Pordenone transfer 12

Heather Hastings		Nov 18 (3 days ago)

Welcome to Pordenone! The city of fog and cold and more fog. The journey here was long. We went to bed Wednesday night at midnight. Then I caught the 9am train on Thursday with Sorella Pavich (old companion) and got to Milano around 11am. Ate lunch. Waited at transfer circles at the station. We finally left for Bologna at 3pm, we got there at 4:30pm. We took a train then from Bologna to Mestre from 6:30pm to 8:30pm (traveled with Sorella Burgess) Then I finally met my new companion and we got home to Pordenone around 11pm and made it bed before midnight... All with my luggage by myself. I'm fragile. My bags are heavy. I've had. Mysterious bruises all over for a week. Hopefully I'll be ready for the next trip :)

So anyways... Here is my new address if you want it. I feel right at home. Actually, I feel like I'm on vacation or a business trip for four weeks. So strange. I'll send apartment pictures next week. Did you know my trainer Sorella Carter served in this city? Yeah, cool stuff. 

Via Riccardo Selvatico 23, 33170 Pordenone Italia 

So we are over two wards here. There is the Italian Ward, average and normal. And then there is the military Ward-only Americans. Um, sacrament meeting in English? I don't like it! There is an air force base here and a lot of members just got home from Afghanistan so that's very interesting. Americans are so much different than Italians... I don't know how to do missionary work with Americans... it's so... Simple! We'll see how that goes. I felt so weird on Sunday. The Italians had me bare testimony is sacrament. The Americans didn't even announce me. Weird weird weird! 

We have no one to teach here. Why do I keep falling into these cities? We hit a record low on my mission. The week I arrived we had one lesson taught for the numbers. So far this week we already have more than that. We hopefully have an investigator who could get baptized, Nelly. She is from Congo. We actually had a really good lesson with her yesterday and I am confident that we can help her progress. She is searching for truth. Saturday we were out doing finding, and we ran into a refugee camp on a park... So that was interesting. I'll get a picture one day if it's not too sketchy. But don't worry, I'm totally safe. 

Monday we had zone conference! It was really good and solid. We didn't get any new trainings, no new rules. Just talking about missionary work and we did some good study of the scriptures. We talked about the prophecies of Isaiah. We listened to Handel's Messiah music. We talked about our iPads. We did some role plays about teaching with videos. And we ate a delicious thanksgiving dinner for lunch. And then... The moment came... That as tradition for our mission, as missionaries go home we give our "dying testimony" and so it touched me as my turn. I'm not gonna take my tag off ok? I'm just gonna stay a missionary. I love what I do! And I am just grateful for the people in my life that God speaks sent to help me out. 

My new companion is Sorella Pulli. She 20 and in her seventh transfer. She is from Huntington Utah. She's funny! The first night I arrived she told me that I was an answer to her prayers, so I hope that's the case. She is a hard worker and just great. I am also serving with an Anziano I served with at the beginning of the mission in Milano... It's weird to see missionaries grow up and change. It's also really cool.

Today we went to Venezia (Venice) for pday. It's a really expensive city and we didn't have much time or money, but I enjoyed it. I soaked it in. It's beautiful. Italy is home. Isn't life great?

We also got to watch the broadcast last night with Anziano Ballard. That was cool. Here we teach English class Wednesday night and also we teach Italian Thursday night. Some good stuff.

The church is true and it always will be! One really strange thing I also recognized at the conference with the zone is my whole mission I have almost always been the oldest. That's been interesting, because all growing up I was always the youngest. Good opportunities to learn and grown, no? 

Have a fabulous week. Take care of yourselves. Do what you know is right.

Vi voglio bene a tutti!

Sorella Hastings Love and Be Loved

End of transfer 11, begin transfer 12

Heather Hastings	7:19 AM (10 hours ago)
In first Nephi chapter three verse seven Nephi, the Son of Lehi whose family traveled to the Americas from Jerusalem, says unto to his father "I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded." Can you guess why I say that? Last night while meeting with some members we had a conversation about this. How is it that Nephi can say something like that while his brothers are In total doubt? What is the difference?  Faith. Well, transfer calls came. If you hadn't guessed it... I'm getting transferred. It's been a rough few days. Collegno may be a tough area but I love the members and we're working with some great people right now. We were supposed to have a baptism in four weeks! I'm sure that will happen for sure. I've got four weeks left and now I'm supposed to go to a new city without enough time to even get to know the people. But you know what? I saw it coming. From like week two of this transfer I have been seeing all of the potentials and the people I've met. Like seriously, I have seen everybody I know! On buses, on the street, at the store. Heavenly Father gave me a heads up with that one. And I have become impatient with Collegno, and a lot of things aren't going super smooth. So perhaps it is for the best. I know that God has his plan, and that President is inspired... This I do not doubt. And so I'll go and I'll do and we'll all have a great time. I've always wanted to go to Pordenone. I hear there is an American military base there. I also that I will be like an hour away from Venice! So, ya know, any last minute requests from Venice??? Tomorrow morning I take the 9:06am train to Milano with Sorella Pavich. I wait at Milano and travel with Sorella Burgess to Mestre. Then I get my new comp Sorella Pulli and go to Pordenone. You should look up the route for fun. A good five hours at least in train. The complete opposite side of Italia. Well we aren't supposed to really eat dinner with members because it takes too long, but there is one family that we give the exception. The Tribastone family. They are converts to the church and they take such great care of us. We were over at their house last week and then last night to say goodbye. It's like saying goodbye to a mother you don't but you'll hope to see again. I hate goodbyes. There're awful. She just kept hugging me and wouldn't let go. I am going to miss that family. And there was Sorella Cappa at church. And Sorella Miele. They all knew about mom and her surgery. I told them about the family at home. So they always ask, how's the family? How is your mom feeling? Is she better yet? They come to appointments and they help us teach. They tell their friends all about the church even if they don't listen. They give us rides. And then there's the Petrarulo family. He always makes fun of our American accents. And then the Furia family, Antonio and his long sermons. Her yummy pizza. I love them. How does it happen? I feel like I'm going home now! We'll do this all over again in just a short time. Alright. I'm done moping...  I really am excited though. I haven't started packing yet because we have been full of appointments! Today we have three lessons... Then tonight we teach English class and have wars council. Wish me luck eh? Anyways, Michela has a bap date. She's going strong. She is excited. She accepted to love the law of tithing, the word of wisdom and chastity. Easy! She's a miracle, it's amazing. We had a really awesome lesson with her and a member on Saturday. Members help so much. My big Miracle this week: We were riding the bus and I looked over at a lady, she looked at me. We said ciao and it started a whole conversation. We didn't have time to get her number but we gave her ours. THEN about an hour later the phone rings, and it was her. She said that she wants to go church. Well, we have church tomorrow I said. And we talked and set it up and organized for her to come with her daughter. So Sunday morning on the way to church, they were running late, which was making us late. Had we continued to wait for the bus we would have been late. A member miraculously drives by and gives us all a ride to church, we make it in perfect time, they stay for the whole thing, and it just went so well. Unfortunately this lady will be moving back to her country but we can send the missionaries to her there! Lilliana is her name. She is from another country and is looking for work. It's just a really bad, sad situation for her. I can't imagine what it would be like. But she is so sweet, we saw her this morning because she wanted to say goodbye to me even though we only met once or twice. We hope for good things for her. We took a picture I had on my camera from a selfie the Anziani took... And we had a cake made with their faces on it! They loved it. It was great. Anziano Smith is going home this week so we had a "rebirth" party for him. You have to be a missionary to understand that. Fun times. I'm gonna miss him. I'm gonna miss our little district. It's been good. We also met with Ibissim on Sunday. She has been coming to English class and she's so awesome! We taught her the restoration. She liked it. She took the Book of Mormon. She kind of reminds me of Ziva from the show NCIS. I hope we can hook her up with our less active ward mission leader Gabrielle. She's 18 and comes from a Muslim family, but her parents didn't teach her the religion so she's kind of on her own.  What else do you want to know? Did you know that Italians hate leftovers?? They'll make you eat all the food on the table so they don't have to keep it. At the beginning of the mission I loved leftovers. Now I've gotten to the point where we just eat all of it at home if we make too much. I'm becoming Italian. We never heard back from Alven. Pretty sure she is ignoring us.  Today we are going to make Pizza with Luciana Sassi. I don't know what else to say. I love being a missionary. Maybe sometimes we miss the family, we get tired, we have strange pains for who knows why, we meet strange people, we eat so much food (it's really become a gift) and we miss buses and just travel everywhere but, it's the greatest adventure ever. So worth it. Changing people's lives by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Eternal peace, eternal happiness. Doesn't that sound wonderful?  Here's your second scripture of the day. Charity. How can you be more charitable this week? Moroni 7 46 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail-- 47 But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him. Vi voglio bene!!! Sorella Hastings

Happy birthday to... Me

Heather Hastings	7:57 AM (12 hours ago)

We were going to go party as usual with the Sorelle at Torino today, and we got there they start singing happy birthday! Then we ordered Pizzas and ate at home. We were going to go sight seeing but, we took too much time at home so we just took a stroll on the end.

So, my new companion is Sorella Gregg. She is only one transfer behind me! Then Sorella Pavich is in Torino now (we were companions before) so that's cool. We have a good group right now. Fun times. Mail comes tomorrow! Because we are having zone training meeting tomorrow. T'will be fun. We are going to make a cake.

Saying goodbye to Sorella Distante was tough. She's Italian. We had a good long goodbye hug just before she boarded the train. Like sisters. Man it could have been in a movie the whole scene because we had to hurry to run to the train and got there in perfect timing. I cried. I'm coming back to Italy to visit her, and we'll visit our contacts together. You can all hold me to it. So just going from a wonderful companion to a new companion, well, it's what God wants so it's what I want, too.

Well, I am constantly a week behind in my journal. It's hard to stay caught up. I just need like a good solid two hours and we'll get there.

Question: which is bigger: Los Angles and New York or Milano and Roma? In size and population??

Our work is slow again. Our investigator Michela is progressing well. She came to conference and liked it. We are planning on giving her a baptismal date Thursday night. So conference was great, no? Uchtdorf's talk from the women's session and the first two talks from Saturday afternoon were all answers to my prayers. We will try to watch the fourth session sometime during lunch this week. I got a lot of insights. We watched only one session in English and the rest in Italian. It's nice I can understand now for the most part.

A miracle we shared this week was being able to get inside and teach new investigators. In the past we had knocked on their door, and the couple was never available in that moment. Finally we said "We'll come back tomorrow" and we did, and they let us in, and we taught them and they accepted for us to come back! Doing casa proselyting I personally have not seen much success, but I have said my whole mission that it would happen, and its happening. Antonio and his wife. They used be catholic. They've studied different religions. He has given up on praying because he doesn't think he got an answer. He builds things by hand out of wood, like boats for display, or houses and towns. Like those little twig type of wood, I can't think of what it's called. It's really cool.

Tuesday was when we had our adventure. Then we went to visit The Tribastone family, our ward mission leader. We technically can't have dinner with members because we don't have a dinner hour, but she was sneaky and prepared it before hand, so after our lesson she says dinner's ready, can you stay? We tried to get out of it but, it didn't work. It was nice company though. We had a good chat about the temple and how we can renew the promises we make there, what these promises mean.

I don't have a ton to say. It's all in my head and in my journal. We are doing a lot, we're always all over the place.

Keep doing what you're doing if you're awesome. I love you all miei cari! Ci vediamo presto.

Like the wind

Heather Hastings	Sep 9 (6 days ago)

Today was a lovely Pday. We took the train about a twenty minute ride to Avigliana and we thought we were going to hike to an old church, Sacra di San Michele, but we got off a stop too soon and hiked up this mountain to a castle. We look over and see the church, and realize we weren't where we thought we were, but it was beautiful all the same. I love these old cobblestone, steep-hilled towns. I don't think you can find them in the states. We also sat and ate Kebap at the top.

I'm not sure what to share with you all this week. We have been busy, we have done a lot. When I first came in to this city, we had three investigators. Now we have a handful, but none really have committed yet. True repentance and true commitment is hard. 

A huge miracle we had this week was true inspiration. Three weeks ago this man stops us on the bus and asks us where we are from. We stop, we chat, we try to exchange information but he says no. The next week we are doing casa in casa and a man on the other end says to come back at the end of the week, so we do. Well this week we get to his house and guess who the man is? The same one we met on the bus! Knowing we needed to be in that area to do casa (house to house proselyting) we found him. So we taught a brief restoration lesson, and passed him to the elders. Andrea. He's ready for the gospel and searching for answers. Sorella Distante kept telling me she felt that we needed to find someone in that area, so finally we went. After we rang a few names we were losing hope, but then this one name stood out to me and so before finishing the others, we rang it, and it was him. It's amazing how we can be guided in such a little way. You recognize the promptings of the spirit by the fruits of the spirit...

Also, Liz, he's single, so if you want to come out here and meet him I approve. Just sayin.

Sorella Distante has family that lives here in our area. Her mom grew up in our town. Well we went to visit and taught her aunt and family last night. It was interesting. I was thinking a lot about our family, what it would be like if I taught family. How would they respond? How would I take it? It was interesting. Of course, we got fed yummy food too. 

We are breaking out to new areas, trying new ideas, looking for new people. I can't tell you much about our people because we don't know much. So many restoration lessons. This city is ready for a baptism, I can feel it. The last ones were last year in November, the Sassi Family (mom, dad kid) and a man Alessandro. We're gonna help someone, we'll get there! We talk to lots of people, we are busy teaching, and we come home exhausted at night... And we get fed lots of food. The family Furia with a daughter serving in Rome? We ate with them again Sunday night. Pizza. After Francesco's birthday party. After teaching Berta and her son from Peru. We think they will get baptized. They knew the missionaries there.

Well Luana, our investigator who came to church two weeks ago said she doesn't want to meet with us for a while. For some reason in our first lesson we had both forgotten bring a Book of Mormon. Church was crazy and we forget then too. The Book of Mormon is key... Praying Wednesday night I felt really bad that we might not see her again and she not have it. Well, Thursday God answered my prayer! We got on the bus and there she was! So we were able to give her a copy and she accepted.

Well here is my thing of the day. I have been thinking a lot about the atonement, repentance and how these things come first before anything else... After we have faith. We live and have and believe in The Gospel of Jesus Christ. President Holland said the gospel=good news. “The good news was that everyone’s tomb could one day be empty, that everyone’s soul could again be pure, and that every child of God could again return to the Father who gave them life.” (Missionary Work and the Atonement) we met a lady from another religion the other day. We were half bible bashing/half teaching by the spirit (sometimes it's really, really hard) and it was so sad because she believes not everyone will be saved. But I know that we all have equal opportunity based on our actions and our desire to repent. We are God's children thus of course he wants us back. And repentance makes it spiritually and physically possible thanks to our savior, Jesus Christ. So I invite you to ponder your relationship with God and figure out what you need to do to be clean. And I promise you that you be stronger, you will find strength and peace.

A ton of pictures to come next week because the church computer is not working. 

I love you all bunches!!! Be happy. Until next week con amore,

Sorella Hastings 

Love and Be Loved

http://www.mormon.org/me/7W2C/Heather

Heather Hastings	8:57 AM (8 hours ago)

If you always do what you've always done you'll always get what you've always gotten... I'm pretty sure this is a quote from a general authority but President Dibb says it all the time. It's true. We need to change things up sometimes, we can't always do the same things if we want different results. As a missionary, when we change cities or companions, sometimes it is like completely starting over, flipping over the paper and starting new. In real life we can't necessarily do that so easily, but we can do it in a different way... One choice changes everything, so there's a thought to think on.

We had a busy week! My companion is Sorella Francesca Distante, she is Italian and comes from Rome. She is an amazing missionary! She is only in her fifth transfer (I am in my tenth out of 12) and she has good fire and energy. Her dad is Catholic and her mom is a convert form when she was little. She has two sisters and is 19 years old. She is short, so very sweet. She has studied psychology and such and so she is a thinker... she thinks and analyzes people in that way which is perfect for this city because there are some very interesting, particular people that we meet but she listens and knows how to treat their needs. 

Our first miracle was meeting these kids our first day together! On the bus coming home, we started talking to them about English class, not expecting them to listen at all (they looked like punks) but as we kept talking to them turns out they were all three super interested to learn English AND to know more about our church. Score! So we got home late because we stayed on the bus but it was so worth it. 

An approach to meet and talk to people that my companion used is to just walk up to people and extend your hand, say hello my name is, I’m a missionary, and sometimes they will tell us their name. It's great because it makes them interested in why we want to talk to them and then gets their attention. Why had I never done this before? Work is improving a lot, just in this last week we have talked to so many people! We are meeting people who listen... It never happened before. We have been pretty busy.  Based on our faith I believe and the spirit is a huge factor. With faith, anything can happen.

Weekly planning took forever on Friday... My brain is fried and I feel unusually tired these days, but I think it's just old age. We speak soooo much Italian... it's great, but a bit exhausting for the brain.

Sunday we made some calls and did some casa, which would be knocking on doors (what do you call that in english?), it rained all day, but one man let us in! He was Chinese and spoke English. He said that we can come back the next Sunday. What! Then we went to the family Furia, again as a miracle. They are the ones who have a daughter serving down south in my same group. They talk about her all the time. It's kind of hard to forget about going home when you have that reminder, but I love that family. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time, it was fabulous. He told us about his mission stories, about his companions, things that happened. Being American and having an Italian companion now I feel like sometimes I am left out, but I am grateful that I understand and speak well enough to be a part of the conversation. Laughing is so good for you.

Monday was a blessing to be inside teaching and not out in the rain. We were late all day from the first lesson which is frustrating, but it worked out for the best. So we called a potential investigator that has been on our board since I arrived, not really knowing much about her because she was in vacation. She invites us over and we go with the restoration lesson. We get there, and she had invited a friend to listen, plus we find out that her son (who needs to have heart surgery-what a coincidence, seeing as mom just had heart surgery) her son is a member and was baptized 20 years ago but is now inactive. He has such a strong faith and helped us teach the lesson. So, we found him and found two new investigators!  Marisa and Marco. Then for lunch the Sassi family invited us over, and then we went to the Tribastone family for correlation... where she made us Focaccia! Go look up that up. It is a delicious type of bread/pizza/Heaven! I have some recipes but I hope to be able to make it when I get home.

On Monday we had a meeting with Luana, a girl we met this weekend. She has lots of questions but is ready and searching. We were able to testify and answer them all! We taught a solid restoration lesson, then went through her questions. She wants to come to church and she is like 23, a really good person. Then we had hamburgers at the Gallo's for lunch... A member family. Young. He is in the bishopric and she is young women’s president. A good juicy hamburger... it's been a while. Then we went to visit Sorella Cappa an older lady, and she is sweet, just kind of blind and so she has some difficulties. She told me that when her son met me the first time (he is older, married) he thought I was a good missionary and complimented me for how I try to get to know everyone. It's good to hear that because sometimes you just never know how much good you are doing. Seriously though, Sunday's in church can be stressful because there are so many people we have to talk to and get appointments, etc. If only our investigators would come... Then, a huge miracle. 

You ready?

Meeting Antoinetta and her husband just when they needed it. So we were walking through the park, saw this couple on a bench. We walk through the grass and walk up to talk to them. We introduce ourselves and she asks "Are you Jehovahs witnesses?" No, we say. "Ok, then you can sit down," she says.

Um, no one ever invites us to sit down? OK! So we sit, we talk. Her husband has problems of health and has two tumors. She is hardcore catholic but asked us for advice on how to help her children follow Christ. She needed "a word of peace and comfort" in that exact moment and we were there to give it. It was amazing, I'll tell you. We talked about the atonement, about Christ, about the Plan of Salvation. We talked about things I wrote in my journal but won't put in an email. They need the gospel and are ready to receive it. She gave us her number and address and invited us back over! At the end, we prayed. While praying the wind was brushing through the trees and afterwards there was a just a peace with all of us. As much as I know that the wind is there but I can't see it, I know that God is real, He is our Father and His spirit is so very near and we can feel that Love, that comfort, but we have to seek for it and accept it. The presence of the Lord is here, and I testify of the strength and power that I receive from Him. That I cannot deny. Miracles, blessings, are real! After that lesson the spirit was so strong neither of us wanted to talk to anyone else for fear of rejection and losing it, but we talked to people and it turned out ok :)

On that note, I will leave you to go be awesome. I love you dear family, I love you friends (even though I never hear from anyone...ahem). I know that God loves us, I know that Christ lives. The Church is true, the book is blue, and we have the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we have the priesthood authority, and it comes from God. Our mission tour with elder Kearon is tomorrow in Milano, I will tell you all about it next week. Love and hugs!

Also, where are my little people?? I would love letters from them...just sayin.

Fotos: Our church building

there were slugs? I think the other day when it rained

My companion studies english and I study italian, so we learned about the body together

And this is my companion sorella Distante

Sorella Hastings =)

Love and Be Loved