1...

Mamma Mia!
      Well, this is really weird.  I never really saw the day coming that i would be writing my last email.  I wish i could explain to all of you how im feeling right now.  But i cant.  Im definitely excited to be home again but its been really hard saying bye to everyone.  But then at the same time it doesnt seem real and im going to really be hit hard on friday i think.
     This week was sweet though!  Baptism in the sea!  It was the coolest thing i have ever seen.  I spoke and all went well.  The mom was there and bore her testimony as well.  I really hope this is her stepping stone to come back to church.  (im soooooo hot right now this is going to be a short email because we are all dying!!!!)  Elisa was so happy!  She is just the cutest thing.  Gentile is the perfect word to describe her.  Hopefully i can send pics today, if not, just know that you will see them all this weekend!  It was so nice not having to fill a font!  There were no problems in that area.    Sunday she got confirmed and her mom and dad were both there.  I have a really strong connection with her mom.  I know i needed to meet her and there is a reason Elisa was baptized before i left.  I love her.  Im so grateful for internet so i cant continue to talk to these people i love!
    We are leaving but we should come back to finish this.  hopefully ill write more tonight.  If not, know that i love you and that ill see you and talk to you soon!!!  Holy cow!  LOVE YOU ALLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
     A couple hours later im finishing this.  We just went bowling with some other anziani and it was great.  Its too hot to be outside so it was perfect.  Ill get some pics attached to this.
    As far as the rest of the week, its pretty much just been saying good bye to everyone.  We had an awesome fourth of july bbq with a couple in our ward.  They have been married since september and are the best ones.  It was so fun.  We made sloppy joes for them, ate hotdogs and pancakes.  Plus sorella ivory shared her tradition with us and we made a flag cake.  It was so cute.  I LOVE them.  He is counting on me being here in Italy next May for his birthday.  I hope i can really make it!!  I am so grateful for the people i know here in Ladispoli.  President Kelly always says its the best ward and it really is.  It has grown so much in the past 10 years and the members are all really strong.  We dont even have tons of less actives that we can really visit.
     On sunday, bishop passed me a note asking me if i wanted to say bye to the ward before i go.  As soon as i read the note i got choked up.  It was a disaster.  I just cried the whole time.  Literally.  They have become my ward and it was the hardest thing to look at these people i love and know it wasnt going to be the same the next sunday.  For the first time, standing up and bearing my testimony to them, it hit me that i really was leaving.  I hope one day you all get to come back here and meet them.  Friends and family included.  They have such a big piece of my heart.  I served here for 9 months and have loved every minute of it.  Im convinced that i couldnt have done that in any other city.
     Tomorrow morning ill finish packing my bags and be on the train at 11 to go to Rome.  The dying missionaries are all going to see the temple and then we have to be at the office at 230.  It doesnt seem real at all.  I have finished saying bye to most people here, just another family in the ward tonight, and then tomorrow morning ill have to say bye to Raffaella and Giorgia.  thats going to be the hard one.  I think Giorgia is coming with us to the Termini station in Rome.  Im sure some tears will be shed there.  I just love her with all my heart.  Oh, and also Umberto is soooooo cute.  He is coming to say bye to me in the airport!!! haha.  We leave early but he didnt care.  He just wants to come and salute me one last time!
     I wish i could explain to you how i feel.  I had a really cool experience during the sacrament on sunday and i know i have done what i needed to do here.  I love being a missionary.  I love it.  I have learned and understood the importance of our message a little bit more every day.  I didnt serve a perfect mission but with time i have understood that that was never expected of me .  I love this Gospel.  I love my Savior.  I have developed a much closer relationship with him over the last year and a half.  I know that He loves me and im grateful for His sacrifice for me.  individually.  Thank you family and friends for your support during my mission.  We are far apart but i have felt your love and prayers.  Literally.  I cant wait to tell you about all the people I love!  I might even try and cook something italian for you!  Haha.  Thanks for being with me through all of it!  I love you!!!!  I cant wait to see your faces!!  Pray for me during my travels!  Its going to be friday the 13th!  Love you all!!!!!
Love,
Sorella Buma

2...

Happy 4th of July!!!!
     I hope you all enjoy some good food today and fireworks and think of me!  For english course yesterday we talked all about the fourth and the things we do.  I took the pictures you sent me of you guys last year and they loved them.  Then we ate brownies together.  It was great!  I hope that we can do fireworks the 24th of july for pioneer day.  I cant believe all of these fires.  Dani, i hope you guys are ok!  I heard that Alpine has been evacuated.  You are in my prayers and i love you!  That is out of control!  HOpefully it all gets taken care of in the next couple days.  Someone was talking about it here so its HUGE news.  THey only had heard about Colorado though.
     Well, i cant believe that its my last week.  Im stressed.  Trying not to be but you know how I am.  I just get stressed easily.  We are trying to see everyone and figure out time to get with everyone before i go.  Its nuts.  Its nice having that excuse though. Paola actually saw us yesterday and it went so well.  I just talked to her about the Book of Mormon and why its so important.  The spirit was there for sure and she promised she would read it.  Even if it meant that she would have to take it on the train with her and read it on her way to work.  I know it will change her life and i want her to be able to experience that.  She also told me she would let the sisters come and see her.  It was a really good lesson.  Im going to try again today to send a pic of it.
     At zone conference president kelly told us that taking the sacrament and thinking of its importance throughout the week is the key to success for this mission.  He told us that if we tried even harder this week to use it in our lives we would see miracles this week.  Then for District meeting I did my training on the sacrament.  It was SO awesome.  I have learned a lot about it in my mission and especially this week.  I have really understood the significance of having a clean slate every week. I remember when i was younger and being mad that i couldnt have just gotten baptized when i was old.  I thought it was unfair.  Then i understood the sacrament.  what a gift!  Heavenly Father has given us everything!  I love repentance.  I am such an imperfect person and missionary.  But i know that repentance is real.  Its all a process.  And im grateful for second, third, fourth and thousandth chances.
      Ill tell you about a cool lesson we had with a Young Woman the other night next week.  Maybe ill make a recording.  IM just learning a lot!  I love it!
     Well, i have one week left.  Dont forget to write me next week!  Its going to be the last one!  Im going to just soak it all in and let the tears roll, like Lois said.  Haha.  I love it.  Its going to be hard.  I love being here.  THis is going to be a good week!  ILl take pictures of everyone!  Im scared about coming home and dealing with the real world.  You will all have to help me with it!  Thanks for your letters and prayers. Im so grateful for all of you!  Have a great week!  Give grandma joyce a big hug for me and tell her ill be there to keep her company soon!  Thanks for your examples!  Talk to you next week!!
Love,
Sorella Chelsea

3...

Ciao!
     Im sitting in an internet point in Rome just dying!!!  Its soooo hot.  Holy cow.  I dont even know how the elders do it.  At least im in a short sleeve shirt with sandles.  Thats a plus.  I dont know how it is back at home but its just hot here.  Im so glad that im in ladispoli.  Its better there because we are right on the sea and there is a breeze.  Plus there just arent as many people.  Its insane how many tourists there are here.  And really weird when hear americans talking because in my 2 areas that pretty much NEVER happened on the streets.
      First i want to tell you something SWEET!  Cristian.  Remember him?  he had a baptismal date but then had to move.  Well, i heard from him the other day and he got baptized!!!!!  he was so excited to tell me and it was just so great to hear!  He needs the Gospel and he finally did it!  I was screaming when i found out and im sure that my companions thought i was nuts but i really was just so happy for him.  that baptism was a long time coming.
     Other news is that Elisa is getting baptized!  Its going to be on the 7th instead of the 8th.  And we are going to be doing it in Ladispoli in the sea!  Im really excited about that.  She asked me if i would talk about baptism at her baptism and im honored.  I love her so much.  She prayed to know if the church was true and she said that heavenly father answered her and said it was true but she will understand it all more as she gets older.  It was the cutest thing.  Also, her mom wants to give the talk about the Holy Ghost and we are just praying that this will be something that will bring her back.  Its the craziest thing.  She is the most normal person and has such a strong testimony.  I really havent meet tons of people in my mission like her.  But she just cant take the hard step of getting back in church.  Even though usually kids are baptized and confirmed right after, i hope that she gets confirmed in church on sunday because then her mom would come and i think thats what she really needs.
      We havent seen that family in a while.  They have been out of town and they are going to be moving soon so its been hard.  Mom, the pic you saw from Sorella Ivory is of a family in our ward.  They are so great!  Im trying to be better about taking pictures... Thankfully sorella sudweeks is a photographer so she makes up for what i dont do.  Giorgia is doing well but still working.  Im proud of her though because she is working a lot and it is tired but is still reading the book of mormon every day.  I hope its something she will keep doing when i leave!  Right now we are in alma 14.  we should be finished in august or something.
     No one else really has updates.  we have some referrals we are going to be meeting and hopefully that all goes well.  I need to make sure i leave ladispoli in the best way possible.  I just love this place.  the members and everything.  i know i have life long friends here. And free places to say:)  We have been doing lots of finding these days.  I love finding.  the best stories come out of it.  I talked to this lady yesterday and this is what she said to me, "Im Catholic.  Anyway, we'll see each other in heaven."  Then she tapped my shoulder and walked away.  haha.  it just kills me the way people respond.  We also were ringing people trying to get in an apartment complex.  one guy says "Ya.  Im on the eighth floor."  So we get up there.  HE IS A WEIRDO!!!!  haha.  he is in the middle of shaving his face and he curly strange hair and it was SOOOOO awkward.  Then he pretended like he wasnt the one that let us in... haha.  Knocking doors is so great cause you just never know who is going to be behind the door!
     I think thats it for me this week.  Its hot and im getting hungry:)  We are off to see the Vatican for my last time!  Im soaking it all in.  I LOVE ROME!  its such a beautiful city.  Hopefully i can come back and visit many times.  Im also going to get in the sea the next time i come!  thats a little hard when its so hot outside.  Thanks for the letters by the way!  On friday i got 9 letters!!!!  its was sweet!  Postcards from my family in Ireland and letters from Utah!  I felt so loved!  Thanks for your love and support!  I have 2 more weeks to really work hard!  Its going to be busy and good!  Tomorrow is zone conference and i have to give my "dying testimony" (weird mission terms).  I cant even believe that day is here in my life.  Its coming to the end of a chapter in my life.  I want to finish it off well!  Im grateful for the time i have to serve my heavenly father.  I know this work is important!  And im grateful for my savior that gives me the strength to do it every day.  Have a great week!!  Until next week!
Love,
Sorella Chelsea

Being weird...

Me and Delby

It's heating up!

Ciao!!
    Che Caldo!!!  Mamma mia!!  This week has been insane.  Its like 95 to 100 degrees and just so humid.  Oh man... At least gelato in Italy is soooo good so that keeps us motivated.  They say that today and tomorrow are going to be worse and then it should cool down a little bit.  Thats all i can pray for!  Thanks for the emails and for the letters!!!  Mom, its been sooooo great getting some letters in our mail.  Brynne and Brooklyn, thanks for your pictures!  They are hanging on our fridge and we love them. Grandma Joyce, im glad to hear that you are doing better.  What a scare!!  Hang in there.  We have a birthday for you to celebrate!!  You are all in my prayers.  I hope you know that and i hope you feel that.  I love my family.  I feel so blessed to have so many people that are at home supporting me.  I can feel your love!!!  2 families and lots of love!  Heavenly Father knew i would need having a big support system.
      We are doing well here in Ladispoli.  Its different being in 3.  I hope sorella Sudweeks feels our love.  She is doing great but having all the hard times that come in the beginning.  I remember how frustrating the language was.  Looking at my trainer and feeling like i would never speak that well.  And somehow, through lots of prayer and faith, it comes.  I have been reading my journal entries from the past in these days.  haha.  Its so crazy.  I know i have grown so much.  I really struggled at times.  ITs interesting though that i dont remember those hard times.  I had totally forgotten that till i went back and read it.  I love my mission.  I cant imagine being anywhere else.  Sorella Ivory is doing good too.  I think that she will be transferred when i go.  She is going to need a change up.  We have become SOOOO close and i think it would be better for her to have a change.  President agrees with me.  We are going to be life-long friends.  I know  i needed to serve with her.  I dont know how much i actually did to help her but i know that she is in such a better place than when she came to ladispoli.  She is a hard worker and i know she is going to do great things for the rest of her mission.  We have just become like sisters and its awesome!
     Oh, i also need to say that i forgot about Fathers day!  So happy late fathers day to you all!  They dont really celebrate it here.  But know that you are loved!  I have such great examples in my life!  Im so grateful for the priesthood that you hold as men in the Church.  I have really come to appreciate knowing that i can ask for blessing whenever i want.  Iknow there is a difference in families with a priesthood holder directing it and those that dont.
    Also, mom, I dont know if i acknowledged this last time.  I know my homecoming was changed to the 22nd and im ok with that.  I think the topic actually is better.  So we'll see how this goes....
     All of our investigators are spending lots of time at the beach... SO that is putting a little dent in our work.  haha.  I dont blame them.  We need to do some finding and keep ourselves motivated.  Giorgia is doing great and is regularly praying on our knees.  If only you all knew her!   You would know how big of a deal that is!  She is great!  I love her so much.  We are going to see the family this week and im excited for that! Elisa is doing well and praying to find her testimony.
     I dont have much time this week so im going to have to cut it short.  Just know that i love you!  Ill tell you everything in good details over the next while.  Thanks for all being examples to me.  I love hearing from you and learning from your testimonies.  Have a great week and know that i miss you!  We will see each other soon enough!!  Thanks for supporting me always but mostly while im here as a missionary.  I know that thisis the true Church.  Im so happy to be where i am sharing what we all know.  THe Gospel changes lives if we let it!
Love,
Sorella Chelsea

Loving Ladispoli!

Ciao a tutti!
    Well, its been a good week here in ladispoli.  we have lots to
get done in the next month and its going to be great.  Basically im
thinking that its going to involve lots of eating.  Lots of members
have asked for us to come over before i leave.  Haha.  So we have
already started our list.  Yesterday we ate lunch with the famiglia
Torelli.  They are SOOOOOO great and she is the best cook!  Her
lasagna is to DIE FOR.  Seriously. Im really going to miss this food!
Im trying to write everything down but im sure its just never going to
be the same.  So im going to live it up while i can!
    As for this week, I just want to tell you about the conference we
had.  I thought about mary the whole time!  It was an area conference
broadcasted from SLC for like 6 countries in europe.  Italy and france
just happened to be there together.  Anyway, Elder Nelson, President
Eyring, one of the 70, and sister jean stevens spoke to us.  it was
soooo good and just so great seeing our little italians so excited to
hear from apostles.  elder nelson gave a shout out to sorella miles
and im sure she was just distraught!  haha.  She is in Bari now and i
wont see her for a long time and that makes me sad!  The conference
was so great.  It was really focused on the family and how parents
should be raising their children.  I loved it even though it really
doesnt apply to me yet.  Anyway, its always such a treat to hear from
our leaders.  Before i forget, Jessenia and Delby are going to be in
Utah for general conference and i need to get us some tickets.  Anyone
know how that is possible?
     here is some sad news, and some good.  Ill give you the sad
first.  Well, Paola has been dodging us for like 2 weeks now and
finally yesterday we got a hold of her.  She said that she isnt ready
to be baptized and doesnt really even want us to come over.  I was SO
sad!  Its so hard to see people give up something that you know is so
good.  I love the metophor of the church being like a hospital.  We
are all sick in our own ways but chirst and his gospel can heal us.
Paola desperately needs this but hasnt understood yet how incredible
it is.  I hope that we can see her again and help her feel the spirit
again.
     The good news is that Elisa has a baptismal date again!!!!  July
8th, my last sunday here.  It really should go down this time.  We
explained that coming to church is so important so if her parents dont
want to take her they need to find a way to help them (elisa and her
brother) get to church.  The mom was really open to it and said there
will be a way to have them there.  I hope that just one time the mom
will bring them.  I know she has a testimony and she just needs to get
over the big wall of coming back to church.  Hopefully this baptism
will help.  she will have to come to church at least the sunday that
elisa is sustained as a member.
    I think thats about it for us here.  Its been cloudy the past
couple days (besides today) and i cant even tell you how grateful i am
when i see the clouds.  It just means one less day that im going to
melt away!  I want to make a promise to you all that im going to work
hard and finish giving it my all.  Thank you for your emails this
week.  It was so great this week to get so many emails.  Mom, ill be
waiting for all the mail!  Thanks for doing that!  I love you all so
much!  Ill talk to you next week!  Until then, know that you are in my
prayers!  The Church is true!  I know it and i love it!
Love,
Sorella Chelsea

I cant figure out the pictures!!  sorry!  Better luck next time!!

Baptismal Success!

Ciao!!
      Well, this week was great!  Saturday ended up being perfect!  Im going to make a recording that explains everything but it went so smoothly once we got to the church... THat was the hardest part because obviously there was an articoke (spelling?) festival in ladispoli and the buses werent coming in at all.  But we made it there and the font was filling up nicely and with warm water!  It was a miracle!  Not even one problem with the font this time!  I was so nervous to speak but everyone told me my italian was really good and that they could understand.  Thats mostly what i was going for.  I just get to nervous that nothing that comes out of my mouth will make sense.  Umberto was so happy and it was perfect!  He got confermed right after which usually doesnt happen but we got permission to do it that way.  So he is officially a member of the church and him and his girlfriend are planning on getting married in the temple in a year!!  and they told me and sorella ivory that we are invited!!!  So sweet huh!  That would be a pretty cool moment!
      Next piece of great news is that last night jessenia told Sorella Ivory after english course that she is praying to know if going on a mission is right for her!!!!  Wouldnt that be sooooooo sweet!  I was dying when i heard that!  She would be such a great missionary.  She has the strongest testimony and i love her!  I dont know if she will go but i really see it as a big possibility!
       I guess i should also tell you that Im staying in Ladispoli with sorella Ivory!  I might just finish my mission here.  2 cities... haha.  I love it here though and i couldnt be more grateful.  I seroiusly love the ward here.  I havent talked enough about them but one day ill get around to that.  We have the greatest members.  2 families on sunday told me that i have to finish my mission here and then i have 1 month to go home and be with my family and then they want me to come back and live with them.  I just love them.  Its so great staying in places for so long because i really have been able to build relationship that i know ill have forever.  Especially here in Ladispoli!  By the end of this transfer i will have been here for almost 8 months!  Crazy!
     Our Bishop gave the most amazing lesson in RS the other day.  He talked about charity and then we did the best activity.  He said, ok today there are 19 sisters here in this room.  Plus the sisters that are in primary and some other things so i think we counted like 30 present that day.  Then he said, on the roll there are 61 sisters.  Look around and tell me who is missing.  And then we all said names of people who werent there.  (It was like a dream for us because we just had a listed handed to us of people to search for!.  Anyway, it was awesome! I think it was really eye opening for the sisters to really think about who they know that wasnt there because we just get to used to the people that are there.  If that makes sense.  Anyway, it got me and sorella ivory so pumped up to do less active work!  and that is something i really want to help with when i get home.  There are just so many people that have gotten lost in the cracks!  And they need to be helped back.  I dont think we realize how hard it would be to come back espeically without a friend in the ward to help.  I just think about what Christ would do.  Leave the 99 to find the one!
     Sorella Ivory did a spiritual thought for our district meeting the other day that was awesome and has been on my mind so much.  She talked about how our families can be our best friends as well.  But making them our best friends is a choice.  Just like Christ is our brother and that wont change but we can choose to have him as our best friend.  But that really takes effort on our part!  I have been thinking about all the things that i can and need to do to keep building that relationship.  We know our best friends in and our and would do anything for them.  And thats how it should be with us and our Savior.  I loved the analogy she used to describe it.  It really hit me.  I am determined to keep developing that friendship and make sure im doing all i can to be worthy to be called one of Christs friends.
      Well, its about time to wrap this up.  We are going to the museum at Villa Burghese today!  There is sweet stuff there!  Its a zone activity and sorella Kelly reserved our times there a long time ago.  Ill be sure and take lots of pictures.  Thanks for everything!  You are the best family and friends i could have asked for.  I struggle sometimes at writing back but i hope you feel my love.  YOu will never know how much your emails and letters mean to me!  Thanks for being such a great support system for me!  Love you all and miss you but im really happy where I am.  we have lots of work to get done here in Ladispoli!  Hopefully more baptisms to see:)  Have a great week!!
Love,
Sorella Chelsea

Buona Pasqua!!!

Ciao!!!!
       Mamma Mia!  Conference was amazing huh.  There were so many times in the first session when they were talking about missionaries and i just felt soooooo humbled to be here.  I cant believe where i am and how far into i am.  It really is so crazy when people ask me how long i have been out.  But im so grateful to be here.  I love the response that a missionary gave elder Oaks about why we are willing to serve missions.  We are willing because we understand the sacrifice that Christ gave to us and giving a year and a half or 2 years is such a small sacrifice to make so that others can know of the sacrifice christ made for them.  I know that makes no sense but you can just read exactly what he said... haha.  I really felt the love of my Heavenly Father for me at the end of that session when the choir sang.  I love conference.  It was just like christmas and i couldnt have been happier.  We are watching the last session with Giorgia at her house cause its too late here for them to broadcast it.  So i still have some to look forward too.  And next conference im going to be right there in the conference center.  Its necessary!
     So whats new here?  Umberto is still good to go for his baptism.  He got in an accident and so hasnt had a car this week so we havent seen him.  But he came to conference and should have his interview for baptism this satruday.  Keep him in your prayers.  Satan works hard right before a baptism.  Giorgia is doing great and came to conference.  She goes slow but is progressing.  She is reading the BOM every day and still saying a prayer every night.  We are all on 1 ne 13.  Raffaella was supposed to come to conference but then was sick... It was the worst cause she really needed that.  I am hopeful that she will watch it online at least though.  Others... We still go and see andreina but not often. She is SOOOOOO interested in the church but is so scared to make that step to baptism.  She is 84 though...  She thinks she hasnt received an answer strong enough even though she had told us of at least 2 experiences of when she was reading the book of mormon and felt something in her heart that she cant explain.
    Yesterday we had a SWEET hour of finding.  Anziano Roe, in our district, told us yesterday to try and ask people about their dreams (Italians have crazy dreams.  lots of converts gained their testimony through dreams).  So we planned well, said a good, specific prayer before going out and expected miracles.  I love talking to the first person i see or i get nervous and its way harder.  So, the first person i saw, i asked him what he has been dreaming in these days.  Answered something, dont really remember what, and then i asked if he has ever had an ancestor come see him in his dreams.  He said yes, lots of times!  I explained and bore testimony of the plan of salvation and eternal families and asked if we could exchange numbers and come share with his family.  He said yes!!!  Seriously that never happens on the first person!  miracle!  We ended up getting 3 numbers in 1 hour!  It was insane.  I felt so guided by the spirit!  It was such a sweet day.  I also talked to this young mom.  Her and her husband are in medical school and have a little girl.  She was so interested in eternal families and I hope so badly we get to teach them!  Anyway, the best part is how happy we felt.  Sorella Ivory really loved missionary work in that moment and it made me soooooo happy!  This is what i want to help to feel.  A real love for doing this work.  Its great and miracles happen if we put our faith in the lord!
    I think thats about it for me this week.  We still dont know what we are doing for Easter but im sure that something great will come up.  Oh and about the christmas family.  We still havent gone to eat with them again because they were all sick that weekend.  So hopefully soon.  We also have zone conference this week!  Its going to be such a great week.  General conference, zone conference and easter all in the same week!  Thanks for everything!  YOu all are the best and i love you will all my heart!  Dont ever forget that!  I love my friends and family.  I hope you all have a great week!  HAPPY EASTER!!!
Love,
Sorella Chelsea

Spring is in the air!

Ciao!  Benvenuta alla primavera!!!
     We have been soooooo spoiled by the weather in these days.  Oh man.  I know me saying that is going to change everything but i love it.  Its been warm and clear blue skies and i love being outside.  Its a lot warmer than inside our apartment... haha.  Not quite warm enough to not wear tights but i will really be excited for the day when i can take these babies off.  Im a little sick of wearing tights every day.  But the day is coming!  I can feel it!
     Everything is going great here in Ladispoli!  I love it.  So many miracles and i just feel so blessed with all the tender mercies Heavenly Father gives us.  Lets start with the first.  Umberto accepted a baptismal date!!!  April 14th!  I talked to his girlfriend at church without him there and she said he got in the car after as was like "April 14th, ya that sounds good!"  Man he is so ready to go. I dont know if i told you all this but he is sharing everything with his family and stuff.  They dont start eating dinner till he is home now so he can say a prayer for the food.  He is so great.  Reading the BOM every day and coming to church and praying.  Oh and also, March 8th is a holiday here for women and so he brought us flowers.  It was the cutest thing!  Haha. So nice.  Pictures will be coming.  Our ward also gave us Roses.  That is a tradition im bringing back with me! :)
     Next, there is a less-active in our ward named Enriquetta.  We randomly found her before christmas when we were going around and asking everyone if we could sing for them.  Anyway, she let us in and told us she was a member but hadnt seen the missionaries in a little bit.  We have been going to see her pretty regularly since then because she really wants to be ready for the temple to go for the first time.  Since december we have told her that even though its hard (her daughter has back problems and she has a 1 and a half year old granddaughter with downs syndrome or something) so she has a lot on her plate because she has to take care of everything at home.  But she promised us in the next couple weeks she would organize herself and get herself to church.  And sunday in relief society i heard someone come in so i looked back and it was her!!!  I was SOOOOOOOOOOO happy to see her there.  Those are moments of just pure joy.  The ward was so happy to have her there too.  Then we went to her house yesterday and her daughter (like 30 or something with 2 grils.  one of them is the one with some handicaps) accepted a book of mormon.  I dont know what will come of it but she promised us she would at least read some!
     I cant really think of anything else huge that happened this week.  We have some other investigators but nothing to report on them yet.  The work is going and we are searching for a family.  They are here we just really need to find them.  Our best bet for a family is going to be through member referals so that is what we are trying to do.  I have never taught a whole family and i think it would be the most incredible thing.
     Well, sorry its not as great this week but i dont have much else to say.  Oh, we did made a cheesecake this week!  Apparently cooking goes a lot better with Sorella Ivory because it was so good and seriously the easiest thing i have ever done.  We thought for sure it would take for ever and then we found a recipe and it was so simple.  Finally a success!  Things are going well here.  Im learning so much about myself, the kind of person i want to be, the kind of family i want to have and most importantly, how much our heavenly father loves us individually.  Sometimes its hard but the knowledge that my heavenly father loves me and is happy that im here in italy serving a mission brings me comfort.  He knows im not perfect and he is ok with it.  I love sharing the You are Special book with people.  Thats what i have really come to know.  Heavenly father knows us individually and by name.  Dont ever forget that!  I am grateful that He knows me enough to have given me the perfect family i needed on the earth.  me and sorella ivory were talking about that the other day.  that everything has just been so tailor made for each of us.  Thanks for all your love and prayers and emails and everything.  ILl talk to you next week!
Love,
Sorella Chelsea

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!

It's a beautiful day!

Ciao!!!
      è una bellissima giornata qui a Ladispoli oggi!!  I feel so grateful to be here.  This has been a great week, birthday and everything.  I have so many reasons to say that today is a beautiful day.  Man, i love ladispoli and the good news is that I get to stay for at least another transfer!!!  Me and sorella miles are staying and we are really happy.  We work really well together and i know this transfer is going to be great!  I thought for sure one of us was gone but nope, my prayers were answered.  I'm sure she will be the only companion that i spend 3 transfers with because after this ill only have 3 more transfers and i cant imagine it will all be with the same person.  So the good news is, all the packages that are coming to the office will still be easy for me to get:)  Its just taking FOREVER!!!  Sorella Miles still doesnt have the package her sister sent for Christmas.  Which was sent well over a month ago.  Italians just take their time:)  But im sure eventually they will make it.  HOpefully in the next 6 weeks would be nice.
     Next, we met our goal of having 21 lessons last week!!!  Such a great birthday present.  Miracles happen and it was an awesome week.  WE were just running around from appointment to appointment and it was great.  Lots of them were in the presence of members and that is always WAY better.  I have a huge desire to do member missionary work for the rest of my life.  It is so helpful for missionaries but even more so for the investigators.  Especially here because they see our church as just a church for Americans.  Its great when they can see that we are the only Americans here in this ward and that there are lots of Italians just like them that have found the truth and changed accordingly.  SO great.  I just didnt even know before serving a mission how vital it is.  We hear our leaders say, "Every member a missionary" and it took me going on a mission to really understand the importance of that little phrase.  Anyway, now we just have to keep that up.  It was hard but i know that we can do it!
     My birthday was a great day!  Thanks for all the emails you sent.  I have the best family and friends in the world.  So, in the morning we got up and got ready and went to Civitavecchia to get sorella miles permesso.  Well, they had changed their hours and told us we had to come back the next day because they no longer give people their permesso except on thursday and saturday.  Of course... haha.  So we turned back around and went home.  We had to do a couple things for a member and then it was lunch time.  We made MAC AND CHEESE (thanks mom) and ate some chocolate cake.  We laughed and talked about how Italians would be so discusted to know what kind of pasta we were eating... haha.  I love that fake cheese.  Anyway, then we went and had a little appointment with the girl we met a couple weeks ago.  it was great but I think she is mostly interested in the fact that we speak english and she wants to learn.  Then came the best part.  Rosaria, Antonella and Maria had requested that we come stop by their house for my birthday.  We talked and read from the book of mormon and it was great!  I seriously just feel so much joy when im with all these people.  The love that we get to feel as we share the gospel is incredible!  Then we went to see Anna and her 3 kids.  I dont know how much i have said about them but they are great. they had a little croissant cake thing there for us and it was perfect.
     Finally Bruna, the lady that had us over with her family for Christmas Eve, came to corso d'inglese yesterday.  We had called her and she was just too busy to come for a little while i guess.  Anyway, she is really interested in the church and told us that we can start coming to her house to teach her about the gospel.  Her husband isnt too into it but she is awesome.  She was looking at a picture in the church of the first vision and we were explaining a little bit and she had goosebumps all over her body.  So sweet!  And she already wants to come to church so that makes it a lot easier!  Then we met another lady the other day at a less-actives house and she knows lots about the church because of her 2 sister-in-laws (she is divorced from her husband but still has contact with them.  One is this less-active and the other is a very active lady in our ward, Sorella Silva).  Anyway, she knows so much and i asked if she had a copy of the book of mormon and was shocked when she said no.  So i gave her one and she said she would start reading it.  Plus Enriquetta, the less-active, wants to be ready to go to the temple when its built here.  I REALLY hope we can see her come back to church.  She has been a member her whole life but married a non-member and after years she just kind of lost the habit.  But she will come back.  I know it!
     I think thats it for us.  Oh ya, one more thing.  So on Friday we get a text message from the assistants and they told us that we needed to go to the store the next day and buy at least a 10-days supply of food because of a big strike they are doing in Italy.  Well, it started already in Sicily and NOTHING is opened.  You cant get food or gas and the sisters in catania told me they are just in a crisis.  That was a couple days ago so maybe its better now.  Not sure but i just know it was pretty bad.  Nothing has happened here for far and we are praying it stays this week.  Rumor has it that Rome will start in February.  Who knows??  I dont know they details but apparently they arent happy with their government here.
     Anyway, we are off to Rome to go ride the 4 person bike around again:)  Its a beautiful day!  I love Rome, I love being a missionary, I love the people i get to talk with every day, I love my companion and most importantly i love this gospel.  How blessed we are to have this knowledge in our lives.  I know what we have is true.  It makes perfect sense and brings me joy!  Thanks for all your support.  I will write you all next week!  Until then, I love you all and miss you!!!
Love,
Sorella Chelsea

Trevi Fountains

birthday mac and cheese:)

This is a gift from America To civitavecchia. It is here for a couple months and then off to somewhere else.

Just in case you have missed my scary eyes:)

Thanks!

Ciao Famiglia e Amici!
     Grazie mille for the birthday wishes.  It was so great to get on the internet this morning and have all the birthday wishes.  I cant believe that it could even be time for my birthday.  It feels like just yesterday i turned 22 and was waiting to enter the MTC. Lots has happened in this year... haha.  I feel so blessed that i can celebrate my 23rd birthday here in Italy.  I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY.  I will forever be grateful to my Heavenly Father for giving me this experience.  I have great family and friends and i feel your love and support. So, Thank you.  It means a lot to a missionary in Italy.
     Well, i want to say that this week is going to be great.  Its going to be a miracle birthday week.  I can just feel it.  Our mission goal for everyone is to teach 21 lessons (not including less-actives or new converts) every week.  I have been close to that several weeks but never made it.  This is the week.  We really feel it!  We are praying a lot for this and really doing everything in our power to reach this goal this week.  That is the birthday wish i want from Heavenly Father.  That and a baptismal date:)
   OK, remember that lady that we went and sang for and she let us in and told us about her son in the hospital and i asked if she would like her son to receive a blessing?  Well the blessing never worked out because her husband really wasnt helpful.  Not that he was totally against it, but just didnt allow us really to set anything up (and he is the only one with a phone so it was a little difficult).  Anyway, we have been teaching this lady though.  Her name is Mimoza and she is from albania.  She is muslim but not practicing and believes in Christ as our Savior.  Until 15 years ago she really didnt know who God was or Christ. She had heard of God but because of communism was never able to know who he is.  15 years ago she saw a movie about Christ and cried the whole time.  Anyway, we had asked her to read the introduction to the book of mormon and she not only read it but read it like 5 times to really understand it.  She was like, "can we talk more about this book?"  So i start telling her the story of the BOM and she knew the whole thing!  It was incredible.  Her prayers at the end of the lesson are amazing.  So simple but from her heart.  Our obstacle with her is going to be her husband but I feel like she really is going to be baptized.  SHe just has just a desire to know the truth.
    Anna (romanian lady) and her kids...  well yesterday we tried to set a baptismal date with them... The kids were all for it.  We explained that they still have a lot to learn but that with our help and them doing their part, they can really have a testimony of what we have been teaching them; That the church of jesus christ has been restored.  The mom wasnt so happy and excited about it.  She is evangelist and doesnt see any need to be baptized again.  The hardest and most important thing that people understand is the importance of authority and how our church is the only church on the earth with the right authority.  We are hoping that as her kids continue to grow and desire this her heart will be softened.  And it was so cute because they told us that we have to come on my birthday because they will be waiting with a surprise for me.  haha.  I love them.  Its going to be a good birthday!


     Next thing.  Well in church on sunday i had to do my first translating!  It was just insane.  First of all, there is a guy in our ward that for his job he translates for the church so i was just confused why they would ask me.  (Even though i understand as a missionary it just kind of comes with the territory)  Anyway, is was for these 2 american members that are here in europe to make a video for EFY in europe and they came to our ward to film our primary singing.  He was SO nice and told me how well i did even though it was SO hard.  I could understand everything the speakers said but when i was speaking, i couldn't really hear what the speaker was saying and i got a little lost.  I guess thats a hurdle i would have had to cross at some point in my mission.  Definitely an experience.  That translating isnt easy!
     Last thing, we had zone conference this week.  That is the most inspired thing.  I think all of us as missionaries need that every transfer.  Its one of my very favorite things.  Anyway, president kelly gave us all an assignment to study about Charity for 12 weeks and then to write a little paper on the things we learned.  Im really excited.  He told us that he wants us all to become experts on charity.  Its already been great studying and learning.  Its always been a quality really special to me and something i really want to work on.  We'll see how it goes!  If any of you have learned some great things about charity i would love to hear it!
     For now i have to be done.  I hope you have a great week.  We get transfer calls on saturday.  Im really nervous.  The work is going great here and i love my companion!  I dont want to leave Ladispoli...  we'll see what happens!  Talk to you all next week!  Thanks again for the birthday wishes!  I thank my heavenly father for you all every day!  Vi voglio tanto bene!
Love,
Sorella Buma

Sunset literally 2 min from our house.  So beautiful!!!!
last district pic before transfers... President said its going to be a big one!  IM SCARED!!!  I just want to stay here!
Me and Lidia (youngest of the Romanian family) for her birthday yesterday.