Another week

[Email from 9/28/11]

Ciao tutti,

So we are starving right now, so this may not be as long as the others
usually are, but I will try to explain everything.

Yes, there are still mosquitos here. They are nasty things.

We had 6 investigators at church this last Sunday. It was great. Giusy
did not make it to church yet though....it's crazy how some people
seem so promising, but it never turns out simple. I am learning
patience here, for sure. I wish she would just come to church. We
finally heard from Rita, and she is sick and so can't meet. Kind of
sounds like she doesn't want to meet with us anymore. SO we are giving
her a break right now and pray for her.

Elisa has also been sick this whole last week and half and so we
hadn't seen her for awhile. But we met with her last night and she is
progressing, but not as quickly as we would like. She still smokes.
SHe also has had a really rough life, so her trusting in people is a
difficult thing. But she says that she has never felt like there was
meaning to life until now. So that is a great sign. And...she lives
with a less active member who has 4 kids and is single. Elisa says she
needs to come back to the church because she is not happy and not
getting anywhere in life without the church. She even asked us to pray
for the less-active. She's being such a great example and isn't even a
member yet. SInce she was sick, we might have to postpone her baptism.
But we'll see. SHe is not the 16 year old mom...ELisa is in her 50s.

Last week we met with ROsaria and finished the plan of salvation and
talked about the celestial kingdom. I told her that the only was to
get there is through baptism and invited her to be baptized for 22
OCtober. She accepted! She is the 16 year old whose parents both come
from Ghana but she was born in Italy. She is mature for her age and
growing a ton. I love teaching her.

Raffaella is struggling because Satan is working on her because she
wants to get baptized. Her boyfriend who she lives with doesn't want
to get married and she does. So she has to make some big decisions in
her life. She wants it, but has to fix things first. I know she will
get baptized...she's just got to have the courage to act and change
things even when it is difficult. She also agreed to teach me to make
lasagna.

At english class last night, I was teaching ( i teach advanced, so we
just have conversations the whole time) and they were asking me what I
did that day. I talked about how we went to the hospice to visit
francesca who is dying from cancer and related to how there is hope
and no need to fear death because there is a plan and life after this
one. I said I know this because of the BOM and a living prophet. Then
at the end of class, this 18 year old girl from Ukraine came up to me
and asked if she could have a BOM. She explained how her sister died 5
years ago because she was crossing thr train tracks and one hit her.
She said she had faith in God before that, but after, she lost her
faith, but wants to have more again. So I asked if we could meet with
her and teach her about our message and she agreed. SHe is super
excited. We are meeting with her tomorrow. She gave me a huge hug
before she left and looked very happy. I went to bed happy because of
that opportunity to brighten someone's life.

So I was just asking Sorella Foote if there was anything I forgot to
mention or if I needed anything from home...all she said was, "ya,
have your mom send me something..." Ha then she said she was kidding,
but next package you send mom, if it comes before she goes home, send
something for her too. But she is lactose intollerant, so keep that in
mind. But she LOVES chocolate. And I miss Sour Patch Watermelons and
Reece's Cups. I told her about my giant one from Christmas and she was
pretty jealous. Haha And there are no elders in my area mom. Just
Sorella Foote and me. ANd today for p-day, a member from the ward in
Ostia where some elders in our district are, gave us a tour of some
hidden treasures in Rome. I got some beautiful pictures. I couldn't
understand much of what he said, but it was cool to see everything.
Like watching travel channel, but actually being there this time.

Okay, that is about it for this week. Love you all and thanks for everything.

Love always,
Sorella Heiner