Package at my Door & 2 New Companions!

Dear dad, I couldn't help but laugh when we got home today, and I saw a package on my doorstep! You joked about doing that before I left, and I remember just rolling my eyes at you...but nope, my dad was so serious! Our landlord called me and said, "A strange man came by and asked to drop something off for you.  He said he was your dad, so I let him in, but now I am second guessing myself! Was that okay?" I just laughed and said yes, it really was my dad. HAHA! Seriously dad, I cannot get over that you are trailing through my town. Hilarious. Who was with you? (Mom's note...Cliff was by himself.  He had flown into Verona from Germany to go visit a doctor south of her city and seriously was just passing through.) Thanks for being a super dad who lead the way for us to follow :) I would not be here, nor would I be the missionary I am w/o you and mom.

Mom...yes, I am SHOCKED by your stocking. SHOCKED SHOCKED SHOCKED - it is the cutest thing I have ever seen. I highly doubt I would have been able to do that! (Another mom note...I don't sew.  But, with the help of my amazingly talented friend Jeanette, I did sew parts of it, although really - let's tell the truth, she gets the credit!)

I love your casa in casa (tracting) stories mom...I did exactly that w/ Sorella Bush. I get creative in trying to find other effective ways of finding people searching for truth.  I agree, that is so hard when people you care about just drop you randomly. We have this amazing man we found who was a total miracle; I almost walked past him when I felt so strongly we should talk to him. We had an amazing first and second lesson - teaching a family and a great, solid man.  Then he called yesterday asking us not to return. Although he believes, he doesn't want to change. I was so sad. 

I loved hearing your mission stories. AH! I cannot even explain how much I love them. Haha - I feel like my eyes are opened to a whole new you. Hmmmm :) I love it. I can honestly say...wow, I am getting emotional writing this, that there is nothing I love more than my mission. There aren't words to describe the things we try. The emotions, the physical pain, the relationships and the trials. All of it transforms you into the person Heavenly Father needs for his kingdom. Anziano Lacovelli told me (one of my favorite elders who just went home) that God calls us in our weakness. He needs us here, now, with our weaknesses to shape us, mold us and build us. I have seen that. There has never been a moment when I have been homesick or wanted to go home, or wanted this to end. These are cherished times I tell you. I am sure you both, and anyone else who has served or is serving understands. I know this for sure; I personally could not be prepared to be a mother or a wife  w/o having served a mission. 

Well this new transition has been a rough one. I will tell you that. I still am not good w/ change. Sending off Sister Russell was sad.  I missed her and wanted her to come home - I just love her. There were some travel complications; Sister Jones (one of her new companions) was supposed to come off the train Sister Russell got on, but she mistakenly got off in Bologna. So...I put Sister Russell on the train. The capi called and told me what was going on, so I had to wait ALONE in Reggio all by myself for an hour. Yup...weird stuff. I went and got a hot chocolate, aka pudding, at mcdonalds, went to the post office and made some copies. I finally got Sister Jones and took her stuff home. This girl is HILARIOUS! She is from Arizona, she's been out 6 months and has a BEAUTIFUL voice. Such a funny girl. I am really obedient, but man this girl shows me up. She is 200% obedient. Good girl. The best part is how wonderfully she teaches w/ the spirit. 

Then a few hours later came Sister Killpack from Cedar City. She came in w/ Sister Jones actually. Same age :) Sister Killpack is super! She is a very effective teacher. Asks direct questions, promises blessings and does it simply. These are both great missionaries. I got very lucky. We all did have a bit of a rough start, as I was missing Sister Russell, and we all were just...a little bleh. Basically, we were doing the number one wrong, comparing ourselves to one another. So Sunday came, and I just wanted to cry and actually did in church. We came home and our comp study turned into a wonderful companion inventory.  We all cried a bit and shared testimonies. We took a minute and each of us read our patriarchal blessings (to ourselves) and shared our fears. The spirit was so strong, as it turned into a divine worth learning session. Since then we have been great together. 

We had a major miracle with Faustina! On Saturday we went over to give her the Gospel Lesson. We got to baptism and Sister Killpack asked, "So what will be the difference between this baptism and your other one?" Her answer was, "Just the clothes." My heart sunk! NO!!! Then she told us she didn't understand and that she hadn't received a testimony of the Book of Mormon yet. She has a baptismal date! At the end of our lesson, I challenged her to hold the book to her chest and say a prayer asking if this was the true Church of Jesus Christ, if she needed to be baptized, and if the Book of Mormon was the word of God. 

She came to church on Sunday, looking stunning in her African get up, and with a major smile on her face. We went to visit her Monday to give a restoration lesson. We decided this would be the pivotal lesson of whether or not she could be baptized this weekend. Before we even began, she cut us off. She said, "Before you start preaching and we learn, I want to tell you something." Then she goes on to say that she did what I asked. She held the book close to her chest and asked God if it was true. She was waiting for the answer and she fell asleep with the book in her hands. She woke up, went to church, and then came home. At home a friend asked, "Faustina, what happened at church. You seem different. You are happier; there is a light in you. What changed?" She said she didn't know how to respond, except in that moment she understood and knew that this was all true. It was the source of her happiness. She felt peace. She had all the same problems, they hadn't gone away, but she herself had changed. She told us that she knew it was true. 

My heart just soared. That was the answer to my prayers. I began crying, and I went over and we hugged and cried for a minute. Sorella Killpack was crying and Sorella Jones was speechless. I reminded her of our first meeting when I had told her that the book would do that - that it had power to heal her broken heart. That power came from the atonement of Jesus Christ. I told her I loved her, and she kissed me on the cheek. We hugged some more and began our lesson. She actually taught her friend, who came for most of the restoration lesson. It was so beautiful. This woman has come so far. That is the power of Jesus Christ, the message of the Restoration, and the Book of Mormon. Nothing I love more. 

The funny part to end this story was we were late and stayed WAY too long. We looked at the time and ended quickly the lesson. Princess, her daughter, was not wanting us to leave, so she hid the keys to the gate. So....Sorella Killpack, I love her, jumped the fence. I followed and so did Sister Jones, and we ran home. haha. What a life we live! 

I love you all! Thank you so much for your support. I couldn't do this w/o you all. You each are in my prayers. Mi meraviglio ogni giorno perche sono cosi benedetta di avere questa famiglia. (I marvel every day because I am so blessed to have this family.) There aren't words. I love you. I pray for you. I know that God protects each of us while we are apart.

All my love 

Sorella Montagnoli

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Sister Francesca Montagnoli
alicia.montagnoli@myldsmail.net
http://sorellamontagnoli.blogspot.com