Thursday, January 30, 2014

Email from January 29, 2014

Hello Family, 

This week has been jammed packed with so many things. We did have a scambio with the sisters. We have actually had two already (Cimiano and Muggio). 
So not this weekend but next weekend there will be a baptism. She will have her interview this weekend and I will tell you how it will go. I am just so excited for her. This is the sister of a member. So she was a member referral and one day she just showed up at church and her sister told us to work with her about 3 or so month ago. Oh the two filipino who were baptized they have been telling me that you talk to them (I talk to them on Facebook). They saw mom with a picture of an italian flag. 
Mom with the Italian flag

But anyways they are doing wonderful. On Sunday we went to a members house to have lunch and have a lesson with the two that were baptized and it was just a wonderful atmosphere. We were singing church songs and my companion was playing the piano. So our ward missionary leader just got changed. And I am really excited to work with the new one.  

We had a miracle in church. This family that we have been working with and the sisters had been working with them on and off for about a year CAME TO CHURCH!!! It took a lot of time, but they came to church. The kids enjoyed church and were happy to come. We had so many less actives that we are working with to come to church. We had a mystery woman in church as well. Her parents are members in Ecuador. We were able to teach her and her daughter. She said that she has been praying for a year to know what to do and two weeks ago she felt she needed to come to church. We met her later and she told us that when she told her parents that she went to church that they just started screaming for joy on the phone. We have been just having random things like that. 
The other day were teaching a part member family and their friends walked in and wanted to learn about the gospel. We have this couple we are working with that said they are coming to church on Sunday. Everyday is just full. That Lord is truly blessing us with this to do. It has been a blessing. I cannot tell you any more. 

Yes I got it (the letter we sent her).  The note (her little brother Conner's note to her) is really cute. Conner thank you and I need to give the pictures to them (we sent her a couple of pictures of the Sacred Grove to give to investigators). So I will. Well I love you all so much and I hope that you have a wonderful weekend. I know that I will. 

I love you , 

ALi


With Sorella Heupel



With Sorella Heupel




Thursday, January 23, 2014

Email from January 22, 2014

Hello Family,

This past week has been amazing. The baptisms went well and they were so excited. They just could not stop smiling. There were so many member we were really impressed. On Sunday right after they got the Gift of the Holy Ghost they turned and told us that they feel something. More like '' Sisters we feel something.'' They are just awesome. All the members were just so excited for them. It was just a wonderful day. 

Alison had been sick and needed to go to the hospital and was given a "white diet"
So a white diet was: Only potatoes, carrots, rice, bananas and apples. And the thing is I could not add seasonings. IT was hard!!! The hospitals are okay, but it just took forever. But it was an interesting experience.  

Alison's grandma got married on Saturday
I cannot believe GRANDMA IS MARRIED!!!! WHAT!!!! STRANGE!!!! HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE!! I REALLY HOPE THAT SHE IS HAPPY!!!

Alison's sister has been sick
Tell Brittany I am sorry she is sick. I hope that she feels better and the girls. And I am glad to know that everything is going well with you guys.

The past week it has been nothing but rain up until yesterday and it is nice to see the sun Again, but we think it will go away again. 
I do not know if you remember this story. Well I had this feeling last Saturday that we needed to pass by her house. She had been telling us that we could not see her etc etc., but she was there. This is out in a little town outside of Milan. We taught her a lesson and she became our new investigator. It was quite a cool experience. Another really amazing thing is in about two weeks we will have another baptism. It is a sister of a member. She has changed her life so much and she will be getting baptized. She has been coming to church regularly. In this past week there have been so many miracles. More than I can begin to explain. We keep running into less actives, people who have met with the missionaries in the past etc... But the cool thing was yesterday we were walking to the bus stop and when we saw how much time we had to wait for the bus we decided to walk to the next bus stop. While we were walking some woman stopped us saying sisters and we turned and she said I am a member of the church and I have not been to church in a long time, but could you pass by my house? and we took her information and we are going to see her next week. But we have been having so many miracles. 

Parker, prepare all you can. I know you will be a great missionary one day. Conner listen to mom and dad.

I love you all and hope you have a wonderful day, as I know that my companion and I will. 

Love,

ali 


These are pictures of the two filipino who sono state battezzati sabato (who were baptized Saturday). Alison and her new companion Sorella Egbert

Alison and her previous companion Sorella Heupel


Alison, Sorella Heupel

Alison and Sorella Heupel
At a Museo (Museum)



Thursday, January 16, 2014

Pictures


A friend of Alison's from Italy sent me these pictures on Facebook








Email to her sister on January 16, 2014


Alison's letter to her sister Ashley and her husband James:
Hey Ashley and James,

I wanted to just tell you how much I love both of you. How much I am thankful for you and everything that you do. I want to tell you that your children are beautiful and will be shining bright stars. You guys are wonderful parents. 
I am not sure if I have ever bore my testimony to you in Italian and I probably have but I wanted to do it. 
     Ashley e James,  io so con tutto il mio cuore che la chiesa di Gesù Cristo dei Santi degli Ultimi Giorni è la l'unica chiesa sulla faccia della terra vera. So che Gesù Cristo veramente è venuto qua di liberarci di espiare per noi che possiamo avere la via. Senza questa via siamo persi. E so che oggi Dio continua di parlare con i suoi figli tramite un profeta vivente Thomas S. Monson. 

VI voglio tanto bene,

Ali 
Translation:

I know with all my heart that the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only true church on the face of the earth.  I know that Jesus Christ really came here to deliver us, to atone for us, that we can have the way. Without this way we are lost. And I Know that God continues to speak to His children through a living prophet Thomas S. Monson.

I love you so much.

Email from January 15, 2014

Hello Family, 

Well this week was interesting. 

Remember you asked me a couple weeks ago if I ever get sick well this weekend I was really really sick. So sick on Sunday I had to go to the hospital. So on Friday around 7:00 pm we were in church doing a run through of the baptism questions with our dates before their interview the next day. And I just started having the hot and cold flashes. My stomach had not been feeling good after lunch. My companion after the lesson asked me if everything was okay and I said I think I have a fever. And she felt my head and told me I was really warm. So we headed home after the lesson. And I just went to bed. That whole night I was really sick. Then it continued all day on saturday and I had not been eating much because everything I ate made me sick. Everything I drank was doing the same. My stomach on Sunday was in knotting pain. Sunday was interesting because my companion had to go to church for a talk, so President Dibb and Sister Dibb worked everything out so that Sorella Dibb stayed and watched after me and then my companion got a ride to church. After Church the Dibbs took me to the hospital. Where at the hospital I got liquids pumped back into me and antibiotics, because I had caught a virus. It took five hours in the hospital. And now the doctors put me on the weirdest diet (but for only 3 days, tomorrow I can start adding more). It is called a white diet. But just so you know I am doing so much better than I was. Do not worry and I repeat do not worry.

On the good news there will be two baptisms on Saturday!! They tried on their baptism clothes on monday and they are just glowing. They are so excited because all the members want to go to their baptism. I am just so excited for them. Do not worry I will send you pictures.

Mom and Dad: When is the dedication of the Rome temple?

Alison:I heard that it is behind schedule. Here in Italy there are a lot of holidays and on Holidays no one works and they are a little behind. So I think it might be a little while.

Sorella Egbert comes from Salt lake City. She studied for five years Italian before her mission. She has brown hair, really goofy and hard working. She is the fourth child of six. And she served in Firenze, San Remo and now here.

Mom and Dad: Do the Italians really throw old furniture and stuff out of their window on New Year's Eve?

I know that in the past they used to throw things out of the windows. And I think it happened only one time that I saw it. But I am not sure if it happens so much up here. 

Tell Conner I am so proud of him and that I love him. Tell him her did great. Well I love you all and I will have a wonderful week. And I hope you do as well.

Love, 

Ali 

Thursday, January 9, 2014

Email from January 8, 2014

Hello family, 

I love those pictures of you guys. The kids are just stinking cuties. Were they with you guys? Or were these pictures taken at different places? 

We sent her these pictures of her niece and nephew.

Alison's nephew Ronan

Alison's niece Brinley



My new companion with be Sorella Egbert (I believe that is how you spell it, but I could be wrong). So I will be with her tomorrow that is weird to say. I cannot believe that Sorella Heupel is going home, it feels unreal. 

During New Years we just heard all the loud crashing and things outside. It sounded a little bit like fire works. We are not that far outside of Duomo. But I remember the last New Years when I lived by Pt. Venezia we heard the fireworks and could see them. President Dibb told us that we needed to be in the house by 5.  But I was still glad to be inside. 


This weekend is the interview for the baptisms!!! I cannot wait. On Sunday they said they could not deny the feelings they felt and they know this church is true. I love these people with all my heart. Everyone we are working with are my family here in Italy. 

I love you guys and hope that you have enjoyed the holidays. Have a wonderful day.

Love, 

Ali 

Sunday, January 5, 2014

Pictures

December council

Sister training leaders December 2013

Sorella Hanson and Sorella Heupel

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Email from January 1, 2014

Hello Family, 


Thank you for the kind thought of the photos.(We sent a couple of pictures of the Sacred Grove that we visited this past summer)  I already have in mind the two people I will give them to.
Sacred Grove


So we actually have three baptism dates. Along with the Filipino lady, her cousin is getting baptized the same day (I will give them the photos). These are the sweetest and most pure of heart people I have ever seen. I love them. They came to church on Sunday and the member who went to one of the lessons with us started introducing them to the members and bringing members to meet them. It was awesome. The other day they kept on telling us about when we are baptized, when we are baptized. The one that is married to the Mormon and her kids are Mormon said she told her family and they we just so excited. That they started reading the scriptures together. This Sunday all of our baptism were in church. The other baptism is of a member's sister. She will be baptized the 8th of febbraio. Her sister brought her to church and told us we had to start teaching her. We have seen her every week for the past three weeks and this last week she has accepted a date. :) I am so excited for all them. It is just so awesome. In the last week our area has started to pick up and I cannot wait to see what it will continue to do. 

Christmas in Italia is celebrated on the 24th of dicembre. That is when they have the main dish and all their family over. They say that Santa comes during the 24th randomly to leave the gifts. So at mezzanotte they open their presents for Santa. 

We went on familysearch to find that out. (She teaching about family history and found out she was related to one of her companions, this was a while back)

Alrighty, yes when it is pouring buckets we are outside. Picture your daughter with her purple rain boots on and ombrello and that will just make you laugh. It rains quite a bit, but lately has been quite nice and sunny with the cold, but we still do it. It was worse last winter. So rain does not hinder the proselyting. 

If I have been sick I just have not said anything. It really is not important. (We asked her if she has ever been sick because she has never mentioned it)

Normally my companion and I speak to each other in Italian. In the house it is kind of mixture. But we speak Italian outside of the house always. It helps alot. The white hand book says to speak our mission language as much as possible and that is what we do. 

I do not know if I told you that here in Italian the 6th of January is called La Befana. There is a witch that brings presents. Like we say the 6th is Three Kings Day, here is la Befana. (In Puerto Rico we celebrate Three Kings Day on the 6th of January)

But yeah, my companion and I are having a wonderful time. I love you all and I hope that everything is great with you because tutto è posto con me. Vi voglio bene.


Just wanted to tell you one thing. All of 2013 I was a missionary and it was the best year. I love you all.

Ali 

Alison also told us that a young lady she helped re-activate earlier in her mission just received her mission call to the States. She is very excited!