Dicembre. Wow!

From: Monica Gean Miller

Date: December 1, 2010 10:17:10 AM MST

To: Margo G Miller

Subject: Dicembre. Wow.

Ciao famiglia!

Alright lets get down to TRANSFERS. So here is what's going on. Since there are a few missionaries going home two weeks into this transfer (Dec. 16th) to be home for Christmas, we (Sorella Tinoco and I) will be doing some sort of Transfer on the 16th of December. President still hasn't decided what to do with us. They are short on sisters and will have to close down a city. There will be two openings--one in Rome, and one in Mistretta. They will most likely either close Mistretta (there are only 2 sisters there, NO Elders) or take the sisters out of Bari...we are thinking we will BOTH get taken out of Bari on the 16th. SOMETHING has to change, and we are hoping President will have made his decision by this next Thursday when we will be having a special conference with Elder Causse and another member of the Europe Area Presidency. So President told us that we will be having our transfer split in half basically...Wow, who knows what could happen. Hopefully we'll have news next week..

Other crazzzzy news. So Sorella Foote, is still in Ragusa, and will be training this transfer. President is pulling some crazy moves this transfer. Her companion who has one less transfer than me, who took my place in Ragusa is getting transferred to Ladispoli for her last transfer. It is highly possible that I WONT finish in Bari. Crazy.

Today I got my hair cut. I feel a million times better. It was actually really weird when they blow dried and straightened my hair I felt like I hadn't spent that much time to get ready in years! haha. It was amazing how good I felt when I walked out of there haha PS. mom yes I did receive the "discontinued samples" from Stacie haha thanks so much, I have fun every morning picking new eyeshadow ha! I feel like a little girl .

Sounds like you had a fun Thanksgiving. I can't believe that you actually ate that cute little turkey! I got more updates on the turkey the last 6 months, than on anyone else in the family! HAH! The Thanksgiving English Course party went well, MINUS the fact that this guy who always makes inappropriate comments brought Beer to put on the table AFTER we had previously announced to not bring alcohol haha Luckily the Elders had a quick reflex and snagged it and dumped it before anyone saw.

This week we met a lady on the street who refused to listen to our message, but was frantically telling us how miraculous the "Acqua della Madonna" is...translation would be like some magical blessed water of Mary...? She was telling us how she puts this Mary water on her face and her arms and the pains go away...Hm. Strange.

We are seeing progress mainly with the Father in the Gravina family. Right now they have major financial problems, so we are really trusting in the Lord that they will trust in the Lord's promises to bless them tremendously, for paying tithing...They are striving to live the word of wisdom and other commandments-- Giacomo is down to just two cigarettes a day, and Grazia is really trying to cut out coffee. They also are now living the commandment to keep the Sabbath day holy. Little Aurora is an angel and sets the example for her parents. She told us that she used to go out and play with her friends on Sundays, but now there is something inside of her that tells her that she shouldn't do that anymore. She truly is an angel that the Lord has prepared to be a rock and an example in this family! They are now reading the Book of Mormon as a couple, and praying together as a family and as a couple daily. At the lesson, THEY reminded US to kneel when we said the opening and closing prayer. Those are special moments..

We are struggling to know how ''ready'' they will ever be for Baptism. They have the desire to follow Jesus Christ and obey his commandments, and this is one of the main qualifications. Grazia's progress has slowed down, because she has started to say that she still doesn't feel "ready." We are focusing on helping them to understand what a testimony is, and then move forward accordingly.

The Baptismal date for the Gravina family is still for the 11th of December.

We also have this lady named Lina who we found a few weeks ago. She is awesome and is really getting hit strong by the news of the plan of Salvation. She hit us with some intense questions, but luckily I have yet to be confounded before her...here are a few questions she threw at us last week.

1. So if Adam and Eve were made after "God's image" assuming God is a man, after whose image was Eve created? There are blatantly anatomically different!.....

haha uhhhhh..... In moments like these I just smile and start to testify of simple truths! haha

2. Why did God create the world? Was it just to keep him company?

3. How are we supposed to know if the trials we have are given to us, are because of our own sins, or the sins that someone else has committed?

PS random stuff...

Could you set me up a Skype account to be able to use for when I call home at Christmas in a few weeks? Then you will be able to just tell me the login and password etc and that will be a lot easier than for me to try to worry about it that day..

Do I need to do anything to sign up for spring term classes that are in April? I have no idea...

That picture from Charlotte was basically the cutest thing I have ever seen in my life!!!!!!!! I don't even recognize her kids I'm going to cry so hard when I see everyone. They are all like little kids now!!! umm Noelle's glasses??? ADORABLE! I can't believe it, how different they all are!

I am starting to freak out that I only have two transfers left. Its basically been the quickest year + of my life, and yet it seems like its all been a dream, that will never end. I love the mission, even though most days I have to pretend to not be tired, and just still get courage every time to open my mouth. I feel like for a short period it got "easier" to talk to people, but then at the same time I still feel like even at this point in my mission, talking to people is still hard. I still don't understand why so many people just get so defensive and angry even when we approach them on the street. most people wont talk to us because they have such a hatred (sorry mom, but its true) towards Jehovahs' Witness', and they initially think we are them...Lately we have decided to do at least one hour of finding/day. That means were out knocking doors, walking down the streets, getting on buses, or doing the Mostra.

We scored and found a secret closet in our house with three baby Christmas trees in it!!! WOO! I was crying I was so excited. It isn't super Christmassy around these parts. A few lights here and there, but other than that you can't really tell its Christmas. Basically nothing like America at this time of year. The weather here in Bari is mild. Every few days there is a really cold day, but super mild. Like 50's, low 60's. Not bad.

Well, tonight we are off to do an appointment with a family we have been trying to teach for a long time, except her husband creates tons of difficulties. HE claims to be a prophet. Hm. The lesson will be on the plan of salvation. I love the plan of salvation, it gives us so much direction.

Basically I have grown so much on my mission and now understand the gospel in a way I never did before. It is so so so simple, and i have learned how it all comes back down to the fact that God appeared to that little boy Joseph Smith. God loves us so much. What a miracle. I took it so much for granted before, but never will again. I am most thankful to the mission for helping me realize how blessed i am to have what I do!

I love you all and please know you are in my prayers. A challenge we got a few weeks ago is to keep a "good deed book" and write down a few things you do each day to serve someone else.. its great, because it keeps your thoughts during the day on how we can help someone else other than our self. After all, that is when we are the happiest!

Vi voglio un mondo di bene!!!!

MONICA

...Sorella Miller