Valombrosa update for Jessica 7/24/13

This week was all over the place! Sorella Hamblin had her first scambio in Pisa! Super exciting! We went up the night before and as we walked to the appt I got us "lost" so we accidentally stumbled upon the leaning tower of Pisa. Oops. I got to come back the next morning with Sorella Bennett. We had a good day. It was one of those days where you just do missionary work. We have 4 appts that afternoon and we just went from one to the next without stopping. It was fun! We saw one of our investigators who is a young girl and we have really been trying to work with the whole family but haven't found the way in. Just as we were leaving her mom stops us at the door and says, "Hey! How about you come over to lunch next week? Then we can all sit down and talk together. " Perfect We'll be there!'' 

And Saturday we had a branch activity! It was so amazing! We packed up in a couple cars and went up into the mountains to Valombosa (which means shady valley). We were at 1,000 meters. It was like being in the clouds. It has been flesh-melting hot lately and going up there was just perfect! We had a small turnout but a large portion were non members. It was so fun for everyone involved! We played soccer and frisbee and jump rope and tug-of-war. Sorella Hamblin and I drew out the Plan of Salvation on pieces of paper and handed a piece out to everyone. We had everyone explain their piece and we shared our testimonies. It was really touching for me to see how close our little branch is. We really our a family. The next day at church everyone said, "we need to do it again! we need to do it again!" So hopefully in just a couple weeks we will have another activity. Next month we are going to have an "Italian cookout" which is very different from an American cookout. We are going to make homemade pizzas in a brick oven outside. Pure bliss :) 

Yesterday morning we left the house early to go see our new converts. We had a lesson with them and then had to head back home for lunch. At the train station we met a family from South Carolina. They were sweet. The husband just says to us, "so are you on a 2 year mission?" I laughed. Oh people who have heard of Mormons before. Gotta love'em. Then on the train we talked to a girl who had a roommates who were LDS when she lived in DC. She's her on vacation but we're going to meet up with her and teach her tomorrow! Super exciting! And she'll be prepared when she goes back stateside! 

Our week this week has already been so great! I love Sorella Hamblin so much. She has changed my mission so much. She helps me recognize the things in myself that I still need to change and she just loves so much! She has helped remind me to bring my studies back to the basics. Preach My Gospel and the BoM. That's what we need to become the Lord's hands. 

 

Love you all! Take care,

 

Sorella Jarvis