One Year in Italy! Living a Dream!

(Letter written Feb 12)

Celebrating their "One Year Mark" - February 6, 2014

We went up to Milano on Friday for our Mission Counsel with President Dibb. We had a beautiful training on...MISSIONARY WORK! haha shocker! This time it was geared toward helping our members make "Family Mission Plans." In chapter 13 of Preach my Gospel there is a section about ward mission plans -  what the wards want to accomplish in the year, etc. Well, we are helping our families make missionary plans. Ideas that aren't too scary consist of: Invite people to attend family home evening each month, invite people to church each month, carry pass along cards, post scriptures on Facebook,  make a goal to give

Lucia sent confetti!

away a Book of Mormon each month, pray for opportunities to share the gospel of Jesus Christ, pray for missionaries and investigators by name, do visiting/home teaching, write a dedica in a Book of Mormon, give church materials as gifts…etc.

STL's at Mission Counsel

These are little things that make our members fulfill their potentials as members of the church of Jesus Christ and as children of God. As members do this, it helps us missionaries know how to help them in their missionary work. Now...my birthday is coming up a month from today. For my birthday I have a request for all my family and friends. I would like you all to prepare a Family Mission Plan, and I would like a copy of it! :) That is something I want more than Reese's (which is literally what I dream about sometimes). I know the Arizona Linder's have been working on one. So clan…WILL YOU MAKE A FAMILY MISSION PLAN AND SEND IT TO ME? :) 

"Consiglio" - Mission Counsel

Consiglio was fantastic.  I love being in that room with all of the Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders. These missionaries are such giants! They are all people I really look up to. Slowly people from my group are trickling in. It has been fun to see them. There was an Elder I haven't seen since we got here, and he looked so different! I said, "Hey Anziano, you look different." His response was, "Sorella, it's been a year!" I was a little taken back by how long it'd been! Then another sister came up to me and said, "It's because he's grown spiritually." I was really struck by that - how when we grow spiritually our outer appearance changes a little bit. We're still the same people but have had a growth that is immeasurable by our human eye. At the end of our meeting president asked a couple of missionaries to bare their testimonies. Wow was that powerful. The spirit flooded the room. It was like water filling a glass. There was no empty space. We sang the mission hymn at the end, and I felt like I was in a dream. 

I feel like that often - that this cannot possibly be my reality. It is just too good. I feel so blessed each day.

Dad, I've thought a lot about your letter and the analogy of the pioneer trek. Yes, I was one of the ones who ran back down the mountain to help the others get up. Man, I don't know where that energy came from. That only could have come from angelic support. Even if it was just a "mock" version of trek, Heavenly Father still helped us out. Then, I loved your thoughts about Nephi. Heavenly father didn't strengthen him, but rather he changed the circumstances. He doesn't always do that, but when it is His will, he always does. Either way it is Him "providing the way" to help us accomplish the tasks he gives us. 

Yes, it is Valentines day in Venice…I'm gonna have a hot date with my fantastic companion for our lunch hour :) haha! Plus, My daddy is my favorite Valentine! ;) Right dad! Haha! Seriously dad, this might as well be Seattle! The rain is never ending...never ever ever! There is not even space to get under the bridges, because the water level is so raised! (I guess these sunny pictures she sent were the exception to the rain!)

I love you all so much. Thank you for the prayers. Heavenly Father blesses me each day with ministering angles that keep me going. "For I can do all things through Christ with strengtheneth me!"  Happy Valentines day to all! You're in my prayers! 

Love, 

Sorella Montagnoli

Dad visiting family living in London

Note to Dad - I loved your pictures from your visit to the Hintze's in London…they are fantastic.  I hope you enjoy mine from Venice!

Dad (Cliff) with nephew Mike @ the London Eye