Fortuna (LUCK)

Hey everyone!!

So I'll try to give a little run down of the week.

Monday - Thursday were spent in Ostia
It's a really cute little city near the ocean. I don't really remember a ton of details right now because my brain is like overloaded with information.

Then Thursday night - until tomorrow (Tuesday) afternoon we are in Rome 3 (and from Tuesday afternoon - Thursday we will be in Ostia.) We have seen quite a few miracles though in these past couple of days. We went to find a less active here in Rome 3 and she answered her phone!! (First time ever) and gave us her address. So we were able to visit her. She has been offended by her son and won't come to church.  She is actually really sweet and we are excited to be able to work with her! It was a miracle that we saw her so I want to help her grow her testimony of the Book of Mormon and the sacrament and why we go to church every Sunday and then maybe we can get her to start coming to church!!

We also had an appointment with an "investigator" haha. That's in quotation marks because the elders talked to this lady that said, "the Sorelle used to come over all the time. I loved having them over" so she said she would love to have us over. She also explained to him how in apocalisse it says that we're not supposed to add or subtract from the Bible which is just a misunderstanding of the scripture so Anziano Larussa explained the whole thing. Well. Turns out she is a baptized member!! Of not very long ago. About a year and a half ago. So we talked to her about her baptism. From what I understood she said she never really had a very strong testimony of the Book of Mormon, she could just see a difference in the missionaries and she felt something when she prayed. She went less active because she was annoyed how members would get up and bear their testimonies of the same things, "that the Book of Mormon is true and that Joseph smith was a prophet." She couldn't understand why people weren't focusing more on Jesus Christ. So I was able to just bear powerful testimony of how the Book of Mormon is the KEYSTONE to our religion. 

I hope we all know what that means!! It means that if the Book of Mormon isn't true, then Joseph Smith wasn't a prophet of God. And if Joseph Smith wasn't a
prophet of God, then the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saint was not restored to the earth. This is why it is COSÌ importante that we have to have a testimony of the Book of Mormon. And there is an incredible promise given by Moroni that ANYONE can read the book and know of its truthfulness. That's pretty cool. I love that. We all have the ability to know if it's true. And if we really desire it, then that is what we will receive. I know the Book of Mormon is true.

The title of the email is LUCK because I was so lucky this week. On my birthday we had some yummy blueberry muffins!!!! We were able to do a solid weekly planning session!!! I couldn't stand those at the beginning of my mission haha. And then we were able to take the carrot cake that we made for Sorella Sprague to her because it was HER birthday too. And then we had an appointment with one of my very favorite members here in Rome 3. She's from Argentina and we were just going over to teach a lesson. Well she had put up this "BUON compleanno" banner and she put up balloons and she made me a cake!!! It was like a vanilla cake with chocolate covered strawberries and Nutella and she
and Sorella Hills sang happy birthday to me. It was the sweetest thing ever. I will never forget my birthday here. It honestly was one of my favorites because it wasn't necessarily centered around ME. It was just a normal day and people were so kind and thoughtful. I really find so much joy in serving others than thinking of myself. 

I have such a strong testimony that we find so much joy when we are able to
help others. And that is what missionary work is all about!! And I love it!!! I hope you all know that I feel very lucky to be on a mission. I feel very lucky to be here on this earth. I feel very lucky to be a part of Heavenly fathers plan. I feel so lucky for my family and loved ones. And I feel lucky to be a member of this church.

Love

Sorella GGGGGG ❤️️🇮🇹