Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Teach them to listen to the voice of the Spirit.

Buon giorno a tutti. Hope alls well!
Hmmm, this week. I think this transfer is just proving to be a tough one, but thats ok, Heavenly Father gives people trials and hard times to those who He knows can handle them. :) When we're going through the tough stuff, we HAVE to remember that we're strong, that He doesn't give us more than we can handle (1 Corinthians 10:13), that we have them to grow and improve, and that HE ALWAYS LOVES US NO MATTER WHAT. Simple right? Maybe not so much during the times, but I know its true!
At correllation last week (the meeting with the missionaries and the ward mission leader), Fratello Curci said some good stuff. One thing he said that our responsability as missionaries to to teach people to listen to the small voice of the Spirit and direct them to God...they can't rely on us forever and it is IMPERATIVE to have them build that personal relationship with Heavenly Father where they can receive their own answers to their questions. He also asked a great question: The gospel is the gospel of happiness...so why are there members who aren't happy? It's an interesting question to ponder...becuase we have all the truths and knowledge and we know our purpose and where we're going. Yet we are still unhappy sometimes. Why? I don't know the answer(s) necessarily, but I've been thinking about it a bit and if anyone wants to share some insights that'd be great.
Thursday night I had my interview with President Kelly and I was feeling better at that point a bit. Sorella Filipovska and I had talked about some time and I think there was a better level of understanding on both our parts which really helped both our attitudes. Talking with President gave me some new insights, and of course it's always nice to be told by your leaders that you're doing a good job when you're not so sure yourself if you really are. He also told me that there is a possibility of a change for me this coming transfer. Its not for a few weeks yet, but we'll find out if I'll be leaving Bari or staying for a 5th transfer.
Friday was Zone Conference and I enjoyed it very very much. I learned a lot of new things. I really loved this one analogy about remodeling a house (maybe because I feel like there was always some kind of remodeling project/destruction going on in my house growing up)...that when Heavenly Father wants to make some changes in us, He doesn't just paint a wall or 2, or change the fridge or microwave or something. He comes in and He starts knocking down WALLS and making huge changes. But why? When we're in the midst of all the changes things seem pretty terrible, and we wonder what the heck we're doing in that situation and why we even started it in the first place. But then when it's all finished and all over, we look at the new results and we know that all the mess and pains were worth it because IT'S BETTER. I really really liked that comparison. Heavenly Father gives us big trials and big changes to make us better than we were before. And when its all over we can see the changes and the growth and really be happier. As always during ZC, we find things we need to work on and do better for the work and also personally. We have some new ideas to try and get some more investigators. It's always a work of improvement...but its more fun that way :) I love Zone Conference and being with all the missionaries. Afterwards there was an activity at the same church building, and since it takes us 40 minutes to walk home, and then another 40 to walk back we just stayed there. It was fun to hang out the Bari missionaries (because there are 8 of us) and continue to get to know them better. Me, Sorella Heiner, and Anziano Pedreira have been here the same amount of time, and its so fun to be with them still.
These days...we set another baptismal date with Daniele, but I don't know that it will happen... I think I've been around him SO MUCH these past almost 5 months and I just want him to take this step so badly. And maybe its just getting more disappointing that he doesn't quite want to do it yet. If ever. It's really hard to find the balance between having faith and being realistic. But I guess thats a life lesson to learn, not just during the mission haha. We'll see what happens with him. We've also been working more with a couple other people. Antonia, who is old and is literally I think bipolar, but is steadily progressing. And also Marjana, the Albanian, who's sister is a member of the church in Albania, and who is loving to read and study the Book of Mormon. We had her start at the very beginning, adn she's only read a couple chapters but she's read them each like 6 times! In Albanian and also Italian. It's so cute. And we watched The Restoration film with her yesterday and she really relates to Joseph Smith because she's been studying a lot of different churches and is looking for the right one. She talks SO MUCH!!
Today for Pday we went to Lecce again and I went to the end of the world!!! Not really, but we went to the very end of the heel part of the boot today! It was gorgeous and a fun day. We went with all 4 of us sorelle and also Daniele. I would put pictures, but in the mean time I don't have anything to connect the memory card to the computer...so until I figure that out, sorry.
Ok, hope everyone's doing good, even though the hard stuff. I know Heavenly Father loves us!!! We are children of God. We have a plan for this life and if we do our best to follow the Spirit, things will always happen the way they are meant to. We have to do our part though. :) I'm grateful to be a missionary and learn the things I'm learning. They will be testimony builders for the rest of my life.
Love you all,
Sorella Sobeck
Ana - yep, same address :)
Via Giulio Petroni, 99B
70124 Bari, Italy


Secret handshake

FIGLIA

Chi lo sa?



Pday to Lecce (the end of the world) with Babbo.


Check out that mare!!!

:)

Via Padre Pio...che schiffo.

After ZC, activity that Daniele came too

Morning prayers go like this

We're cool.

The long walk from Liberta'.


Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Not the best, but always could be worse.

Oh this week. It was a tough one, but always worse things have happened and I know Heavenly Father blesses those who continue and press on despite the difficulties. I don't really know what to write about it all. There are just some things to overcome, and Satan is working hard on us right now...but I know it will all work out. :) We have Zone Conference on Friday and interviews with President Kelly tomorrow night, and I always learn a lot from conference. So I'm looking forward to that and being uplifted (I hope). If you'd like to pray for me and my companion, I won't complain. :)
Thursday was my first whole day inside because my companion was sick. In my 1st 3 transfers we never stayed inside at all because we were never sick enough. So that was a strange feeling, especially becuase I wasn't sick. All of the other 3 sorelle in my apartment were all sick and sleeping like all day and I was fine. It was weird. I didn't like it haha. So I read a lot.
Friday we went to Locorotondo. Story. So we got this referrel from the other Anziani, and they said it was in our zone. So we called her and made an appointment to go see her Friday evening. So we get to the station to take the train, find out its 1 hour and 40 minutes away(!!!!!), and are super confused, because that can't be in our zone...yeah. Turns out its not hahaha. So we went anyways, and instead of finding and teaching a family who was reading or interested in the gospel, we found a daughter with her 2 year old son living in this dump with her mom and they all wanted/needed money. Ahhhhhhhh. Unfortunately in that situation we can't really do anything. WE gave them a Book of Mormon and shared a little message, but I had to talk to President Kelly about it the next day and he told me we couldn't do anything for them except pray. Apparently this situation has happened a few times in the mission before, and sometimes missionaries have given money or members have and it always ends badly, so that is the rule. It was an interesting time to have to deal with this problem and figure out what to do about everything. Mamma mia. Che stress.
Saturday we had some time to go back to that palazzo I talked about in my last email. It was cool. We got there and it was closed, and we were trying to figure out how to get in the building (doing citof doesn't work very well). Then this woman came home and opened the door so we followed her in. Miracle. We only had like 10 minutes. We got rejected at ever door and then the last one we had time for was the woman who opened the door for us. Cool. She asked us if we were Testimoni di Geova (EVERYONE THINKS WE'RE TJ'S), and when she found out no she reluctantly said we could come by another time. Sweet. It was a cool experience.
Sunday, we had church. Surprise?? It was interesting and we only had 1 investigator in church. :( But I also looked around and saw that all the people who have been baptized in the ward in the past 8 months are all still active. :) :) That evening we went back to that "special" palazzo. Miracle of miracles again, exactly when we got there someone entered the palazzo again so we got in. IT'S A SIGN!!! 2 times in a row that someone opens the door at the same time you get there??...that NEVER happens. So we stopped by that lady again and she wasn't too pleased to see us again actually hahaha but thats ok. We knocked on the rest of the doors and there were lots of people not home, so we're going to go back again :) I really feel like someone is waiting in that palazzo, we just have to continue to go and FIND THEM!!
Monday we were with Angelo a lot (new convert). We stopped by a shop where he has friends, and the mom is super awesome and says she open to listening to everything, but is firm in her faith. So I told her the rundown of the Restoration and left her a pamphlet, and we're going to go back and see if she read it. I told her its great to listen, but the only way you can know if its true is to pray about it and ask God directly. We'll see. She's super brava though.
Tuesday we had a lesson with our Albanian investigator, Marjana. We had asked her to read 1 Nephi 1 after giving her a Book of MOrmon in Albanian last time and teaching her the Restoration. She read the chapter 4 times. AWESOME!!! ANd she read the whole chapter back to us when we were together and told us what she understood of it haha it was cute. I decided Albanians are really funny hahaha.
Well, lots of other stuff happened obviously, but thats a rundown. I know Heavenly Father exists and that He comforts us when we need it and ask for it. I know He loves us. I know that in the end trials make us stronger, even when they seem a little too hard to handle in the moment. We can't quit!!!! That's what Satan wants, and we can't listent to him because if we do things will only get worse. Obeying the commandments and listening to Heavenly Father will bring us greater happiness than we could ever imagine...but we have to TRUST HIM. I am convinced that the secret to life is trust in God.
Hope everything is grand at home in America. Italy's good, especially now the weather is getting warmer. Hallelujiah!!! Thanks for emails and love. I can't email back directly, but if you send your address I'll write a letter back. Love you all, thanks for the support. I pray for you!
Love, Sorella Sobeck
Russell - my comps going to the Kiev mission! Which is crazy because thats where she grew up. Hopefully I can pick up a couple Russian words before she leaves...but don't count on too much haha. She liked your message you wrote. Also, CONGRATS!!! Can I possibly have an invite or something? I wish I could go, but alas that is not in the plans. I love you both though :) Good luck with the big day!!!
Ana - did you ever get my letter? I sent it forever ago (like December I think) but haven't heard anything back...just wondering. I was thinking about you, hope all's well!!
MAGNUM BARS

Again :)

\
Cool billboards around.

Can't get enough of this bellezza!!


Wednesday, March 14, 2012

"I love maps, but they confuse me!"‏

Week 1 of training. We have officially survived, and I'm not gonna lie and say it was easy but it was really good too. It was a really long week. But I love my new companion, Sorella Filipovska! She is TALL and SKINNY and super cute. She was actually born in Kazakhistan (sp?), lived in Ukraine growing up, and then moved to Italy with her mom when she was 13 after her parents got divorced. Her mother tongue is Russian, but she also knows Ukrainian and obviously Italian (THANK GOODNESS SHE'S FLUENT). She also understands a fair amount of English, but she doesn't really speak it. Therefore, we speak only Italian! Mamma mia it's been hard, but I have already learned a lot and know that this time with her will really help me to grow in the language. Meno male. She will be in Bari for 8 weeks (1 transfer and 2 weeks), then will go to the MTC in Madrid, and then to Ukraine for her mission she was called to. And she is actually not waiting for her visa, since she's already lived in Ukraine thats not a problem. She's waiting for a Russian-speaking group of missionaries in the Madrid MTC, and the way events turned out she couldn't go with the last one in February and the next isn't until May, so they let her come here to Bari for these 8 weeks and serve as a full-time missionary. So she has no missionary experience at all, so I'm teaching her the schedule and the life and all the things we have to do, all in Italian, and its been intense for me and also for her. She's just getting thrown right in without time for adjustment really. She's really a trooper though, and in spite of some medical problems on both our parts (me with a really nasty cold and her with some other stuff) we have been able to go out and do our work. Sorella Filipovska really is great and has already taught me a lot. I hope that I have been able to help her too, and that we can continue to help each other grow as missionaries! It's been an intense and really long week, but a good one.
We had Stake Conference for the Puglia stake on Sunday. On Sunday we got to be with everyone in the surrounding cities and also with all the missionaries (there were probably like 20 of us there), and there were probably more than 500 people together. I felt a really strong spirit looking around at all these people who are members of the true church of Jesus Christ. You can just tell that they are happy. There were also investigators with all the missionaries, and Daniele was able to come (for his 3rd Sunday in a row at church!!!). We're continuing to work with him and encouraging him to choose a baptismal date.
I have really felt the spirit a lot with Sorella Filipovska. I think its that we are both having to completely rely ourselves in the Holy Ghost and really trust in our feelings and not just our brains. I don't know how good at that I was that past 3 transfers. So there have been 2 really cool experiences that come to my mind right now.
1. On Monday we had a lesson with an investigator named Emanuele. We had confirmed it on Sunday, and all day Monday I had been thinking all day about how we probably needed to drop him, because he has not made almost any progress at all in the months we occassionaly see him (he makes it very difficult to meet together). So we went to the lesson at his parachuiere shop with Angelo (new convert) because they are friends and also Emanuele was a referrel from Angelo, and while they were talking I told these feelings to my companion and she said she felt the same way that we might have to drop him. So we felt good that we both felt the same way. Before we said the opening prayer, a client walked it. I thought to myself "Oh great, Emanuele is not going to pay any attention because he's going to do this lady's hair instead of listening to this lesson". Whenever someone walks in the shop while we're there he gets super distracted and all hope seems lost. But when this lady walked in, instead Emanuele invited her to sit down with us and say the prayer and listen!!! COOL!!! So we said the prayer, and then we read part of an article from last conference and talked about the importance of the Book of Mormon, why it is needed, and how there are so many churches today because everyone interpreted the Bible differently and formed their own churches, each with a part of the truth but not the WHOLE truth. Then we had this discussion and it went really well, and this lady Maddelena was participating. We gave her a Book of Mormon and our phone number. And I felt really strongly that we needed to get her number, so I asked for it and if we could teach her more another time and she said yes. It was a really cool experience, one where I felt a specific prompting and then saw the results of obedience. And all this happened at the store of an investigator who we were thinking of dropping. It really taught me that Heavenly Father puts people in our path when we make specific plans, even when the vision of what we think is going to happen in the lesson is not so great. Hopefully we can meet with Maddelena again, but if nothing ends up happening with it then at least I feel good that I listened to the Spirit.
2. We decided on Monday night that we should do casa in casa (house contacting), which would be our first time together. We spent quite a bit of time looking at the map and decided on an area of where we should go the next day. We weren't going to have a ton of time, but we wanted to try and go anyways. So we finished an appointment, then had to drop by this other shop to say hi to someone, and then we made our way to this area of Bari that I don't know really at all and its kind of far away. So I have the map out and we're trying to find our way there. And I really like maps and geography, but just because I like it doesn't mean I can always make sense out of it, so I was getting really confused about where we were and it was a funny situation haha. Comunque, so we got to the street we wanted to find finally, and were trying to find the other street but couldn't find it! But we talked and decided we needed to pick a palazzo on this street. We both felt really good about one, then we prayed about it, and decided that someone was waiting for us who lives in that palazzo. By that point we didn't have time to actually DO house becuase we had to go back to the church for English course, but it was really cool that we felt the spirit like that. So we are going to go back and do house at this palazzo sometime in the near future. We told this person or people that they just have to wait a couple more days hahaha.
Yep. Good things are going to happen this  transfer together with my greenie!!! Apparently greenies are good luck, so I'm excited to see what happens with hard work and the help of Heavenly Father the the Spirit. Please pray for us, pray for me to have the gift of tongues (please! :)) and for us to be able to do this work. I know Heavenly Father's got something big in store!!!!
Have a great week! Love you all.
Love, Sorella Sobeck

Eccoci!!

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Transfers

Well, I guess you could say I got a little bit of a surprise during transfer calls this past Saturday. Sorella Ashman is leaving Bari (that is not the surprise haha) after 8 months here and is going to Rome 1 and is opening it to sisters!! She will be there for her remaining 2 transfers of her mission. That is a very exciting opportunity to open a city. She's opening with Sorella Miles who is in my group. Whoo hoo!!! I am staying in Bari (that is not the surprising part either!), and my companion will be Sorella Fliposki. Here's the surprise.............Sorella Fliposki is a greenie...yeah, I'm training. Hmmmm. I don't know WHAT Heavenly Father and President Kelly are thinking, but they must have some big vision or something. Yes, I know that they do and that Heavenly Father always sees and knows the big picture, because I certainly don't understand how in the world this is happening HAHA! It's a little different training situation than normal though. This sorella was born in Russia (or Ukraine, I've heard both), but has lived in La dispoli (a city near Rome) for 10 years. So she is basically Italian. Thank goodness she knows the Italian language. And hopefully she knows some English too...But the other things is that she is not called to the Rome mission. She is called to serve in Ukraine, but her visa is not ready, so they decided to set her apart as a full'time missionary and send her down to me in Bari for a little bit while she waits for her visa. So...she has not been to the MTC either. AHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! So I'm getting a sorella who has no training in the ways of missionary life at all. Except that she did go out with the sorelle in La dispoli sometimes...thank goodness. So, thats my exciting news of transfers. Sorella Sobeck is getting a greenie in her 4th transfer. Please pray for me. ANd for Sorella Fliposki. Hahahaha. I'm excited, but understandably a little bit nervous about it all.  I was highly surprised about this turn of events, but this is a big honor that President Kelly is giving me and for some reason Heavenly Father is really trusting me with this. This will put my faith to the test as we continue to work with our investigators and have the need to find lots of new people because we'll probably lose some as Sorella Ashman leaves. Transfers always create lots of changes in the work. Yep. Hahaha I still can't believe its happening. I am going to have to completely rely on Heavenly Father and figure out what he wants for these next 6 weeks. I'm sure my relationship with Him will become a lot closer during this time. Anyways...thats whats happening. I'm picking up my greenie tomorrow at the train station and saying goodbye to Sorella Ashman after 4 months together.
There have been lots of other exciting things this week! The first thing that comes to mind is Friday morning when we were locked out of our apartment for 4 hours!!! HAHA! So all 4 of us decided to go running in the morning for our exercise. When we came back at 7, the key wasn't working. Well, it didn't work because it wasn't the right key. Remember how we had all those door problems about a month ago? Well, the other sorelle still had the old key on the keyring and somehow that key got used, and it got jammed in the lock. We couldn't get it out. So its 7am, we're in our running clothes, without nametags, without ANYTHING except thank goodness our phone. Hahaha so we went to a members house who didn't live too far away and waiting in her living room for a couple hours and we did end up having a member from Bitonto able to come help us out at 11. Hahaha theres just been so much door drama this transfer!!! It was pretty funny that we felt extremely vulnerable as we were walking outside not in proselyting clothes and without nametags. Bo.
Saturday we had the ultimate lesson with Babbo Daniele. We saw him everyday that week without one good lesson because of time constraints or the people we brought chatting it uptoo much or something. We finally had a nice good lesson with him on Saturday. He has an issue of coming to church on Sunday becuase often he will go to Lecce to visit his wife's grave. It's difficult to argue against that without having him get offended. While we love Daniele, he can really be a girl sometimes haha becuase he's so moody. So we really got down to it and told him that he had to make a decision about going to church the next morning. We also started a fast with him, and he prayed to open it and he prayed for the strength to make a decision and so he could have a push to help him. So I was nervous that he wouldn't come to church, but had faith in the power of fasting and prayer. So at church on Sunday morning we were in the second hour about halfway in (Sunday School hour) and in walked Daniele. I cried. Yep, I never cry, but I cried a little when I saw him come in because I was so so so grateful. I have a testimony of fasting with a purpose. I have had a couple experiences so far with it on my mission where miracles have happened during my fast. And it was a huge miracle to me that Daniele came to church. We want him to set a new baptismal date too, so we're going to work on that.
Sunday School was also really good and the Anziani gave the lesson and talked about talents. It was a great lesson and I needed to hear a lot of the things they said. I really liked this point...When we want to know how something works we read the instruction manual. When we want to develop our talents that Heavenly Father gave us, we pray and ask HIm how they work because He has that manual and knows how it alllll works. So true.
Ok I don't have much time left. Transfers are stressful when someone is leaving, not gonna lie hahaha. These past few days have been full of goodbyes and lunch appointments. I'm getting fat here in Bari. I have been very humbled this past week as I have seen great miracles come to pass and  have found out this news about training. I am grateful for the gospel and for faith and prayer and fasting and that when we do everything we can, the Lord takes care of the rest. Every human being is inadequate in some way, but Heavenly Father loves us anyways despite our weaknesses and imperfections. I know He loves me and is grateful for all of His missionaries. I hope everyone really talks to God everyday, because He truly should be our best friend. Also I hope everyone is reading the Book of Mormon, because that is where we can recieve so many answers to our questions if we're open to receiving them. Prayer and studying the scriptures brings miracles.
I love you all. I'm grateful for all your support. I know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter'day Saints is the true church on the earth, and we have this true church because Heavenly Father loves His children.
Love, Sorella Sobeck

Delicious lemon pie homemade by Joseph from English course...sooooo goooooood

Love this family! Ana's daughter (shoe store) and 2 of her kids

my tights matched bishop's car!

Vescovo's house for yummy pranzo after church

Costanzo family at il parco di 2 giugno

Last district picture

Slla Magno and Angela

At Tarantini's with Daniele


getting ready for transfers