Letter #6 from Bari, Italy

Dear Family and friends,

I just learned today that they are changing our Preparation day. I HAVE NO IDEA WHY!!! But our p-day will now be MONDAY. It is really weird for me. This will be starting October 14th, So in 5 days you get a new email from me. I totally support this decision but I must admit I am confused and would like to know the why. "BUO" (shoulder shrug)

This week has been wonderful especially because this weekend was General Conference. Best experience of my life!! I have always loved General Conference. I have great parents and they did a great job with a us Preston kids. They always made Conference a spiritual experience. Every 6 months we would dress up in our Sunday clothes and go to the church building for a special Saturday and Sunday broadcast. The prophet and the 12 apostles and other leaders of the church would speak on various topics a total of about 10 hours. 

Even though we could have watched it on the internet in recent years (because of technology advances) we always went to the church. To as many hours as possible. I knew it was something special. For a little kid it would have been more fun to sit in the corner playing tictactoe with my friends. (Over the years I did do this every now and then :) ) But my parents set the example - they always payed full attention. And I would feel stupid if I didn't. Even if the most attention I could do was try to listen and color. 

When I was little I remember looking over at my mom and she would be taking very intense notes. Every now and then I would look up and see her in tears because of the prophetic words being spoken. This made me want to take notes. So started from age 8 (maybe even younger) I would go and take notes. I would write down the names of the speakers and try to write down what they said word for word. It was not long before I realized this was impossible. 

Now my notes make more sense and are more legible than an eight year old's but I LOVE general conference. 

As a missionary general conference continues to be wonderful. It has very real application. During conference I usually hear things that I want to share with people. Family or investigators. I hear a talk and I think, "Fabrizia needs to hear this" etc-

Every conference I feel like there are themes. I feel like the themes for this conference were:

1) Helping those who are no longer active in the church come back. I loved President Henry B. Eyering's talk. I was crying so hard.

To quote President Eyering

"I have prayed with faith that someone I loved would seek and feel the power of the Atonement. I have prayed with faith that human angels would come to their aid, and they came.

God has devised means to save each of His children. For many, that involves being placed with a brother or a sister or a grandparent who loves them no matter what they do...

There is a wonderful lesson for us all. The way for loving parents and grandparents and all of God’s servants will not be easy in a decaying world. We cannot force God’s children to choose the way to happiness. God cannot do that because of the agency He has given us.

Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son love all of God’s children no matter what they choose to do or what they become. The Savior paid the price of all sins, no matter how heinous. Even though there must be justice, the opportunity for mercy is extended which will not rob justice.

Alma expressed that hope to his son Corianton in these words: “Therefore, according to justice, the plan of redemption could not be brought about, only on conditions of repentance of men in this probationary state, yea, this preparatory state; for except it were for these conditions, mercy could not take effect except it should destroy the work of justice. Now the work of justice could not be destroyed; if so, God would cease to be God.”3

My message then to my grandchildren, and to all of us trying to forge eternal families, is that there is joy guaranteed for the faithful. From before the world was, a loving Father in Heaven and His Beloved Son loved and worked with those who They knew would wander. God will love them forever."

This talk was so comforting - God will love us and our loved ones forever. So should we!!

The second theme I noticed was Endure to the end. No matter what the world says, do what is right!!!

There were many themes. What themes stood out to you all?

I also really like the talk by President Monson in the Relief Society Broadcast. My favorite thing he said was:

"There will be times when you will walk a path strewn with thorns and marked by struggle. There may be times when you feel detached—even isolated—from the Giver of every good gift. You worry that you walk alone. Fear replaces faith. When you find yourself in such circumstances, I plead with you to remember prayer. I cherish the words of the poet:

I know not by what methods rare,

But this I know, God answers prayer.

I know that He has given His Word,

Which tells me prayer is always heard,

And will be answered, soon or late.

And so I pray and calmly wait.

I know not if the blessing sought

Will come in just the way I thought;

But leave my prayers with Him alone,

Whose will is wiser than my own,

Assured that He will grant my quest,

Or send some answer far more blest.6

"My dear sisters [and brothers], your Heavenly Father loves you—each of you. That love never changes. It is not influenced by your appearance, by your possessions, or by the amount of money you have in your bank account. It is not changed by your talents and abilities. It is simply there. It is there for you when you are sad or happy, discouraged or hopeful. God’s love is there for you whether or not you feel you deserve love. It is simply always there."

This talk really comforted me. I know that GOD's love is always there. Especially when we assume it isn't. I love you all so much . I love being a missionary. I love my Savior "For the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also has become my salvation" (2Nephi 22:2) It comforts me that my Savior's love is always there and I know it is always there for all of you! 

Love you lots

Sorella Preston

P.s. Expect a Lot of photos next week :)

Letter #5 and Pictures from Bari, Italy

Dear family and friends,

The seasons have started to change and now it is cooler and I have a cold :) So this email will be shorter. (Don't worry!! I am fine I just have to let it run its course :)

Mom

1) Grazia Bellomo's Son is named Nicola.

2) I have not seen a Francesco Bellomo

3) Enza Bellomo never was married. She has worked for Grazia and Raffaele Bellomo for 50 years. (About) So maybe you saw her around at church when you were here. But she was not baptized till '73 I think.

4) All is set for skype this Friday with the Bellomo's and I will give them your phone number :)

This week has been great. We had Stake Conference and Zone Conference right after each other and then this weekend will be General Conference. I am so excited!!

During zone conference Sorella Mitsvotai and I took Sorella Waddoups to visit to members here in Bari. This is Sorella Waddoups, me, and Sorella Panza

Us at zone conference. All the Sorelle di Bari and Taranto Zones

At our Stake Conference, Anziano Leimer, a member of the Area Seventy, came and spoke to us. He challenged all the members to raise our youth. We have to prepare them, and start it at home!! He then also talked about General Conference. He challenged us to go with a question, and listen to what our leaders say. He also said to learn from their example and lives. He shared a story about Thomas S. Monson. He said that as he was waiting at temple square, one of the senior missionaries came and talked with him. The conversation led to this missionary sharing this story with him.

This missionary's wife was very sick and in the hospital. His 3 grandsons were waiting in the hospital room visiting her, when a tall shadow filled the door. It was President Monson. He explained that he was uninvited and unexpected but asked is he could come in. He sat and talked with this woman for  an hour. Gave her a blessing, and left. Anziano Leimer asked, "What does an hour of the prophet's time do" He shared how this woman's story ended. She was fine. Lived a happy 2 more years and died peacefully at home. But then he said, Think of the difference 1 hour had on those 3 grandsons. How were they affected? They watched the prophet come and take an hour to come an sit with their grandmother. They later served missions and brought the gospel to others. "What is an hour with the prophet in a generation!" That one hour changed hundreds of lives. Anziano Leimer then explained. We must learn from our leader's examples. We do not have to be the prophet to go and spend that hour. To go and visit others, smile at the people on the street. It is part of our baptismal covenant to do this.

He said, "There is a reason why God's prophet in these days is a bishop at heart. And always will be. What do you think God is trying to teach us?"

I wanted to recount these parts of Anziano Leimer's address so that you will be as excited for General Conference as I am. Be prepared to go hear their words and then be "Doers of the Word" I know that this church, The Church of Jesus Christ, is led by a living prophet of the Living GOD. The priesthood of God has been restored and we all can be blessed and have been blessed by this power.

I love you all so much,

Love Sorella Preston

Random Pictures from Bari and Polignano, Italy

Me and Sorella Mikesell

Us at Matera

All 4 of us at Sorella Devanna's house

Me and Sorella Devanna

Us with Sorella Magno

Us with Enza bellomo. She is the sweetest :) 

Me at the Fiera del Levante here in Bari. This was at a Sangria stand :) 

This is still at the fair. With Sorella Marinella and Marianna Tonti from Poggiofranco! We were eating a riccia! So good :)

Me with Carmella Tarantino

Me in Bari città vecchia with a statue of San Nicola. It looks like he is making the peace sign :)

Sorella Ruppe, Sorella Mikesell, and Sorella Ghio in front of the Marnarid. A very famous candy store here in Bari. I love it in there. I love Bari!

2) Us at the Famiglia Diciolla for FHE

Ann and Letty I wore those sandals so much! They are my favorite. I hope you appreciate my tan lines :)

Me and Sorella Mikesell in Polignano

Me and Mikesell in Polignano

We all love each other

Graffiti in Polignano "There is nothing more epic than the sea"

Letter #4 and Pictures from Bari, Italy

Dear Family and friends,

This week has been so much fun but also a bit different. Some other missionaries outside our zone needed the car so President loaned it to them. This has given us a great opportunity to get to know the bus system of Bari and go by foot.

I love walking! I feel like I get to see so many more people and interact more with others. 

The other day, we were on splits and I was with Sorella Ruppe. We went to go see an inactive sister in the Poggiofranco ward. Tina Tarantino and her 91 year old mother, Carmella. As soon as we sat down at their house, Tina turns to me and asks, "Did your father serve here 40 years ago?" I responded yes. She told me that you taught her and her mother. Tina would have been 17 at the time!! It was so wonderful. She is pretty negative toward the church. But the whole time she would say random things like ... "You smile just like your father!" or "Your eyes crinkle like your father's." It was wonderful to meet her. Dad, do you remember her?

Also mom and Dad, My companion, Sorella Mikelle Mikesell, is cousins with Rock and Joy Erickson from St. Louis!! How cool is that!

Mom, I don't know if Sorella di Cataldo still lives here. I think she moved to the north. The other week there was a marriage. Clarissa Mongelli, and Fabio Di Cataldo got married. Their civil marriage was done in our church building and last Tuesday they went to the Switzerland Temple. I am pretty sure she is related to them. But I don't know those families. I have also not heard from Francesco Bellomo, but I will keep my eyes peeled.

Us with Sorella Bellomo at the wedding of Clarissa Mongelli and Fabio Di Cataldo

Us with the Bride!

 BIG NEWS: 

1) Mom and Dad today is Grazia Bellomo's birthday. She is turning 82. She wants to call you guys on Skype. We set a time for Ott 4th at 7pm Italy time. 12pm your time. Will you be on the internet! And on skype? She really wants to talk with you.

2) Also Sorella Ruppe wants to go work in Alaska. Do you still have connections in alaska. If you do start buttering them up so that a super nice Italian missionary could come and work for them :) or live with them.

Letter #3 from Bari, Italy

Dear Family and friends,

 

I am so grateful for you all! This week has been really good. This week God has taught me that He LOVES His children and that He knows us individually. There were two specific experiences this week that emphasized this to me

 

First, Sorella Mikesell and I had a lesson planned with 2 investigators, a mother and son. The son is in his late 40's. We had taught the Restoration lesson earlier and we planned to go and explain the Book of Mormon further. When we arrived, the son was not there. He had been unable to come. But we were there with the mom and her sister (who is a member). We thought this was perfect because we wanted to gauge how the mother was understanding the lessons. We started asking her if she had kept her commitments and what she had liked in the Restoration opuscolo. Based on her questions we did a quick review of the restoration, but the Spirit led us to focus on priesthood. Sorellla Mikesell bore her testimony about how the priesthood has blessed her life. As we were sitting there the idea came to me. "Go and sit closer to the mom. Leave your seat and go sit closer." So I did.

 

As I was sitting there, I talked to this woman clearly about eternal families and that through the restored priesthood we can be with our families forever. I bore testimony that her husband, who is dead, wants to be with her forever. As we were talking, it came to her saying a prayer to know if what we were saying was true. She initially refused. She said, "I can't with my health." With a little coaxing she started to pray. It was the sweetest simplest prayer ever. The Spirit poured into the room. Between her faltering words, I felt that it had been a long time since she had talked with God and HE was ECSTATIC to hear from her. As she ended her prayer we were all in tears. It was a simple moment but I will not forget it.

 

Second, earlier in the week I was having a hard time. A lot of insecurities had arisen. I felt like I had been forgotten, and that I had not done anything important here, on my mission. I knew these thoughts were from Satan, but I was having a hard time making them go away. Then the other day I was reading in Alma 29:11-14.

 

11 Yea, and I also remember the captivity of my fathers; for I surely do know that the ^aLord did deliver them out of bondage, and by this did establish his church; yea, the Lord God, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, did deliver them out of bondage.

12 Yea, I have always remembered the captivity of my fathers; and that same God who ^adelivered them out of the hands of the Egyptians did deliver them out of ^bbondage.

13 Yea, and that same God did establish his church among them; yea, and that same God hath called me by a ^aholy calling, to ^bpreach the word unto this people, and hath given me much success, in the which my joy is full.

14 But I do not joy in my own ^asuccess alone, but my joy is more full because of the success of my brethren, who have been up to the land of Nephi.

I realized that the same God of Abraham and Isaac has called me, like he called Alma. God has "given me much success" (Alma 29:13) and "my joy is full!" Immediately these verses became very personal. I know it was God telling me that HE had called me, and if I was obedient, HE would bless me with joy and with "success".

I was so happy. I realized that I had a long way to go, but I do find pure joy in the success and efforts of other missionaries, and I am honored to work with them. Then another depressing thought came into my mind, "but your part is not important." In that exact moment, I was going to read a recent General Conference talk (I am trying to read all of the April 2013 conference before the next General Conference.) Right after this thought came, I turned to the talk I needed to read. It was by Elaine S. Dalton. I read the heading and I felt like God was saying it to me

"As daughters of GOD, we are each unique and different ... and yet our PART MATTERS because WE MATTER!" 

When I read that I knew that everything I have done on my mission has mattered. Every smile, every door, every conversation, every lesson has mattered because I, personally, matter to the Lord. It is hard for me to fully express this experience but it was very beautiful. And it was just for me! I am so grateful for my Heavenly Father who loves me enough to worry about how I am feeling, and to send me these little moments, which are big to me.

 

Today I read another great talk that I invite you all to read, "Forget me Not" by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf. You find it in the November 2011 Ensign\Liahona.  It was amazing.

 

I love you all so much and I feel blessed to be God's missionary and to have this "holy calling"

 

Lots of love,

 

Sorella Preston

Letter #2 from Bari, Italy

Dear Family and Friends!!!

I hope you guys are all doing well. I am loving Bari. Sunday was the best. I got to see all the members and friends I left here. It felt like a family reunion. Everyone was so confused. They thought I had finished my mission (and was visiting) not that I had been transferred to the ward again. 

I am back in the same ward again. So Mom, I am (still) not in Francesco Bellomo or Sorella Magno's ward. But I did see Sorella Magno this Sunday at a baptism in the Poggiofranco ward (the other ward). 

Carmen's baptism in the Poggiofranco ward

One of the inactives that we had worked with a lot has started coming back to church and in August she went to the temple to be sealed to her husband. She is the sweetest woman ever. And now she is on fire!! We have started teaching a lot of her family. She has a different spirit. She just glows - I love it!! 

My new companion is wonderful, Sorella Mikelle Mikesell. She is 25 and so funny. I feel like I just get to hang out with Letty and Ann all the time. I am used to having a big sister!! But she is not commanding or supervising!!  She is one of the funniest people I have ever met. She helps me laugh at myself. And we have a lot of things in common. And she wants to go to medical school and become an OB\GYN.

We were talking one day and I think I know what I want to study and do with my life when I get home. I just feel this huge confirmation that this is what my gift is. But it does not matter and I will tell you when I get back :) 

This week we have seen so many miracles. Monday we went to go visit the above mentioned member's family. She has a sister who has a lot of health problems and we go teach her sister. Usually some of her sister's kids are there helping and they stay for the lessons. On Monday, Michele was there. He is very intellectual. But there was a great spirit and I know he felt it. We taught the plan of salvation because that is what we planned to do. But he had a lot of questions about the restoration. So we are going tonight to teach the restoration.  I am very excited :) We also hope that Michele's sister comes again. She has come to discussions a lot in the past. She acts distant and disinterested, but she waits in the other room and listens and is there at the house for every lesson. We are very excited because we can see how God is working with this family!

I love you all so much. And I wish I could write more!

Love, Sorella Preston

P.S. Mom, did you wear name tags during your mission? Were they required? What did they look like? Because in some of your mission fotos it looks like you don't have one.

Sorella Mikesell (my new companion) and I

Sorella Mikesell and Preston in Bari, Italy

Letter #1 from Bari, Italy

Dear Family,

I am so excited! You cannot believe it! I have been transferred to the last place I would have ever guessed. As transfers were approaching I thought of all the possibilities. I could stay in Cosenza with Sorella Worsham. I could train in Cosenza. I could receive another collega. I could be transferred to any number of cities. I could open a city. I could open and train again. And the list goes on.

Well, when I got the call it was none of my possibilities. I have been called to serve in BARI LIBERTà. I AM GOING BACK BABY!!! My new collega is Sorella Mikesell and this will be her 5th transfer!! 

I GET TO GO BACK to all those members, and investigators, and all of those streets! I AM SO EXCITED! Today I am writing you from Bari because I am here, in my old internet point :) YAY! 

Sorella Mikesell is the best! From the hour I have spent with her. SHe is very chill. ANd she has curly hair as expected since she is my collega. I hope when You read this email you freak out as much as I have. 

I love all the people at Cosenza so much. They are such open and warm people. I am going to miss them. We saw one of our investigators these week. She had just returned from vacation and she was so excited to see us. We talked to her about half of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And we talked to her about baptism. We had talked a lot about it before she left. She wants to be baptized. She feels the need to be baptized, but she wants to be spontaneous. Also she suffers from anxiety. She does not like WATER. But we talked to her about fixing a date for 28 of September. She agreed to pray about it. SHe is the BEST. She has been so prepared by the Lord. 

We also received so many referrals from the members this week! I loved it. Cosenza is waiting to explode. Last night we had our first English Course with the new program. I do not know if I told you about it but it is great. It is organized, interactive, and only focuses on conversation and pronunciation. The actual class only lasts 20-30 minutes, and they cannot speak any Italian in the group. It is going to help our students so much. We had so many new students. And they are all going to come back. And we had about 8 members come as opposed to 0 before. I am so excited!!

Also Mom and Dad, I got all your packages 2 weeks ago when the mission counselor came down from Rome to visit our branch. I loved the Liahona's and all the artwork. I was not expecting it and it was perfect. I was able to give a lot of it to our investigators in Cosenza! Thank you Thank you Thank you!! 

Man! How we love those Liahonas!

I love you all and I am feel so blessed to have you as my family and friends. Love you lots! 

Sorella Rose Preston