Conferenza, Bitonto, e Pallavolo!!

When members take pics of you during the lesson :)

Cari miei!

Another one of the best weeks of my mission! I say that all the time

but I really do mean it. The mission is just the greatest.

Sorella Bellomo and I are working our tails off and Bari is seeing so

many miracles!! We have a lot of potential investigators and this week

we're gonna work on turning them into actual progressing

investigators.

We're technically the Sorelle assigned to the Bitonto branch as well

as Bari Libertà so this week we were able to go out with the Anziani

and do a bunch of finding out there! It was a lot different than doing

finding in Bari because it's a TINY little town haha but it was a lot

of fun!

MONICA e MASSIMO. Wow they are just amazing. They are officially moved

in here and so we are now officially teaching them! They came to

Conference yesterday and LOVED it. Vescovo gave them each a blessing

and it was one of the most special experiences I've had on my mission.

He said to them that as they continue to take these steps along this

path, they will one day be sealed in the temple as a family! So

powerful. They both told us how badly they want to raise this new baby

they're waiting to adopt in the Gospel ❤️ So thankful the Lord is

allowing me to be a small part of this.

Conferenza Generale: We haven't been able to see the Sunday afternoon

session yet but literally every single one of my questions I had

written down going into this weekend were answered. There were so many

amazing speakers and things they said that touched me. I loved how

much they talked about following God's plan for us, trusting Him, and

following the promptings of the Spirit. It also helped me recognize

those small things that we can do daily in order to have the Spirit

with us constantly. Such an amazing Conference!! We are so blessed :)

Also a happy birthday shout out to my dad yesterday :) 44 never looked

so good!! I love you all!! The church is true and this is the Lord's

work!!!

Con amore,

Sorella Hess

Via Orazio Flacco 13/3

Bari, Italia

70100

Le foto:

When members take pics of you during the lesson hahaha

Pic with Monica while waiting for the boys to be done with the

Priesthood session :)

Our cute street cuz my mom always asks for pics of what the city looks

like haha.

District gelato run after MLC.

PALLAVOLO TODAY 🏐 First time playing in more than a year hahahaha.

We're gonna be dying tomorrow😂

Pic with Monica while waiting for the boys to be done with the

Priesthood session :)

Our cute street cuz my mom always asks for pics of what the city looks

like haha.

District gelato run after MLC.

PALLAVOLO TODAY 🏐 First time playing in more than a year hahahaha.

We're gonna be dying tomorrow😂

Le feste di Bari!!

Ciao tutti!

Another week! It's been great down here in Bari. This transfer is flying! Transfer calls are next P-day!

Friday was for sure the highlight of the week! We had a stake Relief Society activity for all the women in the Puglia Stake... so know what that means?? ALL the sisters from Taranto (my 1st area) came up to Bari for the evening 😊😍 It was easily one of the best nights of my mission. So much fun to see them all after almost a year and to actually be able to communicate with them now haha. I got to see a lady who was a Less-Active while I was there but then re-activated herself during my 3rd transfer. She told me that she just got a calling as a RS instructor!! I was soo happy to hear she's still doing well! Seriously such a powerful night. There were around 200 women there which is AMAZING for places outside of Utah haha 😉 I was blown away by how strong these members are. They truly are the pioneers of the church here in Italy since the church has only been here for about 40 years.

Bari and Taranto Zone Sorelle

Also, Monica (that lady from last Sunday who showed up at church) came to the activity and they officially own a house in our ward and are moving in the first week of April! We are so excited to teach her :) She's golden!

Sabrina from Taranto

Other exciting events of this week: we were trying to pass by the home of a less active member. When we found the one we were looking for, we rang the citofono. Immediately after the "chi è" (who is it) and our "salve siamo le sorelle," (hi we are the sisters) we were buzzed in. We were pleasantly surprised and went up to the first floor. We rang the bell at the apartment and a woman asked who we were through the closed door. We explained that we were the missionaries, and she told us she couldn't open the door because she was just the badante (caregiver) and didn't have the keys. We were about to leave and come back in the morning, and I asked, "Ma, c'è Paola?" And the woman said, "Aspettate, vediamo se trovo le chiavi." (Wait a second, I'll see if I can find the keys) And she opened up the door and let us right in. Her name is Maria, and she told us that sadly the less active we were looking for died last year from cancer, and she is the badante (caregiver) for the mother of this woman. BUT Maria had met missionaries in the past and always wanted to be in contact with them again, but had no number or anything to contact them! We have been talking to her and are trying to meet with her again, we just have to find a time in her busy work schedule. Isn't that amazing?!

Guisi!!!

We had a party with our English course where we made British, American, and Canadian treats. It was really fun! There were lots of people there. Lots of potentials!

My Fav people

Cool graffiti

I gave a talk in church yesterday on why we need the restored church and as I've been studying it this past week, I've been able to reflect a lot on all of the blessings in my life thanks to the church. I invite you guys to sit down and make a list of all the ways the gospel has blessed you. It'll take a while, I promise haha but it's a pretty special experience. During 2nd and 3rd hour we got to watch the full Joseph Smith movie in English with our African Gospel Principles class. It's amazing watching it as a missionary because this is what we share with people every single day. I am thankful for the Restoration and that we have the priesthood again on the earth today. We're blessed guys!!! I love you all! Have a great week! 

Elisabeth--spelled like my middle name :)

Bari is good for a lot of things....but Pizza isn't one of them haha:)

Con amore,

Sorella Hess

Via Orazio Flacco 13/3

Bari, Italia

70100

Le foto:

Bari and Taranto Zone Sorelle

Sabrina from Taranto

Giusy!

My fav people :)

Elisabeth (spelled like my middle name) :)

Cool graffiti 

Bari is good for a lot of things but pizza isn't one of

them haha :) 

Digiuni, miracoli, funerali!(2)

Ciao guys, 

I swear we just had P-day 5 minutes ago haha. Time really needs to slow down. We had such a cool miracle yesterday so I'll start with that! 

"Shoot, we haven't taken any pics this week....smile guys"

Sorella Sargeant and I fasted yesterday so that we'd be able to find more truly interested investigators this week. No joke, right at the beginning of sacrament meeting this couple walks in. We didn't know who they were so I went and sat by them. Massimo--the husband--is a member from Taranto (my 1st area!!!) but has been living in L'aquila (up north of Rome) for 8 years and is inactive. His wife, Monica is from Uruguay but moved to Italy when she was 11. She's not a member (yet😉) but is seriously soo sweet and interested in the church. They're married and in the middle of adopting a baby and ARE MOVING TO OUR WARD IN A FEW WEEKS :) :) :) She texted US after church and said thank you so much for making her feel welcomed and that she's coming to the Relief Society activity this Saturday night. A random inactive man just shows up at our church and brings his non-member wife. That doesn't just randomly happen while we happen to be fasting for miracles. Fasting works guys!! Punto.

Saimo noi, la luce less'amore

Bishop asked me to play the piano for a funeral on Friday of an older man in the ward who passed away. It was such a spiritual day. His wife and daughters aren't members of the church and it was hard to watch them so heartbroken thinking they wouldn't be able to see their dad ever again. That morning we had taught a lesson to a new convert on the Plan of Salvation and then being at that funeral afterwards just confirmed my testimony of it even more. We are so blessed to know that death isn't the end!! I'm so thankful for the knowledge we have of where we came from, why we are here, where we are going, and how we can reach the highest kingdom of glory. The gospel brings so much peace and comfort in our lives! 

Visiting older ladies in the ward is the BESST!

New mattress today, we live in the old elder apartment so it was a necessity hahaha

Other than that, not much out of the usual happened. Getting creeped on, eating pasta, teaching English Course, preachin' the gospel...all that good stuff :) I love you guys! I love this church and all the blessings that come from being a missionary. You don't have to wear a name tag to be a missionary though ;) Pray for opportunities to share the gospel! Vi voglio un mondo di bene! 

Baci da Bari

Sorella Hess

Via Orazio Flacco 13/3
Bari, Italia
70100

💕

Cari miei!

Lots of craziness this week and I don't have a lot of time, but here's some pics of this week with some of the highlights! 

Le foto:

Our bff Gaia❤

Deborah passed her Baptismal interview so things are good to go for this Saturday :)

Isn't she the sweetest?? 

Can't believe this crazy adventure started one year ago this week. I'm thankful for everything I'm learning and for how my testimony has grown. I'm so thankful for our Savior. No matter what we're going through, He is there and loves us perfectly. I'm thankful for the power of prayer and that we always have someone that's listening. Love you guys so much! Baci! 

🎶"And the walls kept tumbling down in the city that they loved"🎶

My people :) 

Sorry we're a day late! Yesterday was Zone Conference so P-day was bumped to today. #notapostate :) I hope somebody got my Bastille song reference in the subject line...We went to Pompeii today for P-day😊 It was the coolest!!

This week was unreal. Easily one of the best of my entire mission. We are happy the holidays and Italian parties are coming to an end and hopefully people will want to start meeting with us again but the Lord has provided for us these past few weeks and we've been able to stay busy. We've been to Napoli 5 times in the last week for last P-day, MLC, Zone Meeting with the District Leaders, Zone Conference yesterday, and today to Pompeii!! Lots of traveling but each of the meetings have taught us so much and we're ready to attack 2017! 

It's been TROPPO FREDDO this week. Probably the coldest I've ever been in my life haha. No joke. We are wearing so many layers it's ridiculous. (3 pairs of tights guys😂) It snowed in Caserta for the first time since 1986 and the whole city pretty much shut down for the entire day even it only lasted for a few hours haha. Every time we go to Napoli our train goes right past Vesuvio and it is BELLISSIMO covered in snow. We're so blessed (we say that probably a hundred times a day).

Remember the less active we have been working with that came to church on Christmas?! She came again this Sunday and brought her 3 cute kids! We are teaching her 9yr old daughter! We were so happy to see them together in church :) It's so special to be able to see people come back to the fold❤

Last night after Zone Conference we were visiting a Less-Active member in the ward. She had a friend over at the time, and I'll be honest, I was initially a little disappointed because I didn't think we'd be able to get them all to come together and listen to the spiritual thought because there were a lot of kids and people there. BUT, we were able to sit them all down and teach them the Restoration. It was amazing and we added the friend as an investigator. She has a cute 8yr old daughter too! I was also super proud of my companion in that lesson. She continues to amaze me every single day and she teaches me so much. I swear I'm learning more from her than she could be learning from me. I'm blessed with the best!

This past Zone Conference could easily be one of my very favorites that I've had so far on my mission. We focused on the Holy Ghost and preparing ourselves for the Worldwide Missionary Broadcast we will be having in a few weeks. I learned so many new things!! I could go on all day. One of my favorite parts was at the end when we had a group discussion about our favorite verses in the Book of Mormon about the Holy Ghost. I loved the verse that someone shared from 1 Nephi 4:6-7. "And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do. Nevertheless I went forth." I think this applies to all of us in some aspect or another with school, work, family situations, missionary work, friends, etc. I know I definitely feel like this as a missionary. I don't know what I'm doing a lot of the time. There are days when I don't feel qualified, but as we pray to be led by the Spirit, we will be able to go forward with faith and the Spirit will guide us to do the things we need to do to fulfill this work.

President Pickerd shared a footnote from a scripture that I've been thinking a lot about this week. It's in Joseph Smith History at the very end. It's Oliver Cowdrey talking and he says, "These were the days never to be forgotten." I know this is true with wherever we are RIGHT now in our lives. We will look back on these days and always remember them! Give it all to the Lord. As the time is flying by on my mission, I pray that I will be able to do this so that as I look back on my mission for the rest of my life, I will have no regrets. This is the happiest and most rewarding hard-work ever. I love my mission and being a representative of my Savior. A lunedì💕

Con amore,

Sorella Hess

Via Caduti sul Lavoro 3 

Caserta, CE 81100 Italia

Le foto:

Pompeii today! Vesuvio is in the background :)

Our cute Nigerian friends💕

La conferenza di zona