Wednesday, September 25, 2013

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

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

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!

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

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

Saturday, September 7, 2013

Update


Alison wrote her sister an email in which we found out where she was going.  I guess she just forgot to tell us.  She is going to Milano Naviglia.  


Hey I want to tell you something that I just found out.  A less active that I helped reactivate in Milano is now preparing to go on a mission. I have never been so happy in my entire life. Oh and I am being transferred  I am going to be a sister training leader in Milano Naviglia. So I can just say my mission pretty much has been in the city of Milano  I am grateful to hear everything is going well. Your life just seems a little crazy with two kids. I love you. 

Friday, September 6, 2013

Email from September 4, 2013




In this email Alison forgot to tell us where she had been transferred to, probably from all the excitement.  But because other sisters in her mission keep blogs, and especially Sorella Pace her companion, we were able to find out on her blog that Alison is being transferred to Milan. Not sure yet which Ward, there are several in Milan. Her companion will be Sorella Heupel. Alison's uncle who lives in California, did Sorella Heupel's parent's taxes this year.  I love how in the church we have these great coincidences!!!  In her email, Alison was surprised to have been called as Sister training leader, but we are not surprised because we know Alison and she works hard on her mission and is obedient to all the rules. She has done a great job on her mission and we are proud of her!

We also received a letter from her Mission President, President Bruce L. Dibb, by the way he is Sister Ann Dibb's brother in-law (President Monson's daughter) that the time has come to begin the process/paper work/travel plans that take place before she finishes her mission and comes home.  Where has the time gone!! She will be home at the end of February!!




Hey Family, 

I am being transferred. My companion Ironically will be Sorella Heupel. Yes the same Sorella Heupel who Uncle Brad did the taxes for her dad. There was a position opened for the sisters about three transfers ago called the Sister training leaders. And apparently I am becoming one. This will be interesting. The mission consiglio I need to go to. I do not know how to spell the word consiglio in English anymore so you can look it up. (it means council, funny how missionaries start to forget English)  My main thought process in all of this was really me. WHY, but God knows better than me.

D we had to postpone his baptism. He has not been able to stop smoking. But he smokes now an average of 1 or 2 cigarettes everyday instead of the 20. He did a fast this Sunday and at the end he wanted to pay fast offerings. So fratello Pelle helped him out. Then yesterday he sent us a text saying he had a job interview. And he said that it was credit to the fast. E is doing great. We had a lesson with her yesterday and she said she wants to be baptized. And the funny thing she said is she wants to marry a Mormon. She finally felt the spirit. And she said she wished she could have that feeling everyday. 

Anyways this week has been very good. And I hope that everything will be good with you. 

Love, 

Alison