See you next year, no the next year!

CIAO TUTTI!!!!

Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas!! In Italy it was perfect, we went to a members house and had lasagna, chicken, fish, and other things. They are from Peru and awesome! Then we went to Wildons house to skype the family, watch Frozen, and eat banana cake!! It was great! I loved seeing my beautiful family, that was a great blessing! 

A thought I had this week was this---What if they dont remember me? What if I leave this area and no one remembers who Sorella Skinner is, that would be so lame. But then I realized something, my purpose is not to invite people to come unto Katelyn Janet Skinner. My purpose is to help people come unto Christ!! So as long as I am following the spirit and helping them do that, then I should not worry. I want to help them feel near to their Savior!!

As for scriptures for the week...Luke 15: 4-10 and John 10:4. This talks about how every sheep is important to Christ and God. I love these verses!!! 

Others: Alma 13:28

1 Cor 10:13

These are great too

As for miracle this week! We taught our investigator Marianna. 

We decided we were going to ask her to be baptized! Sorella Boscia told me that I would be the one asking her. I was so nervous!! I felt like we shouldnt just invite her but invite her to be baptized at the end of January on the 31st. I have never been so nervous to go to a lesson before. Everything went smoothly, I asked her to follow the example of Christ and be baptized. I felt the spirit so strongly and was looking right into her eyes, then after she looked confused and Sorella Boscia had to repeat what I said. Her response was Yes! I was so happy that even though I made a small error and she couldnt understand me perfectly she still felt the spirit. We also taught the word of wisdom to her. We were nervous because we knew she drank coffee and were afraid that she wouldnt want to live it. Well obviously the Lord knows she is ready. She promised to live the word of wisdom without argument! It was amazing! The Lord is aware of His children!! It was so cool to witness this miracle this week! 

I am so blessed to be serving in Milano and witnessing small miracles every day. We can all witness miracles daily if we have faith that they will happen!!! 

I hope you all have a very happy new years!! 2015 will be great!!! I wont see my family or friends in America this week but I will help others come closer to their Savior so they can return to their Father in Heaven!!! There is nothing else I would rather be doing!!

I hope you all have a safe happy new year! We get to go home at 5pm to be safe. And then we will do some work in the apartment and maybe go to bed early. I am planning on setting an alarm for midnight and dancing to efy music maybe! WOOOOH!

See you not this next year but the year after that!!

Sorella Skinner

 

 

 

Buon Natale a tutti!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ciao Tutti!

This week has been crazy and oh so fun! I absolutley love my ward here in Milano, they have saved me! On Friday we had a Festa di Natale! It was a talent show with everyone. It is fun because in my ward we have Phillipinos, South Americans, Italians, and Americans. So we had singing in about every language. The missionaries we sang in Spanish, English, and Italian. It was very fun! Then also, the Relief Society had me and Sorella Boscia join in and sing a song with them. It was the hardest song of my life to sing, it was super high and I almost died before the program even began singing it hahaha. Also I wasnt wearing red like everyone else so the bishops wife gave me a red turtle neck to wear haha! I felt like I was in 2nd grade again, because I havent wore a turtle neck since then! It was great! The best part was there was 2 ladies in our ward who acted out Christmas Carol. Wow it was great! We were late getting home, that was the only downer. 

It has been great the spirit I have felt in sharing the gift of my Savior with Italy. He is the best gift ever to receive. Even though I am far from home and miss my family, I know I have forever with them---Because of my Savior. At this time of year I have thought what would I do if I was living at the time of His birth?? And my favorite question...Would I have run to see the Savior?? Would you run for the Savior? 

After all He has done for me I know without a doubt that I would run for Him, and I hate running. But He has given me joy beyond comprehending. I am so grateful for this knowledge. I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and share this gift of Christ with yourself first and then with others. 

Here is a picture of me and my English students!! My favorite thing in the world!!! 

Love you all and hope you have a Merry Christmas!!! 

Buon Natale!

Sorella Skinner 

 

A boyfriend for Christmas- no thanks!

Ciao Tutti!!

This week was filled with its ups and downs. My first mom left me Sorella Smart. She is the most precious lady and I miss her dearly and I got a new momma, Sorella Boscia! She absolutley rocks! She is a great cook, and just happy all the time. I was nervous at first because she doesnt speak English but we became insta friends! I talk like a caveman to her and she helps me and I help her speak English. Her favorite words to say in English are Whatever and Broke it. She is the sweetest, I have definitley seen the Lords hand helping me each day. Is it hard to express myself all the time, yes? But I love it. I am choosing to make it a happy experience and that has made the difference already. 

Miracoli: We had a neat experience in the park we went around with a white board asking the question, Do you believe that Jesus Christ is your Savior? Crede che Gesu Cristo e nostro Salvatore? We received 4 numbers from this finding activity and it was fun to see peoples responses and remind them what Christmas really is about. We also told them about a Christmas party we are having this friday and how we do english class every tuesday at the church! 

Spiritual thought: Enjoy Christmas. Enjoy it, not the presents but enjoy the time to reflect on your Savior. In the Ensign for this month Elder Uchtdorf tells a story about a family that doesnt have anything for christmas. Another family steps in to help them and they ask the 6 year old boy what he would want for christmas...He responds, I just want a bowl of oatmeal. 

Wow if only I could have that attitude and find the simplicity and the small joys of life such as a bowl of warm oatmeal. They ended up buying them presents and oatmeal for the young boy. I read this this morning and cried. Although I dont have much this Christmas such as material things and family to be with, I am blessed. I am blessed with the knowledge that I have a Heavenly Father who loves me and gave his son so that I can return to live with him someday. I also have a place to live and a bed to sleep in and money to provide for my needs. I am blessed. I wish I could share more than this message but this is what truly fills my life with joy. 

As children of our heavenly father lets help others feel his love and the love of their Savior, the reason for Christmas. We can do this in little acts of kindness. In the mission we are not allowed to give homeless people money but it says nothing against food. So I try to find a small chocolate to give them. It can be small and simple but it helps others feel loved. 

I love you all! I love Christmas! I love this time we have on earth to prepare to meet our Heavenly Father! May we all try to act like our Savior and remember not only his birth but how he lived and follow his example. He is the way, the only way to return safely home to our God. 

Love you all!

Also Avarie told me I always have to quote a christmas movie. Well we always used to watch this for christmas -a boyfriend for christmas and i always wanted a boyfriend for christmas but this christmas i am fine thanks, I would rather be near my Savior :) 

Merry Christmas!

Sorella Skinner

 

 

We are all misfits!

Ciao my people!!

 

I am so sorry that I failed last week to email you all, it was a crazy day. For pday we went to a world market! Anyway...this week has been sad and terrifying and let me just get started.

 

Tomorrow Sorella Smart is leaving me, I know so rude, but she is going home to have a life of her own and get married so its exciting. I love teasing her about that. But anyway last week I found out what was happening to me, well I am staying here with my Navigli people that I love so much! And I am going to get a step mom, back up trainer, her name is Sorella Boscia and she is Italian! She is from Sicilia! I freaked out when I found out, I actually cried a little that night. But at the same time I knew that I have a Heavenly Father who is aware of me, He knows exactly what I need. This language is hard for me, its the hardest thing ever actually but now I am going to be helped with a beautiful Italian who can barely speak English at all. And before I was told this I actually had thoughts like, am I ever going to really be able to speak this language, well Heavenly Father could hear those thoughts, and yes, I am going to be speaking Italian a lot more now, because I wont have much of a choice. I was a little scared about this at first, but at zone conference on Monday I met Sorella Boscia and she seems so amazing!! We actually did a roleplay with her at the conference and she was just so kind and friendly! I am very excited! I know that I am going to learn lots this transfer. I know at times it is going to be rough, but I know I will rely on my Savior through it all. He will help me through it.

 

As for a miracles of the week!!! We had a baptism!!! It was great! Stacy is amazing and so happy! We could feel the happiness and light in her after her baptism. What a beautiful promise she made with her Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ to always remember them and do her best in this life! Aww she is the greatest!

 

We had 11 investigators in church on sunday!!!!!!!! WOOOH! And I sat by 2 of them by myself during sacrament meeting, it was very cool to have them in mind and be like trying to think what they thought of everything.

 

Glasses story! One investigator loves having us over, she treats us like her children. She has such great faith, only problem is she cant read the book of mormon. She cant see very well and doesnt have reading glasses so that makes it hard for her to know for herself that what we are teaching is true.In our apartment we found some reading glasses that had been left at the apartment by a previous missionary. So we thought we would take them and see if they worked for her. They did! We were amazed and now she can read the words of God. That was amazing, now she has no excuse to not read!!!

 

Wow this week has been truly amazing. I love my Heavenly Father and I know that He knows me perfectly and that was confirmed again when I found out who my companion would be this week. I know that he loves us all enough that He gave his only begotten son as a gift to the world. In our zone conference we were asked to remember the gift, embrace the gift, and share the gift. I invite you all to remember our Savior Jesus Christ, the greatest person to live and act like and remember him during this time and throughout the year.

 

As for the title of the email, Sorella and I were talking about Rudolph and I remembered this song. How true though, we all have our weird quirks about us, but our Heavenly Father loves us anyway and he made us that way!

Just like the cowboy who rides, the osterig. --sure i didnt spell that right  

 

Love you all! Happy almost christmas!

 

Sorella Skinner

 

 

29 more sleeps- Happy Thanksgiving!

Ciao!

 

This weeks email will be quick but I just want you all to know I have a testimony of my Savior Jesus Christ. He loves us all. He knows are deepest sorrows and our greatest joys. If we come unto Him and use his atonement in our lives that is when we can receive the greatest peace ever.

 

The big thing I learned this week is that we are all searching for one thing in this life. That is peace. We all want peace or happiness in our lives. I realize now that this true, real, never ending happiness only comes through our Savior Jesus Christ. No other way can we have it.

 

This week I am grateful for Him, He loves us. He is always there. I love 3 Nephi 9:14. His arms is always outstretched. But we have to act. We have to follow his example. He have to repent , be baptized, receive the holy ghost, and endure to the end. That is the way to come safely home.

 

 

I love you all, hope you all have a very happy thanksgiving and share this message of hope with others around you.

 

There will be a video coming out this week. It is on christmas.mormon.org

I hope you feel of your Saviors love as you watch it and share it. What a beautiful message.

 

There are only 29 more sleeps til christmas! AYAY!!!

 

Love you all. Sorella Skinner