Sorella Sobeck in Rome: So we left the country today...

I learned that the Vatican is its own country. I thought it was its own city, but apparently its even bigger than that! This morning we went to the Vatican Museum and I got to see some cool history book stuff - the Sistine Chapel with all of Michaelangelo's paintings that he didn't want to do, the Pietà statue in the Basicila, statues by Bernini, lots of tapestries and art from many time periods, etc. It was a pretty cool Pday in Roma experience! We're doing internet in centro today instead of right by our house...and everything costs more in centro haha.

I can't believe its almost CHRISTMAS again!!! My 2nd Christmas as a missionary, and I can almost say that I spent all of 2012 in Italy on my mission. We already have transfer calls again on Saturday, Christmas (and SKYPING FAMILY!!!) on Tuesday...New Years coming up after that and the bazillion Italian feste that happen. We are very busy lately though which makes me soooo happy!!! Being busy is the best present I could have right now :)

This past week has had lots going on. We have had some bad luck with doors on the trains...we went to Anagni (FAR AWAY) to see one of our investigators, and the train stop is pretty small, and as we were trying to get off the train the door we were at wouldn't open! And then we realized there was a sign that said the door was broken (yeah, didn't see that in time), and by the time we tried getting to a different door the train started moving again and we missed our stop. So we got off on the next one, which thankfully was not far away. Sgrugola. What an awful name...but very appropriate for the literal HOLE IN THE WALL this place was...there were no train times posted, no waiting room, a big chunk of plaster fell off the wall before our eyes. And these days the transportation people like to go on strike randomly, so there are lots of cancelled trains...so we were waiting outside in the really cold for 45 minutes before the next train going back towards Termini came, and we had NO IDEA if it was going to stop at Anagni hahaha...we hoped. And we were saved!!!! We got to our appointment in one piece, very late, but it ended up being a great lesson with Diana with the spirit really strong. Satan has not wanted at many appointments this past week, becuase lots of things like this ended up happening haha. But anyways, that was a fun little adventure/detour in Sgurgola.

We had a great lesson with Dario this week! We've been teaching him together with his dad, Michele, who is the other sorelle's investigator but who all the missionaries love to pieces because he's an English course student and comes to church every single week and activities. But we know that they need to be taught separately because they're at very different levels so we finally got a lesson alone with Dario and it went really well! We talked to him about his belief in God, who he isn't really sure if he believe in Him or not. He does believe in God, he is also a little confused though. But we challenged him to come to church becuase he never comes becuase he always goes out dancing until like 5am Saturday night, so we're like "Dude, come to church with your dad! Make him wake you up!" And on Sunday he came with Michele!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He was at Sunday school AND sacrament meeting, and we were talking to him afterwards and he said on Saturday night instead of going out dancing with Giovanni (another english course student and almost'investigator!), he stayed home. He was feeling sad about not being out, so he read the BOOK OF MORMON to feel better, and it gave him comfort. We were like "YOU'RE THE BEST!!!!!!!!!!!" It was so great :) :) :)

We have a new investigator named Daniel from Sierra Leone in Africa, which I don't ever remember hearing about haha but thats where he's from. He's the one who approached us on the bus last week and wants to quit smoking. We had our first lesson with him and it was legit. We taught him the Restoration and asked him to be baptized at the end of January and he said he'd pray about it! We had another really short lesson with him last night (because he was an hour late...ahhhhh) and he's reading in the Book of Mormon and he said he thinks he wants to be baptized!! LEGIT. We'll see how it keeps going with him, to see if he ends up coming to church and such, but he came to the church for our lesson last night and we're really excited to see what happens. Africans are the best. Couple more stories with them...

Blessing is doing well and seems to want to be baptized. She's still very quiet, but she asks great questions. We taught her the Word of Wisdom yesterday and she asked "How do I resist temptation when I want to do those things?" She's so great! And we teach her with a recent convert, Doris, who I love to pieces her and her family (her husband's name is Monday...Nigerians have the best names!)

We also met Mercy this week, who's son is in the hospital and that's why they're here from Nigeria. Her son (his name is SUCCESS! Seriously, best names ever) had a sickle cell transplant and is not doing that well...we went to see him in the hospital and it made me really sad...he turns 12 two days after Christmas. But Mercy is great and we gave her a Book of Mormon and she wants to learn more. Pray for them because they need them.

We saw 2 baptisms on Sunday and we went to the Roma 1 church and Giovanni (our almost-investigator) and Michele (other sorelle's investigator) both came and it was great! One of the baptisms was the husband of a member. Sorella Ivory was who he needed, and it was really amazing to see him give her a huuuuuge hug after he was confirmed - Slla Ivory was with me in the MTC and it's incredible to think about how long ago that was and all these people that we've been able to help and serve. That family is going to the temple to get sealed together in a year. Incredible. :) The other baptism was a man from Egypt. The gospel is for EVERYONE!!!

No more time. HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! BUON NATALE!!! We're going to an American family's house for Christmas which will be so much fun!!! Vi voglio bene!!! :)

Love, Sorella Sobeck

Sorry the picture thing isn't working either - I want to send pics but the computer doesn't want me to...

Thanks for the Christmas wishes!!! And congrats to Sean and Sarah for their new little baby!!!!