Week 53 in Italy

This past week was good! I kind of don't remember anything that happened… One of those weeks. Also I'm just so excited about going to an Italian opera that I kind of can't think straight.

We worked hard. I did a lot of finding. We talked to EVERYONE. We are currently working with two wonderful women that have the desire to be baptized. They both have baptismal dates. We are praying and fasting for both of them that they will be able to overcome the obstacles that are currently prohibiting them from progressing.

We are planning a "funeral" for an Elder in our district who goes home next week. We'll do that on monday. Then transfers take place on Thursday of next week. We will receive transfer calls on Saturday. I really don't want to leave Cimiano. I am in love! I hope and pray that I will have the privilege to stay a few more months in this blessed city. But I will accept whatever the will of God is for these next few transfers.

This past saturday, my companion played soccer in the rain with the Anziani and some ward members. I was the designated photographer seeing as I hurt my foot last week when I tripped over a mini ditch in the side walk (I'm already clumsy, and the Italian sidewalks don't do anything to help me out!) We also taught one of our members how to make pancakes! She was SO excited!!!

It's been a great week! I love what I'm doing. I am so grateful for the sacrifices and prayers of others in my behalf. I love you all. Have a great week!

Love,

Sorella Tokarski

Week 52 in Italy

Mamma mia. It has been a wild week here in Cimi. We unfortunately lost a few investigators. I cried about it. Several times. And a russian woman in our ward told me that I really shouldn't let anyone see my weaknesses.... And then I cried more. Oops! So many feelings. It's just so hard to watch people start to finally get it and progress and then they just let the adversary win. It absolutely breaks my heart.

Despite the heartbreaks of this past week, it was actually incredibly miraculous. One of the many miracles was on my scambio. We did a scambio again this past week with Sorelle Carducci and Miller. This time I worked with S

orella Miller. Together we worked on finding and just being positive about ourselves. We were headed to our first appointment when we thought to call and just do a double confirm. Last minute cancelation. So we headed to the church to do language study for a bit. Our seccond appointment was approaching when BOOM. She cancels too. K fine. now what? So we decide to take Sorella Miller's bag back to the house and get a gelato. (an absolute scambio MUST). So. We start to walk to the metro and we see this American member coming our way! We talked with him for a few
minutes and he hugged my companion because "She comes from east of the mississippi!!!" and we both tried to not die laughing. (He's a convert and still doesn't get all the missionary protocols.)

Anyway. So after that delay, we finally get to the metro and took the next one heading home. We get on and I see this woman and I KNEW I had to talk to her. So I do. It turns out she was a member baptized a looooong time ago in equador. She distanced herself from the church years ago so her records never got moved here to Italy. We talked for a few minutes and I explained that it wasn't by chance that we had met. I prayed with her and when I was done, she had tears rolling down her cheeks. She thanked me and we exchanged information. We look forward to working with her soon! IF the cancellations and the member and all of those other things hadn't of happened, we wouldn't have found her! MIRACLE!  We saw TONS of other miracles and it was a wonderful scambio for both copie.

We found 3 new investigators this past week and already in monday and tuesday we have found 4 more! We are really picking up our finding efforts and we are seeing fruits from that work!

Fertilized Duck Egg - Yum!

There is a LOT of work to do. It's truly wonderful to be so busy all the time. I am absolutely exhausted. So so so so so so tired. But I wouldn't have it any other way. I had a dream that I was at home at the end of my mission. I still had my tag on. And I just didn't want to see anyone or do anything except fo missionary work. I kept trying to sneak out of my house to go preach the good word and my poor family was like hey who the heck is this pazza?? I LOVE being a missionary. My love for the mission grows and increases as the weeks just slide on by. I HATE reminders of how long I have left. It kills me.

I learned a few big lessons about obedience this past week. I know that God really doesn't look at sin with the least degree of allowance. He expects us to obey and to do the right thing. My testimony of the principle of obedience grew a lot this past week and I am grateful for the constant testimony building experiences God gives me.

We went to visit Karina this past week. They are in the hospital again. The conditions of the hospital and the way they are being treated is terrible. Please say a prayer for them!

We also took some time to do some genealogy this past week. I AM ADDICTED! Dear family and frie

nds that are at home and have a LOT more free time than you'd ever actually admit, PLEASE. DO genealogy. As my dad always says, "If you had time to check your facebook, you had time to read your scriptures." And I would add the same for doing family history work. It is such a beautiful use of time and it will BLESS your lives and the lives of your loved ones.

It was just a really crazy and overwhelming week full of miracles and tears and heartbreak and joy and alllllllllllllll the feelings. I love the people here. I would do anything for them. I love my Savior Jesus Christ and I will gladly follow him for the rest of my life.

Be good! Use time wisely. Be obedient!

I love you all.

Love,

Sorella Tokarski

Week 51 in Italy

It's been a great week!

We had a very inspired scambio this week. I felt like I needed to go to Bergamo and that Sorella Gluck needed to come to Cimiano. During the scambio I was able to really connect with a less active in Bergamo and sorella Gluck was able to really help out one of our investigators. It was awesome! I worked with Sorella Dover. She has a great love for the people that she works with and she desires to do her best and constantly improve. It was a great learning experience for us both.

We unfortunately had several cancellations, but we kept on trying anyway. Our finding efforts are really improving and we are seeing a lot of success using teach to find!

Mercedes is doing really well and she has a positive attitude about the future.

We continue to see miracles as we are obedient and do our best to work a full day. It's hard! I am EXHAUSTED. We get home at night, kneel down to pray and plan, and then by the end of the closing prayer, I'm just sprawled out on the kitchen floor trying to convince myself to go and brush my teeth. It's great!

I am so grateful for the opportunity to serve a full time mission. I can't imagine ever not being a missionary. Like yeah we talk about it. I see my dear friends go home. I know there's an end. But I just feel like this is life. And I LOVE it. I love Cimiano. It is such a special city. The people here are truly my family. They are just the absolute best.

Today for pday all of the missionaries and several youth and members are going bowling for an activity! We are excited!

Also I thought I lost my camera this week or that it got stolen. Turns out that I left it at a members house. MENO MALE. I about cried.

The biggest lesson I learned this week was about the importance of love. We had a few opportunities to just love people this week that really needed it. There was one night where we went to visit an older sister. She was absolutely distraught. She was feeling a major lack of love and the spirit in her life. I held her as she sobbed into my arms. I prayed fervently that she would just be able to feel God's love through me. Life is not easy. And people just need to be loved and know that someone cares. Love your neighbors! Love those that you come into contact with. We are allllllll brothers and sisters and we all need to know and more importantly feel that we are loved. Serve someone this week and show them that someone cares!

Have a great one. I love you all!

Love,
Sorella Tokarski

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Sonja didn't send any pictures this week but I asked for some pictures of what she sees when see walks out of her apartment each day and put them in this post.

Week 50 in Italy

It has just been another great week here in paradise. I honestly love Cimiano sooooooo much. The ward is the best. And the work here is great!

We continue to see so many miracles together! On Friday, I sat down at the train station as we were waiting for the Bergamo sorelle to show up for our scambio. Before I could even say anything, the woman next to me said "Where can I get that book??", referring to the book of mormon in my hands. She explained that she had talked to missionaries 20 years ago on a train and still remembered the encounter and had been wanting to know how to get a Book of Mormon! I was able to teach her about the restoration and leave her with the book. She didn't want to give me her number but said that as soon as she had finished the book, she would give us a call.

It has been a good week. Very busy. But I am grateful for all of the work that God is blessing my companion and me with.

We were not able to see Mercedes this week. But she continues to do all of the right things. The ward mission leader was able to visit her and her husband in her home. He was present for the lesson, which is a BIG deal! We were so happy to hear that. She continues to progress in her conversion process.

I have done two scambio since last p-day. One with the Muggio Sorelle, and one with the Bergamo sorelle. As for the Muggio sorelle, they are doing well. I personally worked with sorella Carducci. She has such a strong desire to work hard and be a good missionary. We focused a lot on finding and talking to people.

I was also able to work with Sorella Roper who has been in the field for two weeks. She has a great positive attitude and loves to be pushed to learn new things. She will be a great help for many people here in Italy. We focused on doing role-plays and equally dividing teaching.

(And yeah that absolutely means that I had more than one gelato this week. Oh well.)

We also threw my companion a surprise district meeting birthday party! Yay! Happy 20th year!

I had such a spiritual sunday. I had really been looking forward to sunday. Church started later in the day because there was a special meeting that morning. So we had an appointment out in a paesino called Cernusco. Well, the buses don't run on sundays and so we had to walk to our appointment. We got terribly lost and were about 45 minutes late. But we made it! I was just feeling in dire need of a spiritual recharge. I was so tired and just so ready to get to church. As we took the sacrament, I really took time to repent and pray and focus on Jesus Christ's atonement. I felt overcome with gratitude and humility. I felt a renewed energy fill my body and my heart to get to work and start a new week. I know that as we worthily partake of the sacrament each week, we are truly renewed, recharged, and forgiven. I am so grateful for the sacrament.

I love you all! Have a great week!!

Love,

Sorella Tokarski