Ciao Tutti!

Ciao!!!
Man, i love getting to come and write my family about all the great things!  This week has been good and we are going to do some great things in the next couple days.  I just want you all to know first how grateful i am to my heavenly father for all of you.  I pray for my family and friends a lot and i hope you really know that.

First things first.  Its going great in our 3 some.  Its so fun!  In some aspects, yes a little bit harder but its been great.  This is my 4th 3 some for just a couple weeks.  haha.  Heavenly Father knows that i have a lot to learn so he has given me lots of companions to learn and grow from.  Hopefully im learning what i need to be learning from all of them.  we get transfer calls on saturday and it will be interesting to see what happens.  For sure either im out or sorella Miles.  I would love to stay here but lll be happy with whatever.  I love Ladispoli though and everyone that i know here!  The thought of leaving makes my stomach hurt a little bit.  Not that it was easy by any means to leave my family and friends but its just so different on a mission.  I know my family (and most my friends.  At least the ones that write me.... haha) will be there when i get home.  Yes, some things will be different but for the most part its going to be the same.  Leaving a city in the mission though is hard!  There are so many people that even though i want to stay in contact with, i know it probably cant be that way with everyone.  Definitely one of the hardest parts of a mission.  BUt maybe im not even leaving here so i dont need to think about that yet:)

We had zone conference this week and it was soooooo good.  I love Anziano Texiera.  Im so glad that he came to us twice since i have been here.  He and his wife are just incredible.  I always have such a strong desire to work harder but it was especially big this time.  I had a little break down in the train on the way home.  Not big but so many missonaries just kept telling me that im pracitically  dead (a mission term for when you go home).  Its not even true but it just scared me a little.  So it got me thinking and i was just a little overwhelmed at how many more things i want to learn and change before i get home.  I dont really think about how long till i go home so it was just a weird moment for me.  Anyway, its not over so i still have time to work hard and develop into the person i want to be.  We are hitting the pavement though.  ITs great!  I cant tell you about our goals yet but next week i will.  We want to see some good things here in Ladispoli!  Pray for us and our goals this week!  We really need it!

As for our weekend here, we are really excited.  All the baptismal interviews are done and everyone is good to go.  Keep Jessenia, Giorgia and Edoardo in your prayers this week.  I hope saturday and sunday are such special days for them.  Our ward is so excited because they havent had a baptism in like 3 years.  Hopefully that will help with the turn out.  Also president kelly told us that he is going to try and come to at least one of them.  That would be awesome!  They are all so ready and so excited.  Jessenia is telling all her friends and wants them to be able to be a part of this.  She has waited for so long and she is just dying to be baptized.  I hope all goes well.  We arent the ones filling up the font so hopefully that goes over better this time:)  The baptisms will be at the Rome 1 building and there will be pctures to come next week!.

Thats all for me this week.  I want you all to know that i know this is the true church.  What we have is incredible.  I love the plan of salvation.  That has brought me so much comfort so many times!  We were teaching Jessenia's mom the plan of salvation and she was just so confused about who God is.  That he and jesus christ are not the same person and that he isnt not just some spirit floating around but that he is a person that has a body and we are literally his children.  KNowing that makes our prayers so much more meaningful and real.  Joseph Smiths vision is proof that this is right.  And the book of mormon is proof that he was a prophet.  It just all goes together and i love it.  sorry if that doesnt make sense.  I hope you all have a great week and know that i love you!  Talk to you next week!!!
Love,
Sorella Chelsea

At a Chinese Restaurant

New Finding Technique

2+1=3 :)

Ciao!!!
     Well, President seems to always have a good surprise for us.  Me and sorella Miles were planning on thursday night and we got a call from President Kelly.  He told us that sorella Ivory would be joining us the next morning in Ladispoli!  She just needed a change of  scene and is now with us!  Its so great and i really think that its helping her a lot.  We are all getting along great and having a lot of fun together.  Just what she needs:)  We dont know exactly what is going to happen.  We will probably remain in a 3-some till the end of the transfer and then we never know.  President asked if i would mind staying in Ladispoli one more and i told him I would LOVE it.  He laughed and said he didnt think it would take too much convincing from me.  We still really have NO idea who will go and who will stay but at least now i know that there is a possibility that i might get to stay for another transfer.  I think for sure sorella Ivory will stay here so its just a matter of which one of us will stay with her.  I love being with her.  I have really lucked out with companions.  I have met some people that i know will be my life long friends.  Im grateful for them and how much they have helped me grow and for the love and support i have felt from them.
    One little bit of sad news.  Remember Leonardo, our neighbor/chef?  We went down to say hi to him the other night and to give him pictures we had printed off for him.  He told us that he is moving back up to northern italy early this year because he has to have surgery on his eye.  We knew he would be leaving but just not so quick.  He got teary telling us goodbye and it was the cutest thing. That is the hardest part of missions.  Saying goodbye to people i love!  He said that we are welcome to come stay with him in his house in Northern Italy any time we want.  I'm going to take him up on that.  He is my Italian Grandpa and i love him!  He gave us our last meal and it was so good!  I will miss him and our wonderful meals!
     Next, Jessenia is doing great and will be baptized March 3rd.  She has her interview on Friday and other than that is good to go.  Our bishop is going to baptize her and she couldnt be more excited.  I think we are going to sing a song with her at her baptism.  We were teaching her and her mom the other day and it seriously was incredible.  She is a missionary just minus the tag (and i guess the baptism part for now).  Sorella Miles accidentally said, "And just like sorella Jessenia said..."  we all laughed and she loved it.  I asked her if she could explain to her mom who Thomas S. Monson was.  She holds up a picture of him and just gives a perfect lesson.  Even with good questions to ask her mom.  It is too early to tell but i really hope she serves a mission.  She would just be perfect!
     Giorgia and Edoardo will be baptized on March 4th.  That will be a good weekend:)  THey also have their interview on Friday.  They are excited and ready to go too.  We did a lesson with them the other day and Sorella Ivory was blown away by them haha.  Its just crazy seeing 2 kids so serious and smart in the Gospel.  Especially considering the fact that their mom is lesson active and their dad wants nothing to do with the Church.
     Our other investigators are pretty much all just the same.  We need to really find more. I am so determined to find a family here in Ladispoli.  That is what this ward needs.  Another family and some kids for the primary!  We have been doing finding using family night.  We havent been able to find a family yet but onward we go!  It will be great im sure.
     Oh another piece of great news/miracle.  So i didnt tell everyone but i broke off a part of my camera a couple weeks ago.  it was still usable but just really annoying.  Well my best friend from english course (Giorgia, she is 35 but i love her so much.  I dont know how much i have told you about her but she is great.) took us to Rome last week to a Canon store to get it fixed.  They just happened to have the piece i needed from another camera they had fixed and they just gave it to me for free and it works perfectly!  Can you believe it?!  That was a load off my mind and i was soooooo grateful for nice people in this world.
      Other than that i dont think there is anything new.  Tomorrow is Zone Conference.  Elder Texiera is coming again.  He is in our area presidency and im not going to lie, it was really intense when he came last time... haha.  He is just opposite from President Kelly and all of us are really nervous for tomorrow.  It should be really good though.  I learned a lot from him last time but more than anything, i had such a motivation and desire to do better.  He is the one that gave us the 21 lessons a week goal.  Im glad i reached that before he came again:)  Ill let you know about it!
     Well, i love being a missionary.  I know i say that a lot but i really do love it.  I think with every day im more tired but find even more joy in what im doing.  I know that Heavenly Father is in this work with me .  I have been reading d&c a lot in this days and its incredible how many revelations were given for missionaries.  I love that to pretty much all of them the Lord gives 2 great promises.  First, that the field is white and they are going to find lots of people that are prepared for the Gospel.  Second, that they wont be doing it alone.  That the Lord will be by their side in all they do and say.  I have seen those 2 promises in my life so many times in the past year.  I know heavenly father is preparing people for the Gospel.  That there are people just searching for it.  Delby the other day was telling us that she goes out with her friends and does lots of fun things but at the end of the night, she still feels alone and that something is missing in her life but she just doesnt know what it is.  I know that she isnt the only person that feels that way and i feel so blessed to help her and others find that missing part in their lives.  I know that my Savior is with me every day in all that i do and through His atonement im learning a lot and am able to become a better person, missionary, and daughter of my Heavenly Father.  Im grateful for the atonement that makes up for all of my lackings.  No matter who we are, we all need the atonement.  Its for everyone!  I hope you all have a great week.  Know that you are all in my prayers.  Ill talk to you all next week, Wednesday like normal. Vi voglio un sacco di bene e sono multo grata per tutto ciò che fate per me!!!  Buona Settimana!!!
Love,
Sorella Chelsea
P.S.  Buma and Moss family.  I got your packages this week!!  When they brought sorella ivory they brought the packages as well.  Man, we have been eating a lot of candy:)  Thanks though so much.  It was all perfect!

me and raffaella cooking:)

Me and Jessenia

Mom, these are those great gloves you sent me.  I left them in Internet point and then went back to get them a couple hours later.  Only to find that someone had BLOWN THEIR NOSE in my gloves!   I was not too happy...  I had to throw them away.  Luckily i have another pair.









Me, Sorella Ivory, Sorella Miles, Sorella Jessenia and Delby

Last meal from Leonardo

Buono San Valentino!

Buon Giorno Famiglia!!!
     Well, we are finally back in good weather here in Ladispoli.  It was soooo fun though.  It snowed a lot here but just didnt stick too much.  Saturday i saw the biggest snowflakes i have ever seen in my life.  It was just so fun because these people never see snow like this.  THey were all outside taking pictures and it was great.  Anyway, the sun is back and I love it.  It was seriously weird to be able to see the sea and then there was just snow everywhere.  Doesnt seem right that way! :)  I hear Mar got snow too and sara right?  Maybe my quick read throughs were wrong.  But its great.  I will have to say that the snow makes it a little harder to do work around here though.
     We had another small group sunday in church but it was such a good sunday!  So many miracles!  First of all, Raffaella's boyfriend came to church!!!  Oh my gosh i was SHOCKED when i saw him.  i really didnt know how to react because i was just so shocked.  ANyway, he apparently came to church one other time during the summer and because church was only an hour this week, he came!  And he is reading and praying.  Not every day but oh if you only knew him you all would be shocked like i am.  I love miracles!!!  Have I ever told you about Giovanni?  He is from Romania and has been an investigator for like 8 or 9 years.  He is on and off with the lessons.  He had been teaching him constantly till dec and then he stopped answering our calls.  Then i was leading the music and saw him walk into church!!!  Im sure i looked so dumb cause i was just smiling away.  I couldnt help it!  Ok, then we are sitting there and even though there was snow Delby and Jessenia were able to make it to church and that was awesome because it snowed a lot at their house.  But miraculously all the roads were cleared and they made it!  Then the miracles continue.  Before church, i had talked to delby and she told me that jessenia needed to talk to us.  Usually in those circumstances it isnt good and i have to admit, i lost a little faith in march 3rd that she was praying for.  So after church we had a lesson with them.  Jessenia is BEAMING and told us that she is ready and it so excited to be baptized on march 3rd!!!  OH man.  i am sooooooo happy.  SHe is great.  ITs like having a member present lesson everytime we teach her and her mom.  Her testimony is so strong and i love hearing it!  I hope all goes well with that!!!
     Yesterday we had a lesson with just jessenia because her mom was sick and it was so good. We taught the plan of salvation and she loved it.  She has already heard most things so its fun having her teach us what she knows.  Its great teaching her because we are the same age, more or less, and so all 3 of us really relate to each other.  
     As for giorgia and edoardo, they are still getting baptized but it will be the 3rd or 4th of march because of the snow we couldnt see them and it was just coming too fast.  But they really want to get baptized while we are still here and im content with that:)
     Other things about this week?  I think thats all.  I have been studying about angels this week and exactly what they are.  Its SO cool.  You hear all the time that we can be the angels for other people but it hadnt really hit me till this week.  I was reading about how God sends his angels to preach the Gospel!  So all of us as we are talking about and sharing the Gospel are God's angels he sends to others so they can know the truth.  I always knew that but being a missionary has made it more real for me.  It has made me feel an even greater responsiblity in sharing the Gospel and being the best missionary i can be.  My heavenly father has put his trust in me to be his angel here in Ladispoli right now. I dont want to let Him down!
      OK, well, i better get going.  Thanks for everything.  Oh, and Preparation day is going to be tuesday next week.  So dont forget to send emails early:)  Thanks for the emails!!!  I love you all!   Have a great week and know that im always praying for my family and friends.  Heavenly Father has put some amazing angels in my life:)  CHeesy but its true!  LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU!!!
Love,
Sorella Chelsea

P.S.  THe other day i was reading the Liahona during personal study.  In the middle of the talk i decide i should look at the picture. Bryce??  What??  Haha.  SOOOOO random. Anyway, you are famous now.  You made it in the Liahona!

p.s.s.  Pictures are coming in another email.  ONce again my computer doesnt have a USB thing.  at least not that we can find!

Beach and cold weather

 Check out my bangs...

 You can't really tell, but the snow really stuck a little bit for one night.

Snow and goodness!

Ciao Famiglia!!!
   Well this week was a really strange week for Rome.  It snowed
quite a bit there and hadnt snowed in 26 years!   So crazy.  So that
put a little damper on our week this week...  It really hardly snowed
at all but some of our investigators and the majority of our members
dont live in Ladispoli.  They live more in the mountains and were
pretty much stuck in their house.  All of our appointments friday
night and all day saturday were cancelled because there werent any
buses.  And there were like 20 of us in church on sunday. haha.  It
was still a great sunday and all is well now.  We are in Rome right
now and most of the snow is melted.  They say it might snow again
later this week.  Just PRAY for us that it doesnt.  We have a really
important lesson on thursday and on saturday that we really cant miss.
 Ill get to those in a min.  Anyway, it hasnt snowed in Utah and
apparently we brought the snow with us here.  Sorry!
    Well, first i should say that we have 2 baptismal dates!!  With
those 2 little kids, Giorgia (12) and Edoardo (10)!  They still need
to make sure its all ok with the dad but we talked with them and their
mom and set it up.  Feb. 25th.  What a perfect day:)  haha.  Im really
excited.  They are just the cutest things and i have never meet 2 kids
their age that just have this pure desire to know everything and they
ask great questions to make sure they understand.  They are great!  We
are going to see them Saturday so we should know better everything
that the dad said.  Giorgia really wants her baptism in the sea but i
just think they would die from the cold.  I hope that she will be ok
doing it in the church.
   Really quick, Diana Marchetti from the ward wont be going to the
MTC till the middle of March now cause her visa isnt done.  Im
guessing that she will actually be at temple square in May.  Im SOOOOO
excited for that.  Ill make sure to keep in touch with her because you
need to go see her!  She is the cutest!
    Oh, one more really quick thing.  Could someone check on the U's
website and tell me what the pre requisites i need to do to get into
an occupational or physical therapy school?  that would be great
information to know so i can figure out my classes in less time.
Thanks!
     Ok, on to better things.  Jessenia and Delby (Miracle story from
last week)  are incredible.  We had the most amazing lesson with them
on thursday!  I asked jessenia what her feelings are for the book of
mormon.  She told us that she feels joy and peace while she is reading
it but has tried to share it with her friends and they give her
doubts.  She said there are just sometimes when we doubts what she has
felt.  I dont even remember what we said to her next but then she just
started crying and said that she couldnt deny it and knows the book of
mormon is true!  She said she couldnt believe it has taken her 3 times
of coming in contact with the church to realize it.  Then we all bore
our testimonies to her mom about how she can have a testimony like we
all have if she will continue to read and pray and come to church.
And she really is doing it.  They are both reading every day.  And not
just reading but really studying and reading slowly so they understand
everything.  We also invited Jessenia to be baptized yesterday on
march 3rd.  She is praying about it to see if its right for her.  Man,
I love them.  She is just so prepared!  And they are coming to Utah in
September to visit family!
     Well, i think thats it for us here in Ladispoli.  I just feel so
much more blessed every day to be here and be with Sorella Miles.  we
are best friends and it makes this work so much easier!  I love it!
Its going to be really hard when one of us goes... Thats for sure.
Anyway, I love you all so much.  I love this work.  I feel joy and
love serving these people.  They are such a great passionate people!
And im turning Italian... haha.  If you think i talked with my hands
before my mission... haha.  You should see me now. :)  I know that
this Church is true.  it just all makes sense.  I am so grateful to
know that im a daughter of God.  Knowing that all these people here
are children of god and He wants so badly that they have the truth is
the best motivation.  Thanks for the love and support you have given
me!  Alla prossima!
Love,
Sorella Buma
P.S.  Nathan Broadhead.  I got your package!  Thanks so much for that!
 It came on my year mark.  PERFECT!  Letter coming your wayr!
THANKS!!!

Happy birthday Year Mark!

Fighting with the wind....  I lost...

Snow!!!

Natalya (member going to Ukraine on her mission next month) and her mom

 Birthday cake we enjoyed at District Meeting.  Thanks;)

One Year????

Ciao!!
    Che incredibile!  I cant believe that tomorrow is my year mark in the mission.  THat is NUTS!!!  I have been with sorella miles for pretty much everything big: Thanksgiving, Christmas, Birthday, Year Mark and her 6 month mark (she has that the end of February).  Man, time just flies.  I feel like im just a baby in the mission and im one of the older sisters.  Thats crazy. 6 months ( i guess a little less) to really work hard and give it my all.  I am so grateful to be where i am!  I love my companion, Ladispoli, the ward, my mission president and the people we are teaching.  I cant imagine a better place to be.  We had a great week this week!  A great HUGE miracle that i made a recording about.  SO you can listen to it:)
    Anyway, we are calling this transfer "Operation Miracle Transfer"  Because that is just what it is going to be.  We have a goal of seeing 4 baptisms and i really think its going to happen!!!  I think i have told you about Giorgia and Edoardo.  Their mom is a member but the dad is pretty against the church.  They have been waiting for permission to be baptized and finally have it.  They wanted to wait to be baptized in the sea but then found out that one of us is probably leaving in march and so they decided very quickly that it will happen in february:)  Im sooooo excited for them.  Giorgia is 12 and is incredible.  She has such a strong testimony and just thinks and ponders about the gospel a lot.  SHe has great questions and a sincere desire to know.  Edoardo is 10 and is the same!  Its great!  So we are going on Friday to set a date for them to be baptized.  Pray for them!  This will be Giorgia's second time trying to get baptized.  The dad interferred last time.  It was a miracle that he gave them permission again!
    Jessenia and Delby are our miracles.  Jessenia already has a testimony and i think she would get baptized tomorrow.  They just showed up on church on sunday because finally after 3 years the mom wants to know about our church so her daughter can be baptized.  She is SOOOOOO cute and is 21 so we are all basically just great friends.  The mom is so funny and its going to be great teaching them.  Listen so the recording for more info.  It really was such a miracle to find them.  I have been praying so hard that we can find someone here in Ladispoli that is just ready to be baptized.  We have so many investigators that are so close but just wont make the step.  We arent giving up on them but to reach our 4 baptism goal its going to be necessary that we find people that are ready now.  ANyway, i think on sunday we are going with Jessenia and Delby to see the temple site and ill get some good pictures and send them your way.
    Next great thing, Mimoza (the blessing lady from Albania) is awesome!!!  Oh my goodness.  She is really scared to come to church and that is going to be our next big hurdle but she is reading the book of mormon.  LIke studying it.  She remembers all the stories and everyone's names and it is INCREDIBLE!  We have to go piano piano with her but she is really just doing it and its awesome.  We hadnt seen her last week because she was sick and stuff and when we went yesterday she told that she has been reading a lot and goes back over it if she doesnt get it. She is almost down with first nephi.  She said the most amazing prayer and at the end she said, "Thank you again for sending these girls to me.  I know that this was a sign that was sent to me from you and i love learning with them everytime they come."  Missionary work is the best!!!
     I am learning so many things.  Im really gaining such a strong testimony of the prayer.  That heavenly father is ready and waiting for us to pray.  What a powerful tool we have on the earth!  Its crazy to see how little people know about the prayer here.  They pray for the most basic things like for the world to have peace and for all the children in the world but dont understand that prayer is when we open our hearts and talk to our Heavenly Father.  That is something i LOVE about this work.  When someone gets it and offers a simple prayer but one that really is meaningful for them.  I love sharing that.  We dont have to memorize a prayer but its much simpler than that.  We open our hearts and tell our heavenly father what we need.  Then that is when the blessings really start coming.  I know that Heavenly father answers our prayers!
      Last thing.  We went to a members house not this sunday but the sunday before for lunch.  Then on thursday, this same member came and talked to us and told us that he can tell that me and sorella miles have a great relationship and because of it we  are able to bring a different spirit into people's home.  I always knew that was important but i guess i never really thought that people can just feel the love we have for each other and it makes the biggest difference in our teaching.  I love it!  I felt SO inadequate to train but i know that we are supposed to be together and it has worked out perfectly!
    Well, thats all.  I love you all so much and i miss you!  Thanks for your emails and love!  I feel it all the way here in Italy.  I love being here.  I sat in church just smiling and feeling so happy.  Im sure the bishop thought i was a weirdo but i couldnt help it.  I just felt so happy.  Thanks for being supportive while im here.  I need it and i feel it!  Have a great week and ill talk to you next week!!
Love,
Sorella Chelsea
4 Person bike:)

 Happy birthday package!

 all of us after the bike ride

 Us with the Del Core family.  Less actives that we love!