"Siam chiamati sempre per servirLo"

Buongiorno amici miei!!

Hands down one of the best weeks of my life. SO much has happened since last P-day so let's see if I can remember the most important stuff!!

-First and foremost, I want to give a huge shout out to my brother Sam who got his call to FIJI this week!! I'm so happy for him and proud of him :) 

-Last Tuesday we had exchanges with the Sorelle in Pozzuoli and I was with Sorella Hunter who went to AF High with me ❤️😊 We had so much fun!

Gelato on scambio with cute Sorella Hunter from AF :)

-Wednesday we took a train up to Rome for the Mission Conference. We stayed with one of the Senior Couples :) We did a massive finding activity with the majority of the Sorelle in the mission up in Rome! We saw a ton of miracles.

-Thursday was the MISSION CONFERENCE :) It was incredible. The Spirit was so strong. President Kearon, Elder Hallstrom, and President Russell M. Nelson and each of their wives spoke to us. We got to shake each of their hands and there was no doubt in my mind that they are called of the Lord. The common theme of the conference was of our divine heritage and how we were saved for these last days to come to the earth to share the gospel. :) It's been on my mind ever since and how blessed we are to have been raised in the truth of the gospel. I was asked to say the closing prayer in the meeting in English. Who would've thought that it would be scarier to say it in English than in Italian? I didn't pass out up there so I'd call it a success :)

-Friday was one of the happiest days of my whole mission. First, when we got to the church that evening I saw an email from my Mom saying that Sam was going to be opening his call later that night. For some reason I started feeling kind of bummed that I couldn't be there with all my family just for a few minutes. We had an amazing lesson with Veronica and taught her about the Plan of Salvation more in detail. She is so elect. She asks the coolest questions and just absorbs EVERYTHING we say. She's so excited about the gospel. I asked her on Sunday at church what made her decide to come by our church a few weeks ago and ask to learn more. (By the way, she hasn't missed a week of church yet!!) She said, "I was led by the Spirit or Jesus and I knew I had to be here." 

-As we were walking home after that lesson, we poked our heads in at our favorite pizzeria down the street from our apartment. There's a lady that works there named Gina who is always so nice to us and we've really been wanting to add her as an investigator. We went in and ordered our pizzas and I asked her if there was a day this week before work that we could meet so we could share a message with her. She pulled us aside and said, "I know you didn't know this, but I was baptized in your church back in Ukraine on October 30th, 1990. It is a miracle that you two found me." 

WHAT?! Our jaws basically were on the ground. Those are the kind of stories you read about in the Ensign haha! She told us to come back on Tuesday so we're going by again tonight :) 

It was a huge testimony builder to me of how aware the Lord is of us. This is why we leave our families and go on missions. It was especially sweet for me knowing that Sam would be opening his call in just a couple hours to know where he will be going. There's no describing the happiness that comes from missionary work. I love this gospel and am so thankful for all the mission is teaching me :)

Best pizza in Italy today for P-day, hands down. Sorbillo in Napoli :) 

I love you all! Sorry about this crazy long email but it's been an amazing week! I hope you're all doing well wherever you are in the world :)

"Avanti andiamo con fede nel Signore!"

Sorella Hess :)

Ps, I had one of my most embarrassing moments of my life at Zone Conference yesterday. We were doing a role play with one of the AP's and we were trying to say that we wanted to give him a GIFT but I accidentally said a WOMAN. Un dono = a gift. Una donna = a woman. Hahahhahahaha. I couldn't stop laughing. I totally lost character but shout out to my companion for finishing for me. I know the difference between the two words but just got super tongue tied and it came our wrong hahaha.

My entire MTC group reunited for the first time since we all got here!

We went to the top of this castle in Napoli today with our Zone! #blessed. That's Mt Vesuvius in the background :)