Well......

Well, I am still here. It aches a little bit. Saying good-bye was hard. But I've never had more faith that where I am and what I am doing is right.

Sunday night I felt awful. I won't go into details, but all kinds of awful things were coming out of my body. I skipped the fireside and tried to sleep; I sat in the bathroom and plead with my Heavenly Father to make me better. I know he could do it if He wanted to. I've read the stories; I know miracles happen through the power of God that defies all science and medical ideas. I knew that if he wanted me to get to Italy he would make it happen. I had this feeling, "Lawsy Baby, you're not going to leave on Tuesday."

I felt like I should ask one of the Elders for a priesthood blessing, so that I could still be healed if he wanted. Then I burst into my district classroom and said, "Somebody needs to give me a blessing." They looked up, surprised but also not, because they are used to being surprised. Anziano Barnes gave me a blessing; he said that things would happen on the Lord's time. Then we knelt down and I said the most intense prayer of my life. I promised that I would do what Heavenly Father wanted instead of what I wanted...For once. I told Him how grateful I was for this experience and for the people in my life and for the Atonement of Jesus Christ. So by the time I got the news the next morning it wasn't a big deal, because I had already made up my mind.

After we prayed together (my district and the Sorelle) we just sat in a circle and talked about Faith. It's something I've really been trying to work on. It's not tangible. It's this thing that you can't always explain. You feel it and you know it and you go forward, but as soon as you stop to think, "wait, do I have faith?" then it falters a bit and doubt and fear cannot exist in the same place as faith, like light and darkness.

I go in the next day. I sit in the room for about 30 minutes waiting. I came up with the other two songs we needed for our teachers (we wrote them hilarious songs, I will send you the video before I leave) and then Dr. Brown comes in and talks to me a little bit. He was a nice guy. Then he sits on the desk and just looks at me and goes, "This is a hard call to make...I think we need you to stay another week." Then they give me all this diluted Gatorade and we go to lunch and they have my favorite things at the MTC on the menu (taco salad and curly fries) and I just sit there and glare at everyone who gets to eat real food.

I feel like I just explained the story really dramatically. But it was dramatic in a powerful way.

And the doctor was right. I don't feel awful now, but I definitely don't feel like 24 hours of travelling. And they are doing tests so maybe they'll figure out what's wrong. Or maybe it'll go away as soon as it needs to for me to do what I am supposed to.

The point is, even though I've been told and even taught over and over that true prayer is trying to make our will align with the will of our Heavenly Father's, I didn't realize it until I put it into practice. Until I finally gave up everything and said, "Heavenly Father, I honestly believe that you know what I need better than I do. And along with that I actually promise to do what YOU want me to." Because what do I know? I am a little child on this earth and He is the Father who created this all. It's His plan, I am His. He knows.

And the biggest hindrance to missionary work is when we get in the way. Heavenly Father will guide our every footstep if we just stop being stubborn and figure out that He knows better.

President Monson broke ground on the Rome Temple on Saturday. This changes everything. A group of religious leaders all gathered in Europe to discuss the decline of religion in people's lives. People don't think they need God anymore. They don't see why He's important or how he can help. There is one Church that is doing increasingly better all throughout the world. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I don't say this to boast, but I say it to promise you that there is something we have. It is something people are looking for. We know that we are all Children of our Heavenly Father. That we can pray directly to Him. That we can repent directly to Him. That our relationship with God is personal. We are His children. He sent us to this earth so that we could learn and grow. But He misses us everyday.

Elder Nelson came and talked to us on Tuesday, he said if people ask what your message is/why you're here/who you are there is one answer:

We follow Jesus Christ

We follow Him and he asked us to feed his sheep. So that's what we as missionaries do. We invite people to follow Christ's example and be baptized. We invite them to know of the fullness of joy that He has planned for His children. That he restored the Gospel of Jesus Christ on the earth with the priesthood authority to perform miracles in the name of Heavenly Father.

This is no small thing. Every day I realize more and more why I am here. I had no idea when I left. NO idea.

I love you all. And my capacity to love has grown as I have learned more about the love our savior has for us.

And guess what, you have one more week to write me here!

dearelder *hint hint*

Love, Sorella Laws

ONE WEEK!!!

Yes. This is it everyone. In one week me and Anz. Knutson will be on our 20 or so hour travel date to Rome. I. CAN. NOT. WAIT!!! This is the best thing ever to happen.

We went to this awesome health meeting. Where we learned things like, "Bats can turn around 180 degrees in their skin (where we all went, wait, what? So, will someone Wikipedia that fact for me? And if it's not true, will someone add it to Wikipedia anyway?) DON'T MESS AROUND WITH BATS." And all this stuff about wearing shoes and flossing our teeth and DONT DRINK THE WATER. The problem is...almost none of it applied to us Italians. So I drew hilarious pictures of germs and other such things. Worthwhile use of our time. For sure.

Classic Sorella Laws moments:

I decided that I really needed to make the most of gym time. So I started up an INTENSE version of Aerobic 4 Square. This involves jumping around a lot in line and also while you are playing. The best part was is that several of the new Anziani started joining in and I became like the instructor. They would ask me what we should do next and I led them in Jumping Jacks, just jumping, crunches, push-ups, all while in line for Four Square. It was the best thing ever.

The other great part was that I was busting out an aerobic mood and I punched a Spanish Elder in the stomach. Yeah, classic. Then I almost hit someone where it counts with the 4 Square ball. I gotta get out of the MTC or I'm going to get sent home for fighting.

Sis. Michael and Sis. Smith left me this morning. Last night I walk into their room and Sis. M had left a spot in her suitcase for her toiletries etc. But guess what else fit perfectly in that spot? Me. So I was sitting in her suitcase when she came in. She just laughed. I didn't cry but I was a bit sad when I didn't see her for our teeth brushing party this morning. But I love what you said, mom. This relationship will definitely be rekindled.

We had an awesome fireside where one of the speakers got up and told us that when we wake up we should be like, "How can I offend Satan today?" She was like, "When you get along with someone you offend Satan, when you laugh you offend Satan, when you smile at someone who doesn't deserve it you offend Satan." It was a great perspective for me who sometimes struggles with the whole representing Christ and loving everyone (ex. right now I want to throw something at Anziano Weller because he is reading me a letter from some Sister that he fell in love with in the MTC and I can't help but listen because I don't get my daily dose of drama like in the real life--though I did just make Anz. Healey commit to not writing the girl who hasn't written back for four weeks.) Okay. Seriously. Anz. Weller's been reading it for like five minutes. And I wish it wasn't interesting to me, but it is. Sigh. First he sent Anz. M to read it to me, but I successfully scared Anz. M off by asking him if he truly values our friendship because he was putting it in dangers.

Another magical moment was when Sorella Swensen took us all outside to teach each other lessons from Preach My Gospel. We're sitting on the grass under a tree and acorns are sporadically falling and instead of moving we'd all dramatically duck and cover when it happened. Then the sun started going down. I was facing the sun and it felt so good to have it on my face...Then golden hour and that beautiful glow everything has just before dusk. Sor. Sw. was across from me and her hair was glowing. I wish I had had my camera. And she asked us, "How do you know God exists?" And we were like, "Well, duh, this world is beautiful. And it was made for us." Meanwhile Anz. Healey was teaching us about the Atonement and changing our lives. It's real and it's powerful. Use it in your lives.

Fr. Tate told me that there are probably only 20 sisters in the Rome mission...You know what that means? I am the LUCKIEST.

We practiced contacting and it was intense. We had to go up to people and in 3 minutes convince them our message was worth hearing, get an appointment, and ask for a referral. It was powerful as I had to reflect in myself, why is this so important?? How do I compress this huge gospel into 3 minutes? Luckily, my life as a film major paid off and I related it to giving them the trailer. You got to get them interested by highlighting key points and testifying powerfully. And it worked. The best part was that I had my scriptures with me and the gold on the edges kept catching the light and blinding Anz. Mauldwin as I taught him. So...He REALLY saw the light. Ha!

I have loved having Fr. Tate as a teacher. He's got the beautiful Southern Italy accent and he always uses filler words. The Italians have a version of the word "like" as in how teenage girls use it. I find that very amusing.

REQUESTS:

Okay, everyone reading this. I am collecting testimonies. I want everyone to write to me their testimony of Heavenly Father and the gospel and the Restoration. And if you know another language write it in that language. Because there are all kinds of people in Italy who don't speak Italian, so I feel like it'd be really neat to be like, "Oh, I don't speak your language, but guess what...I have this." If you do it right now you can send it before I leave here. Which would be awesome. PLEASE!!! Whether it's English or Cambodian or Spanish or French. SEND ME THEM. Grazie.

Along with that, send me pictures you have with the temple. THE GROUNDBREAKING IN ROME IS ON SATURDAY!!!!! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ITALY IS READY FOR THE RESTORED GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST.

LOVE YOU CON TUTTO IL AMORE NEL MIO CUORE!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CALEB!!! YOU ARE 12!?! Did you read the talk I told you to read?? DO IT! Before you birthday. GO!

Alex--Are you alive? What are you doing with your life? 'Member how you said you'd dearelder me??? It's not too late because...

Remember how last week I said TWO MORE WEEKS!?

Guess what! TWO MORE WEEKS! Yes, it's true. Our mission presidents are going to be in England so they are having us stay an extra week. MAMA MIA. We were all a little miffed at first, but we know that there are good things we can do here and that there is still SO much for us to learn. And I really do love it here. It continues to be magical and the new Italians have added a new life. I started keeping track of how often the Anziani hug each other and well...It's a lot. I made a joke about it last night and no joke people came to our classroom for the SOLE purpose of hugging each other. Even the Brazilians are beginning to catch the fever. But it's good and love is good and Fratello Tate (who we affectionately call Fra-tay Ta-tay) is excited that he will actually get a chance to teach us. He's great. I can just tell.

Yesterday in the TRC was a cool experience because usually we try and cram an entire lesson (the whole restoration or the entire plan of salvation) into 35 minutes and guess what...That doesn't work. Of course. So...Yesterday we were teaching members who were recently baptized and were having some issues with tithing. So we talked about Faith. And I look up and low-and-behold on the wall is a picture of Peter and Jesus out on the water. So I turn to our members and ask (one of them was Sor. Swensen's marito! He was adorable and the other was a Milano) if they know the story and Anz. Knutson goes, "Well, this is there house" and I was like, "oh...right" So we talk about how Peter DID have faith, he wanted to walk out to Jesus and he did but all it took was a moment of fear and doubt and he fell. That's all it takes is the smallest bit of fear and faith is gone. BUT what did Jesus do? He reached down and pulled him up when Peter called out to Him. It's such a simple story but SO powerful. If we feel fear all we have to do is call upon Jesus in prayer and he will lift us up again so that we can have perfect faith. And with perfect faith we can do ANYTHING...even walk on water. :)

Guess what else?? ROME TEMPLE GROUNDBREAKING ON THE 23RD!! THREE DAYS BEFORE WE GET THERE!! YA!!! AFTER TWO YEARS IT IS FINALLY HAPPENING! K, family, I don't think you should come get me---I think we should come back when the temple is done. Deal??

Um, funny stuff has happened, but I can't really think of anything.

We all continue to butcher the language and say confusing things. The other day we decided to walk around and talk to people about experiences they've had with the Book of Mormon and a girl working at the post office sang Helamen 5:12 for us. Hilarious.

I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!! ALL OF YOU. I really do pray for you all the time...Since I can't write you every day...You know, I just talk to our Heavenly Father about you. Hope you don't mind...Totally talking about you behind your back.

Love,

Sorella Laws!!

Ciao - Two More Weeks (Week 8)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CALEB!!! YOU ARE 12!?! Did you read the talk I told you to read?? DO IT! Before you birthday. GO!

Alex--Are you alive? What are you doing with your life? 'Member how you said you'd dearelder me??? It's not too late because...

Remember how last week I said TWO MORE WEEKS!?

Guess what! TWO MORE WEEKS! Yes, it's true. Our mission presidents are going to be in England so they are having us stay an extra week. MAMA MIA. We were all a little miffed at first, but we know that there are good things we can do here and that there is still SO much for us to learn. And I really do love it here. It continues to be magical and the new Italians have added a new life. I started keeping track of how often the Anziani hug each other and well...It's a lot. I made a joke about it last night and no joke people came to our classroom for the SOLE purpose of hugging each other. Even the Brazilians are beginning to catch the fever. But it's good and love is good and Fratello Tate (who we affectionately call Fra-tay Ta-tay) is excited that he will actually get a chance to teach us. He's great. I can just tell.

Yesterday in the TRC was a cool experience because usually we try and cram an entire lesson (the whole restoration or the entire plan of salvation) into 35 minutes and guess what...That doesn't work. Of course. So...Yesterday we were teaching members who were recently baptized and were having some issues with tithing. So we talked about Faith. And I look up and low-and-behold on the wall is a picture of Peter and Jesus out on the water. So I turn to our members and ask (one of them was Sor. Swensen's marito! He was adorable and the other was a Milano) if they know the story and Anz. Knutson goes, "Well, this is there house" and I was like, "oh...right" So we talk about how Peter DID have faith, he wanted to walk out to Jesus and he did but all it took was a moment of fear and doubt and he fell. That's all it takes is the smallest bit of fear and faith is gone. BUT what did Jesus do? He reached down and pulled him up when Peter called out to Him. It's such a simple story but SO powerful. If we feel fear all we have to do is call upon Jesus in prayer and he will lift us up again so that we can have perfect faith. And with perfect faith we can do ANYTHING...even walk on water. :)

Guess what else?? ROME TEMPLE GROUNDBREAKING ON THE 23RD!! THREE DAYS BEFORE WE GET THERE!! YA!!! AFTER TWO YEARS IT IS FINALLY HAPPENING! K, family, I don't think you should come get me---I think we should come back when the temple is done. Deal??

Um, funny stuff has happened, but I can't really think of anything.

We all continue to butcher the language and say confusing things. The other day we decided to walk around and talk to people about experiences they've had with the Book of Mormon and a girl working at the post office sang Helamen 5:12 for us. Hilarious.

I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!! ALL OF YOU. I really do pray for you all the time...Since I can't write you every day...You know, I just talk to our Heavenly Father about you. Hope you don't mind...Totally talking about you behind your back.

Love,

Sorella Laws!!

Ciao Week 7

Hello once again family!!

Guess what...TWO WEEKS. Yes, in two weeks I will be on a plane back to the beautiful Rome that I know and love. Yes, I am stoked. Yes, the rest of us are spazzing out hardcore.

I love my district because we were SO pumped for conference. The Portuguese sisters went with us (when I say "went with us" I mean to the gym, we didn't REALLY go anywhere…like usual) and between the 8 of us (older) Italians it was a little crazy. Sis. Michael said she could feel the energy. We just talk really quickly and really loud, especially when it's in Italian.

HOW GREAT WAS CONFERENCE!?!?! I'll be honest, this is probably the first time I actually paid attention the whole time. But, man, LOVED IT. Caleb, did you listen to L. Tom Perry? Pretty sure that talk was for you. I loved Pres. Utchdorf's talk about slowing down when things get tough instead of pushing through them, like a speed bump. And I liked Pres. Eyring's comment (I think it was him) about having patience to endure small trials and courage to endure big ones. I think it's hardest for me to have patience for small things; I just want them to be over.

The new Italians came!! Do I love them? Of course. The day they were coming I burst into the Hermanas room, "Do you have any pictures of Jesus I can have??" Because I realized my room is quite drab, they looked at me like that was an irrational question to ask, but I don't think it was.

As Coordinating Sister I got to go to their welcome meeting. It was great because they all introduced themselves, talked about their family and why they decided to go on a mission. It's so cool. We have some from different countries and people who recently joined the church and all sorts of cool stories. I LOVE THEM. Our branch president, president Shippen continues to be hilarious and unpredictable. The presidency was going to leave for a bit to decide who the new district leaders would be and he turns to me and goes, "Sister Laws, have you born your testimony in Italian to them yet." "Um, not in Italian." "Okay, well, teach them the first lesson or something." So classic Pres. Shippen. I did not teach them the whole first lesson but I did give an animated testimony of missionary work in Italian.

I continue to be my hilarious entertaining self.

Example: Fr. Sk. was explaining something to us (like he does) some grammar principle and he asks, "What is a clause?" and I said, "Babbo Natale" which means Santa Claus. Then he pretended to throw a pen at me, but Anz. Mauldwin got a kick out of it. And so did I.

After conference on Sat. the Portuguese Sisters and a couple French sisters let their two companions play piano and sing together while the rest of us chatted outside the room. When we came in they demanded we sing with them, which none of us wanted. I found a hymn book in German and started singing dramatically, I couldn't figure out why things weren't quite working out and then I realized that I was trying to sing Silent Night to the tune of The First Noel. Which I will blame on the fact that it was in a different language, but I think there was more to it than that.

The Hermanas are having a hard time dealing with the fact that I have new Sisters in my life. We had a sort of dramatic break-up but now we're working on being friends again. The other night I was in my old room talking to the Port. Sisters and I hear "Sorella Laws! Sorella Laws! We can hear your voice, what room are you in?" I opened the door and there were the Hermanas, they wanted me to take "Jedi" pictures with them (don't worry you'll see soon). They are such the best.

We had the most entertaining activity the other day. Fr. Sk. took us all outside and half of us had to close our eyes while they other half spoke directions...In Italian. Well, Anz. K was directing both me and Anz. M and we kept running into each other, so Fr. Sk took over and started leading me and yelling at me because I was taking the smallest steps and looked like a blind zombie. I admit, I did not have faith in our team. Well, the tables turned and we switched roles and Fr. Sk. kept opening his eyes because he didn't trust me. When I opened my eyes, I busted up laughing at how Anz. M looked with his eyes closed and his arms in front of him. And then everyone told me I looked the same.

Sorella Swensen had us do an activity where we wrote vocab on the windows and we watched the sunrise over the mountains. BELLISSIMA!! There are a few advantages to get up early all the time. I got some awesome pictures of that too.

Fr. Sk. is leaving us because he got promoted and we met our new teacher Fr. Tate yesterday. But if you ask him he will tell you that he will never truly leave us and that we have no way of knowing how much he loves us and that his heart cannot go onward and forward without us.

Fr. Tate is awesome, I can already tell and he served in the SOUTH! Holla. (Not that I don't love the North too and we learned the Milan Mission anthem and it was sort of epic--so I'll give them that) Also, Sis. Michael was friends with him, so that's kind of cool. Our district is so excited, I told him he has no idea what he's getting himself into. We'll break him in good, I think. :)

I am really getting the hang of the missionary thing; I said I like planning the other day and Fr. Sk. gasped and wrote it on the board because we all thought I'd never come around. I love it though. And I continue to love teaching. I taught Sis. Michael the 4 minute version of our TRC lesson in the bathroom the other day because she was stressing about how she was going to teach it. I just can't get enough of it. I will teach anyone anywhere anytime. Good thing that's what I'll be doing for the next 16 months, eh? Can you believe it's been 2 months? Well, 1.5?? So crazy. And I've just learned SO much. I love everyone. Life is beautiful, etc. etc. etc.

I love you all! As Fr. Sk would say,,

"What makes you think you love me more than I love you? You don't."

Sorella Laws

T. Live - Got your letter, thanks for thinking of me, not sure I'll have time to write back so wanted to say "hey!"