Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Monday, January 20, 2014
It feels good to be exhausted in the Lord's work!
Cioa Cari!!!
Well for the first time in my mission we are BEYOND busy. It is only Monday and we have an appointment for every day next week, and up to four on other days (four is kind of our max because of metro.) We were planning last night and we are both kind of stressed (me more so than Sorella Worsham) but Sorella Worsham said something really beautiful that made me feel a lot better. She said "It feels good to be exhausted in the Lord's work." I think she was quoting someone but neither of us could remember who. I hope that I am doing what the Lord wants me to do, and I am really excited about this week. This week was also pretty intense so I will just have to give you some highlights.
So Tuesday we had zone conference in the morning and part of the training was about the best was to find investigators from English course, and that evening Sorella Worsham and I taught our first ever family English course (I'm not sure if I mentioned this before but Sorella Worsham and I teach intermediate English and we have never ever had consistent students so we started an English course specific for parents and children.) and we invited our only two students to start meeting with us and they agreed!!!!
Monday we went and saw a long term investigator, who really has not been making progress, but who has been on our minds a lot recently. He opened up to us and said that he wants to be baptized but he has been hurt by members of the church (he was raised in a part member family.) so it would take time. We asked him to start over with the lessons and pretend he didn't know anything about the church, and then we scheduled an appointment for the following week. Then he showed us his pet falcon, who is chained up inside of a double dead bolted cage. He said the next time he would bring him out so wish me luck!
So we had to go back and fourth to the mission office several times this week for conferences and interviews and we had a lot of chances to contact people in the metro. I'm so sorry I am out of time. Love you lots!!!
-Sorella Spencer
Well for the first time in my mission we are BEYOND busy. It is only Monday and we have an appointment for every day next week, and up to four on other days (four is kind of our max because of metro.) We were planning last night and we are both kind of stressed (me more so than Sorella Worsham) but Sorella Worsham said something really beautiful that made me feel a lot better. She said "It feels good to be exhausted in the Lord's work." I think she was quoting someone but neither of us could remember who. I hope that I am doing what the Lord wants me to do, and I am really excited about this week. This week was also pretty intense so I will just have to give you some highlights.
So Tuesday we had zone conference in the morning and part of the training was about the best was to find investigators from English course, and that evening Sorella Worsham and I taught our first ever family English course (I'm not sure if I mentioned this before but Sorella Worsham and I teach intermediate English and we have never ever had consistent students so we started an English course specific for parents and children.) and we invited our only two students to start meeting with us and they agreed!!!!
Monday we went and saw a long term investigator, who really has not been making progress, but who has been on our minds a lot recently. He opened up to us and said that he wants to be baptized but he has been hurt by members of the church (he was raised in a part member family.) so it would take time. We asked him to start over with the lessons and pretend he didn't know anything about the church, and then we scheduled an appointment for the following week. Then he showed us his pet falcon, who is chained up inside of a double dead bolted cage. He said the next time he would bring him out so wish me luck!
So we had to go back and fourth to the mission office several times this week for conferences and interviews and we had a lot of chances to contact people in the metro. I'm so sorry I am out of time. Love you lots!!!
-Sorella Spencer
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Monday, January 13, 2014
Short but Sweet
Well this week Sorella Worsham and I have seen miracles! We have finally figured out the buses. We didn't miss a single appointment this week because of bus problems, and we also didn't end up in the middle of the woods completely surrounded by goats. (it's very interesting how quickly Rome stops being this thriving metropolis, and starts being goat territory.) We had four investigators in church on Sunday, and investigators that I never dreamed would progress are close to accepting baptismal dates. The ward is responding really well to us and we have pranzo appointments for not only this week, but the next! (that has never happened in either of our experiences as missionaries.) Sorella Worsham and I are very different, but our personalities are very very complimentary for missionary work. We teach together very well, and we work together very well. The combined faith of two, is a lot stronger than two people working contrary together.
I don't have a ton of time to write, so it will have to be a short one this week. I love and miss you all. Have a good week!
I don't have a ton of time to write, so it will have to be a short one this week. I love and miss you all. Have a good week!
Monday, January 6, 2014
Home Sweet Rome
Buon Anno cari! Tanti Agguri! (Good year loved ones, good wishes.)
Alright transfer calls came and went, and I will be spending the next six weeks in beautiful Rome,with the wonderful Sorella Worsham. Transfers were actually relatively boring. Sorella Merenda is the only one leaving so it will be my third transfer with Anziano Burnham, and Jimenez, and my fourth with Sorella Williams (we were in the mtc together and we have literally spent more of our mission together than apart. I think that if I serve with anyone from my mtc group, it will probably be her.)
Having six missionaries in the same ward has been great because there are always 5 other people who understand exactly how you are feeling, and who can help you get home when you are lost, but it's also tough because we are all trying to work with the same members, and sometimes a member gets visited three times in one week without us noticing, so we are trying to coordinate a little better this transfer.
Today is the last Holiday in a series of holidays, so starting tomorrow there is no excuse for the buses not to come!!!! We love Christmas, but we love missionary work even more!
So this week..........
Monday, so hopefully as you all remember, we were surprised by Borris in church this last Sunday, and I scheduled an appointment with him for the following evening. He really likes the church,and he wants to get baptized, but he is a full-time student working to put himself through school, and he doesn't always have time to come to church. He comes when he can but he usually has work. We had a very spiritual lesson about the plan of Salvation with him, and at the end we talked about church. He told us that he wanted to come, and in a couple of years when he is done with school he will be able to come to church every Sunday. We asked him to pray about finding another means to come and he agreed to. Then he told us that volere e potere (the desire is power) He didn't make it this Sunday but our entire district is praying for him.
Saturday we went to a member's home for dinner,and they had a friend there. She told us after the meal was over that she had had a strong feeling that she should go visit her friend Christina during the day. We taught her a lesson, and she agreed to learn more. There is a talent show this week, and we are hoping that she can make it. It was really cool to see that kind of miracle and how the Lord works sometimes. On a slightly less spiritual note it was a very interesting evening because Sorella Rosetti is a french African woman married to an Italian man, and she made us a traditional African dish for dinner. It was really delicious, but it had little tiny crustaceans (Sorry Amy and all other vegetarian friends I have one year till I will go back to my vegetarian ways) and Italians aren't very exposed to foods of other cultures so the tiny crabs very much alarmed our investigator, who is probably the most pure Italian woman I have ever met (and thus very blunt) and she refused to eat the main dish. We finally got her to try some of the fish but she never would eat the mini crabs she told us "she couldn't she had fear."
On Friday we visited a member in our ward who has a less active husband. He seems like he has a testimony, but he isn't coming to church. It might be because of work but we aren't sure yet. It was great because Sorella Salerno expressed a desire to help with lessons, which we never would have expected because she has a baby and another little girl. It's been really great to start getting to know members on a more personal level,and see how excited they really are about missionary work. Also Fratello Salerno is hilarious. They don't have fettuccine alfredo in Italy so it's always fun to describe "Italian food" in the US. While we were describing alfredo, Fratello Salerno started joking that it was a six legged beast from America. He said he ordered one off of ebay once and it was delicious.
Also we have a man who is dating a member of the church and thus they have started coming to church together. The catch is she is Russian and doesn't speak Italian or English (and he speaks almost no Russian but they are very happy.) So her whole family came to church on Sunday,and they decided they like me because "lei sembre come un proprio russe" *{editors note - a loose translation "would seem to her as their own Russian"}* (I get that a loooot here.) So I had a very exciting Sunday with the Russians. (if someone could send me some basic phrases in Russian, I would greatly appreciate it) So the way this family is broken up is there are two Russian sisters. One is married to an Italian, and one is dating an Italian. The one who is married speaks perfect Italian, and the other speaks none at all. So on Sunday we tracked down our only Russian speaking sister,and sent the sisters to gospel doctrines with her, and then we went to gospel principles with the boyfriend, and husband. It was really great because the husband used every opportunity he could to bear his testimony. It really invited the spirit. I'm excited to see what comes of our sweet Russians.
When I first got here I was told that the ward was very anti-missionaries, and that they never liked to make appointments, and I just kind of accepted it. Sorella Worsham however, has been very gung ho about working with the members and I am shocked at how well they have responded. The ward is starting to thrive through missionary work.
(You may have noticed that I am a little behind on updating the blog for my missionary. I apologize and am working on getting caught up. Rather than waiting to catch up, I decided to go ahead and post this week and get caught up with the others later. I am still trying to balance going back to work.)
Alright transfer calls came and went, and I will be spending the next six weeks in beautiful Rome,with the wonderful Sorella Worsham. Transfers were actually relatively boring. Sorella Merenda is the only one leaving so it will be my third transfer with Anziano Burnham, and Jimenez, and my fourth with Sorella Williams (we were in the mtc together and we have literally spent more of our mission together than apart. I think that if I serve with anyone from my mtc group, it will probably be her.)
Having six missionaries in the same ward has been great because there are always 5 other people who understand exactly how you are feeling, and who can help you get home when you are lost, but it's also tough because we are all trying to work with the same members, and sometimes a member gets visited three times in one week without us noticing, so we are trying to coordinate a little better this transfer.
Today is the last Holiday in a series of holidays, so starting tomorrow there is no excuse for the buses not to come!!!! We love Christmas, but we love missionary work even more!
So this week..........
Monday, so hopefully as you all remember, we were surprised by Borris in church this last Sunday, and I scheduled an appointment with him for the following evening. He really likes the church,and he wants to get baptized, but he is a full-time student working to put himself through school, and he doesn't always have time to come to church. He comes when he can but he usually has work. We had a very spiritual lesson about the plan of Salvation with him, and at the end we talked about church. He told us that he wanted to come, and in a couple of years when he is done with school he will be able to come to church every Sunday. We asked him to pray about finding another means to come and he agreed to. Then he told us that volere e potere (the desire is power) He didn't make it this Sunday but our entire district is praying for him.
Saturday we went to a member's home for dinner,and they had a friend there. She told us after the meal was over that she had had a strong feeling that she should go visit her friend Christina during the day. We taught her a lesson, and she agreed to learn more. There is a talent show this week, and we are hoping that she can make it. It was really cool to see that kind of miracle and how the Lord works sometimes. On a slightly less spiritual note it was a very interesting evening because Sorella Rosetti is a french African woman married to an Italian man, and she made us a traditional African dish for dinner. It was really delicious, but it had little tiny crustaceans (Sorry Amy and all other vegetarian friends I have one year till I will go back to my vegetarian ways) and Italians aren't very exposed to foods of other cultures so the tiny crabs very much alarmed our investigator, who is probably the most pure Italian woman I have ever met (and thus very blunt) and she refused to eat the main dish. We finally got her to try some of the fish but she never would eat the mini crabs she told us "she couldn't she had fear."
On Friday we visited a member in our ward who has a less active husband. He seems like he has a testimony, but he isn't coming to church. It might be because of work but we aren't sure yet. It was great because Sorella Salerno expressed a desire to help with lessons, which we never would have expected because she has a baby and another little girl. It's been really great to start getting to know members on a more personal level,and see how excited they really are about missionary work. Also Fratello Salerno is hilarious. They don't have fettuccine alfredo in Italy so it's always fun to describe "Italian food" in the US. While we were describing alfredo, Fratello Salerno started joking that it was a six legged beast from America. He said he ordered one off of ebay once and it was delicious.
Also we have a man who is dating a member of the church and thus they have started coming to church together. The catch is she is Russian and doesn't speak Italian or English (and he speaks almost no Russian but they are very happy.) So her whole family came to church on Sunday,and they decided they like me because "lei sembre come un proprio russe" *{editors note - a loose translation "would seem to her as their own Russian"}* (I get that a loooot here.) So I had a very exciting Sunday with the Russians. (if someone could send me some basic phrases in Russian, I would greatly appreciate it) So the way this family is broken up is there are two Russian sisters. One is married to an Italian, and one is dating an Italian. The one who is married speaks perfect Italian, and the other speaks none at all. So on Sunday we tracked down our only Russian speaking sister,and sent the sisters to gospel doctrines with her, and then we went to gospel principles with the boyfriend, and husband. It was really great because the husband used every opportunity he could to bear his testimony. It really invited the spirit. I'm excited to see what comes of our sweet Russians.
When I first got here I was told that the ward was very anti-missionaries, and that they never liked to make appointments, and I just kind of accepted it. Sorella Worsham however, has been very gung ho about working with the members and I am shocked at how well they have responded. The ward is starting to thrive through missionary work.
(You may have noticed that I am a little behind on updating the blog for my missionary. I apologize and am working on getting caught up. Rather than waiting to catch up, I decided to go ahead and post this week and get caught up with the others later. I am still trying to balance going back to work.)
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Monday, December 2, 2013
Stuffed on Turkey day!
This week was a very member filled week. We have eaten more meals at member's houses this week than we have at all in my entire time in the mission. It has been wonderful, but we are all a little bit sick. Just kidding. It has been wonderful. We did a Thanksgiving activity for our English course students and they loved it. One man said that he was grateful to have found another family at this point in his life. I can see very clearly how English course is planting seeds for people and I am grateful to be a part of it. Anziano Kimball found a church for Robert, and he is very excited to go. He leaves for Bangladesh on the 19th and he said the members could call him as early as the 20th. We taught him about the temple, and we gave him a small picture of the Salt Lake temple that my mother sent to me, and he told us that he was excited to tell his family about being sealed together. When we started the lesson, he believed that after we died our spirits wouldn't know each other, and I think that he was very excited to learn that even though he has to be away from his family now, he has the opportunity to spend an eternity with them. I'm sad that I probably won't be able to see him be baptized (since the goal is for him to get baptized in Bangladesh) but I'm so excited that his family will be able to be there and feel the spirit of this covenant.
We did a mostra a few weeks back, and I met a woman named Kanthi from Sri Lanka (It's pronounced Candy but with a sharper T sound.) I was so excited to meet her, and I told her that she had the same name as my mother, she then asked me if my mother was from Sri Lanka, and I explained that it's a fairly common name in the US and that it means caramello (candy in Italian) I'm pretty sure my enthusiasm about her name is the only reason that she gave me her number, but we had our first meeting this week, on a busy piazza where we almost didn't find her. When we finally did find her (well she found us, it's fairly easy to spot a blonde in Italy) she asked if we wanted to go grab a coffee. We finally compromised and went to Burger King. It was really funny, because she insisted on buying us food, then she ordered us more food on top of what we ordered, and then she ordered herself food, which she did not eat, but instead progressively fed to us. So by the end of the lesson, we were stuffed and we had a Thanksgiving dinner with an American family immediately afterwards. Cool because even though we were in a Burger King and she was fairly preoccupied with making sure that these two girls who were so far from their families (family is very very important to her, and all 9 of her children live near by, and call her daily) had enough to eat (I don't think she understood that we receive money monthly because she was also concerned that we didn't have work) and Ke$ha was playing in the background, she still felt the spirit and agreed to meet with us again. Needless to say we will NOT be meeting in a Burger King again.
I am learning to see how the Lord answers my prayers, sometimes in really unexpected long term ways, but I know that he has a hand in our lives, and he is always trying. He literally never gives up, sometimes we sink so low, and if I were in charge of giving second chances, I probably wouldn't give them as generously as the Lord does (I definitely wouldn't), but he does, and when we don't take it he gives another, until we finally accept him in our lives. I am also learning to see why people behave the way that they do sometimes. My mom always said that anger (and also hate but she didn't say that, I'm just beginning to see how the principle applies) is a secondary reaction. It always begins with fear, or loss, or hurt, or even guilt. Those feelings are painful to deal with and so people turn to feelings of hate, and racism, etc. I'm trying to keep myself from ever progressing to hate and see that everyone is a child of kind, and everyone has motives for behaving the way they do, and it's never because they are simply evil.
On another note, I just found out that one of my investigator's from Siracusa is getting baptized! I have to go down to Siracusa for my permesso, and I hope that I can go for his baptism. When I left Siracusa, president told me that my purpose had been fulfilled, and I think that Angelo (the man who is getting baptized) was that purpose. Right before I left he had told us that he didn't really have time to take the lesson's, but when I went to see him the last time (and cry all over his plant stand) I think it pushed him to consider how important this gospel was, so while leaving Siracusa was hands down, the hardest thing I have done in my life I can see how the Lord was working through it.
Here are a few pictures I stole from the mission blog.... I am always so grateful for glimpses of her anyway I can get them!
We did a mostra a few weeks back, and I met a woman named Kanthi from Sri Lanka (It's pronounced Candy but with a sharper T sound.) I was so excited to meet her, and I told her that she had the same name as my mother, she then asked me if my mother was from Sri Lanka, and I explained that it's a fairly common name in the US and that it means caramello (candy in Italian) I'm pretty sure my enthusiasm about her name is the only reason that she gave me her number, but we had our first meeting this week, on a busy piazza where we almost didn't find her. When we finally did find her (well she found us, it's fairly easy to spot a blonde in Italy) she asked if we wanted to go grab a coffee. We finally compromised and went to Burger King. It was really funny, because she insisted on buying us food, then she ordered us more food on top of what we ordered, and then she ordered herself food, which she did not eat, but instead progressively fed to us. So by the end of the lesson, we were stuffed and we had a Thanksgiving dinner with an American family immediately afterwards. Cool because even though we were in a Burger King and she was fairly preoccupied with making sure that these two girls who were so far from their families (family is very very important to her, and all 9 of her children live near by, and call her daily) had enough to eat (I don't think she understood that we receive money monthly because she was also concerned that we didn't have work) and Ke$ha was playing in the background, she still felt the spirit and agreed to meet with us again. Needless to say we will NOT be meeting in a Burger King again.
I am learning to see how the Lord answers my prayers, sometimes in really unexpected long term ways, but I know that he has a hand in our lives, and he is always trying. He literally never gives up, sometimes we sink so low, and if I were in charge of giving second chances, I probably wouldn't give them as generously as the Lord does (I definitely wouldn't), but he does, and when we don't take it he gives another, until we finally accept him in our lives. I am also learning to see why people behave the way that they do sometimes. My mom always said that anger (and also hate but she didn't say that, I'm just beginning to see how the principle applies) is a secondary reaction. It always begins with fear, or loss, or hurt, or even guilt. Those feelings are painful to deal with and so people turn to feelings of hate, and racism, etc. I'm trying to keep myself from ever progressing to hate and see that everyone is a child of kind, and everyone has motives for behaving the way they do, and it's never because they are simply evil.
On another note, I just found out that one of my investigator's from Siracusa is getting baptized! I have to go down to Siracusa for my permesso, and I hope that I can go for his baptism. When I left Siracusa, president told me that my purpose had been fulfilled, and I think that Angelo (the man who is getting baptized) was that purpose. Right before I left he had told us that he didn't really have time to take the lesson's, but when I went to see him the last time (and cry all over his plant stand) I think it pushed him to consider how important this gospel was, so while leaving Siracusa was hands down, the hardest thing I have done in my life I can see how the Lord was working through it.
Here are a few pictures I stole from the mission blog.... I am always so grateful for glimpses of her anyway I can get them!
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