Saturday, January 28, 2012
NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER 2011
Sent: Wednesday, November 02, 2011 5:10 AM
Subject: Week 6 in GENOVA
Wednesday, November 2nd 2011, week 6 in Genova, and......my half way mark. MISSION HUMP DAY. So sad and unbelievable I don't understand how I have already been on my mission 9 months that makes no sense. AHHHHHH don't end please. Week 6 also meaans something else! Transfers. I am staying here in gorgeous Genova with amazing Peruvian Sorella Silva. LOVE HER. I am attaching pictures I hope they work. one is with some sistas, one with my comp, one is of a cool penguin at the aquarium, one is the torino olympic stadium, one is me on my sweet bike with my sweet helmet. And I am scared to attach more because of space. Anyways. Amazing things are happening here right before our eyes. Like yesterday we went to find a couple we contacted the day before that wasn't interested really but gave us their address for some reason. so we went to go find them and they didn't answer (we figured that would happen) but we had planned to knock doors in their palazzo. first one this young girl opened. turned out she has been to church 5 times and loves reading the book of mormon. HA what? but she has never been taught by missionaries. I don't know what is up with this transfer and us teaching a bunch of 13 year old girls...I guess that Lord would like to build up young womens here in Genova 2. She is awesome. A bright beautiful girl who loves to learn. We had a beautiful lesson and will be seeing her again tomorrow. Her mother is evangelist or whatever so we pray her heart will be soft. Yesterday we also had another lesson with Erica and Giorgio. Man I just can't even explain to you all in words what we are experiencing with them. Incredible. I just want to cry! This family is so special and so prepared. You just FEEL IT. Their time is just HERE they are redhot. They are 20 and 21 years old. Have a beautiful well behaved 3 year old. They have a house. A car. Jobs. and she is going to school. They have huge faith in the Lord and study the scriptures and get to church sunday at 9. Again...THEY ARE 20 and 21 years old!!! Who has their life that in order by that age? They blow my mind. The completely understand the restoration and the priesthood. We had a BEAUTIFUL lesson on baptism yesterday ah it was beautiful such a strong spirit. We read the baptism intereview questions and discussed them. It was so spiritual. We discussed the question about joseph smith and the restoration and the prophet today. We asked them how they feel knowing their is a prophet of God today on the earth.. Giorgio just looked at us and said whoa I just got chills alll over my body. The question in the interview is something like do you believe the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored through the prophet joseph smith and that president Thomas Monson is the living prophet today? Erica reads it and just sits there for a sec. She said if I could honestly answer yes to this question, then that would mean EVERYTHING to me and my family. THe most important thing to know. She wants to be able to answer a solid yes to that question. They accepted the baptism invitation and are praying for a confirmation and a date. AHH I love them. I know Heavenly Father has big blessings in store for them! They are just too perfect. They have just become a part of my life. HOw does this HAPPEN? Man I love them. Giuseppe (the husband of Erica's mom Maribel) is doing sooo well also. He is just growing his little faith seed, little by little it is swelling. Soo amazing. Patrizia Jonny and Aurora are all amazing, all came to church,even though we didn't klnow the time changed so we showed up at their house to pick them up for church at 730 ahahahahah and they wer ready because they forgot too. it was cool we got their early and were able to do a church tour and they met members. They just need to get married and they are all set for the waters of baptism. Well, time is out.I am in Heaven I swear. I love being a missionary YAY. LoveSorella Simkins
Sent: Wednesday, November 09, 2011 4:15 AM
Subject: Re: ALLUVIONE!
HELLO!I don't know if the news made it to America, but Genova FLOODED! I think there was something like 7 deaths? Where we live we are a little higher so we didn't see much flooding, but in the city center streets completely flooded, stores were washed out, mud everywhere, lots of damage. We had to stay inside for 4 days this last week! I have not once stayed inside all day on my mission, it was super weird. It was nice to get some extra studying in mmmm I had some really great experiences with the scriptures. But I am glad to be out and about again. This last week was packed with miracles, I am just sooo excited for this upcoming transfer, many things are in the happening. Last week we taught this 27 year old Aracely from Peru that we found on the bus. We taught her on a bench by the street. Taught her the restoration, it went well! But we couldn't get ahold of her the days after, so we were a little bummed. Friday we had like an hour of clear skys so we went out and passed by her house and she was home. She came down and we were just like how are you! How is the reading going! And she starts to tell us all about Joseph Smith, all the trials he went through, all the persecution, all the horrrible things...and she goes...I KNOW THAT JOSEPH SMITH WAS A REAL PROPHET! OH MY my jaw just dropped to the ground. To hear someone we barley know who we have taught one time bear testimony that she knows Joseph Smith...This prophet who I LOVE and am ETERNALLY grateful for...is a true prophet, just burst my heart open. It was so cool. She is amazing we hope to set a baptism date with her asap!Monday was a miracle the skies cleared up and we were able to go teach a bunch of SPIRITUAL really important lessons to 7 of our precious beautiful investigators! OH MAN I love them and am so thankful that God let us go teach that day. They are all doing so well. ERICA is AMAZING the first like 20 minutes of our lesson she just went through the book of mormon and shared with us EVERY single verse that she underlined that she liked that spoke to her heart. After we asked..Erica..do you know this book is true? And she said firmly, yes. We bore testimony about how the book of mormon is the key stone or our religion. How when you know this book is true you know that Jesus is the Christ, Savior and Redeemer of the world. That Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. That the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints IS the kingdom of God on the earth today. It was such a beautiful spiritual lesson shared together with this beautiful family. A wedding and a baptism are in the near future and we are over joyed. I absolutely love these people. We also had a lesson with Giuseppe on faith...it was so tender. His heart just OPENED. The seed of faith is starting to swell inside. This family WILL BE AN ETERNAL FAMILY! A sealed, eternal FAMILY! AHHHH the JOY! We taught Patrizia Jonny and Aurora all about the book of mormon and how precious it is and the history of it. Their eyes were just bulging out of their heads. We really SAW just this fire of desire light inside of them, this desire to read the book of mormon. It was amazing! This family will be eternal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AH!!!!!!!!!!I love GENOVA! These next 6 weeks are going to AMAZING I just can FEEL it like pumping through veins. I just have this burning desire to BE BETTER to WORK HARDER to SERVE THE LORD, MY LOVING HEAVENLY FATHER! This work is so REAL and I am so blessed to be a servant in His vinyard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Real fast I just have to bear testimony to you all! THE BOOK OF MORMON! YOU have to READ IT! It is just mind blowing. I LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH. It is my food and water! It is my refuge! It’s the fount of peace and JOY! Scripture study is a WAY OF LIFE that I will always live. Please read it, everyone, it is just sitting their WAITING to blow you away and bless your life. Let it! OOOHHhhhhh I love that book. Love love love love love love love it.THE CHURCH IS TRUE! Lovesorella simkins
Sent: Wednesday, November 16, 2011 3:46 AM
Subject: HI!! HELLO AMERICA!
I don't even know where to begin my hands are shaking just thinking about this last week and the amazing things that have happened!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHH! Go on missions, everyone! Ahhhhh ok. I will start with last friday. We had a whole nights plans fall through, so that means to the palazzi we go to knock some porte. One down, nothing. Feeling kinda uninspired we sat down on a little bench, said a prayer, receited our scripture for the day, and went off. We headed back to our favorite street and went right up to a palazzo, rang the citof, and got in. Walk up to the seventh floor (ahhh some elevators you need keys to get into. my legs are just get torn apart it feels great) and out of breath ring the buzzer. And get right in! and teach a beautiful lesson with a great humble sweet 18 year old girl named Valeria! Then we make our way down and find another family from Ecuador! They were hilarious and crazy but we got a good little lesson in. Finish up this palazzo head to the next, and get in again with Edwin who has been through a lot but has awesome faith. It was an awesome night, the Lord blessed us like crazy! When we were heading back home we looked at the two palazzos that we just did and looked at each other and were like...we have already done both of those palazzos a few weeks ago haaa and started laughing. We didn't even notice, but obviously they were the right ones to do, again! Hahahah.Saturday gets better. We go teach about the sabboth day and fasting with Erica and Jorge our beautiful young family. They just blow my mind again and again they are so awesome. After the lesson we all started our fast together. Sunday church was amazing, 4 less active families that haven't come in YEARS just all showed up at church! It was amazing!!!! Seriously, YEARS, this one couple the husband was baptized in 74 and was active only 2 years!!! WHAAATT they! They were so funny just this older Italian couple, the wife is agnostic, she is like I am just taking it slow, we'll see we'll see! After church we went with Erica and Jorge into another room to pray and break our fast together. We were sitting and before the prayer just asked them a few questions, how are they feeling, any answers? And Erica pulls out the calendar and points to the 15th (today) and says my documents from Ecuador arrive the 15th. I have an appointment with the consolate the 17. You need to wait 2 weeks for the community to get all the papers done. My dad leaves to Ecuador the 4th...so......I think the 3rd of December is the perfect day for our......W E D D I N G!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! HA I just died I was like AHHH are you SERIOUS? She is like during all my prayers today I just felt so much peace and love from the Lord, I know this is right and that He will help us get this worked out. OH MAN I was just bursting with joy. Jorge just smiled I am like HOW DO YOU FEEL ARE YOU EXCITED and he just was beeming smiling YEP! Happy! HAHAHAH! We got on our knees, who wants to say the prayer? Erica goes me! And says te most beautiful sincere prayer. Thanking Heavenly Father for this fast and the answers He gave them. Telling Him that they want to obey all His commandments and do whatever they have to do to follow Him. I almost cried it was beautiful. Fasts and amazing! God answers prayers! I love Jorge and Erica they are AMAZING and have such a bright future ahead of them. In family home evening that night ( I wasn't there we had an appointment but the other sister missionaries told me this story) sorella bowman asked Erica...Erica, how did you come to find out the book of mormon is true? And Erica had the chance to bear her testimony for the first time. EEEEEEEK! Erica on the phone after to me was like I WAS ASKED TO BEAR TESTIMONY, I BORE TESTIMONY!!! HAHA AH I love her. Next HUGE MIRACLE STORY. Oh MAN! Slitvana from Ukraine. She was one of our english students. I have always liked her, I could just feel something special about her, like we are spirit friends or something. Anyways she always came to english and we hadn't ever invited her to learn about the gospel with us. Finally 2 weeks ago after the lesson we had the chance to talk to her and teach her a bit about prayer because she told us she feels like she is blocked and can't pray. So we had a good lesson and at the end she is like I am leaving to Riminni tomorrow to find work, I won't be coming back probably. AHH boo! Well I tell her there are amazing missionarys there and that they will get in touch with her right away! I get her number, she heads off, I give to referral to them, and that is the last I heard and thought much about Slitvana. Yesterday. Such a weird day. We had a whole day of beautiful plans and by 10 in the morning every single appointment was canceled. I call Inga, a new convert from moldovia, to meet us in the church at 530 instead of at the bus stop at 630, thinking we could have a lesson with her before we go teach together. We are never in the church tuesday, but thought we'd teach her there. So we get there, all sit down, are catching up talking a bit and the church buzzer rings. We open it up and guess who walks in? SLITVANA! HA I just give her the biggest hug and am like what in the world are you doing here!!!!! I just have to tell you, she looked different! Her eyes were all light, she looked happier, healthier...I was just like what in the world happened in Riminni! She sits down she tells us the whole story. 2 weeeks ago. Gets to Riminni. Missionaries contact her right away. She had 4 lessons with them and has been to church twice. She has learned all about the restoration, plan of salvation, the millenium, sacrifice, prayer, duty, obedience, HA she has succcchh a good memory, I knew that from our experiences in english class already, so here she is just telling us EVERYTHING she has learned about the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ in the last two weeks. Our jaws are just dropped to the floor, just in awe. She is like "so I have my baptism date December 10th! But yesterday ago I got a call from my friend here in Genova she said she found a job for me here and to come right away! Since I still hadn't found a job in Riminni I packed my bags and came today! I traveled all day today and on my last train stretch before Genova the work my friend found for me called and said they didn't need me anymore. I was devistated. Got off the train. Left my bags at my friends apartment and decided to come right to the church." MIRACLE. We are never at the church tuesdays! And just so happened to be there with a Russian speaking member, Inga! So we all had a beautiful lesson together. Slitvana is incredible. She is so smart!!! She is just soaking up everything and learning and such an alarming rate. and will be baptized in a few weeks!This is the longest email in the world but I need to end with something soo extremely important. THE IMPORTANCE OF SOFTENING YOUR HEART and OPENING IT UP. HUMBLING YOURELF. Erica-first week we met her, she wanted nothing to do with us nothing to do with learning. Her mom said, erica, open up your heart. Let God in. Now? Life changed, happy as can be, testimony, successful, on to marriage and baptism. Slitvana. Felt blocked, couldn't even express herself, didn't want to ask God for anything. Softened her heart. Humbled herself. And now she is a VACUUM just gaining WISDOM from GOD. My dear brothers sisters friends family. Wisdom only comes from God. If you don't open your heart, God can't lead you! You won't be taught! It is like sitting outside of a door where what awaits you on the other side a WORLD of blessings. Open up the door, come on you can do it! Open you heart and let Christ fill you up with love, with peace, with happiness. WITH WISDOM! Oh, also, Mosiah chapter one is so sweet. I read it this morning and founds some new favorite scriptures about the importance of studying the scriptures. Vs 3. STUDY THE SCRIPTURES. Don't SUFFER IN IGNORANCE! Ah I love the words of the prophets. OK LOVE YOU BYE!LoveSorella Simkins
Sent: Wednesday, November 23, 2011 4:14 AM
Subject: WINTER... ..
In Genova is windy and kinda cold, but not too bad. I am really lucky. I hope I am still here for Christmas, this is such a beautiful CITY!HOW ARE YOU ALL? I have heard some good news this week from a few of you, makes me HAPPY! Anyone else, let me know how you are doing and any good news! THIS WEEK was soo good. Everyone is just progressing right along. Slitvana, soooo awesome. Sunday after church we went to a members house for lunch. And this member family just happened to have another non member friend their. She has been friends with this family for years, has been to several activities in the church, baptisms, a few conferences. But was telling us that her heart is just closed, she feels like she can't betray the Catholic church. Then Slitvana just jumps in and starts bearing beautiful testimony to hear, telling her to soften her heart, that the Gospel is really simple and really beautiful and really will change her life. That it is something she will start to feel, that she has to give it a chance, etc etc. HA my comp and I were just floating in air, nodding our heads. SOO cool Slitvana is so awesome! After she is like I thought it would be scary talking in front of people in church or teaching but I realize it all just comes from my heart so why in the world do I need to be scared? hahahaha so cool. Erica and Jorge, wedding plans are all taken care of!! 3rd, wedding, 10th, baptism!!! We had a beautiful lesson with them last thursday when we extended the baptism invite. Without even a seconds hesitation they accepted. They are so prepared I just can't even believe it. Such a blessing. Giuseppe is doing awesome but has got a bad habit to get over. Still has his baptism date for the 10th but has gotta stop smoking! Pray for him to have the desire! We found some amazing people this last week, total miracles, like monday we were on the bus and started talking to these two younger moms. Turns out both of their mothers are members, but they aren't and have never been interested but after talking to them for a few minutes and bearing sincere testimony, we were able to make appointments to start teaching them the gospel. Can you immagine for how many years the mothers of these girls have been praying for them to open their hearts to the Gospel? The spirit was able to make a little crack in their hearts, now we just pray that these appointments will go well and that their times have finally arrived!!! Nothing is more beautiful then seeing family member accept the Gospel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ooh my heart just rejoices. So the other night we went to pass by a referral way up in the mountains, and no one was there. We prayed and asked specifically if we should stay and knock doors or go pass by someone else. While I was praying I felt a little warmth when I asked if we should pass by this girl we met knocking doors the last week. I finished the prayer, looked at my companion, and asked what she felt? She said, "I think we should pass by Belen (the girl)." Cool HUH! We both were inspired to go pass by Belen. We go to her apartment, had a beautiful lesson with her, and now have a new investigator. That lesson with her was so special to me. It just felt so real..I can't explain it. We were just teaching her..here kids were running around...the house is just in humble circumstances...I just felt so strong for the first time how MUCH these people NEED the Gospel. How MUCH it can completely change their lives. Duh, I have known this my whole mission, but it just keeps becoming MORE and MORE real to me. As if it just keeps sinking DEEPER and DEEPER into my heart. I can't explain it, but I love it. I love the changes I am feeling as the Gospel keeps becoming more real to me. My spiritual man must be growing and my natural one shrinking. I HOPE haha that is what I strive for. Anyways, miracles everywhere. I am humbled and thankful and LOVE Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. So much. Well, be good! Read the scriptures, they are amazing. I read Mosiah 4 this morning and was just dying, it is so beautiful. I was especially enjoying versus 11 and 12. 11 And again I say unto you as I have said before, that as ye have come to the knowledge of the glory of God, or if ye have known of his goodness and have atasted of his love, and have received a bremission of your sins, which causeth such exceedingly great joy in your souls, even so I would that ye should remember, and always retain in remembrance, the greatness of God, and your own cnothingness, and his dgoodness and long-suffering towards you, unworthy creatures, and humble yourselves even in the depths of ehumility, fcalling on the name of the Lord daily, and standing gsteadfastly in the faith of that which is to come, which was spoken by the mouth of the angel. 12 And behold, I say unto you that if ye do this ye shall always rejoice, and be filled with the alove of God, and always bretain a remission of your sins; and ye shall grow in the cknowledge of the glory of him that created you, or in the knowledge of that which is just and true.I know these scriptures are TRUE. you see the promise in verse 12? ye shall always rejoice and be filled with the love of God. I testify that that is true, because I have felt it, and feel it often. It is a divine love, that completely fills you. All these words are true. If you don't know that, then put them to the test. Why wouldn't you? LOVE YOU ALL!LoveSorella Simkins
Sent: Wednesday, November 30, 2011 4:12 AM
Subject: Ohhh all the amazing things.
I feel like I am in a movie sometimes. The things that happen and that we experience everyday just can't be real, I feel like it is all scripted. This is the Lords work, I have no doubt. His guidance is unquestionable, clear, undeniable. AHH so many stories so little time so many MIRACLES. We had dinner at this old Italian lady member's house the other day. I haven't laughed so hard in my life. They are Sicilian and her husband is super old and super hilarious. I was rolling on the floor laughing. He had the craziest stories and the coolest adventures. Who knows how truthful they are but I was getting a kick out of them. Once when he was in his youth he was at a restaurant and there was a purse left on another table. People came and went, not touching this purse. He was curious went over and opened it up and there was over 300,000£. He said he took 5,000£ of it and left. Hahahahaha he then went back and the purse was still there!! He took it up to the front and said that he found this on the table. The worker took it and said they'd wait for it's owner. I was like I can't believe you stole money from that purse!!! and this old Italian grandpa just looks atme and said sweety. I didn't rob money. I just took money. And I can't believe that I didn't take more! ha I know its not that funny to you reading this but it was hilarious. Then him and his wife starting singing old beautiful italian songs together. It was beautiful. i felt like I was back in Sardegna, the culture of the South is so rich! So this isnt a miracle, but I just felt like sharing haha. It was a lovely evening, and I love these people. OK crazy miracles. Monday, head out the door in the morning to teach a less active lady. had a beautiful lesson, head out the door. She lives way up on the hill. We started making our way down and a bus passes and stops. Opens it doors. We look at the doors and start heading to take the bus, I mean..why wouldn't we take it down the hill. And we just pause. I look at my comp. Should we walk down the hill? She just stares back at me. I turn and say lets walk. Maybe we can do some casa on the way down. Doors shut, bus leaves. And we continue on. walking walking and abruptly we stop at this palazzo, we have already passed tons, but we just stopped right at this one, rang the buzzer, got right in. Every single door from the 5th floor all the way to the -1 floor, not one person lets us in, and only 2 people even opened up! We walk out. Hmm weird. Nothing. And continue walking down the hill. I turn to my comp and hand her the phone and suggest she calls Maria. I turn back to look where I am going and it was like someone started taking through me. There was this signora and her daughter making their way up the hill. HI how are you doing!! I am sister simkins, what is you name? I just went right into conversation with them. The older lady was like ONLY ONE GESU doesnt matter which chuch you belong too! and keeps walking up the hill. The daughter (24, italian) says to her mom, speak for yourself mom! I'm atheist! yet she doesn't follow her mom up the hill she just kind of stopped there..it was so strange..we just went right up to her and were like Eliza you are a daughter of God. He loves you SO MUCH. "Non ci credo!" She says. i don't believe that. Yet..she just keep standing ther. so we continued testifying. and asking her questions. I was just watching this young woman. she kept reading our tags, looking at our eyes, like her insides were just screaming with curiosity but the grip on her heart was too strong to let her open up. Everything we said she just kept saying non ci CREDO its not true!! ther is no GOD! just shaking her head NO to everything we said! Yet she wouldn't move! so we just kept going! talking to her! Teaching her! bearing testimony. Asking her questions! She is a archeology student. She is smart. but I can't even explain...she was just so stubborn, NON CI CREDO but still wouldnt walk away. She is like I FIND MY TRUTH FROM BOOKS and I whip out a book of mormon. Eliza, this book contains all truth. The fulness of TRUTH! You have FINALLY arrived to the truth, you have found it!! She takes the bom in her hand. flips it back and forth back and forth, reading the title, reading the back, flipping its pages. the whole time just saying non ci credo. i dont believe. i dont believe. But her eyes were just WIDE open. We tell her God loves her and has a plan for her. She just starts BAWLING. Right there in the middle of the street, she just starts bawling yelling I don't believe God does not exist! It was like a life full of suffering was just SPILLING out her eyes!! Like her insides were just ACHING for truth and peace but the adversary wouldn't let her free. She still won't walk away though. We we asked her if we could pray. I said a prayer. After look in her eyes..and just see this tiny glimps of hope. of softening. for the 10th time I just kindly ask..Eliza..please can we meet you again. Give it a chance please. And with just pain in her eyes she just shakes her head no and slowly starts to back up. we told her again ou testimonies of hope. and she gave us each baci (kisses on the cheek) and turned and left. I just turned to start going back down the hill. Just thnking over and over agin. what just happened? what just happened? what was that?ah it was incredible. DARN I AM OUT OF TIME and i have so much to share. BOOOOO!! I have had such a cool experience pondering the scripture ether 12 27 have mentioned before but have received some new insight I want to share but the clock is UP! dangggg. Oh well. LOVE YOU ALL! be good read your scriptures and know that God will lead you in everything you do if you let Him. SO COOL! LOVE YOU! loveSorella Simkins
Sent: Wednesday, December 07, 2011 3:20 AM
Subject: HELLO
Buongiorno tuttiWhat a great week. I can't believe I am saying this but we see so many miracles now days it is becoming normal. Still so incredible and have me marveling, but I just laugh and shake my head sometimes thinking...what in the world just happened. How is this possible. Hahah wow, just thinking over this last week...so cool. Last Thursday we did a blitz! Two sisters, Sorella Oaks from Provo and Sorella Ryan my lovely trainer came from Cunio to double up with us here in Genova, we needed it! Holy cow the work is booming, good thing God is in control of our scheduling or we would be like headless chickens running around clueless. It was amazing, Sorella Oaks and I went out and taught two new families, found several people on the bus, and even got a delicious peruvian meal from a member who brought two friends over to be taught, while Sorella Silva and Sorella Ryan went and tore it up in other parts of the city. Miraculous day! Saturday...ERIKA AND JORGE's wedding ceremony! WOOOOOOOOO! SOoo beautiful. Soo fun. It was almost a whole days event. We had the cerimony in the church, it was beautiful, and afterworld we went across the street where they rented a place for the lunch and then after lunch everyone started dancing Salsa and Merenge and Bachata I dont know if I am spelling these all right, but it was soo fun. Of course all I could do was sit there and clap my hands and cheer and laugh, no dancing for missionaries, but I swear there has got to be some latin blood in me, I just LOVE that culture! I love that kids from age 3 to grandpas and grandmas who are ancient are all on the dance floor dancing to the beautiful latin music. AHH I absolutely loved it, can't wait to try that out at my wedding...hahaha just picturing all us Americans trying to dance makes me laugh. Start practicing. Anyways, it was really fun, and just really cool that this amazing couple, after being together for 8 years, up and got married in 15 days after learning the law of chastity, fasting, and setting a baptismal date. Truly the work of the Lord. The future of this young couple is BRIGHT! Sunday we had another amazing finding experience. Did some casa casa casa..got to the end of the street. Said a prayer asking where to go. Felt like going and passing Narcissa, someone we met way back in September. Get walking, are almost there and boom, we run into a member. She is like hey sisters where are you going! Can you come with us to visit ruth (another member)? So we are like..ok sure! So we go visit this member. And we are chatting, getting to know her better and her conversion story, and her husband come home. He was elders quorum pres in Ecuador, super amazing, and then has been inactive here in Italy for a few years now. Well we ended up having a really spiritual lesson with him and he invited us back and anyways it just went really well and it is amazing, God never forgets about His children, no one. In fact, it really is amazing how randomly and often we run into members lessactive. On buses, at stops, on the street..Just reminders to them that God loves them and really is aware of everything they are doing. come back come back! Lets see other big miracle. Yesterday we were at the bus stop to head into town and teach a lesson with Kayla, a new awesome investigator. At the stop we met Paola, a girl who just moved here from Santo Domingo a month ago. I love meeting Dominicans, I feel like since Aron served there I am in some sort of way connected to them. Anyways, she is awesome, we started talking, I was talking to her in Spanish which is hilarious, I try my hardest! Ah my time is out, real fast, so anyways, this is the first time we meet her, invite her to come with us to our lesson and learn about the gospel, she says ok! takes the bus with us, kayla is late in school so calls and says she cant make it, so we just taught paola the restoration instead, it went amazing, we even had another member with us to teach who was coming with us to teach kayla. man it was so cool! One lesson falls through, but immediately another one is there ready! So many people are searching the truth. This work is endless. And perfect. THE CHURCH IS TRUE!pray for Erika and Jorge's baptism to go well Saturday! EEEK! LOVE YOU!Sorella Simkins
Sent: Wednesday, December 14, 2011 3:19 AM
Subject: buone feste
HI! I have been in Genova for 3 months now! Whaaa? Sorella Silva, myself, Sorella Nilson and Sorella Bowman all live together in our cute little apartment. We have all been together for 2 transfers..and...yesterday we got transfer calls! And guess WHAT! We are ALL staying the same haha. ALL four of us here for another 6 weeks in Genova. We are super happy!!!!! It feels sooo right. I am super excited, the work here in Genova is out of control promise land and I have so much to learn from my comp still (espanish included) I am thankful for an inspired president!Man this week has been nuts we have been so busy I just don't even get it. So many incredible investigators. Ah it gives me anxiety just thinking about all of them they are so great they all just need to be taught and keep progressing and get baptized. Thank goodness it is God's work, we are just keep doing our best to be His instruments!!! Eeek. We are so blessed. Erika and Jorge were baptized Saturday! oooOOOoo boy it was lovely. SOO beautiful to see this beautiful young couple, married, and then baptized together. Such an amazing experience, I am so thankful!!!!! Then Sunday we had stake conference! It was SOOO GOOD I couldn't even believe it!! It was so amazing to see SO MANY members together fill up this whole theater where we had our conference. And MAN ALIVE the speakers..the leaders in this stake..so inspired. Their talks were incredible I received so much inspiration and insights. The think I have been reflecting the most is how SERVICE IS THE CURE. The number one cure. It is such a magical medicine. It heels all. Many other great things were talked about wish I could just write you all my notes. soo good. It was really cool just to be in a stake conference in Italy and see that it is ran exacly how one would be in the middle of Utah. The church is so true! Jesus guides this church. Miracles. The other day this Italian lady was standing outside the church reading the advertisment for english class. I walk out and start talking to her. She says her daughter Vanessa is going to London in a few weeks and would love if we could teach her english everyday. I said well we just do this class once a week as a service and that we are missionaries here to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ. I said...we would be happy to meet with her everyday and talk in English, but we will be talking about our religion. She said..hmm ok well I will have my daughter call you. So later on, Vanessa called me. We have now met with her 3 times OH MAN she is so great, we talk in only english, but she understands SOO WELL. And when I give her homework she does it. HA that makes me laugh because ooh man so many times investigators will NOT READ and with her I can tell her to read anything and she will study it out and bring it back the next lesson read to explain exactly what she learned. She completely understands the restoration and the book of mormon and loved the plan of salvation. Her prayers are soo beautiful and sincere. I mean..she is this 25 year old italian girl. pretty. graduated law school. going to do an internship in London. well off with her family...and just learning the gospel which is totally new for her. It is so cool to see her progression! To see her hope grow and see her grow closer to Heavenly Father. Ha she had no idea this was coming up in her life. Yesterday their fam invited us over for dinner..the parents are both Sard by the way..and I tell you wha,t I really felt like I was back in Sardegna it was sooo weird haha. The mom reminded me exactly of Sandra it was hilarious. Good food, good people. Can't wait until they all find the truth and get testimonies! Yayyy.Well- Times out. MERRY CHRISTMAS! BUON NATALE!! Christmas here is nothing. SAD! Oh well, all I want to do is serve so that is what I will do.lOVE YOU! LoveSorella Simkins
Ciaoo! What a crazy week it has been! One of the strangest weeks of my mission. We had transfers, a huge ward christmas party, another wedding, a beautiful confirmation in sacrament Sunday, a YSA christmas program and dinner, and lots and lots of miracles all inbetween! WOW! This ward christmas party was nuts. Lots of food lots of people. The kids did the nativity it was really cute. A few investigators came, Lucia a 29 year old we are teaching is great she came to the party, then church sunday, then the ysa party that night. She is just getting loaded with good stuff. The wedding was of our ward mission leader and paola they are sooo great and have been dating for 2 years and finally got married and I got to sing at it with another member. YAY it was a beautiful wedding. After the wedding we had a lesson with Vanessa (Italian, 25, lawyer about to go to London for an internship) Her and her family have become like another family ahah I love them!!! I feel like I am in sardegna everytime I am with them they crack me up. Anyways vanessa is just amazing, super prepared. Our last lesson we said the prayer and right after she started teaching me what she read about. She told me everything about the atonement of Jesus Christ. All about his Gospel, faith, repentance, baptism, confirmation, and enduring to the end. She taught me how we need to pray to know if these things are true. She is just so great because 1- she says everything in english because she is learning english and so she talks so simply and so beautiful. 2- she is so sincere and it is so great to see her progress because she is so used to studying text books and learning them and internalizing them by memory right but she is seeing that as she studys this church material, pamphlets, the book of mormon, she is not only learning intellectually but she is feeling the changes spiritually that are going on. 3- one of my favorite things in the lesson was after explaining the atonement and she looks at me and says so directly. Jesus Christ cannot go against our will and purify us if we don't let him. It is us that need to go to him and follow his gospel steps and in result be purified. I looked at her and said...exactly. And do you believe that this is true? She says yes. I say do you believe that this church is the true church of Jesus Christ? And she looks at me and says yes, I believe it is! AHHHH it was so beautiful I was like screaming in my head baptism invite baptism invite but wait no she is going to london in a week what do I do! So I start to say well vanessa usually at this point us missionaries extend the most important invite to our investigators and that is to follow Jesus Christ and be baptized, but since---and she cut me off and is like REALLY? I can be BAPTIZED?? WOWW! And she just lit up with excitement and curiosity! I was like well YES!!! OF COURSE!! so we talked about some different options and the church in London and how she can continue there and that she needs to pray and ask Heavenly Father when the time is right. Then her closing prayer was amazing promising she would prepare her self and asking Him to tell her when. AHH soo cool!!! Fast forward to last night, we taught her Mom (who claims to be atheist) the restoration, and it went so well!! This family!! soo cool!! The gospel is going to BLESS THEM!! OK anyways. vanessa is so great. Then church sunday was just....out of this world. So much spirit was packed into my body and soul I literally felt FULL. The confirmation of Erika and Jorge was the most powerful spiritual confirmation I have ever seen in my life. Tears were pooring down tough erika's cheeks. AND THEN!! OH MY GASH. In gospel principles we had Lucia there and we were learning about the scriptures. And Lucia asks a question about the book of mormon, and erika just leans over and WITH THE TONGUE OF ANGELS of one who JUST received the Holy Ghost---she TESTIFIES of the divinity of the book of mormon! AHHhhHHHHH I was knocked out with the spirit. OK back to sacrament meeting. I gave a talk and told everyone the story of Maribel and her family. It felt good to look down into the congregation and see Maribel shining with tears.I love her. And Nicole spoke in church! Her first talk!!! Man it got everyone in tears! It was BEAUTIFUL! SOO COOL!!!!!! Then the last hour was combined and bishops wife taught us a lesson about conversion that was really powerful. Are we converted???So much good stuff is going on!!! Christmas, what a beautiful time of year!! I am so blessed to be on a mission! Who and where I would be without this I have no idea, it is a depressing thought, I am so thankful to be here. WELL TIME IS UP! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!! I hope you are all filled with Christmas joy, the spirit of Christ. That you can humble yourselves and lovingly emrace your family members around you. That you can be grateful for your many blessings, the grandest one being the birth of Jesus Christ. His perfect life, love, and example. His everlasting atonement. His living Gospel. His restored Church. Our older Brother, our faithful Friend, our Savior our Redeemer. I know He lives. I testify in His sacred name, AMEN! LOVE YOU!LoveSorella Simkins PS I don't have Kara Arnold, Melissa Fjelly, Ashley Snyder(maybe I have yours actually..I gotta check again..but send it anways) or Rachel Ryans house address so I can't send you your Christmas Card until you email that to me THANKS!
Watch this little clip if you haven't seen it, its a good one. CIAO, BACI
http://lds.org/pages/the-coat?lang=eng
Sent: Wednesday, December 28, 2011 3:29 AM
Subject: happy christmas harry
HOLA!Hope you all had a Merry Christmas, and vi auguro a HAPPY NEW YEAR! Man where do I start. Zone conference before Christmas was really good and pretty fun too. A group of missionaries were chosen to act the Nativity. It was lovely. And kinda funny. Sorella Wolfgramm, president's wife, is the most amazing lady. She is sooo full of love for all us missionaries, I really feel like her child. She takes such good care of us. She is the most loving person I have ever met! And she bought us all scarves and the elders ties. I feel so blessed to be serving under President Wolfgramm and Sister Wolfgramm, they are two extrodinary people. I couldn't be happier, they really are perfect. This mission is special, I really love all the missionaries and senior couples, I learn so much from them and am honored to be serving with them. These are bonds that will be in my heart forever. Oohh I am happy. Then Saturday. We had a lesson with Kayla and Rosa and Ivano this humble little family that lives in the mountains on a little farm. It was SOO beautiful, we went saturday morning and Ivano this 84 great Italian man showed us all his garden, his billion bunny rabbits and chickens, his goat, and then gave us like a HUGE back of vegetables. Ah I can't even explain how beautiful their lot is!! Just up in the mountains out of the city, little antique cottage, big garden, animals..Ivano has been taking care of the farm his whole life. He is so humble. I want a big garden someday it was just so peaceful. There is something spiritual about taking care of a farm. Then we went inside and had a beautiful lesson about the plan of Salvation. Rosa said she has been hesitent her whole life about baptism into a church because she is scared of making the wrong choice, but she said that she has received her answer and is ready to take this step. Kayla (the 16 year old daughter) was a little nervous but also said she wanted to. It was a great lesson, they are soo humble. Then after that we went and got ready and went off to our christmas eve celebration with the De Paz family from Peru!! YUMMM! We played games, took pictures, ate DELICIOUS Peruvian food ahhh soo good. I don't even know what it was beside the turkey and rice then 2 delicious salads and a nummy drink that I don't know how it is made I gotta find out though because I want to drink it more often it is warm and a little thick and mmmm yummy. Our investigator Jason came with us which was sweeett he has just fallen in love with this family, they are such a good example for him. After dinner we had a lesson, sang lots of songs, drank hot coco and ate panetone which is nasty but peruvians and Italians LOVE IT. Pandora is good but panetone is like..a fruit cake. iiky. Then we went to midnight mass with the other missionaries and stayed for like 10 minutes because it was creepy when they started chanting and sleep sounded way better than sitting there listening to a priest read prayers out of a book. So then we slept in until....8:30!! hot dang! That is presidents christmas present to us haha. We made FRENCH TOAST and scrambled eggs and hot chocolate and..homemade syrup!! YUMMY! it was an american christmas miracle. Then we went to church and had a billion people come it was crazy. Then after church on christmas day...we went...to our Moldovians members house!! Yay for a russian christmas!! We ate 4 courses of FISH. I ATE ALL OF IT! Even a NASTY oyster and octopus\shrimp salad! I am so proud of me. It was actually pretty good we had this lobster pasta, and then this big ol fish cooked in the oven with potatoes tomatoes and parsley. We taught the restoration to the family members there. It was really good. Then we had an appointment ANNA who is now a progressing amazing investigator who is from Bolivia who fell in love with a missionary in her youth but never got baptized, and now 30 years later couldn't be more prepared and is AWESOME! Then we did some...CHRISTMAS CASA!! HAHA oh man. We sang some christmas hymns at doors....got yelled at...talked to a crazy muslem man who was awesome...hahaha nothing beats christmas casa. SO that was our christmas!! what a good experience. So yesterday was miraculous. We started off with an awesome district meeting. Then went and taught Lucia who told us her life is starting to change for the better and she is happy and we invited her to be baptized and she said YES. We had a spiritual lesson about the atonement. It was incredible, she has this sincere desire to feel the atonement to heal her. Ahh it was incredible. Then we went to teach Kayla and Rosa and Ivano, Ivano just likes listening he hasn't said much, and Kayla and Rosa both will be preparing for baptism for the 21st of January. OOOHH MAN it was so beautiful, they are so HUMBLE and ready!! Kayla is so funny she asks some good questions. And also comes to some funny conclusions like.."well lets say if I don't follow Christ and I go to the Terrestial kingdom but my mom is faithful to the end and goes to the Celestial kingdom, if you say the celestial kingdom is perfect happiness then I guess I will have to be erased from my mom's memory! Becuase she can't be happy if I am not with her!!" We were like..uh...thankgoodness God is perfect and is the judge and everything will be worked out perfectly! She is cute. So we had a half hour left of the day...and I still hadn't placed a Book of Mormon for the day..so we hit the streets. Within 5 minutes we found SULAJ this awesome 21 year old girl we taught in september who went away for work for a few months and is now back! She was sittin by her palazzo talking to a boy. We started teaching the boy hahaha it was a little strange at first I felt like we were interupting a date, but hey eternal life is a little more important, so we started teaching this boy the restoration, bore testimony of the book of mormon, he took it and said he'd read it and is interested in learning more. We asked where he lived and he is like you have already been to my house.....hu? He says his address and it clicked in my head OHHHHH you are the brother of BELEN!!!!! Our former investigator. Sweet! The world is SOO SMALL!!! so now we will continue teaching both of them!! God is SO GREAT He TRULY leads our work, it is incredible!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so thankful. Talking to the fam on Sunday was really great..and I love you all so much..but it also made me realize HOW PRECIOUS my time is here on a mission. This is the ultimate experience. I am literally set apart from the world. Never again will I be able to live like this. Dedicate 100% of my life, time, heart, might, mind, and strength to serving the Lord by serving others and teaching them the Gospel. Just thinking about how blessed I am and how marvelous this work is makes my pulse speed up and my spirit swell. I have changed this week. Heavenly Father has blessed me with a fresh charge of motivation and determination, faith, love and deep appreciation. I love Him and I LOVE my Brother Jesus Christ so much. I am thankful I know Him and can strive to follow His footsteps and partake of His eternal love and happiness. It is filling. LOVE YOU! Make some good new years goals to become better people. LoveSorella Simkins
Sent: Wednesday, January 04, 2012 3:47 AM
Subject: BUON ANNO!
CIAO friends and family.HAPPY NEW YEAR! Let's see...what happened this last week. Thursday we taught a big family from Ecuador. It was a great first lesson, hopefully progress will be happening soon and more miracles. Friday we had a BEAUTIFUL spiritual lesson with Lucia and she bore testimony how she felt the spirit and how she wants to be baptized. She is going to Moldova for 2 weeks and will be baptized when she returns. SO COOL! She is excited to go to church in her own language in Moldova as well. So cool, it is such a HUGE BLESSING to know that the church is the same whereEVER you are!!! Isn't that insane? This really is Jesus Christ's church, who else could keep over 14 million people from every country organized? Such a blessing. Cool miracle Thursday night. So we had invited Erika our new convert to come teach with us for her first time. We were really excited, it is always such a good experience for members especially new converts teaching with the missionaries. So she was almost to where we were meeting her and our lesson calls and says they can't see us tonight. BOOO not a bidone (when a lesson falls through) now! We have Erika on the way!! So we start making phone calls to teach other investigators. And the name Valeria pops in my head, an investigator we taught only ONE Time way back in November. So..I call her! And she answers and says we can come over! Ha sweet! So Erika arrived, we went over no problems, and taught a lesson. OOHH Erika is amazing! Such a great teacher! Bore beautiful spirit. MEMBERS MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE!!! Go teach with the missionaries if you have the chance. Saturday was deep cleaning apartment day ha. Our apartment is new and clean so we cleaned then watched some district and caught up on journal and such. Then...we went to our ward's new years party!! SOO FUN. Good food. 5 Investigators came and tons of potentials. Then they turned up the latino music and all these beautiful Italians and Domenicans and Ecuadorians and Peruvians and El Salvadorians and Africans danced together- Salsa, cumbia, merengue, bachata, AHHH soo beautiful I LOVE IT! Alll I could do was sit on a chair clap my hands and cheer hahaha pathetic. Must obey, no dancing for us missionaries. But all the members were like SISTER you gotta come back after the missionary and dance with us!! Will do. It was a fun festa, we got permission to come home at 11, then at 12 the city blew up I swear. It sounded like a war zone...their idea of fireworks is more like blowing up bombs. Ha it was TERRIFYING! We were out on the balconing..and the fireworks they DO shoot off are..they just shoot off right out the window!! So imagine all these tall apartment buildings..all shooting fireworks out their window..me and sorella nilson were shouting stupify and other spells because it really felt like we were in the middle of a dual. Coolest harry potter new years EVER. Rosa and Keyla are progressing along BEAUTIFULLY. They brought a friend to the lesson last time, yay!!! The friend was like, man FINALLY I get to meet you guys, keyla never stops talking about you missionaries and the church! It is really special those small moments where I realize I was called to Italy to teach these specific people, that I have created eternal bonds with these people who I love. Ah why doesn't everyone go on a mission. Yesterday morning we went and visited one of our investigators Fatou who we haven't seen for a while. BEAUTIFUL lady, 3 kids, from Senegal. We were just small talking and were like how's your husband? She just gets this depressed look in her eyes...she is like did I tell you? Tell us what...He has married another wife. He is with her today. HEART WRENCHING. I am just like..WHAT?? Are you kidding me? She says no..that is acceptable in our culture and religion. You see..I am here taking care of the kids.. and my husband wants to have fun and enjoy himself..so he founnd a new woman and made her his wife. I could have started to cry right there. This beautiful woman, with her kids playing on the floor, the oldest one has some sort of aggressive autism, 2 are babies, then 4 other kids running that she is taking care of while her sister is in the hospital for a few weeks...And her husband off with this other woman. She is one of the strongest most patient person I have met, I just can't even imagine what is would be like to live her life. I pray as we start to teach her next week she will accept Christ. She needs the gospel. I am so thankful that through the atonement of Christ ALL unjustice in the world will be made just. I AM SO THANKFUL! Such HOPE it gives us!! It really humbles me. Another good spiritual moment this week. When we were teaching that big new Ecuadorian family the restoration..the spirit confirmed so strongly to my heart....how much Heavenly Father loves us. The restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ and His true church is an act of pure love from our Heavenly Father. We had some amazing talks on Sunday about not making compromises with the world, PUT GOD FIRST in your life. And the second one was about goal setting. I really hope you will all humbly search the will of the Lord for what He will have you do this new year. LOVE YOU! LoveSorella Simkins
Sent: Wednesday, January 11, 2012 3:48 AM
Subject: "If you eat your carrots your eyes will turn blue."
That is what Ecuadorian mothers tell their little kids to make them eat their veggies. Haaaa. HELLO! How are you all doing? January...what a month. Are you dying in inversion? Hope not. It was nice here, pretty brisk, jackets and scarfs still needed. Another amazing week has passed. We are SO BUSY. SOOO BUSY. THERE IS SO MUCH work to be done!! AHHH! We are jam packed with appointments everysingle day. And on the bus between our appointments we are always finding MORE PEOPLE that are interested. It is out of control. This new year has just softened so many hearts, I don't know..giving people motivation to figure out their lives or something. On church Sunday...WOW, at least 10 investigators, and billions of less actives coming back. We were FULL! So us missionaries are running around like locos just trying to greet everyone, make appointments, jump on these opportunities to teach these people and strengthen these who are coming back. I was just thinking to myself the other day....man we don't have enough time! We could use another couple of missionaries here! And as my thoughts kept going...I was just like hmm. How do we maximize this work and turn it into lots and lots of baptisms. I don't think it is a matter of bringing another couple here. I think it is a matter of us becoming better missionaries. Just REALLY taking the work to the next level. Shorter more powerful lessons, really on top of our planning, studying, and preparing, fine tuning ourselves to the spirit to receive complete direction and guidance from the Lord, more inspired prioritizing.....ahh! the potential is just screaming. I am grateful this is the Lord's work, and that it is perfect, I am sorry that I His servant am so imperfect. But..He knows that..so I will just keep striving for my best. Any advice would be much appreciated! Quick update on a few amazing people- Keyla and Rosa are just gliding along in preparation for baptism the 21st. They are the kind of investigators all the members are like.."I feel lik they have been members for years! I feel like we have been friends our whole lives!" SOOo beautiful, we rae finding our brothers and sisters and bringing them home! No greater joy. Cool miracle. Friday night, 8 o clock. One more hour left, no lessons planned, dead tired and body aching. We get on our knees, pray for some guidance for the last hour and a new investigator. We walk out...God is so merciful and so great. Directly in front of our apartment door there is a bench. And a lady was sitting on it. We immediately start talking to her and sit down. Turns out she has family members who are members of the church. We teach her the restoration. She is just golden and so interested. Ah it was amazing! I just walk away wanting to laugh like..are you kidding? Heavenly Father just spoils us, home delivered investigators. Guess who we are teaching now? Maribels BROTHER! hahahaha isn't she so cool? Husband, children, childrens family, now brother! He said the prayer and started crying! He opens his eyes and so sincere he is like my whole body is on fire! Then we taught him the plan of salvation yesterday and after teaching and bearing testimony about the atonement I say...Sergio..how do you feel knowing you can be completely liberated from every error you have ever done? He just looked down and started crying crying crying. Such sacred moments happen daily on a mission.Very out of time! I love you! I love being a missionary! THE TRUTH has been restored, this is Jesus's Church!My invite for you this week. The other day we were in a lesson with a recent convert family. The dad wants to return to Ecuador, his heart is set on it. The mom doesn't want to, her family is passed away or living in other countries. We are all full of wants and wishes, we have our minds and hearts set on the things that we see fit for us and our lives. BUT! The question is..what does God want? What are His wants and wishes for us? What does He see fit for us and our lives? Evaluate your wants and wishes. Don't pray to change God's will, but instead seek it. LOVE YOU! LoveSorella Simkins
Sent: Wednesday, January 18, 2012 3:38 AM
Subject: Few minutes
Until this computer signs me out. SORRY! NO TIME! ahhh so sad because
there are so many amazing things to tell you. But I spent a lot of
time reading emails today.ahhh.
I love you and am so happy to hear you are all doing so well.
Keyla and Rosa are getting baptized on Saturday. They are amazing
people I wish you could all meet them. I can barley believe we started
teaching them a month ago. Did I tell you we found Keyla on the bus
one night? It is so important to talk to EVERYONE! Saturday night we
were going over the baptism interview questions and Keyla was like I
am not sure if I will be ready to be interviewed tomorrow. We said
don't worry, whenever you feel ready, keep praying and reading, God
will answer you. So on Sunday Rosa and I walked out of Relief Society
after church was over, Rosa was going to go have her interview. And
Keyla comes out of young womans- "Sorella! Can I do my baptism
interview today too? I am ready! I got my answer during class." I just
got the biggest smile on my face and hugged her. OF COURSE! They are
all ready for Saturday!! It'll be at 6:30, you are all invited.
Work is going strong. SO. MUCH. TO. DO! And I realized why. My
companion faithfully asks God in every prayer to "riversare il tuo
Spirito su questa cità di Genova" To..pour out His spirit on the city
of Genova. And I testify, He really has. He has poured out His spirit
on this city. People's hearts are softened, minds are ready,
motivation and desire are being blessed upon them! SO MUCH TO DO! So
little time. Especially if I get transfered next week. The ward is
incredible, monday we had a 3 family fhe and the spirit was just
burning. It is really powerful meeting with these saints. Our
testimonies strengthened and faith reinforced.
Whelp. more details next week.
I am thankful.
Live the gospel.
Love
SOrella Simkins
BLESSINGS
Jan 25
So many BLESSINGS I might be the most blessed sorella I know. This week has been JAM PACKED with goodness and joy. Last Thursday we had a conference in Milano with Elder Caussè from the 70. MAN it was out of control. He was speaking 100% scripture, every word was inspired, my whole entire being was being filled up with spirit, knowledge, inspiration, and revelation. My notes are a mile long and everytime I try to sum them up and pick a few major points to focus on I end up writing another full page of points ha. It answered all my questions and gave me such a clear vision of how the take this work up to another level. This is the Lords work after all, there are no limits. AHh I wish I could just share with you everything I learned. I just feel completely determined to consecrate my whole self for the rest of my LIFE to the Lord. "This day is for Thee, Father" my new motto. OOOHh so blessed.
Saturday BAPTISM!! WORDS cannot DESCRIBE, seriously, they can't. Keyla and Rosa are SO ELECT, we found them a month ago, and this weekend were reborn! The ordinance was sacred, hearts were touched, the best part was at the end of the ceremony when Rosa went in front of everyone and bore her testimony, and then keyla for 20 minutes bore hers. My cheeks were KILLING and my whole face was burning red because I had permismile and overwhelmed with the spirit. I looked around and members and non member were just crying! All baptisms are amazing, but I feel like every one just keeps getting more special. They are so unique, the spirit is always strong...but unique.. can't explain it, something you gotta try. Really though, It was a spirit so strong that it takes away your words and leaves you still. When I got home I just layed on my bed and felt like I was floating 5 feel above the ground, my body just softly buzzing with joy gratitude spirit happiness etc. OOOHh I love them! Sunday there were bus problems so they were a little late to sacrament, so they will be getting confirmed next Sunday which is fine, another week of preparation. They are awesome. Too bad that........I won't be able to see it.. exSorella Ryan if you are reading this..you will never guess where I am getting transfered...HA. Weekend before transfers is always nuts. No idea what is going to happen trying your best to stay 100 percent focused but everyones asking you and ahh the anticipation. President called us monday, our apartment of 4 sorelle who have been together for the last 3 transfers and just turns us all upside down! Sorella Nilson is going to Verona, Sorella Bowman will stay in Genova with a companion that she has already had before, and my dear Sorella Silva will also be staying in Genova with Sorella Modugno a way sweet sister from Rome. And I will be going to RIMINI! HAHAHAHAHAHhahahahahahaha. I laugh because I can just hear Sorella Ryan saying NO WAY! I don't know if there have ever been sisters in Rimini, but I am PUMPED! I will be going with Sorella Arume, my beautiful hawaiian pal from the MTC. You should all take a second and google Rimini. I am going coast to coast, tourist hot spot in north Italy, RIGHT on the beach, I have heard it is just beautiful, and I will see for myself tomorrow. The work is awesome there, the elders there now are excellent, but I guess the Lord needs some sorelle. I am so excited and so motivated. But these last two days we had lessons with Erika Jorge and Maribel and Nicole and Keyla and Rosa...so sad. Tears everywhere. How can I love these people so much?? I can't believe how much the Lord is blesses. I am so blessed to been able to serve with Sorella Silva for 4 and a half months. I am so blessed to have been given this chance to meet so many incredible people here in Genova, to grow to love them, and to be taught and served by them. Their testimonies have totally strengthened mine, and their examples have shaped me and definitely given me insight on the person I want to become. For example I don't remember if I wrote this before but I thought it was so cool on a Friday night we were on our way to the bus stop and guess who was sitting on the bench waiting for the bus? Brother and sister De Paz holding hands. We asked what they were doing, they replied Date night!! Oooo cute I thought, what fun things will they do, gelato? Pizza? Take a walk around the city? I asked, they replied- We are going to go try and visit the Coos Family and Aldolfo Family (two less active families in the ward). I thought wow. Date night searching and visiting less actives. So cool, they are my heros. This and thousands of more Christlike examples of these wonderful people have changed me!! I AM BLESSED! And I can't even imagine what miracles are in store. Oh, and it has been pretty cool to have for a transfer Anziano Dunshee from Bountiful as my district leader, did I tell you that before? ha small world. and for all his friends and family, know that he is a super missionary and has reallly blessed this ward and these people! I want you all to know that the Lord is leading this work, and that you are all invited to be a part of it. Heavenly Father just needs your faith and your hearts. I know He lives. I know Christ lives. I love the Book of Mormon and know it's power. This church is true. I love you! LoveSorella Simkins
Subject: Week 6 in GENOVA
Wednesday, November 2nd 2011, week 6 in Genova, and......my half way mark. MISSION HUMP DAY. So sad and unbelievable I don't understand how I have already been on my mission 9 months that makes no sense. AHHHHHH don't end please. Week 6 also meaans something else! Transfers. I am staying here in gorgeous Genova with amazing Peruvian Sorella Silva. LOVE HER. I am attaching pictures I hope they work. one is with some sistas, one with my comp, one is of a cool penguin at the aquarium, one is the torino olympic stadium, one is me on my sweet bike with my sweet helmet. And I am scared to attach more because of space. Anyways. Amazing things are happening here right before our eyes. Like yesterday we went to find a couple we contacted the day before that wasn't interested really but gave us their address for some reason. so we went to go find them and they didn't answer (we figured that would happen) but we had planned to knock doors in their palazzo. first one this young girl opened. turned out she has been to church 5 times and loves reading the book of mormon. HA what? but she has never been taught by missionaries. I don't know what is up with this transfer and us teaching a bunch of 13 year old girls...I guess that Lord would like to build up young womens here in Genova 2. She is awesome. A bright beautiful girl who loves to learn. We had a beautiful lesson and will be seeing her again tomorrow. Her mother is evangelist or whatever so we pray her heart will be soft. Yesterday we also had another lesson with Erica and Giorgio. Man I just can't even explain to you all in words what we are experiencing with them. Incredible. I just want to cry! This family is so special and so prepared. You just FEEL IT. Their time is just HERE they are redhot. They are 20 and 21 years old. Have a beautiful well behaved 3 year old. They have a house. A car. Jobs. and she is going to school. They have huge faith in the Lord and study the scriptures and get to church sunday at 9. Again...THEY ARE 20 and 21 years old!!! Who has their life that in order by that age? They blow my mind. The completely understand the restoration and the priesthood. We had a BEAUTIFUL lesson on baptism yesterday ah it was beautiful such a strong spirit. We read the baptism intereview questions and discussed them. It was so spiritual. We discussed the question about joseph smith and the restoration and the prophet today. We asked them how they feel knowing their is a prophet of God today on the earth.. Giorgio just looked at us and said whoa I just got chills alll over my body. The question in the interview is something like do you believe the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored through the prophet joseph smith and that president Thomas Monson is the living prophet today? Erica reads it and just sits there for a sec. She said if I could honestly answer yes to this question, then that would mean EVERYTHING to me and my family. THe most important thing to know. She wants to be able to answer a solid yes to that question. They accepted the baptism invitation and are praying for a confirmation and a date. AHH I love them. I know Heavenly Father has big blessings in store for them! They are just too perfect. They have just become a part of my life. HOw does this HAPPEN? Man I love them. Giuseppe (the husband of Erica's mom Maribel) is doing sooo well also. He is just growing his little faith seed, little by little it is swelling. Soo amazing. Patrizia Jonny and Aurora are all amazing, all came to church,even though we didn't klnow the time changed so we showed up at their house to pick them up for church at 730 ahahahahah and they wer ready because they forgot too. it was cool we got their early and were able to do a church tour and they met members. They just need to get married and they are all set for the waters of baptism. Well, time is out.I am in Heaven I swear. I love being a missionary YAY. LoveSorella Simkins
Sent: Wednesday, November 09, 2011 4:15 AM
Subject: Re: ALLUVIONE!
HELLO!I don't know if the news made it to America, but Genova FLOODED! I think there was something like 7 deaths? Where we live we are a little higher so we didn't see much flooding, but in the city center streets completely flooded, stores were washed out, mud everywhere, lots of damage. We had to stay inside for 4 days this last week! I have not once stayed inside all day on my mission, it was super weird. It was nice to get some extra studying in mmmm I had some really great experiences with the scriptures. But I am glad to be out and about again. This last week was packed with miracles, I am just sooo excited for this upcoming transfer, many things are in the happening. Last week we taught this 27 year old Aracely from Peru that we found on the bus. We taught her on a bench by the street. Taught her the restoration, it went well! But we couldn't get ahold of her the days after, so we were a little bummed. Friday we had like an hour of clear skys so we went out and passed by her house and she was home. She came down and we were just like how are you! How is the reading going! And she starts to tell us all about Joseph Smith, all the trials he went through, all the persecution, all the horrrible things...and she goes...I KNOW THAT JOSEPH SMITH WAS A REAL PROPHET! OH MY my jaw just dropped to the ground. To hear someone we barley know who we have taught one time bear testimony that she knows Joseph Smith...This prophet who I LOVE and am ETERNALLY grateful for...is a true prophet, just burst my heart open. It was so cool. She is amazing we hope to set a baptism date with her asap!Monday was a miracle the skies cleared up and we were able to go teach a bunch of SPIRITUAL really important lessons to 7 of our precious beautiful investigators! OH MAN I love them and am so thankful that God let us go teach that day. They are all doing so well. ERICA is AMAZING the first like 20 minutes of our lesson she just went through the book of mormon and shared with us EVERY single verse that she underlined that she liked that spoke to her heart. After we asked..Erica..do you know this book is true? And she said firmly, yes. We bore testimony about how the book of mormon is the key stone or our religion. How when you know this book is true you know that Jesus is the Christ, Savior and Redeemer of the world. That Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. That the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints IS the kingdom of God on the earth today. It was such a beautiful spiritual lesson shared together with this beautiful family. A wedding and a baptism are in the near future and we are over joyed. I absolutely love these people. We also had a lesson with Giuseppe on faith...it was so tender. His heart just OPENED. The seed of faith is starting to swell inside. This family WILL BE AN ETERNAL FAMILY! A sealed, eternal FAMILY! AHHHH the JOY! We taught Patrizia Jonny and Aurora all about the book of mormon and how precious it is and the history of it. Their eyes were just bulging out of their heads. We really SAW just this fire of desire light inside of them, this desire to read the book of mormon. It was amazing! This family will be eternal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AH!!!!!!!!!!I love GENOVA! These next 6 weeks are going to AMAZING I just can FEEL it like pumping through veins. I just have this burning desire to BE BETTER to WORK HARDER to SERVE THE LORD, MY LOVING HEAVENLY FATHER! This work is so REAL and I am so blessed to be a servant in His vinyard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Real fast I just have to bear testimony to you all! THE BOOK OF MORMON! YOU have to READ IT! It is just mind blowing. I LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH. It is my food and water! It is my refuge! It’s the fount of peace and JOY! Scripture study is a WAY OF LIFE that I will always live. Please read it, everyone, it is just sitting their WAITING to blow you away and bless your life. Let it! OOOHHhhhhh I love that book. Love love love love love love love it.THE CHURCH IS TRUE! Lovesorella simkins
Sent: Wednesday, November 16, 2011 3:46 AM
Subject: HI!! HELLO AMERICA!
I don't even know where to begin my hands are shaking just thinking about this last week and the amazing things that have happened!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHH! Go on missions, everyone! Ahhhhh ok. I will start with last friday. We had a whole nights plans fall through, so that means to the palazzi we go to knock some porte. One down, nothing. Feeling kinda uninspired we sat down on a little bench, said a prayer, receited our scripture for the day, and went off. We headed back to our favorite street and went right up to a palazzo, rang the citof, and got in. Walk up to the seventh floor (ahhh some elevators you need keys to get into. my legs are just get torn apart it feels great) and out of breath ring the buzzer. And get right in! and teach a beautiful lesson with a great humble sweet 18 year old girl named Valeria! Then we make our way down and find another family from Ecuador! They were hilarious and crazy but we got a good little lesson in. Finish up this palazzo head to the next, and get in again with Edwin who has been through a lot but has awesome faith. It was an awesome night, the Lord blessed us like crazy! When we were heading back home we looked at the two palazzos that we just did and looked at each other and were like...we have already done both of those palazzos a few weeks ago haaa and started laughing. We didn't even notice, but obviously they were the right ones to do, again! Hahahah.Saturday gets better. We go teach about the sabboth day and fasting with Erica and Jorge our beautiful young family. They just blow my mind again and again they are so awesome. After the lesson we all started our fast together. Sunday church was amazing, 4 less active families that haven't come in YEARS just all showed up at church! It was amazing!!!! Seriously, YEARS, this one couple the husband was baptized in 74 and was active only 2 years!!! WHAAATT they! They were so funny just this older Italian couple, the wife is agnostic, she is like I am just taking it slow, we'll see we'll see! After church we went with Erica and Jorge into another room to pray and break our fast together. We were sitting and before the prayer just asked them a few questions, how are they feeling, any answers? And Erica pulls out the calendar and points to the 15th (today) and says my documents from Ecuador arrive the 15th. I have an appointment with the consolate the 17. You need to wait 2 weeks for the community to get all the papers done. My dad leaves to Ecuador the 4th...so......I think the 3rd of December is the perfect day for our......W E D D I N G!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! HA I just died I was like AHHH are you SERIOUS? She is like during all my prayers today I just felt so much peace and love from the Lord, I know this is right and that He will help us get this worked out. OH MAN I was just bursting with joy. Jorge just smiled I am like HOW DO YOU FEEL ARE YOU EXCITED and he just was beeming smiling YEP! Happy! HAHAHAH! We got on our knees, who wants to say the prayer? Erica goes me! And says te most beautiful sincere prayer. Thanking Heavenly Father for this fast and the answers He gave them. Telling Him that they want to obey all His commandments and do whatever they have to do to follow Him. I almost cried it was beautiful. Fasts and amazing! God answers prayers! I love Jorge and Erica they are AMAZING and have such a bright future ahead of them. In family home evening that night ( I wasn't there we had an appointment but the other sister missionaries told me this story) sorella bowman asked Erica...Erica, how did you come to find out the book of mormon is true? And Erica had the chance to bear her testimony for the first time. EEEEEEEK! Erica on the phone after to me was like I WAS ASKED TO BEAR TESTIMONY, I BORE TESTIMONY!!! HAHA AH I love her. Next HUGE MIRACLE STORY. Oh MAN! Slitvana from Ukraine. She was one of our english students. I have always liked her, I could just feel something special about her, like we are spirit friends or something. Anyways she always came to english and we hadn't ever invited her to learn about the gospel with us. Finally 2 weeks ago after the lesson we had the chance to talk to her and teach her a bit about prayer because she told us she feels like she is blocked and can't pray. So we had a good lesson and at the end she is like I am leaving to Riminni tomorrow to find work, I won't be coming back probably. AHH boo! Well I tell her there are amazing missionarys there and that they will get in touch with her right away! I get her number, she heads off, I give to referral to them, and that is the last I heard and thought much about Slitvana. Yesterday. Such a weird day. We had a whole day of beautiful plans and by 10 in the morning every single appointment was canceled. I call Inga, a new convert from moldovia, to meet us in the church at 530 instead of at the bus stop at 630, thinking we could have a lesson with her before we go teach together. We are never in the church tuesday, but thought we'd teach her there. So we get there, all sit down, are catching up talking a bit and the church buzzer rings. We open it up and guess who walks in? SLITVANA! HA I just give her the biggest hug and am like what in the world are you doing here!!!!! I just have to tell you, she looked different! Her eyes were all light, she looked happier, healthier...I was just like what in the world happened in Riminni! She sits down she tells us the whole story. 2 weeeks ago. Gets to Riminni. Missionaries contact her right away. She had 4 lessons with them and has been to church twice. She has learned all about the restoration, plan of salvation, the millenium, sacrifice, prayer, duty, obedience, HA she has succcchh a good memory, I knew that from our experiences in english class already, so here she is just telling us EVERYTHING she has learned about the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ in the last two weeks. Our jaws are just dropped to the floor, just in awe. She is like "so I have my baptism date December 10th! But yesterday ago I got a call from my friend here in Genova she said she found a job for me here and to come right away! Since I still hadn't found a job in Riminni I packed my bags and came today! I traveled all day today and on my last train stretch before Genova the work my friend found for me called and said they didn't need me anymore. I was devistated. Got off the train. Left my bags at my friends apartment and decided to come right to the church." MIRACLE. We are never at the church tuesdays! And just so happened to be there with a Russian speaking member, Inga! So we all had a beautiful lesson together. Slitvana is incredible. She is so smart!!! She is just soaking up everything and learning and such an alarming rate. and will be baptized in a few weeks!This is the longest email in the world but I need to end with something soo extremely important. THE IMPORTANCE OF SOFTENING YOUR HEART and OPENING IT UP. HUMBLING YOURELF. Erica-first week we met her, she wanted nothing to do with us nothing to do with learning. Her mom said, erica, open up your heart. Let God in. Now? Life changed, happy as can be, testimony, successful, on to marriage and baptism. Slitvana. Felt blocked, couldn't even express herself, didn't want to ask God for anything. Softened her heart. Humbled herself. And now she is a VACUUM just gaining WISDOM from GOD. My dear brothers sisters friends family. Wisdom only comes from God. If you don't open your heart, God can't lead you! You won't be taught! It is like sitting outside of a door where what awaits you on the other side a WORLD of blessings. Open up the door, come on you can do it! Open you heart and let Christ fill you up with love, with peace, with happiness. WITH WISDOM! Oh, also, Mosiah chapter one is so sweet. I read it this morning and founds some new favorite scriptures about the importance of studying the scriptures. Vs 3. STUDY THE SCRIPTURES. Don't SUFFER IN IGNORANCE! Ah I love the words of the prophets. OK LOVE YOU BYE!LoveSorella Simkins
Sent: Wednesday, November 23, 2011 4:14 AM
Subject: WINTER... ..
In Genova is windy and kinda cold, but not too bad. I am really lucky. I hope I am still here for Christmas, this is such a beautiful CITY!HOW ARE YOU ALL? I have heard some good news this week from a few of you, makes me HAPPY! Anyone else, let me know how you are doing and any good news! THIS WEEK was soo good. Everyone is just progressing right along. Slitvana, soooo awesome. Sunday after church we went to a members house for lunch. And this member family just happened to have another non member friend their. She has been friends with this family for years, has been to several activities in the church, baptisms, a few conferences. But was telling us that her heart is just closed, she feels like she can't betray the Catholic church. Then Slitvana just jumps in and starts bearing beautiful testimony to hear, telling her to soften her heart, that the Gospel is really simple and really beautiful and really will change her life. That it is something she will start to feel, that she has to give it a chance, etc etc. HA my comp and I were just floating in air, nodding our heads. SOO cool Slitvana is so awesome! After she is like I thought it would be scary talking in front of people in church or teaching but I realize it all just comes from my heart so why in the world do I need to be scared? hahahaha so cool. Erica and Jorge, wedding plans are all taken care of!! 3rd, wedding, 10th, baptism!!! We had a beautiful lesson with them last thursday when we extended the baptism invite. Without even a seconds hesitation they accepted. They are so prepared I just can't even believe it. Such a blessing. Giuseppe is doing awesome but has got a bad habit to get over. Still has his baptism date for the 10th but has gotta stop smoking! Pray for him to have the desire! We found some amazing people this last week, total miracles, like monday we were on the bus and started talking to these two younger moms. Turns out both of their mothers are members, but they aren't and have never been interested but after talking to them for a few minutes and bearing sincere testimony, we were able to make appointments to start teaching them the gospel. Can you immagine for how many years the mothers of these girls have been praying for them to open their hearts to the Gospel? The spirit was able to make a little crack in their hearts, now we just pray that these appointments will go well and that their times have finally arrived!!! Nothing is more beautiful then seeing family member accept the Gospel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ooh my heart just rejoices. So the other night we went to pass by a referral way up in the mountains, and no one was there. We prayed and asked specifically if we should stay and knock doors or go pass by someone else. While I was praying I felt a little warmth when I asked if we should pass by this girl we met knocking doors the last week. I finished the prayer, looked at my companion, and asked what she felt? She said, "I think we should pass by Belen (the girl)." Cool HUH! We both were inspired to go pass by Belen. We go to her apartment, had a beautiful lesson with her, and now have a new investigator. That lesson with her was so special to me. It just felt so real..I can't explain it. We were just teaching her..here kids were running around...the house is just in humble circumstances...I just felt so strong for the first time how MUCH these people NEED the Gospel. How MUCH it can completely change their lives. Duh, I have known this my whole mission, but it just keeps becoming MORE and MORE real to me. As if it just keeps sinking DEEPER and DEEPER into my heart. I can't explain it, but I love it. I love the changes I am feeling as the Gospel keeps becoming more real to me. My spiritual man must be growing and my natural one shrinking. I HOPE haha that is what I strive for. Anyways, miracles everywhere. I am humbled and thankful and LOVE Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. So much. Well, be good! Read the scriptures, they are amazing. I read Mosiah 4 this morning and was just dying, it is so beautiful. I was especially enjoying versus 11 and 12. 11 And again I say unto you as I have said before, that as ye have come to the knowledge of the glory of God, or if ye have known of his goodness and have atasted of his love, and have received a bremission of your sins, which causeth such exceedingly great joy in your souls, even so I would that ye should remember, and always retain in remembrance, the greatness of God, and your own cnothingness, and his dgoodness and long-suffering towards you, unworthy creatures, and humble yourselves even in the depths of ehumility, fcalling on the name of the Lord daily, and standing gsteadfastly in the faith of that which is to come, which was spoken by the mouth of the angel. 12 And behold, I say unto you that if ye do this ye shall always rejoice, and be filled with the alove of God, and always bretain a remission of your sins; and ye shall grow in the cknowledge of the glory of him that created you, or in the knowledge of that which is just and true.I know these scriptures are TRUE. you see the promise in verse 12? ye shall always rejoice and be filled with the love of God. I testify that that is true, because I have felt it, and feel it often. It is a divine love, that completely fills you. All these words are true. If you don't know that, then put them to the test. Why wouldn't you? LOVE YOU ALL!LoveSorella Simkins
Sent: Wednesday, November 30, 2011 4:12 AM
Subject: Ohhh all the amazing things.
I feel like I am in a movie sometimes. The things that happen and that we experience everyday just can't be real, I feel like it is all scripted. This is the Lords work, I have no doubt. His guidance is unquestionable, clear, undeniable. AHH so many stories so little time so many MIRACLES. We had dinner at this old Italian lady member's house the other day. I haven't laughed so hard in my life. They are Sicilian and her husband is super old and super hilarious. I was rolling on the floor laughing. He had the craziest stories and the coolest adventures. Who knows how truthful they are but I was getting a kick out of them. Once when he was in his youth he was at a restaurant and there was a purse left on another table. People came and went, not touching this purse. He was curious went over and opened it up and there was over 300,000£. He said he took 5,000£ of it and left. Hahahahaha he then went back and the purse was still there!! He took it up to the front and said that he found this on the table. The worker took it and said they'd wait for it's owner. I was like I can't believe you stole money from that purse!!! and this old Italian grandpa just looks atme and said sweety. I didn't rob money. I just took money. And I can't believe that I didn't take more! ha I know its not that funny to you reading this but it was hilarious. Then him and his wife starting singing old beautiful italian songs together. It was beautiful. i felt like I was back in Sardegna, the culture of the South is so rich! So this isnt a miracle, but I just felt like sharing haha. It was a lovely evening, and I love these people. OK crazy miracles. Monday, head out the door in the morning to teach a less active lady. had a beautiful lesson, head out the door. She lives way up on the hill. We started making our way down and a bus passes and stops. Opens it doors. We look at the doors and start heading to take the bus, I mean..why wouldn't we take it down the hill. And we just pause. I look at my comp. Should we walk down the hill? She just stares back at me. I turn and say lets walk. Maybe we can do some casa on the way down. Doors shut, bus leaves. And we continue on. walking walking and abruptly we stop at this palazzo, we have already passed tons, but we just stopped right at this one, rang the buzzer, got right in. Every single door from the 5th floor all the way to the -1 floor, not one person lets us in, and only 2 people even opened up! We walk out. Hmm weird. Nothing. And continue walking down the hill. I turn to my comp and hand her the phone and suggest she calls Maria. I turn back to look where I am going and it was like someone started taking through me. There was this signora and her daughter making their way up the hill. HI how are you doing!! I am sister simkins, what is you name? I just went right into conversation with them. The older lady was like ONLY ONE GESU doesnt matter which chuch you belong too! and keeps walking up the hill. The daughter (24, italian) says to her mom, speak for yourself mom! I'm atheist! yet she doesn't follow her mom up the hill she just kind of stopped there..it was so strange..we just went right up to her and were like Eliza you are a daughter of God. He loves you SO MUCH. "Non ci credo!" She says. i don't believe that. Yet..she just keep standing ther. so we continued testifying. and asking her questions. I was just watching this young woman. she kept reading our tags, looking at our eyes, like her insides were just screaming with curiosity but the grip on her heart was too strong to let her open up. Everything we said she just kept saying non ci CREDO its not true!! ther is no GOD! just shaking her head NO to everything we said! Yet she wouldn't move! so we just kept going! talking to her! Teaching her! bearing testimony. Asking her questions! She is a archeology student. She is smart. but I can't even explain...she was just so stubborn, NON CI CREDO but still wouldnt walk away. She is like I FIND MY TRUTH FROM BOOKS and I whip out a book of mormon. Eliza, this book contains all truth. The fulness of TRUTH! You have FINALLY arrived to the truth, you have found it!! She takes the bom in her hand. flips it back and forth back and forth, reading the title, reading the back, flipping its pages. the whole time just saying non ci credo. i dont believe. i dont believe. But her eyes were just WIDE open. We tell her God loves her and has a plan for her. She just starts BAWLING. Right there in the middle of the street, she just starts bawling yelling I don't believe God does not exist! It was like a life full of suffering was just SPILLING out her eyes!! Like her insides were just ACHING for truth and peace but the adversary wouldn't let her free. She still won't walk away though. We we asked her if we could pray. I said a prayer. After look in her eyes..and just see this tiny glimps of hope. of softening. for the 10th time I just kindly ask..Eliza..please can we meet you again. Give it a chance please. And with just pain in her eyes she just shakes her head no and slowly starts to back up. we told her again ou testimonies of hope. and she gave us each baci (kisses on the cheek) and turned and left. I just turned to start going back down the hill. Just thnking over and over agin. what just happened? what just happened? what was that?ah it was incredible. DARN I AM OUT OF TIME and i have so much to share. BOOOOO!! I have had such a cool experience pondering the scripture ether 12 27 have mentioned before but have received some new insight I want to share but the clock is UP! dangggg. Oh well. LOVE YOU ALL! be good read your scriptures and know that God will lead you in everything you do if you let Him. SO COOL! LOVE YOU! loveSorella Simkins
Sent: Wednesday, December 07, 2011 3:20 AM
Subject: HELLO
Buongiorno tuttiWhat a great week. I can't believe I am saying this but we see so many miracles now days it is becoming normal. Still so incredible and have me marveling, but I just laugh and shake my head sometimes thinking...what in the world just happened. How is this possible. Hahah wow, just thinking over this last week...so cool. Last Thursday we did a blitz! Two sisters, Sorella Oaks from Provo and Sorella Ryan my lovely trainer came from Cunio to double up with us here in Genova, we needed it! Holy cow the work is booming, good thing God is in control of our scheduling or we would be like headless chickens running around clueless. It was amazing, Sorella Oaks and I went out and taught two new families, found several people on the bus, and even got a delicious peruvian meal from a member who brought two friends over to be taught, while Sorella Silva and Sorella Ryan went and tore it up in other parts of the city. Miraculous day! Saturday...ERIKA AND JORGE's wedding ceremony! WOOOOOOOOO! SOoo beautiful. Soo fun. It was almost a whole days event. We had the cerimony in the church, it was beautiful, and afterworld we went across the street where they rented a place for the lunch and then after lunch everyone started dancing Salsa and Merenge and Bachata I dont know if I am spelling these all right, but it was soo fun. Of course all I could do was sit there and clap my hands and cheer and laugh, no dancing for missionaries, but I swear there has got to be some latin blood in me, I just LOVE that culture! I love that kids from age 3 to grandpas and grandmas who are ancient are all on the dance floor dancing to the beautiful latin music. AHH I absolutely loved it, can't wait to try that out at my wedding...hahaha just picturing all us Americans trying to dance makes me laugh. Start practicing. Anyways, it was really fun, and just really cool that this amazing couple, after being together for 8 years, up and got married in 15 days after learning the law of chastity, fasting, and setting a baptismal date. Truly the work of the Lord. The future of this young couple is BRIGHT! Sunday we had another amazing finding experience. Did some casa casa casa..got to the end of the street. Said a prayer asking where to go. Felt like going and passing Narcissa, someone we met way back in September. Get walking, are almost there and boom, we run into a member. She is like hey sisters where are you going! Can you come with us to visit ruth (another member)? So we are like..ok sure! So we go visit this member. And we are chatting, getting to know her better and her conversion story, and her husband come home. He was elders quorum pres in Ecuador, super amazing, and then has been inactive here in Italy for a few years now. Well we ended up having a really spiritual lesson with him and he invited us back and anyways it just went really well and it is amazing, God never forgets about His children, no one. In fact, it really is amazing how randomly and often we run into members lessactive. On buses, at stops, on the street..Just reminders to them that God loves them and really is aware of everything they are doing. come back come back! Lets see other big miracle. Yesterday we were at the bus stop to head into town and teach a lesson with Kayla, a new awesome investigator. At the stop we met Paola, a girl who just moved here from Santo Domingo a month ago. I love meeting Dominicans, I feel like since Aron served there I am in some sort of way connected to them. Anyways, she is awesome, we started talking, I was talking to her in Spanish which is hilarious, I try my hardest! Ah my time is out, real fast, so anyways, this is the first time we meet her, invite her to come with us to our lesson and learn about the gospel, she says ok! takes the bus with us, kayla is late in school so calls and says she cant make it, so we just taught paola the restoration instead, it went amazing, we even had another member with us to teach who was coming with us to teach kayla. man it was so cool! One lesson falls through, but immediately another one is there ready! So many people are searching the truth. This work is endless. And perfect. THE CHURCH IS TRUE!pray for Erika and Jorge's baptism to go well Saturday! EEEK! LOVE YOU!Sorella Simkins
Sent: Wednesday, December 14, 2011 3:19 AM
Subject: buone feste
HI! I have been in Genova for 3 months now! Whaaa? Sorella Silva, myself, Sorella Nilson and Sorella Bowman all live together in our cute little apartment. We have all been together for 2 transfers..and...yesterday we got transfer calls! And guess WHAT! We are ALL staying the same haha. ALL four of us here for another 6 weeks in Genova. We are super happy!!!!! It feels sooo right. I am super excited, the work here in Genova is out of control promise land and I have so much to learn from my comp still (espanish included) I am thankful for an inspired president!Man this week has been nuts we have been so busy I just don't even get it. So many incredible investigators. Ah it gives me anxiety just thinking about all of them they are so great they all just need to be taught and keep progressing and get baptized. Thank goodness it is God's work, we are just keep doing our best to be His instruments!!! Eeek. We are so blessed. Erika and Jorge were baptized Saturday! oooOOOoo boy it was lovely. SOO beautiful to see this beautiful young couple, married, and then baptized together. Such an amazing experience, I am so thankful!!!!! Then Sunday we had stake conference! It was SOOO GOOD I couldn't even believe it!! It was so amazing to see SO MANY members together fill up this whole theater where we had our conference. And MAN ALIVE the speakers..the leaders in this stake..so inspired. Their talks were incredible I received so much inspiration and insights. The think I have been reflecting the most is how SERVICE IS THE CURE. The number one cure. It is such a magical medicine. It heels all. Many other great things were talked about wish I could just write you all my notes. soo good. It was really cool just to be in a stake conference in Italy and see that it is ran exacly how one would be in the middle of Utah. The church is so true! Jesus guides this church. Miracles. The other day this Italian lady was standing outside the church reading the advertisment for english class. I walk out and start talking to her. She says her daughter Vanessa is going to London in a few weeks and would love if we could teach her english everyday. I said well we just do this class once a week as a service and that we are missionaries here to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ. I said...we would be happy to meet with her everyday and talk in English, but we will be talking about our religion. She said..hmm ok well I will have my daughter call you. So later on, Vanessa called me. We have now met with her 3 times OH MAN she is so great, we talk in only english, but she understands SOO WELL. And when I give her homework she does it. HA that makes me laugh because ooh man so many times investigators will NOT READ and with her I can tell her to read anything and she will study it out and bring it back the next lesson read to explain exactly what she learned. She completely understands the restoration and the book of mormon and loved the plan of salvation. Her prayers are soo beautiful and sincere. I mean..she is this 25 year old italian girl. pretty. graduated law school. going to do an internship in London. well off with her family...and just learning the gospel which is totally new for her. It is so cool to see her progression! To see her hope grow and see her grow closer to Heavenly Father. Ha she had no idea this was coming up in her life. Yesterday their fam invited us over for dinner..the parents are both Sard by the way..and I tell you wha,t I really felt like I was back in Sardegna it was sooo weird haha. The mom reminded me exactly of Sandra it was hilarious. Good food, good people. Can't wait until they all find the truth and get testimonies! Yayyy.Well- Times out. MERRY CHRISTMAS! BUON NATALE!! Christmas here is nothing. SAD! Oh well, all I want to do is serve so that is what I will do.lOVE YOU! LoveSorella Simkins
Ciaoo! What a crazy week it has been! One of the strangest weeks of my mission. We had transfers, a huge ward christmas party, another wedding, a beautiful confirmation in sacrament Sunday, a YSA christmas program and dinner, and lots and lots of miracles all inbetween! WOW! This ward christmas party was nuts. Lots of food lots of people. The kids did the nativity it was really cute. A few investigators came, Lucia a 29 year old we are teaching is great she came to the party, then church sunday, then the ysa party that night. She is just getting loaded with good stuff. The wedding was of our ward mission leader and paola they are sooo great and have been dating for 2 years and finally got married and I got to sing at it with another member. YAY it was a beautiful wedding. After the wedding we had a lesson with Vanessa (Italian, 25, lawyer about to go to London for an internship) Her and her family have become like another family ahah I love them!!! I feel like I am in sardegna everytime I am with them they crack me up. Anyways vanessa is just amazing, super prepared. Our last lesson we said the prayer and right after she started teaching me what she read about. She told me everything about the atonement of Jesus Christ. All about his Gospel, faith, repentance, baptism, confirmation, and enduring to the end. She taught me how we need to pray to know if these things are true. She is just so great because 1- she says everything in english because she is learning english and so she talks so simply and so beautiful. 2- she is so sincere and it is so great to see her progress because she is so used to studying text books and learning them and internalizing them by memory right but she is seeing that as she studys this church material, pamphlets, the book of mormon, she is not only learning intellectually but she is feeling the changes spiritually that are going on. 3- one of my favorite things in the lesson was after explaining the atonement and she looks at me and says so directly. Jesus Christ cannot go against our will and purify us if we don't let him. It is us that need to go to him and follow his gospel steps and in result be purified. I looked at her and said...exactly. And do you believe that this is true? She says yes. I say do you believe that this church is the true church of Jesus Christ? And she looks at me and says yes, I believe it is! AHHHH it was so beautiful I was like screaming in my head baptism invite baptism invite but wait no she is going to london in a week what do I do! So I start to say well vanessa usually at this point us missionaries extend the most important invite to our investigators and that is to follow Jesus Christ and be baptized, but since---and she cut me off and is like REALLY? I can be BAPTIZED?? WOWW! And she just lit up with excitement and curiosity! I was like well YES!!! OF COURSE!! so we talked about some different options and the church in London and how she can continue there and that she needs to pray and ask Heavenly Father when the time is right. Then her closing prayer was amazing promising she would prepare her self and asking Him to tell her when. AHH soo cool!!! Fast forward to last night, we taught her Mom (who claims to be atheist) the restoration, and it went so well!! This family!! soo cool!! The gospel is going to BLESS THEM!! OK anyways. vanessa is so great. Then church sunday was just....out of this world. So much spirit was packed into my body and soul I literally felt FULL. The confirmation of Erika and Jorge was the most powerful spiritual confirmation I have ever seen in my life. Tears were pooring down tough erika's cheeks. AND THEN!! OH MY GASH. In gospel principles we had Lucia there and we were learning about the scriptures. And Lucia asks a question about the book of mormon, and erika just leans over and WITH THE TONGUE OF ANGELS of one who JUST received the Holy Ghost---she TESTIFIES of the divinity of the book of mormon! AHHhhHHHHH I was knocked out with the spirit. OK back to sacrament meeting. I gave a talk and told everyone the story of Maribel and her family. It felt good to look down into the congregation and see Maribel shining with tears.I love her. And Nicole spoke in church! Her first talk!!! Man it got everyone in tears! It was BEAUTIFUL! SOO COOL!!!!!! Then the last hour was combined and bishops wife taught us a lesson about conversion that was really powerful. Are we converted???So much good stuff is going on!!! Christmas, what a beautiful time of year!! I am so blessed to be on a mission! Who and where I would be without this I have no idea, it is a depressing thought, I am so thankful to be here. WELL TIME IS UP! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!! I hope you are all filled with Christmas joy, the spirit of Christ. That you can humble yourselves and lovingly emrace your family members around you. That you can be grateful for your many blessings, the grandest one being the birth of Jesus Christ. His perfect life, love, and example. His everlasting atonement. His living Gospel. His restored Church. Our older Brother, our faithful Friend, our Savior our Redeemer. I know He lives. I testify in His sacred name, AMEN! LOVE YOU!LoveSorella Simkins PS I don't have Kara Arnold, Melissa Fjelly, Ashley Snyder(maybe I have yours actually..I gotta check again..but send it anways) or Rachel Ryans house address so I can't send you your Christmas Card until you email that to me THANKS!
Watch this little clip if you haven't seen it, its a good one. CIAO, BACI
http://lds.org/pages/the-coat?lang=eng
Sent: Wednesday, December 28, 2011 3:29 AM
Subject: happy christmas harry
HOLA!Hope you all had a Merry Christmas, and vi auguro a HAPPY NEW YEAR! Man where do I start. Zone conference before Christmas was really good and pretty fun too. A group of missionaries were chosen to act the Nativity. It was lovely. And kinda funny. Sorella Wolfgramm, president's wife, is the most amazing lady. She is sooo full of love for all us missionaries, I really feel like her child. She takes such good care of us. She is the most loving person I have ever met! And she bought us all scarves and the elders ties. I feel so blessed to be serving under President Wolfgramm and Sister Wolfgramm, they are two extrodinary people. I couldn't be happier, they really are perfect. This mission is special, I really love all the missionaries and senior couples, I learn so much from them and am honored to be serving with them. These are bonds that will be in my heart forever. Oohh I am happy. Then Saturday. We had a lesson with Kayla and Rosa and Ivano this humble little family that lives in the mountains on a little farm. It was SOO beautiful, we went saturday morning and Ivano this 84 great Italian man showed us all his garden, his billion bunny rabbits and chickens, his goat, and then gave us like a HUGE back of vegetables. Ah I can't even explain how beautiful their lot is!! Just up in the mountains out of the city, little antique cottage, big garden, animals..Ivano has been taking care of the farm his whole life. He is so humble. I want a big garden someday it was just so peaceful. There is something spiritual about taking care of a farm. Then we went inside and had a beautiful lesson about the plan of Salvation. Rosa said she has been hesitent her whole life about baptism into a church because she is scared of making the wrong choice, but she said that she has received her answer and is ready to take this step. Kayla (the 16 year old daughter) was a little nervous but also said she wanted to. It was a great lesson, they are soo humble. Then after that we went and got ready and went off to our christmas eve celebration with the De Paz family from Peru!! YUMMM! We played games, took pictures, ate DELICIOUS Peruvian food ahhh soo good. I don't even know what it was beside the turkey and rice then 2 delicious salads and a nummy drink that I don't know how it is made I gotta find out though because I want to drink it more often it is warm and a little thick and mmmm yummy. Our investigator Jason came with us which was sweeett he has just fallen in love with this family, they are such a good example for him. After dinner we had a lesson, sang lots of songs, drank hot coco and ate panetone which is nasty but peruvians and Italians LOVE IT. Pandora is good but panetone is like..a fruit cake. iiky. Then we went to midnight mass with the other missionaries and stayed for like 10 minutes because it was creepy when they started chanting and sleep sounded way better than sitting there listening to a priest read prayers out of a book. So then we slept in until....8:30!! hot dang! That is presidents christmas present to us haha. We made FRENCH TOAST and scrambled eggs and hot chocolate and..homemade syrup!! YUMMY! it was an american christmas miracle. Then we went to church and had a billion people come it was crazy. Then after church on christmas day...we went...to our Moldovians members house!! Yay for a russian christmas!! We ate 4 courses of FISH. I ATE ALL OF IT! Even a NASTY oyster and octopus\shrimp salad! I am so proud of me. It was actually pretty good we had this lobster pasta, and then this big ol fish cooked in the oven with potatoes tomatoes and parsley. We taught the restoration to the family members there. It was really good. Then we had an appointment ANNA who is now a progressing amazing investigator who is from Bolivia who fell in love with a missionary in her youth but never got baptized, and now 30 years later couldn't be more prepared and is AWESOME! Then we did some...CHRISTMAS CASA!! HAHA oh man. We sang some christmas hymns at doors....got yelled at...talked to a crazy muslem man who was awesome...hahaha nothing beats christmas casa. SO that was our christmas!! what a good experience. So yesterday was miraculous. We started off with an awesome district meeting. Then went and taught Lucia who told us her life is starting to change for the better and she is happy and we invited her to be baptized and she said YES. We had a spiritual lesson about the atonement. It was incredible, she has this sincere desire to feel the atonement to heal her. Ahh it was incredible. Then we went to teach Kayla and Rosa and Ivano, Ivano just likes listening he hasn't said much, and Kayla and Rosa both will be preparing for baptism for the 21st of January. OOOHH MAN it was so beautiful, they are so HUMBLE and ready!! Kayla is so funny she asks some good questions. And also comes to some funny conclusions like.."well lets say if I don't follow Christ and I go to the Terrestial kingdom but my mom is faithful to the end and goes to the Celestial kingdom, if you say the celestial kingdom is perfect happiness then I guess I will have to be erased from my mom's memory! Becuase she can't be happy if I am not with her!!" We were like..uh...thankgoodness God is perfect and is the judge and everything will be worked out perfectly! She is cute. So we had a half hour left of the day...and I still hadn't placed a Book of Mormon for the day..so we hit the streets. Within 5 minutes we found SULAJ this awesome 21 year old girl we taught in september who went away for work for a few months and is now back! She was sittin by her palazzo talking to a boy. We started teaching the boy hahaha it was a little strange at first I felt like we were interupting a date, but hey eternal life is a little more important, so we started teaching this boy the restoration, bore testimony of the book of mormon, he took it and said he'd read it and is interested in learning more. We asked where he lived and he is like you have already been to my house.....hu? He says his address and it clicked in my head OHHHHH you are the brother of BELEN!!!!! Our former investigator. Sweet! The world is SOO SMALL!!! so now we will continue teaching both of them!! God is SO GREAT He TRULY leads our work, it is incredible!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so thankful. Talking to the fam on Sunday was really great..and I love you all so much..but it also made me realize HOW PRECIOUS my time is here on a mission. This is the ultimate experience. I am literally set apart from the world. Never again will I be able to live like this. Dedicate 100% of my life, time, heart, might, mind, and strength to serving the Lord by serving others and teaching them the Gospel. Just thinking about how blessed I am and how marvelous this work is makes my pulse speed up and my spirit swell. I have changed this week. Heavenly Father has blessed me with a fresh charge of motivation and determination, faith, love and deep appreciation. I love Him and I LOVE my Brother Jesus Christ so much. I am thankful I know Him and can strive to follow His footsteps and partake of His eternal love and happiness. It is filling. LOVE YOU! Make some good new years goals to become better people. LoveSorella Simkins
Sent: Wednesday, January 04, 2012 3:47 AM
Subject: BUON ANNO!
CIAO friends and family.HAPPY NEW YEAR! Let's see...what happened this last week. Thursday we taught a big family from Ecuador. It was a great first lesson, hopefully progress will be happening soon and more miracles. Friday we had a BEAUTIFUL spiritual lesson with Lucia and she bore testimony how she felt the spirit and how she wants to be baptized. She is going to Moldova for 2 weeks and will be baptized when she returns. SO COOL! She is excited to go to church in her own language in Moldova as well. So cool, it is such a HUGE BLESSING to know that the church is the same whereEVER you are!!! Isn't that insane? This really is Jesus Christ's church, who else could keep over 14 million people from every country organized? Such a blessing. Cool miracle Thursday night. So we had invited Erika our new convert to come teach with us for her first time. We were really excited, it is always such a good experience for members especially new converts teaching with the missionaries. So she was almost to where we were meeting her and our lesson calls and says they can't see us tonight. BOOO not a bidone (when a lesson falls through) now! We have Erika on the way!! So we start making phone calls to teach other investigators. And the name Valeria pops in my head, an investigator we taught only ONE Time way back in November. So..I call her! And she answers and says we can come over! Ha sweet! So Erika arrived, we went over no problems, and taught a lesson. OOHH Erika is amazing! Such a great teacher! Bore beautiful spirit. MEMBERS MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE!!! Go teach with the missionaries if you have the chance. Saturday was deep cleaning apartment day ha. Our apartment is new and clean so we cleaned then watched some district and caught up on journal and such. Then...we went to our ward's new years party!! SOO FUN. Good food. 5 Investigators came and tons of potentials. Then they turned up the latino music and all these beautiful Italians and Domenicans and Ecuadorians and Peruvians and El Salvadorians and Africans danced together- Salsa, cumbia, merengue, bachata, AHHH soo beautiful I LOVE IT! Alll I could do was sit on a chair clap my hands and cheer hahaha pathetic. Must obey, no dancing for us missionaries. But all the members were like SISTER you gotta come back after the missionary and dance with us!! Will do. It was a fun festa, we got permission to come home at 11, then at 12 the city blew up I swear. It sounded like a war zone...their idea of fireworks is more like blowing up bombs. Ha it was TERRIFYING! We were out on the balconing..and the fireworks they DO shoot off are..they just shoot off right out the window!! So imagine all these tall apartment buildings..all shooting fireworks out their window..me and sorella nilson were shouting stupify and other spells because it really felt like we were in the middle of a dual. Coolest harry potter new years EVER. Rosa and Keyla are progressing along BEAUTIFULLY. They brought a friend to the lesson last time, yay!!! The friend was like, man FINALLY I get to meet you guys, keyla never stops talking about you missionaries and the church! It is really special those small moments where I realize I was called to Italy to teach these specific people, that I have created eternal bonds with these people who I love. Ah why doesn't everyone go on a mission. Yesterday morning we went and visited one of our investigators Fatou who we haven't seen for a while. BEAUTIFUL lady, 3 kids, from Senegal. We were just small talking and were like how's your husband? She just gets this depressed look in her eyes...she is like did I tell you? Tell us what...He has married another wife. He is with her today. HEART WRENCHING. I am just like..WHAT?? Are you kidding me? She says no..that is acceptable in our culture and religion. You see..I am here taking care of the kids.. and my husband wants to have fun and enjoy himself..so he founnd a new woman and made her his wife. I could have started to cry right there. This beautiful woman, with her kids playing on the floor, the oldest one has some sort of aggressive autism, 2 are babies, then 4 other kids running that she is taking care of while her sister is in the hospital for a few weeks...And her husband off with this other woman. She is one of the strongest most patient person I have met, I just can't even imagine what is would be like to live her life. I pray as we start to teach her next week she will accept Christ. She needs the gospel. I am so thankful that through the atonement of Christ ALL unjustice in the world will be made just. I AM SO THANKFUL! Such HOPE it gives us!! It really humbles me. Another good spiritual moment this week. When we were teaching that big new Ecuadorian family the restoration..the spirit confirmed so strongly to my heart....how much Heavenly Father loves us. The restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ and His true church is an act of pure love from our Heavenly Father. We had some amazing talks on Sunday about not making compromises with the world, PUT GOD FIRST in your life. And the second one was about goal setting. I really hope you will all humbly search the will of the Lord for what He will have you do this new year. LOVE YOU! LoveSorella Simkins
Sent: Wednesday, January 11, 2012 3:48 AM
Subject: "If you eat your carrots your eyes will turn blue."
That is what Ecuadorian mothers tell their little kids to make them eat their veggies. Haaaa. HELLO! How are you all doing? January...what a month. Are you dying in inversion? Hope not. It was nice here, pretty brisk, jackets and scarfs still needed. Another amazing week has passed. We are SO BUSY. SOOO BUSY. THERE IS SO MUCH work to be done!! AHHH! We are jam packed with appointments everysingle day. And on the bus between our appointments we are always finding MORE PEOPLE that are interested. It is out of control. This new year has just softened so many hearts, I don't know..giving people motivation to figure out their lives or something. On church Sunday...WOW, at least 10 investigators, and billions of less actives coming back. We were FULL! So us missionaries are running around like locos just trying to greet everyone, make appointments, jump on these opportunities to teach these people and strengthen these who are coming back. I was just thinking to myself the other day....man we don't have enough time! We could use another couple of missionaries here! And as my thoughts kept going...I was just like hmm. How do we maximize this work and turn it into lots and lots of baptisms. I don't think it is a matter of bringing another couple here. I think it is a matter of us becoming better missionaries. Just REALLY taking the work to the next level. Shorter more powerful lessons, really on top of our planning, studying, and preparing, fine tuning ourselves to the spirit to receive complete direction and guidance from the Lord, more inspired prioritizing.....ahh! the potential is just screaming. I am grateful this is the Lord's work, and that it is perfect, I am sorry that I His servant am so imperfect. But..He knows that..so I will just keep striving for my best. Any advice would be much appreciated! Quick update on a few amazing people- Keyla and Rosa are just gliding along in preparation for baptism the 21st. They are the kind of investigators all the members are like.."I feel lik they have been members for years! I feel like we have been friends our whole lives!" SOOo beautiful, we rae finding our brothers and sisters and bringing them home! No greater joy. Cool miracle. Friday night, 8 o clock. One more hour left, no lessons planned, dead tired and body aching. We get on our knees, pray for some guidance for the last hour and a new investigator. We walk out...God is so merciful and so great. Directly in front of our apartment door there is a bench. And a lady was sitting on it. We immediately start talking to her and sit down. Turns out she has family members who are members of the church. We teach her the restoration. She is just golden and so interested. Ah it was amazing! I just walk away wanting to laugh like..are you kidding? Heavenly Father just spoils us, home delivered investigators. Guess who we are teaching now? Maribels BROTHER! hahahaha isn't she so cool? Husband, children, childrens family, now brother! He said the prayer and started crying! He opens his eyes and so sincere he is like my whole body is on fire! Then we taught him the plan of salvation yesterday and after teaching and bearing testimony about the atonement I say...Sergio..how do you feel knowing you can be completely liberated from every error you have ever done? He just looked down and started crying crying crying. Such sacred moments happen daily on a mission.Very out of time! I love you! I love being a missionary! THE TRUTH has been restored, this is Jesus's Church!My invite for you this week. The other day we were in a lesson with a recent convert family. The dad wants to return to Ecuador, his heart is set on it. The mom doesn't want to, her family is passed away or living in other countries. We are all full of wants and wishes, we have our minds and hearts set on the things that we see fit for us and our lives. BUT! The question is..what does God want? What are His wants and wishes for us? What does He see fit for us and our lives? Evaluate your wants and wishes. Don't pray to change God's will, but instead seek it. LOVE YOU! LoveSorella Simkins
Sent: Wednesday, January 18, 2012 3:38 AM
Subject: Few minutes
Until this computer signs me out. SORRY! NO TIME! ahhh so sad because
there are so many amazing things to tell you. But I spent a lot of
time reading emails today.ahhh.
I love you and am so happy to hear you are all doing so well.
Keyla and Rosa are getting baptized on Saturday. They are amazing
people I wish you could all meet them. I can barley believe we started
teaching them a month ago. Did I tell you we found Keyla on the bus
one night? It is so important to talk to EVERYONE! Saturday night we
were going over the baptism interview questions and Keyla was like I
am not sure if I will be ready to be interviewed tomorrow. We said
don't worry, whenever you feel ready, keep praying and reading, God
will answer you. So on Sunday Rosa and I walked out of Relief Society
after church was over, Rosa was going to go have her interview. And
Keyla comes out of young womans- "Sorella! Can I do my baptism
interview today too? I am ready! I got my answer during class." I just
got the biggest smile on my face and hugged her. OF COURSE! They are
all ready for Saturday!! It'll be at 6:30, you are all invited.
Work is going strong. SO. MUCH. TO. DO! And I realized why. My
companion faithfully asks God in every prayer to "riversare il tuo
Spirito su questa cità di Genova" To..pour out His spirit on the city
of Genova. And I testify, He really has. He has poured out His spirit
on this city. People's hearts are softened, minds are ready,
motivation and desire are being blessed upon them! SO MUCH TO DO! So
little time. Especially if I get transfered next week. The ward is
incredible, monday we had a 3 family fhe and the spirit was just
burning. It is really powerful meeting with these saints. Our
testimonies strengthened and faith reinforced.
Whelp. more details next week.
I am thankful.
Live the gospel.
Love
SOrella Simkins
BLESSINGS
Jan 25
So many BLESSINGS I might be the most blessed sorella I know. This week has been JAM PACKED with goodness and joy. Last Thursday we had a conference in Milano with Elder Caussè from the 70. MAN it was out of control. He was speaking 100% scripture, every word was inspired, my whole entire being was being filled up with spirit, knowledge, inspiration, and revelation. My notes are a mile long and everytime I try to sum them up and pick a few major points to focus on I end up writing another full page of points ha. It answered all my questions and gave me such a clear vision of how the take this work up to another level. This is the Lords work after all, there are no limits. AHh I wish I could just share with you everything I learned. I just feel completely determined to consecrate my whole self for the rest of my LIFE to the Lord. "This day is for Thee, Father" my new motto. OOOHh so blessed.
Saturday BAPTISM!! WORDS cannot DESCRIBE, seriously, they can't. Keyla and Rosa are SO ELECT, we found them a month ago, and this weekend were reborn! The ordinance was sacred, hearts were touched, the best part was at the end of the ceremony when Rosa went in front of everyone and bore her testimony, and then keyla for 20 minutes bore hers. My cheeks were KILLING and my whole face was burning red because I had permismile and overwhelmed with the spirit. I looked around and members and non member were just crying! All baptisms are amazing, but I feel like every one just keeps getting more special. They are so unique, the spirit is always strong...but unique.. can't explain it, something you gotta try. Really though, It was a spirit so strong that it takes away your words and leaves you still. When I got home I just layed on my bed and felt like I was floating 5 feel above the ground, my body just softly buzzing with joy gratitude spirit happiness etc. OOOHh I love them! Sunday there were bus problems so they were a little late to sacrament, so they will be getting confirmed next Sunday which is fine, another week of preparation. They are awesome. Too bad that........I won't be able to see it.. exSorella Ryan if you are reading this..you will never guess where I am getting transfered...HA. Weekend before transfers is always nuts. No idea what is going to happen trying your best to stay 100 percent focused but everyones asking you and ahh the anticipation. President called us monday, our apartment of 4 sorelle who have been together for the last 3 transfers and just turns us all upside down! Sorella Nilson is going to Verona, Sorella Bowman will stay in Genova with a companion that she has already had before, and my dear Sorella Silva will also be staying in Genova with Sorella Modugno a way sweet sister from Rome. And I will be going to RIMINI! HAHAHAHAHAHhahahahahahaha. I laugh because I can just hear Sorella Ryan saying NO WAY! I don't know if there have ever been sisters in Rimini, but I am PUMPED! I will be going with Sorella Arume, my beautiful hawaiian pal from the MTC. You should all take a second and google Rimini. I am going coast to coast, tourist hot spot in north Italy, RIGHT on the beach, I have heard it is just beautiful, and I will see for myself tomorrow. The work is awesome there, the elders there now are excellent, but I guess the Lord needs some sorelle. I am so excited and so motivated. But these last two days we had lessons with Erika Jorge and Maribel and Nicole and Keyla and Rosa...so sad. Tears everywhere. How can I love these people so much?? I can't believe how much the Lord is blesses. I am so blessed to been able to serve with Sorella Silva for 4 and a half months. I am so blessed to have been given this chance to meet so many incredible people here in Genova, to grow to love them, and to be taught and served by them. Their testimonies have totally strengthened mine, and their examples have shaped me and definitely given me insight on the person I want to become. For example I don't remember if I wrote this before but I thought it was so cool on a Friday night we were on our way to the bus stop and guess who was sitting on the bench waiting for the bus? Brother and sister De Paz holding hands. We asked what they were doing, they replied Date night!! Oooo cute I thought, what fun things will they do, gelato? Pizza? Take a walk around the city? I asked, they replied- We are going to go try and visit the Coos Family and Aldolfo Family (two less active families in the ward). I thought wow. Date night searching and visiting less actives. So cool, they are my heros. This and thousands of more Christlike examples of these wonderful people have changed me!! I AM BLESSED! And I can't even imagine what miracles are in store. Oh, and it has been pretty cool to have for a transfer Anziano Dunshee from Bountiful as my district leader, did I tell you that before? ha small world. and for all his friends and family, know that he is a super missionary and has reallly blessed this ward and these people! I want you all to know that the Lord is leading this work, and that you are all invited to be a part of it. Heavenly Father just needs your faith and your hearts. I know He lives. I know Christ lives. I love the Book of Mormon and know it's power. This church is true. I love you! LoveSorella Simkins
SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER 2011
Sent: Wednesday, October 26, 2011 9:06 AM
Subject: FAMILIA y AMIGOS
HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII couldn't even SLEEP last night because I was so excited to tell you all about the incredible things going on here in GENOVA. But then for Pday we went to this huge outdoor market at spent almost all day there and we have an appointment in like a half hour so...I don't have time! boo. I will do my best. Which is hard because really most these things I just feel like I can't even explain them with words. They are just feelings. How do you describe pure joy? This is how I describe pure joy.So yesterday we had interviews. Its kinda an all afternoon event, we learn lots of lessons while on by one the missionaries are interviewed. Well we were watching this little missionary clip and I just lost it. I was just BOMBED with the spirit. Brothers and Sisters. This work is REAL. In my first few transfers I caught myself thinking once in a whie..."is this just big game? I feel like I am just in a big game." Ha I knew it wasn't but sometims it all just felt pretend. OOOoh man though. Yesterday it hit me like a train the reality of this work, the great and marvelous work of the Lord. It is HUGE. The Lord has been preparing these people their WHOLE LIVES to accept His Son Jesus and His gospel. Preparing them to receive BLESSINGs upon blessings upon blessings- temporal, spiritual, and eternal. It was a beautiful sacred experience that I will never forget. I am humbled and so grateful. It is meraviglioso. Let me tell you a little (more) about Maribel because I am pretty sure I talked about her last time. Her daughter is Nicole who was baptized a few weeks ago. The faith of this mother is just mind blowing. Monday we had a family home evening with them, and the wwwwwwhhhooollllleeeeeee family was tHere. We ate delicious food made by the oldest daughter who is in chef school right now she is sooo sweet. Then we taught them about fhe and how you do fhe. we taught them the hymn families can be together forever one of my favoritest hymns and we all sang it together. Then we taught the restoration and it was soo spiritual and so good. We were super late so we grabbed the oldest daughters number and the brothers number and were out. So then yesterday we called her oldest daughter who wanted NOTHING to do with us just weeks ago but now is our best friend. We will be teaching her and her boyfriend and her son Thursday, they were so excited. Right after we hung up and called maribel's brother who was also at the fhe. We will be teaching him Satuday, he was stoked!. After we hung up we called Giuseppe, Maribel's husband to ask if he's be interested in having the lessons with us. He said VA BENE Sorelle, of COURSE! We will be teaching him tomorow. I jsut can't even believe this! This beautiful woman maribel, completely inactive fore YEARS, comes back to church, starts reading the book of mormon, receives a rock solid testimony of the truth, and with her FAITH her UNWAVERING FAITh she is bringing her whole family to God. Husband, two daughters, daughters family, brother, even her ex husband was at the dinner heis a member inactive as well coming back. Soo amazing and I am just blessed otu of my mind to be able to know these people. AHHHH!Whelp times up. Lesson time.Love you all!!!! Happy Halloween! LoveSorella Simkins
Sent: Wednesday, October 19, 2011 3:44 AM
Subject: hiiiiiiii
Mamma mia too much has happened last week my brain hurts just trying to think about it. So many great THINGS! Gotta flip open my agenda real fast. Ahheem.It is so beautiful living in a country where most the members are 1 generation converts. It is such a blessing. I get to hear the most amazing miraculous conversion stories from each of these members each day! This lady in our ward is my hero. She was baptized in her late teens and went on a mission in Peru, absolutely no support from anyone. She loves to talk and I wanted to hear her whole life story so she told me. Fast version: She was dating a returned missionary, had a dream that he was not the one for her, he convinced her anyways that she was the right one for him, they got married, hard hard life he cheated on her then promised he'd change and wanted to start over a new life that they'd come here to Italy and work and be happy and righteous but that didn't happen, they came her, and yeah lots of stuff happened. So this beautiful strong young mom with three kids never shook in her faith. She had a strong relationship with the Lord and was determined to heal her kids and raise them right. She taught them to build close intimate relationships with the Lord, to ask and seek and receive his guidance. She the two older children are both serving missions right now, and the youngest one comes to teach with us often and is as solid as a rock, she is incredible. I just love this woman, she is incredible! I am so humbled by these people who have been through SO MUCH but never let their faith waver. Never! This woman is happy, strong, steady, and wise. She has been richly blessed spiritually and temporally. Why? Because she is living the Gospel. She is obeying the commandments. She is F A I T H F U L. Ahh when I was in Milan I was sure I never wanted to leave that city, I would be happy there my whole mission! Now I can't even imagine who I would be if I hadn't had the chance to meet the incredible people I have met here!! I love them, they are my family. They have changed my life. This weekend NICOLE got BAPTIZED! It was beautiful, she is such a stunning young woman. OH man I forgot my camera cord I was going to send pictures. Next week!! Anyways she is 13 and the baptism was just beautiful. Her real dad came who was baptized yeaaarrrsss ago. It was his first time in a church for a real long time. Her sister who had quite the hard heart came as well and was touched. It was so beautiful. Nicole’s friends came. And after we were kinda talking to them, all these bitty 13 year olds, a few were kinda interested about learning more but for the most part they were just naa. In my head I am like oh man I hope they won't make Nicole feel bad or make her feel unsure. HA silly me for doubting. Nicole is solid. She just told them straight up this is the true church, I know it. One of our other investigators came, we had a lesson earlier that day, the baptism Sat night, then Sunday she came to all three hours of church. SHE IS AWESOME. We have a baptism date set for the 30th, pray for her! She has been through a lot, but she is one of these beautiful people that I feel like I was sent here to find and teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I love her deeply and we have a really strong connection. It just brings me joy, pure joy. This work is so real, the plan of God is so real and so big. Ahh it is so great. Then I went on scambio in.....TORINO!!! Ahh joy! I felt like I was in Salt Lake, it was cold and wintery, no snow yet, but the mountains are pretty and it just had that ski town feel to it. I was in heaven. OOH MAN I LOVE SKIING SO MUCH ha sorry I can't wait to do that again one day. Anyways Tornio was beautiful. AND I was on BIKE! Ahha I loveee being on bike. I really hope to serve in a biking city before my mission is up. It was exhilarating. SO peaceful, beautiful, blood flowing, fresh air..ahh definitely a big fan of the bike. We saw MIRACLES! I was with sorella alexander for 2 days, I learned soo much. She goes home in three weeks so it was weird talking about worldish things with her, ahh scary, but I learned a lot of great things from her and about her mission and just picked up on some things I like that she does when she teaches. Scambios are the best, I am all for exchanges. We learn so much from each other and for the work and for ourselves. We taught amazing people, found some amazing people doing street contacting and park, and really saw miracles. YAY!Now I am back here in lovely GENOVA! We might go to the aquarium today....it is the biggest one in Europe I hear.. Cool! Genova is so pretty!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And WAY warmer than Torino.One more little learning experience. So sunday, before our exchange we were rushing around teaching doing last minute stuff before we had to go to the station and switch companions. On our way there the thought came to my mind, give sorella silva the cellphone, don't forget to give her the phone. And I thought back to that thought, I will when we get there, no worries. Just give it to her now was the response. She was standing a few yards away on the bus..Na I thought I will give it to her right when we get there. And went on thinking other things. We get there, the sisters are waiting for us, hugs, and HURRY we gotta catch our train back to Torino, says sorella alexander to me. So we say goodbye and rush off, get on our train, and are off. 2 minutes in...ahhh shoot. I have the phone in my pocket. Lesson: the Holy Ghost really does guide us. Warn us. The Holy Ghost TALKS TO US. The Holy Ghost told me clearly and simply, give the phone to your companion, not a drastic life threatening warning, just a sweet little prompting. So often we get those little suggestions and our OWN reasoning and logic just fires something back, ignores, justifies, or makes some excuse. One of my GREATEST desires for a long time now has been to be able to truly recognize and follow the guidance of the Spirit. And I learned this week that even those tiny little thoughts that pop into our head are from the Spirit and that I need to act upon them! What a huge HUGE blessing Heavenly Father has given us, the gift of the Holy Ghost. Our personal, all knowing GUIDE. WOW it is incredible!!!! SOO COOL! And so important that we live worthy of it in all times and in all places. And learn to follow. Not something I can master right way, but piano piano, I am working at it! I love you all! THANK you so much for all your prayers, I FEEL THEM. You are amazing. LoveSorella Simkins
Sent: Wednesday, October 12, 2011 3:54 AM
Subject: un'altra settimana. so much to do so little time.
ALO!OHhh man I am super out of time I don't know where this hour went. Looks like it will be another quick update. GENOVA IS GREAT. Such beautiful fall weather. Kinda chilly!! I'm gonna need to buy some warmer clothes. Or just gain more weight, that'll keep me warm. Everyone loves a chubby sister missionary, right?? :) HOW IS EVERYONE? What is everyone up to in the states? Send me some updates yeah!! YAY HERMANA MARSHALL going to SPAIN and my cousin Elder FIFE in Colombia is amazing!! Any other missionary news out there? OH BY THE WAY I don't think Talia Cont..(whats her last name, cant remember) or Lori Truman get these emails but Brooke will you let them know that some Elders when to Cinque Terre for Pday and took a picture of their message they wrote on the wall there! They wrote UTAH STATE and their names and a heart and stuff so the Elder took a picture, and he knew I went to Utah State so he showed me the picture and was like do you know these names!? I was just like HEEEY cool! I do know them!! So did they all travel to Italy this last summer? For what, just for fun? That is sweet!! Hope they had fun!! Tell them to write me an email! Thanks. ha anywhoo. My spanish is coming along horribly. I really want to learn. And with a peruvian comp I really should. I just can't seem to force her into listening to my 10-word-vocabulary spanish. Mannnnnagia. Nicole is getting baptized SATURDAY! She is sooo great. Teaching youth is the best EVERY they are so smart they just understand everything. We taught her the word of wisdom and law of chastity yesterday. Two of my favorite lessons, seriously. Those laws are so beautiful. So sacred. So divine. Ahh I love them so much and am so thankful we have them. We are blessed! We are teaching this sweeeeet girl from Capo Verde (eeeerr I don't remember what that is in english? Is it the same? It is in Africa..) Anyways she is SWEET! 22. Soo awesome I love her so much. We just taught her for the first time yesterday and it went so well. We are teaching another miracle named Agata who is incredible. I just love these people so much. It is such a blessing to see them progress in the GOSPEL and see their lives changggeeee mamma mia. The gospel is so TRUE! The best thing about Agata is that she has the DESIRE. Just this burning massive desire to feel the spirit to feel God's love and to be liberated from some ugly feelings she's had mixin around inside for years. And this just makes me so happy because I know without a doubt that this sincere desire she has will lead to some huge miracles right before her eyes, and some big changes in her life, because I know God loves her and is listening to her prayers and will respond. I knooww it. Ahh I can't wait. Whelp, really. Everything is going great here in Ecuador. I can't believe how fast the time is flying, it is terrifying. Weeks pass in blinks. Seriously, I look back and what happened this last week, all that I went through, all the experiences, all the highs, all the lows, all the everythings and I am just shocked. How is this possible? What time zone am I LIVING IN? AHHH! YIKES! LOVE YOU ALL!SOOoo MUCH!read your scriptures! love,sorella simkins
Sent: Wednesday, October 05, 2011 3:28 AM
Subject: Ohhhh MY! BUONGIORNO!!
Man isn't it soo cool that I am on the coast of Italy, teaching people the restored gospel, serving the Lord in His marvelous work? SO blessed.Genova is beautiful. It is still sunny warm here. We had a lesson like 30 minutes away yesterday and we just cruised up the coast on a bus. I was just in awe the whole time. Beautiful beautiful beautiful. People are still swimming in the sea, laying out on the beach. But surprisingly I didn't even have an ounce of jealousy or yearning. I am the luckiest person in the world to be doing what I am doing.
CONFERENZA GENERALE! Fantasticà! But...seriously...you just can't translate President Uchtdorf into Italian. It just doesn't work. I can't wait to get my hands on the conf ensign next month in english. We didn't get to see the last session sunday because it was 10 to midnight or something. Can't wait to read it. We had 4 investigators come! It was sweet! This week has just been completely out of control with miracles. We have been LEAD by the spirit. One evening we had 2 hours until we had to be in and no lessons planned. We started out, planning on going to pass by Edith, a contact we met early. It was a good plan, we knew she would be home, we even had an english book of Mormon with us because she is from Nigeria and Nigerians speak english. We get going..and I just get this sick feeling in my stomach. I think "ok..this is either hunger. Or anxiety because there are billions of people on this street and I am going to start talking to as many as I can. Or it is a sign that this isn't what we should be doing." We kept walking, I kept debating, then just turned to my comp and said this doesn't feel right, lets go this way. So we head up this alley, say a prayer, head back in the opposite direction. We immediately run into two people we taught in the park earlier that week, talked to them, it was great, reminded them about conference, they came the next day. Miracle two, we kept walking, and we were like..lets go to Maria's palazzo and do casa there. We are walking there walking past several palazzi and a thought comes into my head, walk into the next palazzo with it's door open. We walk past the next apartment, and a lady is just leaving. We turn and head right in. Go to the top floor, start doing casa, buzzing doors. First 5 doors we teach lessons, 3 or which with follow up appointments. Whaaaaaaaaaaatt???????????? HUGE miracles. HUGE! We would have never founds those people! MIRACLES! Ahh I only have 5 more minutes then my session is up. One more miracle, yesterday we taught this 13 year old and her family her mom is a less active who just came back to church so we are teaching here, and after invite her to baptism, she says yes because she really wants to follow Christ. She says the closing prayer and just starts bawling because the spirit hits her so hard. it was such a spiritual experience that I was able to witness, I am so thankful! Pray for Nicol, she is getting baptized in a few weeks!!! LOVE YOU SO MUCH!lovesorella simkins HOLA HERMANA KIME! you are so cool. did you know that my peruvian companion is AWESOME? I love her and I love peru. Papa alla huancaina ( I don't know how to spell that, but have you eatten it? it is delicious)love you!
Sent: Wednesday, September 28, 2011 4:20 AM
Subject: YAY!
HI! Well, I thought I was getting transfered to Genova, but instead I got transfered to Ecuador. Seriously it is nuts! I don't feel like I am in Italy, besides the tastey Faccacia and Pesto. Genova is absolutly gorgeous. It is a serious of little towns along the coast line, with TALL colorful, rustic, old palazzi (apartmets) all bunched together, windy, hilly, uneven streets, markets everywhere, landry hanging out of every window, and people walking everywhere! Open, friendly, ready for the gospel, Ecuadorian people! YAY! AND OH MY....the SUNSETS...I about throw up every evening looking at the sunset it is so beautiful. There are few things in life that give me that 'its so beautiful I almost feel sick feeling in this world', and sunsets are one of them. Gorgeous skys. Ahhh gorgeous. My companion is Sorella Silva! She is from PERU! She is 33 years old and a champion. SWEET! We speak noo english. My goal for this transfer is to LEARN SPANISH but everytime I ask my comp a spanish question its like I am asking her to wash my feet or something, I don't know why but I get the feeling she does not want to teach me spanish. Pazienza, I still study spanish during my language study, I need to get a good verb book or somfin. She is a great missionary though. Super bold, a great teacher, I really do love her. I have a lot to learn from her. So we got to Genova. Both have never been here before. We have a new apartment with like nothing inside, so it has been kinda crazy trying to collect our needs. The apartment is beauiful, right off the main street. and holy cow the miracles we have already seen. Out of control! Our second day we had a whole day just OPEN not one appointment obviously because we know no one! We go out our apartment, turn the corner, start talking with every moving thing in site. We get contacts left and RIGHT I filled up like 2 pages with numbers and people intersted! Families, youth, elderly, I couldn't believe it! We taught several lessons to several people in several different settings. Just like missionaries in the bom, we teach them EVERYONE on buses, in the parks, on the streets, in the stores, in their houses, on the stairs..it doesn't matter. Teach teach teach. So the next day we decided to go find the church. Are a little lost, I just stoppd the first person walking by, an Italian lady, 45 or so. Hey can you point us to via confalonieri? She says I don't know where that is. Oh ok.. thanks anyways! We are missionaries new her, looking for our church! She goes oh I know where your church is! It is new, I saw them fixing it up a while back. So she takes us down the street to our church, we have a nice convo, I ask if she has ever been inside, she says no, so we give her a little tour, invite her to church the next day, she doesn't seem like super intersted but was nice, and she left. Anyways, the church is soo sweet, so beautiful, it is nothing you can imagine ahha I can't even explain it. Our churches here in Italy are sweet. Nothing like the big brick chapels covering utah. This church is yellow. Tall and skinny. 2 floors. Really skinny and goes back far. Ha it is so funny but so beautiful, and has the same spirit as any other church. The baptismal font is beautiful, can't wait to use it!!! So we head out and start finding again, find a billion people, it is Saturday night so we are just inviting people to church like crazies. Oh man really I haven't experienced anything quite like it, the finding work we do here. Just talk to everyone in sight, no fear. My comp just gets right to the point, just dives right in with these people its funny man I love my comp I wish you could meet her she is so funny. But I am just blown away how many people we have met and taught already. It was like a big WELCOME gift from Heavenly Father. Miracles everywhere. So amazing. Even doing casa we have gotten in like 5 times which really is a miracle. So church the next day. Amazing members. FAMILIES. I am in a family ward, complete families, moms, dads, KIDS, it is weird I was just so joyed (made up word?) to see these complete, eternal families. Ah beautiful. A beautiful ward. And guess who comes to Church? Italian lady that showed us the church! Guess who else? Maria from Columbia we met the night before. I forgot to tell you, on the train ride to Genova I was pondering how my comp and I could open up this city with a BOOM and my goal was to bring one person to church, I was determined, to show the ward that we mean business! Sat night no one gave a clear commitment they would come. So...I was like ok..we did our best! And God provided. 2 people came!! So sweet. We have taught maria this week. You know want to know my absolute FAVORITE thing about being a missionary? Seriously..I think it is my number one favorite thing. I might have already mentioned it. It is people's first prayers (first prayer doing the prayer they way we do it). oooohh my heart. The simplest, most sincere, little prayers. So beautiful. But such HUGE TESTIMONIES TO ME OF HOW MUCH HEAVENLY FATHER LOVES HIS CHILDREN! Ha cap lock went on and I just left it on for that sentence. Really though. I can't even count how many times i have seen these beautiful people in tears by the end of their first prayer. The Lord just DUMPS His loving spirit on them, and I am honored to hear, feel, and see it. I see the windows of Heaven open before my eyes. Maria's prayer was two sentences literally, but she cried. Heavely Father loves them so much and we see it. He is sooo happy when they talk to Him. Man, He loves them SO much, how does He do it. Incredible. I am happy to be her in Genova. I really gotta send you pictures, it is beautiful. Famous for Christopher Columbus's house, the aquarium, Focaccia, and Pesto. Yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmm PESTO oh my mouth is watering. So tastey. Well gota go. LOVE YOU!! LoveSorella Simkins OH YES my address. Via Cantore 4116149 GenovaItalia WRITE ME! But...packages are risky FYI.. they get lost, stolen, never arrive. KENNY YAY I got your email. What is your address so I can write you backkk? You can email me I just am not supposed to email back. Keep sending me updates! You are SO COOL! Kenny can you forward this to Jen's missionary address, or send me her address or something so I can write her? Thanksss I love you so much!!
Sent: Wednesday, September 21, 2011 3:35 AM
Subject: HOLA HI EVERYONE!
oh my gash this week has been CRAZY! The craziest ever. Biggest rollar coaster ride of my life, I have bad whiplash. I will just dive in.
a) dinner with Saba from Ethiopia. HAHAHA what the world, just thinking about it makes me cry laughing. I don't even know where this lady came from, we just met her at a bus stop one day in the middle of no where and she invited us over for dinner. (this keyboard is pretty nasty so my punctuation and capitolizing is going to be pretty bad sorry.) so, a week or so later, we went over to dinner. it took us forever to get there. we miraculously found a book of mormon in her language which was swweeeeet, our book of mormon library has tonsss of languages and she speaks, man I don't even remember what it is called... amaric or something boh I don't remember. anyways so we head out to the boonies. we get inside and sit down and she just sits down and stares at us...we try making some small talk but she speaks very little Italian and very little English. Haha oh man...if someone just filmed the daily life as a missionary they would laugh sooo hard at all the hilarious situations we find ourselves in. so sheis just staring at us..we are asking some pretty basic questions to get to know her and try to talk..she just says yeh to like every question.. ha ok... so then we sit at the table and she brings out the food she cooked, which wasn't bad actually, real good. she puts in this dvd from her african evangelistic church I am just praying oh no. Luckly, she couldn't find the play button on her remote, so it just stayed at the menu screen while we ate haha. when I offered the opening prayer after every sentence I said she shouted AMEN. AMEN. AMEN. AMEN. hahahahaa. after din we start into a lesson, teaching her about the book of mormon. hahahah oh man just thinking about it kills me. she was like GASPING when we started telling her about Lehi and his family and their story. I honestly don't know how much she was understanding, but she was gasping and saying YEH! lots so...hmm. So we are kind of just awkwardly going along..and then at the end it was so weird all a sudden it was just like her heart turned to stone! She looked at her bible and was like I NOOO CHANGE NEVER NO CHANGE EVER BIBLE STOP, BIBLE STOP, ONE GESU ONE GESU. we were just smiling...bearing testimony, and somehow wrapped up the lesson nicely. we invited her to say the closing prayer haha oops. My comp and I bow our heads. she stood up, held out her arms, and starts chanting and screaming halelujia then more chanting then a big HALELUJIA and more chanting and more halelujias. OH man I was using all my force not to burst. I was not expecting that it was hilarious. Then she walked us to the bus stop:) good ol' Saba.
b)next day, was NOT one of my most favorite days on the mission. Oh boy..our poor new converts and member are being BOMBED by the adversary. I don't know whatin the world happened but all a sudden they are all just facing huggee problems!!! We spent the whole day lesson to lesson hearing the heart renching problems they were giong through. I exaggerate not, we are on the fronts of the battle field. My heart just sunk to the bottom of the pits. By the end of the day I just slumped into my apartment dead and depressed. How do therapists DO IT? Holy smokes. The problems these people are facing are real, and they are painful. they are destructive. The ONLY LIFE LINE IS JESUS CHRIST. Ahh faith faith faith, where is your faith. Live the gospel. Keep the commandments. In this there is safety in this their is peace. It is as simple as that. There aren't any exceptions, there aren't. TRULY living the gospel is the only escape. For myself included! I was not. good. that night. but I testify that the atonement is real, and that it heals all the broken. So when Sunday rolled, during church and after, I was feelin really good. Then we went to visit some less actives. which reminds me, ANYONE who has served in the PHILIPPEANS please email me. I have a few questions about these amazing people and their culture, thanks:) Then monday came (day before transfer calls, tuesday night) We are in the middle of studies and the phone rings. It is president Wolfgramm. If you get a call from President the day before, it means somethin exciting is going on. And yes, I did receive some exciting news! I am going to....dm dum dum....GENOVA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HAhahahaha. I am super excited. I am opening up Genova to Sisters with Sorella Silva from Peru!!! SWEET!!! My transfer goal (among many) LEARN SPANISH. I will learn spanish. I am determined. Anyways, I am super excited.I love Milano with allllll of my heart, but their comes a time when you know a little too much about the people and a fresh pair of eyes and perspective is really needed. Sorella Sloan and Sorella Baker will work miracles, which are already in full swing. Which brings me to c.
c) We have INCREDIBLE investigators right now! What in the world, how do we find these people! Margoth, 29, we have seen only 3 times. OH MAN she is just out of this world. Our first lesson was jsut a pure lesson on hope and our Savior because she was really down in the dumps. Our next lesson shewas alreayd changed. She hasn't prayed in years and is praying. We left her the Moroni promise in Moroni 10:3-5 and the introduction to read after our last lesson, we got there yesterday, started following up on the reading...and she is like well I thought I would need to understand better this moroni so I read the whole book. I really like the part about babies not needing to be baptized. I also thought it was really interesting how Moroni appeared to Joseph several time preparing him to get the gold plates. I also really like Nephi, how he is so faithful in following the Lord and his father and is about to go back to Jerusalem to get those other plates. HAHA my companion and I's jaws were on the floor. SHE READ A TON. Ahhh you would be SUPRPISED at how much this shocks people, when people actually READ and UNDERSTAND. you would think that would be an obvious simple thing that everyone did but NO it is like pulling TEETH sometimes trying to get people to read the Book that changes LIVES. So we were just exstatic. Margoth is AWESOME. We had a really good lesson yesterday, and yesterday she called me and was like...where were we reading about the plan of salvation today, I want to read more! Ohh I love her. Giovanna, also from Peru. Just incredible. We had our second lesson with her, and she just wants to follow Christ. She set her baptism date for October 15th. Mariella, an Italian who studied with missionaries like 30 years ago, awesome. She is getting an opporation and will be home all day everyday for like a month, like..she cannot leave the house. mwaahahah. a missionaries most favorite news. She is awesome. William and Giulia, had our first lesson with them yesterday...oh my the mom Giulia..just blew my mind. She is SHARP! I was just laughing with amazement at how well the Lord has prepared her, it is unreal. Her and her son William will be baptized next transfer. I kid you not. The work here in Milano is just exploding. It is unreal, we are overjoyed. I can't wait to see these same miracles in Genova, I have no doubt that they await us. It is exciting, the thoughts of opening up a city..who knows what challenges await, but I'm pumped.
Well, that is enough news for now! I can think of a million other funny, spiritual, awesome, sad things to tell, but this will have to do.
Missions are out of control.
I love you.
LOVE
SORELLA Simkins
Sent: Wednesday, September 14, 2011 4:00 AM
Subject: Another beautiful week CIAOOOO TUTTI
Come vaaa? Hows the weather there in ol Utah? Here we are melting still. HOT. But beautiful. This morning my companion and I went on a culture run! We ran to the Duomo and back, it was beaauutttiiifffuuulll and so peaceful. I love running in the morning. I am scared for the day when I get a companion who won't run with me. eek.
Ahh what a beautiful week this was! We started it out with a GREAT scambio, where I was able to go to the beautiful city of Bergamo with Sorella Mcfadden for the day. Scambio's are so effective, and needed, and good for missionaries. It was good for me to get out of Milan for a sec and get some new perspective and a recharge of new faith and spirit for the work going on here. Getting to know and talk to Sorella Mcfadden was a really good experience too. Again, I just am so thankful and so amazing how the REAL the gospel has become to me. ALIVE. The gospel is life. I will put it as simple as I can.
We are here to BE HAPPY. (2N2:25)
For us to BE HAPPY, God gave us the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is His PLAN OF HAPPINESS for us, His children.
Satan wan't us to be UNHAPPY. He will do all he can to make us unhappy.
So I guess you just need to ask yourself..are you happy? Whose plan are you living?
So yeah, scambio went really well. Got back and just had a week full of miracles with Sorella Sloan. Next week is transfers scary. I might be leaving my home here in Milan. Ahh there are such great things happening here though so I don't know how I feel about that, but I know where ever I go God's work will be happening so I'll do what I gotta do! Our Ecuadorian family is great, slowly growing their faith and making their way to Salvation. Our beautiful friend Grace from Ghana disappeared, sad! It is CRAZY how that happens on the mission sometimes. You find the coolest person ever, just super prepared and ready to accept the fulness of the gospel, then poof they are gone. What! We have found SOLID incredible investigators this week though. HOLY COW I just can't believe it thinking about it. One lady we found on the Metro, made an appointment, and went to teach her a few days later. She is soo sincere, just such a sweet lady, so genuine. When we were teaching the restoration we got to the apostacy and she just looks up at us soooo worried, literal FEAR in her eyes and she says to us.."Where is God's authority now!?? Where did it GO!??" Haha my companion and I just about exploded as we told about Joseph Smith and the first vision and the restoration of God's authorit to the earth. HA it was soo awesome, she is so GREAT. She called the otherday and was like..the book of mormon is a little confusing but I am trying to read it as much as I can! I was like have you prayed about it? And she is like OH YEAH I am going to start praying before and I read it and right after I read, everytime! Last night we taught Lucy from Brazil/Spain who doesn't speak Italian, little spanish, and lots of portugese! It was beautiful. We literally taught the Gospel in sentences small enough for a 2 year old to understand. Simplicty really is power. She is so great. Ha I LOVE PEOPLE! I love being on a mission. I just can't get over how amazing this is. When again in my life will I ever have the chance to live like this. Teach the gospel ALL DAY, go to bed at 1030 up at 630 to exercise eat get ready and then STUDY the SCRIPTURES for hours. HAVE YOU GUYS READ THE BOOK OF MORMON LATELY? IT IS OUT OF CONTROL. I just started it again and read 1 Nephi 13 this morning and DIED. That was written 600 years before CHRIST are you KIDDING ME??? Man I was hyperventilating telling my companion about all the stuff I read. People. You have got to read the Book of MORMON. It is the best book I have ever read. There is no possible way that it isn't true. No way at all. READ IT! and pray about it. ahh it will change your LIFE everyday.
Well I am outta time.
I LOVE YOU
Love
Sorella Simskeekinis
Subject: FAMILIA y AMIGOS
HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII couldn't even SLEEP last night because I was so excited to tell you all about the incredible things going on here in GENOVA. But then for Pday we went to this huge outdoor market at spent almost all day there and we have an appointment in like a half hour so...I don't have time! boo. I will do my best. Which is hard because really most these things I just feel like I can't even explain them with words. They are just feelings. How do you describe pure joy? This is how I describe pure joy.So yesterday we had interviews. Its kinda an all afternoon event, we learn lots of lessons while on by one the missionaries are interviewed. Well we were watching this little missionary clip and I just lost it. I was just BOMBED with the spirit. Brothers and Sisters. This work is REAL. In my first few transfers I caught myself thinking once in a whie..."is this just big game? I feel like I am just in a big game." Ha I knew it wasn't but sometims it all just felt pretend. OOOoh man though. Yesterday it hit me like a train the reality of this work, the great and marvelous work of the Lord. It is HUGE. The Lord has been preparing these people their WHOLE LIVES to accept His Son Jesus and His gospel. Preparing them to receive BLESSINGs upon blessings upon blessings- temporal, spiritual, and eternal. It was a beautiful sacred experience that I will never forget. I am humbled and so grateful. It is meraviglioso. Let me tell you a little (more) about Maribel because I am pretty sure I talked about her last time. Her daughter is Nicole who was baptized a few weeks ago. The faith of this mother is just mind blowing. Monday we had a family home evening with them, and the wwwwwwhhhooollllleeeeeee family was tHere. We ate delicious food made by the oldest daughter who is in chef school right now she is sooo sweet. Then we taught them about fhe and how you do fhe. we taught them the hymn families can be together forever one of my favoritest hymns and we all sang it together. Then we taught the restoration and it was soo spiritual and so good. We were super late so we grabbed the oldest daughters number and the brothers number and were out. So then yesterday we called her oldest daughter who wanted NOTHING to do with us just weeks ago but now is our best friend. We will be teaching her and her boyfriend and her son Thursday, they were so excited. Right after we hung up and called maribel's brother who was also at the fhe. We will be teaching him Satuday, he was stoked!. After we hung up we called Giuseppe, Maribel's husband to ask if he's be interested in having the lessons with us. He said VA BENE Sorelle, of COURSE! We will be teaching him tomorow. I jsut can't even believe this! This beautiful woman maribel, completely inactive fore YEARS, comes back to church, starts reading the book of mormon, receives a rock solid testimony of the truth, and with her FAITH her UNWAVERING FAITh she is bringing her whole family to God. Husband, two daughters, daughters family, brother, even her ex husband was at the dinner heis a member inactive as well coming back. Soo amazing and I am just blessed otu of my mind to be able to know these people. AHHHH!Whelp times up. Lesson time.Love you all!!!! Happy Halloween! LoveSorella Simkins
Sent: Wednesday, October 19, 2011 3:44 AM
Subject: hiiiiiiii
Mamma mia too much has happened last week my brain hurts just trying to think about it. So many great THINGS! Gotta flip open my agenda real fast. Ahheem.It is so beautiful living in a country where most the members are 1 generation converts. It is such a blessing. I get to hear the most amazing miraculous conversion stories from each of these members each day! This lady in our ward is my hero. She was baptized in her late teens and went on a mission in Peru, absolutely no support from anyone. She loves to talk and I wanted to hear her whole life story so she told me. Fast version: She was dating a returned missionary, had a dream that he was not the one for her, he convinced her anyways that she was the right one for him, they got married, hard hard life he cheated on her then promised he'd change and wanted to start over a new life that they'd come here to Italy and work and be happy and righteous but that didn't happen, they came her, and yeah lots of stuff happened. So this beautiful strong young mom with three kids never shook in her faith. She had a strong relationship with the Lord and was determined to heal her kids and raise them right. She taught them to build close intimate relationships with the Lord, to ask and seek and receive his guidance. She the two older children are both serving missions right now, and the youngest one comes to teach with us often and is as solid as a rock, she is incredible. I just love this woman, she is incredible! I am so humbled by these people who have been through SO MUCH but never let their faith waver. Never! This woman is happy, strong, steady, and wise. She has been richly blessed spiritually and temporally. Why? Because she is living the Gospel. She is obeying the commandments. She is F A I T H F U L. Ahh when I was in Milan I was sure I never wanted to leave that city, I would be happy there my whole mission! Now I can't even imagine who I would be if I hadn't had the chance to meet the incredible people I have met here!! I love them, they are my family. They have changed my life. This weekend NICOLE got BAPTIZED! It was beautiful, she is such a stunning young woman. OH man I forgot my camera cord I was going to send pictures. Next week!! Anyways she is 13 and the baptism was just beautiful. Her real dad came who was baptized yeaaarrrsss ago. It was his first time in a church for a real long time. Her sister who had quite the hard heart came as well and was touched. It was so beautiful. Nicole’s friends came. And after we were kinda talking to them, all these bitty 13 year olds, a few were kinda interested about learning more but for the most part they were just naa. In my head I am like oh man I hope they won't make Nicole feel bad or make her feel unsure. HA silly me for doubting. Nicole is solid. She just told them straight up this is the true church, I know it. One of our other investigators came, we had a lesson earlier that day, the baptism Sat night, then Sunday she came to all three hours of church. SHE IS AWESOME. We have a baptism date set for the 30th, pray for her! She has been through a lot, but she is one of these beautiful people that I feel like I was sent here to find and teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I love her deeply and we have a really strong connection. It just brings me joy, pure joy. This work is so real, the plan of God is so real and so big. Ahh it is so great. Then I went on scambio in.....TORINO!!! Ahh joy! I felt like I was in Salt Lake, it was cold and wintery, no snow yet, but the mountains are pretty and it just had that ski town feel to it. I was in heaven. OOH MAN I LOVE SKIING SO MUCH ha sorry I can't wait to do that again one day. Anyways Tornio was beautiful. AND I was on BIKE! Ahha I loveee being on bike. I really hope to serve in a biking city before my mission is up. It was exhilarating. SO peaceful, beautiful, blood flowing, fresh air..ahh definitely a big fan of the bike. We saw MIRACLES! I was with sorella alexander for 2 days, I learned soo much. She goes home in three weeks so it was weird talking about worldish things with her, ahh scary, but I learned a lot of great things from her and about her mission and just picked up on some things I like that she does when she teaches. Scambios are the best, I am all for exchanges. We learn so much from each other and for the work and for ourselves. We taught amazing people, found some amazing people doing street contacting and park, and really saw miracles. YAY!Now I am back here in lovely GENOVA! We might go to the aquarium today....it is the biggest one in Europe I hear.. Cool! Genova is so pretty!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And WAY warmer than Torino.One more little learning experience. So sunday, before our exchange we were rushing around teaching doing last minute stuff before we had to go to the station and switch companions. On our way there the thought came to my mind, give sorella silva the cellphone, don't forget to give her the phone. And I thought back to that thought, I will when we get there, no worries. Just give it to her now was the response. She was standing a few yards away on the bus..Na I thought I will give it to her right when we get there. And went on thinking other things. We get there, the sisters are waiting for us, hugs, and HURRY we gotta catch our train back to Torino, says sorella alexander to me. So we say goodbye and rush off, get on our train, and are off. 2 minutes in...ahhh shoot. I have the phone in my pocket. Lesson: the Holy Ghost really does guide us. Warn us. The Holy Ghost TALKS TO US. The Holy Ghost told me clearly and simply, give the phone to your companion, not a drastic life threatening warning, just a sweet little prompting. So often we get those little suggestions and our OWN reasoning and logic just fires something back, ignores, justifies, or makes some excuse. One of my GREATEST desires for a long time now has been to be able to truly recognize and follow the guidance of the Spirit. And I learned this week that even those tiny little thoughts that pop into our head are from the Spirit and that I need to act upon them! What a huge HUGE blessing Heavenly Father has given us, the gift of the Holy Ghost. Our personal, all knowing GUIDE. WOW it is incredible!!!! SOO COOL! And so important that we live worthy of it in all times and in all places. And learn to follow. Not something I can master right way, but piano piano, I am working at it! I love you all! THANK you so much for all your prayers, I FEEL THEM. You are amazing. LoveSorella Simkins
Sent: Wednesday, October 12, 2011 3:54 AM
Subject: un'altra settimana. so much to do so little time.
ALO!OHhh man I am super out of time I don't know where this hour went. Looks like it will be another quick update. GENOVA IS GREAT. Such beautiful fall weather. Kinda chilly!! I'm gonna need to buy some warmer clothes. Or just gain more weight, that'll keep me warm. Everyone loves a chubby sister missionary, right?? :) HOW IS EVERYONE? What is everyone up to in the states? Send me some updates yeah!! YAY HERMANA MARSHALL going to SPAIN and my cousin Elder FIFE in Colombia is amazing!! Any other missionary news out there? OH BY THE WAY I don't think Talia Cont..(whats her last name, cant remember) or Lori Truman get these emails but Brooke will you let them know that some Elders when to Cinque Terre for Pday and took a picture of their message they wrote on the wall there! They wrote UTAH STATE and their names and a heart and stuff so the Elder took a picture, and he knew I went to Utah State so he showed me the picture and was like do you know these names!? I was just like HEEEY cool! I do know them!! So did they all travel to Italy this last summer? For what, just for fun? That is sweet!! Hope they had fun!! Tell them to write me an email! Thanks. ha anywhoo. My spanish is coming along horribly. I really want to learn. And with a peruvian comp I really should. I just can't seem to force her into listening to my 10-word-vocabulary spanish. Mannnnnagia. Nicole is getting baptized SATURDAY! She is sooo great. Teaching youth is the best EVERY they are so smart they just understand everything. We taught her the word of wisdom and law of chastity yesterday. Two of my favorite lessons, seriously. Those laws are so beautiful. So sacred. So divine. Ahh I love them so much and am so thankful we have them. We are blessed! We are teaching this sweeeeet girl from Capo Verde (eeeerr I don't remember what that is in english? Is it the same? It is in Africa..) Anyways she is SWEET! 22. Soo awesome I love her so much. We just taught her for the first time yesterday and it went so well. We are teaching another miracle named Agata who is incredible. I just love these people so much. It is such a blessing to see them progress in the GOSPEL and see their lives changggeeee mamma mia. The gospel is so TRUE! The best thing about Agata is that she has the DESIRE. Just this burning massive desire to feel the spirit to feel God's love and to be liberated from some ugly feelings she's had mixin around inside for years. And this just makes me so happy because I know without a doubt that this sincere desire she has will lead to some huge miracles right before her eyes, and some big changes in her life, because I know God loves her and is listening to her prayers and will respond. I knooww it. Ahh I can't wait. Whelp, really. Everything is going great here in Ecuador. I can't believe how fast the time is flying, it is terrifying. Weeks pass in blinks. Seriously, I look back and what happened this last week, all that I went through, all the experiences, all the highs, all the lows, all the everythings and I am just shocked. How is this possible? What time zone am I LIVING IN? AHHH! YIKES! LOVE YOU ALL!SOOoo MUCH!read your scriptures! love,sorella simkins
Sent: Wednesday, October 05, 2011 3:28 AM
Subject: Ohhhh MY! BUONGIORNO!!
Man isn't it soo cool that I am on the coast of Italy, teaching people the restored gospel, serving the Lord in His marvelous work? SO blessed.Genova is beautiful. It is still sunny warm here. We had a lesson like 30 minutes away yesterday and we just cruised up the coast on a bus. I was just in awe the whole time. Beautiful beautiful beautiful. People are still swimming in the sea, laying out on the beach. But surprisingly I didn't even have an ounce of jealousy or yearning. I am the luckiest person in the world to be doing what I am doing.
CONFERENZA GENERALE! Fantasticà! But...seriously...you just can't translate President Uchtdorf into Italian. It just doesn't work. I can't wait to get my hands on the conf ensign next month in english. We didn't get to see the last session sunday because it was 10 to midnight or something. Can't wait to read it. We had 4 investigators come! It was sweet! This week has just been completely out of control with miracles. We have been LEAD by the spirit. One evening we had 2 hours until we had to be in and no lessons planned. We started out, planning on going to pass by Edith, a contact we met early. It was a good plan, we knew she would be home, we even had an english book of Mormon with us because she is from Nigeria and Nigerians speak english. We get going..and I just get this sick feeling in my stomach. I think "ok..this is either hunger. Or anxiety because there are billions of people on this street and I am going to start talking to as many as I can. Or it is a sign that this isn't what we should be doing." We kept walking, I kept debating, then just turned to my comp and said this doesn't feel right, lets go this way. So we head up this alley, say a prayer, head back in the opposite direction. We immediately run into two people we taught in the park earlier that week, talked to them, it was great, reminded them about conference, they came the next day. Miracle two, we kept walking, and we were like..lets go to Maria's palazzo and do casa there. We are walking there walking past several palazzi and a thought comes into my head, walk into the next palazzo with it's door open. We walk past the next apartment, and a lady is just leaving. We turn and head right in. Go to the top floor, start doing casa, buzzing doors. First 5 doors we teach lessons, 3 or which with follow up appointments. Whaaaaaaaaaaatt???????????? HUGE miracles. HUGE! We would have never founds those people! MIRACLES! Ahh I only have 5 more minutes then my session is up. One more miracle, yesterday we taught this 13 year old and her family her mom is a less active who just came back to church so we are teaching here, and after invite her to baptism, she says yes because she really wants to follow Christ. She says the closing prayer and just starts bawling because the spirit hits her so hard. it was such a spiritual experience that I was able to witness, I am so thankful! Pray for Nicol, she is getting baptized in a few weeks!!! LOVE YOU SO MUCH!lovesorella simkins HOLA HERMANA KIME! you are so cool. did you know that my peruvian companion is AWESOME? I love her and I love peru. Papa alla huancaina ( I don't know how to spell that, but have you eatten it? it is delicious)love you!
Sent: Wednesday, September 28, 2011 4:20 AM
Subject: YAY!
HI! Well, I thought I was getting transfered to Genova, but instead I got transfered to Ecuador. Seriously it is nuts! I don't feel like I am in Italy, besides the tastey Faccacia and Pesto. Genova is absolutly gorgeous. It is a serious of little towns along the coast line, with TALL colorful, rustic, old palazzi (apartmets) all bunched together, windy, hilly, uneven streets, markets everywhere, landry hanging out of every window, and people walking everywhere! Open, friendly, ready for the gospel, Ecuadorian people! YAY! AND OH MY....the SUNSETS...I about throw up every evening looking at the sunset it is so beautiful. There are few things in life that give me that 'its so beautiful I almost feel sick feeling in this world', and sunsets are one of them. Gorgeous skys. Ahhh gorgeous. My companion is Sorella Silva! She is from PERU! She is 33 years old and a champion. SWEET! We speak noo english. My goal for this transfer is to LEARN SPANISH but everytime I ask my comp a spanish question its like I am asking her to wash my feet or something, I don't know why but I get the feeling she does not want to teach me spanish. Pazienza, I still study spanish during my language study, I need to get a good verb book or somfin. She is a great missionary though. Super bold, a great teacher, I really do love her. I have a lot to learn from her. So we got to Genova. Both have never been here before. We have a new apartment with like nothing inside, so it has been kinda crazy trying to collect our needs. The apartment is beauiful, right off the main street. and holy cow the miracles we have already seen. Out of control! Our second day we had a whole day just OPEN not one appointment obviously because we know no one! We go out our apartment, turn the corner, start talking with every moving thing in site. We get contacts left and RIGHT I filled up like 2 pages with numbers and people intersted! Families, youth, elderly, I couldn't believe it! We taught several lessons to several people in several different settings. Just like missionaries in the bom, we teach them EVERYONE on buses, in the parks, on the streets, in the stores, in their houses, on the stairs..it doesn't matter. Teach teach teach. So the next day we decided to go find the church. Are a little lost, I just stoppd the first person walking by, an Italian lady, 45 or so. Hey can you point us to via confalonieri? She says I don't know where that is. Oh ok.. thanks anyways! We are missionaries new her, looking for our church! She goes oh I know where your church is! It is new, I saw them fixing it up a while back. So she takes us down the street to our church, we have a nice convo, I ask if she has ever been inside, she says no, so we give her a little tour, invite her to church the next day, she doesn't seem like super intersted but was nice, and she left. Anyways, the church is soo sweet, so beautiful, it is nothing you can imagine ahha I can't even explain it. Our churches here in Italy are sweet. Nothing like the big brick chapels covering utah. This church is yellow. Tall and skinny. 2 floors. Really skinny and goes back far. Ha it is so funny but so beautiful, and has the same spirit as any other church. The baptismal font is beautiful, can't wait to use it!!! So we head out and start finding again, find a billion people, it is Saturday night so we are just inviting people to church like crazies. Oh man really I haven't experienced anything quite like it, the finding work we do here. Just talk to everyone in sight, no fear. My comp just gets right to the point, just dives right in with these people its funny man I love my comp I wish you could meet her she is so funny. But I am just blown away how many people we have met and taught already. It was like a big WELCOME gift from Heavenly Father. Miracles everywhere. So amazing. Even doing casa we have gotten in like 5 times which really is a miracle. So church the next day. Amazing members. FAMILIES. I am in a family ward, complete families, moms, dads, KIDS, it is weird I was just so joyed (made up word?) to see these complete, eternal families. Ah beautiful. A beautiful ward. And guess who comes to Church? Italian lady that showed us the church! Guess who else? Maria from Columbia we met the night before. I forgot to tell you, on the train ride to Genova I was pondering how my comp and I could open up this city with a BOOM and my goal was to bring one person to church, I was determined, to show the ward that we mean business! Sat night no one gave a clear commitment they would come. So...I was like ok..we did our best! And God provided. 2 people came!! So sweet. We have taught maria this week. You know want to know my absolute FAVORITE thing about being a missionary? Seriously..I think it is my number one favorite thing. I might have already mentioned it. It is people's first prayers (first prayer doing the prayer they way we do it). oooohh my heart. The simplest, most sincere, little prayers. So beautiful. But such HUGE TESTIMONIES TO ME OF HOW MUCH HEAVENLY FATHER LOVES HIS CHILDREN! Ha cap lock went on and I just left it on for that sentence. Really though. I can't even count how many times i have seen these beautiful people in tears by the end of their first prayer. The Lord just DUMPS His loving spirit on them, and I am honored to hear, feel, and see it. I see the windows of Heaven open before my eyes. Maria's prayer was two sentences literally, but she cried. Heavely Father loves them so much and we see it. He is sooo happy when they talk to Him. Man, He loves them SO much, how does He do it. Incredible. I am happy to be her in Genova. I really gotta send you pictures, it is beautiful. Famous for Christopher Columbus's house, the aquarium, Focaccia, and Pesto. Yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmm PESTO oh my mouth is watering. So tastey. Well gota go. LOVE YOU!! LoveSorella Simkins OH YES my address. Via Cantore 4116149 GenovaItalia WRITE ME! But...packages are risky FYI.. they get lost, stolen, never arrive. KENNY YAY I got your email. What is your address so I can write you backkk? You can email me I just am not supposed to email back. Keep sending me updates! You are SO COOL! Kenny can you forward this to Jen's missionary address, or send me her address or something so I can write her? Thanksss I love you so much!!
Sent: Wednesday, September 21, 2011 3:35 AM
Subject: HOLA HI EVERYONE!
oh my gash this week has been CRAZY! The craziest ever. Biggest rollar coaster ride of my life, I have bad whiplash. I will just dive in.
a) dinner with Saba from Ethiopia. HAHAHA what the world, just thinking about it makes me cry laughing. I don't even know where this lady came from, we just met her at a bus stop one day in the middle of no where and she invited us over for dinner. (this keyboard is pretty nasty so my punctuation and capitolizing is going to be pretty bad sorry.) so, a week or so later, we went over to dinner. it took us forever to get there. we miraculously found a book of mormon in her language which was swweeeeet, our book of mormon library has tonsss of languages and she speaks, man I don't even remember what it is called... amaric or something boh I don't remember. anyways so we head out to the boonies. we get inside and sit down and she just sits down and stares at us...we try making some small talk but she speaks very little Italian and very little English. Haha oh man...if someone just filmed the daily life as a missionary they would laugh sooo hard at all the hilarious situations we find ourselves in. so sheis just staring at us..we are asking some pretty basic questions to get to know her and try to talk..she just says yeh to like every question.. ha ok... so then we sit at the table and she brings out the food she cooked, which wasn't bad actually, real good. she puts in this dvd from her african evangelistic church I am just praying oh no. Luckly, she couldn't find the play button on her remote, so it just stayed at the menu screen while we ate haha. when I offered the opening prayer after every sentence I said she shouted AMEN. AMEN. AMEN. AMEN. hahahahaa. after din we start into a lesson, teaching her about the book of mormon. hahahah oh man just thinking about it kills me. she was like GASPING when we started telling her about Lehi and his family and their story. I honestly don't know how much she was understanding, but she was gasping and saying YEH! lots so...hmm. So we are kind of just awkwardly going along..and then at the end it was so weird all a sudden it was just like her heart turned to stone! She looked at her bible and was like I NOOO CHANGE NEVER NO CHANGE EVER BIBLE STOP, BIBLE STOP, ONE GESU ONE GESU. we were just smiling...bearing testimony, and somehow wrapped up the lesson nicely. we invited her to say the closing prayer haha oops. My comp and I bow our heads. she stood up, held out her arms, and starts chanting and screaming halelujia then more chanting then a big HALELUJIA and more chanting and more halelujias. OH man I was using all my force not to burst. I was not expecting that it was hilarious. Then she walked us to the bus stop:) good ol' Saba.
b)next day, was NOT one of my most favorite days on the mission. Oh boy..our poor new converts and member are being BOMBED by the adversary. I don't know whatin the world happened but all a sudden they are all just facing huggee problems!!! We spent the whole day lesson to lesson hearing the heart renching problems they were giong through. I exaggerate not, we are on the fronts of the battle field. My heart just sunk to the bottom of the pits. By the end of the day I just slumped into my apartment dead and depressed. How do therapists DO IT? Holy smokes. The problems these people are facing are real, and they are painful. they are destructive. The ONLY LIFE LINE IS JESUS CHRIST. Ahh faith faith faith, where is your faith. Live the gospel. Keep the commandments. In this there is safety in this their is peace. It is as simple as that. There aren't any exceptions, there aren't. TRULY living the gospel is the only escape. For myself included! I was not. good. that night. but I testify that the atonement is real, and that it heals all the broken. So when Sunday rolled, during church and after, I was feelin really good. Then we went to visit some less actives. which reminds me, ANYONE who has served in the PHILIPPEANS please email me. I have a few questions about these amazing people and their culture, thanks:) Then monday came (day before transfer calls, tuesday night) We are in the middle of studies and the phone rings. It is president Wolfgramm. If you get a call from President the day before, it means somethin exciting is going on. And yes, I did receive some exciting news! I am going to....dm dum dum....GENOVA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HAhahahaha. I am super excited. I am opening up Genova to Sisters with Sorella Silva from Peru!!! SWEET!!! My transfer goal (among many) LEARN SPANISH. I will learn spanish. I am determined. Anyways, I am super excited.I love Milano with allllll of my heart, but their comes a time when you know a little too much about the people and a fresh pair of eyes and perspective is really needed. Sorella Sloan and Sorella Baker will work miracles, which are already in full swing. Which brings me to c.
c) We have INCREDIBLE investigators right now! What in the world, how do we find these people! Margoth, 29, we have seen only 3 times. OH MAN she is just out of this world. Our first lesson was jsut a pure lesson on hope and our Savior because she was really down in the dumps. Our next lesson shewas alreayd changed. She hasn't prayed in years and is praying. We left her the Moroni promise in Moroni 10:3-5 and the introduction to read after our last lesson, we got there yesterday, started following up on the reading...and she is like well I thought I would need to understand better this moroni so I read the whole book. I really like the part about babies not needing to be baptized. I also thought it was really interesting how Moroni appeared to Joseph several time preparing him to get the gold plates. I also really like Nephi, how he is so faithful in following the Lord and his father and is about to go back to Jerusalem to get those other plates. HAHA my companion and I's jaws were on the floor. SHE READ A TON. Ahhh you would be SUPRPISED at how much this shocks people, when people actually READ and UNDERSTAND. you would think that would be an obvious simple thing that everyone did but NO it is like pulling TEETH sometimes trying to get people to read the Book that changes LIVES. So we were just exstatic. Margoth is AWESOME. We had a really good lesson yesterday, and yesterday she called me and was like...where were we reading about the plan of salvation today, I want to read more! Ohh I love her. Giovanna, also from Peru. Just incredible. We had our second lesson with her, and she just wants to follow Christ. She set her baptism date for October 15th. Mariella, an Italian who studied with missionaries like 30 years ago, awesome. She is getting an opporation and will be home all day everyday for like a month, like..she cannot leave the house. mwaahahah. a missionaries most favorite news. She is awesome. William and Giulia, had our first lesson with them yesterday...oh my the mom Giulia..just blew my mind. She is SHARP! I was just laughing with amazement at how well the Lord has prepared her, it is unreal. Her and her son William will be baptized next transfer. I kid you not. The work here in Milano is just exploding. It is unreal, we are overjoyed. I can't wait to see these same miracles in Genova, I have no doubt that they await us. It is exciting, the thoughts of opening up a city..who knows what challenges await, but I'm pumped.
Well, that is enough news for now! I can think of a million other funny, spiritual, awesome, sad things to tell, but this will have to do.
Missions are out of control.
I love you.
LOVE
SORELLA Simkins
Sent: Wednesday, September 14, 2011 4:00 AM
Subject: Another beautiful week CIAOOOO TUTTI
Come vaaa? Hows the weather there in ol Utah? Here we are melting still. HOT. But beautiful. This morning my companion and I went on a culture run! We ran to the Duomo and back, it was beaauutttiiifffuuulll and so peaceful. I love running in the morning. I am scared for the day when I get a companion who won't run with me. eek.
Ahh what a beautiful week this was! We started it out with a GREAT scambio, where I was able to go to the beautiful city of Bergamo with Sorella Mcfadden for the day. Scambio's are so effective, and needed, and good for missionaries. It was good for me to get out of Milan for a sec and get some new perspective and a recharge of new faith and spirit for the work going on here. Getting to know and talk to Sorella Mcfadden was a really good experience too. Again, I just am so thankful and so amazing how the REAL the gospel has become to me. ALIVE. The gospel is life. I will put it as simple as I can.
We are here to BE HAPPY. (2N2:25)
For us to BE HAPPY, God gave us the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is His PLAN OF HAPPINESS for us, His children.
Satan wan't us to be UNHAPPY. He will do all he can to make us unhappy.
So I guess you just need to ask yourself..are you happy? Whose plan are you living?
So yeah, scambio went really well. Got back and just had a week full of miracles with Sorella Sloan. Next week is transfers scary. I might be leaving my home here in Milan. Ahh there are such great things happening here though so I don't know how I feel about that, but I know where ever I go God's work will be happening so I'll do what I gotta do! Our Ecuadorian family is great, slowly growing their faith and making their way to Salvation. Our beautiful friend Grace from Ghana disappeared, sad! It is CRAZY how that happens on the mission sometimes. You find the coolest person ever, just super prepared and ready to accept the fulness of the gospel, then poof they are gone. What! We have found SOLID incredible investigators this week though. HOLY COW I just can't believe it thinking about it. One lady we found on the Metro, made an appointment, and went to teach her a few days later. She is soo sincere, just such a sweet lady, so genuine. When we were teaching the restoration we got to the apostacy and she just looks up at us soooo worried, literal FEAR in her eyes and she says to us.."Where is God's authority now!?? Where did it GO!??" Haha my companion and I just about exploded as we told about Joseph Smith and the first vision and the restoration of God's authorit to the earth. HA it was soo awesome, she is so GREAT. She called the otherday and was like..the book of mormon is a little confusing but I am trying to read it as much as I can! I was like have you prayed about it? And she is like OH YEAH I am going to start praying before and I read it and right after I read, everytime! Last night we taught Lucy from Brazil/Spain who doesn't speak Italian, little spanish, and lots of portugese! It was beautiful. We literally taught the Gospel in sentences small enough for a 2 year old to understand. Simplicty really is power. She is so great. Ha I LOVE PEOPLE! I love being on a mission. I just can't get over how amazing this is. When again in my life will I ever have the chance to live like this. Teach the gospel ALL DAY, go to bed at 1030 up at 630 to exercise eat get ready and then STUDY the SCRIPTURES for hours. HAVE YOU GUYS READ THE BOOK OF MORMON LATELY? IT IS OUT OF CONTROL. I just started it again and read 1 Nephi 13 this morning and DIED. That was written 600 years before CHRIST are you KIDDING ME??? Man I was hyperventilating telling my companion about all the stuff I read. People. You have got to read the Book of MORMON. It is the best book I have ever read. There is no possible way that it isn't true. No way at all. READ IT! and pray about it. ahh it will change your LIFE everyday.
Well I am outta time.
I LOVE YOU
Love
Sorella Simskeekinis
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)