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