sorelle Sorelle, quick there is a man here to see you" so we hurry out and it's Rafaele!!! He had walked all the way and purposely came after church just to say hello! Super cool man!

The Lord really has prepared people here in Caserta! Sorella Hamilton and I are just trying to find them all!