I Transferimenti

Buongiorno la mia cara famiglia,

Rimini.  Rimini is a bellissima città. I love this place with all of my heart. My companion and I have poured my heart into this branch, this beautiful little tourist, freezing beach town.  This week, we found 5 new investigators! We finally taught a member referral that we have been working on meeting for 2 months now. It’s perfect, because…..
the elders that are coming in to take our place will have people to teach! Lucky them!
Yes, I’m leaving.  I was in our park when I received the transfer call.  I was quite shocked. I am so happy for Rimini to have anziani here. But, I am heartbroken to leave the people that I love so so very much.
Rimini is like Zion, in the words of Sorella Lofley.  I have never met a people that are so outwardly focused. They are constantly serving us, serving others, around them, etc.
Since it is Thanksgiving, I’m going to tell you things that I am grateful for from Rimini:
I am grateful for my companion, Sorella Ervin. This girl, when I met her, I told her – you’re like my soul sister. She makes me laugh every day.  She feels things deeper than anyone I have ever met in my life. Everything is important to her, and everyone she meets she loves completely with her whole heart.  She is positive about life, is an amazing cook, is patient with me, and always makes phone calls when I’m too chicken to do it. She’s going to Vercelli. I WILL MISS HER SO MUCH!
La famiglia Zufolini – Our branch mission leader, Emilio, was released on Sunday and called to be the branch mission president. I am so exctied for Rimini because he is so exctied to missionary work, and can help guide the branch to do more missionary work.  He and his wife… they are my Italian parents.  When I called him to tell him the news, I started crying for the first time. (As I type this the tears are starting to come…) He was so shocked – but you were here for so little time, it’s not right, it’s not right.  And I all I could say was, you promise that you won’t forget me? And he just said, “mai.” – Never.  Ah. I love them so so very much.  I have to come back and visit them, my life won’t be complete.  He is one of the kindest, most loving men I have ever met in my entire life.  He makes us laugh, makes the best pizza in the world, and he is always willing to serve others.  Words can not describe how amazing this family is.  Ilaria’s hugs and kisses on the cheek, her sense of humor, and her new haircut – she is an amazing daughter of God.
I am grateful for all of the investigators that I have been able to teach.  I am thankful for the less-active work and new-convert work that we have been able to do.  I will always keep these people in my prayers and I will never forget them. I’m wary to put names online, but these people have literally changed my life.
I am grateful to have felt loved by these members here. Ah. I love them all. I wish the knew. But, none of us can ever express how much we love someone, truly.  There are never words.  But we all know what it feels like.
I am so so so blessed to have been able to serve here.  Rimini will always have a special place in my heart.  I am sad to leave after only 3 months. It’s hard, to spend so much time trying to develop trust with members, and then just to leave.
But, as I sing all week, “I’ll go where you want me to go, dear Lord, over mountain or plain or sea.”
And, I am going to….
FIRENZE! FLORENCE! Christmas in Florence. Enough said.
My companions will be Sorella Holloway and Sorella Beutler. I’m excited!  I’m lucky to be in the southern part of the mission for the winter too 🙂
I am excited to go to Florence, and I will be making a good use of my P-days, let me tell you that.  So, if you would like to email me and tell about some of the  must-sees in Florence, I would appreciate that.  Firenze. AH! I get to see Tuscany too. I am really excited.  And, I’m exctied to see what it’s like to go to a coppia that’s already existing. That’ll be nice 🙂
I know that the Lord wants me to leave here, because elders will be able to do some amazing work here in Rimini, and I really hope that the people that we have taught and found will continue to make progress. I love them all so much.  I am excited to go to Firenze, another small branch, where the sister missionaries get to be in the young women’s presidency.  Before I came on my mission, I prayed that I would be able to do work with the youth, especially the young women.  I know that I am supposed to go here, and I can’t wait to see what will happen.
The Lord is in our lives, I know it!
Vi voglio bene,
Sorella StrongImage Image 1
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