April 14, 2010 Siracusa ancora!

Subject: Siracusa ancora!

Ciao famiglia!

Well, the predictions have been made, and I am still here in Siracusa! The last few months with Sorella Morgan have been amazing. We were two very different people, but we did some great work together, and I learned SO much from her. I can honestly say I learned so much. This last week especially was really crazy with everyone wanting to say goodbye to her, she was packing, and me just kind of trying to sit back, support her, and then try be excited for her at the same time. The week I was fighting back tears a lot.... I wanted so badly to be excited for her to go home, but it was only natural for me to have a little bit of homesickness, knowing that she was going to be home, with her family etc . It was also hard, because we had become such close friends, that I thought there was no one else I could possibly get along with like her... To say the least, I prayed so much this week. I fasted, that I could LEARN from this experience, and that I would have a smooth Transition with my new companion, and that I could learn as much from her, as I did working with Sorella Morgan the last 4 1/2 months. We received transfer calls on Thursday night, and I was told that my new companion would be Sorella White, and she would be coming to Siracusa, from Mistretta. The goodbye to sorella Morgan was hard, but all I can say is that there truly is a God who hears our prayers. My new companion Sorella White is amazing. We instantly hit it off, and its amazing how every person has so much good to them. She will go home in the middle of July. She is from Orem Utah, and is a Humanities/History major. She has had a different mission, she has served in 5 cities, and I am her 8th companion!!!! That is A LOT, especially in this mission. It has been a good week, it feels a lot different being the one to train her on the city, and try to quickly help her learn about our work here. I have had the phone, and am scheduling our days, and basically running the show as far as getting us around, and training her on Siracusa. WE really do have a beautiful work here in Siracusa. We right now have 4 progressing investigtors.

1. Rosa

We did 2 amazing lessons with her last week, one in which we watched The Resstoration, and she loved it. WE also introduced her to the Book of Mormon, and she read, and saiad that she feels so much peace when she reads. Her main issue was that there were so many interpretations of the Bible...yes, golden. I know that it was no coincidence we randomlòy found her on a list of "potential investigators" from 2 years ago, and decided to call her. I recognize this as a miracle--I told her that it was no accident, and she totally agreed. Every time we teach her, I have so much faith that she will eventually get baptised.

2. Concitta

Concitta was divorced about 1 year ago. We have an awesome girl who just moved here from Mistretta, who just recently returned home from a mission in Milano (she was actually in a threesome with Sorella Cozzens) and she moved to Siracusa fro the summer, and she is so excited to help us with our work. It is such a blessing to have her, an Italian, who just got home from a missino like 2 months ago, here to help us! So anyways, Concitta is an orphan, and was raised by her Grandparents. We did a lesson on the plan of salvation. She had a lot of doubts about the life to come, and the spirit was so strong, as she started seeing that reall, God does have a plan for us. We're not just here to mess around, but were here to prepare to meet God, and it IS possible to be with our families in the next life. She came to GEneral conference and loved it. We hope good for her too. She is amazing.

3. Paola

Paola is doing well. She unfortunately found a job a few weeks ago which is part time at a restaurant in which she only works Saturdays and Sundays. There was apoint a few months ago when she was coming to church every week, and now, she hasnt been in a few months. The problem is she lacks confidence that she can get overcome temptations. She thinks she has to be perfect to get baptized. Sorella White and I did a lesson on baptism with her yesterday where we drew a cool little picture with us on one side, and god on the other. A big whole of dark neww below us. Christ written on a bridge that connects us from one side, to the other, where God is. Then different steps along the way no the bridge (1-faith 2-repentance 3-baptism 4-persevering), and the Holy Ghost helps us the whole way across the bridge. This really hit her. We gave her the impegno to really sincerely pray about baptsimm. its been a while since we invited her to be baptised, so were are hoping to invite her to pick a date at the end of the week...

4. Giusi

This is the lady who has been a CAtholic sunday school teacher fr oyears and years. In these days she is coming afront to a lot of doubts about the catholic religion. There are more than one arguments in the Catholic church that she isnt in accordance with. Fro example, she totally agrees with the fact that we believe familiy, and marriage, is central to Gods plan. SHe told us that she is starting to understand why the whole Joseph Smith story is important. For her, the biggest struggle, is that she has been so involved with the catholic church for so long, and admitting that there might be some truth missing from it. She is slowly coming t see the LIGHT that the Restored gospel brings to her knowledge...

I feel so blessed to have sorella white here. she is a fresh pair of legs, and she is full of faith. She is very baptism driven, which is jsut what we need here, because we hvae so many people who have so much potential. She has a gift of listening to people. She said she just wants to keep on running!!!! I know we are going to see miracles in this city. Im so grateful for the mission. I wasnt always the best at reading the Book of mormon and praying. I have come to love love love to read the book of mormon. I pray. I pray so much, because it is so often, the only thing I have that gets me through the day. I am grateful for what dad said to me a few months ago in a letter "work hard andfind the good in every situation. dont let the tough moments linger any longer than necessary. let them bounce off your thick skin and turn instead to the positive, exciting, and fun outcomes of every situation. Let the Lords spirit lift you up, and bring you happiness and peace!!!" This saved me this last week. It is a constant battle of getting over my natural desires. I dont know how many times I say that, but this work is not easy. But I know that its only when we are broken down, and pushed, taht we truly are able to come out a stronger person. Sorell white divided the city up into zones on a giant map, we tracked out on the ward list, where everyone in the ward is located. We will pick out less actives to go find, in the zone we will be in. She is so sweet, and works hard. I love you all.

Mom, still havnt gotten the packages... :( I will send home some scrapbook stuff, and there are some pictures in it too, ill send that today. I know this is the Lords work. We are His hands, and His eyes, here to help bring his children back to Him. Ether 12:12-19...an EYE OF FAITH.. Romans 5: 1-4 Isa 40:29-31

Vi voglio bene, assai!

-Sorella Miller