Letter #18 - 1/15/14

CIAO!


Okay so this week was pretty good! We have seen so many miracles already and we are really excited for this transfer, we know there is something more we have to do here in Montevarchi. We have had some really, really incredible lessons the past couple days. Last night we taught one of our members (who fed us the best meal I've had so far in Italy by the way) and the Spirit was so strong. We switched the scripture we wanted to share with her right before the lesson started and it turned out to be the exact scripture she needed. We handed her the Book of Mormon to read for us and before she even read it she started crying and said "I know this scripture". It was such a cool experience. I love being a missionary!!!


Anyways, this transfer our district leader decided that we are going to have a Harry Potter themed transfer. I KNOW. So there are 4 copia in our district and so each companionship is one of the different houses in Harry Potter. My companion and I are Ravenclaw (we protested because clearly we are Gryffindor material but that one was already taken and we didn't want to be hufflepuff, haha). So our DL decided I am Sorella Luna Lovegood for this transfer and my companion is Sorella Cho Chang hahahahahahaha, seriously the funniest thing ever. We have a point system for how many lessons you get and things like that and are having a House Cup. It is really really funny. Basically a dream come true, haha. Oh and I emailed Bonnie all about it, haha she would love it. Tell Mackenzie for me too! haha she would appreciate it.


But we are doing good out here, we are happy and are excited! The three who were baptized last month are doing so well and we love them so much. The little 12 year old wrote me the cutest note the other day and it is hanging on my wall now.


Italian is hard but I think I am getting slightly better so that is a good sign, haha. We are trying to do more language study this transfer. Also, we went to the Hard Rock Cafe last week in Florence and it was so fun! but we didnt take any pictures . . . I know, I am so sorry! haha, but we will take more today :) Promise!


I think that is all for this week, I love and miss you all so much but I know this is exactly where I am supposed to be right now! Have a great week and I will talk to you soon :) love you!


Sorella Alli

Letter #17 - 1/8/14

Greetings from....Montevarchi!

 

Sorella Lopez and I are both staying here in Montevarchi for another transfer! Guess that just means we have more work to do here so we are going to go out and find out what that is :)

It has been a really interesting week, our three new converts are still doing so well and we are so proud of them! The 16 year old even started seminary this week so we are so excited for her :) They have to do seminary via Skype here because everyone lives so far away from each other. I’m sure Abbi is really jealous :) haha

Last Thursday we had a scambio with the sister training leaders in Pisa! And we did finding in the rain the whole time, haha. It was really good though and I got the wonderful opportunity of riding a bike in a skirt for the first time – In the pouring rain! it was so much fun and quite hilarious actually seeing as I was riding a unisex child’s mountain bike...literally no joke this thing was tiny! The Sorella I was with handed me the keys to the bike lock before we went out and said, "I apologize in advance on behalf of my companion for your bike for the next two days" haha yeah. I'm sure the people of Pisa had a good laugh though so it was all worth it. We did finding and no one let us in but that’s okay because we were trying! An hour or two into it I was like "why doesn’t anyone want to talk about Jesus?!" And the other Sorella laughed at me, haha. But it was a really, really good experience and we had a lot of fun together.

And then on Sunday night I got a little sick. We ate at a member’s house that night and we ate dead fish. Like literally, the fish had probably been caught, killed and put on our plate all within a couple hours. It was nuts. It still had a tail, skin, spine, and everything. We had to peel the skin off and take the spine out and everything. So funny. But I ate as much as I could of it and then I woke up in the middle of the night that night throwing up. It was not super fun. Poor Sorella Lopez, I feel so bad she has to deal with me for another 6 weeks, haha. But I am totally fine now! But you better believe next time I will not eat the fish, haha.

Then I got my giant Christmas package! Thank you so much Mom and Dad! That thing was huge. Like literally missionaries were taking guesses of what was inside of it, haha. But i loved it all! The Sheldon and Amy dolls are sitting on my desk Dad! Haha. I was laughing so hard. And the clothes were so cute Mom! Thank you! and Sorella Lopez and I are loving the treats. They have helped us through some rough days already so thank you so much! :) And I LOVE the slippers! Put them on as soon as I got them :) Thank you so much you are all the best! I am totally set for like the rest of my mission now :) haha.

Well I better go but know I love and miss you all so much! The mission is literally the hardest thing I have ever done. And it is not always super glamorous and we definitely have our hard days but I know that it is the days that are the hardest that will precede the miracles. Thank you so much for everything you do for me! You are the best! Tell Abbi, Anna, Will and Charlie “hi” from me and that I love them! Have a great week and talk to you soon :)

 

Sorella Alli

Letter #16 - 1/1/14

Buon Natale e Buon anno!

Well – this week has literally been crazy. But that’s okay, because on Saturday THREE of our investigators were baptized!! MIRACLE! We are so proud of them and they are so happy with their decision. They are already doing missionary work and introducing us to their friends and it is so great. We love them so much and are so proud of them and the decision they made to be baptized. I am grateful that Heavenly Father sent me here at this time where I would get the opportunity to even meet them.

But so rewind a little bit, before the baptism was Christmas! It was SO nice to be able to talk with you all again! It felt like I was right there with you. Sorry my Italian is so bad, haha – I promise I am working on it. But Skype was awesome and we had a lot of time – but then we missed the train back to our area – so we got to stay an extra night in Firenze with the other Sorelle. Party Round #2! We had a lot of fun together, haha – we exchanged presents and ate Christmas candy and even got to watch one Disney movie of our choice – and you better believe we chose Emperor’s New Groove and we loved every single minute of it, haha! We literally were laughing the entire time; that movie is pure Gold. Then we had lunch at a member’s house and it was so good and then we Skype'd!

Saturday was the baptism and one of the girls getting baptized asked me to give a talk so I gave a talk and I don’t think I messed up too horribly, haha – Italian is hard. But that’s OK – I have 14 more months to learn it, Haha! But the baptism was great and they were all confirmed the next day in church and our Branch just loves them all already. It was great.

On New Year’s Eve, we had to be in our apartment by 5pm (we called it lockdown, haha) because apparently people here go crazy on New Year’s. So we stayed in and finished our area book and journal’d while watching The District – crazy New Year’s Eve for us, am I right? Haha. There were tons of fireworks at midnight and our neighbors were clearly having a big party all night long that they did not invite us too – how rude right? haha just kidding.

Mom! guess what! You will be so proud of me. On the way home from the baptism, while we were waiting for the train, I bought a reward for myself for making it through the day – yep, you guessed it, a diet coke, haha! Best thing ever! Have fun watching The Bachelor on Monday!!! I can still be excited about that even though I am a missionary right? OK good, because I am, haha.

I hope you had a fun time in Utah for New Years and had a really good Christmas! I miss you all so much but I know I am right where I need to be right now. Thanks for all you do for me, I LOVE YOU!

Sorella Alli

 

 Our little Italian Christmas Tree.

 

 Helping out in the Kitchen.

 Our District Christmas Dinner celebration.

 

 Getting ready to open Christmas presents!

 

 At the Baptism.

 

 A special friend.

 

Celebrating with some sebadas - It is a super good dessert from Sardena.

 

 The wonderful family that hosted us for Christmas and Skype!

Letter #15 - 12/25/13

We had the great treat of speaking with Alli today (Christmas Day) over Skype for 130 minutes!!  She is doing great and we loved being able to see her live and in person.  Below are a couple of short videos from her today.  The first video is Alli wishing you all a Merry Christmas.  The second is Alli doing a routine "train" contact in Italian.  We also threw in a family picture of the Yosts' crowded around the computer - what was for all of us our "best Christmas present, by far."

 

Letter #14 - 12/18/13

Buon Natale (Merry Christmas)!

So this week was crazy. Literally. Haha so much has happened. But we are doing so good! Next week is Christmas? What? So weird, haha. But we are definitely in the Christmas Spirit listening to "Oh Holy Night" by Glee on repeat whenever we are home. It’s our favorite, haha.

We are going to Firenze for Christmas! We don’t really have a member’s house to go to for Christmas since we have like 15 members and they all live at least a train ride and then usually an additional car ride away from the station and apparently the trains don’t run as often on Christmas, so we are going to a member’s house in Florence with another set of sisters to Skype! We can only Skpye for 40 minutes!  I will just call you when we get on – I will use Dad’s account. We are so excited! You better be too ;) haha.

Funny story for the week, apparently I laugh in my sleep sometimes? Haha. Sorella Lopez said that the other night I laughed in the middle of the night in my sleep. She said it was funny and creepy all at the same time. The things you learn about yourself on a mission right? Haha.

I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU GOT RID OF THE BEAST (our old suburban with 200,000 miles on it). The burb is really gone? Forever? Good thing I said goodbye in the parking garage at the airport, haha. Do you like the new car mom? All the cars here are tiny little Fiats. I can’t even remember what it’s like to not have to bend to get into a car anymore, haha classic.

Our investigators are still doing well and we just love them so much. They are so strong and they know it’s all true. So hopefully we will be having three baptisms pretty soon!

It’s Christmas season and it is so important to remember why we celebrate this time of year. We are so blessed to be a part of this Gospel, it truly does bring happiness. I have already seen that so much here. Remember Christ especially this time of year! He is the reason for the season :) Love you all and I’m so excited to SEE YOU next week! Thanks for all the love and prayers!

Ti voglio tanto bene!

Sorella Alli

 

Letter #13 - 12/11/13

Ciao Famiglia!

 

How is everything back home? This week has been really good! Our investigators are amazing and are so prepared for the gospel. It has been so cool to watch them gain a testimony for themselves. We love them so much!

So yesterday we had Zone Conference! It was really fun and President and Sister Dibb put on a little Christmas party for us and it was really, really fun :) They got us all aprons with the mission logo sewn on them! They are really cute and we had lunch prepared by one of the Italian senior missionary couples and it was SO GOOD. I didn’t see anyone from the MTC at zone conference as we all got super spread out in the mission – I am the only one in this zone. 

We are not sure what we are doing for Christmas, I don’t think there will be a branch party or anything and we already had our zone conference, which was a Christmas party.  It was really, really fun! Maybe we will do something with the other sorelle in Firenze. The computer won’t let me load any pictures today so I will send more next week! :) You will be so proud mom, haha we tried so hard but the computer wouldn’t cooperate. Italian is hard but I am trying my best! I am sure between Sister Lopez and the Zone Leaders we will figure out how to Skype on Christmas. 

Our zone leaders are actually the elders that were assigned to our branch and they are really great! I think they go to Milan once a month for consiglio, but I’m not sure if they ever have to go more than that.  They have a car, but I never want to drive over here – ever! It would be so scary because Italian drivers are crazy.

I got all the packages you sent Mom! Thank you sooooo much! You seriously spoiled me. Tell Abbi and Anna nice job wrapping, haha. But really thank you so much! I am so lucky and I am excited to open them on Christmas! :) And tell everyone thanks that wrote me a letter for the advent calendar! Those mean so much to me and I love reading one each day. Thanks so much Mom and Dad! So we made our Christmas tree and we are so proud of it, haha. We put a green blanket over our ladder and then made ornaments out of paper and bought some Christmas lights and wrapped them around it and then put a star we made out of cardboard at the top. It is really legit. Plus we have the Christmas tree in a box you sent nicely situated on our dinner table.  We have two trees!!

Even though it is cold old, we are staying warm! It actually gets really, really foggy here. Fog in Italian is nebbia, but yeah it gets super, super foggy and the train stations look really creepy – kind of like out of a Harry Potter book, haha. It’s really cool. Our new apartment is really nice and we stay really warm and my coat is perfect outside. I always wear the running tights from like freshman year track under my skirt haha, cute right?

Thanks for all your prayers for us and our investigators! Everything is going well here and we are so grateful for this time of year especially because people really do turn more to Christ at this time. Thanks for everything you do for me; I am literally the most spoiled missionary ever. I am glad Will had a good birthday! Thanks for all the pictures! :) I love you!

Have a great week and I will talk to you next week!

Love, Sorella Alli

A Thanksgiving Dinner I will never forget!

Letter #12 - 12/4/13

HAPPY BIRTHDAY WILL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

Hi family! How is everyone?! Did you have a great Thanksgiving? We celebrated Thanksgiving in true missionary style, we ate pizza and watched the district in our sweats - haha so funny. Sounds like it was so fun having Uncle Jim and Aunt Tonia and everyone there! Oh and Kaila had her baby?! He is so cute!!! I can't wait to meet him someday :) haha - tell her and Joey congrats!

This week was really good, we had our 4 investigators in church on Sunday and they all loved it! We have a new investigator that is a friend of theirs and she is 12 years old and seriously soooo cute - haha -  She is HILARIOUS - haha. She is trying to learn English and I am terrible at Italian so we help each other out and are pretty much best friends, its great, haha, she is so adorable and she LOVED church. We went to visit her and our other investigators on Sunday night - it's a mom and her daughter and then their two friends, one of which is this 12 year old girl. They are all friends so they all go over to the mom and her daughters house all the time. And so the litDle 12 year old girl comes in the room while we are having the lesson with the daughter and sits down and is like "okay, so if I want to get baptized, what do we need to do?" hahaha and we are like "well first we need to talk to your mom..." and she is like" oh no, my mom will be fine -  don't worry, but what do we need to do?" haha! So we told her we will need to meet a few times each week and teach her and so she takes my planner and writes out her schedule for me. haha She has dance on Mondays and then school until 3 every day and then she is free. haha It was so funny, Sorella Lopez and I were laughing so hard.

I can't wait to Skype with you on Christmas - we are so excited!!  I think it will be the best Christmas present ever.  Make sure Abbi notices the One Direction singing thing hanging on our funny wall from the card she sent me - haha, it still sings and lights up. Thank you for the great letters you write me and all the cards.  I love reading about dad's mission stories and Mom, you are the best at all the details from home.  I also like that you each send me a quote every week.  I print out your emails, and read them over and over again.

We moved apartments last week and our new apartment is so cute - it is a really nice apartment! Our old one was really nice too, but this one is a lot cuter and we even stay warm at night now - haha, and yeah I like having my own pillow from home - I couldn't sleep without it, and my sheets are perfect. My new apartment is great - it even has its own mailbox so you can send my letters direct to me.

We decorated the walls in our new apartment and on one wall we have a sign that says "Enjoy the Sacrifice" and we write inspirational quotes and miracles on it. Then we have another wall where we write all our funny quotes and stories; it's great. On our funny wall we have a picture of everyone coming out of the Conference Center after General Conference and then we have a sign that says "never forget Utah still exists - you are never alone," haha because no one ever knows who we are here, very rarely have people even heard of "Mormons." So sometimes we just have to remind ourselves that we aren't alone and that there are members of the church all over the world. We are turning our ladder into a Christmas tree this week so get excited for pictures of that, haha - but I love and miss you so much! I hope you had a great Thanksgiving and that Will has a great birthday today!! :) Love you!

Sorella Alli

 My leather-bound scriptures

 

 Italian sunset from our balcony

 

 This is really good

 

 Our new apartment

 

Our quote wall

 

 We love to decorate

 

 Our beds

 

This is really nice

I love my trainer & McDonalds