So, this week was transfers and it's been very slow, but there are 2 people’s stories that I want to share. Also, Anziano Smith went to Malta! Our new elder in Roma 5 is Anziano Puff (pronounced poof, which cracks me up for Harry Potter reasons) and he's Italian, but he grew up in the super far north where most people speak German, so he speaks German, English and Italian. No big deal.
First story: Laban. This guy is SUPER forte. He contacted us, like I said last time, but he has some very particular, personal struggles that we are helping him with. We asked him at the end of our lesson why he was still meeting with us, how he felt about it, if he'd seen any changes in his life since we started teaching him. He told us that he felt pushed to come to our appointments and to come to church on Sunday. He knows it is important, he is willing to live the commandments, he just wants a few weeks to really examine what we believe and teach before he gets baptized. So he'll be good to go by the time we do the baptismal interview. He is so strong, he is trying so hard to learn Italian, and he wants to help us teach English and give back since the government is helping support him right now while he learns the culture and language. He is so incredible.
The second story is Gesi (Ghesi?). She has had a really hard life, especially since coming to Italy from Nigeria, but she has SO much faith! She is such an incredible person, and the last two lessons we had with her the new Relief Society president in our branch came with us. Gesi really doesn’t have a family here except her husband, and so today we had the most incredible experience and got to express how much we love and care for her, and Slla. Perticaroli said that she would be Gesi's ''adoptive mom'' here in Italy. It was beautiful, we all cried, and there was such a wonderful Spirit of peace and sisterhood. It is so humbling to know that I have the privilege of sharing God's love with His children who are lost, confused, hurt, angry, and upset. Her experiences that she shared with us made the moment so much sweeter, and I hope that she decides to accept the message of Heavenly Father's love and choose the path that leads us home to Him. I don't know how she couldn't after today!!!
Other than that, we had a big Texan-themed party to celebrate the restart of our English course curriculum, and the students loved it. I made salsa and we played a few word games, and we had some cool America/Texas themed decorations.
Not much else to report this week, just getting really excited for conference and looking forward to a great second transfer!!
Love you all, thank you so much for your prayers and support for me and my family. There are people whose eternities will be changed because of the help I am receiving from you all, mine included.
All my love,
Sorella Decker
Ciao Sister Decker,
My name is Katie Nilson and I was one of the teachers who taught your daughter at the MTC. Today while visiting church in Rome I bumped into her!! It was so fun to see her! She is doing great and you can just tell she is glowing! She kept telling me how much she loves her mission! She also told me to pass on the message: "VI AMO TANTISSIMI!!!!!" (I love you lots!!)
Anyway I just thought you'd enjoy hearing that she's a wonderful missionary and is in great spirits!
Ciao,
Sorella Nilson
First story: Laban. This guy is SUPER forte. He contacted us, like I said last time, but he has some very particular, personal struggles that we are helping him with. We asked him at the end of our lesson why he was still meeting with us, how he felt about it, if he'd seen any changes in his life since we started teaching him. He told us that he felt pushed to come to our appointments and to come to church on Sunday. He knows it is important, he is willing to live the commandments, he just wants a few weeks to really examine what we believe and teach before he gets baptized. So he'll be good to go by the time we do the baptismal interview. He is so strong, he is trying so hard to learn Italian, and he wants to help us teach English and give back since the government is helping support him right now while he learns the culture and language. He is so incredible.
The second story is Gesi (Ghesi?). She has had a really hard life, especially since coming to Italy from Nigeria, but she has SO much faith! She is such an incredible person, and the last two lessons we had with her the new Relief Society president in our branch came with us. Gesi really doesn’t have a family here except her husband, and so today we had the most incredible experience and got to express how much we love and care for her, and Slla. Perticaroli said that she would be Gesi's ''adoptive mom'' here in Italy. It was beautiful, we all cried, and there was such a wonderful Spirit of peace and sisterhood. It is so humbling to know that I have the privilege of sharing God's love with His children who are lost, confused, hurt, angry, and upset. Her experiences that she shared with us made the moment so much sweeter, and I hope that she decides to accept the message of Heavenly Father's love and choose the path that leads us home to Him. I don't know how she couldn't after today!!!
Other than that, we had a big Texan-themed party to celebrate the restart of our English course curriculum, and the students loved it. I made salsa and we played a few word games, and we had some cool America/Texas themed decorations.
Not much else to report this week, just getting really excited for conference and looking forward to a great second transfer!!
Love you all, thank you so much for your prayers and support for me and my family. There are people whose eternities will be changed because of the help I am receiving from you all, mine included.
All my love,
Sorella Decker
Mom got an email this week from one of Nicole's teachers in the MTC, Sister Katie Nilson. Katie had gone back to Rome this past week because her mission trainer was getting married and her husband is from there. Nicole taught Katie in the MTC when Katie acted as the investigator, "Samantha", who was struggling with being active. Here is Katie's email:
My name is Katie Nilson and I was one of the teachers who taught your daughter at the MTC. Today while visiting church in Rome I bumped into her!! It was so fun to see her! She is doing great and you can just tell she is glowing! She kept telling me how much she loves her mission! She also told me to pass on the message: "VI AMO TANTISSIMI!!!!!" (I love you lots!!)
Anyway I just thought you'd enjoy hearing that she's a wonderful missionary and is in great spirits!
Ciao,
Sorella Nilson
Ppppppouff!
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