02.25.14 {week 31}

Wow.

Where to even start?

Alright, well I'm sure you're all dying to know about my little verdina.  Her name is Sorella Tokarski and she's from Oregon (yes, we're twin souls already - you know my love for the northwest).  She's 19 and really great!  I guess we'll just start at the beginning of this last week.  Sorella Gross and I woke up dark and early on Thursday morning and headed to the train station.  (This really nice family in our ward always takes the sisters to the train station when there's a transfer.  That was SO nice.)  So we headed out on the 6:50 train and arrived in my lovely home of Milano around 8:45.  I met up with some other sisters who were also heading to the Cimiano church for the training meeting and we headed over.  Meanwhile, I'm mostly just on the verge of throwing up...  But I didn't!  So that's a success.  We finally got to the church and President met with all of us trainers for a bit.  I believe there were 11 new sisters and about 8 new elders.  So there were 19 trainers just hanging out talking with President.  And yes, I am the youngest missionary (in mission age) training in the mission right now.  So that's...scary.  It was actually kind of funny because President mentioned something about how nice it is that he doesn't have to call missionaries to train after their second or third transfers anymore (he had to do that for a while when there were big groups of girls coming in).  He didn't say anything about not calling them to train after their fourth transfer, because there I was, getting ready to train...  Anyway, finally the little verdini came in and President talked to all of us.  He kept telling all the little verdini about how experienced their trainers would be.  I was kind of just laughing to myself the whole time...  And then it was finally time to get our trainees and I read the paper with her name on it and I was really afraid she was from Poland or Russia or something.  But she's not.  So that's a relief.  :)  BIG HIGHLIGHT:  While we were all sitting around eating after the meeting, GIULIA walks in!  Oh my goodness, it made my life.  We just hugged and almost cried and hugged some more.  Oh, how I love her.  I also got to see Sorella Russell and Anziano Lindsey!  Oh my goodness, it made me miss Cimiano so SO much.  But that's okay.  I'm starting to love Torino.  I don't know if I'll ever love a ward as much as I loved Cimiano, but we'll see.

Anyway, that's how the new transfer started off.  And we've already seen some miracles!  In fact, Sunday was a day of miracles.  Two big things happened:  1. We have this investigator named M. who I had never met.  She was being taught for a couple of months but then went out of town for a couple of months.  Apparently she already has a testimony of the Book of Mormon and wants to be baptized.  The only problem is that her husband is super contro.  Anyway, they were out of town and Sorella Gross would call her, like, every week to see when she was coming back.  Finally on Friday, we get a call from her!  And she was like, "Hey I have some questions about the Book of Mormon.  Come over at 5."  But we couldn't.  Cuz we already had an appointment.  But I reminded her of church (honestly not really thinking she would show up) and she said she might show up.  So there we are at church on Sunday and who walks in?  M.!  And her husband!  It was a miracle!  So they stay for Sacrament meeting and then they head to Gospel Principles with us.  And they have some great questions and they're just getting really into the conversation.  And it was awesome.  They didn't stay for Priesthood/Relief Society, but that's okay.  So we're seeing her in a couple of hours tonight and we're going to try our hardest to set a bap date with her.  I'm super excited.  2. Last week Sorella Gross and I were at F.'s house - she's this adorable 16-year-old new convert.  And we were just hanging out talking at the kitchen table and F.'s mom had some friends over.  So they came into the kitchen too and the Book of Mormon was just sitting out on the table.  So the guy asks about it and before Sorella Gross and I can even breathe and respond, F. is ON IT.  She just went off about the book and about her testimony and it was awesome.  So we were like, "Hey, if you want a copy, we can bring you one."  So he gave us a bunch of business cards and it was kinda cool.  So I call him up on Friday to see when we can meet with him and his wife and he tells us to come over on Sunday night.  So we went over on Sunday night and they were there with the wife's brother and we just went through the entire Restoration lesson and it was INCREDIBLE.  The whole time they were just nodding and super into it.  They had lots of questions about the organization of the church and the prophet and stuff, so I pulled out a Liahona and showed them the pictures and they were just....so shocked.  He was like, "Wow this makes so much more sense ..."  Haha.  Anyway, we're going back on Sunday again to teach them about the Plan of Salvation.  I can't wait.

So those are the miracles for the week.  AND H. WILL BE BAPTIZED TOMORROW.  :)  I'll definitely have pictures from it next Wednesday.  (And hopefully I'll be at a computer that can actually send pictures.  Unlike this one.  Sorry.)  That's about it!  Dang, I love missionary work.  I have such a strong testimony of this gospel.  Not only can I feel that it's true in my heart, but it just makes sense!  Just like that guy we taught on Sunday night said.  We are SO lucky to have a knowledge of it.  And there really are people around us who are searching for the truth but know not where to find it.  Anyway, I love you all lots.  SIBLINGS: SEND ME EMAILS.  Okay, that's it.  ;)  AMORE.

Sorella Gunnerson