September 25, 2013 - Surprise Visitor

Okay, I wish I had time to respond to everything but I have 8 minutes and I type slow.

Buongiorno tutti!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, guess who found me?? That's right, the good ol' Byrnes!! Didn't see that one coming, haha. But for real, it was a surprise and it totally caught me off guard, but it was so cool to see them here and understand Debbie's Italian grandma for the first time. Debb is going to be a rockstar missionary soon!!

Debbie "found" me at Church on Sunday!

So, Pamela is OFFICIALLY getting baptized this saturday, like we picked out the dress and everything! It is going to be awesome.

Our ward mission leader finally returned from America; he has been gone the whole time I was here. The work is going to take off now, I know it. We have already seen tons of miracles and it's been less than a week! He divided our zone up since there are 8 of us, and S. Mistura and I will concentrate on Chieti, which means the famiglia Di Marzio!!!!! Also, crazy story, Lucia Di Marzio is the Sister of our ward mission leader, Fratello Giusti. Their mom and dad also live in Chieti and we found them yesterday, and it was so crazy and they want us to come back! The mom even wants to come to church! I seriously just love this family so much!

Tomorrow is zone conference! Love yall!!

Sorella Patterson

(Editor’s note here…I send her pictures of my garden every now and then, so today she sent me this)

Mom, I take pictures of my neighbor’s garden frequently. You'll see them in a year or two.

That's a big squash. This is taken from my

third story balcony.

September 18, 2013 - Conference in Rome

Buongiorno tutti!

I can't believe it's already pday again! The days are seriously going by so fast! Also, the weather is starting to cool down, and it even gets a little chilly at night! It is a truly glorious thing.

Thank you for all your prayers for Pamela!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! After wanting it for 14 years, Pamela has a baptismal date for this Saturday, the 21st!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can hardly believe it!!!!!! It is truly a miracle!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And another miracle, which I will also attribute to many of you and to the friend of Antonio Di Marzio, The Famiglia Di Marzio are now investigators!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A HUGE Miracle!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love them more than life itself it seems and have been praying and hoping for this for quite some time, and finally it is a reality!!!!! Lucia Di Marzio is an incredible woman with an incredible family. Her husband is so loving and fun and Always calls me Megan which is weird because he is the only one in this country that does that, haha. Then there is Gioia (Joy) the daughter of 25 years. She is so sweet and I love her!! We could totally be best friends if I wasn't a missionary and more concerned for her salvation than her boy life right now. But seriously, I love them. I told Lucia she is like my mom right now. I think she liked that. The day I see them in white will be the happiest day of my mission, guaranteed.

Okay, so Sunday was ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE.

We had stake conference and Elder Ballard came!!! He even took all the missionaries early in the morning and spoke just to us, and only the missionaries in the now TWO Rome stakes! He truly is an Apostle of Jesus Christ, I can testify with all my heart of that.

And now thereare two stakes in Roma, crazy.

Also, I saw Sorella Viazzo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! <3 <3 <3

Seeing Sorella Viazzo for the first time since leaving the MTC!

Okay, no time left, but thank you all for your prayers and keep them coming. I won't be calm until Pamela is actually baptized!!!

Love you all!!!

Sorella Patterson

September 11, 2013

Me and Lucia Di Marzio, the mom of Antonio Di Marzio.
She taught us the ways of the Italian Kitchen :)

Ciao e buongiorno tutti!!!!!!

It has been a while since I wrote a formal email to all of you, so sorry about that, and also this one is going to be short, so sorry about that too :)

So last pday I learned how to make ravioli, the real kind, and I even learned how to make pasta!!! That was crazy.

 

So, I don't know if I have told all of you, but I have fallen in love and I am never coming home. I love Italy so much. I love the people, I love the culture, I love the families that we are teaching. I love the members in this ward. If I could serve in Pescara for the rest of my mission, I would be a happy Sorella.

Sorella Ricci came up to me on Sunday and asked when our 'party of thanks' is (thanksgiving) and that she was going to have all the missionaries over for a big meal because she had learned from the past missionaries that this day is important to us Americans. Keep in mind there are 8 missionaries here now, all American but my companion.

Sorella Di Iulio hates English but comes to the English course we teach so that she can meet the non-members that come and make them feel comfortable and answer their questions about the Church.

The Bishop, as busy as bishops always are, has come to three different missionary lessons in the last two weeks.

This ward is Amazing. They get the gospel. They get missionary work. It makes me miss my own ward a little because I know we have members just like those here who sacrifice everyday to make a difference in the lives of their children and in the lives of their families and friends with whom they share the gospel. No sacrifice is too much. What we receive in return is Always better.

This Sunday is Stake Conference in Rome, and we are all going :) It's another huge financial sacrifice for many members, and some investigators, but Elder Ballard, an apostle of the Lord, will be there and we know we need to hear what he has to say.

Thank you all for your prayers and letters and emails. I love you all so very much and I pray for you as well, so I hope you feel my prayers too!!

Have another fabulous week, Vi Voglio bene!!!

Sorella Patterson

 

 

August 28, 2013 & September 4, 2013

8/28/13 Ciao yall!!

Activity with the Giovane Family and Lorenzo

So, it has been raining here quite a bit which is awesome because the weather is great!

Also, Pamela is getting baptized in two weeks! I realize that none of y'all know who she is, but she is the sweetest woman ever and has a great desire to follow Jesus Christ. She is awesome.

Also, I am definitely getting tanner.

Well, we have been seeing miracles here, and I know we will see more as we put more faith and hope into this work. 

So, I feel bad that I never send pictures, so this week's email is gonna be just that! Enjoy!!

Sorella Patterson!

From the bus on the way back from L'Aquila



L'Aquila district meeting. Pizza was the bomb, even though
we had to eat it on the bus. Elder Carr
 (originally from The Colony, TX as well) is on the front left!

On splits in Rome with Sorella Wightman.
She is awesome!



9/4/13 The heat! It has cooled down a bit here so I can't complain anymore. It was even cold one night last week! The Church is not AC'ed but there are several units in some rooms. There are two in the Chapel and one in the Relief Society room.

 

So, Pamela has a baptismal date of the 14th of Settembre, but is not sure if she can make it because her family is kind of against it. She has a grand desire to be baptized and be a member of the church, but her family is also super important to her. Please pray for her!! She has been wanting this for 14 years and been taking the missionary lessons on and off for about 10 years. I have hope for her though! 

 

Transfers are this week but I get to stay here for at least another transfer, which I am really happy about. There is still a ton to do here. My companion is also staying which is good. I still have a ton to learn from her! Sorella Spicq and Anziano Alessandro are leaving, so we'll get two new missionaries, as well as two additional elders, making a total of 8 missionaries in Pescara, in one ward!!! Crazy!!! Also, Elder Carr is in my district, so we see him once a week at District meeting.

So, we have been working with this family for a little while. The son is the only member, he is like 30 I think. The mom, dad, and sister are not members, but are super friendly to us. We have been only doing Family Home Evening with them, but today we are going over there so that the mom can teach me how to make real Ravioli! Also, The son, Antonio, told us that his mom has started to read the Book of Mormon, so I think the Spirit is really starting to work in her. Every time we go over, she asks great questions. She wants to know what is right for her, and we want so bad to help her, and she is starting to let us I think. I have so much love for that family. They are some of the best people ever.  

Speaking of food, I am starting a recipe book with some of the recipes that Sorella Colella gave me. However, she asked for some typical American recipes in return, haha. So, mom will you send me some recipes that I can give her?? Simple stuff, nothing huge, but maybe some big ones too. Just whatever you think. Also, a recipe for how to make marshmallows. And Brownies. Italians LOVE brownies. and Marshmallows. (Editor's note here: Any great American recipe you want to send to me I will be happy to pass along--especially a recipe for marshmallows. I thought only Kraft made those!!)

Also, I need matt and Dad's home addresses.

 

By the way, the best address to write me is: 

Sorella Patterson

Via delle Querce 4

65015 Montesilvano, PE

Italia 

Okay, I am out of time, love you all, have a fab week, thanks for the emails and updates, keep them comin'! Feel free to write me too!! 

Sorella Patterson 

Picture:Sorella Colella and me with some American syrup her friends brought her!!