SisterEvieMcConkie: Ciao from Vicenza!

Ciao friends and fam!

It's been another great week here in Italia. Sorella Tullis continues to be an incredible trainer and we are having so many fun times and miracles! Here are some highlights from this week.

First, we have started a project with ward members that we are so excited about. Every Saturday night, we are going to go to members houses and make rosemary bread from this easy recipe we have. Instead of then eating the bread with them, we share a small spiritual thought with them about the sacrament and its importance and then they bring the bread to be used for sacrament the next day! We have only done it once so far but it is so fun. When we introduce the idea to any family they get so excited! We have little kids running up to us in church now and saying "Sisters! When are you coming to make bread at our house!" It also makes Sundays way more special. I don't think I realized until my mission how important the sacrament is. God has given us the opportunity to hit restart each week as we think about Christ and what he has done for us. We hope that this will continue to be a fun tradition for both the American and Italian wards that we are working with!

My second favorite part of this week was Scambio (exchanges) in Verona. At one point I was walking around with my Sister training leader Sorella Richards and realized, "Holy Canoli, I'm in VERONA. How did I get called to the most beautiful mission on the planet??" And it really is. Italy is gorgeous. We were handing out Book of Mormon flyers and happened to walk past Juliet's balcony! How cool!

In Verona, my most memorable experience was with a member. What a sweetheart. She told us about how distraught she is that the world is in so much chaos. As I bore my testimony at the end in my still broken Italian, I started to tear up telling her that with time and faith, God will bless people with happiness. It is often hard to be happy. Many people feel so sad and scared about the misery in this world, but a scripture in Mosiah 2 has given me a lot of comfort since talking with her. It says:

41 And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.

I know this to be true. As we continue to be faithful, storms will pass and happiness will be ours.

I LOVE YOU ALL!! Happy Wednesday!

Love,

Sorella McConkie

Here are some photos of my exchange to Verona. It was so much fun!