Letter #53 - 9/16/14

Ciao Famiglia!

How are you all?? Mom, how was your birthday?? :) Well this week has been nuts here in Ravenna.

One of our branch members passed away after being in the hospital for 104 days, so we had his funeral last Saturday. It was a really peaceful day; he suffered for a really long time and was 80 something years old, I believe. But I played the piano at the funeral and we did it in our little church building and then went to the cemetery. The cemeteries here are so different; all the tombstones are huge, literally like little houses. So crazy.

And then also the mom of another one of our branch members passed away this week so we went to her funeral in a Catholic church on Monday morning before district meeting. She was older as well and had been sick for quite some time; it was a really peaceful service for her as well. It was really cool to see all of our members really coming together to support each other. I just love this little branch with all my heart. Good thing I’m here for 6 more weeks :) also.

Guess what? Sorella Jarvis is getting transferred to Rimini! So she is going to be my sister training leader for the last 6 weeks of her mission!!!!! I’M sooooooooo excited! ahhh I love her so much - so that will be fun :)

Also, scary story form the week... remind me to tell you that one when I get home mom ;) haha

But yeah we are doing well :) Sorella Nilsen and I are excited we get to stay together for 6 more weeks :) We just love each other, it’s great. The other day I climbed out of the bathroom window to get on the balcony and scare her from the kitchen window, it was priceless, haha so much fun. My daughter is such a good sport for putting up with me ;) haha.

Also we are starting up our English class again next week so we have been doing a TON of publicity for that and have seen so much success. We are so excited for it to restart, like literally one lady we went up to give her a flyer threw down her cigarette (big deal) and jumped up and hugged us she was so excited. She said it was a birthday gift from God that we were teaching a free English class, haha, so yeah, it’s going to be fantastic. can’t wait.

Also, yesterday I saw one of the biggest miracles so far on the mission. Sorella Nilsen and I were having a little bit of a tough day and just weren’t feeling too good, and our appointments cancelled, and we just had literally an entire day of finding. So we were just feeling super discouraged and just felt really alone and like no one really cared. As the end of the night came along and we were doing casa and getting rejected house after house, our phone randomly rang and it was our branch mission leader - literally one of my favorite people in the whole world. So I answered and he was like Ciao Sorella! Can you be at the church by 7pm? and we were like of course, we will be there, thinking he wanted to have correlation or something, - he said okay perfect – meet you there, I have something for you. And we were like okay so we got on our bikes and rode over to the church, having no idea what to expect. So we get there and wait a couple minutes and then in comes our branch mission leader with a huge smile on his face carrying...a bag of chicken. Literally, a big rotisserie chicken. He shook our hands, and handed it over to us and told us he got us some pollo. We were just kind of shocked, haha, he said he bought two and thought he should give us one. Then he shook our hands again and told us to have a great night and left just like that. It was so crazy. He just randomly brought us a chicken, on the day we were struggling the most and feeling so useless. Fratello Pogg brought us a chicken. It was like in 17 miracles when that lady doesn’t know how she’s going to keep going and then a pie appeared. Such a huge miracle. We knew that Heavenly Father was watching over us and heard our prayers. He sent us Fratello Pogg and the chicken so that we would know that everything was going to be okay and that he is aware of us. The miracle of the chicken, I will never forget it.

Hope all is well! Love and miss you so much! I hope you have a fun week with Grandma and Grandpa!

Vi voglio bene! (I love you!)

Sorella Yost

 

 

Letter #52 - 9/9/14

Ciao Famiglia!

Looks like everyone is doing so good and getting back into the groove of school :) man. Early morning seminary, haha - good luck Anna! I totally know how you feel. I did that (slept in) all the time and then Abbi would be waiting down stairs for me and I would totally get all the blame for being late ;) haha, but I graduated. Good job on the first cheer and soccer and football games to everyone! I wish I was there to see it all! But right now I’m glad I’m here :) thanks for all the pictures! Helped me feel like I was there too ;) oh man.

This week was crazy. I feel like I say that every week but it is always true, haha.  My bad luck with bikes struck again unfortunately and we were at the bike shop like every single day. Dumb. But all is well now I have a new bike! Blessed be the day. His name is Joey. Funny story though real quick, so we went in on Saturday night to trade in Helga and they gave me Joey.  I was like on Cloud 9 on the bike ride home; just so happy to have a reliable bike. Then on Sunday morning we get on our bikes and start biking to church and....flat tire. My front tire had a huge gapping whole in it. I legit almost cried, haha. So we locked up our bikes at the church and walked everywhere the rest of the day.  Then on Monday we took it back to the bike shop and they gave me a brand new tire for free and fixed it in like 10 minutes. Blessed, they took pity on me, hahah - so now I’m good to go and I didn’t have to carry my grocery bag while I biked home for the first time in 2 transfers, it was so great. I love Joey, he’s a really good bike.

My 1 year mark was super good! Sorella Nilsen made me pancakes for breakfast :) what a perfect daughter I have ;) haha, and we have a new investigator who is super great and currently reading the Book of Mormon and praying for an answer – so we are really praying hard for her. She is super Brava (good) and we just love her already. She is also really reliable and follows up on her commitments which is super refreshing. She’s just brava.

We had a big FHE and dinner at our Branch President’s house last Friday night with one of our investigators and her husband and it went really, really well. They loved it, so that was a huge success. And between us and the Anziani we had 8 investigators and 4 less actives in church on Sunday so we were super happy about that and someone from the Stake Presidency came and talked to our branch about really coming together and being united so that our branch can become a WARD sometime soon in the future. Ahhh, we want Ravenna to become a ward so badly. We just have to work really hard and I know it will happen one day - our branch is so amazing. They are like a big family and they totally deserve to become a ward. I love them so much.

Last night we got to watch the Europe-Area Women’s broadcast and it was so good, loved it. Elder Bednar and Elder Ballard talked and it was really, really amazing. If you can...watch it :) Also, can i just say how excited I am for General Conference?! it’s so soon! ahh. Can’t wait.

This week I went on a scambio with Sorella Killpack! It was so fun, love that girl. She’s in the same group as Sorella Jarvis and Carter so she has one transfer left, so weird.

Well I think that is all for this week, thanks for all your prayers! :) I love and miss you so much! ma ci vediamo presto! statemi bene! vi volgio un sacco di mene! mai dimenticarlo! :)

Sorella Alli 

 

 

Letter #51 - 9/2/14

Ciao Famiglia!

So first of all. ONE YEAR!!! How weird is that? Can’t believe it. It’s been one of the craziest most amazing years ever and I’m so excited for the 6 months still ahead.

So weird to think everyone back home is starting school again. Good luck :) that’s so cool Anna is going to Eastlake! Go wolves. And Will is in middle school and Abbi is a high school senior! When I realize things like that it makes me feel like I’ve been gone forever.

So this week was really good! I got all your packages! Thank you so much! I loved them! Best famiglia eva. And guess what, we played UNO last week at our youth activity and I thought of you guys, haha. That’s our family game for sure :)

Oh and this week I had a little bike accident. We turned a corner and our bike lock fell out of my basket and went through the front bike tire and stopped it completely and I kind of did a reverse wheelie and everything flew out of my basket. Luckily there was a cute little old man that ran and picked up all my stuff for me.  He was so sweet. I was fine, I just got slammed in to my handle bars a little bit so a little bruised but I’m fine. The only problem was that my brakes were jammed so my tires wouldn’t move AT ALL. So I had to carry my bike home on my back for like half a mile, or so, haha. We got some funny looks but hey, it was a good work out. The anziani (Elders) fixed it for me and they told me to still take it in to get it looked at – so we did and they tightened the brakes and now my bike squeaks every time I ride. Helga (bike’s name) is just struggling in her old age, haha, but it’s all good.

And one of our investigators is doing so awesome and just waiting for the day she can be baptized. She and her boyfriend are waiting for his divorce to be legalized so they can be married and she can be baptized. So we are praying a lot for her and for everything to work out for them. We’ve had some investigators break our hearts this week but we are just pushing along and know everything will work out. We have the faith :)

On Monday I went back to Firenze for a zone conference! haha so weird to go back...again. and I got to see Sorella Jarvis and Hoffman! So fun to see them again :) and my girls form Montevarchi all went to EFY last week and LOVED it so I am so happy for them :) so cool.

Well I think that is all for this week! Good luck with school and thanks for all the pics from the Hood Canal vacation :) looks like it was so much fun :)

Love and miss you and see you in 6 months! :) 

Vi voglio bene! (I love you)

Sorella Yost 

 

Letter #50 - 8/26/14

Ciao Famiglia! 

Sorry not a lot of time to write, but this week has been sooooo great! We were able to hit Presidente Dibbs sfida (challenge) of 21 lessons this week for all the new missionaries and 3 new investigators! We are so tired but it was so worth it! We literally saw so many miracles, ahhhh no time to tell you about them all, but two of our new investigators are 19 years old and super awesome.

Here is a funny story – on Sunday in Sacrament Meeting they chose a hymn NO ONE knew, including myself, so it was one of the funniest things ever. All of us were trying not to laugh, and our Branch President made an announcement at the end saying that all that matters is that we are trying. Its hymn number 89 in Italian, so if anyone wants to teach me that one when I get home for the next time I am the branch pianist that would be greatly appreciated, haha, oh man.

My greenie made a Harry Potter reference this week in weekly planning and I told her I have never been more proud of her, haha. We laughed for like 5 minutes straight, haha. Oh and here’s one for will – he will like this. One of our investigators didn’t come to church on Sunday and the first thought that came into my mind was that scene in Harry Potter 5 when he is yelling at Voldemort "you know what, I feel sorry for you! Because you’ll never know what love really is!!" haha. So yeah, Harry Potter applies to missionary work all the time.

Today we went to the mosaics and it was so fun! Sorella Nilsen loved it. I can’t believe we literally live right next to these beautiful places. We are so lucky to be here. Sorry this is so short, but I spent all my time emailing back and forth with my Mom today!

All is well here in Ravenna :) We love it and are seeing the Lord’s hand in our work every day!

I love and miss you! Have fun at Hood Canal!

Vi voglio bene! (I love you).

Sorella Yost

 

 

 

 

Letter #49 - 8/19/14

Ciao La Mia Famiglia!

Come State?! Well this week has been CRAY!! But in the best way possible. Last week we went to Bologna for the new missionary training and it was so fun. Sorella Nilsen just showed everyone up and knew all the answers; I was so proud of her, hahhaha – scherzo (joking). But she did like know all the answers to everything. Her parents just finished serving as mission presidents so she already knows like everything, but I got to take all the credit - super nice, haha! ah man.

On the way to Bologna we taught a train lesson! Shout out to Sorella Lopez (my trainer who taught me the art of train contacting). She would be so proud of me; I’m a little rusty but still remember all she taught me, haha – but it was really cool. And we taught another train lesson on our way to Rimini the other day too. Train finding is back, Haha! So Whenever we are on the trains, look out. Mom you got to talk to Sorella Lopez on the phone? I’m so jealous of both of you, haha! I want to talk to you both! ahhh soon enough.

We had this really awesome branch activity on Sunday night for a member’s birthday and one of our investigators was there and she just loved it. It was so great. He lives out in the fields in the countryside so it was so beautiful. And then this week president Dibb challenged all the new missionaries and their trainers to teach at least 21 lessons (so from Monday to Sunday) and Sorella Nilsen and I are already at 8! We are being so blessed. Two people have let us into their houses while we were doing casa (house finding) and one is a 19 year old girl who was so amazing. SO AMAZING. She accepted the book of Mormon and everything.

We are so ready for ferie agosto (August vacations) to be over so people don’t go on vacation but we are seeing so many miracles. We were counting up all of our bug bites on our legs yesterday when we went to unlock our bikes after getting rejected for like an hour and a half of finding and this lady felt so bad for us she stopped and talked to us and we ended up teaching her a lesson and she gave us her address and phone number and everything. The Lord does work in mysterious ways, am I right? Haha. But it was so great and also funny.

Sunday my collega (companion) and I are teaching the Young Women’s lesson on dating, hhaa – so funny. Probably the two most unqualified people in the branch; so it should be fun.

I hope all is well back home! I CANT BELIEVE YOU TOOK OUT THE HEDGES in the front yard?? Haha, so funny. Hopefully by the time I get home the house is still facing the same way ;) – stop changing everything!! Haha, scherzo (joking).

Love and miss you! Talk to you soon!

Sorella Yost

Letter #48 - 8/12/14

Ciao Famiglia!

Well everyone, she has arrived! Her name is Sorella Jenny Nilsen, she is a blonde, 5'6" gem from Salt Lake City Utah. She’s 19 years old and just so great. I’m just obsessed with her already. Man, I haven’t realized that I am getting old in the mission until this transfer. I guess life has been going on back home this whole year and no one told me?! Haha, scherzo (joke). But really - REALITY CHECK! I’m like a year done with my mission, I can’t believe it. Good thing I have 6 months left ;) oh man.

So first of all - last week was crazy fun. Sorella Carter and I were trying to get to Milano, but of course our train was in ritardo (delayed) so we only had 4 minutes to change binarios in Bologna with her 2, huge suitcases - that only had half their wheels! IT WAS CRAY, literally no other way we could have made the train other than a straight-up miracle from Heavenly Father. We had to each carry one of the suitcases down the stairs through the crowd of people, drag it behind us as fast as we could in the underground, and then each carry a suitcase up the stairs. It was intense. Sorella Carter was struggling and told me to go on without her and stop the train (the power of a missionary). So I ran as fast as I could with the bag and got on the train and then she got up the stairs and ran and just made it on the train before they closed the doors. We were sweating, and almost crying; There are angels among us, people. I have a huge testimony of that. Then we made it through Milano, and then through the metro, and then to the church in Cimiano. It was such a miracle.

I met my new collega (companion) on Thursday and we have seen so many miracles together already. Yesterday we set a goal to stop 35 people when doing street finding and we did it! We finished like 10 minutes before we had to go in, so we were talking to everyone we could, trying to get them to stop. It was so great! And on Sunday, I gave a talk and played the piano, haha that was fun. Also our less active member came to church and our investigator also came to listen to my talk! So that was a huge blessing :)

We are surviving ferrie Agosto (August), a.k.a. everyone bounces for a last minute vacation over here before school starts, haha. It’s been crazy, but so fun. And with the school year starting up again so that will be good for missionary work.

Oh and one last little story! Yesterday we had one of the coolest lessons with one of our investigators. We taught the restoration and her two little granddaughters were there and they loved it! We did this little cup lesson for it that I had learned on the mish from Sorella Hoffman – and they were just so in tune and the spirit was so strong. We asked them how they felt and they said that they felt really happy. It was so cute – then the grandma said that she thinks she is about to discover something really great with us. It was such a powerful lesson, and then at the end we asked one of the little girls if they would say a prayer and she was scared to so I told her I would help her so she came over by me and I helped her say the prayer.  It was like the cutest thing ever, oh man.

Crazy week! All is well here! The mission is the best, I am so thankful every day I am out here. I am so tired but still have so much more to give.

Love and miss you all!

Sorella Yost

 

 

Letter #47 - 8/5/14

Ciao Famiglia!

Guess what? I’M HAVING A BABY!!!!! IT’S A GIRL!!!!! What? That’s right – I’M TRAINING!!! So, basically this is what went down – Sorella Carter and I were like so sure that we were going to stay together; we even made nature themed matching planners for next transfer (haha we don’t have very many Ensigns left) but then on Saturday afternoon we got a call from President Dibb and he first told Sorella Carter that she is getting transferred to Milano and she is going to train there and be in a three some with a sister that finishes her mission in 2 weeks (going home early for school) and so then we were of course freaking out....then he asked to talk to me.... and told me that I would be staying in Ravenna AND training as well. Yeah. So that happened, haha, so great. Sorella carter and I are so sad to leave each other but so excited that we are going to be training together. She is going to be such a great trainer and kill it in Milano. AHHH, but I’m freaking out! I’m going to train! I feel like I’m still a baby in the mission, but I’m actually starting my 8th transfer, haha weird! And I know that Sorella McPeak is training too, Mom! So I will get to see her! So excited :) I think that a greenie is exactly what Ravenna needs. It will be so fun and she is going to love it here. It is so beautiful and I just love our Branch.

Oh, and by the way, I am the new Branch pianist – whooo! Haha, so that should be fun. I am also giving a talk on Sunday, so pray for me. Haha, luckily I don’t think we are in charge of teaching Young Women’s this Sunday. So it’s going to be a crazy week. We head to Milano in like an hour and then tomorrow I will pick up my companion! So get excited for pictures of that next week.

Tell Cali and Sarah congrats for me for getting married! I loved all the wedding pics! They looked beautiful! and nice job on being on time for church Mom, haha, so proud.  This week the weather has been crazy... we had a huge storm on Sunday night that started when we were out on our bikes riding to the train station to go to a city called Russi to visit a family in the Branch. It was the worst storm I have been in so far on the mission. We were SOAKED, literally. We looked like we had jumped into a pool in our clothes; our makeup was like washed away, our hair was dripping, I could pour water out of my ballet flats, haha. It was insane – everyone we saw was just huddled under coverings, there was no one on the streets, haha. So we tried to ring out our clothes the best we could while standing on the train but we were still dripping water, haha, and when we got off the train to meet the member at the station to get a ride to her house – and when she saw us her jaw literally dropped, haha. As soon as we got to their house they made us take off our shoes outside, wear the husband’s sandals upstairs, and then change into some of the wife’s clothes, haha it was hilarious. We looked like we had been through it.

Then on the way home our train was in ritardo (delayed) so we took some pictures at the train station. Hope you enjoy them, haha.  Another miracle – our less active came to church again this Sunday! This is her fourth time now! Such a huge miracle. She even bore her testimony and everything, so great.

This week we have still been rejected a lot but we have also seen countless miracles and tender mercies from the Lord. WE GOT IN ON CASA (door to door). That doesn’t happen often! Huge miracle. We have just been really learning that everything we do, we do it for the Lord. Even if the results don’t come right away, we are working hard and trying our best for the Lord and he is proud of us. We just have to trust in His timing and do our part. Everything works out in the end.

I am just so grateful for this opportunity to serve a mission, so grateful. It has changed my life and will continue to do so forever. The lessons I am learning out here are so incredible and my testimony is stronger than ever before.

I love you so much famiglia mia! have a great week and I will talk to you soon with my greenie! :)

Sorella Yost