June 13, 2016

Helloooo everyone! How are you guys doing? What a great time to be a
missionary:) I'm absolutely loving it.

We had Specialized Training (mini zone conference) on Tuesday and it
was our last time seeing Presidente & Sorella Waddoups because they go
home in 2 weeks. They're so awesome and we'll definitely miss them but
we've heard great things about our new President so we're excited to
meet them. (The whole Taranto zone gets to go to Bari to meet the new
president in 2 weeks so we're also really excited for that😊.) I felt
the Spirit so strongly at during our Specialized Training. I really
liked a training that we had where they went through the each position
on a football team and their role, and then talked about how we as
missionaries each have a role. There is a quarterback who stands tall,
knows the playbook-the gospel/scriptures/PMG, and knows his purpose.
We have running backs who are diligent. They get the ball and they run
hard. They may only get a few yards at a time but over time it adds
up. Then we have our wide receivers. They run far, take a chance,
sacrifice looking silly and missing a pass, but are bold and fearless.
These are just some that I can remember off the top of my head. Zone
Conference is a spiritual recharge and I always leave feeling fired up
and ready to preach the gospel to everyone!! :)

On Thursday we had a lunch appointment and she made us fish. Sorella
Flansberg doesn't like fish at all haha but she was a champ and ate as
much as she could. When the member walked out of the room for a
second, I shoveled as much of her food as I could down my throat and
finished off the plate for her. That's comp unity if I've ever seen
it😂👊🏼 I told her she owes me a gelato for that one😉

On Saturday night we added a new investigator. Her name is L!
She's 73 and her husband passed away in October. She's super cute and
LOVES having us over. We taught the Restoration and mentioned that we
had to get going soon if we were going to catch the bus and be home by
9. She invited us to sleepover but we had to tell her we couldn't. She
invited us to come back for pranzo the next day so she set her own
return appointment! :) Whoo! And she has already read a little bit of
the BOM in the past 2 days!

We had a bunch of lessons and appointments set up for later in the
week but unfortunately got several "bidones" (cancelled appointments
at the last minute). Ma succede (but it happens). One of our lessons
fell through so we went to go stop by the house of one of our other
investigators. We haven't been able to get in contact with her for
over a month, but abbiamo citofonato (we rang her apartment) and she
was home!! Miracle!! She said she'd love to meet up for gelato and do
a lesson with us this next week so we're excited! :) Sometimes when
things don't go according to plan and one door closes, we just need to
trust that the Lord has something else in mind.

I've been reading in the New Testament for the past few weeks and this
morning I read the Parable of the Prodigal Son. I read a talk by Elder
Holland after that I loved. It's from 2002 and it's called "The Other
Prodigal." He said: "The tender image of this boy's anxious, faithful
father running to meet him and showering him with kisses is one of the
most moving and compassionate scenes in all of holy writ. It tells
every child of God, wayward or otherwise, how much God wants us back
in the protection of His arms."

The parable also teaches us about what the Savior does for us when we
repent and return to Him. Through the Atonement, He welcomes us home
and doesn't make us make the trek of repentance alone. :)

Vi voglio bene!! Have a great week!!

Sorella Hess