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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

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