Saturday, January 2, 2010

Oh the goodness, where do I start!?

THANK YOU!!! Grazie Mille!!! I absolutely loved all the letters and the cards, they made made my really Amazing Christmas the Best Christmas. Paul, Sara, Lee, Collete, Becky, Matt, Katie (James), Grandma, Grandpa, and Mom thanks for putting those all together, they really made me feel right at home and I knew that I was in the right place this Christmas. THanks.
How 'bout some bad news... So Monday morning I received a telephone call from the Mission President's wife and she said, well hello Sorella Robb, how are you? I am calling let you know that you have almost reached your year mark and that we are needing to know when you want to go home?! I really don't believe that we should even be talking about this subject because I just started and I am not going home, but she said I can go home July 6th by myself, or August 17th, and so I chose the latter. So dad to answer your question I will be finishing August 17th, right in the middle of ferragosto when everything is dead, but she said they will be sending you other information.
Better News! I really don't know where to start, this last week has been so amazing and perfect I really just hope that Heavenly Father isn't preparing us for something terrible, because life has honestly been too good to be true. Here are a few examples to back up this BIG statement:
Genny and Francesco- the most picture perfect family ever invited us over to their house for a Christmas meal (the day after Christmas). She is 26, way neat, two adorable kids, a great husband, and somehow had absolutely no idea we were not catholic even though we have shared with them a lot of things. She had also invited over another family with two kids and we started talking and this friend says wow, I really like your religion, infact I agree with it more than I do ours and I would love to come to your church! Everything went a million times better than we could have imagined even if they did ask us "well you dont go around like ringing peoples door bells do?"

Anna- I dont know if you remember me writing about a house experience that we had with the girl who was really pretty upset with God, well every week we have gone back for little quick visits and would leave with her little thoughts we had found during study. Bearing in mind that the first day we met her she said "no way, this stuff is not for me, and I will not accept anything to read, nuh uh" Yesterday we went by and after talking a little bit I said Hey what did you think of those verses I wrote out for you (on a little note I had written her a little something and then coppied two verses from the Book of Mormon in Romanian). She smiled, looked down and said "Its like there is something growing inside me, I want to talk to God, and I am happier..." We really did not believe it, but it most definetly was not the same Anna we had met the first day that looked at as will hurt and hate in her eyes. I then pulled out the Book of Mormon in Romanian where I marked some of the verses of Alma 34 I think, and her face lit up when she saw that it was in Romanian, and then we she told her she could have it she was thrilled. Talk about a miracle, and she even admitted "I really don't know what is going on, but I want to come to church with you too, when is it?" -Let's just say that God is a God of Miracles

Pday to Modica- Today we went to Modica a little city near by that makes Chocolate, but we also met a really neat girl named Chiara that lives there and wanted to go visit her. She studies and speaks English really well, and actually introduced herself to us oneday on a busride back from Catania. She came with her mom and they gave us a little tour in English, it was really pretty cute. The crazy thing was is that at the end she asked us more about our beliefs and then started telling us about doubts she was having about the Catholic Church and she said I don't know if its just me, but there are somethings that are just not right and I am just not convinced. If that doesn't spell teaching opportunity I don't know what does. She is an amazing person, knows her Heavenly Father and her relationship with him, hates alcohol, and I know it was not by chance that she found us.

Emanuela- Another amazing girl who studies English with us, but because of work wont be able to come, but she is intrigued by what she has learned of the gospel, and last night told us. Pazienza with the language but I would really like to know more about your beliefs, and I really like the book of Mormon.

Anyways sorry for another really long letter, I only wish that you could be here to see the changes that are taking place in Peoples hearts. The church is true, I know it because it makes me happy, but I am also seeing it change the lives of others in ways that are pretty incredible. The Book of Mormon is something we can't afford to take advantage of, it is way to cool, and way to helpful for our everyday lives. I love you all and hope that you have a Happy New Year! THanks again for the Christmas wishes!

Much Love-
Sorella Robb

Yay! What a Christmas!

Well, Buon Natale and tanti auguri, or how 'bout we throw some auguroni in there (great BIG wishes)! You want to know something really exciting? Even if I am located on an Island in the mediteranean Sea, close to Africa, it looks like we are going to be having a white Christmas afterall! Okay you got me, there won't be any snow, but there will be something pure and dressed in white! Esther accepted a baptism date, January 16th, but she told us that she is not going to get baptised alone; instead she and her husand are going to prepare themselves together!!!! Sorry, if you think that we are a little excited, we are not. We are SOOO excited. I love this family to death. They are so neat as a couple, but Esther also has an incredible testimony of her Savior Jesus Christ and knows that this is a big deal, a huge committment, and a great blessing. Talk about a neat Christmas gift!
Other Notizia, we just started working with a girl who is our age, so simple, so sincere and so cool. Today we did the first real sit down lesson with her, as in we talked about the story of Joseph Smith and she said "I don't know, it is hard to explain, but its like nothing you have told me is new, I feel like I have always known this to be true." Thats because none of it is new, we have known about this splended plan for a long time now, and God helps us to recognize it. I love Him! Elvira is still doing well minus a little pain in her knee, we got an invite to go over to Jennies house for a Christmas dinner saturday, tomorrow we are going over to the Puglisi's, and tonight President has encouraged us to also go to a midnight mass to learn a little more about the culture, so that is well we will be.
Sorry if I am writing alot, but this week was kind of crazy. Yesterday we got up at five to go do a Zone Bust in Agrigento, basically everything that possibly could have gone wrong with the transportation did, and we ended up spending the night in a members home there. It was so neat because we were basically dropped off in this home where Franca left us with the keys, and said oh yeah let me introduce you to the neighbors too, they will take good care of you. So we went over and had a grand ball! She talked about how Franca is an amazing friend, and an incredible person. We then got to share a little bit of our message a talk with here grandkids. We said a family prayer and then returned to Francas to sleep. It was a really neat experience, and Alfonza felt the spirit and knew it. I guess I can just say that I love being a missionairy, because it is true. Heavenly Father has blessed us with an amazing week, and I'm sure part of it has been to help us have an amazing holiday even if we are away from home.
Only problem with holiday season is that my clothes seem to be shrinking : / or atleast that is what I would like to believe is happening, but it is probably the fact that we are eating a Pandoro at every house we go to. Well I can't wait to talk to you all tomorrow, I can not believe it is already Christmas. Happy Carolling, Johnny and Joe be patient with the Pj picture taking, it is good for you :) I wish you all the merriest of merry Christmases. I wish you a mountain of goodness. How lucky we are to have had Jesus Christ as our example. I know that he lived a perfect life because he loves us. His message of Love, his atoning Sacrifice, and his Gospel that he restored, are the greatest gifts we could every ask for, talk about an eternal happiness.
Alright, I will talk to you soon!!!! Yay! Merry Christmas!

tanto amore,
Sorella Robb