Last Transfer!!

Mamma mia!!!!
     Non lo so dov'è andato il tempo!!!  Its my last transfer??  I just cant believe it.  I still feel like im just going around not really knowing what im doing.  yes, i know a lot more than when i started 15 months ago but i still just feel like i have so much to learn.  I have learned that a mission isnt going to change me into exactly the person i want to be, perfect.  I just have always had this picture in my mind of a return missionary and they seemed perfect in my eyes.  So starting out, i expected to come home like them.  the ideal return missionary.  What i have learned though is that a mission is giving me a good jump start on that process.  I have a lot more to learn and a lot more to change that isnt all going to happen in my mission.  Im so grateful i have my whole life to keep the process going.  This is just my jumping point!   I have learned so much and i know this last transfer is going to be another good one!
     So, yes, we are training!  Im really excited.  Im glad i have the chance to train again.  When i trained sorella miles i was SOOOOOO scared.  I was so stressed for our first 2 weeks.  Poor sorella miles had to deal with that.  This time im just excited.  I want her to just love ladispoli!!!  and love the mission!  Love the people!  I think i really needed just a little change up though for this last transfer.  So this morning we got our house ready for her.  I packed half my stuff so she would have some room to put her clothes away, that was really weird.  We got out a bed for her and we are good to go.  Tomorrow morning we are taking the 7:00 train to go to the mission home and pick her up!  It should be interesting training in 3...
      Next, I saw Sarah and Chad!  That was sooooo nice to just spend a couple hours with them.  I was waiting for them on the spanish steps and they came around and surprised me.  I was sooooo happy. haha.  I was nervous to see them but it was perfect.  It was like we just hadnt seen each other in a couple days.  they look just the same and told me every thing at home is pretty much the same.  thats always good to hear!  I was grateful they took a couple hours out of their trip to come see me.  We ate some pizza and gelato and walked around rome.  it was great!  Thanks sarah and chad!  Hope you made i home safely!!
      Ok, next.  Our bishop had to cancel our dinner appointment with this family (Salvatore and Antonella) this week.  So we havent seen them since last time i wrote.  We will make sure that we see them this week.  If our bishop cant do it with us, we are going to see them!  They didnt come to church either like we were hoping.  But thats ok!  THey are great and we just need to get over there to see them.  They are from southern Italy and i loved being around them because they are a lot like my beloved Sicilians.  Man i miss them.  Haha.  Keep praying for them!
      we have some new investigators that are SOOOO great.  The first is Diana.  I talked to her a long time ago on the street and FINALLY she came to english course.  She is probably my age and seriously one of the cutest girls i have meet in Italy.  And she just loves us.  She came to english course last night just to see us!  she said she was dead tired but wanted to come to see us.  then they invited her to stay for institute and she did!  We are seeing her today and we will see how that goes.  She is really religious and ports her prayer necklace all the time.  SO have a little explaining to do.  haha.   But she likes what she sees so far!
    Then there is Paola.  I think we found her last thursday because she came to an activity with a member.  She is a little off but really great.  She has been severly depressed but has already changed so much in the past couple days.  She writes poetry but for the past several years hasnt been capable of doing it.  we went to see her monday night and after church the day before she wrote like 4 poems for the first time!  and they were beautiful!  She came to church and loved it!  singing all the hymns with us and closing her eyes and so concentrated during the sacrament.  it was sweet!  We also invited her to baptized June 23 and she agreed!!!! So we will be busy getting her ready for that!  ILl have to take a pic and send it to you.
    By the way, somehow i deleted the pictures on my memory card... just of the past month and a half but im still really sad.... im glad i at least sent a couple in emails.  man.  Im not very smart.... Giorgia always tells me im a disaster!  haha.  Its sometimes very true.  She is doing good but is now going to be working all day, every day.  Yesterday i asked if she thought the chruch was true.  She said she didnt know.  Then i told her that I knew that she knew it was true and she couldnt deny it at all.  She just needs to get some courage to forgive heavenly father and let the atonement heal her heart.
      I think thats about it for us today!  We have seen so many miracles in the past week and i know this work is the Lords work.  I have had the goal to go to bed every night exhausted because i had given it my all that day.  I know as we give it our all the lord makes up for the rest.  And he blesses us more than we will ever know.  I love being apart of this work!  Being a missionary makes me happy every day!  I have one more transfer to wear my tag and ill wear it proudly!  I love Ladispoli and i want to give it my all.  They deserve it!  Thanks for you love and support.  I love my family and friends.  I miss you but ill see you soon!  Until then, know you are always in my thoughts and prayers!
Love,
Sorella Chelsea

Sorry but i had to send this picture... haha.  Italy has changed me.. haha.  Ill be working on this before i get home.  Its bad though because italians are just really open with their weight and they dont really care what anyone thinks about it.  and that is what i have acquired.  HELP ME!!! haha.
Us with Sarah and Chad.  Im so glad sarah took some pics cause i lost all of mine!!

(I'm having trouble getting these pictures. Once I get them, I will add them.)

One Crazy Week!

Ciao!
     Mamma Mia!  Che settimana!!!  I dont even know where to start this week!  I guess ill start by saying thank you to all the emails i got this week!  YOu havent forgotten about me yet!  Hang in there everyone.  We are all finishing off strong ok!!  haha.  It really is so nice hearing from everyone though.  SO thank you!  Saturday we have our transfer calls.  When we were at the mission home on wednesday president asked to talk to me for a bit and he asked me if would be willing to just stay in Ladispoli.  He laughed when he said it because he knows how much i love it there.  Then we laughed because now im 95% sure that i really will have only served in 2 cities and one for half of my mission.  i just love it here and im glad at least until now no one has taken me away from it!  He also told me that he wants me to train but wants me to be with sorella ivory too so we are probably training together!  I think that would be the perfect set up!  SO who knows??  Thats all the info i have for now.  Ill let you know next week!
     As for our week.  First i should say that Elisa isnt getting baptized this week but we are just putting if off for a month.  She needs to come to church and there are just little things we need to figure out.   We are going tonight so hopefully we can set another date with her towards the end of june.  We almost thought we were having another baptism this week too....  It really has been the craziest week of my life. haha.
      SO thursday we go see Raffaella (sorella askew was here and she came and did the lesson with us!  It was sweet!!!).  Raffaella told us that she broke up with Carmine and wanted to be baptized may 26th!!!  Such a miracle.  we planned to go together with a member the next day to talk to her mom about it.  So me and sorella ivory leave and make big plans.  We called ward members that know her to pray for her, bishop announced in ward council to pray for her, me and sorella ivory fasted for her and everything.  We go the next day to talk to her mom.  we walk in her house and i just knew she was different, in a bad way.  She told us that carmine didnt want to break up so she cant get baptized right now.  Talk about test of my faith. she had turned into a completely different person.  We explained that when we want to do something good, like make covenants with our heavenly father, there will always be opposition.  Then we invited her to come to church with us and she came.  In church she was a disaster.  We all had to go talk to bishop and she cried and said she just isnt happy.  Bishop kindly told her that she wont be happy till she makes a decision and plan to get baptized (either break up with carmine or stay together but move in with her parents).  We set up an appointment and went to see her monday afternoon.  We get there and she told us that she is going to be baptized on saturday and that carmine was coming home so we needed to stay so we could be her support while she told him.  she was sooooo strong at the beginning and told him she was moving into her parents house and they wouldh ave to figure out if they were staying together or not.  somehow by the end of the conversation carmine had changed her mind into not getting baptized on saturday.  So we kinda made one big huge loop.  I just know how unhappy she is and how happy she will be when she decided to make that step.  We are still praying for her so much.  I LOVE HER!  It makes me so sad to see her how she is.  Sorry for all the detail but this is a lot so that i have it all written.
     We did see a huge miracle among all of this though.  Friday night we went with our bishop and his wife to eat dinner with a family.  It was PERFECT.  They are so prepared for the gospel is crazy!  We are having dinner with them again on saturday and im so excited.  Its even more of a miracle because at the begining of the transfer we made goals.  We wanted to find a family.  But we went further and said a family ready for the gospel and the blessing of being sealed as a family with 3 kids.  Well, this family has 2 little twin girls and a little boy.  Such a miracle.  I know prayer works and really works when we are specific.  ILl have to tell you the whole story.  Its pretty sweet.  anyway, we are really excited to start teaching them!
     Other investigators are doing good but not really progressing.  Giorgia starts working full time soon and cant come to church anymore.  She will work every day from 8 to 8.  I dont even think thats legal... She is still reading though and LOVED mosiah 2.  we read it together and she was underlining which is huge for her!  The Russians we havent seen.  Hopefully this week but they said they are busy.  The work is going good though.  I love my little Ladispoli.
      Well thats it for this week!  I cant think of anything else that i need to tell you except that i love you!  Thanks for everything.  Especially for your prayers.  I love you all!!!  have a great week and dont forget about me!  ILl be waiting for my emails next week:)  KNow that you are all in my prayers every day.  I know that we are so blessed because we are members of Christs church on the earth.  And with that comes a huge responsiblity to share what we know.  Dont let chances to share the gospel go by!  Love you and miss you!
Love,
Sorella Chelsea

Another Email!

Ciao a Tutti!
    It feels like i just talked to you all.  Which is because i did.  I dont know how much i really have to tell you today because i filled you all in on everything.  Im grateful for everything that you said to me.  I really can feel your love and prayers.  I LOVED seeing all your faces and just being able to talk to you for a minute.  It was really weird to just say, "see you in 2 months!"  I cant believe how fast time is flying.  These next 2 months are going to fly by.  Everyone here reminds me of it ALL the time. Im like, "hey!  I still have 2 months left!"  Then they always just say, "Thats nothing!  Its going to go by so fast!".  Thank you.... I guess thats what happens when you know everyone well enough that they all remember when you are going home.  Its all really weird, and exciting and scary and sad to think about.  I got my "death papers" at zone conference on thursday.  that was a really strange moment.  I didnt open them for a couple hours.  Im so grateful though because heavenly father has really blessed me with a desire to do everything i need to do.  To study, to find, to teach.  I never wanted to end on a low note and i have been praying to not have that.  I know prayers are answered and heavenly father is taking care of me.
     Well, Im not sure the baptism of Elisa is going to happen on the 26th.  Our bishop talked to us the other day and he said that he doesnt want her baptized until her parents are active.  Which make sense but really puts a huge stumbling block in the way of her getting baptized.  Which is what she really wants.  Today for pday we are going to the mission home with the other sisters for lunch and we are going to get some advice from President there.  pray for her and for her family.  She is the cutest thing and just wants to do the right thing.  I just dont want her to have to wait for years to have the gift of the holy ghost.  As she is growing that is going to become so important.
     Raffaella, not any news.  Still with her boyfriend and doesnt have the courage to do anything. Sunday we went over there for her birthday with bishop and his wife.  I dont remember what was said but she started talkinga bout how she just wants a family and to be a mom.  Carmine, the boyfriend, then said, " im not saying never..."  Basically he has NO desire to get married and have a family.  She is 29 and he is 35 almost 36.  I just feel like she is wasting time that she could use to get baptized and find someone great in the church!  I hope soon (Preferably in the next 2 months) that she can see that.  That she can get over the fear of being alone for a min and have faith in the plan heavenly father has for her.
     You all saw Giorgia.  She is doing good and making progress a little at a time.  I know she will come around but its going to be a slow process for her.  You will all meet her one day!  She LOVED both my families. She loved getting to see where we come from and who you all are because we talk all about our families!
     Last thing, Pray for our referral family that our bishop has for us.  we are going with him and his wife to eat dinner with a family on friday night.  the brother of the husband is a member in another ward in our stake but they both came to our ward on sunday.  Bishop set up an appointment for us and im really excited for it!  I just want to teach a family!  This could be it!  Me and sorella Ivory are praying so much for them!  Ill let you know how it all goes.
     Well i think thats about it.  I have been so blessed in the past couple weeks. I feel like heavenly father is teaching me so many lessons.  Patience through finding, the importance on setting goals and really working towards them.  Im still not a perfect goal maker and doer but im working on it.  Im learning a lot about progression.  Heavenly father doesnt care where I am but where im going.  I can be hard on myself that im not better in so many aspects of being a missionary and daughter of God.  Im learning though that the key is progression.  I can do a little better every day and that is all that Heavenly Father asks of me.  Which leads to repentance.  Im learning the importance of repenting lots of times every day and then setting my mind to do better.  Im so grateful for the thousands of chances heavenly father gives me through the atonement of jesus christ.  There is an article in the april ensign by elder bednar about the atonement and he talks about good people using the atonement to be better. its sooooo good!  READ IT! :)
    Have a great week!  Thanks again for saturday!  I loved talking to my family.  YOu are the best ones!!!  And i really mean it! ILl talk to you all next week!  vi voglio tanto bene! A dopo!
Love,
Sorella Chelsea
P.S.  Jenna!  Thanks for the pics!!!  YOu are just going to have a baby soon and that is SOOOOO weird to me!  Keep me updated.  Which brings me to my next point... DANI BREE!!!!  You are going to have a baby??  SEND ME AN EMAIL!!!!

3 More Days!

Buon Giorno a tutti!!
      Mamma Mia!  Ci parliamo fra 3 giorni!!  Che Bello!!  Ok, just so we are all set.  We are talking THIS saturday.   I will be using emily's account again.  If im not there, if its not working, Call me!  we are going to try at Giorgias first and see if it works, if not we will come to internet point!  Either way we will talk to each other.  Moss family first at 11 your time and buma family after the ivory family at 11 your time as well (5:00 and 7:00 my time).  Be there or be square!
      As far as the week goes.  Elisa is still on for baptism.  may 26th at 5:00.  Man, she is the cutest little thing.  Haha.  I love teaching children.  It really helps me remember how simple the gospel really is.  THey are so in tune with the spirit and its so great to see.  We taught her the plan of salvation this week. Its crazy hearing her mom teach with us.  She has been less active for a little over a year now but you would never guess.  You can tell how strong she was in the church just from listening to her teach.  We still dont really know what happened with her but we will figure it out.  I know it started with the fact that they got divorced and then she didnt like going to church because they talked about families being together forever and she just was sad and didnt like it.  It kind of scares me though.  I have really learned that even the strongest can fall if they arent careful.  There isnt any point in our lives that we can just say, "ok from now on i can just cruise it out."  Its a constant process.  Satan works on everyone.  Its really interesting being able to learn so much on a mission about my future life just from getting to know and watching others.
     We had a lesson with GIorgia this week on the word of wisdom...  She smokes and she knows we dont like it and that we want her to quit but we hadnt ever really explained why yet.  Well, lets just say that that was a little hard.  It was such a hard lesson because its something i know is hurting her (from a gospel stand point and also a physical) but she just doesnt care enough.  I just love her and i want her life to be better and i know it can through the gospel.  I love free agency and im glad we have it but sometimes i just want to force her to just try it because i know she would be so much happier after.  She is making tiny steps but just at her own speed.  She hardly ever smokes around us and i love that.  I told her she just has to be around us all the time!
      Ok, i think that is the last story i can tell today.  We went and had a lesson with Raffaella yesterday.  It was AMAZING!  I really have never felt so guided in what i was saying before.  She told us of a dream she had of her grandma that passed away crying.  Then raffaella said she didnt exactly know why but she felt like it was because they feel the same.  They seem to be happy but just really arent.  I felt and knew so clearly why her grandma was crying.  I felt so strange but i told Raffaella exactly what i felt i needed to say.  That her grandma is crying because she's not happy where she is and is waiting to be baptized.  That they both do feel the same way and that's because they are both missing the gospel in their lives. the spirit seriously was so strong.  I hope it really hit her.  She knows what she needs to do and just won't do it and it's hard.  I know heavenly father is just waiting for her and doing all he can to help give her the faith and strength she needs to do it.
     Well, i think that's all for  this week.  I'll just be talking to you all on saturday and it will be perfect.  Ill try and think of all the good things i can tell you.  Love you all so much.  I thank heavenly father often for the family and the friends i have been blessed with!  Thanks for your emails every week!  I feel your love and i cant tell you how much that helps me.  Talk to you all soon!  Have a good 3 days till then!
Love,
Sorella Chelsea

Happy May!

Ciao a tutti!!
    ITS MAY???  What happened?  I dont even know where my life is going.
 Its crazy.  And really is scary how fast time really goes.  But im just
taking it one day at a time and making sure im loving it.  Im grateful
every day to be where i am.  We have had some pretty sweet miracles this
week and im so excited to tell you about them.  Im learning how much
heavenly father knows me individually and really hears and answers our
prayers.  I had a really cool testimony builder of prayer and the love
heavenly father and the savior have for me, sorella buma, this week.  Ill
share it with you guys when i talk to you a week from Saturday!!!  it was
so sweet.  Man, im grateful for the gospel!  I often am walking on the
streets and just thinking about all the people that are around me that dont
know what they are missing.  Its motivating to open my mouth even if its
hard.  Share what you know!  I have good plans for when i get home.  We are
blessed to be the angels that can share the beautiful message of the gospel
to those who are kept from the truth because they just dont know where to
find it.
   First miracle of the week.  THis is going to be hard to explain but i
will do my best.  Ok, so Andreina, the old lady, has a russian family
(Grandma, daughter and grandson) that live next door to her.  The grandson
about 2 months ago go hit by a car and has had to have surgery on his leg.
 He doesnt really have friends and so andreina invites him over to just
keep each other company.  One time we went to see her and he was there.  We
left him a book of mormon and explained it a little.  THat was about 6
weeks ago.  Flash now to 3 days ago.  We saw him and his mom walking on the
street.  We remembered it had been his birthday so we asked if we could
bring brownies over (everyone here LOVES brownies).  So the next day we
went over there.  They were soooooo appreciative.  THe mom was so touched.
 Her son is 23 and just kind of awkward.  Really not socially mature for
his age.  Then there was the grandma who doesnt speak a word of Italian.
 So we are talking about the book of mormon and she was so anxious just to
touch it.  I handed it to her and watched her flipping through the pages
just with this desire to know this book.  we invited them all to read the
introduction so we could talk about it more the next time.  THen we said a
prayer and got up to leave.  THe grandma hugged me and looked me in the
eyes for a good minute just crying.  SHe didnt need to say anything.  I
know she was touched so strongly by the spirit.  Im so excited to see what
happens with them.  They are great.  Pray for them.
  Other big miracle is that we have a baptismal date!  the 26th of this
month!!!!!!  THe little girl i told you about last week.  We went and saw
her sunday.  She is the cutest thing and just wants this so bad.  The mom
was great and has such a strong testimony of the church.  Her and her
husband are seperated now and have both stopped coming to church but have
the strongest testimony.  The dad was there for the last part of the lesson
was so happy she is getting baptized.  I hope this is something that can
help bring this family back to church.  IT was so sad for me to see them
both know its true but not be doing what they know is right.  I know the
mom has stopped keeping pretty much all the commandments now.  Its hard for
me to see this family that was so strong in the church be on such a
different path now.
    Giorgia told us she wouldnt be in church on sunday but came anyway.
 She fights it but she cant resist it!  haha.  I love her.  She NEVER prays
while we are there.  But this week she did it!!!  We wrote it down for her
(she told us what she wanted to say) and then read it.  It was the first
time she has prayed outloud in a LONG time and she felt the spirit.  Piano
piano she is coming around.  im excited for you guys to get to say hi to
her when we talk!
    Our other investigators are doing well.  No one that is making really
good progress but we are going to find so new ones!  Finding is hard but so
funny and great and necessary.  ANd thats what we are going to do!
    Other things for this week?  Yesterday was another festival here so we
went to a big forest with our ward.  It rained the whole time but it was
fun anyway.  I say it a lot but i love our ward here.  They are the best
ones! I think thats pretty much it though.  It was a good week!  So many
blessings and so many things to be thankful for.  And my family and friends
are right at the top of that.  Thanks for your emails you send me every
week!  I really love you and pray for you daily.  Have a great week and ill
talk to you all next week!!!  Love you and miss you all!
Love,
Sorella Chelsea

no pictures... sorry but this computer is STRUGGLING!!!!