Week 13

(Week 7 Caserta)

I will start off by saying that I have no attraction to Italian men. This week was especially bad with the men... I am so tired of the yells of "Bella" from cars, the honking, the men pulling over to ask for our numbers, the staring eyes that slowly creep, the kisses blown and whistling, and when you shake their hand they don't let go!!! They are crazy!!! But then again there are the wonderful sweethearts like Denis and Daniel and my pal Federico who is at the bar below the church 24/7 Who always yells "Cassie, Bella" because Carrie is too hard of an American name to say. I love these people soooo much!!! Okay, I guess I hate creeps but love Italians! ANYWAY!!!...

This week especially I realized Sorella Hamilton and I are literally
the same person! Hahaha I was whispering in parseltongue from Harry
Potter and she knew exactly what I was doing! This week I've
appreciated my amazing companion/trainer more than ever. She has been
with me through my first everything's! First Italian conversation,
lesson, first African investigator, first pizza, and literally
everything! She has helped me when I struggle with the language, she
has been there when people ignore me on the street, when people stand
us up for lessons, and for all the hard things that come with lavoro
missionario. 

Benefits of having a military base close by!!! The senior
couple brought me this!!!

I have gained a testimony of divine inspiration. The longer I am in
Italy, the more I realize that I am where I'm supposed to be and with
Sorella Hamilton. I'm so so so grateful that leaders of the church and
my mission leaders listen to the spirit to know what will be best for
me. Super grateful for the opportunities I have here and the people
that help me be my best. 

Caserta Missionaries, Anziano Brandon, Anziano Williams, (who just left for Sardegna), Sorella Hamilton and Me!


Pizza with Italian member Denis, while we wait at the train station after a lesson with Felix.

The trains PUT ME TO
SLEEP!!! 

 Anziano Williams took this beauty.
Cena!!! (Dinner) yes that
is tuna with 

 cucumber and oil and vinegar!

This week has been amazing with the progression of investigators, but
we've kept our focus on Felix and Evans and their upcoming baptism.
Evans and Felix had their interviews this week for their baptism on
the 14th! We are sooooo excited!!! We were even able to watch a little
conference with both of them in English! It's seriously soooo crazy
how prepared these two are! We literally just teach them and they eat
it right up! Vini and the court case went well. In Italy court cases
aren't resolved for like a year, but she feels really at peace with
how things are going and her whole family even fasted with us!!! We
were NOT expecting that! Huge miracle and we have now started the
lessons with her! Silvio and his mom Antionetta love to have us come
teach lessons, but it's hard to measure their interest level. 

General Conference!!! Saturday at 6 p.m. we watched Saturday morning
conference in the church with the Anziani and a couple Italian
members. Super great!!! Sunday morning we had our Africans come at
9:00 a.m. and we watched the Saturday evening session in English with
them and they wanted to see the prophet speak so we watched him speak
in Priesthood session as well! We then made pranzo with the Anziani at
the church and watched the Saturday evening session in Italian with
more members followed by the Sunday morning session. ( all in Italian,
I'll have to reread in English sometime...) We will have to watch
Sunday afternoon on Wednesday... WE LOVED CONFERENCE!!!! I missed
snacks and comfy couches, but it was well worth watching! I especially
loved all the talks on the family and the different divine roles! 

Favorite quote... Bradley D. Foster, "Children are the largest group
of investigators in the church" I have never thought of this and it's
100% true!!! How children view the gospel is soooo important!!! I'm so
grateful to wonderful parents who taught me to make the gospel a
priority in my life and set an example of loving the Lord. 

Vi voglio bene! Tanto amore! 

Sorella Carrie Nelson

****Leaving the Mission- Hahaha. Not really but kinda...
Monday (today) and Tuesday I am leaving my mission boundaries!!! I'm
going to Florence with Sorella Hidalgo Guzman!!! Our companions are
the sister training leaders and they have a conference in Rome and
since Sorella Guzman is from Italy she has to renew her permesso (like
a visa) up in Florence so guess who gets to go with her!? ME!!!!
Hahaha so excited except she literally doesn't speak any English! Haha
it'll be so so fun though! We will get to see another city called
Prato so that will be way cool as well!!!
The other night the sky was
BELLISIMO!!!

 Picture doesn't do it justice.