In which Sara says "also" a lot ;)

So, this week has been pretty goood! :)

Well, our work is going pretty slow, but we're doing a lot more personal finding/contacting. It's so good, I love talking to people on the street, and knocking on doors. Some missionaries hate it, but it's one of my favorite things about missionary work! Just getting the word out! :) Ha.

Okay, lets see. First things first, someone tell Jher-bear (aka Jheremy Barber) that I say hello, and give him a little hug from me! I haven't heard much about him lately.

Also, do you remember Emily, my favorite Emily from Siena (/from England)? Well, she made me a little book! I took a picture with it. It's basically my favorite thing ever. I'll send y'all a picture (hopefully. I'm the worst at sending pictures lately, sorry!) It basically made me the happiest person ever :)

Also, we had Stake Conference the other day, and they thanked all of the missionaries, and then they told us, all of the missionaries, to thank our parents! Without your support/without you creating us, we wouldn't be here! And, I'm pretty sure 6% of people actually transmit these things when people are like, "Tell ..[so and so]... we said thanks." So, I wanted to be the 6% that transmits the message (I just made up that statistic by the way). My Stake here in Verona is super thankful for y'all, you cute genitori, you :)

Next, accidental verse find! Don't you love those? So, basically I wanted to find a good verse about the scriptures, and I read a reference and was trying to go to 2 Nefi 32:3-5, but instead I flipped to, and read 2 Nefi 33:3-5, and verse 4 ended up being PERFECT for what I needed! That verse had never stuck out to me before, but it was so good! Just the things that scripture study does for us, how it blesses us... so good :)

Also, the other day, we had correlazione, and an Anziano (Anziano Howell) started whistling a song... and then I died of happiness! He was whistling "Goin' Courtin'" from "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers"! And then the next day all of the songs from that film were stuck in my head. Whoops! Haha.

Also, oh man, can you guess what? Let me tell you! So, we had Stake Conference this weekend... and do you know who came?! ENZO! Basically he's a member from COLLEGNO! He came because his girlfriend, who just got back from her mission, was asked to give a short testimony. It was SO good to have a little Collegno reminder! :) :) Super awesome!

Also also, babbo, basically since you know everyone in Florida, if you ever happen to meet a Susana De Ruvo tell me! I met her niece in the MTC. Her niece is from Bergamo (where we go to do scambi as STLs), and basically we could have a million connections if we just knew each other! Hahaha. I have no idea where in Florida she lives, but an Anziano told me she lives in Florida. Keep your eye out! :)

Also, I was reading in the BOM the other day... 2 Nefi 29 - SUCH a good BOLD chapter! I love it :) Basically, I read verse 9 and I love it oodles. "Poichè la mia opera non è ancora finita." Did you know that God said that? Not just Joseph Smith, or some man... God said his work is not finished! It needs to move forward! And it is! And we're (ALL - not just missionaries) moving it forward! How cool? I just loved that verse. I literally did a little fist pump when I read it.

Well, that's pretty much it. Yesterday was a super awesome day. Basically all of our plans, as soon as we walked out of the door, were thwarted... by the weather. I got soaked twice yesterday, and had to change clothes 3 times (the third time being the best... throwing together random shirts/skirts/shoes of a member). Hopefully I'll send pictures :) haha.

Well, Luke's in the MTC now. I'm super excited for him! I can't believe we're 3 out on missions right now! How crazy! So fun :)

Well, I'm gonna run, but I love y'all oodles, and one day I'll catch up on emailing everyone... sorry! Haha.

Vi voglio tanto bene!
Sorella Willis

PS: Basically, I can't email pictures today... it's not working for some reason. Would you hate me if one day I just emailed home pictures and didn't hardly write anything? Hahaha, I'm so behind on sending pictures, it would take a long time to send a bunch of them!

The book Emily made me. I love her oodles!

ENZO (from Collegno!) - both Sorella Lyman and I served in Collegno, so we both love him :)

Twinners :)

In which Sara gets a new companion!

Ciao y'all,
so this week hasn't been crazy busy, BUT let me just let you know what's going on :)
First of all, I LOVED the picutres of Luke's Eagle Scout Court of Honor! How adorable! So cute, my little brothers are :)

So, last week Sorella Gomez went home - so sad/weird! I "killed" one of my companions! It was weird seeing a mission come to an end... it made me realize that MISSIONS COME TO AN END! Ma che!? Well, my new companion is Sorella Lyman. She's 1 transfer behind me (I knew her for a little bit in the MTC), and she's adorable, I just love her :) She's from North Carlina (East Coast!), and SHE WORKED AT DISNEY WORLD! Did we just become super good friends? Yes, yes indeed. Ha. We're super similar in a lot of ways.

The work has been going pretty slowly, lately. This last transfer, but specifically this past week, it's been particularly slow... but, we're gonna pick it up! We're super excited :) We're working with the Anziani in our ward to try to contact ALL of the less-actives (at least, the ones who are contactable).

Well, here's a little study bit - so, I'm studying Matt, Mark, Luke, John, and 3 Nefi, and I'm studying all the questions that Christ asked, and thinking more about the questions that I ask, in lezioni, and whatnot. So, I was reading the other day, and I'm in Luke right now, and I read Luke 7:40,

"40 And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on."
Jesus said, "I have something to say unto you." And Simon was 100% willing to listen, ready for whatever the Lord wanted to tell him. As I read that I thought of just how WILLING he was to listen to the Lord, whatever he said. How often does the Lord say to us, "Sara, I have somewhat to say unto thee.", and Sara saith, "Okay... give me 10 minutes, then I'll be ready to listen..." Sometimes the Lord is ready, is TRYING to tell us something, but we put it off, thinking that we'll be able to listen when the time is good for us. But, truth is, the Lord's time is the right time. When he wants to speak to us in a certain moment, he want so speak to us in that moment! Not in 10 minutes! In 10 minutes that opportunity may very well be lost! We should learn from Simon, and say, "Master, say on.", ready and willing to actively listen!
Anyway, that's just a little tidbit from my studies.

On a completely pointless note, since I've moved to Verona I've developed this habit where I have to shine my spoons before I use them. I dunno why I'm just noticing it here, but there's always water build-up on the spoons, so I must shine them EVERY time before I use one. Also, dad do you know what widgets are? Now, I do too! :) Ha, we talked about them in a meeting. The missions just prepping me for my studies post-mission life! Hahaha.

Also, lets see, um, ADAM BRANSON LIVES IN ITALY! That's so crazy! I don't know if I could see him on the mission... I'd want to give him the giantest hug! Hahaha. Wow, that's so crazy!

Also, I didn't know Heather Moss was going on a mission! Gah, so many changes! I'm so out of the loop! Hahaha. Heather, congrats on the call! Isn't he Temple great? :)

I can't belive Luke's heading out soon! I tell everyone about my little baby siblings serving missions. Do you know how much I love telling people about my family? "Yeah, he served a mission in... and she served in... and she's currently serving in.... and my parents both served in..." For reals, y'all are the cutest family in the world! Everyone loves you guys :) Hahaha. Also, whenever I show people a picture of my family, they always ask... "Which ones are your parents?" You guys are just too young looking! :) Haha.

Well, I'm gonna go ahead and end this here, so that I can EMAIL y'all some pictures! Finally!

Vi voglio tanto - anzi, troppo bene! :)
Sorella Sara Willis

One time, about 4 weeks ago, my skirt got stuck in my bike. Agh!

 

Biking in the rain. Super fun! :)

Just cute little Italy :)

Catching up on Sara's pictures!

Sienna:

Luigi. We buy cheese from him every week. I love him!

Gianni (Johnny)! He's my other best friend. We buy Kabap from him all the time. He's from Turkey. Speaks a Language called Zaza. Awesome, no? Haha :)

Saying goodbye to the Gori's! Mamma mia, che sad! :(

Chiara's basically my sister, and I love her to Death :)

 

Good bye Siena, my best friends Lorena and Redi! (they're married. So cute, no?) :)

Haircut!

 

Sorella Baird and I - cookie monster! (at the end of the transfer thing. It's terrible/delicious)

Verona:

Sorella Gomez and I making our piñata! :)

 

Our piñata!

Our Anziani's piñata!

Me in front of a happy colosseum

Eduart's baptism!

In which Sara ships off her companion back home!

Email: 10/16/2013

Dear EVERYBODY,

I will try to write you ALL back next week. But, seeing as how today is Sorella Gomez's last day (pretty much) we're cutting our email short today, so that she can get everything done that she needs. She's great, I love her, I'm so sad she's leaving, but she's was such a good example for me of how to finish my mission strong, and to just LOVE everyone! Honestly, one of the greatest things I've learned from her is to LOVE! She is full of love for everyone. Sometimes I'm too much the Martha and not the Mary, but I'm working on balancing that out :)

Let's see what I can tell you all in just a few minutes.

Well, it's FALL here! I love it so so so so so so so so much. Do you know how much I would just love to take pictures of everything? I would. But I don't. But, I can't wait to eventually get married/take engagement pictures in the fall! Hahahah (because I control when that happens, of course... ha).

Well, lets see... the Dema family is the cutest, still. We had a little goodbye thing for Sorella Gomez last night with the Dema family and some members, and we played a game called Animali (animals) - funnest game ever! It's basically like "Fatty fatty" and "Big Booty", except with animals! Each person is an animal and has to have a sound and a gesture of the animal... and if someone messes up, people move a seat, and you take their animal... it gets SO confusing, and so so fun! :) We'll play when I get home :)

Also, I really want to cut my hair these days. A lot. A little more than a trim (maybe 1-2 inches off), and my bangs have grown out into the rest of my hair, so I might get those trimmed up a little bit shorter! But, I'm just torn with who I need to go to. There are zillions of sister missionaries who know how to cut hair, who went to hair school and whatnot, BUT last week in the Pronto Soccorso (not emergency room, but likeunto it...? Anyway...) we were there for 9 hours (long story, I'm completely fine, it was Sorella Gomez, who likewise is completely fine) and we met the cutest little family, and THEY HAVE A HAIR SALON! I dunno if that's a sign or a temptation... but I'm debating on going to them... I just dunno if a) they would do a crazy job, and b) if it would be expensive. We'll see.

Also, I was talking to Sorella Acerson (we live with another companionship, like y'all know) and I just love her so much! She's just so GOOD! And, we were talking about life and school and everything, and she may or may not have confirmed my want to study Accounting. Okay... she did not confirm it, but she made me want to do it more! Ha, but I'm still undecided. She said she wants to be a CPA (just like you dad! Aw :) haha), and just talking with her was super fun. We did a scambio the other day together, and it was soo good! We taught a bunch of lessons, and she's such a good example for me - even if she's younger than me in life AND in mission life, she's so good, and such a good example! Super driven and in gamba (...like, on the ball).

Also, do you know how much I want to study Isaiah when I get home? So MUCH! Apparently there's a class you can take a BYU on Isaiah, and I just want to take it oodles! I'm reading the BOM again, and I'm noticing EVERYWHERE where it makes reference to him and his writings, and how much they studied the words of Isaiah to understand even MORE the mysteries of God. Funny right? Isaiah clearning up stuff? I cant't wait :) Hahaha.

Also, we went to the Lake the other day (just to look, of course). It was so great! I may have felt a little too much at home (just FINALLY seeing a big body of water again), and... I may have gotten home sick for 5 minutes. But don't worry, it passed :) Ha.

Well, I gotta finish up. I'm still not finished saying everything that I wanted to, but NEXT WEEK I will FOR SURE update y'all on everything, and send so so many pictures! Sorry, I haven't sent hardly any this transfer! Whoops!

Oh! So, my new companion will be Sorella Lyman! I don't know her super super well, but she was in the MTC with me (the group behind me), so I'm super excited to work with her :)

Vi voglio bene! Thanks for all the emails and updates about everything and everyone!
Sorella Willis

In which Sara plays catch up!

Email: 10/2/2013


So, our p-day has been crazy today! I dunno if I'll have time to write today, or even read all the emails, but we'll try to make up the time another day maybe (we're getting back from a scambio, and we're just running around like crazy lately!)
So, I'll hopefully be able to read the emails sometime this week, and respond.
But if not, know that I love y'all oodles and oodles! :)

Vi voglio un mondo di bene!
Sorella Willis


Email: 10/9/2013

Hello family!

Well, wasn't conference just wonderful?! It was fun. I listened half and half Italian and English. The first one italian, the second English, then on Sunday the first English, and the last one Italian. It was so good, and there were pros and cons for listening to each! As I listened to English I was able to understand perfectly, but I heard a lot of the WORDS, whereas when I listened in Italian, I did sometimes get tired-er than usual, but also I don't listen to the WORDS all the way, and I listen to the stories, the message, and as I hear not beatifully phrased phrases, but the message I'm able to listen to the SPIRIT more, and listen to what I need to pull from the message. It was super cool.

Well, crazy little points I wanted to talk to y'all about.

First, probably strange question - does Tanner know who I am? I was just wondering the other day, I left when he was just 1 month old, and when I come back, will he even know who I am? I hope y'all occasionally show him a picture of me! Ha.

Also, mamma mia, this is a very important question... seeing as how I finish my mission in a few transfers... WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO BRING YOU FROM ITALY? I know that's a very vague question, so I've divided up the categories for you to choose from - a) something practical you'll use (and if yes, in what sense? Clothes? Kitchen stuff?) b) something timeless (some kind of table piece, or thing to sit on the mantle, or c) some fun souvenir type thing. DITEMI PURE! (let me know!)

Also, sometimes when we're late getting home, when we have to call our zone leaders, they make us sing a primary song... and we sang I'm so glad when daddy comes home in italian. It was the funnest! I loved it! I can't wait to sing primary songs in Italian all day when I come home! Hahaha.

Sorry, this is going to be a crazy random email.

Also, Sam Buhler I just got your letter a week or so ago! So, I'm writing you back as quickly as I can! I looooooved getting your letter! It made me so happy

Also, I have a little cold right now. But, physically I feel fine.

Also, did you know that I loved crepes with pear jam? It's basically the yummiest, and I could eat it every morning of my life! I may just do that when I get home

Basically, I have a lot to write about, but I have no time. I'm SO sorry! Honestly, I just wish I had time to write y'all, but these days have been (and will continue to be) super crazy... next week will be just as crazy, if not crazier, because Sorella Gomez is going home next week!

So, I'll hopefully be able to find time to write a good email and send PICTURES soon!

Sorry, my emails are terrible these days!

Vi voglio un sacco di bene!
Let me know what you all thought of Conference!

Sorella Willis

In which Sara meets one of the 3 Nephites! ;)

Email: 9/25/2013

I love all the different people I meet, and all the cultures I get to know! I just love Italy so so much :)

So, first things first. I ALMOST DIED. Haha, not really, but kinda really. Ha :) So, we were riding our bikes to church on sunday... and, I chose to wear long skirt... well, other long skirts work fine on bikes, but the one that I chose that day... is not a bike skirt! Ha. So, basically, I was just riding, my skirt got caught in the wheel of the bike, within 0.5 seconds... it happened SO fast! And, my bike just stopped INSTANTLY. It came to a complete halt. Sorella Gomez was ahead of me, and she didn't even hear me yell "Sorella", but she said she did hear a loud "CLUNK". (my skirt just blocking the bike). Well, as we were riding we were passing and being passed by this little old man the whole time, and when my skirt got stuck, he was behind us at the time. And, let me just tell you, it all happened so fast! So this little adorable old man rides up behind me and says, "Do you need a hand?", and honestly I had no idea, because it had happened 2 seconds before, so I didn't know if I could pull my skirt out or not... but he just started helping, anyway. Turns out, I couldn't pull me skirt out, and he couldn't either! It was SO stuck, it never would have been able to come out... It was wrapped like 7 times around the wheel... and I couldn't rip it either! Luckily, the amazing old man had tools on the back of his bike, so he pulls apart my bike, takes the wheel off, pulls me skirt out, then puts my bike back together! We ask him what we can do to thank him, and he says (along the lines of) "We're here to serve and help each other...", and rides off on his bike. Sorella Gomez and I stood in shock after that, just of everything, and how quickly everything went. Honestly, it's like what i imagine a car accident to be like... haha, but less traumatic. I got stuck, there was a little old man/angel to the rescue, he fixed everything, then he was gone in an instant. He was very much so an angel the Lord put in our path. We're also convinced he was one of the 3 nephites :)

Honestly, I feel like my story telling ability doesn't describe what happened. It was amazing. I love that little old man :)

But, in other news... I just love it here in Verona... with Sorella Gomez. It's sad, I've never "killed" a companion before (she finishes her mission at the end of this transfer), and it's sad knowing that she's leaving, and I WILL begetting a new companion. It's not sad, I love all the other Sorelle, but it's just sad knowing she won't be my companion anymore. She's the best :) But, do you know how fun it is to read the BOM in Italian? Or, in another language, in general? There's so much I'm learning from the BOM just because I get to read it in another language, and the way things are worded I had never noticed certain things before... but now, the simplest phrase that I've read 60x in english has a new meaning to me! I love it! :)

Oh, also, so we were on the train the ohter day coming home from a scambio, and there were these 2 little older ladies sitting kind of accross from us... so, eventually we started talking to them... and they were both from North Carolilna (Charolotte)! I loved them instantly, because we heard them talking, and they had Southern accents :) Haha. But, one of them, after talking to her for a bit, said she lived in Florida for a while - Jacksonville, even! I think she said her husband is from Jax. How wonderufl! I just loooove them :) Then, when we got off the train, they just gave us the happiest hug and kiss... I felt like I was in the south again :)
Oh, and remember how my last district we had 3 missionaries from FL (including myself)? Well, coming out here to Verona, my district leader is from Florida! His name is Anziano Reeve. He might be from West Palm Beach? I dunno, I might have made that up off the top of my head! He told me where, but I forgot... haha. Whoops! I love the amount of missionaries we have from FL in this mission :) I know of at least (including myself) SIX :) How happy :)

Oh, and we had the greatest lesson the other day with a lady named Marina. Honestly, she's the cutest person in the world. She wants to come to church with her husband, and she wants to see a baptism, too! Keep her in your prayers? Grazie :)

Also, we went to see one of our less actives in the hosptal/home the other day, and she said something that I just loved. We were talking about faith, and she said, "My strength is my faith." How wonderful is that? Some people think physically, their strength is the muscles, and their body. Others may think their strength is knowdledge, and how much they know. But for this member her strength was her FAITH. Which is more powerful and which is stronger than ALL other things that we could put our "strength" in. What a good example, eh? :)

Well, I'm gonna try to send some fotos! :)
Vi voglio bene! :)

Sorella Willis

In which Sara calls dad stupid in Italian ;)

Email: 9/18/2013

Babbo! Thanks for the little email, then the giant email!

True story, you know how they only say Babbo in Tuscany? Yeah. Only in Tuscany. I need to learn to say "Papa" more. Haha. One of our ZL's is Italian, and he's form Sicily, and down South "Babbo" means "stupid"... dang it. So, basically, I can only use "Babbo" in Tuscany! Which is a bummer, because it's become a real habit to use! Hahaha.

Well, let's see. Fun fact: I've been the 4th Sister Missionary in every single city that I've served in! (Collegno was opened by Sorella Eaton and Laratro, then Eaton with another whose name escapes me, then Eaton with me! Siena was opened with Sorella Soh and Nilson, then Nilson and Bush, then Bush and me! Verona 2 was opened with Sorella Bush and Gomez, then Gomez and Beus, then Gomez and me!). Now, what does this mean about me...? Ha. I'll figure it out later.

Oh, dad, I met that Anziano Stewart that you were telling me about! He said his brother does live in Jacksonville! Crazy! Small, tiny little world!

Also, Verona is amazing! First of all, it's an adorable beautiful place, I love it! Second, the members are AMAZING! So so amazing. I can't even explain. They're adorabs. We're working with one of the most beautiful families who are getting baptized soon (the dad THIS SATURDAY, and the mom and daughter within 2 weeks)... they're so amazing. It reminds me of the Gori situation. How the Gori's were this amazing family, member referral, about to get baptized, and I get transferred in, and take the blessings of some other missionary. Obviously, it's all one work, it's not like it's MY baptism, and whatnot, but just that there are other people who deserve to see these moments, and I just feel bad being plopped right into blessings... ha, is that weird? I just got here. I need to WORK more for blessings like these. Honestly, I already love this little family so much. I hope to be as good of a missionary as those who were before me who worked with them (because, they were some pretty great missionaries who worked with them!). They have a little 6 year old son, who is my best friend, I love him to death! His name's Adam. We ate some pizza with them a couple days ago, after a lesson of course, and I was sitting by their daughter Michela, and Adam says, "Mom, I want to sit beside HER!" pointing to me. It made me so so happy :) There was not primary/nursery at Siena, and at Collegno it was pretty small, but here in Verona it's pretty big! Well, big for what I'm used to! And, I love it, having all these little kids running around church! So fun. Sunday there was a baptism of an 8 year old boy. His parents are from Peru. And, all of their non-member family came! It was wonderful! I talked to a bunch of them! Courtney, the nonno (grandpa) spoke at the baptism... and after we got to talking, he told me that he was from Texas! He's been living there for about 10-13 years! I dunno if he lived in any area where you served or not... he named off where he was from, and it sounded kinda familiar, but I wasn't sure if you had served there or not. I also don't remember what the city was called, or his name... haha, whoops! But, I can maybe find out his name on Sunday... haha. Sorry, I know that's a super big help.

Oh, remember my best friend Anziano from Sicily (just kidding, we're not really best friends, he's actually a super quiet person)? Well, he kills me. He plays the piano. Like a boss. Like, way better than me! He plays these beautiful little classical songs, and things like "Mi mancherai" or from "Cinema Paradiso"... and I can sometimes just sit and listen to him play for forever! Fun fact? He's only been playing the piano for about 3 years! Mamma mia, he kills me. Well, it's never to late to try something new! Haha.

Hm. The actual work work (street contacting, casa, etc.) I'm not super familiar with here at Verona, yet. We haven't done a lot of it. But, I love Verona so much, already!

Oh yeah, I'm on a bike! Finally! Neither at Siena or Collegno did I have a bike. Now that I'm over a year in my mission, I get to experience the soreness that comes from being on a bike! It's fun, I'm not even that sore anymore. Sorella Gomez said she was pretty sore for 2 weeks. I'm pretty fine now. Meno male.

Also, we're living in 4! I haven't had to live in 4 (2 sets of sister missionaries) in my whole mission, until now, either. But, with so many new sisters, a lot of people are living in 4 now. So, it's just all new experiences for me now! Living in 4, being on bikes, being a Sister Training Leader... no getting comfy for me! Ha.

Well, I'll send you some pictures from leaving Siena and hello to Verona (okay... there's only one hello to Verona). You know how my companion is Sorella Gomez now? I just love her so much. She's probably the cutest person in the world. Our ward is going to have a little Mexican FHE this monday to celebrate the Mexican independance day, and guess what we're doing..? MAKING A Pinata! I' excited. So when I come home from my misison to Italy, I'll be able to show you all how to make a pinata! :) Haha.

Well, now I should run. But, I love y'all oodles!
Vi voglio so much bene!
Sorella Willis



In response to reading about Luke's new mission call:

Holy cannoli, how amazing! Luke's going to Argentina! That's so so so so so wonderful! :) And, 5 weeks? My word, that's fast! I remember I had 5 MONTHS to prepare! Haha. Crazy. I'm so excited for him :) Is he super excited/stoked? Better yet, LUKE EMAIL ME, and tell me how you're feeling/thinking/everything! :) So good :)

Well, just to inform y'all on what's going on over here lately. This week has been insane. We have been running around like crazy. We were getting ready for a baptism, then we had Ward Conference, then we had a FHE for the ward that we were in charge of (just for that night).

Let's start with the baptism. It was SO good! It's the most adorable family in the world, Eduart (he's Albanian!) was baptized. He has the cutest wife (Ilenia) and the two cutest kids in the world (Michela and Adam). The baptism was great, a lot of both of their families came (grandparents, brothers and sisters and what not). It was soo good! :) I'll send pictures! :)

Then, we had our FHE on Monday! So... because sorella Gomez is Mexican, she happened to know when the Mexican Independance day is... it was this past Sunday and Monday! So, we did a Mexican Fiesta for FHE! It was so much fun, we were making our pinata for weeks! And, it came out wonderfully (we made a yellow M&M - pictures to follow!). Also, the anziani in our ward made one (we have 2 sets of anziani in our ward), and our ward mission leader made one (although his kinda died, so it's really funny looking, I love it). It was super super fun! We made guacamole and piccos de gallos (?), and the anziani made Orchatta (Ben, have you ever had that? It made me think of him as soon as I tasted it. It's like rice pudding, but in liquid form. It was delish!) And, Sorella Gomez taught us the song you sing when you have a turn hitting the pinata (did you know there was a song? I didn't know! Haha). If I remember correctly, it goes like this,
"Dale, dale, dale, no pierdas el tino. Porque si lo pierdas, pierda el camino. Ya le diste una, ya le diste dos, ya le diste tres, y tu tiempo se acabo!" I dunno if I misspelled any of that, but I love the little song! Haha :)
And, one of our investigators (who I had not met until that night) CAME! Because, a member invited her! Oh mamma, missionary work goes so much better when it's done with the members! We gave her a church tour afterwards, and she really enjoyed it. When we showed her the baptismal font, she was really interested! She loved it. We told her there would be a baptism soon (of a little boy), and she said she'd love to come! :) It was wonderful :)
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Other random fact, one of the sorelle who we live with, Sorella Gross, is an adorabel red-head convert, who grew up on the reservation, and speaks Navajoo! She's cute :)

Well, if I want to send pictures, I should probably finish up.
Vi voglio bene!

Have Luke, and Jacob, and Ben, and EVERYONE email me! :)
Vi voglio tanto bene!

Sorella Willis

In which Sara gets transferred - to VERONA!

Email: 9/4/2013

 Hi, funny story. Babbo, I went to type your email in the "To:" section, and I typically write "ray..." and it pulls up your email, but for some reason I initially started typing "babbo..." today... and nothing came up! Weird. Hahahaha.

Anyway, crazy story this time. Remember how there are transfers this week? Yeah. I'm getting transferred. Sad. To where? To Verona! Awesome. I have no idea what Verona's like. Super excited :) My companion is going to be Sorella Gomez. She's adrobs, and I already know her and love her. She's from Mexico. You want to hear the craziest part? Oh mamma, it's the craziest. Well, I'm going to be her companion, and be a Sister Training Leader with her. What?! Do you know what that is? Let me explain. It's basically a Zone Leader for sister missionaries. AGH! Is that a joke? I am NOT ready to be a sister ZL! Ha. I had this crazy feeling this past transfer that I would be called to be a STL super soon, maybe this transfer, maybe the next... I knew it was coming, but I just didn't realize it would be THIS COMING TRANSFER! Mamma mia. So, basically I go around, and do scambi (trade-offs?) with the sisters in my zone, teach and train them (Say what? I have this problem where I'm totally humble enough to learn from others, cause I KNOW I can learn so much from Others, then I forget all the time that I have things to offer, things that Others can learn from me! Whoops), and we do teach trainings at Zone Conferences, too (if I'm not mistaken... that's the major part of what we do). So, I'm kinda not super worried, cause obviously whom the Lord calls, He qualifies, but still... the fact that I don't think I have a lot to offer is my wishy-washy spot right now. But, I'll get over that and learn quickly, eh!? :) Ha. When we got the call about transfers from President on Monday, we were doing Language study. Allora, after we got off the call, I went back to my langauge study... I was reading the LDM, and I was in Ether 12... hello, perfect, no? So, I read verses 27-29. Tender mercy, reading those verses! Then also, verse 38: "And now I, [Sorella Willis], bid farewell unto the [Senesi(? Siena people)], yea, and also unto my brethren [& sisteren] whom I love, until we shall meet..." Dai, che perfetto, how these verses applied to me in that very moment!

I've said goodbye to a couple people. I'll send you pictures. I'll say goodbye to a couple more. Honestly, I just love this little city so much. We went to see the Gori's last nigh. I might have cried a little bit. Hahaha.
Also, I'm having a problem packing all of my stuff into my luggage... I might by myself another suitcase... maybe not, I'm not sure. But, I was just trying to fit everything today... and, it just wasn't working. Hahaha. Whoops!

Siena's great. I love it, I'll miss it oodles, but I'm excited to get out to Verona, and see work I need to do there! :)

I'll send pictures.
Fun, story, on Monday we taught all people from Africa! All of the lessons were in English. I love African's, they're so funy to talk to. They're so passionate about what they believe! Sometimes it's hard teaching in English, then trying to switch back to Italian. Haha. Hopefully in Verona I'll have ALL Italian ALL the time! That would help me better my Language :)

OH! BABBO! I had a "the holy ghost descended upon Him in the form of a grapefruit" moment! I've been wanting to have a moment like that my Whole mission. Basically, I was talking about muffins, and explaining to a member the type of muffins Sorella Capece had made... and they were brown sugar. Allora, in Italian brown sugar is "zucchero di canna". What I ended up saying was "zucchero di cane"... aka, "dog sugar". Ha! I might have died. It was hilarious.

Also, I have a best friend in Mexico named Consuelo. She's the greatest! She met our member in an airport, and she recognized she spoke spanish, so they helped each other out. Then they kept talking, and became super awesome great friends, then our member invited her to Church... and she came! And, she came about 4 weeks in a row (until she had to leave). Did you know she had to wake up at 5am on Sundays to come to Church (with the bus systems, and everything). I love her oodles. She headed back to Mexico this week. We gave her a BOM, and taught her a little bit about it. She said she is going to find the Church in Mexico, and start going, and take her mom... and, she knows exactly where it is, too! She said she Always saw the Church sign, but never learned anything about the Church. AGH. What wonderful people. Seriously, I've just been blessed to meet the most Amazing people!

Well, I'm gonna finish up, and send y'all some pictures. Next week will be crazy! Babbo, I still dunno if I'm gonna buy another bag of luggage or not... so, just be on the lookout for that.
Well, I'm gonna run.

Vi voglio un mondo di bene!

Sorella Willis