Merry Christmas!!

What a blessing it was to see and visit with our beautiful Sorella today. We laughed and cried. Pictures will be posted soon.

She has a beautiful request: I want to invite all to take time to remember this beautiful Christmas season to ponder about the gift that He has given to us. How have you felt the Love of the Savior Jesus Christ in your life? Please visit the following link:

O Come, Emmanuel

And a very short update: This miracle was so sweet and so full of relief. Our baptismal date J had told his mom that he was too afraid to inform us that he was not ready for baptism this upcoming Saturday. I had spoken to his mother and she explained that she wished to study the scriptures with him more and try for a baptism in April or March. We had studied and prayed for days to know what to do and what to say the next time we would see him. This past Sunday he had asked to talk to us after church, so we met with him and he immediately began to talk about the baptism. He explained that he wanted to be baptized as soon as possible but that he felt he needed to learn a little more. He also explained that he wished to be baptized no later than the end of the month of January. It was such a relief and such a blessing to see how eager he still was for baptism. When we asked what we could do to help him prepare, he asked us to explain and help him understand the book of mormon. :) We will continue helping him and hopefully see a baptism soon here in Forli. :)

Enduring to the end with a forgiving heart

AHHHHH I love Christmas!!!!! :) We had a beautiful Zone Conference with Presidente here in Forli last Thursday for Christmas. It was so beautiful and soooo happy. (OH and I finally got the packages. It was really funny. My District Leader, Anziano Lloyd handed my 3 big packages and then a box from deseret industry - something I ordered months ago. I opened the one from October - THANK YOU - and am saving the other two for Christmas. Patience. :) But seriously! Thank you sooooo much for the socks. They are AMAZING. They are so warm and comfortable. My feetsies are now so much happier.) L came to the Conference to help out with the cooking - we had some good ol' tacos. SO GOOD. One of the assistants was born here in Forli and taught L. It was such a happy occasion to see Anziano Christensen and Laura greeting each other after a year of not seeing one another. Happiness!!!!

I thought my heart was going to burst with happiness when we had this miracle on Saturday. Our inattiva, G that we have been working with CAME to an activity!!! It was a shock really. We came to her home on Friday night to read some scriptures with her and invited her the activity. As mentioned last week, J (our simpatizzanti) has been pushing her friend G to come back to church.  Right before the activity on Saturday evening, my companion called out to me to hurry down the stairs. When I caught up, I saw G's children. Oh how the members were soooooo incredibly happy to see them! Then about half way through the activity, G herself showed up. :) Everyone greeted her with love. She stayed the rest of the evening. It was so tender and so beautiful!

Earlier that morning, we went to teach L and A, oppure, they taught us. Last week while we were trying to plan for them, we had this huge stupor of thought. They are so elect and so converted. So then, with the help of the Spirit, we asked for them to teach us. So A prepared a BEAUTIFUL lesson of Enduring to end (or persevering to the end in italiano) and forgiveness - how they go hand in hand. It was so wonderful and clear. I had never thought of how in order to endure to the end, we must be willing to have a forgiving heart. Yes both are important but to go so well together... wow. The gospel is so beautiful and simple. Comunque, Al planned this WONDERFUL lesson full of scriptures and even an article of Nelson Mandela. L and A are so kind and charitable. Once they are married and baptized, they are going to be such a HUGE strength for this special branch here in Forli.

Another quick miracle.... on Sunday I was starting to feel a little stressed due to our simpatizzanti who cannot keep commitments but have so much faith and for not reaching goals of FINDING people to teach. On our way home, we passed through a park and saw two people sitting on a bench. My wonderful companion immediately stopped her bike and started talking to them. They were so kind and so fun. We taught them the first lesson in a nut shell and have a return appointment with them tomorrow. Little blessing really help brighten the day. :)

Also, we have been teaching J, son of R (a recently reactivated memeber) and he is just progressing so much towards baptism. :) Hopefully we have a Christmas baptism. We shall keep you posted next week. WHEN WE SKYPE!!! (Oh and you will probably get to meet L and A)

I LOVE YOU!!!!!! Good luck getting ready for the holidays,. :) Thank you for your support and your love. We had a lesson about the family last night and I am just soooo lucky to have an amazing family.

VI VOGLIO BENE!!!

Love,

Sorella Jameson

You bring so much peace and joy into my life

I LOVE CHRISTMAS!!!!!!! Oh it is just soooooooooooo beautiful!!!

We have had amazing miracles with one of our simpatizzanti - si chiama J. She is from Africa and has a baptismal date for later this month - she was a referral from her husband who we found two transfers ago on the sidewalk (P). We decided to pass-by J last Thursday to say hello and set up another appointment to visit her. After speaking, we offered our service to help her clean her home, which we did the following morning for 3 hours (and it was only the kitchen hahaha). It was such a beautiful opportunity to serve her while we got to know her even better. She has had such a difficult life and yet she is still so faithful, so kind, and so loving. By the time we left, her heart was soft and more open to us. A few days later we visited J to teach her a lesson and do some more service. She told us that she talked on the phone with one of her dear friends who was a member of our church, G (the miracle we had the week before with the meno attiva!) When she told us that she had talked to this Meno Attiva, we were so worried that bad things were said. G only said the most beautiful things about the church and J encouraged her to come back to church with her on Sunday. They were basically doing missionary work for each other!! J told us to visit her and try to convince her to come to church this weekend with her. It was such a tender miracle! When we visited her yesterday, she prayed, giving thanks to Heavenly Father for bringing us into her life. J said, "When I see you outside the window I am filled immediately with JOY and happiness. You bring so much peace and joy into my life." We promised her that this is something that she can keep with her through the gift of the Holy Ghost after her baptism. :) AHHH I love her soooo much!

And a random, fun little side note - we saw Anziano Gibbons on Sunday (remember him? He was with me in Genova for the whole 6 months) He told me my Italiano has gotten SOOO much better! It really surprised me. :) Oh how I love to speak Italiano.

Another really fast and funny story - we often go to do missionary work with our amazing side kick A. He is absolutely hilarious and a wonderful member of the ward. We had taught for a short time a very, VERY Italian woman si chiama L. Oh mamma mia... she is just a SPIT fire! Kind of like Grandma but MORE because she is not Mormon and she is Italian. A just LOVES her! He is normally a quiet person but when he was with her, this fiery side comes out and he just gets so Italiano. We went to go visit her and it was just one of the funnest lessons I think I have ever been in. She has invited us over for Christmas Eve to teach us how to make Mascarpone. (Sorry.. not a super great story but just really funny)

Vi voglio bene!!

Sorella Jameson

PIC: Ravenna oggi :)

PS: I absolutely LOVE my companion with all my heart!

Our Savior can help us with ANYTHING

Oh mamma mia... we are having so many miracles here in Forli. :)

Thanksgiving came and went suuuuuper fast (just like every day in the mission field) so I am a little worried about how fast Christmas will go by. That being said, being a missionary during Christmas time is such a beautiful experience. I just have this LOVE and joy for the little things - like all the Christmas lights and decorations - and especially for the birth of Jesus Christ. We can sing more often to the people, talk more about the beauty of the gift, and just all rejoice more together. I wish it were more like this through out the year but it really is so magical! :) For Thanksgiving, we ate at L's and Ao's home and celebrated A's birthday. It was sooooo beautiful. We invited one of our "dry members" who is 89 and very lonely. L is such a loving and accepting person that she immediately began to show love to him. The next several days were just filled with miracles that touched our hearts. The work is rolling forward in Forli!

This weekend we had one of the most tender and touching miracles. The Jefferies have been working with an inactive member of the branch by the name G. We had never met her and had only heard "Good Luck" when we talked about visiting her. As Sorella Jefferies has gone to visit teach G, her heart has been softened more and more. Sorella Jefferies suggested that we go and visit her, bringing some banana bread because it was her favorite. On Sunday we went, not really knowing what to share and going with the intention of getting to know G and follow the Spirit. This woman is such a special and beautiful child of God. We felt prompted to just sing some Christmas hymns which invited the Spirit and made it very easy to talk about the love of Christ. I then asked if I could share my favorite scripture (Alma 26:35-37) and we shared how much God loves her and has not forgotten about her. G began to cry and explain that she missed this, how she had forgotten these things that she once loved and believed in, and how she wanted to come back to church. The Spirit was so strong and guided us along to say the things that G needed to hear. It was so beautiful!

To finish, I just wanted to share an insight that I read this morning in parallel to the chapters in Mosiah 23 and 24. So many of us are faced with trials and challenges that we must overcome. At times we feel there is no hope. I have seen this so often with meno attivi or with simpatizzanti here and it just breaks my heart. They often say to us that we cannot possibly understand what they are dealing with because we are so young. Yes that may be true. But the thing that I know with every single FIBER of my being is that our Savior Jesus Christ can help us with ANYTHING in this life. I just love these chapters in Mosiah because it explains so clearly that we WILL have trials but that, with the promised covenant that we make, the Lord will help us. 

In regards to Mosiah 23:21, Elder Orsen F. Whitney said "No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude, and humility. All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable, more worthy to be called the children of God... and it is through sorrow and suffering , toil and tribulation, that we gain education that we come here to acquire and which will make us more like our Father and Mother in heaven."

Now I must apologize that this is a little bit shorter than usual. :) 

VI VOGLIO BENE!!!

Sorella Jameson

The feeling of doing something better with the Lord's time

Holy hannah it is COLD!!!! I thought I knew what cold was but I guess I did not take into consideration how it would be even colder being out all day on a bike. That is the rough part. When I breathe in, it hurts my lungs. Here is the best part... it isn't even THAT cold yet. :) But it helps with the desire of not wanting to eat any gelato. :)

As for transfer news, I am staying here in Forlì with my sweet baby. :) Oh how I was soooooo happy when I didn't receive any phone calls on Monday. I was a little stressed out at the thought of being transfered. I just love this place way too much and I LOVE my companion. We just laugh all the time and try to work really hard. :) AND now I will be here for Christmas. :)

THANKSGIVING: Dinner with L e A tomorrow with the Jefferies. WOOT!

Sorella Andromidas and I have another beautiful transfer together in Forlì!!! We are so very excited for the next few weeks to continue the work here and to love our simpatizzanti! When we didn't receive a phone call on Monday night (the normal time when are called to translocate), L (one of the most special people here in Forlì and simp) said "Dio esiste!" It was so funny! Several other simpatizzanti commented on how happy they were that we would remain together. It is amazing how you don't realize how much of an impact you make until it is time to go. 

We had a blitz in Rimini, the birthplace of my trainer Sorella Gomez. It has always been my dream to serve there but when I knew I was going to Forlì, I realized that it was going to be impossible to serve there. Doing a blitz was a  dream come true!! We went with the Sister Training Leaders, both of whom I love dearly! It was just a wonderful weekend to work with these amazing sisters and to be in that beautiful city. We later had a cultural activity Saturday evening down in Rimini and hoped to have L come down to see it. She could not come unfortunately. Once I realized that we would be in Rimini without any simpatizzanti, at this fun and wonderful activity, I couldn't shake the feeling that we needed to leave. The lines of Good, Better, Best continued to run through my head. I said a little prayer in my heart to know what to do and felt a "well, you could stay here. There is work you can do at this activity. It will be fine if you stay. BUT... you know there is something better that you can do." So Sorella Andromidas and I packed up and headed home to Forlì. The District President stopped us and asked if there was any way that we could stay but we said no, that there was work to do in Forlì. We later went to L's home and had an extremely spiritual and meaningful lesson that was meant to be had. The feeling of doing something better with the Lord's time was something so satisfying. 

Work has been moving forward with one of our newest investigators, J, the son of a meno attivo. He is so elect and ready to accept the gospel. Last week we set a baptismal date with him for the 7th of December, which he quickly accepted. (At this point, we need to work things out with his mother and might push back the date to the 21st of December) Yesterday we had a beautiful lesson with him at a members home and with the Young Men's President. We all watched the Restoration film together. Mamma mia, the spirit was incredibly strong and so beautiful. At the end of the film, we asked him how he felt, what he thought, etc. He was absolutely speachless for a few minutes just shaking his head. Then he responded saying that he had doubted us when we first gave the first lesson of the restoration but he said "God is telling me in my heart that this is true. It's true." It was such a beautiful and special lesson. :) The work continues to move forward in Forlì. :)

To finish, I just wanted to share my thoughts about Alma 18. Sorella Andromidas and I have been very perplexed as we read about Alma going around, baptizing people. He even immersed himself under the water when he baptized Helam. We asked "Where did he get that authority? How could he baptize himself?" These were not questions about salvation but rather questions of curiosity. Meno male we have an institute manual that addresses this very concern. Joseph F. Smith stated that Alma did indeed HAVE the authority. Maybe he received it before he became corrupted by Noah or if he received it afterwards. The dunking is not of him baptizing himself but rather a symbol of humility and repentance. :) I am so grateful for the revelation that we can receive from modern day prophets to clear up any confusion. 

Thank you for your love and support as always. 

VI VOGLIO BENE!!!

Sorella Jameson

San Marino!!!

How beautiful is that?

Once again the week has just flown by and I really need to back track in order to tell you what has happened. :) Today is my 8 month mark here in Italy. Can you believe that? Sometimes when I think about the year 2013, it just doesn't seem to exist to me because basically all of it has been given to the Lord. This week is week #5 for the transfer which also means that it is Sr Companion week. Sorella Andromidas gets to take charge. :) It is both a relaxing but also stressful situation. Relaxing because I don't have the stress of planning but then soooooo stressful because I have all the stress of my companion planning. I just want my baby to do well!!! My sweet companion is so incredible and has just taken to missionary work so well. She is doing so well. :)

Well... we had a baptism this weekend. It was for a little boy who was basically a member in the ward but because his parents are not members, it counted as a convert baptism. The beautiful thing is that we HAD a baptism and the font has been used two weekends in a row for the first time in 2 years. Unfortunately the baptism that we had planned for the following was dropped and so was the simpatizzanti due to unkept commitments.

MIRACLE: This weekend we had such a beautiful and tender miracle. Our less active, R, has been absolutely wonderful with coming back to church and with sharing the gospel so willing and so openly. Her son arrived from Nigeria last week and came to the baptism that we had over the weekend and then to church the next day. We were able to come and meet him on Sunday evening with the Jefferies (who are very good friends with R). His name is J and he is absolutely wonderful and elect. As we taught him, he took time to think about the things we taught, asked many questions, and even shared his own testimony of the things that he had studied in the bible. He even asked how there could be a covenant people of God in the Americas when they were established in Jerusalem. He accepted our invitation to baptism and wants to love and work for God. :)

So I was studying this morning and read Mosiah 14 - when Abinadi shares the Isaiah chapter with the wicked king Noah (see Isaiah 53). This is my favorite chapter from the book of Isaiah. I recall reading this one night in Jerusalem in order to finish a homework assignment. All of my roommates were sleeping so I only had my bed side light on. Up to this point I had not really understood Isaiah but it finally clicked that night. One of the greatest things that I learned from Jerusalem are from studying the Old Testament was about the Love of God. This chapter explains the Atonement as Isaiah symbolically describes the Savior as the Servant in this chapter. After he explained the pain and afflictions that He would suffer, versae 10 says "yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him." My understanding of this verse is that the Lord was pleased with the suffering that took place in the Atonement. WHY? Because God loved the world sooooo much that He gave his only begotten Son. How beautiful is that? 

Love, 

Sorella Jameson :)

So many beautiful miracles

Every P-day I really have to think very hard about WHAT actually happened the week before. Days fly by so fast when you look back at them (during the day it feels long) As always, I just love doing this work. Saturday there was a baptism in our branch for a little girl named R. Her mother was less active and had some difficult trials that kept her from coming to church. This sister has made a complete turn around - she loves coming to church and even calls to offer help with teaching some of our African investigators. She invited sooooo many people to her baptism and there was such a beautiful spirit there with all these loved ones. It was such a wonderful way to contact her friends and share the gospel. We also did a musical number with A, our unofficial third member of the companionship (he is ALWAYS more than willing to come to lessons with us and help us with anything that we ask for. His father is also the Ward Mission Leader and is incredible.)

We have had so many beautiful miracles, especially since we have been trying to become more full tithe payers (the difference from being a part time or full time tithe payer - doing and giving are 100% all to the Lord) within our missionary work. We have been working hard but realized that there is always MORE that we can do for the work of the Lord. Last week we put into action all of the things that we had learned with Anziano Texiera. As a result, we gained 3 new simpatizzanti within the the first two doors that we had knocked on last Tuesday. We have since knocked many more doors, talked to many more people and been rejected by many of them but we KNOW that we have work to complete. :)

So I thought it might be good to describe some of the people that we work with so that you can know them better. If you recall, we met this AMAZING man name P last transfer. He is so elect and so ready to accept the gospel. When we teach him, he always asks many questions to understand and reads every pamphlet that we leave with him. Paul accepted the baptismal invitation that we extended to him and almost accepted the baptismal date., Every lesson that we have taught has brought the spirit so powerfully. He asked us to please pray for him and help him to understand baptism more - why he must be baptized again. He is so kind and wonderful. When we teach him, I can literally feel the love of God just BURSTING through my heart. GAH!!!!

To end, I would like to end with a funny story. We have rules on a mission, yes? Many rules that I have learned to love and follow them, even when I may not understand them. The rules to wake up on time have never been an issue. EVER. Yesterday (after dropping then phone the night before and then resetting it incorrectly due to the fast it is on military time and that I still don't understand it) we woke up at 7:30 instead of 6:30. Accidentally. I felt TERRIBLE. Sorella Andromidas came into the room and told me  "Okay... don't freak out but it is 7:40" (I had been praying before then) I didn't believe her because the cell phone said it was 6:40. When it finally sunk in what had happened I felt completely awful. I immediately started to prayer and ask for forgiveness. Even though I felt like my day was ruined for sinning in ignorance, it brought a little joy to know I cared so much about being obedient.

I love you so much mama!!!! Thank you for all that you do! I can't wait to talk to you next month. Let's start making a list of things we must discuss okay?

Vi voglio bene!!!

Sorella Jameson

My BEAUTIFUL baby girl

Mosaics of Ravenna