Shalom...

Italian is getting old, I am moving on to Hebrew...And Barese.

Anyway, this week has been splendid.

Dont worry, but there is, in fact, another thing wrong with my body, ha. I think you are right mom, that its got to be related to the acid reflux, because it feels the same as in 7th grade. But I have been eating the same as I usually do, healthier even (maybe thats the problem...I need to eat worse!) but it could be the stress, also, I am thinking that I never actually had bronchitis, but that it was the same thing there too, only I dont know what finally made it go away.


So I called Dr. Dahl and it was kind of hilarious because he goes,
"Is this SISTER LAWS?"
And I go, "Yes, its me the Sister Laws of a million illnesses"
him: "they should write a book about you."
"Yeah. maybe we'll make a movie someday"


he thinks either I pulled a muscle (which I dont think it is, because I havent done a thing, though it does feel really sore). And he said I am not a candidate for a heart attack (though I might be now after reading that my cousin is getting married at EIGHTEEN YEARS OF AGE ;) that almost stopped my heart)

But he also suggested I start taking the medicine at night instead of in the morning. Mostly I have been trying not to laugh too much or twist at all. Everyone here is far too preoccupied and giving me different advice and Anziano Reyes thinks I need to just stop stressing out.
I promise I am not really a stresscase.

We taught a lesson Saturday night and I was super out of it and afterwards Raffaele was like, "you need to go to bed" so I did...eventually. Monday afternoon and Tuesday were spent
sleeping and listening to General Conference.


I think I need to write a thank you note to Elder Holland for being a part of my entire mission (he was the 1st fireside we had in the MTC and Ive listened to his last talk a million times because he is just so tender). And luckily I have a stuffed tiger to keep me company.

Anziano Knutson from the MTC is my district leader again and I was explaining how I have this weird thing going on and no one knows what it is and he goes, "well, that sounds familiar."
still waiting to have an illness-free transfer.
So I am always grabbing my heart and I am either like an old lady or a dramatic black and white movie star, take your pick.
I probably need to eat more tums but they are so gross.


On to things that will interest people not in the medical field.

Saturday was a dance party for the stake and it was awesome. The members are so cute and we gave Francesco and his friends a tour of the church and talked a little bit.
They were like, "you have got to convert our friend, he is atheist"
so we are working on that.




He was like, "I only believe in concrete things"
and I was like, "I see God in everything around us."
and he was like, "whats the point in believing in
something that doesnt exist?"
and I said, "God exists, you can have faith in him."


And he knows it. He was like,
"I just cant believe,
I am not made that way."
I told him anyone can believe and
he said he would like to try, so we will see.

We have had a lot of good lessons lately.

Teaching Slla Puglisi is so cool because she is so honest.
She will be like, "I dont believe in God so its not worth following all these rules" and I was like,
"Yeah, its not worth it if its not true, that is why you need to find out if its true or not. Because if God really does exist and there really are all these blessings waiting for you, it IS worth it."


I love her like crazy. There are some people here that just have a direct connection to your heart. Most of them make you love them, but there are a few that are really exceptional. She is one of them. And by the end she was saying thank you and how we need to call ahead next time so she can find a time where she has more time and her kids are out of school now so we want to teach them all together. Because her little girl is ADORABLE.

Massimo is coming to church on Sunday!
and hopefully forever.

Right now Taranto Sorelle are here and spending the night
before our huge conference tomorrow with ELDER TEIXIARA.
So legit. Anziano Reyes (English is not his native language) was like,
"We have all got to look sharpy!"
"Sharp?"
"Yes, sharp."
Which is hard these days but I will see what I can do ;)

Oh, Sunday I gave a talk in church
(in Bitonto where we are treating like princesses)
on the tree of life and I talked about how NOTHING can separate us from the love of God.


For those of you who know the story of Lehis vision of the tree of life (if not go read 1 Nephi 8 in the Book of Mormon) we know that the path to the tree (or the love of God) is straight and narrow and goes through some darkness, but it is a straight shot. There are things off to the side, people mocking and rivers and other danger, but there arent stumblingblocks or hurdles, or pits or anything ON THE PATH.
Its all off to the side.

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Nothing.
No fault, shortcoming, sin, other person, nothing.
Nothing can separate us from the love of God.

Also, special thanks to Babzy for sending that scripture in her letter to me, can I call you Hachi?
'Cause you are my inspiration.

If you are ever feeling down, just go read the words of Paul in the New Testament.




Well, we've got to sciamanin


Until next time,

I am blowing kisses

across the sea full of amore,

Sorella Laws

Ciao - Two More Weeks, Week 8

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CALEB!!! YOU ARE 12!?!

Did you read the talk I told you to read?? DO IT!

Before you birthday. GO!

Alex--Are you alive? What are you doing with your life? 'Member how you said you'd dearelder me??? It's not too late because...

Remember how last week I said TWO MORE WEEKS!?

Guess what! TWO MORE WEEKS! Yes, it's true. Our mission presidents are going to be in England so they are having us stay an extra week. MAMA MIA. We were all a little miffed at first, but we know that there are good things we can do here and that there is still SO much for us to learn. And I really do love it here. It continues to be magical and the new Italians have added a new life. I started keeping track of how often the Anziani hug each other and well...It's a lot. I made a joke about it last night and no joke people came to our classroom for the SOLE purpose of hugging each other. Even the Brazilians are beginning to catch the fever. But it's good and love is good and Fratello Tate (who we affectionately call Fra-tay Ta-tay) is excited that he will actually get a chance to teach us. He's great. I can just tell.

Yesterday in the TRC was a cool experience because usually we try and cram an entire lesson (the whole restoration or the entire plan of salvation) into 35 minutes and guess what...That doesn't work. Of course. So...Yesterday we were teaching members who were recently baptized and were having some issues with tithing. So we talked about Faith. And I look up and low-and-behold on the wall is a picture of Peter and Jesus out on the water. So I turn to our members and ask (one of them was Sor. Swensen's marito! He was adorable and the other was a Milano) if they know the story and Anz. Knutson goes, "Well, this is there house" and I was like, "oh...right" So we talk about how Peter DID have faith, he wanted to walk out to Jesus and he did but all it took was a moment of fear and doubt and he fell. That's all it takes is the smallest bit of fear and faith is gone. BUT what did Jesus do? He reached down and pulled him up when Peter called out to Him. It's such a simple story but SO powerful. If we feel fear all we have to do is call upon Jesus in prayer and he will lift us up again so that we can have perfect faith. And with perfect faith we can do ANYTHING...even walk on water. :)

Guess what else?? ROME TEMPLE GROUNDBREAKING ON THE 23RD!! THREE DAYS BEFORE WE GET THERE!! YAY!!! AFTER TWO YEARS IT IS FINALLY HAPPENING! K, family, I don't think you should come get me---I think we should come back when the temple is done. Deal??

Um, funny stuff has happened, but I can't really think of anything.

We all continue to butcher the language and say confusing things. The other day we decided to walk around and talk to people about experiences they've had with the Book of Mormon and a girl working at the post office sang Helamen 5:12 for us. Hilarious.

I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!! ALL OF YOU. I really do pray for you all the time...Since I can't write you every day...You know, I just talk to our Heavenly Father about you. Hope you don't mind...Totally talking about you behind your back.

Love,

Sorella Laws!!