*** 2/26/14 **

Da Milano a Torino a Padova

 

Well out of the mission hymn I have hit two of the 3 cities named. Guys, my investigator Hermis is getting baptized today in Torino. I am sooooooo jealous that I cant be there. Covet. Covet. Covet.

I am so trunky for my old cities. Yesterday we had a conference with half the zone leaders, district leaders and sister training leaders in the mission. There's not many STLs haha. only 12 in total i think and so 6 were there. Anywho I got to see a bunch of people from my MTC group and a bunch of kids that all served in the Torino zone together. I would send you photos but yet again I have left the card reader at home. It was great to see everyone and the conference itself was rad, I learned alot and took so many notes from Presidente and the APs. Lots of pressure being one of the leaders, we are in charge of 7 sets of sorelle! So that's doing two scambi a week! Lots more travelling. mamma mia. But I found out I am the STL for Sorella Astel, Clawson and Lopez!!! So stoked. The mission has changed so much and it just feels weird. Everyone keeps saying this is my dying city, but I dont want to think that I am already where I will die! gahhh.

Lately I have just been so filled with love for everyone. I am a cheesy sap. Read Alma 26, i think verses 27-31 or something like that. They are my favs.

So...Milano. Well, I will be honest. San Remo is way prettier haha, everywhere else I have served is way prettier. PERO! The people here are amazing. I instantly feel like who I am as a person and a missionary can help the people here. We have already seen crazy miracles. Even tho I came thursday, we taught 32 lessons that week. Friday, Saturday and Sunday we set a bap date a day. I am all about setting bap dates. We are working with several part member familes that actually remind me in some senses of my own life. And there are some super elect people we are teaching. I really feel like I am needed and can make a difference here, I feel like I have a connection with the people.

There are a ton of Fillipini, Peruviani and Ecuadorians! I loveee south americans and this is my first time having filipino peeps in a ward. THEY ARE SO NICE. I wish I could tell you about all of the great families we are working with. So much detail is needed and there just isnt enough time.

I love the mission, I love what I have learned, I love the cities where I have left a horcrux of my heart. God is way better and picking where, when and with who than I am. I LOVE my comp! She is a great example, I feel like I am just trying to come close to as good as she is. We laugh all day and have a lot in common. Oh her name is Sorella Egbert from Salt Lake.

I just I could relive all of my old cities and wonderful people with what I know now! Ma purtroppo that's not how it works now is it?

Last but not least, we went to a wedding today! Slla Egbert played the piano. An african man and ukrainian woman got hitched in the church. It was really cute, and the food was bomb. We talked a lot with this lady who left the church, her husband is an RM too, served here. Man.

READ the book of mormon and DONT fall away.

Sempre con troppo amore.
Sorella Gillette

 

 

** 2/19/14 **

We chatted through emails this morning and she sent me this..

I am so proud of her!  <3  <3

*This is a piece of the email she got today from the mission president about her transfer!

 

The Lord has called you to be a sister training leader in the Italy Milan Mission. Sister training leaders 

are an extension of the mission president and key mission leaders for seeing that the Church is 

established and helping sisters accomplish their purpose. You are accountable before the priesthood 

leaders and saints of your corresponding stake, to the President, and to the Lord for the manner in 

which you lift and inspire missionaries and members to bring others into the waters of baptism. The 

degree to which you will be effective in this assignment depends on your faithfulness, obedience, love 

for your sisters, and diligence in finding, teaching, and baptizing. 

 

------------------------------Her email-----------------------------------------

**Well, all good things must come to an end**

 

I am leaving San Remo! After only 6 weeks. Can't say I am surprised. I had a feeling the whole time, even after I got the call to go there I said to my last trio that I thought I would be there for only one. So sadly, the beautiful beaches of my dreams was only a reality for an attimino. There is actually a girl from my group, Sorella Seare, coming to replace me, after Pres said it's impossible to stay in 3 haha bahumbug.

I am going to Milano, Navigli to be precise. I am a new Sister Training Leader there, my new companion, I actually replaced her here in San Remo, pretty ironic right?

We have to leave later this afternoon for Genova to sleep there and then tomorrow morning I am going to Milano. Haven't even packed yet haha. I'm screwed. I've never had to leave on a pday before. 

Well, so many miracles have happened, as usual. I have felt the spirit alot this week and actually my testimony of the book of mormon has grown a noticeable amount. I was kind of a giddy idiot one night, so stoked on la verità del libro di mormon. 

I found out that in Torino one of my investigators got baptized, a little 9 year old of a family I helped reactivate and loveeeee. The ones that gave me the giant stuffed dog that I sleep with. And one of my beloved investigators I found out is getting baptized next week! I teared up when I found out and said a bunch of prayers immediately. So sad that I couldn't be there.

You know how people say Van Gogh and Pacasso were more appreciated after they died? Not that I am Van Gogh, and not that I am unappreciated, but man the love the members and investigators have shown me the past few days when they found out I was leaving was incredible. I am so bummed I was only here for a blink of an eye, and I was sad no one would remember me, but I don't think that will be the case. Even some brand new investigators came to say goodbye to me! :'(

I balled at the branch president's house the night I found out, as we knelt to pray after an FHE together he said a really great prayer about/for me, man I was a sobber. Who am I haha. 

Another cool thing is that we got to see the Arbogast couple! They ended up getting stuck out here for a couple days and I had to be the translator for Elder Arbogast and the mechanic. It was great to hang out with them, they were the senior couple over Bergamo, and Sorella Van Alfen was with them for her first 6 months in Vicenza. So it was like being with our grandparents for a weekend. 

I would send pics of our adventures of the oh so beautiful San Remo, but I keep forgetting the card reader. 

Guys, I love the branch here. I learned to love people in a whole new way. I feel like this was a huge growth spurt. My companions are sooo great. I miss them already. I'm stoked for the next adventure, wee bit nervous haha. Time is flying out here! 

The 3 Angels really has become a San Remo wide thing, even a new investigator called us that yesterday, Van Alfen and I looked at each other when she said it. So sweet! Even though I don't see alot of the fruits necessarily here, I know I left my blood, sweat and tears literally in San Remo haha and that is how it should be. 

Sempre con amore,

Sorella Gillette

 

 

** EMAIL FROM 2/12/14 **

Singing songs of freedom like...


Oh yeahhh. Name the song. 

HELLOOOO! Life is good, come sempre. Foot is healing a bit, still faccio fatica. I jammed my finger the other day during an FHE at a new convert's house, it caught between wood and metal of the chair that I was sitting on, hurt so bad. Started holding my finger quietly, looked down, and noticed I was gushing blood haha. That was harder to hide. 

But man I love my companions-we are going to go bike ride to a lighthouse...IN PANTS. Yes. I'm wearing Wood's black skinnies today and I didn't even know how to get dressed with normal clothes. We always have a blast together so I am bummed our time will be coming to an end next week! 

We had a really good zone training in Genova again. Except it takes all day to get there and back. Sorella Durfee's dying testimony brought tears to my eyes. I have known her since my first transfer and it has flown! It was one of the best dying testimony's I have ever heard and I even took notes haha. Everyone here asks how long I have been out and when I am going home...bahumbug.

I love San Remo. I have learned so much here and I have noticed my growth already. I am learning to love people like I never knew before. Really focusing on the Christlike attributes this transfer. My lack of comprehension of God's love for us is crazy. All the crap that we do, and it's still unconditional...that's love. that's patience. 

Last night we had an FHE with a cute little Peruvian couple in the ward. I LOVE PERUVIANS AND ECUADORIANS. Those are my people! The lady works for a little old lady and lives with her away from her husband, the little old lady always comes to church and I heard she has alzheimers. (spelling?) Well I had the same conversation with her about 6 times of where we lived and how she used to live over there. It was so cute. It wasn't even a trial of patience, I LOVED that she kept asking that haha she was so funny and endearing. I think I got more energetic everytime she asked. 

So usually I start praying to stay in a city or something a couple weeks before transfers. Cioè I started praying to stay here and even dropped hints to Presidente. Then I thought about the whole "thy will be done" and I was like nahhh I'm not down for that yet haha. But as the transfer comes to an end I actually morph into being okay with whatever comes my way according to the Lord's will. Obviously he knows better than me because I wouldn't have been smart enough to pick this cities and these companions and it has been way more amazing that I could've imagined. I know nothing. appunto. 

Well, enough with my mindless rants. I love you all. Shoot me some snail mail? Sarebbe bello. 

Abbiate pazienza e siate fedeli. 

Sempre con un sacco di farfalle, 

Sorella Gillette

 

** EMAIL FROM 2/5/14 **

6 months to sexy or 6 months to sluggy?


That is the question. Next week I will tell you what I have decided. haha.

Tomorrow is the anniversary! So weird. Mission time warp is real and it effects everyone. It should be part of the depression commercials.

Well as you know, San Remo is still the land of miracles. Our numbers are really good, the zone leaders and assistants called us and asked what our secret is...fetch there's no secret and idk how it's happening! 29 lessons, 6 simps this week.

Lots of amazing people are coming out of the woodworks. (For those of you that don't know that is a quote from The District. Welcome.) I really want to stay here and get some people baptized! It feels like the big inhale before the sneeze. Whatever analogy you want to use. We are about to sneeze out miracles. Bless you.

I just love Sorella Van Alfen and Sorella Woods. We are developing the nickname  "3 Angeli" cioè the 3 angels. People recognize us on the street I guess. I was scambing with a member for a couple lessons and my comps were asked by an Indian umbrella-selling man where their 3rd was. He then asked for their skype name but that's besides the point. :)

During testimony meeting 3 members got up and bore testimony on a scambio they did with us, a lesson we taught them and a challenge we left their family. One lady is a relatively new convert with her husband, I invited them to read the scriptures daily and share what they learned so they are on the same track, she said she found her testimony of the Book of Mormon and cried. It was so cool.

It really was a tender mercy because we (especially Van Alfen and I since we are the newbs) have felt very overwhelmed by the immesity of need this branch has. The problems and issues are so evident and there are SO many people that need strengthening. I've never felt the weight on my shoulders about feeling so responsible for these souls as I do here. Especially because it is so small and there's alot of information we know that breaks our heart. It is humbling to know that I have had the world's easiest life in comparison. 

I have learned alot of how much patience Heavenly Father has with me and how much he really loves us, it's hard to know about people's flaws and issues in life and still keep the same love for them...freak man. Idk how He does it. 

Other miracle, I have been feeling like something is missing since I love helping the youth and young adult kind of age group, we are actually trying to work with the young women that are struggling and we have taught sort of seminar-lesson with all the youth and have been asked to do it again next week. ANYWAYS. We end up meeting a referal, it's a member's son's gf and her mom. long story short they have been in my agenda to do casa at their building. We met the mom for a sec about 5 mins prior, talked with them casually about who we are and mannnn I was picturing them in white! i felt so at home with them, felt like we were family. I am sooo hopeful with them. I felt like they were filling my investigator void. I hope I am here for them.

Theme of the month, Operation:GEM #GEMNeverDies!!

I want sooo much good for you!

Sorella Gillette