Milan, Italy- Week 1

Sent: Thursday, April 14, 2011
Subject: CIAO ITALIA

Ciao a tutti!

Sono arrivata! I have arrived in beautiful Italy. I would love to describe every feeling, every thing that I have seen, all that I have been through in the last week, all the things I have learned and am still trying to desperatly figure out, all the miracles, ect ect ect. But I simply do not have time to do so! So this is the short version:)

Plane ride was great, talked and shared the gospel with awesome, nice people, and didn't sleep hardly at all. So jet lag really hit me hard last weekend. I was able to see all the missionaries from my MTC district going to Rome in Dallas, that was great. We all flew to London together, then said goodbye. Being back in Italy is great. It is just as I left it:) Small everything, amazing architecture, funny Italians, beautiful scenery, it is even full of the same variety of weird smells of the city. I was warmly greated with my mission President and his wife Sorella Wolfgramm. They are super loving. Great, inspired people. I then got to see all the missionaries from my district in the MTC that are here in the Milan Mission! So that was a fun reunion. We had a delicious pizza dinner, slept at a hotel, the next day had a spiritual meeting and got city and new trainer assignments! I am here in Milan with Sorella Ryan as my trainer! When they said Milan I was like....eh ok! Haha I was thinking I'd be serving in some cool little city out of Milan, but now I think it is pretty awesome I get to start my mission here in Milan.
So off we went. I live in an old apartment building with two other sisters. The apartment is just typical Italian. Tile floors, small appliances, toilet and biret, small beds....just like always. All I am missing this time around is the amazing Italian Mamma who cooked me delicious food. We will have to do our best:). The city is CRAZY. It is actually really clean! It is full of all kinds of funny smells but it is great. Lots of people. So many South Americans and Philipeanos. SOOO many!!!!! I was really surpirsed. It is a lot more diverse here than Sardegna, that is for sure. Our ward is almost all South Americans. We go everywhere by Metro. Talk to lots of people. Milan is a cool city. Beautiful buildings. I am really enjoying it.
But WOW the mission is SOOO different here then it is in Louisiana. I am just trying to figure it out! It is a LOT harder here. Not harder like..the work....but I don't know there are just so many changes that are really stretching me. It's fantastic though, that is how we grow! The hardest things build us the most. Even though it is completely different than N'Orlinns, the works is still the same. There are still thousands of people here just ready, SEARCHING for truth. And that is exactly what we have to give them. We have seen miracles already, and it is a BLESSING. My Italian turns into a big mess when I try to teach the gospel like I did in English back in LA. Which is also a blessing, teaching me how to TEACH THE GOSPEL SIMPLY. Because it is simple. Simple, beautiful, and powerful. AND SO TRUE!!! :) We are teaching Patrizia, who is incredible, and is getting baptized THIS SATURDAY!!!!! We are teaching Valeria who is awesome and overcoming SOO many crazy things that have happened in her life. I LOVE THE ATONEMENT. IT BLESSES US SO MUCH! IT cleans us completely! GOSH who wouldn't want that??? ooOOooh man. It is beautiful. We are teaching a BEAUTIFUL family we had such a good lesson with them the other day. We have sooo many contacts. Traveling in Metro takes up so much time so we are just really trying to juggle it all and get to everyone we have to get to. But Heavenly Father has blessed us sooo much and really is right there with us, guiding us, and blessing us.
This is really all scattered sorry. I am running out of time. Italy is crazy. My prep days are Wed usually but this week there was a problem with email. We spent all day out on our prep day so I had no time to write any letters. I have a feeling most prep days will be like that, so I AM SO SORRY EVERYONE I might not write you very often. Plus the rule that..I can only email family. So I can't email very many people. YOU CAN EMAIL ME THOUGH! It will just take me a while to get back. My address for at least the next 6 weeks is:

Via Pisacane 47
20129 Milano
Italia

I would love to hear from you!! Ummm..PS....I realized that I broke a rule that I have to appologize for!! We cannot record any video footage while on our missions! So, if any of you saw my "How to Eat a Craw Fish" video, that will be the last time you will see a video haha! Sorry! :)
I love you all so much. Being a missionary is the best. I don't know how I do it, all I know is that I am nothing and that it is the Lord that is doing it through me. Because it is tough work. I am blessed to have the best companions ever, Sorella Ryan, the Holy Spirit, and a LOVING HEAVENLY FATHER! And of course. The life, example, and atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ is most important. I strive to follow Him and be like Him everyday. I am so imperfect and am quite lousy at it, but am blessed so much for trying. Man, God sure does love us.

BE GOOD!

Vi Voglio BENE!
Sorella, Simkins