Hello my lovely family!!!!
Time is flying here and it throws me off! Weird....is this how the rest of life is. You blink and you are 7 months in the future? Haha.
Photo: Sorella Ionescu...Cristina :) I love her. She is the one who shared her
beautiful conversion story. We are working with her daughter Madalena.
Allora, dove inizio. (Well, where do I start.) How about a Reginald update?! I wanted to cry on Sunday when he wasn't able to come to church. He got stuck in another city and couldn't come home :( so we had to change his baptismal date. Either way, if I get transferred, I wouldn't have been here. Transfers are on Thursday and his baptism would be Saturday. So....nope. But, he is still fantastic and blows my mind. He accepted the law of chastity with ease and also the word of wisdom. He agrees that we should totally have a living Profeta (Prophet) and of course the 10 commandments still apply - the main points of life...he is great. He just gets it! I am excited. I hope all things go through. His new baptismal date is for the 28th. I'll send a photo of him next week. We still haven't taken one. Sadly!!! AH!
I am glad you can read me like an open book mom. The mission is really good at pulling at your weaknesses and your strengths. I was having a moment a few days ago. Sister Brown came to my rescue; she is fantastic. She talked with me for a while and really helped me feel better. The table turned that night :) I was questioning if I had grown and if I am really able to teach people. It felt like no one was listening that day - and maybe I was doing something wrong. I know where these doubts come from, so I wanted to kick it in the pants fast.
She gave me an article by President Packer, "Candle of the Lord" and it was perfect. I was praying right before I started talking to her - asking Heavenly Father to calm my fears, to respond to my prayer and renew my strength. Literally, seconds later she came. Heavenly Father worked through my companion to love me and show He was listening.
The talk was about how we grow. Crescere. (To grow.) We cannot see it. For example, when we are children we grow fast, and it is visible - but, then we reach about 9 years old and it is slower. We feel the growing pains, but we can't see it until someone who hasn't seen you for a while comes up and says, "Wow you're grown!" It is the same concept with missionary work and testimonies. We are constantly working, pushing, and growing, but are unable to often see it. When we cannot see it, we feel a bit discouraged that we are stuck in quick sand, but in all reality we have grown leaps and bounds. That is something I love about being a missionary - constantly having these changes, these perspectives, these personal revelations.
I felt really blessed this week. I felt all the prayers. Dad, thank you. I needed them. We had a great week last week. 7 new investigators, 20 lessons and new contacts. That is a miracle. We were able to make our trains; our family Jon and Simona called us to come back. Heavenly Father is so aware of us. I feel at peace, even as we are also having trials.
Really quickly, I wanted to tell you about this man Alfiero. Italian and elect. Next branch president. He is so fabulous. A while back he saw the elders and had met with them a few times, but then things got busy. He liked it that they smiled and practiced what they preached. He met with us and wants to learn. He does service every week at a private hospital in Ravenna with "i suoi vecchi" (his elderly). He prays with them, plays games, and helps them out around the hospital. He has a genuine heart. He also is sponsoring two women with young children who've been abandoned.
He showed up to our lesson with gifts for each of us - three gold necklesses: A butterfly, a heart and a sun. He wanted to buy us something special because he could see christ in our eyes. I was so touched. Each of those perfectly describes us. Sister Brown: a blossomed butterfly, Sister Bennett: a light to all and so happy, me: a heart because I cannot help but love people. He loves God and does what he can to help people continually. He accepted baptism, no date yet, but accepted and is reading the Book of Mormon. What a miracle.
This city will soon become a place for zion. A big ward. I am so sure. I am so blessed to have these people - my people of Forli. I heard that the Valentinis saw them at the temple in Switzerland. I was so overjoyed. It brings me peace that I have family close by :) Love you Valentinis!!!
Goodness, I have to go, but dad thank you again - for the prayers, the pictures, and the email. Yes, Kaden has a whole lot going on right now....Heavenly Father is pushing His missionaries. When the time comes, I will be so excited to see everyone again and see the diamonds that Heavenly Father has crafted us into. I love being a missionary. I love serving.
Sarah, I am so excited for you to join us! Happy birthday!!! I have another package to send home - especially if i get transferred. Dad will you tell Ettore? You are in my prayers! ALL of you. Thank you for the support. I would be lost without my eternal family and friends doing this with me. Please all pray for Sister Bennett. Her sister went home for sickness and she is taking it hard. LOVE YOU!
You can write her at: alicia.montagnoli@myldsmail.netSorella Montagnoli!
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Sister Francesca Montagnoli
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