Hey guys! It's me here writing you from a little church in a little city called Ragusa in a little island called Sicily in a country called Italy haha. And this week I was so lucky to have the opportunity to go to Rome to hear the words of President Russell M. Nelson. Why exactly did he come visit us? I'm not exactly sure. Actually President Pickerd didn't really know either, but he said he believes that the statues of Jesus Christ and the 12 apostles have finally been finished, after two years of work. So he came to look at them.
On Wednesday morning the Edgel's (senior couple in Catania) picked us up from Ragusa and drove us to Catania. There we rode a bus to our airplane haha. And then boarded the plane. There were some New Yorkers on our flight and it was so funny. I got to talk to them for a little bit and it just made me think of Ralph and Abby! The flight is super short. About an hour and a half to Rome. Then we took a train to get to the main train station and then the metro to get to the church in Rome 2 (there are six different areas in Rome). So you could say traveling in Europe is a little hectic.
We got together with a bunch of other sisters in the mission and did a gesso (which if I haven't described it clearly before, is when you lay out a bed sheet and write something on it or draw a picture and talk to people as they walk by). Sorella Bicchierri and I set out to do finding in this big park. Hahaha. It turned out to be not that successful because everybody was exercising and so obviously they don't want to stop and talk to anyone, let alone missionaries. BUT we did find this awesome African man. He is from Senegal and he is a diplomat. So he was talking all about how he has lived in 25 different countries but how he loves America. My companion speaks French and the conversation was switching from French to Italian to English haha it was very confusing. In the end he just really really loves America but was very kind and would be an awesome member so we were able to get his contact information and hopefully the missionaries in Rome will be able to contact him before he moves to America. Other than that, the finding wasn't very successful. Not in the fact that we didn't talk to a lot of people, because we were very successful in that aspect, but no one really wanted to know more which is totally fine. They're not ready yet. But we had some funny experiences hahaha. One old man put his hand straight up to Sorella Bicchierri's face and then walked away haha. Sometimes we would walked very fast with people who were exercising, but they didn't like that very much. And we also stopped this lady and she gave us a classic line haha. Which was, "Listen, I have a meeting right now and I don't know what is worse, you guys, or my meeting, but I have to go to my meeting, so bye." Hahahahaha. We ended the night off with some solid gelato so that was really yummy.
Then on Thursday morning we woke up early because we had to be there early to practice for the musical number. Luckily we didn't have to take public transportation, but the Pickerd's took us to the chapel. The meeting was incredible. The musical number was really cool. The two Anziani that sang have like a ton of choir experience so they sounded really good. We all got the chance to shake the hands of President Nelson, President Kearon (again), and Elder Hallstrom, and their wives.
There were so many great things that they shared with us, but I will try to keep it kind of short.
I really loved some of the things that Elder Hallstrom shared. I think he is a businessman and he started off talking about like incomes and outcomes and stuff I don't understand in business. But he related it because he asked us to think about how much money the church spent to get all 200 missionaries in the same building for two hours. SO MUCH MONEY. Someone told me our mission is like the third most expensive in the world, which is so ridiculous. Anyway. He said you think about that cost, but that is not the highest cost we paid to have you all here. The highest price we paid was to take this time away from the work, but we feel that it is worth the sacrifice because we expect the outcome of this meeting to overpower the time taken from the work. I thought that was super cool. He also talked about how important it is that we are on missions right now. I feel so lucky to be on a mission. It is a time of foundation building. Instead of worrying about myself, my work, my school, my career, what I want, I get the opportunity to worry about the salvation of other people. I get to help them return home which is why we are all here anyway. And when we are worrying about others, we find ourselves. How incredibly grateful I am to be on a mission. I don't think I could live in this world and face Satan and this world that grows darker everyday without the testimony that I have grown on my mission. He just helped me to realize how truly fortunate I am to be serving a mission.
Then sister Nelson said a famous line that I will never forget haha. She said, "You better be having a successful mission. There are 15 million people praying for you!!!" Which is so true and it is what you make it. Regardless of whether it is hard or not.
And then we got to hear from the incredible Russell M. Nelson. Holy cow that man is a machine!! Here is this 92 year old man and he is sitting upright on the end he of his chair like a primary kid waiting to give their part in the primary program haha. He taught us for an hour! With no notes which is not that surprising, but he also was able to name one of the elder's whole priesthood lineage in the middle of it because President Pickerd told him this elder was related to a member of the seventy. He had this copy of scriptures that looked brand new and he was like I didn't bring my old ones because they are falling apart. I just got this new copy and I was able to read all four works in two weeks! 🙃😶🤔(Sorry I just wanted you to get a feel for how remarkable this man really is if you didn't already know.)
The VERY first thing he said when he got to the pulpit, after thanking us for being on missions was, "And make sure you tell your parents thank you too because you wouldn't be here without their help." Which is so true and I can't express my gratitude and love for you mom and dad. And President Nelson is really grateful for you too haha. Then he started off talking about the Abrahamic Covenant. I think everyone was a little confused at first because how does that relate to our work here in Italy? But just you wait. We started off reading a ton of verses from the Bible and the Book of Mormon. We went through the promises of the covenant and all of the lineage of Jacob and Joseph and the birthright. We talked about how the tribe of Judah was responsible for preparing the world for the birth of Jesus Christ. And then we got into the lineage of Joseph. Ephraim and Manasseh. He had everyone who was of those tribes stand up, which was basically everyone. And that was basically the punch line. The sons of Joseph and Manasseh are responsible for preparing the world for the second coming of the Savior and that is exactly what we as missionaries are here to do. To gather scattered Israel. We have been saved for this time. I am serving on the front lines of the battlefield!!!! I am a child of the covenant. I am a living fulfillment of the prophecies of the prophets of old.
Our whole purpose on this earth is to return to Heavenly Father. But he honors our agency and wants us to choose to come home.
We concluded the conference with the song, "Redeemer of Israel" which was so powerful.
President Nelson told me I did a great job which was very nice and I don't think I will ever have that opportunity again and I was super lucky to be sitting on the side he walked out on because I wouldn't have been able to talk to him otherwise so that was very memorable for me and very special.
I don't want to drag this email on any longer, but I just hope you know how grateful I am to be on a mission. It is so humbling and so frustrating at times. I have this strong desire to share what I know with these people and none of them want to listen. But that doesn't matter. I have faith that Heavenly Father knows what he is doing. And I will work my hardest to do all I can to be worthy to help His children return to Him.
I can't express my gratitude for being on a mission.
I love and miss you all and hope you are enjoying fall
I miss it
Sorella G
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