August 25, 2014 - Willing

This picture was a year ago or so. As Mom/Editor, I
had to add it because I found it again and love it so much!

Okay,

This week was good! Training is HARD. I am SO TIRED. Haha,I am not going to sit here and complain, but just know that sometimes I feel like that pioneer guy that said "We went west willingly because we had to." 

Her first gelato (and my fruit and
Silvanos, the gelato man who always
gives us freebies)

My companion is awesome. She is picking up on the language super fast, pretty much how I did except she never studied for 1.5 years before the mission! She is awesome. We are seeing so many miracles together it unbelievable but totally believable because it is His work. Expect Miracles! 

A day-mission with Alessandra.
She is finishing up her mission papers
and is the best. But she can't come inside
our apartment :) We study through the window :)

Random cool thing that is not significant to anyone but me: a member from Rome 3 (where I served earlier) just moved to Rome 5 (where I am now)!! He is so awesome, about 65 and the sweetest old man ever. His son (not a member, but has taken the lessons a ton) came with him and told me when they randomly showed up to English Course that he is quitting smoking and wants to get baptized. WHAT. That was incredible. They are such good people. We went to visit them this week to encourage them to share their love of the gospel with the new people they will be meeting in their new town. Dario, the son, introduced us to some friends with whom he had already spoken about the church. Incredible. I love these two. 

 My district of strippling warriors.
 (Smith, Pingree, Bee, Blair)

Okay, well, that will suffice for today. I love you all. I hope that you are doing wonderful things with everyday you have and that you can see the miracles all around. Have a great week!

Sorella Patterson

August 18, 2014 - Always short on time!

Aloha!!!

Sorry it is short, we had to come up to the office for more supplies today. Free internet, but less time! :)

Okay, no weekly email, no time. Tell everyone I am doing INCREDIBLY well and loving it all and so exhausted and wouldn't have it any other way. And tell them I love them all. Also, training is REALLY HARD but I have never seen so many miracles so consistently. It is great. And exhausting. And great. Aaaaaaaaaand, yeah. That is about it. I love this work. I love inactive members who find you on the street and tell you they are ready to come back to church, I love hours of knocking on doors to find the family at the last building that was practically waiting for you. I love watching my companion have a perfectly understandable conversation in Italian in her 2nd week in Italy. I love my Father in Heaven!!!!!!!! 

Love,

Sorella Patterson

August 11, 2014

Zero minutes left, so just want to say that all is well, I am alive, the food is still good, and it is still too HOT. Training is different... I will have more to comment on it next week I am sure.  I am just ready for bed at about 6.30 pm every day. It is great. :) Yeah, we played sand volleyball against Rome 1 and it was BOMB and now I am going to go print off like 5 talks to have for my personal arsenal. Sorry!! But I love you guys!!!

Sunshine is being scattered :) Love you all!!

Sorella Patterson

August 4, 2014 - When in Rome

Dear Family and Friends, 

I only have a couple minutes because we are going to Rome today to spend a pday with some other sisters. Tomorrow, about 8 sisters are finishing their missions, and it is so sad!! I will miss them so much!! So we are going up to see a couple and to explore the Coloseum and the Roman Forum. Woohoo!!

So, transfer calls happened on Saturday. Here's how mine went:

President(never a good sign when he makes the call personally): Hi Sister Patterson, how are you?

Me(lying): Great! How are you?

President(probs knows I'm lying, is also probably lying): I'm good. The Lord wants you to stay in Rome 5 and be their Sister Training Leader. Can you do that?

Me(bigger lie): If He wants me to, then yes! 

President then tells me the sisters that will be in my zone that I will serve.

President (snuck in before hanging up): Oh, also, the Lord wants you to train. Can you do that?

Me(not breathing): uh... If He REALLY wants me to... then yes...

President(probably laughing and/or second guessing himself): He does :) 

Well, I'm having a “baby” (meaning newbie)!! I have no idea who it will be and won't know till the day I pick her up at the mission home this week. Am I nervous? No. I am freaking out. But the Lord will help me. I hope :) Any parenting advice??

Other than that... yeah that is all I can think of right about now... Haha. I hope everything is well at home. I love you all! 

Random thought, I just listened to a talk by Hugh B. Brown. He is incredible. Feel free to send me anything by him. Ever. That is all.

Love,

Sorella Patterson