HONOR YOUR NAME

Hello!!!

First off I wanted to say CONGRATULATIONS to Jake for getting his mission call to CAMBODIA!! You're going to do incredible things in that country.

Here are some "first's" that I experienced this week:

• First gochnour in Asia!!!! (Besides dad)
• I taught my first relief society lesson!!
• First run in with an American that I know (tourist season is in full swing) we were walking and someone says "hi missionaries!!" And I turn and there were Ellery Howarth's parents!!
• First time at an Italian university. We are trying to focus on the18-30 generation so what better place to go put yourself out there than a college campus?? Although I do have to say it kind of gave me anxiety thinking that I'm going back to college after my mission
• First time attending a baptism where it was just the missionaries and the man getting baptized haha so Sorella Bicchierri and I went right outside the church and invited everyone on the street if they wanted to come to a baptism, no one wanted to. We still have a lot of work todo here!!!
• And I got proposed to by a 60 year old Italian lawyer in park. It was probably the most awkward thing I have ever experienced. He asked me if someone who is so young like me would ever marry him. I said, "I personally would never do it, but I'm sure someone might." Then he said well let's get married after your mission. Me: no thanks. And then the conversation basically ended and we walked (ran) away.

This week was jam packed with a lot of stuff. So I will try to cover all of the important things.....

Sorella Bicchierri and I had the honor of being invited to this award ceremony for an Italian government official that the church gave to him. It was for the valori della famiglia so something to do with his family and the way he tries to help the community of Rome to support family values. It was in the library right by the pantheon and it was very cool. The only not so cool thing was that Sorella Bicchierri and I somehow didn't time everything correctly so we had about 45 minutes to make an hour and a half walk to get there on time. I would have preferred to be early, but you know how things a lot of the time don't
exactly work out as planned. We basically ran from the Villa (mission home) into downtown Rome and switched metros haha and showed up only five minutes late! Luckily the man was late so it hadn't started, but we showed up dripping sweat. It was not my most proud moment that's for sure. Here come the Sorelle representing all the missionaries and they're five minutes late and dripping sweat like they just ran a marathon!!! Oh man haha maybe next time. It worked out well in the
end.

We also had an incredible zone conference. We were able to watch the video of the angel Moroni being put on the temple and it was so cool. It's such a big step in such an incredible process. We also talked a lot about good, better, best. Often times we find ourselves with too much to do and not enough time. Well maybe we are filling up all of our time with good things and maybe not the best things. I think it's always good to be repenting and changing and learning from our mistakes and doing our best to become the best we can be!! IF IT'S GOING TO BE, IT'S UP TO ME. And then the AP's gave a great lesson about the Book of Mormon and how we can use it more in our missionary work. I can't believe I have spent all of this time on my missions and haven't been opening it for them to read, but just telling them about it. The power comes when we feel the spirit touch our hearts through the words!! So I'm looking forward to using the Book of Mormon more in my work.

Speaking of work, Sorella Bicchierri and I were able to find 4 new investigators this week!!!! And even teach a couple of lessons!! The unfortunate thing is that we have not been able to contact any of them since those couple of first lessons, so we'll keep looking this week! We saw so many miracles I wish I could write them all down but time is just not really my friend right now.

As you all know yesterday was Palm Sunday and I thought it was really cool because the Catholic Church handed out to everyone little branches of olive trees. It was cool to see everyone thinking of Christ and his triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Next Sunday is also Easter and I just wanted you all to think for a second and think about the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for us. As a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, I have taken the name of Jesus Christ upon me through the ordinance of baptism. As a missionary I represent Him and wear His name on my chest every single day. I can't begin to express what an honor it is to have the opportunity to do so. I hope this Easter and really hope all the time, not just Easter and Christmas, that you all will be able to remember and use the powerful gift of the Atonement that Jesus Christ gave to us. I hope that if you have taken His name upon you, that you will HONOR that name. And help others to come to know Him.


Buona Pasqua!!!

Sorella G ❤🇮🇹