Agosto!

Famiglia mia!

I cannot believe it is already August!!!!! Time is flying!

We had a fantastic meeting with our district about asking about people for baptismal dates, not beating around the bush. I thought we were doing alright with talking about baptism with people, but we were not being really direct about it and explaining the importance. Whcih now that I think about it, not being direct, is so dumb. So since Monday we have been working on it.:) On Monday we talked to our investigator Jonatan to get baptized, he said yes when he knows it is true! Jonatan is really nice, he made us a CD with a bunch of techno music, we cannot listen to it, but the thought was nice:) Then on Tuesday we had an incredible lesson with a guy named Giuseppe. He said if he needed to get baptized again he would, so I asked him if he would on the 22nd of September and he said.... No... It was great though because now he knows what our goal for him is and it did not scare him away. He wants to learn more and he said he would for sure pray. Actually, he said that we were already a sign for him. We gave him a pass a long card with information about Enlgish course like a month ago. He came to the course and said he was more interested in the religious aspect, menomale! He then called us and said something along the lines like I feel like the Lord led me to you. It was awesome! He is so great I cannot get over it! We laughed so much together and I felt so comfortable around him, which doesn't happen all of the time because sometimes talking to people about religion is awkward. My awkward scale has sky rocketed, since I am surrounded by it I am now immune to it;)

We heard that President Nudo thinks a branch in Sant'Agata would be a great idea and he said he was going to talk to Pres. Kelly about it. We are hoping that perhaps something can be done to help this area more!

We talked to a lady last week about getting baptized, she said, vediamo. We went to see her again this week and the first thing she said is that she does not want to change religions because it would be like betraying her husband (a fun similie). She then pulled out her prayer book and started showing us more about her religion, that being the Catholic Church. It made me so sad to think that these people think that their words are not good enough, that they have to use other's in order to talk to God.

We are in Palermo for preparation day. The anziani planned to play laser tag and go bowling and then eat peruvian food with us (Personally, I would prefer to go around the city, maybe enter an ancient church and think for a tad while considering the art, but everyone else thought that sounded borning;)). The laser tag and bowling was closed for August. Welcome to August in Italy! There is no one and nothing is open! However, in Mistretta there are even more people because that is where the city people go to get away from the heat, in the mountains. So good for us, bad for Palermo:)   

I love love love love you all! 

I hope you have a lovely week!

Love,
Sorella Comollo

Happt Pioneer Day:) Yesterday

Ciao Tutti!

I hope you all had a great week! I am so grateful for the example of the pioneers and the faith they had in the gospel and the sacrifices they made for it. I hope we are doing just as much as they did to continue the legacy in our time.

 Who would have thought that they do not celebrate Pioneer day her in Italy, I guess it is a Utah thing;) jk

Sorella Sobeck and I have been thinking a lot lately about how we can help the area here grow. After much brainstorming and consideration we thought of an idea. It is big and a little out of the ordinary, but I think that it is great! We want to help start a new branch here! The church is going to be moving from Santo Stefano to Mistretta in a month or two so that means that the members that live in the Sant'Agata area have to drive for like an hour to get there, plus they do not even come now to Santo Stefano, which is half an hour closer because of family problems. There are a bunch of other reasons that we thought of this, like all the contacts we have there and how they do not come to church because of the distance (just because they do not realize the importance of church attendence, yet!) Any way, we brought our ideas up to President Portera and he loved it! So we talked to President Kelly, he said it is going to be harder than we thought and we have to talk to President Nudo, the Stake president of Sicily. We heard from President Portera last night that he emailed President Nudo. We shall see! I think that this idea came by the Spirit. We felt so strongly to talk to President Portera about doing something different in this area to help the growth and also the members who are less active due to familial offense and decreased incomes (for me both inadequet reasons for not attending church and keeping covenants).I hope and pray that something can be done to help the members already present in Sant'Agata and the future people found through the efforts and faith of those that will be there. 

This week has been great. We had the opportunity to meet with two Catholics that take part in something called the Holy Spirit renovation, or something like that. We watched them as they prayed in tongues, which for them is just humming and saying things in one's own made up language. Needless to say it was an interesting experience. We also discussed what it says in the Bible about the Spirit and Christ. I am realizing everyday just how wonderful it is having a knowledge of the restored gospel and that there are interpretations of the Bible that I know are divenly inspired and not just from man's philosophies. I say this because just from one verse in the Bible this group of people do not believe that we are spirit children of God.

We found a man who cannot read, not even his name, but plays the according like Jimi Hendrix plays the guitar. I was taught a lesson in gifts while listening to him play. We are all individuals with our own special gifts. Even if one has yet to develope the gift of literacy it does not diminish him or the other gifts he has to offer.:) We are going to try to teach him how to read using the Book of Mormon. We for sure need the guidance of the spirit on this one. 

We have a new investigator named Dora. Dora smokes like there is no tomorrow and is missing all of her teeth. We were eating plums on her porch and she just pops then in her mouth whole and sucks on them.:) She is the cutest, nicest lady in Mistretta! We talked about the scripture in Mosiah 24 about how the Lord gives us strength in carrying our burdens. It is not that the burden weighs less, but our ability to support it increases.

On Monday we were having a lesson with a guy named Johnathan on a park bench. We got caught in a tempest so for the closing prayer we ran under an ancient arch and said the pray there, with a river of water forming at our feet. I said the prayer and when I asked if God could help Johnathan know the truth of the Book of Mormon a huge clap of thunder sounded, it was very climatic (is that a word?:)).! 

I love you so much! Have a good week!

Sorella Comollo

CIAO!

Ciao Famiglia Mia!

We had our first English Course in Capo d'Orlando and 11 people came!!! We were so excited. It was a little stressful starting, because everyone is at different levels, but we can do it. One man just wanted to come to learn more about our church, which is so great! He told us that he already looked at the website and would like to learn more. We told him a little about the apostasy and authority and he told us that it is interesting we are talking about that since he just barely finished reading a book about the 2000 years of christianity after Christ and how he was thinking how the authority the Catholic Church claims from Peter seems to be missing in some years in the history.

I learned a wonderful lesson about enduring through trials this week! I do not know what it is with me and ripping my clothes, but my skirt ripped right up the seam (up to my bum) while we were doing house... We ended up changing our house approach to asking for safety pins to fix my skirt and this sweet woman let us in and we got to do the first lesson with her and then she gave us gelato! She loved how we prayed and asked if we could pray for her family, she then listed off their names. (I think she liked how specific we are in our prayers. I said and I was over joyed thanking heavenly father for the miracle of this women helping to fix my skirt:)) Before this miracle, I wanted to go home, because I was so embarrassed, but we jerry riged some bobby pins and temporarly fixed my skirt until we met this nice lady. I am sure had we not been looking for a pin she would not have let us in. This experience also gave me new ideas on how allowing other people to have an opportunity to serve is a great way to do missionary work. It is just like in the Church we give callings to new converts, giving them an opportunity to serve which helps to further establish and grow their testimony.

I love you all so much!

Have a great week!

Love,

Sorella Comollo

Ciao!

My Lovely Family!

I told you about the old man Salvatore, well he is so cute and still meeting with us! He bought us a four course sea food lunch the other day (the shrimp were not like the ones at Sizzler, they had their heads on still...yummy...):) He loves us so much, we keep telling him that it is not us, it is the spirit he feels around us. He told us that he has never had so much hope before he met us. He is reading the book of Mormon and he loves it! He said that every time he opens it he learns something new and feels an added support in his life. When ever he has lessons with us he is always having us scribble down the page number and the verses that we read so he can go home and re read them. When he reads that wonderful book out loud he reads it slowly and with care, explaining to us what he is understanding. It is lovely! I have never seen an investigator have such a relationship and care for the Book of Mormon before. It really makes me appriciate it more. We are so blessed to have the knowledge that the Book of Mormon is holy scripture and that it is a another witness that we have a savior and a lovely father in heaven.

This week was difficult because we heard some bad news about our investigator Pasquale, the one that the Anziani were coming up to Mistretta to help us with. His companion Beatrice, who is a member, confided in us that she might be leaving him because he does not do anything, he has been spending the little money they get weekly from the Comune on alcohol and cigerettes and that he really has no intention of stopping. I love Pasquale so much and it breaks my heart that he is losing that fire to change and become a creature of light that he had just a month ago. Temptations can pull one down so fast and negative thoughts of remaining weak because it is in one's nature will make it much harder for one to realize that we are here to change, to change to become like God and over coming temptation and replacing negative thoughts and actions with positives will lift you to a higher plain. It is so possible! I think of the phrase, it is my one vice, as an excuse. Well, if it is a vice that means it is a weakness and you can make it a strength with the help of the Atonement! I know Pasquale has so much potential, more than he thinks, I pray that he will realize that potential and climb to that higher plain.

We started the publicitiy for English course in Capo D'Orlando! It was so exciting to hand out flyers, people are a lot more receptive to a free English course than to the gospel, hopefully that will change when they come to our Gospel inspired service:)

 Giuseppe is doing well, he is thrilled to have us doing English course at his office. He always talks about how he wants to help build up the church community in Capo D'Orlanldo because he knows it is true and it is such a great cause. We started a Gospel Principles class with him and Nino Purpari, a member. It went well, Giuseppe has a lot of questions, but thinks about 50 million miles per hour so that he doesn't really listen to the answers. Nino was so sweet, at the end of the lesson he put his hand on Giuseppe's chest, over his heart, and said calm down, you need to start listening to your heart (that is the spirit through his feelings). 

I have been doing the question challenge that Sorella Kelly gave to us. She asked us to ask a question each day and take it to the scriptures. Before we commence the study we are to kneel down thank Heavenly father for the scriptures and invite the Holy Ghost to study with us. I am amazed everyday at the fountain of knowledge that can be obtained through the scriptures! I even got help in how I can wake up on time from them:) they truly are amazing!

I am so excited for the church to come to Mistretta, it will be a completely different dynamic when it is here. All of these people who know who we are can finally have the chance to be more involved and see exactly why we do what we do. We have had many people tell us they will come to church just to see what we do. 

I love sicilians! We were sitting on the curb near an apartment building making phone calls yesterday morning and a sweet old man from the apartment building brought us a mini basket of plums with two napkins to enjoy. Cute!

I love you all so much! I miss you lots! 

Have a good week! 

Love,

Sorella Comollo

Ciao!

Ciao Tutti!

I am so tired of people making excuses. I feel like excuses hinder people from reaching their potential. While doing finding this week we ran into lots of excuses that people love to make so they do not have to talk to us or keep their commitments, like I am cooking, that is popular one here in Sicily or I am too old, that is a popular here in Mistretta (there is a large elderly population here:)). True, they do not realize the importance of the gospel in the life, yet, but I know it and I feel sad when they make excuses. I am learning that I am full of excuses as well (maybe about not waking up on time or eating too much gelato). I just do not want to do it anymore, there are too many lovely blessing to be received and so many wonderful people to help that excuses will impede me from obtaining and helping.

We found a wonderful woman on Thursday doing House. We lent her a Book of Mormon and made a return appointment. When we returned the precious book was placed on the porch and no one answered the citofono. My heart sank, I had been praying and studying for this lesson, I even chose out a specific outfit to wear (because she thought we looked frumpy when we first met her and she asked us if everyone in our religion had to dress like that). Needless to say I looked less frumpy on the return appointment.;) We ended up finding a note that said sorry that she couldn't make the appointment. At least that. We wrote her a note and placed in the Book of Mormon and left it in the same spot on her porch, we'll be back!

We got stopped by the Carabinieri in Pettineo. They asked for our documents, just to keep the tranquility in their small town. Later we found out, in that tiny village a couple weeks about a child got kidnapped. It is so sad. I just do not understand how some people use their agency in such horrid ways.

The Anziani came to Mistretta to help out with Pasquale! He commited mega to quit smoking. I know that he can do it, especially with the Lord routing for him. 

I love the gospel so much. I am amazed that my testimony of it has grown so much, especially because everyday I run into somebody who negates it. These oppositions have only reinforced it. I know that this is Jesus Christ's Church and I am so happy I have this sacred priviledge to share it.  

I love you all so much!

Happy birthday to the Lina Baby girl and to Grandma!

Love you!

Love,

Sorella Comollo

I love you all!

Ciao Tutti!!!!!

Vi voglio un sacco bene, sapete!?

Questa settemana e' stata bellissima! Scrivo in inglese pero, perche' e' piu' veloce;)

So guess who I saw at Zone conference yesterday!? The Caruso family!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They are from Torino and when they saw my name, Comollo, they both happily exclaimed, "Ma sei la figlia di Adriano!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" The husband (I do not know his name) wanted to hug and kiss me, but he is not allowed to since I am a sister missionary, so his wife did for him! They say hello, tanti salutoni, and say they love Adriano and Jerrilynn and how you two were the kindest people and always willing to help. Also, they give you lots of kisses:) 

My testimony of getting others' numbers has grown! About three weeks ago we were doing finding, strada, in Sant'Agata, and we made a goal to get one number. Well, we got it! After much tribulation. It was this old man, about 70 years old, he said that he likes to learn about other religions. Usually the older folk here just turn us down saying they are too old to learn, or that they will by dying soon so it daint matter or they say no and then load us down with fruit, like cheeries, oranges, nespole, kiwi, watermelon, and the list goes on (needless to say, we eat lots of good fruit!). Finally this week we found time to give him a call. We set up a place to meet. It was near a gas station. We waited for him for a while and thought that he maybe was not coming, turns out he was on the other side of the street, oops. We ran around the block trying to find where he was, because he called us saying, dove siete!? He is so wonderful! His name is Salvatore. He lost his wife to breast cancer 7 years ago and misses her so much. He showed us a picture of her when she was 21 and on the back of that yellowed aged photo was a cute note that said, "Ti amo per sempre". I almost started crying when I read it and heard the story behind that beautiful young women. I felt so happy and priviledged to be the one (along with Sorella Sobeck of course) to tell him that those sweet words are true and that he will get to, with out a doubt in my mind and heart, see his wonderful Pina again. This experience has made me realize how important everyone is to God, even the old man who lives off in the country and only comes to the city to shop every once in a while (it was a miracle we found him even, since he hardly every comes to Sant'Agata). I love how in 3 Nephi 11, Christ allowes all to come to him, one by one. He loves the individual. That is what missionary work is, it is us as a society(for the church) going out and preaching the gospel one by one, to the individuals who are ready to receive it.
I have been struggling lately with my confidence in the Italian language. It is frustrating because I understand almost everything, but I feel like I am not improving in speaking. I am going to start focusing my language study more and start praying more specifically for help, instead of just a general gift of tongues. It is more that I stumble not speaking about gospel things, becuase I am not used to it, like talking about the wierdo sounds the car makes. We went to get it checked the other day and the conversation we had consisted of, La macchina fa cosi', and then making an ugly gurggling sound. So intelligent;)

Giuseppe came to stake conference!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We crammed like sardines in the back of Antonio's little car, sweating because Antonio doesn't use the AC, but we got him there! It was in Palermo and we were going to go with him and his daughter in his car. That morning he told us his daughter was sick and that his tire was flat and if we could car pool. We are not allowed to take people in our car so we called Antonio, his car was already full, oh the stress. Well, he called us back a few minutes later and said the people that were going to go with him bailed (sad for them they did not get to go, but great for us), so we could go with Giuseppe! It was so great, it was for all of Europe and was a broadcast from SLC. President Erying spoke on the Family and then Anziano Nelson spoke on the missionary lessons, like the restoration, plan of salvation, gospel of Christ and commandments. It was perfect for Giuseppe. He was so funny, he slyly picked up some Ensigns off of the table, oh Giuseppe!

Zone conference was so great! We learned about not getting offended, because it is so easy to get offended. Pres. Kelly told us something that I have never really thought about before. He said why would you give the person who is being rude to you that much power over you, to make you sad or to make you not keep your covenants. Do not give them that, you have to choose to act to overcome what ever they did to you or said to you. They are not worth you losing your faith and all that you have worked for.  I know that it is hard, but I pray that we can all overcome those who offend us, we can do it as we go to the Lord in prayer and read the scriptures for strength. I have an example. We were doing so house the other week and a lady came out telling us to go away because we just want to brain wash people... That hurt me so bad. I could have just reacted and gotten sad that people just view me as that, but my companion and I both decided to pray, to help us overcome that offense. It is so amazing, we both felt a comfermation that we were meant to be here, on a mission, for the Lord.

We hiked mount Etna today, not the whole thing, just pieces. It was so pretty and rocky, lava rocky. I slid down a hill, it was so fun, but all the rocks grated my bottom and my pants ripped...Embarassaing? Just a tad!

I love you all so much! I am glad that all went well at the reunion! 

Have a good week!

Love you tons!

Con tanto amore,

Sorella Comollo

PS Pappi! Antonio ha ricevuto la tua lettera. Ti dice grazie mille e tanti saluti.

PS Sam, I think I had a different Chemistry Teacher. Are you going to SLCC next summer also, because I think I want to too, that would be fun if you went together!? 

 

CIAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ciao Cari!

This week has just been filled to the brim with miracles! Giuseppe came to the baptism! Everything worked out swimmingly. He found a train that was leaving at 7pm instead of 8pm from Palermo (he had to drive to the next stop so he could take the train with us, how great it he!) so that we could all take the train together. The baptism was simple and small, I was a little sad there were not more people since Giuseppe always goes to our tiny branch, however it was a Thursday afternoon, so I should be grateful that at least some people came. They also did it a little differently. They had the man who was baptized also confirmned that same day. So Giuseppe got to see both aspects of the baptism. I was so stressed out the whole day, wanting everything to be perfect, after I saw this man get baptized I was so happy for him and so filled with the spirit my stress was swept away! The church is true! 

On the way back from Palermo another miracle happened, in disguise. The train was cancelled and another one did not show up until an hour and twenty minutes later (we did not get home until like 10:30...)! Well, Giuseppe went around talking to people asking about what was wrong with the trains and he ended up talking to this lady for like two hours. Later he told us that he is already witnessing the blessings of sacrificing his entire day at work to go to this baptism, because that women is starting a company in Cefalu' and needs insurance and Giuseppe is in the insurance business. He told us that that business opportunity discussed while waiting for the lost train was one hundred times better than anything that he could have done at work that day. Amazing!

Sorella Sobeck and I have been having a hard time in Mistretta lately. I think it is because school is out and there are a lot more young people on the streets, making fun of us (an example of this taunting is that we found a plastic bag that had been blown up and tied placed under our tire, oh these kids...;)). We are learning what Paul meant when he said to the Romans about overcoming persecutions and how it is worth it because we are preaching the gospel, which there is nothing better in the world! (Romans 8:35-39). I have never really been affected (effected? boh, I am not good with italian or english grammaticals!) by the taunting of others, but lately it has been amplified. We are working on goals to help us to work harder in Mistretta so that we will not get discouraged. We are excited for the Church to come here because it will give us an avenue to talk to the young people about coming to English course!

I read in Alma chapter 8 the other day about Alma's super difficult time with the people of Lamenaiah(I do not remember how to spell it:)). It reminded me so much of how it is in Mistretta. In the end when he was going to give up he prayed and an angel came to tell him to turn back, try again and work hard. After he did he found Amulek. I just have to turn to God and work hard and I know that there is a reason I am here.

President Portera's mother died yesterday morning. She was really sick. We went to her funeral in the Chiesa Santa Catterina. Catholic funerals are pretty much like their Mass, it was an interesting experience. We went to her viewing last night. I have been around dead bodies before, working in the anatomy lab, but I have never been around a body that had just been living not ten hours before. Life is so fragile, yet it thrives. I love the gospel so much and the knowledge we have of the plan of salvation. It brings so much hope and so much joy. I know, with all my heart, Presidente Portera will see his mamma again and will get to hug her:)

So, on Monday we had district meeting. I am so happy that our district is staying together! Well, I pulled out my new planner, for transfer number 4 and the anziani started making fun of it! I have a paper cut out of a tree with yellow fruit and a pink stripe. It was supposed to be the tree of life with the fruit and the iron rod. They said the fruit looked like lemons and they called me a missionary geek. Anyway, it was funny. It doesn't sound funny now though... Anyway, we were going to see Beatrice and Pasquale on Monday night. We knocked on their door and while waiting on the porch guess what happened to me!!!!!!!!!!!!!???????? A bird, no doubt a pigeon, pooped on my head!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BAH! Then Beatirce comes out and gives us a bidone (meaning she cancelled our lesson)! Oh Monday nights in Mistretta! 

Yesterday when we went to Pettineo (another little mountain village near Mistretta) to look for an ex-investigator. Her number was spento(disconnected) and her address, the one that was in the Area Book, did not exist. After finding this out we decided to pray. Afterward we went on a hunt. We asked a man if he new her and he said he thought she lived up the hill. We went up the hill. We met a lady and asked her, she said she thought she lived by the fountain down the hill. We went down the hill towards the fountain. We met an old couple by the fountain, they knew exactly where she lived! The old man had two canes, he propped one against the wall and winked at us and said, "il bastone per domani (the stick for tomorrow)" then he hobbled down the hill and turned into a tiny ally way and then pounded on a door with his "cane for today" and said, "ooooooh Rita!". He was super cute! We found her and got her new number and her real address and she wants to meet with us again! I love the Lord! We were led on a wild goose chase and in the end we were led right to the person who knew exactly who she was and where she lived. to a crazy old man who collects sticks!

I love you all so so much! I hope that the reunion is fun and that Rosie has a happy birthday! 

Have a good week!

Love you tons!

Love,

Sorella Comollo