Lead us along

Ciao Tutti!!!

This week was great and crazy. We had a great zone conference in Florence and I got to go back to Florence for an exchange. I saw Julia and alberta! It was so cool. We had a great testimony meeting on Sunday because our stake conference video broadcast didn't work. The spirit was strong though. We also are now teaching these two gypsy girls now. They are so cute. I just feel like I am where God needs me. I know he is sending me his children as I do my part. 

I love this scripture I found from the other day in doctrine and covenants. And a quote by elder hales. 

D&C 78:18

And ye cannot bear all things now; nevertheless, be of good cheer, for I will lead you along. The kingdom is yours and the blessings thereof are yours, and the riches of eternity are yours.

The Lord will always keep His promise: “I will lead you along.” The only question is, will we let ourselves be led? Will we hear His voice and the voice of His servants?

I testify that if you are there for the Lord, He will be there for you. If you love Him and keep His commandments, you will have His Spirit to be with you and guide you. “Put your trust in that Spirit which leadeth to do good. … By this shall you know, all things … pertaining unto things of righteousness.” Elder hales

The lord is the one who blesses us. He gives us strength as we come to him. I hope this thanksgiving season you can feel and recognize the things he gives us. I bet you can't even count them all. 

I hope you have a good thanksgiving. Me and my comp will be celebrating with a cute American family. 

Love you all.

Sorella skinner 

 

 

Joy in Tuscany!

Ciao Tutti!! 

What a great week!! Heavenly Father sure does look out for me I cannot deny that. 

I have a great experience that I want to share this week! 

On Thursday we decided to travel out to ghivizanno....it's a small town outside of Lucca. It's about an hour away by train. We had a referral from the mission office for an African named Joy who wanted a visit from the missionaries. She gave us her address and told us she lived a 20 minute walk from the train station but we decided to go for it. So we got to the station and I look down at my google maps on my iPad and kind of freak. It looks nothing like it. So we go to a gelateria called "Casa del Gelato"...which means house of ice cream...guess what they didn't have....gelato. But anyways....we asked the direction of this area where Joy lived. They basically just said oh down this road. The road let's say was pretty busy and no sidewalk....I could hear my mom yelling at me all the way from Rexburg. But I was praying aloud and we made it. We walked for like ten minutes and saw the sign for that area. We still didn't know where to go so we wonder and are like asking ourselves what are we doing. We pray on the side of the street. We find ourselves at a Catholic Church and we call Joy. She says "oh you passed it. I'm sending my husband to get you." So her husband shows up on a motorcycle. Don't worry my friends. We didn't. It's a mission rule no motorcycles and no cars without a woman inside. I said no...I said trust me we want to (I forgot to mention we were wondering for about 45 minutes...so we were tired) but we can't. I looked at Sorella smith thinking...maybe we can and then this obedient angel Sorella smith said no. Haha we followed behind Roberto (joys husband) and made it there!! Joy wow how her name describes her. She is so happy all the time. She showed us her big house up in the mountains of Tuscany and laughed at our lunch we had been eating on the train...it was bread, salami, cheese, and apples. We talked to her about why we were in Italy and she loved and wanted to hear about our prophet. So we asked to start the lesson. 

So she left to go get Roberto and we start the lesson. They were so receptive to the spirit to the role of prophets and that it makes sense that God doesn't change! Roberto was so interested and wants to read the Book of Mormon. He then asked me something I was not expecting. He asked me how I decided to search for God in my life and do this mission. I told him that there comes a time in our lives when we just want to know..you can't depend on others thoughts and experiences and testimonies but you sincerely want to know. I told him I wanted this confirmation for myself and I came to that as I acted and prayed about the Book of Mormon. It's not like it happened all at once for me. My conversion is still taking place. The spirit was so powerful and he and joy decided they will read it. 

They do live far from the church but I hope they will be able to come. Their open hearts were surely a miracle. It was amazing to see how exciting this message is to other people when their hearts are ready. 

I know that God loves us today and has provided us with his church today on the earth. I love that I can invite people to pray to find an answer for themselves. I know that God answers his children when we sincerely search. 

Sorry this story was super long but it was a neat experience that I hope y'all enjoy. 

Oh and also Sorella smith and I made it safely back home. And Joy fed us pasta because she said she wants to make me fat. 

Have a swell week. God loves you.

Sorella skinner

 

 

 

Who am I?

Ciao Tutti!!!

This week.....

1. Well first i had a really great exchange with Sorella Nielsen. I found out through her that this cousin of my back up trainer Sorella Boscia was baptized!!! I had no idea. She had such a cool story...probably the most sacred I've heard. 

Then we met Mario at the park and he was super cool. Has so many great thoughts and questions and wants the answers. We told him about Joseph smith and how he can pray like Joseph smith. We invited hi to church...he said no. He told us we were adorable and cute but he said that all this was the same. Ugh so frustrating ...we aren't just adorable and cute...we got the power of God to do this work. We are called of God by a prophet on earth today. So he was awesome we walked away loving him so much but also a little paper cut to the heart feeling. 

I love these people here in Italy. I know I was called here for a reason. Every day I try to find that reason. This experience is incredible. I am so happy to be a missionary to represent my savior...to feel a tiny bit of what he feels when others don't accept what he's done for them and to learn over and over again how much I need him in my life. How with him I can win!!! John 16:33

2. My companion and I almost got stung by fog like in catching fire. Also we will be together for another 4 weeks. Yay! 

3. We ran into some members from Firenze yesterday! 

4. We had a great time showing our English class the church and eating together afterward. 

5.  I also had a neat experience after English class talking about being Christian. I had people asking me "who am I?" I didn't give them a direct answer because they were there without their parents but I hope they can continue to check for who they are. 

I know God will reveal to us more than we think if our eyes and hearts are open.

“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.      “Beloved, now are we the sons of God” (1 John 3:1–2).

Who are you???

Love you all! 

Have a great week. 

Sorella Skinner 

 

Marina di Pisa

My district for the transfer  and then this.

 Everstens

Come siete belle!!

Ciao tutti! 

Wow so this week was great!! We had a cute little Halloween party for the primary and we had the little ones play twister. After we had an awesome lesson with this members friend. Her name is Monica. And her girls that are teenagers. We talked about how God responds to prayers. It was great!!! 

We also met a cute girl in the park named marylee. She is from the phillipines and is married to an Italian. We talked about prayer as well and how there aren't coincidences that God puts people in our path. We got her number and hope to see her soon! We said a little prayer with her and she gave us big hugs. 

I know God is surely hearing our prayers as missionaries doing his work. I know that the people don't come running to us though that with diligence and work on my part I experience miracles. 

Cute experiences...well my district thinks I would be either a great elementary teacher or ups truck driver. Rocking out to old school rap of course. 

We also found a new park in Pisa. There was this cute seven year old who did a wheely on his bike. Then he said...come siete belle! How y'all are beautiful. Sometimes even complements from Italian kids make your day.

I love this gospel and all it has taught me and continues to teach me. I know it provides guidance in a world of craziness. 

Love you all. Have a great week. 

Sorella skinner