September????

Hello everyone!!
I cant believe that it is already september.  Thats nuts.  Im SOOOOO grateful for some cooler weather.  Sunday and Monday were AWFUL with humidity but today and yesterday were do-able.  Anyway, thanks for your emails this week!  I love it.  I know I say this all the time but i really am so grateful for my family and the support i have from you all.  I know you all are busy so it means so much to me that you take time to write me.

As for this week.  It was kind of a rough week.  First, our family that we found in the park, told us that they dont want to hear more about the church (the gift of tongues family).  Well, i should say the husband.  he talked to some people at church and they told him not to talk to us, obviously they are going to say that.  Anyway, we went over there last night just to say hi because we were in the area and the wife was so happy to see us.  They are moving on sunday and she told us that we have to come back before then and that we need to keep seeing them.  I think that the husband was actually happy too.  We read him a scripture that talks about Abraham seeing God and i think it really helped.  Before he said that he couldnt believe that Joseph smith saw heavenly father and christ because no one has ever seen God and no one can.  But yesterday we read the scripture and he was like oh, i guess he did see him.  I dont know.  We will see how it goes.  I want to at least see them one more time so i can have get a picture with them.

Next rough thing.  Our ward has created a ward missionary program and we are all pretty upset about it.  Basically they ruled out more than half of the city and told us that we arent allowed to teach anyone in these areas.  if the person doesnt have a job, we arent allowed to teach them.  they told us that we arent allowed to do finding on the streets and that we can only go to these certain parks to do finding.  This is the worst part though.  We were going to have a lesson with Eleonora during church.  We sit down and one of the members comes in.  She proceeds to tell Eleonora that she cant be baptized right now because they are scared that she is going to live with her ex boyfriend again and then have to be ex-communicated...  Then we were in the hall getting ready to leave church and this same member said that Eleonora is not allowed to come to church anymore for awhile.  They said that its too dangerous because her ex boyfriend was violent and they are scared he is going to follow her there.  Anyway, maybe its dangerous for her to come but its just wasnt the right way to tell her this.  It was awful.  I felt sick after church.  I know i need to be ok with what the leaders of the ward say but this one has been really hard for me.  Im learning a lot of patience and that sometimes i am not going to agree but i have to just let it happen.  Anziano Medina talked to President Kelly and he is going to try and talk to the stake president.  So, i dont know what is going to happen with Eleonora.  They told us that we need to stop teaching her for now.  But we are going to go see her still.  As much as anything, she needs some love in her life.  To know that there are people that care for her.  And its in the Lords hands now.  We are praying so hard that something will happen to help this situation with her.

Saying that, i read in Romans 1: 7-16 the other day.  Paul is talking to the people in Rome and he is so happy to be there with them.  Its exactly how i feel.  And i needed to read that this week.  That i LOVE these people.  I love italy.  Im so grateful to be here serving them for my Heavenly Father.  Thats why im here and i cant forget that.  ANyway, i love these verses.  it hit me so hard because literally paul was here with these same people doing the same thing.  And i love it!

Last thing.  In our sigonella branch this week we had some Libia refugees.  They elders have started teaching them and 2 of them bore their testimonies.  Talk about humbling.  They have seen so many awful things and here they are thanking their Heavenly Father.  One of them told of all the people that died on the boat ride to sicily (his dad included) and how grateful he is to heavenly father that he is here safe.  It makes you so grateful for America when you see the way people are living in other places.  Its such a blessed land and we are so blessed to live there.

Other than that, i dont have time to write anything else.  We have found some good investigators (ill tell you about them next week).  Its been a hard but a good week.  Thanks for everything.  I love you all so much and wish you the best this week!  Dont forget to email me and dont forget that i love you.  Im grateful to be where i am.  I know that sharing the Gospel is the best thing i could be doing right now.  There are so many people who need this Gospel in their lives.  Thanks for all your love and support.  Know always that you are in my prayers!!

Love
Sorella Chelsea