Pictures from my companion's camera from Polignano, since you know mine are no longer.

Love you!

1) Proof that people live on this street. That in the back ground is a cute old lady

2) Sorella Comollo in front of a super cute house

3) Just as you round the corner you see the sea

4) Sorella comollo and I in front of super cute church

Hello family,

So last Wednesday we visited a place called Polignano. IT WAS GORGEOUS. I was in heaven as I watched the Adriatic sea crash against a craggy cliff with ancient edifices constructed into it. Then it began to pour and I got drenched, but it was still so heavenly to see the sky touch the sea. Oh what beauty. I captured it on my camera. And then a tragedy occured. I lost my memory card!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was so sad! I had taken it out of my camera and put it in the case so that Sorella Preston could put her memory card in my camera because her camera ran out of batteries. Well, it got lost in the shuffle. All of my pictures of Mistretta and some of Bari are now lost.:( So sad...

However, I am still a happy chipper person, want to know why, because this experience has taught me a lot and I have hope that this happened for a reason. I learned that I need to keep better track of precious things, I learned to appreciate moments more (instead of just worrying about capturing them on a camera, live in them), I learned that I am vain and need to not worry about image so much (I have an increased desire to write in my journal, for that is something that can help capture memories, like a photo can). And I hope that someone finds my memory card, looks at it, sees the happy faces and the missionary tags and goes in search for these people, thus finding the gospel. I love prayer. I know that Heavenly Father comforts us in every situation, be it something serious or something trivial, like losing pictures, he cares about it, because he cares about us. My solace through this sad event has been prayer.

So we found a new investigator! His name is Maurizio. We found him with his friends on Lungo Mare. We gave them the Book of Mormon and prayed with them. Then we called later and we could never get in touch. Well, yesterday we finally got a hold of him and he said he read some of the book and is interested! He is in his late twenties, is Italian, has a home and a job. I was so excited to hear that he was interested. I was shocked that he said he was really interested, it seems like we usually have to push people so much in order for them to read the Book of Mormon, with him it was just natural.

We are excited that our idea of planning a Sweet Night, to invite our less actives and contacts that have a love for making desserts, is becoming a reality. It is going to be combined with the Ward Christmas party next Friday.

The work is going a tad slow, due to the fact that finding new investigators has been difficult in these weeks. We have been able to get a lot of pass backs, phone numbers and people with potential, however when we follow up they have not been interested or have no time. We did a mostra this week in centro and got some contacts from that, so hopefully our investigator pool will grow this week.

 I love mostra! I love just running around talking to people! A miracle happened, that is super funny:) I was chasing these people with a pass along card, jk, I was trying to give it to them and I noticed that the dad had roasted chestnuts. So I started asking him about where he got them and how much they cost, because I saw the stands and wanted to try them. He said they were 5 euro! So expensive for like 10 nuts! So I said lascia stare, I can live without them then he said I could have one, he gave me one of his expensive chestnuts! He did not take a pass along card as payment, managgia. Well, I was taking off the peel and starting to eat it. Anziano Hurlburt wanted to try some too, so he offered to take the peel for me if I would give him some. I just gave him some, but said I would take the peel to throw away (since I know A. Hurlburt has a propensity to litter). Well guess who was standing by the garbage can? A guy named Marco who I have run into like five times since I have been in Bari and I always forget his name, but I remembered finally and we finally, after the fifth time seeing him got to talk about the restoration and I told him about the first vision and he said I was crazy and then I bore my testimony and then we prayed, right there, with a bunch of people around right in front of a garbage can, which was now full of a chestnut peel. And you know what, Marco took a Restoration Pamphlet and wants to come to Corso di Spagnolo and I totally know he felt the lovly spirit that comes with hearing about the first vision, for I sure felt it!

I love seeing miracles out of little things, I was meant to, in vain, give that man a card, he was meant to give me a chestnut, I was meant to know that A. Hurlburt loves to litter, so I would go to the trash to see Marco (who I know his name now!)! These kind of things in Italy are just like getting a family baptized in South America!jk

Anywho, I love you all too too too much! I hope you got my package, that I spent too much money to send! jk

Love you tons!

Love,

Sorella Comollo

Ciao Tutti!

There were two baptisms on Saturday! One was at our ward, for an 8 year old girl, the other for the other ward, a woman who had lost all faith in Christ until she met the missionaries with the gospel message a couple months ago. The baptisms happened at the same time, so we went to the one at our ward and then rushed over to see Marianna to congratulate her. She looked sooooo happy, it was incredible to see.

On Sunday evening we visited a member named Tina. She told us her life story. About how she met her husband, so cute and dramatic. They met when she was twelve and he was fourteen. He would always walk her to school and they were friends. When she turned fifteen they eloped, crazy! They lived for about a year with out their family, but she just couldn't handle it, for he did not work and wasn't really trying to find a job. Well, she left him, but he wrote her almost every day for about four years, still in love with her and realizing what he lost, so he grew up and found a work and saved so that she could see how much he loved her and how sorry he was. After four years they were able to reunite and start their life together again. Then after years of happiness together and raising the family they found the church. At first their daughter joined and they did not agree with her changing religions. After several years of prayers on their behalf both knew that this was the church of God. One sunday when tina was getting ready for church her husband was not, he said that he did not want to go because the people there did not behave themselves like they should. And he just stopped coming after that day. Then many months later Tina was suprised on Sunday morning that her husband was getting ready for church. She asked what changed. He told her that he had a dream. His dream was of a classroom and the teacher asking him why he does not want to come to class anymore. He told the teacher that he can just as well learn that same material at home and there is not a need to come to class. The teacher than talked to him about the importance of being a friend to people, being a part of the society to better it and to share knowledge, to edify one another. After that dream he knew he had to go to church, so he did and it was such a blessing he did, for after they went to the temple and were sealed together. Tina's husband died last year. She spends a lot of her time reading those sweet love letters he wrote her when they were a part, so many years ago, but she isn't sad, for she knows that she will see him again and that this time a part is just another stage in their love together. I just thought that it was a nice story, so I thought I would tell you:) 

We have been noticing a trend in our working with members. I think since they are used to the missionaries doing a ton of their work so they have the mentality that we are to do certain assignments, that are not exactly in line with the work we are called to do. I will give a specific example. I feel that the Reilef Society considers the sister missionaries as purpetual and full time visiting teachers. I know that a part of our work is to support members and help less actives, which I love to do. However, I feel that the extent at which they want us to do it is actually crippling the system of visiting teaching for the members. For it makes it so that the members are not fellowshipping as much as they should. In order to transfer this mentality we are working on talking with the visiting teaching coordinator so we can know who are the women that should be visiting these woman and inviting them along or just saying that it would be better if we did not go and they just went to visit the sisters without us.

Giovanni had an interview with the bishop. The bishop suggested that he wait to get baptized... I am feeling a little torn. I know that the bishop has seen many of the missionaries investigators come and get baptized and then fall away shortly after, so I respect the care he is taking in making sure that Giovanni is secure in his decision and his testimony of the gospel. However, at the same time I see that making the covenant of baptism and recieving the gift of the Holy Ghost will help Giovanni that much more in having his testimony, which I know he has, become a lasting conversion. Giovanni is incredible. He already understands that the members of the church are not perfect, but knows that taking offense at what they say to the point where it wounds faith is pointless, for the church is true and his relationship with God is all that matters. I guess I just feel he is ready and just do not understand why there is need to wait.

Happy Thanksgiving! I really am so grateful for this opportunity to serve the Lord's children here in Bari. I am learning so much! I have been studying the D and C and it talks a lot about how the field is ready to harvest. I kind of got down a little, thinking, I have just "planted seeds" my whole mission, I have not done much "harvesting". That is totally wrong though and not true. If the Lord says that field is white ready to harvest that means it is. The seeds have already been planted, I would say in the pre earth life because all of us on the earth were born after the restoration, we saw the gospel come forth, that seed has been internalized before we even got here. All of us are yes sayers! And there is a lot more to harvesting than just reaping! There is pruning and watering and up rooting and re planting and the list goes on. So, in other words I have been harvesting this whole time, nurishing those seeds that God already planted in us, all of course with his help. I love this work! I want you all to know that I know that this is the Lord's work! and if you do not know it or maybe if you have forgotten it pray! Pray with all your heart and soul to know and I know you will receive your very own personal answers and revelation. It is incredible, the supernal creator of all wants us to talk to him! So we should do it!

I love you all with all my heart and soul!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I miss you lots too!

Have a happy thanksgiving, one of the best holidays, no stress, just eat and be grateful:)

Love you!!!!!

Love,
Sorella Comollo

CIAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We went to le grotte di Castelana, the caves of Castelana, today and a drop of stalagtite or mite, I always forget, water dropped on my curls. So I got cave kissed, hurray! Even better than that, we got to talk to the tour guide about the Book of Mormon while winding our way around carrot shapped and colored rock formations. He was so interested!!! That just daint happen very often! He gave us his address so that or we can send him a book or bring him one, as soon as possible! COOL! I love being a missionary! I love caves! I think it is so awe inspiring that just to form an inch, or less of a stalagmite it takes like 400 years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and from those formations we can tell the sysmic and chemical activity in the area, plus we can use our imaginations to make up shapes and stories from them. :) Being alive and human is so fun, there are always things to learn and discover. We then walked like five miles to a small city to catch the train, since the train by the caves wasn't coming for hours... My poor companion is not used to walking so much, poverina. So to make up for it we had a really yummy lunch of pasta al forno, fave, cicoria, melenzana, patate al forno, pollo arrostito....BUONO!!!

Great week! So we are back on top of reaching our goals! And oh man have we seen the blessings. It is so incredible how the Lord follows through on his promises. We did everything this week to plan to reach our goals, we discussed what we needed to do every night in order to have lessons with members and get new investigators, etc and by Saturday night things were not looking so great. So we set mega goals for Sunday, like getting two referrals and seven others and one less active and two with members. Well, we did it! We had two contacts bring a friend, we talked to as many people as possible and out of it was able to talk about the restoration, the Book of Mormon and then we were able to pray with them, then there was a less active just sitting on a bench with her dog. Everything was put into place for us to reach our goals it seemed. Sometimes we do everything to reach our goals and the results are not this great, I think though that it teaches us first consistency, to keep working, even when things do not work out and second it just makes reaching the goals that much sweeter!

Alright, my diatribe on goals has finished. We are working with our bishop's dad, who is still super catholic. Usually, during the lessons he just talks and doesn't really listen, but the other night he listened and I know he felt the spirit. He said the most beautiful prayer at the end, asking for help with his wife. It was a very specific prayer, not a general, written one. Then before we left he asked if we could go see his sister this week. His sister just lost her husband and he expressed that he wants her to become a part of our church. Steps forward!

I received a blessing from Anziano Larsen this week. I am so grateful for the priesthood and just in awe of how well God knows me. It was one of the most incredible experience I have had with a blessing. A precursor, like a week ago I was feeling like I needed to start reading the Doctrine and Covenants. I have no idea why, I have never had a huge desire to read it. I even told my companion how I feel like I should start studying it, but really did not think anything of it.

 At the end of this blessing Anziano Larsen paused, as if to add something, but instead just finished. Then in the car on the way home Anziano Larsen asked if it was allowed to add something to a blessing after the fact. I wanted to know what he meant so I said sure. He said, I felt like I shuold say something, but I thought it was kind of strange so I didn't. Then Anziano Hurlburt said it probably means you should say it. So he said that he felt like he should tell me, "the answers you are looking for are in the Doctrine and Covenants". My mouth dropped open and so did that of my companion. I had never mentioned that to the anziani, that is, my prompting to read the D and C and now it was supposed to be part of my blessing, the council from God! GOD KNOWS US INDIVIDUALLY!!! I learned that for sure from this experience. I hope Anziano Larsen learned to always follow those promptings of the spirit, even if they seem strange to say or do.

 I love you all too much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Have a good week!

Love,

Sorella Comollo

PS Oh yeah we got transfer calls, I am staying in Bari with my greenie for christmas!!!! YAY!

PSS I think it is a great idea that you come to pick me up!!! I will talk to President Kelly and then give you more details when we talk to each other on Christmas!!!

 

Hello!

So I am appraoching my year mark and have been reflecting... My body is showing signs of stress, yes, I have increased acne, yes, I am losing my hair (when I come home you will see an Eva with just tufts of hair, jk, it is not that bad;)), I cannot even count the amount of shoes I have purchased and walked through(this could mean more than just walking a lot, I usually buy the cheapo 3 euro shoes, so that could be a contributing factor) and I am losing my english, it is really hard for me to express myself in my native tongue (and I can still only express myself in the simplest ways in Italian). However, through all of this I am so content! I love the mission. I have never felt so exhausted in my life, but yet I am so happy, I just cannot help it. Giovanni is changing, I can see it and it is the most incredible sight to witness. We had a great discussion on perseverence and enduring to the end and what it means last week and now everytime we see him he talks about how he is learning to endure and wants to better his life for real, not just say he would like to. He is coming to church consistently, he is coming to ward activities, he is making friends and coming out of his shy shell and he is really studying the Book of Mormon, he is devouring it. He is so joyful now, when before he was always so down and distraught on his situation in life.

Albert, an african man who was baptized last year, has taught me so much about overcoming difficulties in life with faith in God. He has seriously had the most trying life. He grew up in Sierra Leon amidst government wars and civil unrest, he witnessed people in his village have their limbs amputated for torture, he lost his siblings in a bombing, where he just barely escaped. He said he hated God and did not understand why he had to suffer so much. Then he found the Gospel and it changed his life. If you were to meet him you would never think that he has passed such hard times, for he is so cheerful, so kind and sooooooo faithful.

We watched a short film in relief society called Butterfly Circus, you all need to see it!!! It is incredible and when you do watch it think of our relationship with God and the plan of salvation. It is a about a man who was born without limbs and how he discovered his potential.  A man came up to him and told him he was magnificent and the man without limbs just spit in his face. It got me thinking about what we do to God when we do not accept our lives, in somma, like ourselves and our circumstances, are we spitting at God? He KNOWS us perfectly, he LOVES us and he does not make mistakes, he sees our potential, even if we do not. He sees the swimmer in the limbless man, he sees the quilts that come from numbed fingers, he sees the strength in the weak.  ETHER 12:27!!!

Sorella Preston is doing so well! Her Italian is so great and the ward loves her. Everyone is so excited to talk with her about her parents serving her and who they knew. I feel like it was meant to be that she is here, she has helped so much in working with members, not only because of her greeny faith and Bari history, but because she is so Christlike and loves to just talk and get to know people, sincerely caring for them. I am so blessed to have her as my companion.

I have been thinking about what it means to be consecrated. I have always struggled with understanding how I can become more of a consecrated missionary and as I was reading Preach My Gospel I learned an aspect of being consecrated. It is the opposite of just going through the motions of following commandments, it is the opposite of grudgingly being obedient, instead it is have a great desire to observe the commandments, learn about why they are there and how they can help our lives and follow them most tenaciously.

Thanks for all you do for me!

I love you all so so much! Be expecting a package for Mom and Dad's birthdays and Christmas!

Love you!

Love,

Sorella Comollo