LAST ONE!!! 08/13/14

Alright. Here it is. The last email of Sorella Holloways mission.

Hahaha Yaaaaaaaaaaaa guys I am freaking out. 

Ok well- aside from the fact I am freaking out- GENOVA IS SOOOOO WONDERFUL. By far the prettiest city I have seen... maybe second best. Hahaha My Companion is officially my Best friend. I am with Sorella Astel, and we came into the MTC together so we are in the SAME GROUP anddddd we both go home the same day. Yeah thats real. Haha

Not to mention, we are opening Genova 1... Yeah That was a surprise hahaha I was like.. OH... Soooooo we have nothing... cool... we are starting from Zero and then leaving.... cool. Hahaha

But guys We are working so hard and are just going crazyyyyy!!!!!!! Ok a Normal week for missionaries here is like... 15 lessons and you are doing good, and 2 or 3 investigators a week is super solid, well my firends, Sorella Astel and I decided that for our last week in the mission we would break all of our goals, so just from Monday and Tuesday we have gotten 5 new investigators and 17 lessons, we have two people with a baptisimal date, and guys- we are soooo happy. I have never worked so hard hahaha

Last night was the biggest miracle- we were home at like 8:35ish so I said- ok lets get like one more lesson and then we can go home (We have to be home at 9) and we walked past this group of 4 people, they were yelling at each other, and were drunk sooooo we kept walking. We walked around till like 8:59 and were almost to the apartment and I was just like- Lets justtttt go talk to them Hahaha So Who knows what came over me but I walked up to them and asked "Cosa si Rende Felice??" Bahaha Aka What makes you happy- Not a super great question, in fact quite pathetic. But one women looks at us and asks us if we are missionaries, she said- "Where do we go after this life? My brother was murdered last week and I neeeed to know" 

Family- The Lord works in Mysterious ways- but I have no doubt that she was there and we were there at the perfect time. We prayed with them all, but man was my testimony strengthened. You would think I would be numb to that at this point- but nope- its still amazing. Every day. 

I also gave my last and dying testimony at Zone Training on Monday- That was wierd. I said Love God, Love yourself, and Love life bahahaha At the time it seemed like really great and now I am just like... maybe I should have thought that through a little more. Hahaha

Being that this is my last email (you might get like a one-liner next week) I just want to say I love you all, and I know the church is true. I am converted and if I could say or list all the things I learned in the past 18 months I would, but I cant. I am so thankful for every hard day and that I have changed. I am so proud of myself and so thankful Heavenly Father loves me enough to put me through heck and make me climb mouintains, because now I can do it with a smile on my face because he taught me what is on the other side. How great is our Lord and how important to make him known. I know our Heavenly Father and I know our Brother Jesus Christ and I have a relationship with them. I am so thankful I know. 

I will see you all next week- I CANT WAIT!!!!! I will try to call you at the airport... I think I know our phone number but if thats not it,,,, thennnnnnn you wont get a call from me hahaha 

Love you!!!!

Modena pitures

08/06/14 - 2 more weeks!!!! AND a transfer to Genova!!!

I HAVE LIKE 2 WEEKS LEFT AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It gets more real everyday!!! I had to pack everything this morning, why you ask? Because I just got transferred -___- hahahaha

That’s right folks I am Leaving Modena and going to Genova. It’s a part I have never been to so I am excited. I wish I had more than 10 days there but I will get over it. Hahaha It came as a shock to me and my companion, it was like two weeks shorter but not much I can do about it. I have taken over 100 pictures in the past 3 days JUST with investigators and members and I would say half of my suitcase is filled JUST with things from my family here hahaha They are so wonderful- I will miss this place so so so much. GA. 

So yes I am all packed, and I sent home a package today that was freaking almost 20 pounds.... so do the math there hahaha I send home a lot of books and a journal so I am literally going to fast to make sure it gets there cause I would DIE if it got lost. Join me in this fast everyone. No more eating. Not till it gets there. It’s in a really cute box though which they made me buy and switch all my crap to when I was there at the post office because they are just ridiculous.... it was like a 45 minute process. Ridiculous. But yeah- you don’t need to open it cause it’s just my English scriptures which I never use and my personal progress book and BOM that I did in Italian cause I felt like it hahaha anddddddd other Italian learning books and a journal - so it’s all pre-packed for school. Yay!!!

Awww I  just heard the bells of Duomo outside. Man will I miss that sound. 

Our new convert ended up not doing the surgery for a lot of reasons, but she is going to wait a little while. Everyone is doing great here and my favorite family that we teach here we said goodbye to last night- andddddddd I wept. 6 Months with them and then leaving is just like- a joke. Luckily they have skype and facebook and snap-chat so really I have nothing to be sad about. Thank goodness for technology. 

Thanks mom for cleaning my clothes!!!!!!!!!! I did not even think about those being gross but I suppose I have been gone for 100 years..... Hahaha I don’t know how I will feel about my clothes from the pre-mission life. But hey maybe I will really miss them! Chances are no- but we will see. I think I am most worried about the shoes... Hahaha I have no shoes. I have two weeks left and I refuse to buy new ones! It doesn’t make sense to.... soooooo did you see any flats in that box by chance???? I mean heals are great.. like.... once a week... for an hour... Lol! Yikes. 

I love you all so much and I can’t wait to see you all so soon! I have been writing a poem thingy through my mission that I add to every 3 or 4 months and I actually really like it so I think I am just going to share that for my homecoming talk. cause then I don’t even have to write anything. Muahahaha. It’s fun to read and you will like it :) I think. Hahaha

I love you so much!! I will see you soon!!!!!

 

07/30/14 - 3 MORE WEEKS!!!!!!!!!

FAMILY!!!! Alright so I basically started weeping at Stephen and Amanda's wedding invite- HOLY FREAKING CUTENESS!!!!!!!! I am sooooo in love with it!!!!! I am printing as we speak. 

Hahaha That’s so funny that people keep saying "That went by so fast" HA!!!! False. Days are long, weeks are short but man 18 months is a long time! Hahah Don’t get me wrong I love every second of it but it sure as HECK has not been fast. Lol

hahah I super hope Kate learns to not poke the babies eyes out... hahaha Also dragging a baby by the feet- nottttt super Ideal. But didn’t Jenna drag Stephen around? I feel like this might just be Carma. Hahaha KIDDING!

This week it has been raining so bad- so officially all the shoes I own are ruined hahah So I am hoping to buy a pair today to last me the next month. I am really hoping I have shoes at home. Which brings me to another point- are my boxes in the attic? cause I will probably need those. I plan on bringing very little clothing-wise home. Especially shoes. HA! None of those are gunna make it hahaha I have 4 pair and they ALLL have holes on the bottom. I really thought that was a mission joke- it’s definitely  not hahaha

Yesterday we had the coolest miracle EVERRRR And we met these two people who’s number was given to us as a referral, and we go over there and they are these two Nigerian women (seems to be a trend these days) and we teach the whole restauration and I asked them to be baptized on August 30 and they were both like "YES!" Hahaha So funny. They speak Benin which means in English they speak to us in pigeon but man it was sooo cool. They were telling us that they had both been baptized but they said "The man who baptize me. He know Nothin. He no Know me. He no know my sin- because he sinnah!! He no have Authority. That baptism was Rubish. Rubish!!" And this my dear family is why my English is fading. If I speak English I either speak British English or African Pigeon- take your pick.  

So that was a huge highlight- and also I learned how to cook Empanadas Yesterday which are freaking great so basically whoever I marry is one lucky guy cause I cook like a champ. Collecting recipes was the best advice evaaaaaaa

Side note: The other day I ate Ferrari pizza..... That means there was normal cheese with raw ham on it and then balsamic vinegar poured over the top... Wasn’t that bad- but extremely strange. Our ward mission leader bought it for me- What a Gem. 

This Sunday was really sad because the members are all leaving for vacations so they have all starting leaving and they are being soooo sweet and giving me little notes and gifts and then I just cry cause I love them so much EEEP!! But I am too the point that i am like- ready to stop saying goodbye hahah I have been saying it for wayyy too long so it will be nice to come home to be on the happy side of things. :) 

So about our New-Convert- she is doing great :) We ate with her last week- she is a very good cook- African Style :) She says she has to make us fufu soon and then I was like NONONONONONO That’s ok!!!!! hahah So I am going to teach how to make Pizza and Lasagna instead. Much safer :) We also taught her how to make cake and she was THRILLED! Hahaha I had never seen someone so happy!!! Hahaha This last Monday we went with her to the hospital (To translate for her)  because right after her baptism she was told she might have a brain tumor, But we went and it is actually just defect in one of her arteries that causes aneurisms and hemorrhages so next week she is getting surgery :( SO as long as that doesn’t get rescheduled, that’s where we will be aLOT next week. She has a three year old and a 6 year old so just pray for her. We are asking help from our members but a week is a long time for a mom with 5 kids all living at home. 

Other than that we have INCREDABLE investigators (yes, plural) and we love them! We have like, 4 people making progress maybe 5 and are working towards baptism. One problem we have here is that a couple of our investigators are Prostitutes because there is no work here, and it gets to the point where they have to stop and lose their house to be baptized-- and they are super nervous about it because they don’t know what to do- I mean all we can do is teach them and they kinda have to fix the other things but MAN I wish I could just help them more. If that isn’t hell, I don’t know what is especially when they have kids- Pray for them!!

I love you all so much and I can’t wait to see you!!!!! ITS SOO SOON!!!!! EEEEPP!!!!!

 

07/23/12 - 4 more weeks!!!!!!!!!!

FAMILY!!!!! No big deal but this you all will only get 3 more emails from me AHhhhhhhHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

AMERICA HERE I COME!!!!!

Mom as for a Missionary moments:

Right Now i am in Modena, Italy which is just outside of the Tuscany Providence by Bologna (Bah- lone-ya). Modena is the home of Ferrari and was where they were invented so I see no less than 10 Ferraris a day. 

My Favorite thing about Italy is that it’s a modern world stuck in an ancient city. I mean sometimes I feel like I am thrown back into the 1700s and then I walk into rich rich Ferrari parking lot with business-men and women and it’s like getting whiplash ahhaha I like it! My favorite thing about Italian people is that they are honest. They say how they feel or if they don’t say it you can instantly tell by their facial expression and hand motions so I love that. Hahaha Full of honesty! 

When I get discouraged I just remember to "Zoom Out" as I call it. I usually sing "How great thou art" and remember gratitude for them million things I do have even if I am rejected and lonely for 100 months straight because bottom line, life can never get bad enough that there are no good things to notice. So the only thing you need is the energy to think of all the good things you got, and if nothing else, we have the knowledge of the gospel. That is sufficient for anyone. 

Of course after that- I just think of all of the funny moments saved up in my brain so I can just laugh. Hahaha Laughing truly is the best medicine, and the best therapy.

My favorite scripture this week/ transfer is "Perche Avete Paura- o Voi di Poca Fede?"- Why do you have fear, oh ye of little faith? orrrrr why do you fear, oh ye of little faith?  My translation isn’t good. But I love this one because we shouldn’t fear anything or we are telling ourselves it’s in our hands, and that’s not true. It’s all in God’s Hands, so if you truly trust him and listen to him- Tutto va bene. Everything will be ok. :) 

Right now Ecclesiastics 3 is super good too- There is a time for EVERYTHING. And my favorite part is when it says something about being happy with his portion. Nad I really am grateful for my portion and the work that Heavenly father has given me- It’s been a lot and very heavy and I am thankful for EVERY piece of it. Then of course the rest of the chapter completely explains how I feel. There is a time to be born, and a time to die (aka go home),  a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing.... Hahhaha It’s pretty good :)

Hopefully that helps you out!!!

This week has been full of ups and downs and craziness and basically everyone knows I am going home soon so I have been taking a lot of pictures and everyone gives us food (Super great) and ya!!!! We work all day every day and we got another baptismal date with another African and it was the first date I set where I know I won’t be here... Lol SO THAT SUCKED hahaha .Whoever comes to take my spot here is SOOOOOOOO blessed. The people here are soooo awesome. I love them. sososososososososososossoso Much. :)

Anyway I am hoping there is money on my card cause I gotta send a box home... I am partially packed with all that stuff I won’t be using and yikes...... I had more than I thought... Lol I love you guys so much!!!

I WILL SEE YOU IN LESS THEN A MONTH AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

 

 

 

07/16/04

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH ITS SOOO SOON!!!! I CANT EVEN BELIEVE IT!!!!! But yeah I am so excited. I am ALSO thrilled I don’t have to wait till September to give my homecoming talk hahaha BLESSING. 

This morning I went through a suitcase and got out all that stuff that I was saving for "Later" Like my precious Crystal light and like Extra 7 glue sticks and markers and colored pencils and notebooks and sticky notes that I save till I run out well... THAT can’t happen anymore and there is no way I am taking that back to America. Hahaha I seriously doubt I will be overweight with my bags.... But I don’t know! I probably should send something home but I am afraid it will get lost and there is nothing worse than that. But the other two I sent got to you guys so that’s good. I will look and see what I can do. 

Speaking of Baptism- we had an incredible lesson yesterday with my favorite investigators EVERRRRRRR yesterday and they are all Atheists but the mom changed her mind a little bit, and wants to get baptized EEEEEPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP I love her so much and I am so excited for her. We had her read "Lord, I Believe" That talk Holland gave and BOOM. It was perfect. If you don’t remember which talk that is- you should totally read it again. I cry every time. Right now I am drawing her this tree (It sounds dumb but I swear it looks good so far) And I am putting a quote from that talk in in that says something like... "If your faith is challenged at this time or any other time, I invite you to lean on mine- for what once was a tiny seed of faith for me has turned into a tree of life" Anddddddddd thats Italain into English but its more or less that. IT’S SO GOOD!

Yeah that purple African dress FOR SURE is being worn to the wedding. NO BIG DEAL. Its sparkly and everything hahaha

Sooooo yeah my future apartment flooded???? That’s comforting...... -____- Hahahaha Freak now what?? Hopefully they fix that... in the month they have left hahahaha

Anyway other than that everything is going super good!!!! We teach a lot, I got to sing at another Baptism last Saturday for a lady from Poland- SUPER cool and it’s all great! I love Italy; it will be cool to come back as not a missionary... weird. Hahaha This Monday we went to visit this 92 year old lady in a Casa di Anziani and she was so sweet and gave us some really good life advice Haha And this Sunday she is going to re-teach us how to knit and we are crafting together haha YAY!!! It will be the highlight of my week. It’s kinda hard to understand the old folks in this place because none have them have teeth anymore, or if they do it’s just one or two, and they don’t really speak Itlaina- they speak the dialect Modenese .. so some things I will never understand but... I try. Hahaha My poor trainee has to try and learn normal Italian and then has to be talked to in Dialect hahahahaha Poor thing. She will live. 

Anyway I love you guys so much!!!! I will see you soon- BUT FOR REALS!!!!!

 

07/09/14 - 6 weeks left!!!

Hey Family!!! 

Yeah- Next month I am coming home! At this point I don’t really feel like it’s real. I feel like for sure I will be released but the whole going back to America thing hasn’t really occurred to me yet. Hahaha I just feel like I am about to get kicked out of the club. :( But other than that I feel all good about life. I don’t have any regrets ... yet? Hahahaha 

Uhhh so yeah it’s freaking hot and I am going to die. I wake up pretty much on the dot every morning at like 2:36 just sweating and I have to go shower -___-  I think we are at a rate of 3 showers a day? Yeah. Hahahaha Then yesterday it POURED rain. POUURRED And we had an appointment that is about a 35 minute bike right so we were sooo muddy and socked when we got there- as soon as we started the lesson- rain stopped- the SECOND we started to leave- it poured. -___-  Grrrr. But whatever. It’s either mud or sweat so gross either way. 

WE HAD A BAPTISM and it went sooo good! I think the best part is we kinda just thought there would only be like 6 people there but actually a tonnnnn of people came and we were sooo happy that our members came to support us! Now when I say a ton I mean like... 25 which is FREAKING GREAT for us. YES we did wear our African Dresses but we didn’t wear the headpieces in the chapel cause we figured it was a little irreverent hahaha But it was awesome- I will send pictures!!!

I got to sing at the baptism How Great Thou Art- a little in English and a little in Italian and it was sooo fun. I freaking loved it. I miss singing so much! FUN FACT I have become totally obsessed with song writing and Drawing on my mission. Weird right?? I like draw stuff and then frame it.. and then like... give it to people... So that’s a new random thing I do... Hahaha And the whole song writing thing- I have like an albums worth of stuff I need to get recorded when I get home. YAY! It’s really fun. Who would have thought?

I am glad everyone has fully dived into summer!! On the fourth of July I made my Poor German Companion suffer though me sing every American song I could think of from all 4 verses of the anthem- to "Proud to be an American" - to Surfing USA Hahaha It was really fun- Then that day we went to this place called "Porta Aperta" and we gave food to everybody who didn’t have money to buy it and it was soooooo fun! Although I will say I found some very appalling things as well. There was a huge bin of baby food and I found canned "Cavallo e Coniglio" Which means Horse and Rabbit..... Don’t you worry. I took a picture. Kendra and Jenna- please don’t ever ever ever feed your babies these things. It’s wrong. 

This week has also been a week of FABULOUS food. I ate Papawankaina Which is Peruvian food= FREAKING BOMB. It’s just a yellow sauce you put over potatoes and its spicy and creamy it’s to die for- and then we tried this Italian trend to Wrap Cantaloupe in Raw ham- Yeah. SUPER YUMMY. Hahahaha The texture is weird at first but the after taste is seriously sooo good. I could eat it all day. Not to mention my popcorn addiction is back in full force. Like errrrydayyyyy Hahaha 

One of the Anziani here put on my flash drive the "Living Scriptures" And My companion and I are OBSESSED hahaha We watch one a day at least right before bed- its our new favorite series.... aka We have a problem hahaha We are both Reading the Book of Mormon and the New Testament (I am reading in Italian) so we watch the matching films. IT’S GREAT. Hahaha 

Ok also- Sacrament meet aka Fast and Testimony meeting was freaking HILARIOUS this week. We have this lady who gets up about 15 minutes from the end of every sacrament meeting and stands under the pulpit and waves goodbye to everyone, and that’s usually pretty great anyway but this week we also had just hilarious stories told over the pulpit- it was probably the most awkward meeting ever. Confessions GALOR! hahaha Gotta love it. 

Anyway I love you guys so much and I am so excited to see yall SO SOON!!!!! Not that I am counting down- But I totally am :) LOVE YOU!!!

-Sorella Holloway

 

 

 

 

 

07/02/14

HI FAMILY!!!!!!!!!!!

NEWS FLASH!!!! I come home next month!!! SAY WHAAA?????????????????????

Hahah That picture of you and Jason makes him look SUPER tall and you super short! hahahaha He looks so happy!!!!! Man I wish I was there with you guys!!!!! SO FUN!

Yeah I plan on playing Grandma Bingo in august so yall better plan for it. I had 2 summers in Italy so I need to see the Beach asap when I get home. That and the temple. HOLY COW I GET TO GO TO THE TEMPLE NEXT MONTH AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

This week we taught a bunch YAYYYY And this Saturday is the Baptism of out Nigerian Investigator!!!! our African Dresses are going to be HOLY CRAZY GREAT Hahaha This Friday she teaches us how to tie them, and how to do the hair piece hahahaha Ya know when I read my call to Italy, I did NOT see this in my future- but here I am. I am also learning Benin so it’s pretty exciting. Hahaha

We teach a lot of people who aren’t really progressing unfortunately, but we still do enough finding work that new people are always coming in :)

This Sunday President came to Interview our Investigator for Baptism so he also gave us all interviews Hahaha My interview consisted of this line "You in your vintage age in the mission, are now a complete missionary...." Bahahaha I couldn’t tell if it was a compliment or not. The word Vintage was an interesting word choice... Hhahaha It was pretty funny

During this last transfer I have been trying to get in shape- for many reasons- and I now get up at 6 so I have an hour to work out, so I really do feel old alllll the time. Hahaha Just everything hurts. Hahah I figure it’s better for me to do it now then start my dance classes and pass out after the first hour. Hahaha SOOOo We will see how that goes. My companion does NOT like it hahah But she is very supportive! 

The summer has super kicked in here and so our apartment is just blazing hot and biking everywhere is murderous hahaha we sweat soo bad and then it’s so humid it just all sticks to us, so even when we are on bikes, we still sweat- its glorious hahaha I definitely haven’t gotten tanned- but no one can even tell cause I am just that white -___- so that coooollllllll 

One of our investigators from Ghana came back this week so we went to go see her and SHE IS SO RAD! We taught her the plan of salvation and as soon as we started talking about the plan on salvation she gets out this paper and starts taking notes Haha she said "The spirit is talking to me. I must write so I can write a song about this and let my brother and sisters know." Soooo basically I love her and I will be getting her CD of Incredible African Gospel music. FABULOUS!!!!

I love you all so much and I can’t wait to see you so soon!!! LITERALLY NEXT MONTH!!!! AHHHHHHHHHH

 

06/26/14 - 8 weeks left!

Hey Family!!!! Hahaha

Yes I am alive- clearly my getting hit by a car story was well enough explained hahaha Don’t worry! I am good!

I cannot wait to meet Amanda. I feel like I know her cause I have like.... made her up in my mind just from the little pieces I hear and the kind of person I see Stephen with.. SO I figure I am like... in the general area of what she is like Hahahaha

What day is the wedding? What are the colors of the wedding- Maybe a picture would be good of what type of color? I am so excited!

This week was great as usual and I didn’t get hit by a car, so that’s a huge plus. This week was transfers and my entire District is staying the same which I am pretty sure has never happened to me hahaha We are really excited!

This week we had 5 Investigators come to church and it was sooo rad!!!!! Our usual is 1 so we were like HOLY COW SO MANY PEOPLE!!! Hahahaha It was incredible. One is getting baptized next week on the 5th and we are SOOOOO excited. It’s the first baptism I have seen since .... November. Hahaha She is Nigerian and so we are getting African dresses to match her at her baptism hahaha

Not only that but we got two new Nigerian investigators this week. I don’t know what’s happening but if there is a Nigerian- We find them!!!!! haha They are so enthusiastic about Christ so the always want to come to church and to read with us and learn more- it’s really fun Hahaha

We have been teaching SO MUCH. Our bodies literally ache because we have to ride so fast from appointment to appointment or... when we don’t have an appointment we do "Parko" and we teach people on the street. I think it is because sub-consciously I am freaking out about being in my last transfer so I like runnnn person to person hahahaha Its fun though. I hope I don’t kill my companion Hahaha We sang "God be with you till we meet again" in Italian one Sunday and I was like.... weeping. haha So I am getting pretty Weepy about coming home, not cause I love Italy more than America- but because I can’t NOT cry when I think that I am not coming back to Italy. People ask me all the time "When are you coming back?" Hahaha And then I just start crying and I am like I DONT KNOWWWW Hahaha So I have to make a mental goal of when I am going to come back or I don’t know if I am going to be able to step on that plane. Ideally I would come back and do an internship here for Dance- there is a great university in Florence or there is the Rome temple opening BUTTTT If I get married before any of that happens well freak he is gunna have to take me here instead of a fancy honeymoon.

BOTTOM LINE is that I need to come back to Italy so it doesn’t suck leaving. :) That’s the point I was trying to get at hahahhaha  But don’t worry I am super excited to come home! I got my classes all set up and I am ready to hit the ground running :)

I love you all so much and I can’t wait to see you soon!!!!!

-Sorella Holloway

06/18/14

HELLO FAMILY!!!!! :)

Man there is just nothing better than p-day. Hahahaha Okay obviously there is.... but not much. Hahaha

Sounds like everyone is getting ready for trips so that’s weird!!!! This is my second summer without Utah EVER IN MY LIFE I feel like but I suppose thanks to Stephen and Amanda I squeeze it in right at the end Hahaha YAY!!!!!! I can’t believe Tim is going to Hawaii to Dance..... You all turned into dancers just cause you miss me so much. :) Hahaha I expect you all to keep doing this dance thing when I come back- ESPECIALLY YOU TIMMY. Hahaha seriously- is there anything Tim can’t do? Watch him become a singer to and just be the best at everything -____-

Well this week was quite interesting. Yesterday I got a letter entitled "Customs Letter" which means "Letter telling you you are getting kicked out of the country" Hahahaha And THAT was crazy to get!!! Hahaha Exciting but a little surreal. The letter basically told me to keep being a missionary and to not bring home more than $800 worth of gifts home... BAHAHHAHA whosever budget is $800 is RIDICULOUS and totally Unrealistic. Lol

SPEAKING OF MONEY. I was looking back on my last three weeks- and I have seriously had THE WORST luck. My bike was destroyed... I was hit by a car... (I will explain)  AND we got a ticket yesterday on the bus.

Story one: My companion ran into me on her bike and so I had to replace the bike tire- BOOM £40 GONE. But I only got one giant bruise on my rear end so I figured it was ok.

STORY TWO: This one time I was coming home from church and as we were crossing a street there was a car coming and the lady in the passenger-side seat waved me to go, but the driver did not see me (he was texting) and so he did not stop, I did not stop... so you can imagine. The bike lane I was on was parallel with a really busy freeway so when I saw he was going to hit me, I was buckling up cause I KNEW he would bump me into the freeway and THATS where I would die- head on and from my right side- So the car comes right up to me right side and hits me- but I have got a death grip on my bike- So I bounce about two feet to my left-Still sitting upright on my bike where the car comes and meets me at a stop/2nd hit. So my right arm is on the hood of his car, my left hand still gripping my bike and I AM ALIVE. I looked over to the driver and the genius who waved me to go- and they are both convinced they were murders and I was dead meat. But Alas- The missionary power protected me and I just looked back at my companion who just saw ME- her companion" die" but magically survive and I just yelled "THE CHURCH IS TRUE! THE CHURCH IS TRUE! FREAK THE CHURCH IS TRUE" And then I rode away without a single bruise- no pain- a functioning bike- and the nearest death experience I have ever had.

    I assure you there is NO WAY I should have lived that. At all. Ya know the Scripture in D&C that says "I will be on your right and on your left, and my angels round about you to bear you up?" Well whichever angel is on my right DID GREAT- Now the angel on the left, I see room for improvement. He was slacking a little but I forgive him. lol And those angel round about me FOR sure did their job. Thank goodness.  So yeah. I got hit by a car. Twice. And I didn’t die. My Name is Sarah Holloway- and I am a Mormon.

STORY THREE: Yesterday we went to Bologna (Bow-Lone-Yah) for a Zone Conference and after the train ride- we stuffed ourselves onto a bus where we were seriously more than shoulder to shoulder in the most uncomfortable ways. Gotta love public transportation. Well it is a rule to stamp your ticket so they know you paid for you ticket- and since it was so full- none of us could get to the front to stamp our ticket. Well LO AND BEHOLD an officer got on and I and 5 other missionaries got pulled on the bus and fined. -____- he charged us ALL £65 a head - an upside was that, if you remember, my wallet got stolen in Firenze so my ID was stolen as well as Promesso di Sorgiorno aka everything that makes me legal. There was my new missionary (my companion) and another new missionary who also weren’t legal yet- and another missionaries was EXPIRED so Really we were all supposed to go to jail until someone brought them our passports and then fined an extra WHO KNOWS how much- so I was thankful anyway.... But yeah. NOT SUPER GREAT. Not to mention all the other repairs I had to pay for and the tickets and basically Italy is a money-sucker. If you even had any to begin with.

Other than that- We are teaching this AWESOME mom right now from Nigeria and she will be baptized in the next month so we are soooo happy for her. She has 5 kids and the youngest 2 come to church with her :) It’s pretty fun :) Then Last Saturday night a group from Verona came to Modena and performed a "Musical" About Joseph Smith and it was pretty cute. The church is true and I loved watching people I didn’t know share their testimonies about a 14-Year Olds vision- Its crazy how one little thing changed the whole world- Oh how lovely was that morning!!!

   I am not feeling too trunky- I can’t decide if it feels real yet Hahaha I bought toothpaste this morning and I said "This will be the last toothpaste I buy in Italy... Hum" Hahaha So Nothing Too weird is happening yet. hahaha Transfers are next week and I am 90% positive I won’t go anywhere because I am training but I suppose it could happen. I think I will stay in Modena till the end of my mission but who knows. I think my last 10 days they will sent another sister here with Sorella Kras and I and then I will leave them two here. COOOOOOLLLLLL.

    I am kinda set up for school- I had to email about 100 teachers but I got the five most important classes set up... aka Book of Mormon, modern, ballet, jazz. and Improv hahaha The rest I can sign up next P-Day I guess. My foundation classes I had to wait for new freshman... Cool. Lol

I love you so much!!!! I will see you soon!!!!!

 

 

 

 

06/04/14

05/28/14

 HOLY COW HOLY COW HOLY COW I AM FREAKING OUT STEPHEN IS GETTING MARRIED!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

AND I WILL BE THERE!!!!!!!!!!

Can I just say- There is no way he picked that ring out by himself cause that is BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!! Mmmmmmmhmmmm. My Brother done GUUUUUUUDDDDDDD.

Holy Cow I cannot wait to meet Amanda!!!!!! It’s amazing how much has changed in just 15 months!!! HOLY COWWWWWW. THERE IS A WEDDING HAPPENING IN AUGUST I AM FREAKING OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yeah I am totally buying a dress here. HOLY COW I AM SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

wowowowowowowowowowoowowwow.

PERFECT TIMING STEPHEN!!!! GOOD CHOICE!!!

So..... If I do the math right.... That’s really soon... so liiiikkkeeeeee I come home... Probably have a homecoming thing... We go to Utah?... I LOVE UTAH THAT’S GREAT! and then we are there for like a weekish and then come back to Oregon? Maybe?.... and then I move to Idaho? I mean it’s not like I have to pack for school... My life consists of 3 suitcases so Been there- Been Doing that..... I AM SO EXCITED HOLLLYYY COWWWWWW

Well I am doing pretty good! We are working so hard and teach a lottttt mostly on the street and in parks but that’s ok for right now. I love my companion and she is the best! There isn’t too much of a language barrier so we are just trying to get better and better at Italian hahaha Its fun.

I decided stress is just not worth it so sometimes on out bikes I just randomly stop and I say "I NEED GELATO" Hahahahaha She really likes it, and she knows now I am crazy. :)

Biggest Miracle we saw this week, is we got a referral from a less-active in Bologna and so we went to go visit her and teach her the Restoration... Well two hours later and out bikes and after we got lost about 8 times- we FINALLY GET THERE and it’s this Awesome mom Named Blessing and she is from Nigeria- She has 5 kids, and she is AMAZING! She just wanted to learn and we asked her to be baptized and she said she would! So we are meeting her husband, and ALL 5 KIDS this Saturday so pray for us that it all goes good and that they will want to be baptized with her in July!!!!!!

We also had a ward activity on Saturday and we did an American Dance Hahaha Yeah that was hilarious. We danced to Cotton-Eye-Joe, Electric Slide, Can’t Touch This, And Teach Me How To Dougie Hahaha It was pretty great- I will try to get a video for you guys Hahaha

We were in Milano again yesterday and I got to see everyone yet again and it was a blast. Right now our Mission President is VERY ill and is in the States for the next 6 weeks so pray for him that he will be ok. We have the Lee's taking their spot for a while and it is so fun, they were will me in Sienna and so it was sooooo good to be with them again. I LOVE THEM!!!!

Hey another thing- We got 4 new investigators last week YAYYYYYYY And they are all from Ukraine, is there any info I should know about? Cause they were telling me a lot of stuff going down that I was extremely surprised about. .... Pray for Ukraine!!!

I love you guys so much!!!!! I am doing good and I love being here!! I have definitely made every day count and plan on doing that till my feet hit America. HOW WEIRD. I love you so much!!!!!!!!!! See you soon!!!

............ NOW THIS WEEKS EMAIL! Hahaha

Ok so last week we had that new Missionary training meeting in Milano and I got to see all my buddies in Milano again hahaha I LOVE MILANO!!!! And we were challenged to get 21 Lessons. Well usually we get 6-12... So I was like... Awwwww Freak how on earth. Well FOLKS: We got exactly 21 lessons. God Answers our prayers. That’s all I gotta say. I still don’t know how we did it other than we just pray with everyone we meet hahaha ITS SO FUN!

Uhhhh Other than that we went to a Buddha Market. Bahaha that was fun- they literally have Gem/Stone therapy... midevil therapy.... Let’s just say they are extremely good salesmen. :) I even bought a rock for 5 Euros.... I feel no shame.

Anyway sorry my email didn’t get there last week! I sent it to Dad and mom this time so I pray it works. I love you bunches!!!!!!!!!

-Sorella Holloway :)))

 

 

05/21/14

HELLO FAMILY!!!!!!

Boy I have so much to tell you guys. Hahahahaha I don’t even know where to start! STORY TIME:

Okay so last Wednesday everything was fine and dandy and I emailed you guys and everything was all good- well I get a call telling me all the Greenies coming in (There Were 9 Elders and 3 Sister) were stuck in Chicago because of a fire at the airport..... So I asked "Is MY companion on fire?" And he assured me she was not- I just wouldn’t have a companion until Saturday instead of Thursday. So Sorella Walch Left my on Thursday for Firenze and I went to stay in MILANO aka MY FIRST CITY with the sisters there.

So I am freaking out cause I get 3 days to just re-visit EVERYONE and I don’t know if you remember- but the first baptism I got to see in the mission- well she went in-active because she found some Anti-LDS material. Soooooo II gave her a call as soon as I got the other sisters cell-phone and I said "I AM IN MILLANO!!! MEET US AT THE CHURCH!!" hahaha Well it was such perfect timing, because that very morning she had a death in her family and she was in shock! So we were at the church and all of a sudden down the hallway I see her and she is just RUNNING FULL SPEED and totally tackles me hahaha She is SO WONDERFUL!!! Then we caught up and I chastised her hahaha and we made an appointment with the missionaries in Lampunano to visit her and her family, and we had SUCH a great lesson and so now she IS BACK. It was such a blessing to get to see her and her family and to help her remember her testimony. :) EEPPP!!! I love her so much. I also got to see a lot of members I LOVE and oh my goodness- we were at the church and a young women came around the corner hahaha and when she saw me she dropped everything she was holding and just started WEEPING Hahahahaha It was the cutest thing I have ever seen in my LIFE and BOY do I miss her- Mamamia I LOVE MILANO. Hahaha SUCH a blessing that I could see everyone. It was like coming home! Kinda....

THEN Saturday finally came (It was bittersweet to leave Milano but I was excited) and I got to meet my new companion. So us 3 sisters and 9 elders went to the Mission home and we ate peanut butter cookies and basically talked about everything we were supposed to do with legal forms to get their licenses to work here and stuff and then the training booklets and we went through all of that- And THEN Someone drops the bomb on me that there are no American sisters coming in........... 1 Italian and 2 Germans... So now I am like oh GREAAAAAAT Two languages I can’t speak!!!!! Hahahaha 

THEN they take us to a restaurant. THIS is where we get to meet our new companions. So all the Greenies are sitting there and the trainers stand up front to introduce ourselves and to talk about our city. Obviously there are only 3 sisters sitting there so Iknow it’s got to be one of them hahaha AND I got to go first!! haha Which is great cause when I was getting trained... I was last. So I say whatever I am supposed to say and I got my NEW COMANION!

Her name is Sorella Kras, She is German and she is AWESOME!!! Hahahaha We have already had such a fun time.  She loves Disney, speaks good English, is Hard working, 19 years old, super happy, super willing, super funny and I just love her!! hahaha Morning studies are fun because when there is a word we need to say we have to go from English-Italian-German or from German-Italian-English hahaha Its super fun. Luckily it only takes from German to Italian but for words like "Thyroid" yaaaaaaaaa my Italian is NOT sufficient. Hahahaha Also she can speak Spanish so she is learning Italian really fast.

MIRACLE DAY!

On out first work day aka Monday- we went to do some finding cause that’s just how it is here ahhaha and we taught 4 lessons  (which by the way is a fabulous day) and the first was in English the second in German, third in Spanish, and fourth in Italian.... Hahaha So that was awesome ahhaha I don’t know how that happened BUT it did. Hahaha GIFT OF TOUGUES IS REAL. Hahahaha

Then Yesterday we taught a few lessons and it’s just been really great! Everything is so fun! She is the best and miracles are happening every day. I don’t know what’s gotten into me but I feel like WAY less stressed then I have been feeling in last transfers, like everything is under control so I am feeling really good. We also have some really great Elders serving here that help us out when we ya know..... crash our bikes..... or are lost.... Hahaha 

I love you guys Muchos!!!! Tantismo!!! Ganz Dolle!!!!!!! A WHOLE FREAKING LOT! Now try to match languages... Hahahaha

Have a super great week- Life is Good!!!!!!!

 

05/14/14

HEY FAMILY!!!!

 

It was so great to see you guys and know I know I can make it for another 3 months. WOO HOO!!!! Yall look great, but I think yall still look incomplete without me. I felt left out.

 

HEY GUESS WHAT!!!! Transfers are tomorrow (SUPER SAD) and I am staying here in Modena and I am training a new Missionary! SO there are 2 coming in from Germany and I think the other is American. Just pray whoever I get speaks English. I am not too worried about it- Just excited! The other two sisters training are actually Gika used to be my Training Sister and she is Albanian (SO GREAT) and Bringas is from Florence, so I served in her families branch! I am so excited to meet her cause I know her mom and her sister and her niece and nephew but I still havent met her! Hahaha So I am excited! An American, Albanian and Italian trainers training 2 Germans and an American.... Hummmmmmm Hahaha

 

Our new apartment is great! Super safe and so we feel blessed! Hahaha

Its getting super sunny and super hot so we are oiling up and trying to get as tan as we can hahaha I will probably get Cancer. But lets be honest, I will probably get lung cancer from all the cigarette smoke I breath in EVERYDAY anyway. -____-

 

Because my companion is leaving, we have been visiting everyone and its been fun :) A Lot of meals... one in particular that is sticking out.... Fufu... A classy African dish from ghana. :) Perhaps you should look up pictures.

It is a super spicy soup with Fish heads and PlayDough to dip in it. You do not chew. You just swallow. And you use you hands..... She said "Oh, Dont chew- It JUST GO DOWN. " Well I bear testimony that it doesnt JUST GO DOWN. IT GO DOWN AND UP AND DOWN AND UP AND DOWN. Literally gagged at the first bite. I ate about half and so did my companion until we both were so sick of gagging we were like I AM SO FULLLL hahahahaha But you guys this lady is the most amazing women IN THE WORLD that is not related to me :) I would eat that stuff everyday for her jst because she is soooo amzing. She was telling us "I know da man I call on. God love me, God love you. Danks do dis chuch, I know dat! All dad we need es to love eachudduh! Spirids speak to spirids and dad es how we know God es our faddah!" (Read as written) I swear we were sitting in her 1 room apartment and I thought I was sitting with the prophet. I am going to record her testimony for you guys. Her testimony made me weep. I LOVE HER.

 

HEYYYYY Beth and mallory have a dance performance!!!! I NEED PICTURES!!!!!!!!!!! Man I wanna go!!! Hahahaha I am so excited to see em all dolled up :) YAY DANCING! Dont worry- I dance everytime I hear music hahaha banks and clothes stores are basically my favoite place.. MUSIC! Hahaha Mo-Tab just doesnt make me wanna dance... bummer.

 

ANYWAY I LOVE YOU GUYS!!! Pray that my companion doesnt get overwhelmed with the language or Italy or stress okay?? I love you guys so much!!!! MUAHHHHH!!!!! xoxoxoxo

05/07/14

HEYO FAMILY!!!!!!!   I will probably keep this pretty short since we SKYPE ON SUNDAY!!!!! EEEPPP!!!!! Hahahaha   Highlight of the week was we had Zone Conference and We Heard from Brother Snow And Brother Kearen and Brother Neilson and it was SO FANTASTIC! I was so surprised at how good it was and I basically cried the whole conference! Hahahaha I will tell you guys all about it when we skype!    Another strange thing that happened this week was that I moved apartments... again.. making this number 3 in the last 2 months.... Soooooo If I get transferred next week..... I might throw up just out of exhaustion. Hahaha Our last apartment was super unsafe and so President Dibb Saved us :) He is so wonderful. So Now am in a safe area- YAY!!!!   Other than that we have 2 Baptismal Dates right now and so the work is going good, and we have some really fun and great investigators. :) We are super happy, I LOVE my companion and I LOVE Modena and our members are AWESOME and even the Elders are SUPER GREAT in our ward. There is nothing more I could ask for! I am praying for you guys and I can’t wait to see my Beautiful Eternal family THIS SUNDAY!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!   SEE YOU IN 3 DAYS!!!!

 

These are my ladies!!!!!!!!- Blondie is Sorella Bollwinkel and Dark Beauty is Sorella Haslem. AKA my favorite people in the whole world. Nothing better then conferences!!!!!!!! Its like a family reunion!!!!! Hahaha We were all in the same MTC District and somehow we all find each other every so often. :) Thankfully! 

!st Day in Italy

pictures!

Zone conference picture 03/2014

04/30/14 - 16 more weeks to go!!!

. Hey speaking of talks about the Book of Mormon-I finished the Book of Mormon in Italian last week!!! In Only took me MY ENTIRE MISSION hahahahaah But I am finishing up the Pearl of Great Price now and am about halfway through D&C. I am doing that whole read a section of the D&C once a day for the last 138 days of your mission- It’s really fun! Speaking of countdowns- 12 DAYS TILL SKYPE TIME. EEEEPPPPPPPPPPPP WE HAVE A PAPER CHAIN and ever morning for comp study we rip one off..... Hahahaha It’s quite exciting.  SO story of the ward activity! Was probably one of the most stressful things I have ever had to do hahahaha basically we had about 50 investigators there and like.... 8 members... So MISSING THE POINT OF A BBQ hahhaha Anyway its over and everyone that came had a good time and the anziani invited some Gypsys so that was quite an experience Hahaha It was fun but i am soooooo glad it’s over.  Before I forget- Next week we have a conference in Verona and it’s on Wednesday so NO EMAIL till Thursday. Soooooo yeah. P-day is moved. :) Don’t forget and go into panic that I’m dead. I’m probably not. :) So yeah we have an area 70 coming and The Church Historian! (snow I believe) So it should be quite fun!  Last night was one of the best days EVERRRRRR we went to a members house and she is from Ghana and holly cow. We walk into her home and it’s just this one room and we all sit together and we hear her stories about how she found the church and how she got here in Italy and she is SOOOO AWESOME. She was going to fly home this year but her daughter is having another baby so she is putting it off another year so she can send her daughter money every month. I think she will be translated. She has all this pictures taped up and she is just so happy and content with the smallest things. I learned sooo much from her. When we left all she should say was "You Have freed me from this cage!  you have set me free" hahaha :) I was to be this sister when I grow up. The word Need is very precious and I really have learned the definition on NEED on the mission. I am such a charmed life and I had no idea how charmed my life really was, but man. I have it wayyy easy- No right to complain about ANYTHING. Life is freaking bliss. I hope you can meet her one day!!!! On Tuesday we went with these AWESOME investigators and they took us to a Convention-fair thing! And wwowwwwww I ate SOOOOO GOOOD. It may sound weird but I was drinking Balsamic vinegar by the spoonfuls. They had some aged 12-25 years and I was just drinking it hhahaha SO YUMMY hahaha  and they had loafs of bread bigger than me and  I got a lamb sandwich hahaha was wayyyy yummy just everything!!!!! I sampled so many good things I don’t even know  where to start hahaha On monday though ahahahahaha We did NOT eat good- It POURED like no ones business and it took us 3 hours biking just to get to the other side of town, so we stopped somewhere to eat to try Tugelli and nochi which is something we had never tried before - but its Modenese soooooooo- Have to try it right? We figured it was a type of pasta so we got half and half of one plate and then order a "Napoli" pizza to split just in case it was bad.  (WARNING: Don’t think I am crazy when I say split a pizza- pizza here is cracker thin and you eat a whole pizza and it is equal to 2 pieces.. I swear) Sooooooo we wait and we are super embarrassed because this place is sooooooo full and we are soaking wet and shaking cause we are so freezing and they come out with it hahahahaha  Ok well Tigelle is NOT pasta haha It’s like mini pancakes hahah like really thin English muffins and the nochi were good, but like a bready puff that you put Nutella on hahaha So that surprised us. Cause we were thinking it was going to be drool-fantastic..... and they bring out miniature flat and hard pancakes as their delicacy ahahahaGoooshhhhhhh So we think- okay good thing we got a pizza and they come out with the pizza and what does it have on it? Anchovies. -____- yeah I don’t do that. Aint NOBODY DO THAT. So we tried taking it off- impossible. There was nasty fish hair all over that pizza and was COVERED in salt. Hahaha Horrible. We left really disappointed and $11 poor-er.  THENNNNN that night we go over to a members house and she made us rice with a bucket load of canned shrimp in it, with what my companion likes to call "Poop Shoots" still attached. Yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Good times good times... Hahahaha hahahaahah I also had interview with President Dibb- I passed! And I am allowed to continue to be a missionary. YAY ME!  Favorite quote of the week "Joseph Smith never would have survived in Italy" hahahaha Yeahhhh a member told us that while she was giving us Mafia history haahaha Good times.  I love you Forever and Holloways! hahaha get it? It’s quite clever. Hahaha  I WILL SEE YOU IN 12 DAYS!!!!!!!!

04/23/14

HEYO FAMILY!!!!!!!

  

This week has been pretty good, we are trying to set up a church activity at the church......... it could not be easier YET working with people who stress about everything makes it stressful. It’s a freaking BBQ and the only thing people ask me about is who is going to clean it...... ? Like really? -____- JUST EAT AND BE MERRY. 

OKAY SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO funny story. We went over to teach this part-member family last week hahaha and we taught this great lesson and then they pull out this dessert they had made for everyone (SO NICE) and its basically apple pie filler and they put it into this little dish hahaha ok so far so good- and THEN they pull out Philadelphia Cream Chasse........ And put half the container on mine, and the other half on my companions... BAHHAAHAHAHA yeah I can’t do that. Cream cheese IS NOT for apple pie filler. Aint nobody want a half a container of cream cheese and an apple slice!!!!!  hahaha so my companion KNOWs that is not going down my throat cause my gag reflex is wayyyyyy to light, so she pulls out a napkin and gives it to me Hahaha And I frantically put it on the napkin- into another wrapper- into my purse and we looked like Idiots. I got like two huge bites down and then it was stuck in my throat. Napkins are a missionary’s best friend. 

On the opposite spectrum MIRACLE OF THE WEEK: We got a referral last week for this couple with a daughter who is an exchange student in Idaho Falls, so clearly, she is living with and LDS Family there.

We go over to meet them and they are SO AWESOME- they are so excited to meet us and welcome us in and want to hear all about the Restaurazione and THEN they say- Do you want to meet our daughter? So we go into the other room and their daughter is on skype!!!!!!!!! SO we said hi to this exchange student in IDAHO and she was telling us all the great things about America hahahahaha (AS IF WE DON'T REMEMBER VIVIDLY) and she was so excited we were teaching her parents. Its sooo cool. She is not a member but her host family brings her to church every week so she really likes it but is still Atheist, as well as her parents. BUT, we still teach them. We taught them Il Piano di Salvezza on Monday and they LOVED IT and took pictures of it and put them on facebook hahaha They were just like this is sooo great!!! Hahaha Uhhh Yes. Yes it is. It is also trueeeeeee so that’s a big deal. Anyway. They made us dinner and Holy drool fantastic. They are Napoli- quindi- everything they make is perfect. 

Its just been a really great week. We are working hard and having fun. I can’t wait to see you guys!!!!! Maggio 11!!!! SOOO SOONN!!!!!!!!

Love YOU!!!!!

04/16/14

HEY FAMILY!!!!!!!!!!

Bad News first- We think we lost that baptismal date with that awesome lady- She won’t meet with us cause this member offended her- and I assure you it was NOTHING to be offended by- It’s just the Italian mind set. We are hoping this passes and she comes to her senses again cause who knows how long Italian rants can go on. We are going on day 5 sooooooooo soon right?? Speaking of rants- we were teaching a lesson last week and a fight broke out..... That will drive the spirit away! Hahahaha Cubans and Italians.. I fear I will come home yelling and shaking my hands at everyone. I apologize in advance. 

Good news! My companion are working extra hard this week and we are teaching everyone we see hahaha A lot of walking around and talking to people in parks and a lot of praying in the middle of the street- Its super great. Strange as it may sound, the more uncomfortable you are willing to be, the more people you will talk to, and the more people you talk to, the more people you will teach. If you are teaching- You are happy. PERIOD. It solves everything. ESPECIALLY HOMESICKNESS. Why did no one tell me that never goes away?? Hahaha A return missionary came back yesterday with his parents to tour his mission and mannnn I was SOOOOOO JEALOUS. I was just like- I WANT MY PARENTS!!!!!!!!!! They just rented a car and got to go see everything!!! ITS SO COOL!!!!!!  

Its fine though. I love Italy. It’s great. And we skype in 25 Days. My companion and I made a paper chain this morning. EEEEPPPPP!!!!! 

Another highlight from this week is that I SAW THE SEA!!!!! Hahah We did an exchange (I don’t know if that’s really what it’s called) Like a trading companions thing- so we went to Rimini, and I saw the Adratic Sea!!!!!!! ITS INCREDABLE!!!!!!!!! Hopefully I can’t send you some pictures!!! It was SOOOOOO windy so we all look crazy but oh well!!!!!!! The sun has come out and I am grateful! Hahaha

Also- we went to sing in Downtown again to do some more finding with our elders, and I got kissed by 2 men, and got proposed too...... Italy. Who would have thought? The Elders thought it was hilarious; I was just like WHERES MY PEPPER SPRAY????? THIS IS NO WAY TO CELEBRATE PALM SUNDAY. Lol Oh and not to mention random people just came up to us and were like taking pictures with us? Whats up with that??????? i am gunna end up on one of those iFunnies or something and my life be ruined forever! Hahaha

Another funny thing- They opened a H&M here, Woahhhhhhhhhh It got MOBBED- I have never seen so many people in a store at one time before!! It was crazy!!!!! 

Anyway other than that- I am doing really good! I love life and I am really excited for my last 3 transfers!!!!! I gotta live it up!!!!!!! I can’t wait to see you guys!!!!!!!!!! 25 Days!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have to start thinking of questions hahahaha :) LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!

04/09/14

FAMILY!!!!!!

 General conference was SOOOOO AWESOME!!!!!! Ya for sure was sooooo needed. Yeah we got to watch it in ENGLISH!!! Which is a total blessing hahaha The translators just don’t cut it for me. I wanna hear their voices ya know? So yeah, Saturday we Watched Women’s Conference, then Saturday Morning (Which started at 6:00pm for us) and then Sunday we watched Saturday Afternoon at 4-6 and Sunday Morning 6-8 Hahaha Sooooo Sunday afternoon we watched Monday night 6-8. Hahah a little frustrating but super fun :) Conference for missionaries really is better than Christmas. I went through like 12 boxes of tissues and used up like a whole notebook..... It’s fine. Haha

OKAYYYY SO my big news for the week is I got my official release date. I come Home AUGUST 21. :) I am so excited. and that gives me a little time at home before I have to move again YAYYYY So I am super happy. :) Stephen... cough cough.... Pay attention to that date..... cough cough... 

YAY MOTHERS DAY!!!!! 4 weeks is SO SOON!!!! Ok I have noooo idea what my Skype account is so Jay??? Do you mind making me an account?? Or something??? I don’t think I will luck out using a members... again.... Hahaha In fact we might be in an internet point.... Lol 

The work here is going SO GOOD!!!!! We are having a baptism for that lady who read the Whole Book of Mormon MAY 10th AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH We are soooooooooo happy and excited and we are just freaking out on all levels. When we asked her to be babtised she just got all excited and was like "Va bene!! Sisisisisi Bene!!!! " hahahaha You guys. This is a huge miracle. I just wish you could have been there with us. The church is TRUEEEEEEEEEE..... and she has an 11 year old son so we hope we can baptize him too..... SHE IS EVEN ITALIAN. AHHHHHHHH. 

Anyyyyywayyyyyyy Life is so good.  I love you all so much!!!! I can’t wait to see you in 4 weeks :)))) EEEPPPPPP I am praying for you all and for your missionaries there so they will know what to say to you guys friends- You can trust them!!! I LOVE YOU!!!!!

-Sorella Holloway

04/02/14

Sarah 4/2/14

hahahaha Okay so MIRACLE WEEK!!!!!! Literally we got 6 new investigators and 3 want to be baptized and LIFE IS SOOOO GOOODDDDDDDD. These miracles took their freaking time getting here but man- BOOM they came. 

For example, me and my companion will do ANYTHING to teach a lesson so if someone can only meet with us a P-Day, FINE. WE WILL BE THERE hahahaha SOOOOOOOOO I just got out of this lesson- FIRST lesson mind you. Ok and she says hey, let’s go out, I'll buy you lunch (She is an angel, we literally haven’t done grocery shopping for 2 weeks) so we sit down in this cafe and she is a friend of a member so we weren’t sure just how much she knew. So she starts talking about how much she wants to change and how much she loves the church and we are thinking "Ok this is aweeeesome" Then walks over A MEMBER who sits down with us because they are friends. So Then we teach the restoration.... (I have no idea how that’s really spelled.) and she says "That makes so much sense" and then starts asking her questions, ALL of which are perfectly simple, easy to answer questions. SO we answer her and she says, "Finally- No one else has been able to answer these questions for me!" THENNNNNNN guess what happens. The member asks her how much she read in il Libro di Mormon, and she says "Oh I am in Alma 39"

OH WHATTTTTT We didn't even know she HAD a Book of Mormon let alone, read HALF of it. Anyway- this isn't surprising but she wants to be baptized So yeah. That JUST happened... like 30 minutes ago. Life is bliss. Moments like that make EVERYTHING else worth it. Blessings!!!!!!!!

That’s pretty much how our whole week has been. People we talk to are just super open and willing to talk and change and come and we are soooo happy. 

Anyway other than our AWESOME lesson we just had, We had a 19 year old Girl in our Ward just leave on a mission to Madrid- hahaha SHE WILL BE SO GREAT!!!!! And her last night in Italy we went out to get Gelato and Turkish Kebab which is Sooooo gooooddd butttt My companion and I got food poisoning. So, you can imagine. It was quite exciting sharing a bathroom. No worries- we feel WAY better. 

Other things: I don’t have a driver’s license...... Soo..... That’s a problem... 

Also: Mother’s day is NEXT MONTHHHH AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I am so excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

ALSO: If anyone wants to do a service project.. I hear there is a sister mission in Italy who really wants some Doritos.. Beef jerky.... Costco Chipotle Chips... Salsa... Root beer...Goldfish.... Skirts...Burt’s Bees Chap stick... CRYSTAL LIGHT STRAWBERRY ENERGY PACKS....... In case anyone asks- Serve a missionary and life gets better. That’s what I hear. 

Ok I love you!!!!!!! HAVE A SUPER GREAT WEEKKK!!!!!!!!!!

0326/14

Zone Conference was SOOO GOOD!!!!! Those missionaries have no idea how lucky they really are though. Every Zone Conference we get pizza- NOT THAT I AM COMPLAINING but I am just saying pizza to me like Mac&cheese!!! I would kill for anything Mexican. IN FACT This week we ate at this AWESOME members house and they somehow got their hands on Salsa...... Yeah Me and my comp DOWNED that thing I felt soooooo bad! I like looked down and it was gone!!!!!

Please promise me the first thing we do when me plane hits the ground is GO TO CHEVEYS. Please. My setting apart can wait 2 hours. A MENO. Hahahaha I NEED CHIPS AND SALSA.

I am so jealous of Timmy!!!! Cruising it up!!! hahah Lucky bum.

I vote Family Cruise? Italy? January 2015?? I VOTE YES. If we wait any longer then that I can’t promise anything about my Italian so we gotta move fast.

Anyway,  updates with me is thatttttt We have a new investigator and she is SUPER GREAT!!!!! Hahahaha Here's a twist, she speaks English hahah sooooooo you can imagine the problem. I never learned how to be a missionary in English sooo that  lesson was hilarious BUT HEY, She still wants to meet with us so that’s a step!! And I am thankful!!!!!! hahahaha Also we finally have a Ward Mission Leader EEEEPPPPPPP So now we might actually get to work with some members which would be super great. Chissà. :))) He is super nice- he even calls us to just check and see how we are doing. IT’S INCREDIBLE. Hahahaha

Anyway I love you so much!!!!! Make good choices and don’t forget bout me!!!!!!!!

-Sorella Holloway

03/19/14

WOOHOO!!! Yeah Tomorrow is my YEAR MARK and the best news of all is I am going up to Verona for Zone Conference, and guess who will be there- SORELLA HASLEM!!!!!!!!! I AM SO EXCITED!!!!!!!

We started the mission together; we were with each other on our six month mark- and now our year mark!!!! EEEEPPP!!!!!! I LOVE HER SO MUCH!!!!!

Anyway That’s what’s up with me!!!!!! We are trying to find new ways to find people and our favorite thing to do now is sing on the side of the street. Bahahaha Sounds weird- yes, Then when people stop we teach them and pray with them and just like that we get a phone number and a new investigator. haha Its so fun!!! 

So we have done that a lot and we teach a lot on the side of the street- its getting pretty normal. Hahaha 

That is so cool you are gunna be at that Zone Conference!!!!! You should try and sneak in... They are the best. Hahaha It’s so weird to think that there would be a conference in our ward building. Haha In my mind I am like..... "There aren't even trains to get them there... or buses..... and what’s a chapel?" Hahahahaha They are so lucky. -____- Hahaha 

Our Conference is tomorrow and we leave at 6:45 AM and take a two hour train ride, then a 40 minute bus ride, then walk for another 15 minutes to a building in Verona. There might be a building there actually- Chissà.  Anyway I am excited. AND I have never been to Verona so EVEN MORE FUN! 

Anyway I love you all and Yeah!!! Life is good!!!!!!

The church is still true!!!!