tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87615169389499045552024-03-13T14:09:58.740-07:00Sorella SarahAmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650609998213199821noreply@blogger.comBlogger83125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761516938949904555.post-69786530600956817622015-01-21T07:16:00.001-08:002015-01-21T07:16:28.879-08:0001.21.15 {week 78}<div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1421852901819_4759" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif;">
Hey Family,</div>
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Well it was a pretty great week here in Prato! I was able to say goodbye to a bunch of people. It's been kind of strange "dying" in a city that I just got to. I really did love the people here right off the bat (a perk that comes with the calling, I think). Everyone's just confused as to why I'm already leaving, even though I just got here. :) I learned a lot in this city. I was able to meet a few people that I know Heavenly Father placed in my path for a reason. And I hope that I was able to be that person for others. I was supposed to have my last three REAL hours of missionary work tonight in Prato. But then we got a call from the APs yesterday morning and our travel plans for transfers are a little complicated... Basically, this afternoon we have to head to Pisa, where I will say goodbye to Sorella Gregg so that she can head to Firenze with one of the Pisa sorelle. So I will spend the evening in Pisa with Sorella Griffin (whom I ADORE). Unfortunately, she and I won't actually be spending time together because she will be in a culture class from 5 to 10 and I will be waiting for her outside in the hall. :) Haha, not exactly how I expected to spend my last night in the mission, but I just do what they tell me to! And then she and I will drive to Milano tomorrow morning. I'll drop off the car in Cimiano and then I'll head with all of the other dying missionaries to the mission home. We'll have our exit interviews and have dinner and all sorts of fun stuff that are currently...unknown to me. There will probably be lots of tears. And then we'll spend the night in Milano and head to the airport on Friday morning. After that...well...you guys know how the rest of the story goes.</div>
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Hmm.</div>
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It's a really strange thing, writing my very last email home from my mission. I have a lot of thoughts and a lot of feelings and a lot of...just...everything (literally though, I'm still working on getting my luggage to weigh less...). But how do you sum up a year and a half of learning and growing and stretching? You don't, I guess. This is one of those experiences that I'll never be able to fully describe to anyone. It was incredible. It was awful. It was life-changing. It was uncomfortable. It was exciting. It was just so worth it. I can't imagine my life without it and I'm glad I don't have to. A few mission consiglios ago, Sorella Dibb was doing a part of the training and she read a quote by C.S. Lewis that I loved and I want to share it with you guys: "Isn't it funny how day by day nothing changes, but when you look back, everything is different..." That is truth, right there. Looking back now, everything is different. My whole eternal perspective has shifted. My priorities have changed. But, to be honest? I don't think that I, as a person, have changed that much. What I'm trying to say is you don't have to worry about seeing a stranger step off that airplane. It's hard to describe. In Abraham, it mentions something about being "added upon." I guess if there's any way to describe how I feel or the ways in which I've changed, it would be with that phrase. I truly do feel "added upon." And I am so grateful for that, because I was lacking. I'm still lacking and I'll continue to be lacking for a very long time. But the beauty of this whole experience (life) is to be added upon and added upon, continuously. Over and over and over again. And aren't we lucky that the Atonement of Christ gives us the opportunity to be added upon. To start over, learn, experience, grow. All of it is "grazie a Lui." I have grown closer to my Savior throughout this experience. I have seen Him perform miracles in the lives of those I've taught and those I've served with. Isn't it crazy how a sacrifice that was made so long ago still provides us with miracles today? THAT is the infinite power of the Atonement. I know that He lives. And I know that He loves us.</div>
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AMORE.</div>
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Sorella Gunnerson</div>
Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650609998213199821noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761516938949904555.post-29412266324135559342015-01-14T20:56:00.003-08:002015-01-14T20:56:55.185-08:0001.14.15 {week 77}<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif;">Hey Family!</span><br />
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Last week started off with a scambio in Pisa! I was with Sorella Griffin and it was definitely one of my favorite scambios. She is so awesome and so on fire. She's only in her third transfer but she is so put together. She understands her purpose and has no fear. I really did learn a lot from her. And it was lots of fun. She kept quoting my dying testimony, so at least someone listened and liked what I said! :) Unfortunately Sorella Gregg got super sick from the sister that she did the scambio with. So we've been inside off and on since then, trying to giver her some rest. Somehow I haven't gotten the sickness yet. (Someone please knock on some wood. Thanks.) It's some sort of flu/cold thing. She had a fever for a while and now she just has a bad sore throat. Anyway, but we have been able to go out and work a little bit, which has been nice. I'm not sure if I told you guys about this friend of a member - F. She is really interested in the gospel, so we've been teaching her. And this member is literally one of my favorite people on the planet. And she is just so excited about the fact that her friend keeps wanting to come back and learn more. The people we know really are ready to hear about the gospel. We just have to have the courage to talk to them about it! And we have to follow the Spirit about the WAY in which we talk to them about it. Anyway, it's been a good week. We've been able to build relationships with the members and talk to them about their missionary work. It's been really nice. There are so many Italian families where the parents are totally active and all of their children are totally inactive. It's really sad. Anyway, I'll be starting my very last scambio in about ten minutes. And then the rest of this week will be pretty normal... It'll be after next P-day that things get really weird. This week will be full of lasts, but I'm going to try to just...act normal. I'm still a missionary. So I'm gonna keep acting like one. And it's gonna be awesome. :) Alright, gotta run. Love you lots! AMORE.</div>
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Sorella Gunnerson</div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">Firenze from the top of the Duomo!!</span></div>
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650609998213199821noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761516938949904555.post-31750462000282205222015-01-07T09:33:00.000-08:002015-01-08T11:20:16.776-08:0001.07.14 {week 76}<div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1420648387878_5466" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif;">
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Dearest Family,<br />
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Wow, time is just flying by. It feels like yesterday I was skyping you guys. But nope, it's already been two weeks. It's hard to believe. It was a great week! On New Years Day we had a nice little (and by little I mean "huge".....welcome to Italy) lunch with two of our members and the Hyde's. It was really nice. We talked about our New Years Resolutions. Friday was Consiglio! So basically we left the house at 6 in the morning to make the 3.5 hour drive up to Milano. Then I was in consiglio all day (oh my goodness, one of the best consiglios of all time.....just so many funny, random things. one of which is a video that i HAVE to show you guys right when I get home because it is HILARIOUS.). Then we drove the 3.5 hour drive back down to Prato. Let's just say I was really tired when we finally got home that night. :) Monday morning was exciting because we had zone training. I've loved being able to train a little bit while I've been STL. And then the moment came that I thought would never actually come. At the end of the zone training I had to bear my "dying testimony". It was rough. I cried a little bit. I quoted Dumbledore a little bit. And then it was over. And I was like, "Wow, that means I'm actually leaving soon." It was definitely surreal. Last night our ward had a Befana party. I'll have to explain what that is......someday. It was super fun but we had to leave early to head to Pisa! So last night we drove to Pisa and spent the night there. Then we had studies together this morning, headed to the LEANING TOWER OF PISA. Oh my goodness, I'm obssessed. And then we came up here to La Spezia to see Porto Venere. It was probably one of my favorite P-days to date. It's about time for us to run to catch a train and then I'll start a scambio with Sorella Griffin here in Pisa. It will be great! Anyway, there won't be anything super exciting happening this week, but that's okay. To be honest, this city has been pretty hard for me. We're working on finding new people to teach. Anyway, I hope you're all doing well and that you had a lovely New Years! We set our alarm for 11:55 in order to be awake for the festivities. There was this lady on the balcony below us setting off HUGE fireworks. We kind of thought we were going to die. Don't worry, I have a video of it. Anyway, I have to run but I love you all a lot! Have a great week! AMORE.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif;">Sorella Gunnerson</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Mission Consiglio</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Sister Training Leaders</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The sisters of the Firenze Zone</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Everyone in my MTC group that is now STL/ZL (plus one - Sorella Bringas who will go home the same time we do.)</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaPoTg7pLDjzB3JoU56SgP42SANe_uEwUs3MHK6a96EOQWLIwBKK2t-0-7ztGz60eUBmOeupBY2vYjprmw9aMQoGJ8juA-gL8AEGjIISMtlZNR0Wsz5yUnbEM65B11qCZg-IN9cfJipYc/s1600/IMG_0986%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaPoTg7pLDjzB3JoU56SgP42SANe_uEwUs3MHK6a96EOQWLIwBKK2t-0-7ztGz60eUBmOeupBY2vYjprmw9aMQoGJ8juA-gL8AEGjIISMtlZNR0Wsz5yUnbEM65B11qCZg-IN9cfJipYc/s1600/IMG_0986%5B1%5D.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">LOOK WHERE I WENT THIS MORNING.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Me and Sorella Gregg</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Pretty self-explanatory</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">On our way to see Porto Venere</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Porto Venere</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Porto Venere</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif;"><br /></span>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650609998213199821noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761516938949904555.post-68921662916091979592014-12-31T09:39:00.000-08:002015-01-08T10:04:07.195-08:0012.31.14 {week 75}<div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1420738445672_10600" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif;">
Happy New Years Eve!<br />
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I'm so sorry, but this email will probably be super short, seeing as I have zero more time to write. And, hey, I got to see you guys last week! That was awesome! I guess I'll just start from there. After skyping I headed into the other room and started watching Tangled. :) IT WAS THE BEST. I was watching the first half all by myself because that's when Sorella Gregg skyped. I literally was, like, giddy as I was watching it. Laughing outloud, singing along, trying to relax... (I may or may not have forgotten how to do that. I'm sure it'll come back to me quickly though, don't worry. ;)) Then we finished it together that night after going to eat MORE FOOD with another part-member family. The food is so good, but there is just so much of it. I'm pretty sure my stomach has grown three sizes this Christmas. On Friday it was back to work as usual! I headed down to Montevarchi to do a scambio. It was great! Learned a lot. Taught a lot. Laughed a lot. Good times. Then Sorella Gregg and I tried to drive back in time for her to make it to an interview with President Dibb. Unfortunately, we tried and failed. We had a good 20 minutes of cushion time, but then we got stuck on the freeway for THREE HOURS. Wanna know how far we got in those three hours? SIX KILOMETERS. Man, it was crazy. Luckily, the Dibbs were understanding and she'll do her interview this Friday. Then Sunday was normal. Monday we did another scambio and I went to Siena. Oh my goodness, Siena is beautiful. (SIDE NOTE: While in Montevarchi we had a few lessons in this town called Arezzo - where that movie ("La Vita è bella") was filmed!) Then we got back last night and now I'm here writing you! We have to stay inside tonight starting at 5 pm because New Years gets kind of crazy in Italy. So that should be fun! And we might be heading to Firenze for part of P-day today. (How great is that? I MIGHT be going to Firenze today. That's just an option for me all the time. What is my life?) Then a normal day tomorrow. Consiglio in Milano on Friday and then Zone training on Monday and then it'll practically be P-day again! Sorry this email is so short. Happy New Year! AMORE.</div>
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650609998213199821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761516938949904555.post-85755749672658333262014-12-24T09:42:00.000-08:002015-01-08T11:22:21.691-08:0012.24.14 {week 74}<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif;">Buon Natale, Famiglia!</span><br />
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Wow, can't believe it's Christmas Eve already. This week just flew by and now here we are! And I'll be seeing you guys tomorrow! Woohoo! Okay, so let's rewind to where we left off.</div>
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Last Wednesday, after emailing, we took a train to FLORENCE, ITALY. It was literally a 15 minute train ride. We are SO close. And can I just tell you? I AM IN LOVE. Florence really is just as amazing as everyone says it is. It was so beautiful. We got there and walked around lost for a little bit until we found the David. We walked in and there were all of these huge paintings in the room and then you turn a corner and you're in this long corridor and there he is. At the end of the corridor. In all his glory. Haha it was awesome. And, can I just tell you guys? It is amazing. Like, sometimes I see pieces of art that are pretty famous and I'm like, "Hmm it's alright. It must be cool from, like, a smarter person's point of view." The David was totally not like that at all. It is just massive and beautiful. So detailed. So REAL. To sum it up...it was incredible. There. Then we headed over to the Florence Duomo. We went inside and got to see the preseppe that they have in there. The Florence Duomo is MASSIVE. I want to go back sometime and go up to the top. Maybe next P-day! :) Then we headed over to Ponte Vecchio. Mamma mia, it is beautiful. You know, it's the famous bridge that you always see paintings of. So we got a good view of it from the next bridge over and then we walked down it and got to see all the shops. It's mostly just covered in REALLY expensive jewelry shops. And then the day was basically over and I was in love. The end.</div>
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Well we saw some pretty great miracles this week! First: I parallel parked perfectly TWICE. I didn't even know it was a talent I had. And I should probably knock on some wood really quick. ... Done. Second: I'm finally getting used to the Tuscan accent. I had always heard about the Tuscan accent up there in Piemonte, but I didn't believe it could actually be real. It is. Basically down here, they just substitute all of their "C" sounds with "H"s. So instead of saying "queste cose qui" ("these things here") it sounds like "hweste hose hui." EVERYONE does it and it's actually really funny to listen to. My favorite one? "Hoha Hola." (Coca Cola) Third: We had an incredible lesson with this member's friend on Thursday. Her name is F. This member, Sorella F, asked us to come over last Monday night just to talk with her a little bit about her missionary work. Umm yes please. So we went over there and she and her husband already had a list written down of friends/acquaintances they wanted to share the gospel with and then they basically just wanted our help in brainstorming how to best share the gospel with the different people. They even got their 12-year-old daughter involved - talking about one of her friends. I was BLOWN AWAY. I've never seen a family so...willing and ready to do missionary work. I was seriously just ecstatic. Anyway, we went over again on Thursday to share a little Christmas message with this friend, F. She is just pretty confused and trying to figure out what is truth and what is not. She was actually Buddhist for a long time and doesn't know what to believe. So we had shared "Egli è il dono" and then read some scriptures. And it was a really spiritual experience. She shared her feelings about everything and we (and especially this member) bore testimony about the birth and life of Christ. Then we felt really impressed to talk about personal revelation and how you can read and pray to know the truth. We gave her a Libro di Mormon and she was really touched. She's excited to meet with us again and continue learning more. This whole experience was just really great. Especially so close to Christmas and everything - meeting someone who is so ready to learn more. But more than that, I was just so taken aback by this member - her desire to share the gospel and then her willingness to ACT. It really made me reflect on the member I want to be when I go home.</div>
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Other than that this week has been full of Christmas fun! We've been doing LOTS of caroling. (I totally talked the Anziani into it and now they're addicted.) And for the last two nights, some of the members even got involved! It's been a lot of fun. This week we don't have a full P-day since President wants us in as many homes as possible. So we have a lunch appointment today with members and then a few more tonight. THEN IT'S CHRISTMAS!! We bought ourselves stockings this morning. Haha we're classy like that. I just wanted to leave you with this little talk that I printed off about a month ago, that I've re-read all season long. It's really short, so give it a read: </div>
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<a href="https://www.lds.org/liahona/2012/12/christmas-within-you?lang=eng" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1420738445672_14330" rel="nofollow" style="background: transparent; color: #196ad4; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">https://www.lds.org/liahona/2012/12/christmas-within-you?lang=eng</a></div>
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"Keep your faith. Look for the good in your situation. Do something kind for someone. Seek Christ devoid of wrapping and tinsel. You will find that despite external circumstances, Christmas - like the kingdom of God - is 'within you.'"</div>
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Also, my classic Christmas message that I've been sharing with everyone this Christmas season: Alma 7:10-13. Let's remember the reason Christ came to this earth. The holiday will mean a lot more if we do. :) AMORE.</div>
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650609998213199821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761516938949904555.post-39905969252069785322014-12-17T09:50:00.000-08:002015-01-08T10:34:24.566-08:0012.17.14 {week 73}<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif;">HELLO FROM TOSCANO, Y'ALL.</span><br />
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Well, here I am in the lovely city of Prato! Where to begin? I guess where I left off.</div>
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On Wednesday night, Sorella D'Ambrosio and I went to visit with a few more people before we left. First stop was the L. Family. Then we went to see the C. Family. Man, that was a really hard goodbye. I love that family SO much. They are seriously so special to me and I just didn't want to have to leave them. Little S. said the closing prayer and asked Heavenly Father to make the trains not work the next morning. Haha. I miss those girls so much already. Then we were able to go be with my dear, dear friend A. I just love her so much. But at least I'll be heading home relatively soon and there's skype and stuff. (Meno male!) That night we stayed up wayyyy too late trying to finish getting everything done - packing, organizing, writing information. Just everything. And then we got up the next morning and got on our way. </div>
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Luckily two of our Anziani also had to head to Milano on Thursday morning and they offered to help us get our bags there. Oh my goodness, I literally have no idea what we would have done without their help. Haha it would have taken us HOURS. This is why sisters just should not be white-washed. We both have too much stuff! I'll send pictures in a few minutes of the journey. We were a sight to behold. We got to Milano and quickly headed to Milano Cimiano. We got to the parking lot and I got the first look at my NEEEW CARRRR! And then we watched as they tried to stuff all six of our suitcases into it. It was pretty funny. Then I went with Anziano Harmer to the gas station so that he could show me how it's done here in Italia. (I still wasn't allowed to drive yet because I still needed to be trained.) Anyway, we headed back to the church and I was finally trained. Then I headed out to the car and had to move the car so that the Dibbs could get there car out. YEAH. I had to back into a parking spot in front of the APs, Anziano Harmer, and President Dibb. I think I might have been freaking out a little bit. But they were all just laughing and I'm pretty sure they got lots of pictures. Then President Dibb gave me a lot of pointers about how to get out to the freeway, how to turn on the lights, and all that good stuff. I'm so glad that day is over! Haha. The Cimiano church is also where all the new trainers and trainees go to be placed together on their first day. So we were there while all of that was happening and therefore I got to meet my granddaughter! I don't think I mentioned this last week, but Sorella Tokarski is training this transfer! So I got a picture with them, we ate lunch, and then we headed on our way! Driving in Italy is basically the same as driving anywhere else, except for the lanes are miniscule, the parking spots are miniscule and there are a million one-way streets. So Sorella D'Ambrosio and I drove a good three hours to Bologna. And then we just cried a lot when I dropped her off and picked up my new comp. I miss her a ton.</div>
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Anyway, ever since Thursday night, we've just been here in Prato (and Pistoia) trying to meet with people and get to know the city. They have two baptismal dates set, but I still haven't met either one of them yet... Anyway, the work has been a little slow. I think Sorella Gregg is just trying to find her bearings as the companion who knows the people and the city the most. And I'm just trying to learn as quickly as possible! Oh, funny story. On Saturday night we had a ward Christmas party. SOMEHOW I got roped into being MARY for the Nativity skit. Hahahaha it was awful. And I was reminded of how horrible of an actress I am. Anyway, I feel like I have so much more to talk about, but no time! We're heading to Florence in a few minutes! Hopefully I'll be seeing the David today! :) Anyway, love you all lots. AMORE.</div>
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650609998213199821noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761516938949904555.post-26212490682011101922014-12-10T09:47:00.000-08:002015-01-08T11:18:03.857-08:0012.10.14 {week 72}<div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1420738445672_17094" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif;">
Ciao!<br />
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Wow, it has been a CRAZY five days, guys. Okay, so Saturday we both woke up so ready to get transfer news. Our bet was that I was leaving and Sorella D'Ambrosio was staying. Well, President knows how to surprise us! Sorella D'Ambrosio was really nervous that she was going to leave and I was going to stay, so when we got the call from President he talked to me first and said that I'm headed to Prato! (Don't worry - I didn't know where it was either...) He quickly explained that it is 15 minutes from Firenze and it's the old apartment of a senior couple who just headed home and apparently there's a nice parking lot and stuff. (Have y'all heard? I'm getting a car tomorrow!) So I mouth to Sorella D that I'm leaving and she gets this look of relief on her face. So then I pass the phone to her and he started talking and ... I knew something we weren't expecting was happening because of her face. Well we're being white washed! Sorella D is heading over to Bologna to open a companionship! She is going to be with a sister two transfers ahead of her and they are going to be AMAZING. So tomorrow, we'll head to Milano, we'll have an hour long training for the car. And then I'll drive her over to Bologna. (Seriously, some extra prayers tomorrow would be greatly appreciated...) In Bologna will be our new comps! So I'll drop Sorella D off, pick up Sorella Gregg (my new comp! She came in D'Ambrosio's group, so I'll be bottle breaking her) and we'll head down to Prato. President said that the drive from Milano to Bologna is easy. The drive from Bologna to Prato is a little more difficult. I think he said something about around 25 tunnels??? And lots of hills. Anyway, it will be interesting. Haha. I have a feeling the first impression my new companion has of me is going to be ... psycho driver lady. Sorella D, on the other hand, can't wait for the drive tomorrow. :) I will be over the sisters of Pisa, Firenze, Siena, and Montevarchi.</div>
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We had our last day at church on Sunday and I sat by my dear friend, A., and we both just bawled as Sorella D got up to bear her testimony. Leaving Alessandria is really hard for me. I can't say that I'm shocked - I was 95% sure I was heading to a new city, but this little city is just so special to me. I really have made lifelong friends here. I'm sure Prato will be great.</div>
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My birthday started being celebrated at lunch on Sunday! Ever since C. found out about my birthday a couple of weeks ago, she's been reminding us of this lunch appointment. So we went and she had a couple of adorable, hand-made gifts at our places. Then a lovely lunch and a cake after! With candles! I think there's a video somewhere of them singing to me. You guys will watch it someday. Anyway, it was just really sweet.</div>
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On Monday morning I accidentally woke up early and then couldn't get back to sleep because I was so excited that it was my birthday. #fiveyearsoldontheinside Mostly I was just itching to open that awesome package that my sisters sent me that I had been saving. And it was TOTALLY worth the wait. So awesome. I also opened a card from Mom and Dad (THANK YOU!) and then there was something else new there. A letter from Tokarski! And a gift from my two daughters (Tokarski and D'Ambrosio) that they bought MONTHS ago when they were on a scambio together. Ha! I love these girls so much. It was really touching. Then Sorella D made birthday crepes, but we couldn't eat them. (The nutella jar shattered on the ground a few days ago... Sorella D tried to salvage the nutella but......there was still glass. As we found out that morning. Hahaha.) Then I started getting phone calls and texts from missionaries and members and investigators and EVERYONE. It was awesome. (And also due to my dear little Sorella D who apparently sneakily texted everyone to remind them and then erased the texts - all while I was in the shower.) After studies we had a district meeting and the Anziani brought me cake! So I got to blow out more candles. After that we searched for and found sushi. SO YUMMY. I forgot how good it is. And there were lots of Asians there, so you KNOW it was good. (SIDE NOTE: Apparently Prato is full of Asians! Literally three different people have told me that.) After that we went to have a last lesson with our dear investigators C. and F. We all just cried a lot. And then we visited Sorella Borromeo one last time and also C. (the Sunday woman). Then we headed to centro to carol with the Anziani! After that we all went to a birthday party that the Fillipini threw for me. (In my defense...I thought we were going over for an FHE with that family. Haha and then ALL the Fillipini were there and there was a cake with my name on it and it was amazing! I LOVE ALESSANDRIA. Have I mentioned that yet?) And then we went home that night, attempted to pack and slept.</div>
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It was an amazing day.</div>
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Tuesday was full of more goodbyes and tonight will be the same. It's kind of the worst. But I guess I should just be thankful that I know so many wonderful people who making saying goodbye so hard. Anyway, thanks for all the nice birthday messages! I'm one spoiled girl. I'll talk to you guys next week - from Tuscany! :) AMORE.</div>
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Sorella Gunnerson</div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">Saturday started off like this - I'm going to Prato!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">Me and S.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">Us and random members. :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">Birthday lunch after church on Sunday - with C. and L.!</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGej-CsUnyr9lxV2RAOKaePkfDU2inbTrYME_rmxw2BdbkZbPExi1bh5zUrV6t1o8EKBQYyEvuoHaP3zJi6NC5SjhYG-RylKf3bBOD_bKeYPVmLlKLx_GGcZvduNrogOGR7M9qGCWfVPA/s1600/IMG_0736.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGej-CsUnyr9lxV2RAOKaePkfDU2inbTrYME_rmxw2BdbkZbPExi1bh5zUrV6t1o8EKBQYyEvuoHaP3zJi6NC5SjhYG-RylKf3bBOD_bKeYPVmLlKLx_GGcZvduNrogOGR7M9qGCWfVPA/s1600/IMG_0736.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">Sorella B. came to lunch too!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">C. gave us presents. :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">Cake #1 (Yeah, I was a little spoiled...)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">Me with N., O., and kiddos!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">Woke up birthday morning to crepes! (They came to be known as "death crepes" after finding glass inside them......long story..........)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">I also woke up to an incredible package from my lovely sisters!! Here I am with the banner. Also, just ask Sorella D'Ambrosio - I was, like, screaming and jumping around when I found the April 18th present. :) SO EXCITED.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">I would like you all to meet my son, E. I love this boy SO MUCH and we have a special bond because we look exactly like each other and he looks nothing like his parents. We're best friends.</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPf25qevG4qH7JUjcBO7Y_7wq9kRscAPbzxRMvQb9_6lZ7EX1AJy0yUqJYQqH3eUGSwPOW2a55a7Q0SByeJvir99cY-FKlDULoQissiHCnwoTD3neSbezYXD9UU4QxU7v13MwLCihb_-U/s1600/IMG_0750.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPf25qevG4qH7JUjcBO7Y_7wq9kRscAPbzxRMvQb9_6lZ7EX1AJy0yUqJYQqH3eUGSwPOW2a55a7Q0SByeJvir99cY-FKlDULoQissiHCnwoTD3neSbezYXD9UU4QxU7v13MwLCihb_-U/s1600/IMG_0750.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">Last night with GANS. :(</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">Cake #3 (at the birthday party all of the Filippini threw for me!)</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhynwdQ_bsszEyY1hxsAadyJOXIkUZuASFpVnK21BYf3XNEWjZw-n1wYkToeYJ3fWJbuzbd7_3zQJlYZ5m6CviJNygqad0IEUbYhnVw4kxSoGsdoEwg1gVMYltyc0FC7TBKyG6vOE0OK38/s1600/DSC01456.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhynwdQ_bsszEyY1hxsAadyJOXIkUZuASFpVnK21BYf3XNEWjZw-n1wYkToeYJ3fWJbuzbd7_3zQJlYZ5m6CviJNygqad0IEUbYhnVw4kxSoGsdoEwg1gVMYltyc0FC7TBKyG6vOE0OK38/s1600/DSC01456.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">#selfie (after caroling the night of my b-day)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">Birthday lunch! Sushi!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">C., F., and A.! Love them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">Me and D'Ambrosio in Acqui Terme - by la bollente!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">Me and E.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">Me with D. and little S.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">Us and F. (her 10 year old daughter was taking the picture haha)</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi15EDUprIRRLAdKITKGIdzpQ-RlkTAG_jiUVa31XYjkV8m1lK9ThsAWIm-upAvm0bgUWNEx4Oqt7zemueEKZZiJoOYaS7FLPA79vSuPm2Hlp3xAhClUrh2zDvrvd6ZVpieHsYcnxLnYwc/s1600/IMG_0786%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi15EDUprIRRLAdKITKGIdzpQ-RlkTAG_jiUVa31XYjkV8m1lK9ThsAWIm-upAvm0bgUWNEx4Oqt7zemueEKZZiJoOYaS7FLPA79vSuPm2Hlp3xAhClUrh2zDvrvd6ZVpieHsYcnxLnYwc/s1600/IMG_0786%5B1%5D.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">Us and A. and D. at the pizzeria!</span></div>
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Cake #2 (after district meeting)</div>
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District Picture - last District Meeting of the transfer</div>
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#selfie</div>
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650609998213199821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761516938949904555.post-43918010421226816562014-12-05T09:48:00.001-08:002014-12-05T09:48:31.207-08:0012.05.14 {week 71}<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif;">Hello Family!</span><br />
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I hope you all had a wonderful Giorno del Ringraziamento! People don't really know what that is here, but I'm sure it was awesome in America. We celebrated the day after by making the most incredible garlic mashed potatoes I've ever tasted. (Or they might have just been so good because I literally haven't had mashed potatoes in a year and a half...) And we made lots of turkey/gratitude hands with people. It was fun. :)</div>
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This week has been CRAZY. And I have to apologize that I totally ditched you guys yesterday. Our P-Day was supposed to be Thursday but then there were scambio complications and we had to switch it to today. Between Monday morning and Thursday night, we did three scambi. Haha, it was seriously crazy. It wasn't supposed to work out like that, but with lots of flooding down in Genova and just the busy-ness of this transfer, that's how it worked! It was so much fun though and I just love all these sisters that I get to hang out with and be companions with for a day! I always learn so much and want to be a better missionary because of them. On Monday I had a scambio here in Alessandria with Sorella McPeek. She and I go way back to my second and third transfers in Milano. She's a transfer behind me and was trained by my lovely friend, Sorella Harward. So we would hang out on P-Days all the time. It was so fun to do missionary work with her! On Tuesday I was here in Alessandria with Sorella Stott - she was trained by another dear friend from my Milano days - Sorella Carlock! Holy smokes, this girl is an incredible missionary. I learned so much from her - especially about the importance of being obedient and respecting the rules - even if/when we don't understand them. And then on Wednesday morning we had a zone training here in Alessandria. It was also kind of our Christmas conference. For the last hour, they had an Italian dessert for us and we got to hear a couple of musical numbers and then sing some Christmas carols together. It was really nice. And then we ran to catch a train to San Remo! We blitzed that city with the sisters from Wednesday afternoon to Thursday afternoon and then we finally were able to come back to Alessandria and be normal and together again. I love my dear Sorella D'Ambrosio! </div>
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But, guess what happens tomorrow?? Transfer calls! There are a lot of possibilities for this transfer, so we really have NO CLUE as to what is going to happen. We're pretty sure I'll either be training again or finishing training another sister whose trainer is going home next week. Who knows? But I'll be sure to give you the big news next Wednesday! Thanks for all the love and support and especially the lovely birthday messages. AMORE.</div>
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Sorella Gunnerson</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Luck is on our side and we've acquired some PUMPKIN (also real baking powder and baking soda, crisco, american flour, and a bag of real, live chocolate chips.....the things you take for granted in the states....). Guys, this is a big deal. We spent part of our P-day making pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. We are happy campers at our house today.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Scambio on Monday with Sorella McPeek!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">SO MUCH CHOCOLATE.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Scambio on Tuesday with Sorella Stott!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">In beautiful San Remo!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">This is what I call a gelato sandwich. :)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Making arancini while in San Remo on a blitz. SO YUMMY. Get excited to eat them.</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtXDiuVuR3aQvc5YsRSpZa9_DyrjkvVvMDgx5r4PVxSdyucOccUrnvQyrZHTJ5jEWriQ7-ETd5TVVFkzI3A9xcgWvADzNvyK6yyY6fa6JruWZLialMCKDhYY-lhVpn9rTjTUFtW_gez9w/s1600/IMG_0653%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtXDiuVuR3aQvc5YsRSpZa9_DyrjkvVvMDgx5r4PVxSdyucOccUrnvQyrZHTJ5jEWriQ7-ETd5TVVFkzI3A9xcgWvADzNvyK6yyY6fa6JruWZLialMCKDhYY-lhVpn9rTjTUFtW_gez9w/s1600/IMG_0653%5B1%5D.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Me and Sorella D with the San Remo apartment view. Not bad, eh?</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhomOWoL1EkQbazmoKo3r0J2jCs39ki0g_49o-fMkajS88WwYN7LUKIcsuCdDAjEljLpf_g8ZZ5UeLQCHT3Ucx0Vf7pnRyCzaCs0thU_ENDfzikEDQWVI89J2dbooFAwhsXA3j_c8x6uAw/s1600/IMG_0658%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhomOWoL1EkQbazmoKo3r0J2jCs39ki0g_49o-fMkajS88WwYN7LUKIcsuCdDAjEljLpf_g8ZZ5UeLQCHT3Ucx0Vf7pnRyCzaCs0thU_ENDfzikEDQWVI89J2dbooFAwhsXA3j_c8x6uAw/s1600/IMG_0658%5B1%5D.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Blitz in San Remo with Sorelle Hibo and Hogan! :)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Our view on the train ride home from San Remo.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Our dinner on the train ride home from San Remo.</span></div>
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650609998213199821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761516938949904555.post-85106776582054795842014-11-26T22:54:00.000-08:002014-12-08T22:54:51.046-08:0011.26.14 {week 70}<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif;">Hey Family!</span><br />
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Honesty time: I have, like, ten minutes to write you guys, so let's make it fast. (Sorry, mom!) Things are so great here. We had the Fingerle tour last week and I'm probably the biggest fan ever of the Fingerles. They are seriously incredible. So down to earth. So sweet. So willing to get our opinions on things (especially at the special mission consiglio we had with them last Friday). One thing that Elder Fingerle really focused on was improving ourselves, only 1%, in every area. He quoted Alma 37:6-7 and talked about how these teeny, tiny improvements we make will make a big difference. I really do believe that's true. And I believe it applies to everyone in every stage of life - not just to us missionaries. Oh, before I forget to mention this: my p-day next week will be on Thursday. I repeat: my P-day next week will NOT be on Wednesday, so don't worry that I've, like, died or something when you don't hear from me on Wednesday. But I'm really glad you will all have that extra day to write me emails! (*winkwink* *nudgenudge*)</div>
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Can y'all believe that Thanksgiving is tomorrow? Well, they don't celebrate Thanksgiving here, so we're trying to spread the Thanksgiving cheer to all these Italians who don't know what they're missing! To make it short: I'm grateful for all of YOU. I've realized on the mission how blessed I am to have the family I have, the friends I have, the home I have, the life I have. And I'm especially blessed to have the gospel in my life. It really makes such a big difference. I've seen it so clearly here. I'm grateful to my Heavenly Father - that He loves us so much that He was willing to sacrifice His Son. Wow, I don't think our human brains can really understand the magnitude of that. But I am grateful. I hope you all have a lovely Thanksgiving. Sorella D'Ambrosio and I will be stuffing our faces with pumpking chocolate chip cookies and spreading the gospel. :) There's really nothing else I'd rather be doing.</div>
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And as Thanksgiving comes to a close and the Christmas season begins, please begin it with the video you'll find on <a href="http://christmas.mormon.org/" rel="nofollow" style="background: transparent; color: #196ad4; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">christmas.mormon.org</a>. It really puts into perspective the real meaning of Christmas. Love you all tons and tons. AMORE.</div>
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Sorella Gunnerson</div>
Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650609998213199821noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761516938949904555.post-39047779190919160532014-11-19T23:00:00.000-08:002014-12-08T23:00:35.463-08:0011.19.14 {week 69}<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif;">Buongiorno tutti!</span><br />
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It was a great week here in Italy! Dang it, I always sit down to write and can't remember a thing to tell you all about. First of all, I had my first italian hot chocolate of the season this week and it was INCREDIBLE as always. I think, in heaven, waterfalls will be made out of this stuff. I don't even know what to compare it to....it's a mix between regular american hot chocolate and pudding. It's just thick and warm and wonderful. Also, the leaves on all the trees here are changing and I love it! It's been fun seeing Sorella D'Ambrosio's reaction to all the pretty trees - she's from Arizona so she just has never really experienced it before. Anyway, the point is: it's a great time to be living in Italy!</div>
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Last Thursday I got to go back to my "second home" of Torino! It was so fun! I walked in that apartment feeling kinda like I had never left. The next day was full of cancellations (hey, welcome to missionary work in Torino!) BUT we got to go have a lesson with our eternal investigator, E. I've been thinking about her a lot lately with this colder weather, seeing as I wear the scarf she gave me when I left Torino practically every day lately. I worked with her the entire six months I was there. She was a really frustrating one for me, but she was also really special. I saw her progress a ton in those six months that I was there, so I know that she'll be baptized some day. It was really awesome because she didn't know that I was coming. I walked in and she started FREAKING out. Haha it made my day! She's just this little lady but she was practically jumping up and down and hugging me. We had a nice little lesson with her and then she fed us cake and juice (come sempre) and then as we were leaving she started talking to Sorella Ostvig about how she has this "weakness" for me. I guess sometimes I feel like I didn't really do a whole lot for her because she wasn't baptized while she was with me, nor were we ever able to set a bap date with her, but at least we were able to go teach her about Jesus every week, and that's something. Anyway, Sorella Ostvig is an incredible missionary. Her Italian is astounding (seriously - she made me want to work so much harder on my Italian because she's already so far along) and she is such a good example of following the Spirit. It was lots of fun!</div>
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We've been having a really hard time lately getting our investigators (even those with bap dates!) to come to church. I've been really frustrated some Sunday mornings when they just...don't show up. You feel like you're making so much progress with these people and then they don't come to church and it's just frustrating. We've been trying to really put forth every effort that we can to get them there - cioè we've been teaching lessons dedicated to coming to church and the importance of the sacrament and this week we decided to leave home an hour early in the italian fog and go around on our bikes trying to get people awake so that they can come to church. And two of them finally showed up right after Sacrament meeting! Yay C. and F.! C. and F. both had bap dates for the end of this month, but C. has word of wisdom problems and F. just....is gonna get baptized soon. Not sure when exactly, but soon. She needs to be actually coming to Sacrament meeting regularly in order for us to feel good about it. No one wants to baptize a less-active! E. wants to be baptized so badly and is currently working toward the 6 of December (it's most likely my last Saturday here and she really wants me to be here for it). She also has major word of wisdom problems. Those cigarettes, man. I literally want to burn down the cigarette factory. (I dunno, maybe it's something Christ would actually do? ;)) Anyway, other than that, we have quite a few less-actives and new converts and ex-communicated members that we're still working with. I love Alessandria a lot and I love being a missionary.</div>
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Tomorrow will be the Fingerle tour for us up in Milano. Then we'll come back tomorrow night, only to go back up again on Friday morning for Mission Consiglio. Then Saturday and Sunday will be Stake Conference (yay!) and then we'll start our week of consecration, which I'm super excited for because it basically means that there are no extra conferences or trainings that week. We're not even allowed to do scambios! So we'll be able to really focus on the work here. I'm stoked. And it's Thanksgiving I think! (Right?) Well I love you all a lot. Thanks for the love and support! AMORE.</div>
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Sorella Gunnerson</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Finally went inside the Alessandria duomo today. Not bad, huh?</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJI4QQdyNo2XTMXXLCecdvM2hOjKz5StdPA_tLOm7imXTOvN6ywloFkCieTvLUJ3sQR555Yrxv9xdGbFfkPduEoeUD4MoJsyRG5Nar2bWtJsGKWxUcx11w8J240QLU81QbDRqfEUOZaOw/s1600/IMG_0433%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJI4QQdyNo2XTMXXLCecdvM2hOjKz5StdPA_tLOm7imXTOvN6ywloFkCieTvLUJ3sQR555Yrxv9xdGbFfkPduEoeUD4MoJsyRG5Nar2bWtJsGKWxUcx11w8J240QLU81QbDRqfEUOZaOw/s1600/IMG_0433%5B1%5D.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">It's fall in Italy. :)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The Citadella</span></div>
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650609998213199821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761516938949904555.post-87370056269690925122014-11-12T23:09:00.000-08:002014-12-08T23:09:54.386-08:0011.12.14 {week 68}<div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1418107738182_24173" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif;">
Hey Family,<div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1418107738182_24175">
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So, just in case anyone was wondering, TAYLOR ORTON RETURNS next Tuesday. Please give her my regards in the form of hugs and treats and messages on FB. Please and thank you.</div>
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Also, just in case anyone wanted to be incredible and send me birthday and/or Christmas packages/letters. Apparently our last chance before Christmas to get packages will be December 3rd. Which is just....really sad. But you have time! </div>
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It was a pretty normal week here in Alessandria. I actually...can't really remember what happened. But I'm sure it was great! Yesterday I was pretty sick, so we were told to stay inside, but the day before that we headed down to Savona because I had to do a training at their joint district meeting with the missionaries of San Remo. It was lots of fun! Tonight I'll head to Torino to do a scambio there. Then hopefully we'll have a scambio with the Genova sisters next Monday/Tuesday. We were supposed to do one with them after the district meeting on Monday, but they had really bad flood warnings so they had to stay inside for a couple of days. Anyway, needless to say, it's really rainy here in Italy these days. And it's getting COLD. Hence all the Christmas decorations in our apartment. I mean if you have to go out in the cold all day, you might as well have Christmas to come home to, right??</div>
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Anyway, that's about it. The missionary work here is just plugging right along. Can't believe we're already to the middle of November! Hope you're all loving late fall/early winter. It's the most wonderful time of the year, after all! Love you lots! AMORE.</div>
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Sorella Gunnerson</div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">We got a little bit obsessed with Christmas this week.... And made a paper Christmas tree. And then ate lunch at the foot of it. :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">Us on Halloween with the girls</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw564zQJBxsn9F4p4b2qAM3zFOopIjMBhyphenhyphenPyzyAbmYSigBRC6j8gESBtdKZ2RFRyqv4MYdftQryk2woDbbmOJvRhegUpQWGhxlDFSTBjZnSnPH7QpUP7nfFyyfOXXQxoXxZZhFs2LtMG0/s1600/IMG_0448%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw564zQJBxsn9F4p4b2qAM3zFOopIjMBhyphenhyphenPyzyAbmYSigBRC6j8gESBtdKZ2RFRyqv4MYdftQryk2woDbbmOJvRhegUpQWGhxlDFSTBjZnSnPH7QpUP7nfFyyfOXXQxoXxZZhFs2LtMG0/s1600/IMG_0448%5B1%5D.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">Me and my dear, A.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">One night we were TRYING to teach the girls a lesson, but M.V. and S. disappeared. We finally came and found them in the kitchen making us a treat. What great hostesses!</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm8hULWt4StyLqpX7Rtj8X-MsUYlD3vJtbStvfdV6zI7dggO1lWZuknnxq94eZJHsBL3CoGs6n2ceMG2Mc-Eo-ehnxtgUse_ew61S3q__Dax74swK9OJOeqnTz9ODLLIBAznNtZWHEWpU/s1600/IMG_0490%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm8hULWt4StyLqpX7Rtj8X-MsUYlD3vJtbStvfdV6zI7dggO1lWZuknnxq94eZJHsBL3CoGs6n2ceMG2Mc-Eo-ehnxtgUse_ew61S3q__Dax74swK9OJOeqnTz9ODLLIBAznNtZWHEWpU/s1600/IMG_0490%5B1%5D.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">Us with G.</span></div>
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650609998213199821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761516938949904555.post-23374321424273910662014-11-05T10:44:00.000-08:002014-11-09T10:45:20.572-08:0011.05.14 {week 67}<div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1415558081055_9231" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif;">
Buongiorno tutti!<br />
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What's up? Congrats to Amy and Tommy on the new baby! My comp is a big One Direction fan, so she LOVES the new little one's name. ;) You know what I just realized? I don't know 25% of my nieces and nephews. I'm gonna change the subject real quick before I start wallowing in self-pity. ;) Besides, I'll know them soon enough, right? #gunnersonfamilyreunion2015airportedition</div>
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Oh, Happy Halloween by the way! Or should I yell in your faces: "DOLCETTO O SCHERZETTO"? Unfortunately, Halloween isn't really celebrated over here. It's super American, apparently. We were eating lunch with one of our members on Friday and she was telling me about how about ten years ago it was the night of October 31st and some kid suoned her citofono, said "dolcetto o scherzetto" and then expected candy from her. She literally had NO idea what was going on. So, yeah, it's a new thing here. But we had a primary party at the church and all the little kids were dressed up and it was adorable! Sorella D'Ambrosio and I got really creative with our costumes... Okay, all we did was switch our nametags and our glasses. I mean, there's only so much you can do as a missionary. Everyone thought it was funny though, so...success!</div>
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We had a really great Saturday this last weekend! We were able to see all four of our baptismal dates! We had really awesome lessons with them, worked out detailed ways in which they would get to church and then? NONE of them showed up to Sacrament Meeting. I...wanted to cry. But I didn't. Luckily, two of them showed up right after Sacrament Meeting. Yay for C. and F.! We'll get the rest of them there this week!</div>
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On Monday, we headed to Milano for Consiglio. We dropped off Sorella D'Ambrosio in a different part of Milano to do a scambio while I was in the meeting all day. She was with an even greenier greenie than her! A sister who had only been here for four days. But they seriously killed it. Like, in the best way possible. I was so proud of my baby! Consiglio was probably one of my favorite consiglios I've been to so far. At one point the Assistenti were training us on finding and how we need to be talking to everybody. Usually at this point we would do some sort of roleplay, but instead they just passed out bus passes and they were like, "Okay, be back in 45 minutes! Go do some finding!" Um, it was so much fun. And so much better than a roleplay. And President has challenged us to read the book of Matthew before our conference with Elder Fingerle in a couple of weeks. I love challenges like that! I've learned so much already, and it's only been two days! Yesterday was somewhat strange. I did a training at our district meeting, we had lunch, did language study and then went to go visit one of our ward members. We got to her house only to find out that her hand/wrist had just been broken. So we walked with her in the POURING rain to the ER and stayed with her for a little bit while she got an x-ray and a cast and all that stuff. I'm so glad Heavenly Father placed us there RIGHT when we needed to be there. I've seen that so many times on my mission and it really is incredible.</div>
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Anyway, I hope you're all doing well! Stay warm and eat some extra caramel apples for me! :) AMORE.</div>
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Sorella Gunnerson</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Me with Sorella Hoffman (she dies this transfer!)</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Kv-E8UV2vl1AsVNQdzguGLsY0ctKFOTh5stLGCmxxM7k5iLD06OkwIqV99VRN_TGxcOgPrK8k8egQZUYWr8_35Ke-wYGOPLnY_CkX75wwlmjdFVFMFcluvFM23ickxkfG5uS-YNwl6U/s1600/IMG_0414%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Kv-E8UV2vl1AsVNQdzguGLsY0ctKFOTh5stLGCmxxM7k5iLD06OkwIqV99VRN_TGxcOgPrK8k8egQZUYWr8_35Ke-wYGOPLnY_CkX75wwlmjdFVFMFcluvFM23ickxkfG5uS-YNwl6U/s1600/IMG_0414%5B1%5D.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The number of sister training leaders in the mission has been whittled down to seven. Eccoci qua!</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs1gZ1GKq_umpmOF5df8GGWwMPA7XyBl_4dFgMY6o15nI3cM4wBBGh1kf2_jP57EtgxmugvHhGqZTNJpnvqgUIFk0ZExD7nJn-VSq26ax_XWdCK9qP2kM_PKsoEEZYDwR_RSlkwMAMC98/s1600/IMG_0418%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs1gZ1GKq_umpmOF5df8GGWwMPA7XyBl_4dFgMY6o15nI3cM4wBBGh1kf2_jP57EtgxmugvHhGqZTNJpnvqgUIFk0ZExD7nJn-VSq26ax_XWdCK9qP2kM_PKsoEEZYDwR_RSlkwMAMC98/s1600/IMG_0418%5B1%5D.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Our Halloween costumes!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Mission Leadership Council</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Me with the Elders in my MTC group that are zone leaders and were, therefore, at Mission Consiglio. The first picture made me laugh - they were all trying to indicate where I was supposed to awkwardly stand. Right in the middle.</span></div>
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<br />Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650609998213199821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761516938949904555.post-67337348435425382242014-10-29T11:19:00.001-07:002014-10-29T11:19:05.633-07:0010.29.14 {week 66}<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif;">Hey Family!</span><br />
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Well, to answer your questions, no I have not been transferred. We kind of assumed there wouldn't be any change in our companionship, seeing as training is a 12 week process and President rarely splits trainers and trainees up in the middle. Although, the capi really did give Sorella D'Ambrosio a scare when she was on the phone with them. I think they said something about her "new assignment." She started sweating and freaking out a little bit. Haha I can respect a good transfer call prank. Anyway, so yeah, everything's just staying the same for the next six weeks. So I'll officially be in Alessandria for my birthday! (*cough*don'tforget*cough*)</div>
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What else happened this week? We set a surprise baptismal date on Thursday! Do you guys remember that lady, L., that I talked about a few weeks back? Nigerian. Train. Already had a Book of Mormon. Anyway, we were finally able to see her again and she is SO legit. We went in and explained the restoration and then we invited her to do all the things: read, pray, come to church... and we were batting 3 for 3, which was pretty good. There were even enthusiastic head nods involved. So Sorella D'Ambrosio went for the soft bap invite ("when you know this is true will you be baptized?" basically) and she was all over it. So I was like, "What the heck!" (And by that, I obviously mean I was prompted by the Spirit.) "Will you be baptized on the sixth of December?" She was stoked. It was a really cool experience. Miracles really do happen, folks.</div>
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On Friday I was in Genova on a scambio. It was...interesting. We've been starting to teach C. and F. the commandments. Sometimes those can be hard to teach and be taught. So things are a little rocky with C., the mom, right now. F. is taking the Word of Wisdom and Tithing and all that stuff like a champ. But we're really going to focus on helping C. build a stronger foundation so that these things will be easier for her to accept. They didn't come to church this Sunday, which was kind of frustrating. But mostly sad. We still have high hopes though! Things are strange at the C. household (as a reminder: G. and S. are our 9- and 11-year old new converts, their mom, E. is our investigator). We showed up last night for a lesson and everyone was freaking out and walking around the neighborhood because apparently some guy had just, basically, tried to kidnap G.. I tried to play it cool because, you know, every person is a child of God, but I really just wanted to go hunt down this guy with them and give him a piece of my mind. Finally things got settled down and the police went out looking for him and we were able to read the scriptures with them for a little bit. Anyway, it was just a weird night. Ever since E. set that really solid bap date, her life has been, like, crumbling all around her. So we're going to be fasting and praying really hard for her and all of these other special people we're working with.</div>
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Anyway, that was my week! The coming week should be great - I'll be attempting to schedule this coming transfer around scambi and two mission consiglios and a conference and a zone training. It's gonna be a busy one! We're excited though. :) Thanks for the updates you guys have been sending me. I know it's hard to take time out of your busy lives to write me, so it really does mean a lot when you do. Sending lots of love from Italy! AMORE.</div>
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Sorella Gunnerson</div>
Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650609998213199821noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761516938949904555.post-70649763170806899662014-10-22T14:43:00.000-07:002014-10-29T11:19:27.112-07:0010.22.14 {week 65}<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif;">Buongiorno Family!</span><br />
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Welcome to fifth week! Fifth week is every trainer's favorite week because it's when the baby gets to practice being senior comp for a week. It's seriously the best. And Sorella D'Ambrosio is killing it (in a good way). I guess the biggest change she's noticed is just like...making sure there's stuff to do every day - making appointments with people and stuff. The other day she was like, "So....when do you call people and set things up? We always just sit down to do nightly planning and you just tell me what we're doing..." So I think her eyes are starting to open a bit. But she's seriously doing an awesome job. She's answering the phone and starting and ending lessons and all that fun stuff. She's awesome.</div>
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What else has happened this week? Well we had the great privilege of having the San Remo sorelle come hang out with us on Friday. Can I just tell you guys how much I ADORE both of these girls I've trained/I'm training? I'm so lucky. They got to do the scambio together and I just loved seeing Tokarski take little D'Ambrosio under her wing and truly act like her big sister. It was awesome. And I got to do the scambio with Sorella Hibo. She's from Africa, but moved to Italy when she was, like, five. So is obviously perfect in the language and is seriously an incredible missionary. Also, when she speaks (perfect) English, she has the most adorable British accent. I love it. Anyway, I learned a ton and we saw all sorts of miracles. And then that night we all just went to the Molinari's "surprise" party. They're officially gone and we're all just pretty sad about it... But the farewell party was really sweet. I translated all the nice things everyone said about them (they never really got the language down while they were here...) and then we ate a lot and partied like Italians. Then we went home and the next morning the San Remo sisters left us. But during this scambio, there was a definite scambio/greenie magic miracle. Sorella D'Ambrosio set bap dates with two of our progressing investigators. So, right now we have three really promising bap dates for the month of November. Pray for them, would you? Please and thank you. :)</div>
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That's about all that's happening here! We'll be getting transfer news this Saturday, but we're 99.9% sure that we'll be sticking around here together, seeing as I'm training and all. Next transfer will be the really interesting one. Everyone's trying to predict what will happen with us - there are just too many variables. So we'll see! Anyway, love you all lots and miss you tons. AMORE.</div>
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Sorella Gunnerson</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">At the Molinari's surprise party that the ward threw for them. They're officially gone! It is so sad and everyone is heartbroken.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">We stole one of E.'s cigarette packs to make fake cigarettes with scriptures in them. Good times.</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh97gmENeUgzdY4QCbLG94k9-kCAHd8NGlfu4F10TThyIoFWgLB_X_6bnpXlukbVeBXq4HHFTOaFEUGWZ6rSZcTnziKYQUuWA4gYBdBiOHvAjxQXiolAiL2ko7bsEbqE6-f0n4sRfwz-mE/s1600/10-22-14+Making+fake+cigarettes+with+scriptures+on+them.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh97gmENeUgzdY4QCbLG94k9-kCAHd8NGlfu4F10TThyIoFWgLB_X_6bnpXlukbVeBXq4HHFTOaFEUGWZ6rSZcTnziKYQUuWA4gYBdBiOHvAjxQXiolAiL2ko7bsEbqE6-f0n4sRfwz-mE/s1600/10-22-14+Making+fake+cigarettes+with+scriptures+on+them.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Me and my baby girls.</span></div>
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Me and Sorella Hibo! (Sorella Tokarski's current comp who I did the scambio with.)</div>
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650609998213199821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761516938949904555.post-69241926874774624732014-10-15T14:58:00.000-07:002014-10-22T15:26:30.512-07:0010.15.14 {week 64}<div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1413949246356_356925" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif;">
Well hey there, family!<br />
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It's been a crazy, but great week. This week included: flash floods, a trip to Savona, hail, gelato (lots of gelato), orzo (it's a drink here that substitutes coffee. my comp and i are addicted...not really, but really...), watching a sorella in her second transfer (my dear Sorella Palmer) teach like a boss, watching a sorella in her first transfer (my dear Sorella D'Ambrosio) become an incredible missionary, bike rides in the rain, Sorella D'Ambrosio's first fall on the bike, a man pulling over to make sure she was okay after seeing the fall, watching Italian women come to the aid of D'Ambrosio's skinned knee with all sorts of powders and liquids (still don't know what in the world they were putting on her open wound), lots of pizza, lots of pasta, lots of salami (another addiction we have...), cockroaches (yeah our apartment is just keepin' it classy), teaching one of the best lessons I've ever been a part of on the plan of salvation, making fake cigarettes with scriptures inside instead of tobacco for one of our investigators, a breakfast at the Molinaris this morning (the senior couple that dies next week - I love them to death), and then going "shopping" in their pantry, and so much more. Sorry for the run-on sentence. English is no longer my forte. ;)</div>
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Love you all lots and I hope you have a great week! AMORE.</div>
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Sorella Gunnerson</div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">Me and Baby #1</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">When one tag just isn't enough...</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">On the scambio in Savona, I found my home!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">Yeah...it was good...</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">Our night in beautiful Savona!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">Look what I found on a random wall in Acqui Terme.</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_meJEUYzhRr92yH09ZhRbxChgICCIgTW5r98Ym1SVB8L5LxIqdfLYU7vRio7QIUfbhb-6A9pT-6hDqMcOw_19WfdywXN8V8Hey2wUVSqej734CBQqzLRBs1uM615HwY9A_vZcfxbncl0/s1600/IMG_0359%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_meJEUYzhRr92yH09ZhRbxChgICCIgTW5r98Ym1SVB8L5LxIqdfLYU7vRio7QIUfbhb-6A9pT-6hDqMcOw_19WfdywXN8V8Hey2wUVSqej734CBQqzLRBs1uM615HwY9A_vZcfxbncl0/s1600/IMG_0359%5B1%5D.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">Sometimes when we go to teach G and S, S insists on doing my hair...</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBnRs9_pCqhKjrtE0UG0rxMpc4drjb_wIGFYLbc9ZFK-cM9vbppH2W_hGILbMzb-R71bNOHHKAYQzQWnZhi-spfN5O16ZzVa54-Y5Mj4aFhZ-H0ZiOls2Yolz5OiXL-LEmI_6J02umNNk/s1600/IMG_0360%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBnRs9_pCqhKjrtE0UG0rxMpc4drjb_wIGFYLbc9ZFK-cM9vbppH2W_hGILbMzb-R71bNOHHKAYQzQWnZhi-spfN5O16ZzVa54-Y5Mj4aFhZ-H0ZiOls2Yolz5OiXL-LEmI_6J02umNNk/s1600/IMG_0360%5B1%5D.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">Random church in Alessandria.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">My favorite corner in Alessandria.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">My favorite corner, Part 2</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;"> </span><span style="font-size: 13px;">My favorite corner, Part 3</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">When one cross just isn't enough...</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">With views like this, I may never come home..</span></div>
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650609998213199821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761516938949904555.post-64168546547304581102014-10-08T13:39:00.004-07:002014-10-08T13:39:51.494-07:0010.08.14 {week 63}<div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412799047137_7057" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif;">
Yay! I love news about babies being born! Glad to hear all went well with the delivery and that little Ethan is already stealing hearts. Can't wait to meet him!<div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412799047137_7056">
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It's been a really great week! Last Thursday we went to Milano so that I could go to Mission Consiglio. It was fun and we learned a TON. I always feel equal parts pumped and guilty after leaving those things. Because I realize how much better I could/should be doing, but I'm also excited to get started. </div>
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Saturday was a day of MIRACLES. We had only tentative plans set up in Acqui - a little paesino, like, 30 minutes in train - we hadn't received confirmations with anyone we were wanting to see there, but we felt like we should just go anyway. And it ended up being for two really great reasons! On the way there, we talked to this awesome lady named P. I told her all about the restoration and she was really interested and wants us to bring her a Book of Mormon. So that was miracle #1. Then we got to Acqui, and got a whole bunch of no-shows. So we went back to the train station to head back to Alessandria in time to watch Conference and while waiting for the train, I started talking to this lady from Africa with this huge American flag on her hat. It was blingin. Miracle #2. She loves Americans and loves speaking English, so we hit it off really well. Then we got on the train and sat by her and finally were able to start talking about the gospel. (Sorella D'Ambrosio was in English-speaking heaven!) We start going off about prophets and Christ and the First Vision and I pull out my Book of Mormon to start talking about it and she was like, "Wait! I have that book!" Turns out she had bought in Africa, like, 3 years ago. She moved to Italy a year ago for school (she's 26) and brought it with her because she said she always keeps it with her Bible because she knows it's an important book. But she's never opened it. So we're going to go teach her more about it this Saturday. It was an awesome experience and reminded us that Heavenly Father really is constantly placing prepared people in our path. </div>
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Then we headed to the church to watch the Womens broadcast. And for the last half hour, two of our investigators showed up, ended up staying also for most of the Saturday morning session and THEN came back the next night to watch some more. We were shocked and so happy! And, mamma mia, wasn't conference INCREDIBLE? Well, what I heard of it anyway. We downloaded the audio of all the talks so that we can listen to them at home during lunch and in the morning and stuff. I'm really excited. I feel like I was less focused this time around because we were always going in and out of the room, welcoming people, saying goodbye to people, watching half in English, half in Italian, and missing the entire Sunday afternoon session all together. I was really touched by Elder Holland's talk though. That has been one of my favorite one-liners from the Book of Mormon for a while now..."For behold, are we not all beggars?" I also really loved Elder Oaks' talk, when he talked about not only having patience, but being kind at the same time. It seems to me that patience without kindness is just waiting. Anyway, it was great. I got kind of sad when I realized this would be my last General Conference on the mission. General Conference is just different as a missionary. I can't really explain it. But hopefully next General Conference I'll be able to go to one of the sessions and maybe that will start to make up for the dull pain that I'll no longer be a missionary anymore. Eh, we'll see.</div>
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Anyway, it's been a great P-day. Sorella D'Ambrosio and I were up late last night murdering our house full of insects. It's fine. At least we're able to laugh about it. But, we're both a little tired today. We're heading down to beautiful Savona in about an hour to spend the day tomorrow with the sisters there. I'm so excited. It's going to be an awesome scambio. Alright, love you all lots. Have a great week! AMORE.</div>
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Sorella Gunnerson</div>
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650609998213199821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761516938949904555.post-16966853923610067472014-10-01T14:02:00.000-07:002014-10-22T15:07:05.640-07:0010.01.14 {week 62}<div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412799047137_7057" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif;">
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Ciao Famiglia!</div>
Sorry, I don't have tons of time, but I wanted to tell you a little bit about the incredible week we had.<br />
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It started off with a scambio on Thursday. I got to hang out with Sorella Ostvig, who just came in with Sorella D'Ambrosio. Sorella Ostvig is serving in Torino, but we got to hang out in Alessandria all day while my baby headed to Torino. (Can we just talk for a second about the fact that I have been in this same stake for 9 months?? Torino and Alessandria are both in the Alessandria stake. I may never leave...) Anyway, it was an awesome scambio. I was actually a little jealous of her, because she just got here, but her Italian is already incredible.<br />
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On Friday we were able to head to the church and help N. prep the church for the wedding. It was lots of fun but brought out the wedding planner in me and reminded me of all the things I want done...differently when it's my turn. (Amy, don't forget our plan...) (Another note for Amy: I got your guys' package on Monday! Thank you thank you thank you! I loved it so much. It was just perfect. I was showing that Instagram book off to everyone. And, holy smokes, that book that Ava wrote me is literally one of my new prized possessions. Please tell her and your whole family thank you. Love you guys lots!)<br />
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And then Saturday was the wedding! I was the pianist and since the bride showed up a good hour late, I was sitting there playing prelude hymns for an entire hour. Without stopping (because that's just awkward when the pianist stops...you know). Haha it was strangely exhausting and reminded me that I could never be a professional pianist. But the wedding went off without a hitch.<br />
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The next day was Sunday and E. CAME TO CHURCH. For all three hours! We were on cloud nine. While we were doing weekly planning on Friday, we really felt like we needed to do a special fast with her to help her quit smoking and drinking caffe. So we did this special fast and it went really well. She feels like the right date for her to be baptized is November 22nd. So we will be working really hard to help her reach that goal. We know she can do it. :)</div>
On Monday we headed to Milano where we had New Missionary Training. It was lots of fun and reminded us why we're here. I was able to see old friends and meet new ones. It was the best.</div>
Tuesday was pretty normal! We were literally just running around Alessandria all day. I love those days.</div>
I'm exhausted, but happy. :) I like it. Tomorrow we'll be heading to Milano again for mission consiglio (Sorella D'Ambrosio is coming too, but then will be hanging out with some sisters in Milano while I'm at the conference). And we're going with the capi in their CAR. No trains for us tomorrow! We're excited.</div>
Did y'all pray to have a missionary experience? I really hope so. When these experiences come, I'd love to hear about them. :) Love you lots! <br />
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Sorella Gunnerson <br />
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">WEDDING!</span></div>
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Us with one of my favorite people on the planet, N.! (Try not to mind his crazy eyes...)</div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">You know you're in Italy when.... (At the Milano Centrale train station)</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmL-MMEElwiaf9fBe7DMmEWozuQV3sbk7-JGi8ybb2nwkofBjcdu8LVCpNoBddcglonb1ga60Kip9jCCRfbRrhPJx40OaqIqAFeXslP0al9iphtQesA3m-JkiSUWFe_rGmnjYs6_roRWI/s1600/IMG_0333%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmL-MMEElwiaf9fBe7DMmEWozuQV3sbk7-JGi8ybb2nwkofBjcdu8LVCpNoBddcglonb1ga60Kip9jCCRfbRrhPJx40OaqIqAFeXslP0al9iphtQesA3m-JkiSUWFe_rGmnjYs6_roRWI/s1600/IMG_0333%5B1%5D.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650609998213199821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761516938949904555.post-16212935230984509562014-09-24T20:31:00.003-07:002014-10-22T15:10:51.592-07:0009.24.14 {week 61}<blockquote id="yui_3_16_0_1_1411615388952_9740" style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; margin: 1em;" type="cite">
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Well, another week come and gone! It's been another quicky. (I don't know if I'll have any slow weeks from here on out...) Today is my 14 month mark! Weird. I realized about a week ago that I was still telling people that I had six months left when they asked me. But, nope. Now I'm at four. Where has the time gone? I'm realizing more and more that I'm getting closer to the end because every time I tell someone I have 4 months left, they get this worried look on their face. And then they usually say something like, "Wow, that's really no time at all..." And then I'm like, "Nah, I've got all the time in the world!" And then their face just gets covered in...pity. It's okay. I really do still have a TON of time left. I mean, I'm no Taylor Orton or anything. ;)</div>
I HAVE A NEW BABY, GUYS. Her name is Sorella D'Ambrosio. And, no, she's not Italian. Her dad is Italian, but she was born and raised in Mesa, Arizona. She is just....the biggest ball of energy I have ever met. We just...laugh all the time, basically. And not just those wimpy little laughs, but big throw-your-head-back-and-bust-up-laughing laughs. It's been a great week. Unfortunately her dad, although he's fluent in Italian, like never spoke Italian to her, so that's what she's having the hardest time with right now (um, hi, I understand...) but she's doing great. I do feel kind of bad that she has to be so busy with scambios for her first couple of transfers. I mean, that's not normal for a new missionary. She'll be doing one a week, pretty much, for the entire transfer. She's a champ! Anyway, between last Thursday, when she arrived here in Alessandria, and now we've basically just been going around so that she can meet everyone. It's been a packed week! (Except for Sunday night when she was ill. But it's all good now!) And we've got another packed week ahead. Tomorrow is our scambio. Friday we'll be doing service to help decorate for a wedding that will be at the church on Saturday. Saturday - WEDDING! Sunday will be...normal. Monday we'll go to Milano again for New Missionary Training. Tuesday will be normal and then before we know it, I'll be writing you all again! And then we'll have mission consiglio and General Conference and all sorts of good stuff! I can't wait for these next couple of weeks. :)<span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span></div>
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Update on G. and S.: They're doing great! They've really been integrated into the ward well, which is such a huge relief. That's one of the hardest parts about progressing investigators and new converts - just getting them friends and fellowshipped. I remember the first couple of times they came to church, S. wanted to leave before the third hour (Primary), and now she loves it. They actually stayed at church for, like, an hour after church on Sunday. Haha we had to pretty much kick them out so that we could go home and eat lunch. So that is really, really nice. We had another miracle this week because we were able to see two of my favorite investigators that basically dropped off the face of the earth for the past two and a half weeks - C. and F. We went to see them on Monday and I was basically just like, "So, hey, do you want to still learn about Jesus?" (More tactfully though, of course...) And they do want to keep learning and trying. They're going to start reading the scriptures and praying again because they said they really did see/feel a difference in their lives when they were doing these things. The next step is getting them to church. That's a toughie sometimes, but we can do it! Anyway, we're just seeing miracles everywhere we turn and it really does help me realize how much the Lord's hand is in our lives. He is mindful of every single person. And I know that when we pray for people to be put in our path, He really will put people who are ready in our path, and then all we have to do is open our mouths! It's easy, if you think about it! I remember I used to be so afraid to pray to have a missionary experience when I was a regular member, because I knew that if I prayed for it, it would actually happen. It can seem somewhat scary or intimidating, but don't worry. Heavenly Father wants you to help his children. He won't let you fail. So that is my invite for you this week - pray for a missionary experience and then when it comes your way, do something about it! Will you do it? :) Good. You will be blessed and you'll start to understand why I'm just so...happy to be a missionary. It's the most incredible job ever. I'll be following up next week, so don't forget! ;)<span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span></div>
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I love you all tons and I'm so grateful for the support system I have at home. Even when I get zero emails from my siblings, I know you all still love me. ;) Really though, y'all are great. I hope you all have an amazing week. Look for miracles! AMORE.<br />
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650609998213199821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761516938949904555.post-70177410475185321862014-09-17T14:33:00.000-07:002014-09-22T14:34:20.925-07:0009.17.14 {week 60}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hey Family!</div>
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How's it going? Life in Alessandria, Italia is incredible. With two baptisms on Saturday, how could it not be? I'll talk more about that later. The first thing I need to write about is transfers. Okay, so as you all know I'm an STL here in Alessandria. So transfer calls as an STL aren't all that crazy because you know you'll be getting another really experienced missionary and that it will all just be easy, breezy, beautiful (Covergirl?). Well...I got a phone call from President on Saturday morning and one of the first things he said to me was, "Sorella Gunnerson, are you sitting down?" "Yes." Cue panic attack. "I need you to do something that's never been done in this mission before." Yeah, I was a litle worried. So he says, "With so many sisters going home this transfer (the biggest group of sisters that this mission has ever seen come in all at once - 17) I need you to do double duty." Basically he went on to tell me that not only will I still be STL this transfer, but I will also be training. ....I'll just let that sink in for a minute.... Before...tomorrow...STLs in this mission always served with other STLs. That way, when you went on scambios it all just made sense. Now, not only will I not be with another STL, I'll be with a little greenie! My second baby! I'm stoked. It's gonna be CRAZY. And I still have no idea how it's all going to work, but it'll be fun. He told me that me and two other sisters will be doing this to kind of test it out and see how it works. So, tomorrow, we're heading to Milano bright and early so that I can go pick up my new baby! Let's hope she's not crazy! (...Really though...)</div>
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The baptism on Saturday was AMAZING. Okay, so our ward had this Open House set up for Saturday that we've been planning for a while. And we had the baptism planned to start a half hour after the Open House ended. The Open House ended up being....well I don't know if "disaster" would be the right word... Haha, no, it wasn't a disaster. It's just that basically no one showed up. Like, literally, only ward members. I think one 13-year-old boy in our ward brought two of his friends. But that was it. BUT the success of this Open House is that there were tons of members who stayed afterwards for the baptism. (SIDE NOTE: You all should go to convert baptisms. Please. It makes such a difference. END SIDE NOTE) So our little sisters got baptized and it was beautiful! S. (the younger one) just started cracking up when G. was baptized because there was a big splash and she's nine years old (fun fact - she's literally a day younger than Nora). But they got baptized and afterwards they both bore their testimonies and it was beautiful. Seriously, G.'s testimony was so powerful. I was shocked. That girl is going to serve a mission someday. Actually, when she was confirmed the next day, in church, the prayer said that she would help her family and the people of Italy come to know of the truth. Sorella Roth and I both looked at each other afterwards with wide eyes and Sorella Roth said, "She's gonna serve a mission in Italy." Oh my goodness, I would cry out of sheer happiness. I love those girls SO much.</div>
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Anyway, other than that, this week has been full of a lot of goodbyes for Sorella Roth. We'll head to Milano tomorrow morning, separate, and she'll hang out in Milano for the day, spend the night in a hotel that night with all the other sisters, and then her Mom, sister, and aunt are coming here to pick her up. So, Mom, just FYI, her homecoming will be October 12 at that church by the Jiffy Lube on Foothill. She's not sure of the time yet, though. Either 11 or 3. I'll let you know. And, yeah, she and I just had a good laugh about an hour ago when I logged onto my email account and found out that she and Jason dated. I was in shock, so I just turned to her and I was like, "YOU DATED MY COUSIN." Small world, man. Small world.</div>
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Well I think that's about it for this week. I'll send pictures in another email. AMORE. (And wish me luck!) :)</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Saturday was also the birthday of one of my favorite people in the entire world - a member here named A. So we went that morning and heart-attacked her door. The quality is awful because we both forgot our cameras and had to take the pictures on the phone. And then I took a picture of the phone screen. Va beh. It was fun! We also left her some of my Italy-famous brownies. (Did y'all know that I've become somewhat well-known for my brownie making skills here? Well now you know.)</span></div>
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650609998213199821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761516938949904555.post-64921447594235048212014-09-10T10:25:00.000-07:002014-09-11T10:48:44.529-07:0009.10.14 {week 59}<div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1410446846388_137645" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif;">
Hey Family!<br />
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First things first, it's P-day here in the Italy Milan Mission and that means that today I am in Genova! The Molinaris are a missionary couple in Alessandria and they invited Sorella Roth and me to come to Genova with them today to do some sight-seeing. It was actually really convenient because we were going to take a train to Genova tonight anyway for a scambio... So here we are! I took TONS of pictures, but only sent a few... Y'all will have to wait for my homecoming slideshow to see them all! Anyway, we went to this little town called Nervi, right near Genova. That's where most of the pictures came from. It was beautiful! We walked along the coast for a while and then went to one of the Nervi museums - it was a modern art museum and it was really cool! And now we're here in the ghetto part of Genova doing some email before we have to split up for our scambio. I'll be here in Genova with Sorella Mantz while Sorella Roth goes to Alessandria with Sorella Ball (her MTC comp) for their very last scambio of the mission! Yep, Sorella Roth will be leaving me in seven days time. Crazy.</div>
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We have had a week of miracles up in Alessandria! First miracle: G. AND S. ARE GETTING BAPTIZED ON SATURDAY! We are so so SO excited. This family was found about a week before I came here to Alessandria, so I've been able to see their entire progression and it is seriously incredible. A., their dad, was baptized this last Saturday (he was being taught by the Anziani because we literally couldn't teach him and his wife, E., together. It just...wasn't pretty) and now the girls are so ready to be baptized. I've seriously seen a change for the better in them. They are so excited as well. I feel like Heavenly Father has placed so many little girls in my path during my mission and I'm more than willing to step up and be their big sister (in two senses of the word). Both G. and S. have talked about how they want to be sister missionaries like us when they grow up. Nothing would make me happier. I love these girls and this family to death. Their mom, E., is also incredible. She's trying to overcome smoking, which is why she isn't baptized yet. But she has a strong testimony and is ALMOST totally done with the cigarettes. I've almost cried a couple of times at lessons with them this week as she has told us that she's only been smoking 4-6 cigarettes a day. Compared to the 40 she was smoking when I got here, I'd say that's pretty good. They love the song "Sono un figlio di Dio" and ask us to sing it every time we have a lesson with them (which is every day...). And when E. gets the urge to smoke a cigarette, she hums that song and she is able to resist. I gave her one of my MoTab CDs the other day. Hopefully that will help too. That's actually the second one I've given away here...I might come home empty handed. But that's okay. ;)</div>
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I feel like there were SO many more miracles this week and just no time to write about them. Also, this week is just a blur in my mind, so I can't remember anything that happened. Oh! There was a Europe Area Sisters Conference last night. Anziano Ballard and Bednar spoke. It was AMAZING. I wish I had more time to write about it, but I really don't. Also, we showed up soaking wet at the church, after having ridden there in the HUGE rainstorm on our bikes. It was awesome. Alright, that's all I have time for. Love you lots! AMORE.</div>
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my girls!</div>
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them with their dad after his baptism.</div>
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sometimes rain happens.</div>
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a day in Genova.</div>
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a day in genova part 2</div>
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a day in genova part 3</div>
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a day in london?</div>
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650609998213199821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761516938949904555.post-6726875894711437692014-09-03T10:00:00.000-07:002014-09-11T11:41:52.386-07:0009.03.14 {week 58}<div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1410446846388_128246" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif;">
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Dear Family,<br />
<br />
This week was just jam-packed (just wrote ham-packed by accident and then laughed pretty hard about it...) with wonderful things.<br />
<br />
We started last week off with a scambio on Thursday with the Torino sisters. I was with good ol' Sorella Lawrence here in Alessandria. It was a ton of fun and it was really cool to be able to serve with her again and see all the ways she's improved in the last transfer and a half. We had a great time. And then on Thursday night, she and I headed to Torino where we met up with our comps and spent the night there. Bright and early the next morning, Sorella Roth and I headed to Milano for mission consiglio. It was so wonderful (as usual) and we learned a ton and I know there are just a million and one things I need to improve in my missionary work. And I've got about five months to do it! Woohoo!</div>
Saturday was a really cool day because I learned about real intent. You know, in Moroni 10:3-5 it talks about how we need to pray with "real intent." I never really understood what this phrase meant and then when I got on the mission I started to understand it. It means that we pray with the intent that we will act on whatever answer we receive, or that we will act in order to receive an answer...and then act on that answer. (I guess there's lots of action involved...) Anyway, Saturday I had a really great testimony-builder of real intent. On Saturday morning we had planned to go to Acqui Terme (a paesino, like, 30 minutes away in train) and we decided we were going to get two lessons on the train. One on the way there and one on the way back. This is nothing new - we talk a lot in our mission about train lessons and bus lessons and basically just being "forever finders." It's never been my forte, but we do it quite often and I've grown to like train finding more and more. I've learned that it doesn't have to be awkward. You sit down by someone. You start talking about normal stuff. The weather. Work. School. And then eventually it comes up that you're here in Italy serving a mission and then you start preaching! Haha sort of. Anyway, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. But the beautiful thing about train finding is that when it doesn't work you can just pretend you're getting off at the next stop, but instead go to a different car and talk to someone else. ANYWAY we had decided during nightly planning that we were going to get these lessons and all morning I prayed really hard that it was actually going to happen. I was praying with real intent, I tell you what. I wanted to meet these people who were ready to hear about the gospel. So we went. We walked past some people in the first car, sat down by some Asians a few cars down. They weren't really understanding anything we were saying (in Italian OR in English), so we decided to be "socially awkward for Jesus" (our theme for this transfer) and go back to some of these people we had passed before. When we were walking past them, there had been this lady who I had noticed smiling at us. So we went back and talked to her and had a lovely conversation about what we believe. It was awesome. And then on the way home, I had a feeling we should talk to this Fillipino (I can't remember how that's spelled in English....is that right?) lady and she was awesome, too. Anyway, it was just a really cool experience, because real intent is so....real (for lack of a better word).</div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif;">Sunday was incredible because we had SEVEN investigators come to church. It was a MIRACLE. We've seen some huge progress in these people. I love this job. Monday we spent inside all day because Sorella Roth wasn't feeling well and then Tuesday was our zone conference! It was awesome. It was seriously just such a great week. Gotta run. AMORE.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif;">Sorella Gunnerson</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif;">SICK DAY!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Probably only M. will understand this one...</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Sometimes my comp has to wear a helmet around the house.</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;"> The zone.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif;"><br /></span>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650609998213199821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761516938949904555.post-52779809315355205392014-08-27T11:50:00.004-07:002014-08-27T11:50:52.178-07:0008.27.14 {week 57}<div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1409163964077_5975" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif;">
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Hey Family!<br /><br />I'm running on short email time this week because we got here to the internet place with JUST enough time to have our full hour and a half and all the computers were full. This never happens. After about 5 minutes, someone left, so Sorella Roth started doing emails. Then I just sat there for 45 minutes watching five other people literally just waste 45 minutes of their lives. Like, if they had been doing something productive, like genealogy or something (haha) I could have forgiven it. But there was a woman just looking at the weather all over Italy for those 45 minutes and I just had to sit there and painfully watch as my precious email time ticked away... Anyway now I'm here writing and everything is fine :)<br /></div>
It's been an INCREDIBLE week. :) I just never want to leave Alessandria, I love it so much. President asked us all to make last week a special, consecrated week. He asked us to not do any scambios and to just really focus on our areas, doing the best we can to grow our own areas. So we took it and ran with it and we saw miracles all week long. The biggest miracle we saw all week is that on Thursday we started the day off with zero baptismal dates. I guess we were in an August lull. We knew we had investigators who were ready to get bap dates, but it just hadn't worked out yet. Well, by the time we came inside at 9 to do nightly planning, we had six baptismal dates! We were on cloud 9. We're really hoping and praying that these people can reach these goals. One is a new investigator from a couple of weeks ago named L. The other five are that family that finally came back from Ventimiglia. The only problem was that the family didn't show up at church. (L. did! Yay L.! AND she didn't drink coffee that morning!) We literally did ALL we could to try to get them to church. We passed by the night before letting them know we would be coming by an hour early to help them get up and ready for church. On Sunday morning we went and rang their cito, called them, but no one was responding. Finally someone came out of the apartment complex, so we were at least able to get in their building and all the way up to their front door. We heard someone moving around the kitchen inside, so we knock, the dog barks (I didn't even know they had a dog...), there's silence inside for a good 30 seconds and then regular moving noises. So we knock again. Same pattern. So then we just sat their on the staircase for a good ten minutes hoping...something would happen. But it didn't. So we knocked again. Same thing. Finally we decided to stop being stalkers and just go to church already. I was so sad and frustrated though! They KNOW they need to be baptized, they're just not acting and it's so sad. There's another mom and daughter we're working with right now that we're hoping to set baptismal dates for (and they came to church for the last half hour - we were so happy!). They could all use your prayers!<br /></div>
Anyway, that's all the news from Alessandria! Sorella Lawrence will be coming here from Torino tonight to do a scambio with me (while Sorella Roth goes to Torino), so that will be fun! Then tomorrow night, we'll head to Torino, spend the night there and then head to Milano on Friday morning for Mission Consiglio (already??). Then we'll have a blitz here on Monday with the sorelle of Savona and then Zone Conference on Tuesday. It'll be a crazy week, but we're excited. Just loving life! AMORE.<br /></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif;">Sorella Gunnerson</span>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650609998213199821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761516938949904555.post-648154393000671302014-08-20T12:12:00.004-07:002014-08-20T12:12:54.819-07:0008.20.14 {week 56}<div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408553657000_94788" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif;">
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif;">Sorry, I have zero time to write. It's been a good week! We've seen tons and tons of miracles (which is a big deal because I've dreaded August my entire mission). It's been incredible. That family with the two daughters are still on vacation but a little birdie (their dad) told us that they should be coming home tonight, so we'll hopefully see them soon. I've missed them a lot! Can't wait to see them and start teaching them again! We've also found quite a few new investigators this week. There's this one lady named L. who had a baptismal date about five months ago (way before I got here) and then she had a bad dream and decided that it meant she wasn't supposed to get baptized, like, a week before her baptism. (Have I ever told you guys that Italians are SUPER superstitious? Sometimes it drives me nuts.) Anyway, she found one of our pass-along cards on the ground about a week and a half ago and took THAT as a sign and we're teaching her again. She even came to church on Sunday. So that's pretty cool. Let's hope no black cats cross her path or anything. Anyway, we've been seeing so many miracles and have so many people to set baptismal dates with. It's going to be an incredible week. Have I told you guys how awesome my comp is?? Sorella Roth and I are basically the same person. She's awesome. I forgot that getting along with your companion can be really easy sometimes... We went to a Catholic funeral on Monday so that was....really depressing. A lady in our ward's mother died, and she is an ex-investigator of the sisters here. But yeah, it was just really sad and dark. Guys, the church is true. Sorry this email is super short. I love you all a lot. And I'm really just...happy here! Busy and exhausted, but so happy! (Also, the two hour nap I took this afternoon definitely helped.) Anyway, have a great week! AMORE.</span>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650609998213199821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761516938949904555.post-61982397168486161732014-08-13T12:14:00.000-07:002014-08-20T17:06:44.547-07:0008.13.14 {week 55}<div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1408553657000_100843" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif;">
Wow, sounds like you guys have been having a lot of fun this summer! Cool. It's been a crazy week - what with transfers and a zone training and a scambio. We've been super busy. But it's been good. Sometimes I hate the month of August because everyone leaves. You know where they all go? The sea! So we decided to just follow the crowd. After zone training in Genova on Monday morning, we headed down to San Remo for a scambio! Holy smokes, it was so hot, but so beautiful. I got to do the scambio with my girl - Sorella Tokarski! It was incredible. We saw lots of miracles and I got to see all the progress she's made these last couple of transfers. She is AMAZING. I'm seriously so proud of her. Anyway, I have my new comp - Sorella Roth from Salt Lake City, Utah! She's awesome. She dies in about 5 weeks, but she's going out strong. We're basically the same person, so it's been a fun transfer so far. Sorry, I have no more time to write. I hope you enjoy the pictures. Have a great week. Vi voglio bene.</div>
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650609998213199821noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8761516938949904555.post-52621508842704850392014-08-06T09:55:00.002-07:002014-08-06T09:55:18.069-07:0008.06.14 {week 54}<div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1407342368558_23412" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif;">
Hey Family!</div>
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Wow, looks like you all had a great family reunion! Loved all the pictures and the stories. Yeah, a little jealous I wasn't there but, hey, my name was on the family tree cake, so it's practically the same thing. ;)</div>
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It's been a great, but ridiculously fast week. To answer the question on everyone's mind: Yes, I'm staying in Alessandria for another two transfers. Woo-hoo! Why do I say two? Because my new collega, Sorella Roth, who will be coming here tomorrow is dying this transfer. So she's doing her last transfer here in Alessandria with me and then I'll have to show someone else the ropes the transfer after that. Unless President just blows my mind and keeps me here til the END OF MY MISSION. That's not gonna happen. But you never know... But I love Alessandria, so it's okay. I know I basically say this at the end of every transfer, but this was definitely the fastest transfer so far. Sorella Hoffman is heading to the beautiful land of Pisa to be STL there. She'll do great. She's been here in Alessandria for 7 months now - 5 transfers, so it's definitely time for her to leave.</div>
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Mission Consiglio was awesome on Friday. We spoke a lot about our role as leaders of the mission. As the APs got up to start their part of the meeting one of them looked at me and said, "Sorella Gunnerson, who is someone in the history of the world - in the scriptures, american history, sports, ANYTHING - that is a great leader to you?" Anyone wanna guess what I said? ...........Winston Churchill. Haha my nerdiness was definitely showing. Anyway, it was a great meeting. I love those things. The area doctor actually came to speak to us - the guy stationed in Germany who gets phone calls about all the missionary's health issues and then either fixes them or sends them home. He came to teach us some basic remedies for common missionary health issues. It was kinda gross, but also cool. And then on Saturday we got our transfer news. So we've been over three companionships in the Torino zone - Vercelli, Collegno, and Torino. Well, now the sister companionships in Vercelli and Collegno don't exist. So, instead of being over just the Torino zone, we're over that zone AND our own zone. President closed the STLs in Genova, so now we'll be STLs for Torino, Genova, Savona, and....San Remo! Sound familiar to anyone?? That's where Tokarski is!! Now I'm her STL and I'm so stoked. Anyway, point is, it's going to be crazy now. It literally takes, like, 5 hours to get to San Remo from here. So we're not quite sure how this is going to work yet. But it's going to be an adventure!</div>
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Church on Sunday was quite disappointing since NONE of our investigators showed up. Man, that's seriously the worst. We're just constantly looking at the doors, hoping someone will just get out of bed and come! And we were especially sad because the whole week before we had really been prepping G. and S. to come - getting them super pumped up about it. We even went to their house on Saturday night and gave them old clothes of ours so that they would have dresses/skirts to wear to church. But they didn't end up coming and we were really sad. We're working on it. But, even though they haven't been coming to church, they really are changing. We had a big talk with them about modesty a couple of weeks ago and ever since then, they've been dressing so modestly! Even though its super hot outside! We are so proud of them for that. So, we're making small steps here, but we ARE making steps. I love those girls so much. On Sunday night, we had a party with GANS (YSA) at the church. We had been doing a Hunger Games themed game with them for the past few transfers to get them excited about doing their own missionary work and we promised them a party when they reached a certain number of points. And they reached their goal, so we had this party for them on Sunday night. It was fire themed, so we made a fake campfire in the middle of the room and then turned off all the lights and put blankets around and had a testimony meeting. It was the best. And we watched that little video - "Because of Him" twice. We love it. Monday, Tuesday, and today have just been CRAZY, running around so that Sorella Hoffman can see everyone before she leaves. We are exhausted, but it's been awesome. We've seen so many miracles - too many to count. And I know for a fact that the Lord has His hand in every single facet of this work. I love it with all my heart and I'm so proud/grateful/excited/happy to be a part of it.</div>
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These next few weeks will be interesting since literally EVERYONE leaves to go to the sea during August (because of the unbearable heat). It is the most dreaded month of the Italian missionary, but we're already a week through it, so we're doing good! :) Love you guys a lot! Ciao.</div>
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Sorella Gunnerson</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">As promised, the picture of my one year mark. Eatin' gelato cake!</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMtV9p54pZY3toxEQgszg9njVy0YdY0IOv5pSfxafbMLBGOa948fNplJQWiYdpSl6Rp_7vlu9I0-V_C2l3sYDP6gBtvn4yhWNePt4QdpKtYwBbnKV45JClnPZu2tsN7qH9hO5cNM_ezbU/s1600/IMG_0020%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMtV9p54pZY3toxEQgszg9njVy0YdY0IOv5pSfxafbMLBGOa948fNplJQWiYdpSl6Rp_7vlu9I0-V_C2l3sYDP6gBtvn4yhWNePt4QdpKtYwBbnKV45JClnPZu2tsN7qH9hO5cNM_ezbU/s1600/IMG_0020%5B1%5D.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Sorella Hoffman and me at the waters in Acqui Terme - a paesino we go to to visit a less active and her family. Apparently the Romans in ancient times would stop in this little town to drink the water cuz it's like....extra yummy? I don't know. But they have fountains everywhere so we took a picture. :)</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig6UIGQW2eS-ZDn3akXq3CVyrgQuwcAQGX4RfoD_QQOkwYAHKmjPtPMTT0GujzcmUkzoguAszKxJEi0uBy5e2grlESdmka2oUqEAUnOTmoXYGkvJR5XFuMJJcct8BR9EMdv3vs-nI0APo/s1600/IMG_0035%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig6UIGQW2eS-ZDn3akXq3CVyrgQuwcAQGX4RfoD_QQOkwYAHKmjPtPMTT0GujzcmUkzoguAszKxJEi0uBy5e2grlESdmka2oUqEAUnOTmoXYGkvJR5XFuMJJcct8BR9EMdv3vs-nI0APo/s1600/IMG_0035%5B1%5D.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Me with the S. family on Sunday for lunch. They live in campagna - in the country - so they have a garden and an actual home and space and stuff. It was the best. So beautiful. We ate lunch outside and it was wonderful. Fratello S. is the second counselor in our bishopric. They are great!</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhow0bE16IGDaxbP3jIIvGY4HZyhh71Cr1xdkM-BNJ19kKItwLsR361csh1paP3tws0-t4e1qZr6QdpVXKEf0DaLqbYrnP0HDdFGQoJUjxzwQGuxhgMvEfgkl_rIeKgBv_Qz0Ur5Amq6A8/s1600/IMG_0037%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhow0bE16IGDaxbP3jIIvGY4HZyhh71Cr1xdkM-BNJ19kKItwLsR361csh1paP3tws0-t4e1qZr6QdpVXKEf0DaLqbYrnP0HDdFGQoJUjxzwQGuxhgMvEfgkl_rIeKgBv_Qz0Ur5Amq6A8/s1600/IMG_0037%5B1%5D.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">GANS party!</span></div>
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#districtBEST</div>
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Yeah, we had fun this transfer.</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">L - R: Johnson, Bartholio, Johnson, Strang, Hoffman, ME :)</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtaZyPaOoVT3nj21ruCttUQfwgqYsx053y0D0pZEZ3TiR3Lnp5Ic_4RJNjTnXdFK6SqzP5F0rtCcWN3TXWbbc9zpjr6JSjh5u5BJH0RNNP0thn6QVJM_ZTn74yIccSru584hTYyF5gL8A/s1600/IMG_0045%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtaZyPaOoVT3nj21ruCttUQfwgqYsx053y0D0pZEZ3TiR3Lnp5Ic_4RJNjTnXdFK6SqzP5F0rtCcWN3TXWbbc9zpjr6JSjh5u5BJH0RNNP0thn6QVJM_ZTn74yIccSru584hTYyF5gL8A/s1600/IMG_0045%5B1%5D.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">A picture of my invite to the Hunger Games party. We knew we had a crazy busy weekend ahead of us and so we asked Anziani Johnson and Strang to make the invites for everyone for the party. Um, coolest invites ever. Fire was involved.</span></div>
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650609998213199821noreply@blogger.com0