October 27, 2014 - Headed to the Islands!

Well,

Laban and his roommate Omede

The Lord has spoken and I am going to the Island again! This time, Sicily!!! I could not be more excited for this last transfer. I will be with Sorella Pinkston too, who if you remember, is like my bff in this crazy country. I am just so happy. Honestly, I cannot believe how blessed I am. I don't feel even the tiniest that I have earned such trust and such a blessing. It is literally the dream last trasnfer. I cannot even begin to express how I felt when President told me that. He is just the best. Man, life is good. 

Sacrament Meeting in the hotel
Church for the last 4.5 months. it's been good :)

Laban is going to get baptized either one or two weeks after I leave, I am so happy for him!!! And his roommate will be baptized in December. It is just incredible. The Lord is really blessing this place and I know He will keep doing it. I am sad to say good-bye to people but not super sad to go. I know that there is so much waiting for me, and I am just excited. Rome 5 has in many ways been my "refiner's fire" and I bet there is another around the corner, but that is okay, I think this one made me a little stronger ;) we'll see... ;) 

Mom, I am down for that Christmas volunteer thing, it sounds fun! And for the flight, that is perfect, thank you!!! And I will totally come to seminary, I can't wait!!

You could pretty much ask me anything right now and I would do it. I am just feeling REAL grateful, and in debt to my Maker. Seriously though. Life is just good. I am going to Sicily. 6 weeks. Good food. A real ward. An already best friend so we don't have to awkwardly get to know each other. I cannot even wait. I will miss Sorella Decker and all this work we did and the car, oh I will miss that car, but the warm island is sounding reeeeeeeeeal good right now.Have I told you it is cold here? It is cold here. Can't wait. 

I love you all. I hope that you are all well. I hope you are all still studying the words from general conference. I reread "Approaching the throne of God with Confidence" or something like that this morning. I think it is one of my favorites. I have plans to put it into practice to improve myself. I hope I never stop looking for ways to improve. I owe a lot of that to you all for your good examples to me. Love you all tons,

Sorella Patterson

October 20, 2014 - Guess What?

Hello All!!

 

Not much to say other than I can't belive that next week I start my last transfer of my mission... weird. I am just trying not to think about it any differently than another transfer, and to just keep applying the wealth of knowledge that you get after 16 months. It is going :)

Guess what? Laban told us he REALLY wants to get baptized. And he decided on November 1. I am SO proud of him. It has not been easy, and is about to get harder, but then comes his baptism day and I know it will all be worth it. And now he feels it too. I can't even believe how far he has come, and how much I have grown by knowing him. Man, the fruits of my labors may not seem like much to anyone, but to him and to his future family and children, it makes an eternity of difference. And you know what? I might get transfered in a week and miss his baptism, as is typical for my mission, but that is okay, because I did my very best for him and I have no regrets, and he and I are forever changed because of what happened here :) Sorry for getting so cheesy lately, I don't know what is going on, but I don't know how else to express myself anymore. I guess I have always been a pretty cheesy person, and now I don't care who knows? It's probs that. 

Okay, another guess what? RUSS came to church in Rome 5 yesterday!!! WHAT!!! He is a friend of mine from England, we met in Texas years ago and have been in contact ever since, and he has been following my blog thing and then came to Rome for vacay and found me in church!!! Haha, it was the best surprise ever, and I got to translate Sacrament meeting for an investigator of the Anziani and a good friend of mine. just the coolest thing ever. 

Zone Conference was awesome.

My memory card is officially broken. The pictures are still all there, but I can't access them on the computer. Sorry, folks. No more picutres. I'll try something... Well probably not. Oh well. I still love you all though!

Have a great week and live the gospel out loud!

Sorella Patterson

Zone Conference October 2014

Rome East Zone - October 2014

October 13, 2014 - 8 weeks to go!

Hello All!!!

So sorry, but I think that my memory card has a virus or something, so no pics from the Sistine Chapel. Well, you can't take pictures of the ceiling anyway, but still, no pics of me and Viazzo. Mi dispiace! But, it was SUPER fun. I can't believe we finally went. We got in for a sweet discount, I think because of our tags... I don't know if they knew who we are, but whatever, I'll take it. ;)

This week was a really good one, not because we did anything special, but I am just feeling really good these days, like at peace with being at the end, you know? It is weird. Not to get morbid or anything, but I think it will be a sweet passing... okay just kidding, leaving Italy is going to be the worst things ever, and I am not ready, but at the same time, I know it has to come and it is okay. I still have two months and one more transfer, so who knows, maybe I'll see Sicily finally or finally go find Debbie's family. Either one is okay with me. I am learning so much right now about missionary service and I can't believe they ever let me come out as unprepared as I was. This really is the MTC for life. So weird. But I am grateful for it all, even the really rough patches, because at the end of those tunnels I learned the most. Now, looking back, I am starting to see why certain things were oh so necessary and why life is so dadgum hard sometimes, and it just makes sense. I know that these things were probably just sneakily preparing me for worse things in the future, so I should probably hold all this for my wise older years, but I am just feeling really grateful for this chance and for how good God has been to me. I know He has my back, so whatever else is next, bring it on. But with mercy... please.

In other news, our new roomates are some really nasty roaches that are popping up. But, the hot water finally works in our kitchen sink, for the first time since I got here in June. Washing dishes just got that much more exciting!! What else.... uh... Yeah, I think that is it. 

Laban is working on deciding on a baptismal date. Keep him in your prayers! 

Haircut time

This week is Zone Conference... look for pics. I painted my nails for the first time here, so watch out America!

Alright, basta. Love you all. Remember, it is all about HOW you serve, not WHERE you serve. Keep smiling, have a great week!

Sorella Patterson

 

October 6, 2014 - Finally going to the Sistine Chapel today!

Aloha friends and fam!!!

Thanks to Allessandra for sharing these pictures on Facebook!

This week was pretty lame. We were at home for quite a bit of time since I was sick and then Sister Decker got it, then mine came back with a vengeance and now they are both pretty much gone. Man, it was fun. 

BUT. TODAY WE ARE GOING TO THE SISTINE CHAPEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WITH SORELLA VIAZZO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   

It was worth waiting my whole mission and not going because I get to go with my awesome comp Sorella Decker and my best friend of the last 16 months, Sorella Viazzo, and her greenie :) So, me and my MTC companion and our greenies. That is pretty cool, cute even ;) It will be a great day. I am so happy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

Okay, also this week Laban came to confernece, just one session, but I think he was pretty excited and he seemed to like it as well. He is just doing so well and I just love him! I will have to go to Africa some day and see the countries that produce such incredible people. Seriously. They are amazing. I love Italians, I do. I just also love Africans. a Lot. I kinda just love people... ? 

I am finally getting a haircut next monday... it is about time. 

We are really just excited. After conference, we are both super pumped to GET OUT and just work. We are gonna have a great week. I haven't felt this good in a while. I am just so thankful, for everything. Life is always good, even when it is not, life is good. 

 I love you all. Find a reason to laugh out loud today!

Sorella Patterson