Week 14

(Week 8 Caserta)

This week has been soooo fast yet soooo slow!!! To start off the week
I was in Prato, northern Italy, with the family of Sorella Hidalgo
Guzman while our companions were at a meeting in Rome, so we could get
her permesso finished. Sorella Guzman speaks 0% English and neither
does her family. I was forced to speak Italian for 24+ hours until we
meet our companions again super late on Tuesday night. Such a
wonderful experience and I actually feel more confident in my Italian
now! She and her family took me on a little tour of Prato and it was
sooo cute and sooo wonderful! Sorella Guzman is 26 and the only member
in her family. As we blessed our meals and prayed with her parents I
could feel her faith. She is an awesome missionary and is
sosososososososo full of faith and love for the gospel.

Pictures from my adventures in Prato with Sorella Hidalgo Guzman.
Twenty minute layover in Florence train station






Ate a Peruvian style pranzo with her mother and friend.
We ate French fries with rice, meat and tomatoes.

This cat slept in Sorella Hidalgo Guzmans bed with us that night.


Three men and one umbrella.


This week we have been really really trying to finish all lessons with
Felix and Evans so they are ready for Baptism on Wednesday! I want to
share a wonderful slash favorite moment from the week that we had with
Evans. He did not show up to sacrament meeting and I felt absolutely
sick about it. I began wondering if he was really ready for baptism
and began feeling angry and upset that he wasn't here at church. I
honestly have thought and prayed A LOT about whether he is ready or
not, just testimony wise. Sorella Hamilton and I decided that we were
going to go to his house (just down the street from the church) and
get him to church. He was home and I just flat out told him that if he
wants to be baptized he better get to church. He arrived in his white
shirt and tie ten minutes later, but I still wasn't sure if he should
be baptized... Well that night we taught him about temples and
baptisms for the dead and this lesson was like no other lesson we have
had. He shared with us how happy this made him, because both of his
parents have died without being baptized. He told us that our church
is true because of this wonderful ordinance we do. Lo Spirito era
molto forte! But really, it was a huge answer to my prayer that this
investigator is ready for baptism. I cried and I cried and thanked
Heavenly Father for listening to my prayers. We showed Evans pictures
of the temple in Ghana and his face was just a huge smile and he was
just full of so much light! The church is true and I've been reminded
again how much happiness and joy this gospel brings to others. 


Sorella Hamilton taught me how to fry chicken and onions.

I just received news that my grandpa also just passed away. Two and a
half weeks after my grandma. This was a shock and not expected. My dad
shared with me that he knows that there was a beautiful happy reunion
with my grandparents in heaven. I know with all my heart that is 100%
TRUE!
After sharing the beautiful message of the temple with Evans, I was
reminded how grateful I am for the sealing power that we find in the
temple. My two dear grandparents are together again, but this time
they won't be parted ever again.

Something Ive been praying about and making are my mission goals. One
of them came from this conference from the talk by Devin G. Durannt.
I'm going to take his challenge/invite and ponder a scripture each
week for the remainder of my mission. I invite you to do it with me.
Read his talk again and pick a scripture. My scripture for the week is
3 Nephi 5:13!

Love y'all so so much and hope everyone is looking for the light!

Con tanto amore!  Sorella Carrie Nelson