PICTURE POST!

Raning in MILAN

Sent: Wednesday, June 01, 2011

Subject: MILAN 1 June 2011 Buonnngiorno tutti!

It is raining here in Milan today. It is nice and cool and smells good :)

HHhmmm what a week! We had two leadership (almost all day) trainings that were SUPER GOOD. My head feels like it is going to EXPLODE with all the inspirations and revelations and advice we received. All sooo good.

I just have to write real fast about how much I love Alma (jr). I have developed quite the crush on him in my daily studies these days. His teachings to his sons Helaman, Shiblon, and Corianton are amazing. So beautiful. He's an incredible father. Many view living the commandments of Heavenly Father and living the Gospel of Jesus Christ as a burdon, as something hard to do, that brings more guilt than it does happiness. They are missing the point. Living the Gospel of Jesus Christ with all your heart, might, mind, and strength, in the end, is far easier, than forever fighting against it. The whole plan that Heavenly Father has given us is perfectly designed for our SUCCESS."Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Words of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Don't make it more complicated than it is. It is as easy as looking. "LOOK TO GOD AND LIVE!!!" (alma 37:47) Yet still..Many choose to not even glance. Why?

Ha this is the shortest update I have ever written! All is well here in Milan. It is a blessing to be here serving soo many incredible people. It is THE greatest blessing doing the work of the Lord. To see how he so mercifully get's His work done through an imperfact person like myself. The spirit finds. The spirit teaches. The spirit changes people's hearts. The spirit does ALL THE WORK. I just have to strive not to get in it's way, haha that is what serving the Lord means.

I love you all! So very much.

Love

Sorella-ella Simkins

Loving Mission Life!

Sent: Thursday, May 26, 2011 5:08 AM

Subject: FAMIGLIA! AMICI! SALVE Famiglia e Amici.

MAMMA MIA!!! I can barley sit still I am so HAPPY.

Seriously though..I feel like I have been floating three feet above the air for the last WEEK! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Let me just update you and try to make sense.

The Italian family we have been teaching for the last transfer and a half.....ARE GETTING BAPTIZED JUNE 4TH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MAN this family is amazing. They are beautiful. Have such good spirits and light in their eyes. They have been nervous to make baptismal dates. We went Saturday and taught them, first the Mom because the kids were out. Haha....it is kind of funny but that morning I was reading in Alma 34. .which talks about not procrastinating the day of your repentance and recognizing the whitnesses you have received of the truth and the horrible state you will be in if you don't repent. I laugh because this isn't usually the kind of scriptures you want to read right away with families but I just felt like we should read this with them! So we were teaching the mom. And read those scriptures. She loved them! hahah. Then we ended on a high note and read 3 Nephi 11 again together AH so beautiful. She commited for the fourth. Then the 13 year old son came home, so we had a lesson with him! We read 3 nephi 11, talked about baptism, and he said he wanted to be baptized. His closing prayer was SOO great he's like...Heavenly Father. I know for SURE the Book of Mormon is true. I know for SURE this is your true church. I cannot WAIT to get baptized next week, thank you! hahahahah my companion just laughed at me afterwords because she said she opened her eyes to peek a me while he was praying and said I had the BIGGEST smile on my face. Which I did, I was like SCREAMING inside AHHH!!! Just completely full of love. Ok so then the 14 year old daughter came home (who is beautiful and I told her to add Mickey on facebook hahaha..did you get that mickey??) So we had the lesson with her. And she really is amazing but just a little scared. So we had the lesson. And she commited for the 4th as well. AHHH it was the greatest night EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is SUCH a blessing to see these families accept Jesus Christ and follow him. AHHHHHHH!

Next miracle. We just finished teaching our new convert who is a POWER HOUSE! I love her. She has already taught at a relief society activity, helped with a primary activity, and came and taught with us. She is soo fantastic, always participating and every meeting at church, best friends with the relief society sisters...LOVE HER! She is going to be a huge took in strengthening the church here in Italy. ANNyyywaays we got done teaching her and had some time before we had to go in. So we felt inspired to go visit a member that lived near by. We couldn't get ahold of this member so we decided we'd just show up. We couldn't find which citofono was hers (citofono's are....doorbells to apartment buildings. that is all milano living is, huge palazzi (huge apartment buildings..really beautiful, tall, balconys, ect..) anyways so we couldn't find which was her so we just got in the apartment building through someone else and went to scala C to start doing some casa (door to door). We rang the first citofono and the lady let us in. We got in and within 5 minutes of telling her who we are and what we were diong here she just starts BAWLING. Saying she has been desperatly searching for help. That she has hit rock bottom and needs help. She just cried and cried. We had a spiritual little lesson. She came to church the next day. And we taught her again and last night she came to Serata Famigliare (FHE). MIRACLEEEE!!!!

Serata Famigliare was INCREDIBLE last night. Different members take turn teaching, usually about 10-20 members and non members show up. The Italian family we are teaching came. And this new lady we found came. We have a beautiful lesson about conversion and the church and about how we are here on earth to be happy and find (ETERNAL) happiness. The Italian family was just completely locked into the lesson. The new lady we are teaching is just crying. She raises her hand and asks...what does the spirit feel like? And this member Marco who is a convert a few years ago tells her his conversion story. and how he feels the spirit. then one of the elders pulls out his bible and reads the fruits of the spirits in galations. And this lady just starts crying..sayng..I feel this. I feel just like this right now. I feel it. I am sitting next to her just about to burst into tears of joy...AHHHH you don't understand, this lady was like a MESS when we found her! A beautiful lady but just...has had the worst life on earth. Honestly does not know what happiness is. And here she is...at FAMILY HOME EVENING..testifying that she is FEELING THE SPIRIT and that it FEELS GOOD! AHHHHHHHhh. After FHE we have a snack and everyone talking and mingling..and I ask the 14 year old girl ( can I use names? Sometimes I am not sure if that is a bad idea or not..anyways...) the girl we are teaching in the family..I just ask her how she is feeling about baptism and everything. And she just smiles. and says she knows it is right. REJOICE!!!!! The boy, he totally can't wait. The Mom is all in too. They are amazing. While my comp and I were walking home we were just like SCREAMING I especially was just freaking out haa. REALLY though..I feel like Alma and the Sons of Mosiah REJOICING. In the work of the LORD! I just fell to my knees when I got home...just THANKING my Heavenly Father for the MIRACLES he is blessing me to be apart of and see. How did I get so blessed to go on a mission. I don't even KNOW. I LOVE IT THOUGH!

AH! Well. A few fun things. HA the other day we got on the Metro and ..we are in Milan right? Fashion capitol of the world and such? Well like usual we start talking to people and I look over at my companion talking to this tall (beautiful) boy and I am just like...haha what is she doing! So she was inviting him to church. And he says he is from out of town just here for work. She's like oooohh what work do you do? He's like..I am a Model. (he said it in this like..DUH you retard I am a MODEL tone of voice..hahaha) I just start laughing. We get off I am like Sorella. Did you not even notice that he was tall and gorgeous and for sure a model? (we see models alllll the time you can pick them out so easily. Just like a foot taller than everyone, beautiful, you know.) And my comp is like I did not even notice I just started talking to the first person around me! hahahaha. So cold play is coming to Milan! and Bon Jovi. And I thought I saw a poster for queen..? And foo fighters. forget sometimes that I am in Milan. A big city that would have big concerts all the time. My comp LOVES singing and opera and a boy that comes to our english class told us he can get us free tickets to la scala ( BEAUTIFUL FAMOUS opera house in Milan) Ha too bad we definitely are not allowed to do that! Did I say I got invited to a Milan vs Cagliari game? Grrr I had to use all my strength to say..no..sorry..not..allowed. Haha jk it wasn't too hard saying no, just funny. I don't even care. The work here is incredible I don't even think about anything else. Oh I finally saw Sean Dunshee from Bountiful, he is doing so well all of you that may know him. Zone leader, just a good kid! Also yesterday I finally saw Ryan Kimball at a big Leadership training meeting we had!! Hahahah that was soooo funny. So weird to see good friends as missionaries in my mission. HOLY COW also..it is getting SOOO super hot here. An OVEN. I am going to DIE this summer. But one of our tranfer goals is to be positive in ALL THINGS and not complain..SO I AM SO HAPPY to be soaking wet sweaty all day everyday. We are shiny missionaries..just how we like it.

K THATS ENOUGH!

Love you all.

Love

Sorella Simkins

May in Italy

Sent: Wednesday, May 04, 2011 4:14 AM

Subject: "Siamo INTERNAZIONALE!"

CIAO TUTTI!

Ahh how are you all? Well I hope!

THINGS ARE INCREDIBLE here in Italy. HOW DID I GET SO BLESSED? Like everyday my companion and I just take a new street and find some cool new church or structure and just have out of body experiences, like...WHAT the? Are we really here in ITALY? Walking these ancient streets...TEACHING THE EVERLASTING GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST TO PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD? WOW! It is amazing.

We are INTERNATIONAL!

I am American, with a Canadian companion, we are teaching a family of Italians, a girl from Bolivia, a young man from Sri Lanka. Everyday we meet several Egyptians, several other Africans, Ecudorians, Peruvians, Venezuelans, El Savadorians, several Philipinos, Russians, Romanians. No joke! We gave out 4 Books of Mormon yesterday in 4 different languages. It is incredible. I am in the best mission in the world in the coolest city. Milan is international and I absolutely love it. I am learning so much about so many different cultures. All these people are incredible. With such great stories and life styles, beautiful accents and personalities, delicious food (we have had Sri Lankan food, Peruvian, lots of Italian, Philipino, etc..SOooOO yummy haha) different family traditions, dress, beliefs.... But yet...what unites us all? WE ARE ALL CHILDREN OF GOD! Ahhh it is BEAUTIFUL! MY SISTERS MY BROTHERS! It is beautiful. It is a miracle..a MIRACLE to be able to give each of these people the most important book they can ever read, in their own mother tongue. The Book of Mormon! The book that contains the words of life! Testimants of our Savior Jesus Christ! The plan of salvation! The fulness of the everlasting GOSPEL! Ahhhhh the joy!!

Oh my the miracles happening here in Milano 2 are just...humbling. So humbling. In this ward...there are over 400 inactive members and around 300 active. The ward is HUGE. Our work has been so focused on member work. Strengthening active members. Visiting and teaching inactive members. Doing missionary work through families and their friends. It is has been amazing to see how it has evolved. For these last few weeks we have been really trying to figure it out in our district meetings..how to best to serve the ward here. We had different ideas, and plans, and exciting ways we were going to try to use to get the members pumped on doing missionary work. Haha..but you know what we have come down to? The most effective way? Is to teach members just as if we were teaching new investigators. Teach members the lessons, the restored truths of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ and the Book of Mormon through the profet Joseph Smith. The Plan of Salvation. Faith, repentence, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. The commandments and obedience. It is so simple. These are things they already know. But the Gospel is so simple, so simple a child can understand it perfectly. That is the beauty. As we teach these lessons to the members, we have been able to just bask in spirit. These lessons have been more spiritual then almost any others. These lessons have entered into the hearts of the members, reminding them of what a blessing it is to be a member of this church and know the things we know, and has inspired them and given them the faith to share these blessings with their family members and friends in need. It has turned missionary work into the simplest most beautiful work in the world, not a stressful complicated discouraging work. The gospel is beautiful, it is simple. I have the smallest role ever. All I have to do....Is completely love these people. Serve these people. Share my testimony with these people. That is all. And I get blessings hundredfold in return. The work is thriving, the fruits of the harvest so delicious and sweet. How does Heavenly Father love us so much? It will never cease to amaze me. My favorite line.

Something I have learned\better understood this week, from some talks and studying.

Sacrifice. God has given us everything. He has given us life, our every heart beat. He has given us time and talents. He has prosperd us and provided for us. He has given us obstacle courses to learn and to imporve ourselves, to progress while here on earth. He is never indebted to us, he is always just giving. When we pay him one tenth of our tithing, we are just giving him back one tenth of what he has already given us. When I give him 18 months of my life, my talents, my blessings, these are all things he has blessed me with in the first place. There is only one things that we have to choose to give back to the Lord. One thing that he cannot ever take freely. Our hearts. God wants to give us everything. He wants to work with us and make us into the divine kings and queens we are destined to become. But if we refuse to give him our hearts, then has nothing to work with. If we insist on following the will of our own natural men, then we are refusing the will of the Father and the divine men inside of us. I will sacrifice my natural man and strengthen my divine nature.I will sacrifice all my wishes and desires and completely give my heart and will to the Lord!

That is my goal:) After all, who better to trust with my heart and will?

I love you, MY BROTHERS MY SISTERS!

Love

Sorella Simkins

April in Milan

Sent: Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Subject: OOoooo Italia

Ciao famiglia, amici, tutti!

Come state? Tutto bene?

Ahhh Spring time is SUCH a beautiful time of year. Everytime we walk out of our apartment in the morning I just take a big breath and smile. I really feel like I have spring time in my soul haha. Italy is just beautiful and sunny right now. The sky is blue everyday. The buildings and apartments are tall, old, and colorful, with rod-iron railings, and clothes hanging out to dry. I love to see all the Italian flags hanging in the windows and waving in the wind. I love the old ladies shaking their rugs on their porches. Milan is so diverse. I had no idea before I lived here how diverse it was. In Sardegna everyone is Italian, small, dark, so Italian looking. Milan is FULL of South Americans, Philippinos and Africans. I LOVE IT. Ahh the people are so beautiful. I love going to the older more rustic looking apartments buildings around the evening time, when all the different families are home, playing their types of music, cooking their types of food...such a good atmosphere! Mmm I am just happy to be here:)

Ok I will get into my update now. Starting from last week.

Often, after our p-day hours are up (around 5:30-6), on Wednesdays we go visit the bishops wife. She is just the cutest Ecuadorian lady with two little kids. We had such a great visit with her last week, she taught me a lot. Her husband and her moved out here for him to finish up school and work for a few years. He is from Argentina. They are the cutest couple ever. Anyways...After a few years they were just soo ready to move back hom to South America. All their family is there, they were just done with Italy and wanted to go home! She was pregnant, so they decided to have to baby here then move home soon after. Their beautiful baby was born with severe defects and she lived in the hospital with him for a whole year! A long extremely hard and lonley year she said. I can't even imagine. But with lots of prayers and blessings from our Heavenly Father, they were able to persevere, and their boy is healthy and self sufficient. So they were saving up and working and finally ready to move home a few laters when...her husband got called as Bishop! She just cried. She knew that that meant at least another 5 years away from their home and family in South America. They have two kids now, her husband is super busy with work, and then almost every night is out doing things for the ward and fulfilling his calling. Their family is amazing though. So faithful. SOO ready to do the work of the Lord. To do His will before theirs. They are just a great example to me of faith and perseverance to me.

Missionary work in Italy is interesting. We have so much travel time and contacting time on the metros and trains. We are able to meet some amazing people. It is great because I am learning how to make powerful lasting impressions in simple, speedy ways, but I still have so much room for improvement! We talk to everyone we can, bear testimony the whole time, and strive to bring the spirit to these people. It is so cool to see the people that are ready to learn. That completely light up with joy when we give them the Book of Mormon to read and explain to them the grand promise it contains. It's tricky getting appoints set to continue teaching, but amazing to see how the Lord has prepared people to learn and how they accept! I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY! We are teaching such amazing people right now. Valeria was BAPTIZED Saturday. OOOHH mamma MIA it was AMAZING! Seriously. This ward is out of control incredible, so many people were there and so supportive. This is a HUGE step for Valeria. She has been through SO MUCH. We have seen miraculous changes in her. It was such a spiritual service. The Italian family we are teaching is soo great. The Bolivian lady we are teaching is also amazing. Everyone is doing well and really seeing great changes in their lives thanks to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It has the power to change anyone and help EVERYONE!

Easter Sunday was so nice. I love Sunday's. I don't know what I would do if I couldn't go to Church every week, it is such a huge blessing to be spiritually refilled, refreshed, and re-energized! Easter is a special time of year, the talks we heard on Christ and the atonement and the resurrection were incredible. I am so thankful!! After church we ate delicious Peruvian food at this families house:) Mmm.

Monday (Pasquetta, still a holiday) the ward had a big activity in the park. It was super fun. We had almost all our investigators come, it was amazing, they just fit right in with the ward, everyone was chatting eating having a grand time. Haha I will try to describe this activity, it is just soo classic Italian\South American life. Everyone just brings SOO MUCH FOOD. ALL kinds of Pastas, salads, rices, MEATSS soo much meat so many different kindsss, all kinds of desserts...they bring their blankets, lay them all out with pillows and stuff, set up their grills, and just eat all day. Meat after meat, they just throw it on the grill, and eat and eat. Everyone is just talking and laughing, laying down and relaxing, tons are right by playing a never ending game of soccer, you just go play when you want, then come back and eat when you want. If you are tired, you just lay back in the sun and take a short nap. Wake up, and eat more! The ward members and their friends got there around 10:30 and didn't get home until 7 or 8 in the night. That is just how they FIESTA here! Nothing else matters, when you are with friends and family, you take your dear sweet time. It is beautiful I loveee it. MMmm the food was so good, and the peruvians made this way yummy treat I don't remember what it is called..like piccantos or something?? Fried dough with honey ha. They just made it, right there in the park haha. I got to play soccer!! I was wearing my skirt, and borrowd some converse shoes from one of the young woman and jumped in the game!! aaahh I loved it. So fun. I already stand out, being white, american, wearing a skirt, and a name tag...so I am used to looking ridiculous, which I am sure I did playing soccer in a skirt. ohhh weelll hahah it was a blast. But...we had work to do, so my companion left and went on our way for the rest of the afternoon and evening. Good times:)

Yesterday we has some amazing spiritual lessons with our investigators. Ahhh this is the LIFE.

I have been really pondering my patriarchial blessing yesterday and today. I encourage everyone to get theirs out and do some studying between the lines. It is soo important for us to strive to live our lives...every minute of everyday...in a manner in which the Spirit can talk to us. So it can direct us. Our potential is infinate. God's plan for each of us is glorious and eternal. He has such great promised blessings in store for us..just waiting for us and our families to obtain them. We need to be in tune with the spirit to do so though.

WHELP! That is all for this week.

I love you all so very much.

Love

Sorella Seemie-keens

PS

I can only email family as you all may know. But I can get emails from everyone! So please email me and tell me how you are because I haven't heard from several of you! (Malorie, Kara, Melissa F and M, Kenz, Jen...and many more...I just want to know if you are alive ok!!!!)

Sent: Wednesday, April 20, 2011 3:23 AM

Subject: Ciao America BUON GIORNO FRATELLI SORELLE!

How is everyone doing? Anything exciting happening over there?

Things are amazing here. Last Saturday was Patrizia's baptism and it was amazing. It was such a beautiful service. The ward has been so amazing and supporting, they had already assigned her visiting teachers who were able to talk at her baptism. They gave such beautiful spiritual talks. Patrizia was just GLOWING. She bore her testimony after and had the whole room in tears!! It was so powerful. She is so faithful and strong. She is incredible, I am so thankful I have had the chance to be here for her on of her spiritual journey! Such a huge blessing. We had an Italian family that we just started teaching that came to the baptism as well. OOOOhh I love them so much. The daughter, who is 14, just came up to me after and is like I have some questions! She is like I notice you baptize in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. That means they are three different people right? I have ALWAYS believed them to be three different people, I know that is true! Then she is like..what does it mean that she will get the gift of the Holy Ghost? AHH! She just kept asking all these amazing questions that I was able to explain to her and she really just lit up. I just makes sense. We were ALL taught the Gospel and Plan of Salvation and EVERYTHING before we came to earth. We just forget! So as a missionary, it is just my pleasure to REMIND God's children of the truth! We are teaching some incredible people right now that is for SURE! We have Valeria getting baptized in a few days as well, she is awesome as well and just ready to start new in life. It is SO AMAZING that these people have the opportunity to be Baptized and confermed and be completely cleansed from all the guilt, sins, and burdons...and then keep being cleaned week after week by talking the sacrament. What a GREAT blessing from our Heavenly Father!!! I LOVE to see the change in these peoples life as they discover the blessings and happiness and LOVE from our Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ. I am blessed and honored to be able to witness these miracles happen! Ahhhh. Anyways moving right along...Monday was crazy. Like...NOTHING went as planned. Nothing. Most our lessons canceled, then the other half we missed because of Metro and Tram problems! It was a CASINO which means a MESS. We got home and were just laughing though! We did all we could, and even though the day went soo off, we just were happy. We were able to talk to a lot of new random people, and share some Books of Mormons...so who knows. I guess our day needed to be that weird. Then...Tuesday was a miracle! It always happens like this. You have an "off" day or "off" week..where it seems like none of your plans come to past...then the next day/week is just full of miracles. Like yesterday. We went tracting early in the morning and found a great lady that let us come in and talk to her. We then went to the park. We met Reyna and were able to teach her and pray with her and set up more times to teach her! Hah she is so awesome, she is from Peru or El Salvador I don't remember. Then...the most amazing thing happened. We just contined on through the park..and noticed a young lady sitting on a bench. We go over and start talking to her. She is friendly, from Paris, on vacation with her little girls traveling around Italy. We just start talking to her about faith and about our purpose in life.We were just talking...then I think my companion or I just asked a simple question about her kids and what kind of life she wishes for them to have...and she just put her hands over her face and just starts bawling. Oh my it was so sad..you could just see the pain...sufferening that this lady is going through. My companion and I of course have no idea what she has been through and is facing. She looks back up at us and we just bear our testimonies. Tell her that God loves her so much and is looking out for her. He is watching her and cares for her and has so many blessings in store for her and her Family. I love that lady. She is truly my sister. The spirit was just surrounding us. I said a prayer for her and she just cried. I gave her a huge hug after and just told her I loved her. Before we left we asked...is there anything we can do for you? And she just looked up at us and said...avete gia fatto. You already have. I will never forget those words. Heavenly Father lead us to that lady yesterday. I will never ever forget that experience. I just pray that I can keep in tune with the spirit to keep being lead. That is what missionary work is all about. After the park we were able to teach Karina another amazing young women from Bolivia! Our last lesson with her was a little scattered....She had a billion questions all over the bored and my Italian was failing. So I was just PRAYING for the spirit and a good lesson that could help her. We taught the plan of salvation. We read a bunch of scriptures. Oh man it was great....just beautiful. She was able to understand. She is going to get baptized May 7th!!! Ahhh. :) After that fantastic lesson...Patrizia (who is Napolitana by the way, who claim to have the best food in Italy) has us over for dinner. Oohh my word. Italy, how do you DO THIS TO ME???? It was out of this world. I have not been that full for a LONG TIME. She made the BEST lasagna...mamma mia. Then she had these like..fried eggplant with mozzorella...and these amazing mashed potatoes. It is all about the amazing Italian cheese. In fact, Patrizia is like.."How is it so...that you have so many cows in America...yet your cheese is so disgusting????" Hahahah. Amen sister. I have no idea why. Oh man and the salads here!! So good. It was all kinds of greens, corn, tuna, fresh mozzorella, olive oil, salt, and lemon juice. MMMMMMM. SO GOOD. Then for dessert she brought out these chocolate cones with chocolate pudding in them and sliced strawberries with two kinds of gelato on the side and some kind of little cake that is a Naples specialty. I really thought I was going to explode after. I slept REALLLLL good last night, that is for sure.

Well! That is the week for you. Happyyy to be here in bellissima Italia.

I love you all SOO much! Be good, serve one another! Share your blessings and knowledge always!!

Love

Sorella Laurel Skye Simkins