Sorella Nelson: Week 34

(Week 4 Bari)
Bus Strikes=Miracles

Yes, here in Italy it is very common that the bus will never come
because the bus drivers decide to go on strike for the day. These
strikes also happen with trains. Fun little culture fact for you all.

The day of the bus strike we were waiting at the stop with another
woman. We introduced ourselves as missionaries and explained our
purpose. She was soooo neat! Since the bus never came, we were able to
talk with her for about 20 minutes. Her name is Rossella and she doesn't
believe in the Catholic Church because it was made by man! Golden! I
can't wait to see her this week!

Later that night we were waiting for
another bus (we didn't know there was a strike) and this adorable girl
comes up to us to let us know. We end up walking the same direction
for about 20 minutes and she is seriously the most wonderful person!
Her name is Claudia and when we told her about our message and how it
brings happiness she said, "I think I need something like that."
Golden! Thanks to the strike we were able to have some wonderful
conversations with wonderful people!!!

Sunday night fun! We got together with the other Sorelle in Bari and
the other Anziani and did a Mostra in the big centro. It was AWESOME!
I love talking to all the random people on the streets who come up to
us and ask what we are drawing, it's so so so great! We ended the
night with some beautiful singing in Bari Vecchia.

Brand new family we found!!!!!! Rodolfo, his wife Gulia (70s), their
daughter Giuliana (40s) and her daughter Sylvia (11). We met Rodolfo
walking on the street one day as we were saying good morning to
everyone we passed. He thought we knew him so he stopped to talk to us
and after a couple days we were in his home meeting his family!

The
first time we saw them, they just had a billion questions for us.
Giuliana has been going through a hard divorce and Rodolfo and Gulia
have been drifting away from the Catholic Church. The second time we
saw them we taught the plan of salvation. I honestly don't know if a
lesson has ever gone so well before! It was 100% lead by the spirit
and we had so much fun listening and answering their questions about
the plan. Lately lessons have been hard with so many interruptions and
those we are teaching trying to get us off subject. This was like a
breath of fresh air to actually teach a gospel doctrine! They totally
agreed with everything we said and we seriously can't wait to go back!

Another favorite from the week... We went Thursday morning with the
Anziani to clean the home of a less active woman. She is physically
not able to do a lot so the clean was much needed. There was mold all
over the kitchen, dust everywhere, the floor was sticky and there was
a rotten smell. I don't want to necessarily call her a hoarder, but
after opening cupboards and looking under shelves she fits the
description. We threw out at least three massive black garbage bags of
just crafting and cat magazines. Sorella Taylor and I had made some
nice pictures of the temple and Jesus in some frames and replaced cat
pictures and calendars with those.

She was sad at the beginning of the
clean when she saw us throwing things away, but as the hours went on
it was her telling us where more magazines and randomness was we could
throw away! After all was done and smelling clean I was ready to pack
up and leave. When I bent down to kiss this sister goodbye she was
choked up. I hadn't realized how touched she was. She had been so
embarrassed to have us come clean her home, but had really appreciated
the service. My heart broke for this sister. After seeing how touched
she was I saw her in a different light. Normally I would hold my
breath as I kissed her cheeks and would hurry our lessons to leave
her home, but now I saw her as a sister who was in need of help.
I don't know if I ever really had a testimony of service, but after
this one morning in the home of Sorella Avantario, how I see an
opportunity to serve will forever be changed. Through service we not
only have the opportunity to serve a brother or sister, but learn to
see them how our Heavenly Father does.

There was just so much good this week that it just doesn't fit into an
email. I was talking with Sorella Taylor at the end of one day as we
were laying on our beds and we were just amazed how every day has
something wonderful in it. We were looking back on the week and we
couldn't remember how many times we were rejected or how many plans
didn't work out, but we are just so grateful for all the things that
did go right and all the things that happened (like bus strikes) to
make it so that we were able to meet certain people.

Missionary work
is just the best and I could go on and on about it! The church is
soooo true everyone!!!! You are all the best and I love hearing about
everything happening in your lives/missions!

Vi voglio bene!!!

Ponderize scripture: Jacob 2:18

Peace and blessings e tante belle cose!!!

Sorella Carrie Nelson

Pday! Alberobello! It means beautiful tree and we aren't sure why...
It is the most tranquilo little city in the world with the coolest
little homes called Trullis (true-lees). They are super old and they
were built so that if you took out one stone the whole thing would
collapse. No worries, they have been stabilized so they will not
collapse on us. On some of the roofs there are different symbols that
have different Christian meanings. Super beautiful city!