Transfers

Written 4-2-14

 

Just so you know, every transfer period that's what the subject line will be.  So the big news is... I'm staying in Savona.  My companion Sorella Bennett is heading to Pisa... yes as in the leaning tower of Pisa.  She will be a sister training leader.  I'm so excited for her and grateful for the experiences we had together.  My new companion will be Sorella Gjika from Albania.  She was a sister training leader in Rimini and she will be the senior companion.  She has three transfers left so we're pretty sure Savona will be her last city.  I'm so excited to have this new experience.  I'm really hoping she'll teach me some Albanian and cook authentic Albanian food.  Also, she speaks Italian, English and Albanian.  I'm hoping to start speaking Italian with her 24/7 because up until now, I've only spoken Italian when I'm either talking on the phone or at a lesson.

I've been in Italy now for two tranfers.  12 weeks!  Holy smokes!  It's been an amazing and difficult journey.  Here are the biggest lessons I've learned so far:

1)  The gift of tongues is real.  There is no way I've been able to learn this much Italian in such little time without the Lord's help.  I still have a long way to go but now I can understand 70% of what people say, have a full conversation on the phone, give my part of a lesson and get around Italy.

2)  That the gospel is truly proclaimed by the weak and simple.  The Lord has shown me every single one of my weaknesses and more in plain loud view.  I've learned what my strengths are and how to capitalize on them.  I've learned which weaknesses I need to start working on now and which ones will be overcome later.  It will be a life long process but it has already been a blessing.  I've learned to celebrate the small victories every day such as remembering where that scripture was or booking an appointment over the phone in Italian.  That keeps my confidence up.  I've also learned the power of a testimony.  Ironically, it's the lessons where all I've done is bore testimony of the principles over and over and then kept my mouth shut the rest of the time that have been the most spiritual.  

3)  I've really learned for myself that where we focus our energies makes a huge difference.  These last two transfers, I didn't know it, but I was focusing on all the things I couldn't do yet and everything that was frustrating me.  No wonder I felt anxiety, depression, fear, worry, and frustration 24/7.  But when I focus my energy on the accomplishments, miracles, blessings and things I learned during the day, I feel happy and content.  

4)  I've learned how my anxiety manifests and what I can do to manage it.  That was a really hard pill to swallow but a huge blessing because I have these tools for the rest of my life.  

5)  I've learned soooo much about being a teacher.  It's been confirmed to me that my career path will be teaching.  I don't know which subject yet but I've learned more principles on teaching here than I ever learned in two years of college.  The biggest one is that students respond to you how you treat them.  

6)  The biggest lesson I've really learned for myself is that as a missionary, I have to rely on the Lord 24/7.  I've always been an independent and strong willed person.  But it took trials where I had felt like I had been broken down to my very core for me to realize that the only way to feel happiness and peace was to turn to Heavenly Father.  I'll also be developing this skill for the rest of my life, but my testimony has been strengthened a hundred fold that God truly is our Heavenly Father and He knows everything about our lives.  

So experiences this week:  An embarassing one was that we gave a prayer lesson with V. the fruit shop owner who gives us free fruit every time we stop by.  I gave the prayer.  She had told us she was dating a guy and that he had gone on a trip.  I prayed that he would be safe.  Well what I didn't know, and she had explained to Sorella Bennett in extremely fast Italian was that they broke up lol :).  Oh well.  It's the thought that counts.  

A beautiful one was we were doing a pass by to one of our investigators and I started talking to this man.  He had tons of health problems and was really sad when i started talking to him.  We left him with a verse and a prayer.  At the end of the prayer, the look of happiness and gratitude on his face was indescribable.  He thanked us for sharing some happiness with him.  Earlier that day I had been feeling depressed and anxious but after that experience I felt happy and peaceful.

So how am I doing now?  Honestly I'm doing fantastic.  I'm excited for this next transfer to feel happy, be healthy, and use these new tools and lessons to be a better missionary.  

Thank you all for your prayers, love and support.  Also a shout out to all you other missionaries... the Lord is truly proud of all of us and every effort we put forth to accomplish this work!

Challenge of the week:  Celebrate the small victories.

Scripture of the week:  Proverbs 3:5-6

Word of the week:  Transferimento.  (trawns-fair-ee-mento.)  Transfer.

Vi Voglio tanto bene!