Some of the photos from the Milano mission blog

These are from after she arrived in Italy!

                                Leaders

                                Sister Training Leaders

                          Anziano and Sorella Leaders

** 6/11/14 **

l'estate è arrivata...moio.

Okay so it's super hot and I am cranky about it. So humid! Another downer is that I just found out my cat passed away...maybe it doesn't seem like a big deal to some but I feel like I just lost a family member. :( 

Also I got my customs letter and release information last week. The bad news continues. haha. 

But ya know we have scambied with Trieste and Verona and they were both very good. We have had a lot of scambi miracles happening. When I was here in Mestre with Slla Miller we taught 6 lessons by 4 pm and we were late to all of them and they still went through!

Riding the famous pink bike that Gross rocked around the Verona 2 area. Pretty cool.

Cool miracle from that: Waiting for a bus and we both smell some fresh baked goods. We blood-hounded the scent but just went in a circle of tristezza. Then I get tapped on the shoulder from a very tall woman. She acts like we have met, so I'm like uhhh ciao! She tells me she met missionaries on the bus a while back and has been reading the book of mormon that we gave her. She was in the hospital in Padova and saw the number of the anziani and gave them a call looking for us. I am shocked and explain to her we hadn't met yet, and asked her when she met the missionaries. She said 7 years ago! Jaw dropped and made an appointment with her and got all of her info. Then I ask what she thinks about the book of mormon and stuff. She's like "Well I would be Jehova's Witness, but I believe in Mormon." hahaha. THIS NEVER HAPPENS.

I have noticed a lot of cool tender mercies. One in particular, we visited with a member family for lunch and it felt like pulling teeth to get them to talk. So Sorella Strong and I weren't feeling very homey in that moment. Then we go visit dear old Sorella Rizz, she just made me feel like I am helping people. Idk if I have mentioned her, but she is an inactive that has schizophrenia that we visit weekly. It depends on the day how she is doing and she was having a bad day, we watched the ending half of the testaments with her and she was teared up. So was I, the spirit was really strong and she doesn't usually get overwhelmed by the spirit. Her mind was so clear. Then Strong played some piano and the famous duet, Sorella Rizz knew it and they played it together! It was so tender. She was smiling and laughing at my jokes. Then in her prayer she didn't say anything crazy, she thanked God that we came and made her feel better. Later on that day she called saying she wasn't doing well, I asked what I could do. She said "Well I know you love me."

This week we talked alot about what defines a miracle and how the word might be overused in the mission field. I don't care. I think anything where you can recognize the hand of the Lord, even in the little things, are miracles. Dumbing down the cool experiences you have, as small as they may be, is just lame.

I got my hair done today at a less active's house today. Me, Strong, her and her mother all got our hair done. It was really cool because the hairstylist was a childhood friend and recently started reading the book of mormon! Then we watched the mormon message "Mountains to Climb" with the less active that I loveee after everyone left. Then we had a very deep spiritual conversation and we all cried and got to the inner workings of her heart. I think she is really coming back.

Lastly to close the longest letter ever, I have used different aspects of my parents' story so much lately. About how God sends you sicknesses to whip you into shape, and we taught our dearrrr filipini last night the law of chastity and I used the example of my parents getting married when I was 20. 

I am just super grateful that so many people across the world need to hear their story to help them know anything is possible. There is so much hope in everything if we keep in mind who is really in charge here.

If you haven't noticed by now, I love you.
Sorella Gillette

foto: me and Caroline and Honor, new convert after Conference

poi me and Sorella Quinton at my fav ice cream shop Romana's. Haven't been there in a year! But they didn't have pesca ;( Side note, Quinton is buddies with Fish and Lyd. small world.

Kassi and anziano Murphy

Kassi and sorella Strong and skippy peanut butter!

This last picture was sent to me (Debi aka Mom)  by someone visiting Venice and she met Kassi and her companion there and sent me an email with this picture. I guess Kassi gave her my email address. So I thought I would include it.

** 6/4/14 **

Walk a little tight rope

When you hear a song from your life before, it just gets stuck in you head forever. 

Okay a few awesome miracles. This week was magic. 

New investigator from Germany, her husband is an inactive who decided to be Muslim...still believes in the Book of Mormon tho, very interesting lessons haha. We set a bap date with her!! Super cool scambio miracle! We have met with them twice and they are suchhhh chill hippies! She already started reading the Book of Mormon!

Also on Monday, we had a few extra minutes waiting for a bus by the station, so I decide to pass by another inactive, a cute little Filipina lady who is never home anyways, let's just call her E. so I felt like it would be pointless. We ring the citofono. Nada. Then a filipino man comes out and recognizes us and he is like "Oh yeah I am mormon too, just inactive." Haha long story short we set up an appointment with him and he has a non-member girlfriend and they all live with the other filipina. It's a goldmine Filipino party. 

We go upstairs to see if the original lady, E, is still home, we then meet the girlfriend, who I have meet before at the house. We confirm the appointment with her and guess who just so happens to have a Book of Mormon in Tagalog (the main Filipino language)? ME! Longer story of miracles short, we have met with them 3 times now! On the second visit (we will call the couple Kaleb and Jackie haha) E was there with another roommate who became an investigator before who I had only met with once, we all watch the Restoration video together. Kaleb gets teared up. E cries. We set bap dates with Jackie and the other investigator, let's call her A.

SO. yesterday we visit Kaleb and Jackie, Jackie read again! She wrote down a scripture that she randomly flipped to after she prayed before opening the Book of Mormon. She wrote it down word for word on a piece of paper and read it to us. I am pretty sure it was Jacob 5:7 se non mi sbaglio. She started crying of how her faith is unshakable! I even got teary. And she offered the opening prayer, "thank you for my Sisters, Strong and Gillette." I teared up too. #sapsesh

Well, lots of other awesome things have happened making this week miraculous. I feel like the water is about to boil here in Mestre!

So after the mission, remind me to tell you the story of the "Fog of the Peacock"...it's pretty funny secondo me. 

And ya, we bike ogni tanto...in the rain. I am a pansy.

Loves.

Slla G.

** 5/28/14 **

mi dispiachh


So we screwed ourselves on pday. half an hour forinternet. But I am printing everyone's emails, even all the forwards (first time for everything) and I haven't received any in about a transfer so I am stoked to stalk my dearies again. 

Side note the keyboard is whack here. Miracle. I found little mermaid for 9 euro.

Well quickly, We had some crazy cool miracles, I set a bap date on a scambio on Monday with a brand new investigator! long story short her husband was baptized 10 yrs ago, kinda fell off the face of the earth I guess, he seemed super interested still and had a testimony of everything and I was like dang he is totally coming back! Then at the end of the lesson after we invited his wife to baptism he was like, Oh btw didn't I tell you guys I am muslim now? hahaha. He even brought his prayer rug with him I guess lol. They are super hardcore hippies but really chill people as you can imagine. 

We got 4 new investigators last week, which is the first time in like a month that we have investigators haha. I will have to explain those miracles later. 

Ummm...I love you? haha. 

Read your scriptures erryday! 

 

Sorella Gillette       

Kassi and her previous companions Dad that stopped in to say hi, Mr. Montagnoli, her new companion, and the elder in the middle is from our new ward! Anziano Lindsey.. Small world after all!

* 5/21/14 *

Turning over a new leaf, to the first one?

Man I just feel so good after reading these letters. I have felt a lot of love and spirit from my besties back home. It's so cheesy but I really do feel the spirit when I read their emails and they talk about their experiences.

I also really appreciate people asking about who we are teaching. Let's face it, that is all I care about haha. 

Well Sorella Strong is great, we are alot of like. Which is bad because we are both chatter boxes, need to do some self-evaluation on time management haha.

We have been really going back to basics, strada, a little bit of casa, even pulling out my classic complimenting lines on the tram haha. Really having flashbacks to Bergamo. 

And at times I'm thinking, oh we didn't get to pray on the street, we don't have new simps technically, only potentials. Well that is how it was done in the olden days in the BG. and you know what, we didn't teach a bajillion lessons there. I never hit the standard until my 3rd city. But we had 3 beautiful baptisms there. So I am very hopeful and excited. I really think we will see a baptism together. And some less actives are really showing interest in coming back, I want to activate!

Luckily Sorella Montagnoli is with my Palomino family in Vercelli, they moved there and I am so glad she can follow up on them for me and love the heck out of them.

I remember when I said in Milano I didn't know what was worse, not having enough time to visit everyone or having plenty of time and no one to visit. Well let's just say I know what I would choose now haha. 

I think we are converting to bike-ism. Never had the desire until recently. We found out ghettooooo bikes and we are going to try to get the tires repaired. I guess I deserve it, I have dodged bike cities like the plague and go figure now I actually want them. (my comp is a die hard bike loving missionary). 

Anyways to sum up the week, we are trying to do a bunch of different things to get new investigators. 2 cool miracles sarebbero:

1. WE HAD SOMEONE IN CHURCH. As did the anziani, and we found their person too! Our woman was a potential I found last transfer in the area book who I guess came to english class once before? Montag knew who she was. We scheduled an appointment ma, she wasn't able to meet with us. Long story short, tried to set up another one, she said she would come to our 'ceremony' on Sunday. I'm like okay sweet, little doubtful but hey. Then Strong texted her Sunday morning and she came! all 3 hours! We are meeting with her tomorrow, and she knew the Nonna! 

Side note miracle, I got in with the young women! We are going to start going there I think instead of Relief Society, there are only 2, one just turned 12 and the other needs a lotttt of help. I don't know how to help her. 

2. NEW INVESTIGATOR. A Romanian woman who was on her bike on the sidewalk. Now usually I don't stop bikers, but she was moseying along and we were searching for a bike shop so I asked her. And usually Romanians are pretty tough and not super interested in talking with us. (Atleast that is my experience). We should be seeing her Saturday and she was relatively interested and superrrr sweet to us! WOOT. 

Well, after a long, boring letter, vi lascio in pace. 

Vi vogliamo bene! 

Sorella Gillette

p.s. pics. from one compie to the next. numero 11 o 12. Depends if we double dip Slla Montag in the counting.

*** 5/14/14 ***

Best Surprise Ever

Picture this. I hear that my dearies from Bergamo are coming to visit Venice. So, I tell Mikhail to shout when they are there. We meet up at the bridge of Venice, first just him then we walk to see the rest of the people. He told me my dear mission mamma Blanca will be there, and some of the Botta clan. Well. We get to the Venice train station where they all pit stopped at the bathroom and he turns to me and says he has a surprise for me. Then not only do I see Blanca walk out but also YLENIA. She walks around the corner into a side alley exit, I run and hug Blanca and scare her haha then run after Ylenia and it was like a movie, she turned around and we freaked out and ran to each other and hugged. 

Neither one of them knew I was coming! It has been like 9 months since I have seen them! 

One of the best days of my life was walking around my dreamy Venice with my mission mom and my Ylenia, with a splash of the Botta fam bam. Words can't describe how Heavenly that was. Only Heavenly Father understands.

So a little something I have realized. Everyone asks when they find out I am an only child, "Oh, so you're spoiled, right?" haha. You know what, I am! Heavenly Father spoils me. This whole past week has been just a dream. Seeing a bunchhh of my mission besties, old companions, my Bergamo's, Skyping for Mother's Day, hanging out with American's on the base, eating American food, and then the BYU chamber orchestra was here for 3 days and I talked with them alot. I got all my fixes! 

Oh forgot to mention haha. This week is transfers! I feel like it's always transfers. Well, Sorella Montagnoli is going to Vercelli to bottle break Sorella Jones, I was her sister training leader last transfer! And Vercelli is super close to Torino, and to make it better, my activated family the Palomino's, I heard they just moved to Vercelli! So she can go take care of them!

I am getting Sorella Strong, coming from Firenze. She is is Sorella Gross and Walch's group. She is really sweet from the little interactions we have had. Ironically I am pretty sure we chatted on Instagram or something a couple of times before the mission haha small world! 

And, I am slowly but surely starting to feel more at home with the members. I am really excited about that! Feeling at home where you go is super important. My invite of the week...yes I am going to start doing that...is to GEM someone and help them feel wanted! Look at them how Heavenly Father does. 

Side note shout out! Thank you Courtney and Derek for sending my Mom a card and flowers for Mother's Day. She needs some loving as I am away and I know it meant the world to her. I am very grateful for my supportive dearies around the world. Love love love. 

Transfer 11/12...here we go.

Just remember, you only have 4 minutes. 

VVB. Especially Sorella Montagnoli.

Cuore Sorella Gillette

*** 5/8/14 ***

Seeing the cari!

Friday was mission consiglio in Milano, Wednesday was a 5 zone conference, and next week is already transfers! mamma mia. I got to see some of my dearrrrriiiiieeees yesterday, including my ex-colleghe Sorella Walch, Gross and Woods. It was so great! I just want to live in mission world forever. Also Monday to Tuesday I did a scambio in Vicenza with Sorella Carlock and I went to America!!! I ate TACO BELL. I was like a kid at Disneyland. We taught a lesson on the base housing, then the member that took us took us to the real army base and we went to the post exchange. I bought Doritos and Bugles. Any trunkiness was insta-allieviated (cant spell in inglese). 

But ya know what, I loved the culture of these military families, it was such a cool experience. Not to mention...the hype for American food is so not worth it in the end. Good lesson learned of making me want to stay in Italy even more. 

I also received a letter from the Hacienda Heights ward again. So sweet! I had no idea so many people read these little emails, I should probably hold off on so much slang haha. Thank you for your love and support! 

Our conference Wed was soooo edifying. Elder Kearon, Snow and Nielson came to speak to us. It was very uplifting and there was a funny joke that one of them said from serving in Germany. For every door you knock on, someone gets baptized in Mexico. hahaha. We all died laughing. 

I am so very grateful to have these opportunities to hear general authorities and constantly be striving for more spiritual enlightenment. Also for my dear companions and friends in the mission that have shaped me. 

So my family is moving into a house in Santa Clara, St. George today. So strange! When I read the email my eyes got kind of glossy and Montag was super stoked too. Stress relieved! Guess I will check out the house Sunday during skype!

Slla Montag is super gemmy, always making me breakfast and my bed and stuff. So I was like, how can I gem her back? I can't keep up. Well ladies and gents, I do say I found the ultimate payback. I brought back a family pack of POPEYES. So that has lasted a couple days. 

Today we put pants on the do some service for an orchestra concert Fratello Frani is doing, when we put our skirts back on we were sooo much more comfortable! Who am I? haha. 

Oh I almost forgot the best part! Edoardo got baptized! He has been an investigator of the Anziani for a long time (I almost wrote a sack of time...daiii italian!) and he finally and literally took the plunge! It was beautiful! Couldn't stop smiling, so much so that my mouth was dry. Now that my friends is a good measurement of your joy. How dry your teeth are. 

In somma. Vi voglio bene, come sempre. 

Fate la brava! 

Sorella Gillette