Sorella Steph Serving Italian Style: April 28, 2014

Ciao Mia Famiglia!

First off- Happy late birthday to my angel mother!! I am so sorry that I forgot to mention it in my e-mail last week, but I was thinking about you on your special day! You looked absolutley beautiful in the pics, i love your dark hair! I hope you had the greatest day. I am so grateful that I get to be your daughter!

Thanks everyone for all of your emails, pictures, and videos this week! As always, it was great to hear from you! I'm so glad to hear that everything went well with Kim's surgery and that mom was able to spend some time in colorado. And sonn is off to LONDON! Woot woot! Get ready for the time of your life bummie! You're gonna love it :)

As for me, it was a great week to be a missionary here in Palermo! We saw so many little miracles this week and were so incredibly blessed. I'll try my best to get everything in here!

So I'll start with a story from earlier this week. Sorella Nef and I were doing personal study when our phone started to ring. We went and got the phone and turns out the call was from Erika, our former investigator. She was calling to say that she and her boyfriend had just broken up, and that she was really sad so she wanted to see us. So Sorella Nef and I went over to her house to go visit her. We talked a little bit about how we are all daugters of God and how she has so much individual worth. Then we gave her a few talks from President Uchtdorf to read. We got to talk to her about them later and she said she loved them and they really helped! It was such a sad situation and so hard to see her hurting so much, but I was instantly so thrilled when she called that we were going to have the opportunity to help her. I love Erika so much and I want the absolute best for her, and I was so relieved when she turned to us in her time of need. But I know that what I experienced was only just a small example of the way that our Savior feels about us. He loves us all so much and He is overjoyed when we give Him the opportunity to help us. He knows what is best for us and he wants so badly to give it to us, we just have to choose to let Him. I'm grateful for the opportunity I had to experience that a little bit. Anyway, we are not sure what will happen with Erika but we are excited to start working with her again!

Next! This story comes from one of our students in English course. His name is Enzo. This week after our lesson he stopped sorella Jackson and I and said he wanted to talk to us for a minute. Basically what he said was this - he had been going to his church for years, but the priests in his church never seemed to be happy. Then he met us. He sees us twice a week, and we are happy every single time. So he just asked us why. why we are so happy. hello. could you ask for a better question as a missionary?? It was so great. It gave sorella jackson and I the opportunity to testify of the blessings of the gospel. One thing that I said was that one thing that made me so happy was the knowledge that I get to live with my family forever. So just so you guys know you are very much a part of the work that I do here :) thanks for all your love and support!

Next highlight from the week! So this week on the 25th was like independence day for the Italians. Some of the members threw a little activity that they invited us to. What I didn't know is that they way they celebrate this holiday is by having an all dayMEAT FEST. They just cook and eat meat all day long. Haha my worst nightmare! Normaly at meal appointments I just do what I can to eat what they give me, but I couldn't do this one. I had to say something. I ended up telling them that I can't eat meat. They were all shocked and they teased me pretty bad for a little bit, but then they roasted me some vegetables and everyone was happy. Haha but I didn't escape without them forcing me to try some of the meat. And it was the worst of the worst. lamb guts. I ATE THE INTESTINES OF A LAMB. Haha it was the tiniest little bit, but it was something that I would not care to do again.

But oneneat thing from that - we got some awesome member missionary work done! So one of the members brought a non member friend. While we were at lunch I overheard one of the members talking to her and explaining the book of mormon. just doing our job for us, no big deal. Our members are awesome. Anyway, we jumped in and gave her a book of mormon, then all the members there took turns talking about their favorite verses and bearing the testimonies. the coolest!

So all in all we have a lot of potential for some great work here in palermo! Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers, keep them coming our way! I love you all and I can't wait to see you in just a few weeks for mothers day!

Love you all so much!

sorella marsh

Sorella Boscia and I at the farm a few weeks ago

Turns out there is a restaurant here called America! Shout out!

The girl with sorella nef and I is Marta. She is a friend of Erika's

Easter Eggs! Thanks again for the dye :)

Our chocolate Bacci eggs

This is the senior couple that works in the office, the Steurers. They know rachie really well, so that is fun! She is the one who sent me the text about madie's call!