Leaving a jet plane??????? WEEK 8‏

CIAO!! This is my last email communication with you while I'm in America...it's incredibly pazzo to think about how in 1 week I'll be in Italia. Possibly with my trainer in mia prima città. My mind is blown just thinking about how I'll be talking to real Italians on the boot country and all the work that we will be doing will be for REAL! SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!! I leave on Tuesday morning, report to the travel office at 8am. I'm so lucky that I don't have to report at 5am like the Russians have to!!! I leave Salt Lake at 12:50pm, then fly to Dallas, then to London, then to ROMA!!!! We arrive in Roma at 2:05pm their time on Wednesday. :) :) :) :) :) :) When we got our travel plans last Friday we were basically all jumping in the air and going crazy. It was a little bit exciting.

This morning I went to the temple for the last time for 16 more months, which was really sad. I wish the temple in Rome could be done while we're there, but alas it is not meant to be. The temple is such a wonderful place, I have really enjoyed going every week for the past 8 weeks and feeling in the right place.

Honestly I will probably miss the MTC...as nervous as I am to teach my teachers and my companions here as investigators, teaching in Italy is going to make me ridiculously scared hahahaa. But SO much better. I can't say enough how I'm excited to finally begin to do the work that we have been preparing for. In Italy. Everything we do is for the future unknown people we will meet. A little theme that we have in our class is "It's all about them." That has really helped me to focus and continue to have motivation, because missionary work has nothing to do with the missionary and everything to do with the people.

The coolest experience I had this week: Last week I talked about our investigator Salvatore and how he was really struggling and didn't feel prepared to be baptized at all. Our next lesson with him we went over the baptismal interview questions to show him that he was ready, but we were a little nervous about asking him the commandment commitment questions because he was so hesitant about tithing before and he was still trying to quit smoking. So he answered everything right, we asked him how the smoking was going and he was only smoking about once a day. And then we asked him if he'd pay tithing after he was baptized and he said yes....YES! He decided that he just needed to have faith, like we told him, and he was grateful to us for our testimonies and the scriptures we left him the previous lesson. It was so awesome. We told him he was ready and he felt better and decided that he could prepare to be baptized on Wednesday. We met with him again on Monday and gave him a spiritual thought about baptism, and then he was going to have his "baptism interview" (in the MTC it doesn't really happen...). Before that, we asked about his smoking again. He said that he was fishing that morning and he was so tempted so he reached in his pocket to get a cigarette but they weren't in his pocket and he couldn't find them. So he then decided to go to the store later to buy a pack "just in case" he was tempted later on. He got to the store and he didn't have any money! It was the coolest story, and he completely recognized that it was God helping him to not have the cigarettes so he would stop smoking. And now he has quit, and he's getting baptized TODAY!!!! It was the most exhilerating feeling afterwards when Sorella Soh and I were talking/thinking and we said "Salvatore is getting baptized. For real." The awesome thing is that we found out the real Salvatore that our teacher taught in Italy is actually baptized also. It was just cool to really see that Heavenly Father does help those who really try and have faith, because being baptized is what He wants for us. It was a great experience for me this past week. :)

My companion, Sorella Soh, wants her blog to be available to all: katiesoh.blogspot.com. It's probably a pretty funny read, I can only imagine the things she says in her emails home. Haha read about our MTC experiences from her point of view and enjoy.

Something else that I learned this week that was cool, from a talk by Dallin H. Oaks called "Repentence and Change". We need to align our way with God's way. We don't want to change people to all be the same, that's not the point of missionary work. We don't want to change people's cultures. But EACH of our cultural differences that don't align with the culture of Christ need to be changed. I really liked that. Everybody being so different is what makes our world-wide church so amazing. No matter where in the world we are though, we need to do the will of God. And be happy about it. :)

Devotional last night was Elder Donald L. Hallstrom of the presidency of the 70. One thing I loved that he talked about is "The harder you work, the more influential you'll be." And also: "WE CAN RISE ABOVE EVERYDAY." No matter the challenges in life, we can rise above it and be better. We should never ask "Can this be easier?" Jesus Christ did everything for us. CE LA FACCIAMO!!!!! (WE CAN DO IT!!!)

Ok I'm out of time. I wish everyone a happy week and that you're doing well. I'm doing great over here. I'm working hard, memorizing some scriptures in Italian (I'm currently almost done with D&C 4!!!), learning more Italian, and getting more and more excited everyday that I'll soon be where my mission is called. Love you all!! Write my DearElders while it's free!!! :)

Love, Sorella Sobeck

Sleepover

Our district band we decided we would have post-mish. ECCOCI

Last district foto

The Russians/Ukrainians who we played soccer/volleyball with every week...we're all going to the REAL field!

I'm gonna miss her!

The Asians 

He just caught this dragonfly...

More Jeru friends! Soeur Chard going to France and Sister Benefield going to Brazil.

Last class shot, with teachers Fratello Merill and Fratello Mortenson

The third one!!! WEEK 7!

I'm just gonna get it out of the way that after today I have 12 full days in the MTC left. My mind is blown away every time I think about it. I can't wait.

This week threw me for a few loops, without realizing that I needed to be thrown! It was so cool to see how even when you don't exactly know what your questions are, Heavenly Father will answer you. I love that so much. I'm not the deepest thinker...often times I just accept what I'm told and move on. Not all the time...I've definitely had my times when my testimony needed to be strengthened and I asked my questions and doubted but then found my own answers. I guess my answers I received are obvious because I'm on a mission today. The past week at the MTC I felt like I kinda plateaued with my learning and that I wasn't progressing as much as I had been or I should be with only a short time left before the "real thing" in Italy. It was a concern in the back of my mind, but I was so tired of learning EVERYTHING that I didn't really address it in my prayers. Well, Heavenly Father knows how to deal with me. :)

Last night at devotional we had our 3rd apostle (while I've been here in 7 weeks...this is PAZZO!) address us. So far we've had Elder Ballard, Elder Nelson, Sister Beck, and then last night Elder Richard G. Scott came and spoke to the missionaries. Last night was definitely one of the most spiritual experiences I've had so far here. It was one of those times when Heavenly Father decided, "Kristi, you need some knowledge shoved in your face. I'm going to teach you some really really cool things." In the nicest way. And man oh man, last night was one of those times when I had questions and thoughts in my head coming out of nowhere. It was AWESOME. I didn't really want to talk to anyone, I just wanted to think. It was really good for me and I realized last night how incredibly blessed I am to be on a mission. I love to share some of the things that I learn from the speakers we get to hear in the MTC. Quotes, thoughts, advice, whatever. This is as much for me to filter my thoughts as I hope it can help someone who reads this:

My favorite thing that was said (by a sorella in my district after the devotional) and my thoughts kinda:

-God has millions and BILLIONS of creations on the world today. But I am important. I am important for that one lost soul that I will find in Italy. MAMMA MIA. This can be applied to anything in life. No matter where I am in life, I am important and I have a purpose for something. This seriously made my mind think of what's gonna happen forever. I'm still thinking and reeling about it. IT was said in the most perfect way for me.

Other stuff said:

-We're not given great blessings in our lives just to enjoy them. We are also give a great responsiblity to share them and help others. This kinda reminded me of the Spiderman quote "With great power comes great responsiblity" Yep, I'm still chewing on that one too.

-Everything about my mission (or whatever is going on RIGHT NOW in your life) is the unravelling of the plan Heavenly Father has for us.

-Jesus Christ will walk before me, open doors for me, and help me because He is my Savior and He loves me. I know this is true with all my heart and soul!!!

-SEEK PRAYER IN A WAY UNHURRIED. Take the TIME to prayer. Talk to Heavenly Father, explain my feelings to Him. He will guide me. I can never get told this enough. My prayers with God at this time are some of the most special parts of my day. I hope I can continue this forever if my life.

Ok. Seriously. I can't get enough of awesome things said at the MTC. Last night was INCREDIBLE! Then we went to the temple this morning and we did both sealings and a session. The Albanian elder in my district went through the temple for the first time today and we got to be in the session with him. It was really cool. My thoughts are everywhere!!!! LOVE IT!

"Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyways." - John Wayne. My teacher shared us this quote yesterday in class. It basically sums up my life right now :) Even when you're scared of something, have courage and do it anyways!

Teaching really is an amazing experience. THis week I had some hard lessons. We have taught our investigator, Salvatore, almost everything. He wants to be baptized. We taught him the Word of Wisdom and he's trying to stop smoking, then we taught him Law of Tithing and he knows he needs to do it but doesn't know how he can. Then the last time we taught him we were going to only talk about faith because that's what we felt he needed. It's a really good thing. We gave him a picture of Christ and wrote on teh back that we're praying for him. Before we gave him that he said that he doesn't feel ready to be baptized and I was so scared he was going to say we couldn't meet with him anymore. WE just said the things we felt guided to say,and he's going to continue to prepare. It's really crazy to really see the emotions. I felt some crazy emotions. It just shows how real salvation is and how much is at stake. I want so badly to help people and teach them everything I can. But I understand that as much as I teach or want to help them, they have to work too. And it's not me that teaches, it's the spirit.

I'm so grateful for this gosepl in my life. The past 7 weeks I have learned SO MUCH about myself and this church and how to be a teacher. It's amazing to see how a person can change. Myself, investigators, etc. I hope everyone is well and staying strong and faithful.  We all have so much to be grateful for, even when life seems to suck. Yep, we all go through it. I know that the Savior knows. He will help us.

Love you all,

Sorella Sobeck

PS - thanks for the packages, Milly and Mom!!!! Made my life :) Please write this missionary in Provo! :) :) :) Happy thoughts sent to you

YAAAAAAAAAY that's where I'm going and I can't wait!

Orson Hyde dedicating the Holy Land :)

That's slightly disgusting

I ran into a door. Mamma mia. WEEK 6.‏

I will explain that title first today - yes, the other day I did run into a door. Not the broad side of it, but the narrow part if that makes sense. It was really funny, Sorella Soh almost died. No it didn't hurt - I just thought I'd share with you all that just because you're a missionary, you're klutziness does not go away. Yep, I'm very much still the same person.

So ciao everyone! I am officially 2/3 of my way through the MTC and in 3 weeks I will actually be IN ITALIA! I really can't believe it. Today we get the new Italian missionaries - this time only 5 are coming. 4 Anzioni who are all going to Milano, and then there is 1 Sorella who is on fast-track so she will leave with us in 3 weeks and she's going to Roma. I met one of them last night because he is an international missionary and they always come the day before. He's from Albania! He was supposed to be in our group on August 31st but his visa wasn't ready (what else is new in the missionary world today - visas visas visas) and so this transfer he came. We're all excited to have more Anzioni, as much as we love have a ton of Sorelle.

I really don't know what to write about this week.

Except my cool highlight that last night at the devotional Sis. Julie B. Beck spoke to us. Bro. Beck spoke first actually, and he's SO COOL! He went to Roma on his mission and immediately when he spoke he gave a shout-out to the Italians and started speaking Italian and we immediately loved him!!! Then Sis. Beck spoke a lot about families and temples and how the world was created so families would have a place to live together and the priesthood and temples are the reason for it all - so we can receive blessings. That was it in a nutshell. After it ended I said out loud that I really wanted to go meet them. We decided to try, and yes we succeeded. We got to shake their hands and talk to Bro. Beck in Italian and we all felt so cool. It was pretty exciting to shake the hand of the RS President. So that was probably the most exciting thing of my week.

On Sundays, the branch presidency randomly calls 2 people a week to give a talk in sacrament. But they don't tell you until they announce it in sacrament meeting, literally 2 seconds before you speak. So everyone has to prepare a talk everyweek in your language in the chance that they'll call you. Well, since I'm telling you this it probably means that I got called this week and so I got to give a really short talk on lo Spirito Santo (Holy Ghost) on Sunday and it went well. After I and a Portuguese elder spoke, a member of the branch pres. and his wife spoke about enduring to the end. Sis. McMullin read a quote that I have heard before but had forgotten, and it was a great one to remember: "When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on." If anyone's having a hard time, remember that!!!

I guess another PAZZO (crazy) thing that we decided to do as a district was do SYL for 3 days. Yes 3 days in a row. We decided on Saturday night, fasted on Sunday, then Monday Tuesday Wednesday is SYL. So today is our last day. The first day was really good, the second day was really good (except last night when we got to our dorms and spoke in English because we were dying), and today is hard because its Pday and we spoke English at the temple and everything. But we want to go until dinner tonight and I am so proud of my district for staying strong!!! The more we do SYL here, the better off we'll be in Italy. We already know that the first while in italy is going to be really hard because we won't udnerstand much, but we're trying really hard to learn all we can. It's super hard everyday, but I think my brain is accepting that nothing on a mission will every be easy. Something that Bro. Beck said last night was that it's not magic that makes things happen. GO TO WORK. Ok!

So as I'm typing I'm remember more cool things. I had a "WOW!" moment in my personal study yesterday morning. I'm reading at least a chapter a day in il Libro di Mormon everyday and yesterday I was on 2 Nephi 4. We had read part of this in class together about a week ago and I remember thinking "this is the coolest thing ever". But as is typical of me, I forgot about it a little and so when I read it again by myself yesterday, my entire being just wanted to explode. I guess it's because what I read was perfect for our investigator, Salvatore, who is supposed to be getting baptized on Saturday but he needs to quit smoking first and he's having a hard time. So I read a few verses to him about temptations and he loved it and I just felt the spirit so much during our lesson yesterday with him. It's sooooooo cool how everything works! Who knows if he'll actually quit, but I felt so good about sharing it with him and I can't wait for that to happen in italia!!!

One of my teachers, Sorella Swenson, had her last day teaching us on Saturday morning. :( :( :( We're getting a new teacher tonight who we haven't met yet. It'll be good. But Sor. Swenson guessed where we would all go for our 1st city in italia. She guessed that I would go to Ragusa!! It's a city on the very southern point on Sicilia. Basically, that would be awesome to go there. I can't wait to find out where I'll be serving first and who my trainer will be!

Aunt Donna - I got your cookies yesterday and they're so good!! Once again, my district loves you so much haha. Those chocolate ones are fantastic. And also, I LOVED the quote by president Hinkley!

Russell - thanks for the email, I added you to the email list and i don't know how you didn't get on it. Send my your address so I can write back.

Rich - yes the Russians are cool, but just saying, the Italians are the coolest!! Thanks for the dearelder, i loved reading it.

Thanks everyone who loved me this week, letters are so wonderful to receive and I'm grateful for them.

TRES SETTIMANI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love you all,

Sorella Sobeck

Last class with Sorella Swenson, a spiritual BOMBA

Our 3-day SYL pact...handprints included on chalkboard

God knows whats up - WEEK 5‏

Oh hey everyone.

Ahhhh this week was good. Lots of cool things happened.

Numero uno: GENERAL CONFERENCE was basically the coolest. Watching it in the MTC with a few thousand other missionaries made it really powerful because I knew that a lot of people were feeling the same things as I was during certain talks. I had several favorite talks. I think my favoritest favorite was Elder Hales' talk during the Sunday morning session about waiting upon the Lord. "His rest and peace will be mine when I continue to wait upon Him with faith." What an amazing promise! During the last session I loved loved loved the talk by Elder Yamashita of the 70, since it was directly for missionaries, future, present, and returned. Our converts will never forget us. Elder Bednar talked a lot about Elijah, and ever since I went to Jerusalem I have just loved Elijah. I enjoyed that talk. And President Uchtdorf is just the bomb. "Compared to God we are nothing, but we are everything to God." :) I'm grateful for the love of the leaders of the church for every single person on this earth. I absolutely love our prophet today - he is the cutest! The first time he got up to the pulpit and just said "HELLO!" made my life. I'm so excited about the new temples - the 2nd one in Provo will be an incredible blessing, because the temple now is always really really crowded with all the people here. I got really excited for a temple in Congo also, I don't know why but that made me so happy! And Star Valley!!! I've been there and I love it there! One of my roommates is from Wyoming and they were told that there wouldn't be a temple in Wyoming - so when they announced she literally shouted "NO WAY!" and everyone turned and looked at her and yep. She's pretty excited. :) So yes, I LOVED every session of General Conference this weeked.

We were also able to watch the Relief Society general broadcast during the priesthood session. Again, President Uchtdorf just knows what to say to the world to make them feel better. I loved his analogy with the forget-me-not flower.

I seriously just want to tell everyone the amazing things I learned and thats it! I don't really have much else to say this week.

Our fireside Sunday night: we went in with mixed emotions because we had been sitting in these uncomfortable chairs for 2 days straight - seriously, the conference schedule was eat-conference-eat-conference-eat-fireside. Everyday. And we would always go super early to get seats. So much sitting. So we didn't really want to go to the fireside because we were sick of sitting. End of that story. But our speaker ended up being fantastic, as they always are here in teh MTC. Chad Lewis spoke to us. He played in the NFL for the Philidelphia Eagles, and he is (or was - can't remember) the NFL ambassador for China because he served his mission in Taiwan and of course is the only guy who knows Chinese in teh NFL haha. I LOVED his talk. He told us a lot about "let your greenie light shine!" when we get to the field. Focus on the blessings and the joys, and work through the disappointments. I thought this was a great idea for life in general. And the most profoud thing he shared: "We are preparing to do really cool things." Hahaha seriously, my favorite thing he said. Because it's so true. He has so much love for missionaries.

MTC Devotional last night: Elder L. Lionel Kendrick (former member of the 70) spoke in his southern drawl and made an impact on me. Favorite things he said:

There is a big difference between serving time and serving the Savior. That is important for every missionary in the world to remember.

We are totally transparet before the Savior. He sees the innermost parts of my heart and soul.

"In the economy of heaven, God never uses a floodlight when a flashlight is sufficient." - Elder Neal A Maxwell. We will mostly receive flashlight responses in our lives.

"GOD IS IN THE DETAILS OF OUR LIVES. HE WILL MICROMANAGE THE AFFAIRS OF OUR LIVES. HE IS OUR GOD AND HE LOVES US." - Elder Maxwell. I can't describe how powerfully I felt that statement. I know a lot of people who are going through the worst things right now. I never know what to say. But I can agree with Elder Maxwell and say that I know that this is right.

Going along with that - Elder Kendrick talked a lot about how those on the other side of the veil come and help up in life. They keep pushing onward and upward and they are busy helping us with our experiences.

Later after the devotional I was thinking and I want to share what I wrote down/thought:

"God knows exactly whats going to happen. He knows whats up. When we find people in Italy He and the others on the other side of the veil helping us will be cheering for JOY! Yeah we all have our agency, but He made it happen because it was supposed to happen. And whats why good things happen. Thats why we find people who are ready for the gospel." Yeah thats not the most eloquent description, but I can seriously just imagine the smiles that happen in heaven when the missionaries meet a person who is so prepared to learn about the gospel. I CAN'T WAIT for those experiences.

Ok - I feel like my emails are just one giant testimony. That is what my time here is though - strengthening my testimony and my teaching abilities and my knowledge. So that's all I know what to share with everyone.

Here's a fun fact: The Italians (in the MTC) like to make friends with the Russians. Because our class rooms are on the same floor in the same building and we are on the same schedules. I love playing sand volleyball and soccer with them. Talk about the funniest minutes of my day.

We did an entire day (last Friday) of SYL (Speak your language)!!! Oh man it was so hard and it makes you realize that I really don't know how to say anything, but it really helps so much. We just walk around with dictionaries and do our best. We're going to try and do SYL every other day. And the new Italians come in 1 week!!!

I have a new obsession with cinnamon candy - for example: Hot Tamales. And chocolate covered cinnamon bears. YUUMMMMM. Especially Hot Tamales.

Ok, love you all. I realized that my emails are really long. ANd full of random ness. But I type like a mad woman because I jsut have so many thoughts and so much happens in a week. I hope some one can use the insights though and learn something - because I learn so much and I love what I'm being taught. I hope everyone has a great week! In 4 weeks I'll be in Italy! Pray for the missionaries in the world to learn their languages and the gospel and listen to the Spirit. :) Love you :) :) :) :)

Love, Sorella Sobeck

Neon socks