Marching Along

Hi.

Well. To be perfectly honest, I have no idea what to write this week. It's not that nothing has happened, but it just seems bizzare to me that my release date is this month. Like, in two weeks. That really weirds me out. I don't really know if I'm "trunky" because I don't even know what is going on in my brain anymore. Mostly when I think about going home I think "What the heck am I gonna do all day??" because the thought of sitting around doing nothing because there isn't anything for me to do kinda weirds me out. Good thing Slla Lyman is here to help me out! I had a mini panic attack last Wednesday night and she helped talk me through it, haha. 

We've been going scambio (exchange) crazy these past few weeks, and this week is the craziest of them all! Yesterday we scambioed with the Milano Lampugnano sorelle and then tonight and tomorrow we are doing another scambio with the sisters in Varese! It's definitely been keeping me on my toes, that's for sure. And the best news of the week? We're having another Sister Conference!!! Next Thursday!!! Apparently mission presidents are discouraged from having sisters-only conferences, and so I think this'll be the last one. I just got super lucky because they're having it before I leave! I'm really excited to be able to see all of the sorelle in the mission one last time. President has already asked Slla Lyman and me to do our ukulele-violin version of the mission hymn for the conference, so we're excited about that.

Geez, I feel like the week has gone by so fast that I don't even have any cool experiences to share this week! Oh! Wait, Mishell was confirmed on Sunday! That was cool. She's officially a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints! We were a little bit nervous because this past Sunday was the first Sunday on the new schedule - that is, the first Sunday of having Sac Mtg first and RS/EQ last. Mishell lives kinda far away and is usually a little late to church, so we were just praying really hard that they would be able to get to church on time so they could do the confirmation and it worked! They walked in just as we were about to start singing the opening hymn. Whew! Last week we went to go see them and we gave Mishell her own Triple Combination scripture set. She was super excited about it, but probably mostly because the edges of the pages have gold on them...her little brother was super jealous - "I want the gold book!" haha. Slla Lyman and I both wrote a little note in the front cover. Hopefully she'll be able to make out my handwriting!

I don't know what it is about this ward, but I feel like I'm friends with everybody! Even the kids! During Sac Mtg, three Primary kids were sitting in the row behind us...that is, they were sitting behind us until we sat down and then they came and sat with us. I had like three little Filipino kids hanging all over me, cuddling up next to me and drawing pictures of me and Slla Lyman in my planner. And then after church as I was scrambling around in the hallway as usual trying to talk to everyone, I kept having these two tween-aged girls (sisters) come up and hug me around the waist from behind saying "this sorella is my favorite!!!". And then later on that day we were visiting a less-active sister who has three kids. We watched a little movie called "Il Mediatore" (which might be called "The Mediator" in English, but I'm not really sure), and sure enough, the kids snuggled right up next to me on the couch while we watched it. One of them even climbed up on my lap, which is against mission rules, haha. Next week is Stake Conference, so we'll see if any little bambini come and find us...

Wow. I've written like four gigantic paragraphs. I hope my emails don't just bore everyone to death!

On that note...time's up! Is anyone else really freaking out about how I'll only be sending two more emails after this?? Hope they won't be as boring as this one has been! Have a great week! Keep reading your scriptures! I read Ether 10 and 11 today - I should be finished by next week!!! I love you all lots and lots and lots!!!

BUCKETS O' LOVE,

Sorella Soh

Yowza!

Hi!

I can't believe how fast Wednesday got here. I know I say that every week, but it really does surprise me. First of all, Slla Nilson, the news from your email this week got a gasp-and-groan from me...good thing I'll be hiding in Alabama when I get home! Also, Sarah, I'll be happy to finish off your bag of Cadbury mini eggs while I cheer you on along the finish line of your half marathon...and afterwards I'll buy you a cupcake :)

Well, Mishell has been baptized by water! She'll be confirmed this Sunday. The baptism went really well. I gave a little talk about the Holy Ghost and then Anz Herrington and I sang the "I like to look for rainbows" baptism song while Slla Lyman played the piano. The Italian translation of that song is a little weird (they have to add in an extra note and it kinda throws me off), but it was really good and Mishell's mom got all teary-eyed while we were singing. But it was good. There were a pretty good number of people there and even a handful of primary kids. The only weird part was later that evening when Slla Lyman and I were out knocking on doors and I looked at her and said "remember how we had a baptism today? Weird!" haha.

Oh, I'm attaching a couple of pictures. They're all from Slla Lyman's camera. The first one is a self-portrait of me in front of the famous Teatro alla Scala. It doesn't look like much from the outside, but the inside is super cool. 

The second is from right before Jennifer's baptism. Me, Slla L, Jennifer, Crista (Jennifer's mom), and Fllo Ramos (who was the one who baptized her...as apparent from the white clothing). 

The third one is of us and Mishell. Poor thing, she is really shy and I don't think she liked having all the attention on her, but she was a good sport about it. 

So last week we were walking down the street and we walked past this guy who had just walked out of a store on the corner with two bottles of beer in his hand. He passes us and then says, "Hey, wait!" and so we turn around and he says "Are you from God?" and we say yes. So he puts down the just-purchased beer and walks over to us. I introduce myself, offer a handshake and he accepts, then kisses the back of my hand. Then he starts going off about how awesome God is and how everyone needs to know about Him and he's a missionary too and how no one cares about spiritual things anymore and all this stuff. He asks us what church we're from and we tell him and show him our nametags. He was super impressed about the nametags. He said "Hey, how can I get one of those?" so I tell him that he should talk to our other missionary friends and give him a pass along card with the Anziani's phone number on it because I could smell the alcohol on his breath. Then as we go to leave, he kisses our hands again, and then pulls us both in for a double hug. It was so awkward, but he was just happy to talk to us. He really was harmless, but it was a fun, kind of crazy experience.

Then the other night we were out in the middle of nowhere and it was snowing. We decide to catch the bus and get back to where there would be more people. Unexpectedly, there was a woman at the stop, so I started talking to her. We ended up following her around from bus to bus (she knew we were following her but she was okay with it...we didn't follow her all the way home) because she wanted to keep talking to us. She'd heard of Mormons before, but didn't know anything about them. So in the end we gave her a pamphlet and got her phone number. She was busy this week, but said that we could call and set up something for next week. It was really cool and she was really really interested and wanted to read the Book of Mormon because she'd never heard of it. Anyway, it was just really cool.

Well, I'm out of time this week! I feel like this is a kinda short email, but I take comfort in the fact that I've included some pics, so hopefully that'll help make up for it. I love you all very much! I read Mormon 2 this morning! I'm on track to finish in two weeks - a week ahead of my goal! Manca poco, eh!

Buckets of amore,

Sorella SOH

Take me to the water

Chee-yowwwwwww!!!!!

Hi. Well, first of all, shout out to the exmissionaria Slla Nilson who is flopping around like a fish out of water on out there on the other side of the mission veil! Love your emails! And I'm STOKED about Cinzia and Chiara!!! Forse dovrò dare uno squillo alle sorelle...haha. Also shout out to Slla Baker, my faithful correspondent. And I think everyone in the Internet point looked at me as I gasped at the engagements of Anz Osbourne and Slla Jones!!!! (not to each other, haha). I can't even believe it!!!

Well, before I forget, Dad, I'm pumped for the color run! When I first read about it in your letter, I looked at Slla Lyman and said "Um, Sorel? I think we're gonna have to start running in the mornings..." and she just looked at me and said "well, I guess I'll have to go buy some tennis shoes...I don't have any" hahaha. I'm hoping, though, that the fact that there's no time limit means that the actual running involved in our family will be minimal...if not, let me know ASAP so that we can go buy Slla Lyman some new shoes! 

Last week for pday we met up with the Milano Cimiano sorelle (Hanson and Eaton) and went to the this DaVinci Science Museum place. It was super cool, but I don't remember what it's real name is. Google it.

So this week...BAPTISM!!! Jennifer is now a baptized and confirmed member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints!!!! YEAH!!! She's a pretty low-key kinda person, and her baptism was really nice and spiritual, nothing too crazy. She felt really good and was really happy. It was awesome! And a cool story about that - I had the chance to announce her baptism at the pulpit the Sunday before (when we had the missionary sac mtg) and I said "yeah! Jennifer is getting baptized on Saturday!" The problem, of course, is that I didn't say her last name, and the Anziani are teaching a family with a teenage daughter who is also named Jennifer. When I made the announcement, the second Jennifer was freaking out because she thought I was talking about HER! Well, the young women had an activity right before the baptism and the second Jennifer went. Her member friend, Allison, invited her to stay for the baptism, so they did. Then later that night I had to call the Anziani for something and they told me that they had just had a lesson with the second Jennifer and her family. They said she really liked the baptism and was really involved in the lesson that night and even accepted a soft invite to baptism ("when you know these things are true, will you be baptized?"). So miracle upon miracle!

It's been a crazy week planning for the baptism and then also getting plans together for Mishell's baptsim on Sunday. We saw Mishell yesterday when I was on scambio (exchange) with Slla Morley, and she's really excited about getting baptized. We're seeing her again tomorrow. I love having baptisms, but I don't know what I was thinking planning two baptisms in two weeks - I've been CRAZY busy planning out the program, calling people to give talks, planning baptismal interviews, trying to prepare a musical number, washing the dresses, filling out the baptismal certificate and making sure that people actually come! And to top it all off we had two scambi (exchanges) in the past six days. Whew! Talk about going out with a bang!

I've gotten some really positive feedback, still, from the missionary sac mtg from two Sundays ago. Before the baptism, one of the men from the ward came up to me and thanked me for my talk and then said "anche volevo dirti: grazie per esistere / I also wanted to tell you: thank you for existing"...kind of a strange comment, but from him it was definitely a compliment. And then that sister who came up to me after and wanted us to come over to her house? She brought her non member cousin to church last Sunday and introduced us to her. And I guess after the mish sac mtg a sister came up to Slla Lyman and said "sorelle, do you want to come over for lunch today? Or do you already have a lunch appointment?" Unfortunately (or maybe not unfortunately) we already had one. And then someone else told me after "Sorella, ci porti la gioia! / you bring us joy!". It's probably because after church I just run around like a crazy trying to talk to everyone we want to see before they leave. Eh. Who knows.

Well, that's about all I've got time for. I've read up until 3 Nephi 11! Hope your reading is plugging along as well! I love you all and I love the Gospel - that's what REALLY brings the joy!

Have a fantabulous week! 

L.O.V.E.

Sorella Soh

The Final Countdown

Hi.

I'm writing to you from my 12th transfer. The last one. I can't believe it. I got a letter from the mission office in zone mail yesterday about having to declare stuff for customs as I leave Italy. When I think about it, it makes my stomach burn and I don't even know how to feel. Slla Nilson is home! Ciao bella! haha. As we were eating lunch on Friday the thought popped into my head "Slla Nilson isn't in Italy anymore" and it made me want to just barf everywhere and I could barely finish eating. And then on Saturday the thought came "Slla Nilson is released by now" and on Sunday "Slla N is giving her homecoming talk" and it kept freaking me out more and more. I don't think I'll be able to eat or sleep by the end of all of this. It's a good thing we have lots of scambioes (exchanges) and baptisms and stuff for me to stress out about because I don't think I'd be able to function otherwise.

Shout outs this week to Slla Williams, who finally wrote to me (and yes, I do like bagels), Fllo Morenson, whose letter unfortunately got ripped in half somewhere in the postal system (they taped the envelope back together, but the letter was still in two pieces), and Mary Carleton, who sent me a very nice New Years' letter (Sloane Sparks can't really be 16, can she???? Please say no!!". I finally got all the Christmas cards and letters that had gotten sent to Siena, so that's why it took so long. One of the Italian Anziani, Anziano Scisci saw my huge stack of letters and said "ma Sorella, quanti ragazzi le scrivono?? / Sorella, how many boys are writing to you??" and I just gave him a little smirk and shrugged my shoulders, haha. (Slla Baker would've been proud of me!)

Oh, I forgot the big news about transfers - I'M A BISNONNA!!!!! Aka I'm a great-grandmother! Slla Lofley is training...IN TORINO!!! So I trained Slla Bunker, who trained Slla Lofley, who is now training Slla Palumbo!!! And we all link back to Torino!!! I'm so proud. So proud.

Well, the work here in Milano Navigli Ward is chugging right along! Jennifer is getting baptized on Saturday!!!!!! She is so ready. We have been so blessed to be able to teach her because she is just awesome. I've almost been a little worried because she seems TOO awesome. The other day we had a lesson with her and at the end I always ask if "hay preguntas?" which is spanish for "any questions?" and she said "No... ma solo volevo dirvi questo.../ No... but I I just wanted to tell you something..." and I prepared myself for the worst. I thought, "here it is, she's got a friend that's talking bad about the church or she's got some kind of doubt" which was probably bad of me. But instead she said "Solo volevo dirvi questo, che tutto quello che mi avete insegnato, è vero. Tutto è vero. / I only wanted to tell you this, that everything that you all have taught me, it's true. It's all true." And as she said it was just stupefied in my chair. She is set up so perfectly to receive so many blessings in her life, I can't even stand it.

So Jennifer is getting baptized on Saturday and then Mishell is getting baptized next Sunday, the 24th! She's only 9, but she's really opened up to us over the course of these past few weeks. We're really excited for her and she's really excited to get baptized. It's been really cool for us to teach her with her mom because we just know how much being active members of the church is going to help them. I'm kinda sad, though, because after her baptism we'll go from seeing them twice a week to just once a week, so we won't see them as often! But that's just the way the cookie crumbles I guess ;)

One last thing, on Sunday we had a missionary-themed sacrament meeting. It went awesome! There are lots of missionaries in our ward - us, the assistants, the traveling assistants, the office couple and the Wolfgramms. Each of the younger missionaries gave a little 5 minute talk, and then we did a musical number, which rocked the house. We sang "Bisogno ho di te" aka "I need thee every hour". Slla Lynch (from the office) played the piano, Slla Lyman played the violin and I sang with Anz Herrington. I saw at least 4 women in the congregation crying through the whole number. When I told Slla Lyman that, she said "well, I guess it was a success, then" haha. I got up and talked about how the Gospel has blessed my life. When I first got up I said "buongiornoooooo!!!" and was just smiling like crazy and then I said "volete sapere un segreto? Quando sono nervosa, sorrido. / Wanna know a secret? When I'm nervous, I smile" and then just smiled at them. Everyone was laughing and smiling right back at me. It was really great. And then right after the meeting was over, I got swarmed by members and they all wanted us to come over. One sister basically told me that she wanted us to be in her home. So that was really cool, and we had 3 member appointment set up in about 5 minutes! It was really great. Everyone wanted to baci us (do the kiss on the cheek thing to us) and have us come over to their houses. I was a little stressed because all of our investigators were leaving and I kept getting stopped by members so finally I had to say "Un attimo! I nostri simpatizzanti!!! / Wait one second! Our investigators!!!" and then dash off to go talk to them before they walked out the door.

Well, that's the excitement of this week! Oh, well I guess the other excitement was that it snowed ALL DAY without stopping on Monday. That's why our pday got changed back to Wednesday this week because President had to rearrange everything because they didn't want to have to drive all the way to Venezia in the bad weather. Anyway, it's been a busy week and will continue to be busy! Pray for Jennifer on Saturday, it's her day to shine! I love you all very much - I finished Helaman 14 today (and I didn't even cheat ;) ). 

Treasure these last few mission emails from me;)

LOOOOOOVE,

Sorella SOOOOH!!!

The 11th dimension

Hi.

It's transfer week aka the end of my 11th transfer aka the beginning of my 12th transfer aka my last transfer. Yeah. Sort that one out.

We're staying the same! I will be finishing my mission in Milano 3 with Slla Lyman! I'm excited about it. Milano is the best city to work in. I've also been given a special assignment to help the sorelle in Milano 1, so I'm excited about that as well. It's going to be a crazy, busy, awesome transfer. Two of my favorite Anziani (Herrington and Sciarretta) are going to be traveling assistants this transfer, which means that they'll be in our ward on Sunday for church each week, even though during the week they will be out and about in the mission. This is the last transfer for all three of us! Yikes! Slla Nilson is going home in TWO DAYS! I can't even believe it. Craziness.

Last week was Senior Companion week for Slla Lyman! I don't think she was expecting to have to do so much (I hardly did anything to help) but I know she learned a ton and it's gonna help her more than she even realizes now, because I can almost guarantee that she will be training next transfer! 

So I think the ward likes me. I've really made an effort to try and get to know the members, and it's been really fun to visit them and talk with them. Everyone always asks me how much time I have left, but I suppose that could be that as soon as they hear me speak Italian, they know I speak too well to be a new missionary. I guess it wouldn't be better for them to ask how long I've been in my mission as opposed to how much I have left because As of last Thursday I've been a missionary for 17 full months. SEVENTEEN. Technically I'll do 18 months and three weeks, but geez loo-wheeze that's crazy. I don't know if I really feel trunky, but I do feel like I've still got some energy left in me and I'm excited to just blow the roof off of these last few precious weeks I have. We're going to start this next transfer off with a bang, because Jennifer is still on target to get baptized next week Friday. She's so ready! She already knows that everything we teach her is true. And then the week after that, week 2, Mishell should be getting baptized as well - Feb 24th. The Anziani also have a woman who is getting baptized on the 23rd, so I guess it's just baptism season in Milano Navigli Ward!!! We are so excited to be able to help all these people and I personally feel just so blessed to be able to teach people who are so open and accepting of the Restored Gospel!!!

Oh - before I forget, Slla Baker! Got your letter! The Assistants gave it to me last Wednesday night before ward council. We all felt very well informed about our peepz, so thank you.

I feel more busy now than I have in a really long time. This week especially because we are having a missionary themed sacrament meeting on Sunday and so I have to give a short talk and also we have to come up with a special musical number. Then on Friday we have planned to do a kind of missionary/friendship night where we'll have a spiritual thought and an activity (we're gonna watch "Legacy") and just give members the chance to come to the church on Friday night and have something casual that they can also invite their non member friends to attend. We hope it will become a weekly thing, so we're looking forward to that. And then to top things off,on Monday we got a call from the office and were asked to host one of the new missionaries for the night last night. The Italian missionaries all get here a day before the other missionaries because they come from Spain and not from Provo, so last night we went and picked up Slla Vardeu (who is from Roma 2nd ward and knows Slla Teichert because she is serving in that ward!) and were with her last night. Then this morning we went out and talked to people on the street for a little bit and then took her to the Milano 2 meetinghouse (it was weird to be back there!) and dropped her off again to be with all the other missionaries that just got in. That means that we had to reorganize our schedule at the last minute, and most of our pday we will have to do tomorrow. It's a good thing neither of us is getting transferred because I just couldn't handle that! Too much to do!

Anyway, it's been a crazy, busy week. The rest of the transfer looks like it'll be pretty busy, too, so that should be really fun. I'm so excited to have this chance to be "anxiously engaged in a good cause" - that cause being the work of the Lord! I just want my last transfer to be full of working and helping and teaching and growing and all kinds of crazy, wonderful experiences. It's gonna be great!

I love you all! Have a great week! Keep on reading your Book of Mormon - I finished Alma this morning!!

Un sacco d'amore,

SORELLA Soh