Week 5

On Sabato, we had a lesson with Fllo Carrington - who was playing the part of a 50 year old investigator. I was trying to relate the Plan of Salvation to him (in Italian mind you) by comparing him with HF and how HF wanted us to come to earth to be better, just like how parents want their children to leave the home to grow. In Italian, the word for "better" is meglio. I couldn't remember the word when I was trying to explain how by leaving, we become better. So I said something like "Lei vuole suoi figli diventare ... moglie?" I turned to Sorella Stephen's to ask if this was correct and Fllo C. looked at us with a really weird expression. Basically, I had said "You want your children to become... wife?" So I tried explaining "Bene... moglie" - gestering with my hands to show progress of going from good to better. Instead, I was saying "good ... wife" Finally, Fllo C. asked if I meant meglio. S. Stephens immediately started to CRACK up!!! She literally lost it. Laugh attack. Then Fllo C. lost it. He tried to remain composed but couldn't. I kept trying to bear my testimony about how we want to become better but I continued to say "wife" over and over again. I think it took about 10 minutes to finally get that point across. It was hilarious.

On Domenica, I had the opportunity to say a prayer at the devotional. Sorella Stephens and I sat on the front stand with two other Elders - Anziani Gemmel and McArthur. (A. Gemmel is from New Zealand). Before the start, the speaker asked if we could help out during the devotional to which we said yes. Well we watched a video and he came over and asked if we could comment on it. Immediately, I said CRAP and A. Gemmel said "CRAP! I wasn't even listening! I was falling asleep!"  So he stood up and and said "well I wasn't listening..." Anyway, we made our comments and as always, S. Stephens made the entire congregation of missionaries CRACK up. She said that the missionaries invited... "What did they do?" said the speaker. "They inviiiiiited!!!" Her voice escalated 3 octives. I love it.

OKAY I am 20 minutes over my time limit!!! I just don't know when I will write again - well... it will be IN ITALY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHH!!! So I was feeling REALLY scared about leaving to Italy. I cannot speak Italian. I am going to be in a different country. I was scared. Then, my incredible companion shared a wonderful scripture with me. It is Helaman 10:4. Basically, it explains how we should not have fear because we are doing the Lord's work FOR the Lord. This is not for me. It is for the LORD. He will not let me down. He will be helping me through all of this if I allow him to. I am now so excited to go to Italy for the People. For the Lord.

I love being a missionary! I love this Gospel with my whole heart and soul. EVERYONE deserves the Atonement - it is INFINITE!!! I love you all!!

LOVE,

Sorella Codi Layne Jameson

Week 4

JAROM IS GOING ON A MISSION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am sooooo sooooo SOOOOOOOO excited and proud of him!!!!!!! Last Friday I was getting a salad from the Wrap bar for lunch when the girl who was serving me said "Jarom Levi Jameson got his mission call." I was a little shocked that she was talking to me and that she said "Jarom" After asking her "What?" in a shocked voice, she said again "Jarom got his mission call last night."
"Jarom?! He got it last night?! Did he open it?!"
"Yeah!" after looking down at her name tag, I discovered it was Emma Simpson.
"Okay.... I don't want you to tell me! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! OH MY GOSH!!!" She laughed and agreed it was best for me to not hear.
I didn't want to eat. When my DL came back with the mail I demanded for a dear elder. He only handed me a package slip - which was from my family. Ironically, I didn't want a package. I only wanted a dear elder to find out where he went. Finally I got it at dinner. My DL waited to hand it to me until after I had eaten for a little bit so I wouldn't stare. So kind and yet so cruel.... I ripped it out of his hands and opened it right there - even though we weren't supposed to. My eyes went immediately to Fukuoka Japan. WHAT!!!!!!!!!! JAPAN!!!!!

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! My heart was sad for a split second that it wasn't Italy but I was soooo overcome with joy I cried and laughed and told everyone I met. I am soooo proud of you buddy!! Just a few days ago I met some elders going to Japan. I literally screamed. One even covered his ears and backed away from me. They are soooo great! I told them all about Jarom and told them we were going to be friends. I plan on finding them tonight and talking to them. :)

Something that has been really on my mind lately is just how important family is for our life. Heavenly Father gave us families to BLESS us and make us happy. Funny how sometimes we do not appreciate that as much growing up. We think our family is annoying or we wish to have another. Then when we get older, we realize just how much our family means to us.  I couldn't have asked for better parents. One thing that I have come to know is how much the temple blesses families and how family oriented it is. There is a Mormon message on this (aka you should watch it).

Hermana Crystal Myler is also in the MTC with me which is just fun! I rarely see her because our schedules are completely different but she brings me so much joy when I see her.

Week 3

I am over halfway done with the MTC. 19 days left until I fly to ITALY!!! It is crazy when I think about - after my time here in this strange world of the MTC, I am going to ITALY. Not for a semester, not for a trip, but for a whole 16 months. Isn't that weird?! I am so used to moving and changing my life every few months ( think of the life I lived last year - Jerusalem, EFY, and BYU) but now I will be in one country, doing the same thing for a year and half. The best part is that I will being doing what I love!!! Serving the Lord on a mission. Every now and then, I will look down at the name tag over my heart and just think "WOAH.... I am a MISSIONARY!" I love my name-tag, I love my companion, I love my district, I love Italian, I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!!

This week has gone by so fast, it's hard to believe that it is already P-day again. What has happened in the last week? Sorella Stephen's and I are slowly but surely getting a little better at Italian. When I teach a lesson, words just come out of my mouth that I didn't think I knew. Isn't the Spirit amazing? Afterwards, S. Stephens gives me a huge hug and we immediately thank Heavenly Father for His help throughout the lesson. I still LOVE my companion SO much! Seriously, we get along so well together. I couldn't have asked for a better companion! On Tuesday, M. Russell Ballard talked at our devotional!!! CRAZY!!!! We were like 7 rows back too. ( we were supposed to be in the Choir but we were one seat short .... literally have THAT many people who want to sing) :) He didn't say anything that was mind-blowing but he said some important things. Here is what he said - We know a LOT! Have confidence when you talk because you KNOW things!! The work is important and WE are important. The work does not end after our mission either. I had such a strong thought about my future family and how I need to remember to always TEACH the gospel, just how mama and daddy did that for me. Anyway, I need to let an Anziano on the computer. Oh!! My district is INCREDIBLE!!! I love them soooo much! The Anziani call me "Mom" which literally makes my day every time they do it.

Week 2- MTC

I finished week 2 of the MTC!!! It is so crazy to think I have been here for 2 weeks already and yet I think to myself "it has only been 2 weeks!?" That means I have only 4 weeks left of the MTC before I hit Italy. Does this make me excited? Yes. Am I scared? Yes. I am freaking out. The language is definitely difficult but when I stop and think about it, I realize that I have definitely been blessed by our Heavenly Father with the ability to learn a language. I know a LOT more than I would have with out the Lord. Seriously though, it has been two weeks and yet I can Pray in Italian, bare my testimony in Italian, and almost have simple conversations in Italian. Sorella Stephens and I are still struggling quite a bit and have felt pretty humbled while learning. I still love her SOOOO much!! I was really blessed to be given her as a companion. Whenever I face new and difficult challenges, I deal with them sooooo much better with a good and constant friend by my side. That is how Sorella Stephens is for me - an AMAZING companion who is ALWAYS there for me!

So I want to share a really cool experience I had this week.  On Monday we had the opportunity to teach in TRC - Teaching Resource Center. Basically we get to teach church members for 20 minutes or so on whatever they need, whether it be a spiritual thought or addressing a concern. We ended up teaching an actually working who was fluent in multiple languages instead of a volunteer b/c of the high number of stinken Italian missionaries. Neither of us understood a single word that she said. Her accent was sooooo thick and spoke sooooo fast that S. Stephens and I would simply turn and blink at one another. It was great. But then we shared our favorite scriptures. I shared Alma 26:35-37 and Sorella Stephens shared 1 Nephi 3:7 in Italian. While I was reading, it just clicked in my mind what I was saying. The Spirit poured over me and in the room and I started to CRY. Sorella Stephen's scripture had the same effect. This same experience happened with our second volunteer too who was an RM from Milan. WOW! We learned that the Spirit  makes up from what our language lacks, whether we can actually speak it or not. It was so testimony building and gave us faith to keep working hard. This IS the Lord's work that we are doing. I love being a missionary!

Fun events at the MTC: Last Thurday I ran into my friend Carlos at the MTC. I haven't seen him since my freshman year of school and it was soooooo wonderful to see him! This week I got a package from the Mendivil family. Yes, the Mendivil Family. You know, the cousin's of Erin Ramberg Hoff? It made my whole day and week! I also ran into another friend, Brok, who I haven't seen for almost 3 years. I love it!!

Io so che Dio ci ama! Io so che il Vangelo di Gesu Cristo e vero.

February 14, 2013

I would LOVE letters from Dear Elder!

I still cannot believe that I am a missionary. Almost every morning I have woken up so confused as to where I am and what I am doing. Then I think "dang... I am a missionary!" It is so GREAT!! I love being called Sorella or Sister by EVERYONE! So far the MTC is amazing. I absolutely love it here. 

My companion (mia collega) is incredible!!!! She is soooooo much like my roommate Lauren and has the funnest and most carefree personality. I love her :) 

The Italian has been... difficult but good. I keep trying to pronounce things with a French accent instead of Italian which is funny because Italian is VERY straight forward. Sometimes I sit in class and think "How in the WORLD am I going to do this?!" I'll get it. Last Friday we began teaching in Italian. Yep. Two days after entering the MTC. The most I could say was "Mi chiama Sorella Jameson" so you can imagine how that went.

The thing I wanted to share the most about my experience so far is just HOW important missionary work is - along with my purpose. It is on the first page of chapter 1 of PMG. "To invite others to come unto Christ by receiving the Restored gospel through Faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end." WOW!

I just feel like this will be one of the MOST important things I have EVER done in my entire life!