Christmas 2013- Skype

It was so wonderful to Skype today with Alison!!! Here are some pictures I took. She is very happy and LOVES Italy!

Alison and Sorella Andrea Heupel her companion

Email from December 18, 2013

Hello family,

I want to begin by telling you a miracle that happened this morning. Two weeks ago we were doing finding work (well we do at least a couple hours of finding work everyday, but this day was all day) and ran into a Filipino woman and who we thought was her daughter (turns out it was her cousin). The lady who we thought was the mom said that she is married to a mormon and he is in the Philippines. I think my companion and I just about died to hear those words. She kept on calling us sisters. Like okay sisters, see you later sisters. It was really cute. Well we had the privilege to see her this morning for the first time. She told us that 3 years ago she married this mormon and that her kids recently were baptized mormon, that her sister in law is the relief society president in the Philippines and her brother in law is the bishop. And she told us that everyone had been telling her to go to the church to find peace, etc. And then we randomly meet her on the street. Her cousin was like it was so sudden. We laughed and she told us that now she was ready to know about the church. We talked about the restoration and invited her to be baptized and she accepted and said she knew it was true already and she could feel the spirit with us today. So in about a month she will be baptized!! My companion and I have been having a hard time finding people and at least I was starting to be really discouraged and then at my point of weakness God brought us a miracle. A miracle that I cannot express how excited I am for her. You should have seen how happy she was. 

By the way I got your package last week I forgot to tell you. Do not worry. I am excited to see how the ward has grown (our ward here in Florida has grown a lot). That is so funny how much things have changed. Yes I remember her, that is crazy she is in the ward. 

OH BY THE WAY THIS IS IMPORTANT. I WILL BE SKYPING YOU AT 4 O'CLOCK MY TIME WHICH WOULD BE  10 O'CLOCK YOUR TIME. ALRIGHTY DO NOT FORGET, I AM EXCITED TO SKYPE YOU ALL AND SEE YOU. I LOVE YOU!!! 

So today we were walking around Duomo. Duomo is always packed, especially around Christmas time it just looks like a mob of people and you can never get anywhere. But the point is more people think I am Italian. Man talking about the gospel in english is hard. I say the weirdest things. Sounds like I am not american and cannot speak english. We have been finding a lot of people who speak english and I have been apologizing for my english. 

Anyways I will talk to you next week I love you all. Buon Natale. 

Vi voglio bene,

Ali 

Alrighty I thought that this would be funny. Here in Italy these are our water fountains. So this is my attempt at drinking water out of them. As you can tell I still have not mastered it and my companion loves making fun of it. Heeeehehe

The Navigli

At the Park

This was inside the stairs at the duomo. Those stairs took five years to get down. 

Email from December 11, 2013

Hello family, 

This week has been so amazing. I want to tell you this amazing story that we had the other day. It was on Sunday. So we went to the train station to check train times. After we had checked our train times we went to take the bus back to do some finding work. As we were waiting for the bus there was a woman who came with her daughter. She (meaning the little girl) had a balloon that said happy birthday in English, so I said happy birthday to her, the little girl, and asked for her name and how old she was. Then I started talking to the mom. We talked about the importance of family and then she asked us if we were mormons and I said yes. Then she told us that she is a mormon. I think I just put on the biggest smile. Then she told us how she had come over to Italy many years ago and has not gone to church since. We all got on the bus and continued to talk and we set up an appointment to go see her the very next day. And we did see her and we are going to help her come back. Because she is awesome. 

You asked me the last time how does Milan look like and I guess I just did not know how to describe it. You see it just depends on what part of Milan. Some of it looks very modern and others parts very old. Because there are churches around every corner and I mean every corner. You can hear the church bells every morning. And so the buildings are a bit tall.

Giulia does not know where she is going yet. She hopes to receive it this week or the next. 

All I have to say now is I love the people we are working with and I am just really lucky to be where I am. 

Love, 

Ali 

Email from December 4, 2013

Hey Family,

Alrighty I am ready to tell you about our week. My companion and I were working on Faith and Hope last week. I think that it was an appropriate week. We had three baptism dates and we lost them all. 

That less active we reactivated and his girlfriend, they decided that after they get married she will get baptized, but she is still going to Ecuador in January to get a divorce. Even if I am not here for the baptism I know without a doubt that she will get baptized. She wants it with all her heart. I will be happy whenever that day arrives. I messed up the other time when I said that man who stopped us was from Ecuador he is from El Salvador and yes we are teaching him, but we are going to pass him to the elders because we are not allowed to teach single men. But I know he will get baptized and he is coming to church this Sunday. We have been having the lessons with Bishop with him. And Bishop has helped him a lot. All the hard work that we have been doing to finally get our ward missionary leader to do work has pulled off. This past Sunday he held a meeting with the ward missionaries to tell them that they have to start teaching the new converts and following less actives (I was the one that told him he needed to do that and the role of ward missionaries, so I was happy). We have now officially ward missionaries and we have taken at least four of them out with us. Our activity that Sorella Heupel and I am in charge of is happening this weekend and we are so excited. We have been working so hard to get everything going so I will tell you how it goes. 

I remember N, mom you would talk about her all the time. How you wanted her to come to church or at least an activity. I am so excited. Look you guys are being awesome missionaries. The missionaries asked me what you guys (as in mom and dad) could do to be more effective missionaries? Well let me think, you guys said that you are going out with the missionaries. Continue inviting your friends who are not members to church. Oh the first thing is not to be afraid. I know a lot of members are just scared to ask because they might lose their friendship, but do not be afraid. Fear comes from Satan and not from God. So do not be afraid.

I might not be having the same kind of success on my mission but the thing that keeps me going even when it seems like no one else is listening, is when we are knocking down doors, talking to people on the street, it is the knowledge that truly each and everyone of the people I have talked to is a child of God and I just keep talking to each and everyone even if they do not care. My companion likes to say she was paired up with me because she does not like to talk to people and I thrive at it. I would just tell each and everyone of you to not give up. Not everyone will listen but they can feel. Try to bear testimony to your friends. Christmas is the perfect time. You guys were always my example and what you guys could do to that will help you become more effective missionaries is to become a disciple of  Christ. Not that it is easy. That is what our mission is trying to do. A theme we have is the scripture 3 Nefi 5:13 each and every missionary knows it by heart here, but it means just so much more. 

I love you all. Each and everyone of you are amazing. 

Ali

Email from November 27, 2013

Hey Family, 

So this transfer, I am staying in Milano Navigli again and with Sorella Heupel. She only has this next transfer and then she will head home. So she will go home in January. But we are excited to have another wonderful packed transfer together. My companion and I know that the other four sisters that came in with her are going home on the 21 of dicembre and there are a few elders that are doing the same. But  my companion is staying the whole way. 

I have a funny story to tell you guys. So we have this amazing investigator who will be getting baptized in a little over a month and this newly reactivated member (meaning was less active). But the thing is the other day we were over for dinner with them ( and just between you and me I have never eaten so much rice in my life until I met them). But so I had finished my plate of rice but I still had the food that goes on top left over. So they asked me if I would like more, just a little bit, so I said un po and they put triple than what I wanted. And then they asked my companion if she wanted more and they put a little bit because her plate was still quite full. Okay please do not laugh too hard or think too bad about me. But while I could not eat that much rice it was too much. So while they were turned, there was another plate of rice of one of them and so I put about half the rice that was on my plate onto his plate. I would have got away with it too, but my companion just could not stop laughing which made me start laughing and then the member saw the plate of rice and the other plate and said "ho capito, ho capito." meaning that the member understood. And we all just started laughing. And now when ever we go over there is a little joke about that.

The people that I just wrote about, when we told them that there would be a possibility that one of us might get transferred, the investigator said "why did you not plan my baptism before one of you leave?". Haha they are planning on getting married in the beginning of next year. They made us promise that we would be there for their wedding. So I hope it is in February. This investigator we helped her plan the other day an FHE. Because she has to teach the FHE for her family (all her inlaws are members). 

The cultural activity went so well. My companion and I made pumpkin cookies, brownies and truffles. We taught these two young women how to line dance. And so america did a line dance. Everyone loved it. There were so many people, the people were standing up and sitting on the floor because there was not enough space. But because it started very late we did not have a chance to talk with people. We heard that it ended at like 11 at night or later. 

 - The mold has not grown back yet, so we are good. 

Cool story last night this ecuadorian thought I was Italian because of how I look and started talking to me about the church. He told me that he saw our tags and that I looked italian and how normally everyone that he has talked to does not speak Italian that well, he thought he could learn more about the church. So I just want to thank you mom for the fact that people think I am italian, until I speak. But so yeah. 

Well that has been our full week. I love you and hope all is well. 

Love, 

Ali 

P.S.

The less active Giulia that I helped reactivate official put in her papers!!! So we will hear from that in a little bit!!!! 

Email from November 20, 2013

Hey Family, 

Well the thing is if my companion and I continue to treat the area with bleach it will not grow back. So we will continue to do that.  (her apartment has a mold problem that they have to clean often and we asked if it was better)

The world just keeps getting smaller and smaller. Haha sometimes the connections I cannot understand, they just pop out of nowhere. Yup he came into the mission the same time. (We ave a new family in our Ward and the father was Elder Day's Bishop. Elder Day is serving in the Milan, Italy mission and went into the mission at the same time as Alison. We seem to have these crazy connections all the time)

From the last time that I emailed you we had two exchanges. We went to Lodi and Muggiò. Yes Muggiò was a new area that we got as well. When we went to Lodi I was with Sorella Alley (who was in Rimini before) and then in Muggiò I was with Sorella McPeek (a new missionary in the mission). I think I really like doing exchanges because it is fun to work with different people and get to know about them. But with my memory I do not remember all the facts. But when we were in Lodi yesterday we got to pass by this cool castle in one of the small towns and no I did not have my camera to take a picture it is a mental picture now. But one thing I really realized I love doing is placing Books of Mormon and watching them light up. We gave yesterday this 16 year old girl a Book of Mormon on the bus. She had been struggling to know if God exists or not. And she was a little bit confused on how I could believe in him. I explained to her and told her all she need to do was ask him if he exists and read this book and she would know. And she said she would. So one day she will be baptized. 

So we are having this multi cultural activity this Friday. And I cannot wait. All the members are just so excited they are telling us about all their friends they are bringing. And the missionaries also planned on having an activity in two week or so. It will be like a mini olympics. The missionaries in my ward, we all sat down and planned this out and it will be a three ward activity (my companion and I had to inform everyone and make it more detailed), but I am so excited for it. 

But yeah so that has been our week, plan for the activities and other things and all our investigators are awesome. 

Love, 

Ali 

Cleaning the mold

Sorella Carter, Sorella Hanson, Sorella Heupel, Sorella Bucco

The mold in the apartment

 

Carving the pumpkin

Email from November 13, 2013

Hello,

Well I forgot to tell you about that. So last week yes we stood in line. We had an exchange with the sisters from Piacenza, Sorella Carter and Sorella Bucco that day. So they went with us as well. We woke up around 5 in the morning that day. I think we were a little bit like Zombies. Took the metro to the Duomo where we waited in line. The line was quite long and in the end after 3 hours none of us got tickets for the play. But it was an entertaining morning. 

The weather has been absolutely bipolar. But it is starting to warm up a bit. But I am good. My companion was here in the winter last time and she said it started snowing the 7th of December; so we will see if it starts again. I am extremely excited to see the snow. 

Okay I do not think that you guys are stalkers. I just think it is absolutely funny. That you guys have the craziest connections. And I have never even met her. I think that she did leave right before me. 

The meeting with Anziano Teixeira was really good. He really focused on getting 21 lessons. And he challenged each companionship in the next week to get 21 lessons. So my companion and I are working our tails off to get it. We also had a consiglio for the mission the day with Anziano Teixeira. There are about 10 companionships of Zone leaders and eight sister training leader companionships who were present. The Assistants chose four Companionships to do a stewardship report. And My companion and I happened to be the only sister training leaders chosen to give the report. They called out our names in the beginning of the meeting to say who would give the steward reports. It was about the most nerve wracking thing I have ever done in my life. I think my heart was pounding out of my chest. They told us to talk about our goals for the sisters, how the work in our area was going. At the time we had 8 progressing investigators and right now 7 but it still is something. After Anziano Teixeira and Sorella Teixeira came up to me and told me that they really enjoyed our stewardship report. I think that eased me a little bit. 

But you asked about the work and the work is going great. We are talking and trying to find new people to work with through our own efforts and also the efforts of our members. I think I spoke about how we have a baptism in January and she told us today that right after her baptism she is going to Ecuador so she can get a divorce and come back and marry the man that we helped reactivate. And her family can be sealed (after a year). I am so excited!!!!! 

Well on Saturday we cleaned off the mold from our ceiling. It was absolutely covered. We had gloves, face masks and we went to a ferrementa (hardware store) to buy bleach. But here in Italy it is hard to find bleach we went to three different store and we only found the watered down stuff. But it worked and we hope the mold stays away. (funny story my companion and I had to look up the words like crazy to explain what we wanted. I now know how to say mold, skylight, and bleach in italian). 

Well our week has been absolutely amazing. And I love you. 

ALi

Alison is sitting right next to Sister Teixeira, she is the fourth from left to right

Email from November 6, 2013

Buon Giorno! 

This week has been an amazing week. I probably told you that my companion and I have been working on Christ-like attributes together and this week we have been working on Charity. We have had awesome experiences that have been helping us grow. It is so funny because your capacity to love people in the mission is insane. The people you serve, your companion, the members, investigators, the Italian people and the list can just go on. Sometimes you think your heart will just stop growing and then it just continues. My companion and I have just been meeting the most amazing people. 

Mom and dad: What happened to the lady you met on your way to the town outside of Milan?  Is she interested in the church? Did you see her again and were you able to teach her?

Alison: We have not had the chance to meet with that lady yet (she cancelled the appointment), but we will. 

   

One thing I love is watching the change that the gospel makes in everyone.  I love watching and seeing as people come to know the truth. It is absolutely amazing. And cannot wait to see what it is going to do in the people that we meet in the next couple months. 

Mom and dad: Do they celebrate Halloween in Italy?

Alison: Italians do not really celebrate Halloween. Maybe we will see a couple of Italians out on the streets in costumes, but there are no decorations. Actually a pumpkin is very rare to find.  But we decorated a small pumpkin. 

Mom and dad: We think it is awesome that you are teaching English! How is that going?

Alison: Well it is pretty much the same thing that we do in each city. We teach English class to the people that are trying to learn english. 

I thought it was quite cool that you guys got to see Sorella Forbes. Sorry that I did not tell you guys before.

Well I love you all and I am proud of all the work that you are doing. I hope that you have a wonderful week. 

Love,

Ali 

Email from October 30, 2013

I was trying to send you more pictures, but they were not working to send. I am sorry. I am trying, but the connection from the cord and the device just did not work, but here are these. My companion and I bought a pumpkin and we will be carving it and will take pictures of it. And I will send you those. This week has been very interesting. Remember our baptism dates, they came to church! It was awesome. I think I could not stop smiling (it took about eight weeks to get them to come to church, but they came). We are working with a lot of part member families (One that we will be committing to a baptism date soon :) ). We had a lesson with them the other day and it was so awesome; the investigator prayed to bless the profeta. 

The other day we were going to a town outside of Milan. So we took the Metro and while we were waiting for the metro we met a pregnant lady. I started talking to her about the English class that we were holding and she just got so excited. She told us that she always wanted to learn English. So we got on the metro, took the one stop and got off. We told her that we are going to this town and she said she was too. Then we told her what street and she said she lived on that street. I think my companion and I were thinking perfect. You see, we actually had no idea where the street was or where in this town. So God sent us a messenger to guide us. We explain to her why we are here and we asked her if we could see her and she said yes. She has 9 siblings and there would have 14 but 5 died and only her parents and one of her brothers are not here; big family.  But I will tell you how that goes. 

I am in the Ovest stake. There are two stakes in Milan. It is not freezing cold yet, but it has started and yes it snows here in Milano, a lot. Normally during Autunno it just rains. 

Probably you have heard this a lot from the other missionaries, but I would like to tell you. In consiglio the last time we heard a lot about making a family mission plan. I would like to ask you guys if you have one? If not make one!! We had a Seventy here at our stake conference and he talked about his. In his he said, he wanted his family to give out one book of Mormon every month. Have the missionaries over for Family home evening with his a investigator or a friend. They wanted to go out with the missionaries each week. They wanted to talk to a certain number of people about the gospel. But If you have one already perfect. If not would you be so kind as to make one. It would be very useful for the missionaries. If you have not made one you can even ask the missionaries to help you guys. I know you are busy, but it would be awesome. I love you all and we have been helping members here make them and they have been giving us so many referrals. Last Sunday we had a member come with a list of names written for us to contact. 

I love this work. The last week I have just been seeing it so much more. My companion and I have been working on the different attributes of Christ. Last week was patience and this week is Knowledge and Virtue and each week we will change it. It has been very interesting to watch as the week progresses the different challenges and miracles. I love the mission. And I love you all. I hope your week has started out well and I hope that it will end well. 

Happy Halloween. 

Love, 

Ali 

Eating Gelato

With Sorella Heupel

Pavia

Genova

Sorella Mckell Forbes

Sorella Mckell Forbes was visiting Disney World with her family this week and they visited our Ward.  It was great to meet them! She was a missionary in the Milan Italy mission and knew Alison on her mission.  Her blog was the first one I started to follow when Alison went in the MTC. They are a wonderful family!

Pictures I found on Facebook

These pictures were posted on Facebook by Ty Madsen a former missionary in Alison's mission. We think it was taken about a year ago when she was in Milano 2 with Sorella Gomez.

Email from October 23, 2013

Hello Family, 

Hey so here in Milano we are having a rainy day. This morning I had to start all the paper work to renew my permesso di soggiorno (residence permit), that was strange. So my goal will be to go back to school in the fall. I am fine with all of that.  I got your package and I like them. The skirt was a little big, but it still works (side note I am wearing the scarf right now :) ).  

So the situation with the bikes is this, the bikes stay in the city. If they are in terrible condition, normally you would need to buy a new one. When we enter the mission our mission asks us to give them a certain amount of money and then from then on if you need to buy a bike you will be reimbursed. Lately every city at least that I have seen because a lot of cities have been open have newer bikes. Actually I am not sure why I always get the bike. It just depends on who needs them and I never know. It seem that each sister I serve with has the bike. Giulia has not put her papers in yet. There was something wrong with the dentist's papers and they need to be translated into English. But she said after that they will be off. But I am excited to know!!! 

I want to tell you about this miracle that happened yesterday it was absolutely amazing!! So we went to teach a lesson, this family that we are working with the other night. It went so well that at the end the two of them accepted a baptismal date. We had been trying for a couple weeks to ask them but never felt right until the other day. And after we asked, one of them asked if it would be possible to push the date up and be baptized as soon as possible. It was just the most amazing thing. The two that accepted the date are children. One is eight and the other is 10 and their mom was fine with it and she almost accepted the date as well. But the 10 year old told us, I have never told anyone in my life this and starts crying and says I say prayers to God and ask for help and He tells me what I need to do and the spirit was just so strong and we had a Senior couple with us and she told him how he had felt the spirit in his life. But it was just an awesome day! 

We normally have consiglio della missione once a month. So we had one this week and we will have another one in two o three weeks. They are always held at Milano Lampugnano. All the zone leaders and training sister leaders go to this meeting.

Well I love you all so much and I hope you have the most wonderful day. Oh Parker I am proud that you made it.(her brother made it into NHS) 

Love, 

Ali

Picture

Sister training leaders of the Milan Italy mission

Email from October 16, 2013

Hey family,

So good news I am staying in Milano Navigli for another transfer with Sorella Heupel. We are excited to have the opportunity to continue to work together.

Sister training leaders, they opened up another one for this next transfer so officially next transfer there will be 14.  They opened up a new one, is Lugano (Switzerland for the next transfer), They opened one in Rimini. 

Lodi was so cool. I was will Sorella Harward. I have done two other blitz with her so it is cool. I was on the bikes again. It is funny how that works out. The thing is the bike that I used was way to high. The companion of Sorella Harward is so tall and then there is me and I am yes taller than almost all Italians but Americans are tall. So It was a interesting combination with me and the bike. In Lodi we taught an amazing lesson. She almost accepted the baptism hard question. But one day she will accept it. 

The work here in Milano has been picking up. You remember that family that you told me about and how they know your friends well they have been the biggest help in our missionary work here. They give us names of less active, inactive, friends to work with it. We have been finding amazing people. God is truly helping us through members, investigators, new converts to find people to teach.  M just disappeared so we will try in the future after a bit of time.

So yesterday was a day of miracles. We were teaching a lesson and the member offered to take us to the bus stop, so we get in the car with her and then she ends up taking us the 20 minutes in the car to the other town and we made it on time to our lesson. Then, we had that lesson, it went great, got a new investigator and after they offered to take us home because they were going towards Milan. We were just in time for everything. It was a tender mercy from the Lord. 

Okay so I have not officially gotten the packages, but I asked the assistenti and they said that my packages are in the office and I should be getting them soon. 

I hope that you are all well. 

Love,

Ali

Email from October 9, 2013

Hey Family, 

First, Conner I am so proud of you. You are awesome and one day you will win so much more! So you have to keep going! Do not get discouraged buddy. (Alison's little brother played in a tennis tournament for the first time on Saturday)

Quick question, does anyone in the family speak Italian? (there is a family in our ward that the father's family come from Italy)  Because I need to keep practicing after. 

(Alison is giving her brother advise on how to prepare for his mission next year)

Parker, my advice to you would be to study preach my gospel. That is your life, so study it. Also study the scriptures and pay attention to what you are reading, because if you already have that understanding of the scriptures before, it will help you so much. Pray for missionary opportunities. In Conference it said that and it works miracles! 

Last Friday there was a funeral for a member in the church. The missionaries were asked to sing a musical number. I was thinking of the last funeral I was at and the difference between this one and that one. There was the hope that after this world they would see him. And this one, yes it was sad and there were a lot of people crying, but the family knew they would see him again.

Mom and Dad: Where do you go to watch conference?

Alison:  In Italy we are only able to watch the first three sessions because the Sunday afternoon is broadcast at midnight. So we watched the Saturday afternoon and the Sunday morning in Italian. We went to the church at Lampugnano which is Milano 1. 

Did I tell you guys about M? I am not completely sure if I did. But it is this  woman who is depressed and angry with the life God has given her. But we feel this need that we need to help her. We thought about letting her go and not working with her and then during conference that talk that Elder Holland gave was perfect for us. We both felt that we needed to keep helping her, but it is hard. I will tell you guys how it goes with her. 

I love you guys, I hope all is well. 

Love, 

Ali

Presidente and Sorella Dibb's testimony (Italy Milan Mission)

This testimony from Presidente and Sorella Dibb was written in the Italy Milan mission blog. It is written for the missionaries and their parents and so I felt I would share it here in Alison's blog.

What a privilege it is to serve a mission here in Italy with your capable, spiritual, humble, helpful and patient family members and friends. We pray that each missionary knows of our love for them and that we are all children of our Heavenly Father who loves us.  Each day brings new challenges and opportunities for growth.  As we seek the guidance of our Father in Heaven, and spend our full-time and focus in His service to bring about His work in the Italy, Milan Mission, we know (and we hope that your missionaries know) that He wants us to succeed and He will continue to help us in our work and in our lives.  We strive to serve together to become disciples of Jesus Christ, to do our part to assist the Holy Spirit in teaching the Doctrine of Christ and to make available Heavenly Father's eternal ordinances to all of His children and especially to those of His children in our great mission of Milan, Italy.

With admiration and appreciation for you and your missionaries,

Presidente and Sorella Dibb

Email from October 2, 2013

Hey Family, 

Alrighty this week has been quite good. We had an amazing miracle last Saturday. My companion about a year ago served in Milano as well. This Saturday we had set up an appointment to teach a family (found in the area book). My companion after the lesson said that when we got to the apartment she said recognized their house. She told me that she recognized the people and as we were walking she said I taught these people exactly one year ago. We had passed them to the other sisters. So it was quite exciting.

Mom and Dad: Were you able to see the General Relief Society Broadcast?

Alison: No we do not watch general RS conference until Saturday at 2 our time, right before conference.

Mom and Dad: Were you able to find the member that knows the Velardis (a family in our Stake)?

Alison: I told them that you guys know the Velardis and now they want all the information on them. How they are doing etc, because it has been a little while since they have heard from them.

Mom and Dad: What is Reggio Emilia like and other places too, Lodi, Pavia? Are they big cities, rural?

Alison: I was with Sorella Russel and we were on bikes. I seem to be having a lot of bike rides. Reggio Emilia  is nice. With the bikes we went out to this country part where we got a little lost, but palazzi (buildings) everywhere. Churches on every corner, but that is everywhere in Italy. There are small alley ways. kind of cool.  We will be in Lodi this next Tuesday, so I will tell you then. But Pavia is a small town, and is very quiet. This week we did another scambio with the other sisters in Cimiano and I was with Sorella Palumba (she is an Italian missionary).

Cool side note is I got to see Giulia the less active who sorella Eaton and I helped reactivate who is putting together her mission papers! She translated them all to English two days ago and is almost ready to put them in. I am just so excited. I literally am going to be jumping up and down when she tells me where she is going.

Mom and Dad: Did you get the padded envelopes we sent?

Alison: So I think I probably will get the package at interviews or when we have a zone meeting.

Sad news, the Ecuadorian is not responding any more to our phones. We had a no show the last week and we cannot get a hold of her. So we are giving her a break, but we will keep trying because she is awesome. 

Well I love you guys and I hope that everything is going good. 

Ali 

Email from September 25, 2013

Hello Family, 

I do not remember If I told you about our fridge. It is quite interesting. The reason for this is because it is not the easiest to open. You see once one person opens the fridge the second time around is ridiculous. But it also is fun, we kind of make it into a game. We have to completely brace ourselves to open the door. 

I want to tell you about this amazing miracle that happened the other week. So we were doing a bit of finding work and we stopped these college students. One of the college students recognized me. She told me, I think I talked with you about 6 months ago. It took me a second to remember who she was and then I did. I had talked to her when I was in Milan last time. How just awesome is that. So I am just hoping that I will run into more. I am really excited because this time around in Milan the people can understand me :). 

Mom and Dad: 1. How is it going in Milan with the Ecuadorian lady? 

Alison: Answer to question number one, she is doing awesome. She has a baptism date ( I told her that I was Spanish (Alison is half Puertorrican), people think that I am not American, they know that there is some type of Spanish in me, they just cannot wait to ask me the question and they always think that I can speak it, but then I tell them I cannot). She is such a kind and wonderful person and she wants her whole family in the gospel. She wants her husband, her family that live in Ecuador. She actually has a relation that is a member and wants to surprise her when she becomes Mormon. She said it would be a great gift for her. 

Mom and Dad: 2. You mentioned an awesome Italian couple you are teaching? How is that going? 

Alison: Question number two it is going. 

Mom and Dad: 3. Where do you go on p-days?  

Alison: Question number three well we are trying to figure that one out. Today I just slept because I was exhausted, but I will tell you next week. Mainly p-day we get gelato. We love gelato. 

Mom and Dad: 4. Do you get together with the other Sorelle for p-days?

Alison: Question number four: Well not yet. 

Mom and Dad: 5. Did you see the ideas I sent you for the activities? We suggested an international activity, since the Navigli Ward has members from all over the world.

Alison: Question number five: Yes I saw the list, thank you. Yeah they want us to put together a display board and other things. 

So yesterday we were at Reggio Emilia.I think for some reason when ever we do scambi I am always on the bikes. Which is fine with me and I love it. But it was awesome there. Bad news the breaks on the bikes were ridiculous. The breaks do not work very well so I had to cruise for a little bit before stopping. 

Anyway I love you all and I hope that you will have a wonderful week.

Love,

Ali

Pictures!!!!!

Sorella Heupel and Sorella Hanson

Sorella Bringas, Sorella Pace and Sorella Hanson

Sorella Willis and Sorella Hanson

Sorella Hanson and Sorella Gillette

Sorella Hoppe, Sorella Willis, Sorella Hanson, Sorella Durfee

Email from September 18, 2013

Hey Family, 

Sorry this email is a little later today.  The place where we do internet was closed and we tried to pass by it later today and then it was still closed so we had to search for a different place.  At least in Milan they are more common.  So you asked a few questions :). I will respond all of them. First off the reason it is called Milano Navigli is because there is a famous river that goes through this part of town.  It is right next to the church as well.  The Ward is a good mix I would have to say. There are a lot of Hispanics in this Ward.  And they are so many of them that I am trying my hardest to remember all their names.  I have a few down.  Our apartment is quite different. We have a little garden in front and a picnic table.  We did a little weeding today. The only thing that I do not like is how the kitchen is connected to the study and it is so tempting to continue and eat.  We live in the city.

     We do a blitz or an exchange once a week. We had one on Saturday and one yesterday. We do take the trains and the bus. Mainly we use the bus in our area. In our area sometimes it is easier to get to the small town on the train. And plus since some of the sisters do the exchanges do not live in Milan we need to take the trains. The cities we have are Lodi, Pavia, Cimiano A and B (funny I was there are Saturday and it just felt a little strange to back in the area again) and the Reggia Emilia sisters. Sorella Heupel just thinks it is funny (that Alison's uncle did her parents and her taxes this year in California, coincidence). She actually was my training sister when I was in Savona the last two transfers and our last exchange of the transfer I said would it be weird if we end up being companions and then we did. 

  We found this wonderful Ecuadorian lady on the bus and are teaching her.  she came to church on Sunday and we saw her today on the bus and she just about jumped out of her seat to say high to us. She was with her husband and was just so excited to see us. She is just amazing. We have a husband and wife we are working with who are Italian and they are just awesome.

But yeah I am doing good and I love you all.

Love, 

Ali

Right after Alison's email we got another email from Sorella Heupel.

Tanti auguri! (It means Happy Birthday in Italian.  It was Alison's mom's birthday on Sunday, September 15th)

sorella Hanson says happy birthday. she signed off before she told you. love you mom!! 

love

sorella Hanson

sorella Heupel

This was posted on Sorella A Carter's Blog about an exchange she had with Alison in the city of Pavia.  Alison was her Sister Training Leader at the time.

Yesterday we had a blitz and my companion was Sorella Hanson. She is
from Florida and the middle of 5 kids with 2 older sisters and 2
younhger brothers and her name is Alison. Weird! She is incredible and
we had a hilarious day with sprinting all over centro and making it
home for the gas appointment and almost losing the helmet and having a
lesson at a cafe and having to do a drop lesson with an investigator
because she refused to pray or read EVER and it was amazing and so
happy and I love sister training leaders!

E-mail from September 11, 2013

Hey family,

I accidentally spelled it wrong it is Navigli without the a at the end. I am doing alright.  It has been a little different. Since this is my third white wash I thought that I would have gotten used to this by now, but nope. I am terrible with peoples names and so each and every time it is a little difficult. 

If there are a few typing errors, my key board is not working very well. I was thinking just send it (the package) to the office because I do not know what is are zip code.

I will tell you about our first day. I woke up at 5 am to catch the train. Went to Milan and we got there at 9:28, then we went with all our luggage (3 bags each and extremely heavy) and went on the metro. Once we got off the metro walking home it took 45 minutes. It was almost impossible. I cannot even describe. We had so many people helping us. My companion's bags broke and it became difficult to drag the suitcase. There was this man who offered to help and every time one of our bags became impossible to take anymore, he would take that bag and give us the lighter bag. (at the end my companion offered him money because there was no way we would have made it with out him. He would not accept it, he said I just felt good helping you guys.

I love you all, 

Ali 

Email to her brother Parker

Hey Parker,

How are you? I know that is how it always starts off. I want to tell you that I love you. I miss you and I hope you are okay. I want you to read a chapter in the book of Mormon that I have really come to love: Mosiah 24 all of it. I want you to know that I truly love my mission. Yes I might get stressed out like all normal human beings this is where I need to be. Parker, I know with all might heart that God can do miracles that I cannot even understand. This is the true church upon all the face of the planet. I know it and I do not care if people yell at me or call me names for it. This is the truth and I am grateful for every moment that it is in my life.

Love, 

Ali