Transfers Once Again - Bergamo, Italy

Ciao tutti! 

After my short 6 weeks in the lovely land of Torino, I am on a train once again changing cities going to a place called Bergamo. It's been a good past week with a lot of sad goodbyes woven in and I am going to miss a lot about last transfer. Time goes way too fast and we should make the most of it. 

I love you all and will attach some photos of saying goodbye to members at church and waving goodbye to my comps on the train. 

Love, sorella McConkie 

Good-bye to Sorella Graver and Sorella Spencer!

Hope of Israel - Torino, Italy

Buongiorno!! 

It's been a great week here in Italy although it is getting HOT outside and I'm increasingly grateful that I don't have to be an Elder in a suit all day. A lot has happened since last I wrote! 

On Saturday we had a karate-choppin fun lesson with the relief society. Basically they had an instructor in a white uniform come and teach a group of 60 year old women (and us) how to defend ourselves in case of attack. It was very instructional even though we were all painfully aware by the end that there's no way we have the skill to retaliate if need be. But that's ok. They had good snacks after. 

On Sunday we learned how to make pizza! From a siciliano! Check that one off my mission bucket list. 

This week I got to finally read the full youth devotional that was presented by President and Sister Nelson. WHAT A TALK. I thought it was so inspired and perfect for the audience he was targeting and I loved the stories woven within. The part that stood out to me, however, was one the 5 points that he mentioned towards the end. These points consisted of President Nelson's challenge to the youth ages 12-18 to help "grow the kingdom of Israel", and including things like giving up social media for a week and giving a for strength of youth pamphlet to a friend. 

I realized that I as a missionary, for the most part, have already been fulfilling president Nelson's challenge for the past 10 months. Giving up social media, substituting "me" time with "missionary" time, doing some serious self checking and reassessing, and purposefully standing out and being different, particularly because of the black tag I put on my shirt everyday. 

But the thing that struck me most was the fact that president Nelson charged all the youth listening to "pray daily that all of God's children might receive the blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ". And let me tell you, the past 2 and a half weeks since this devotional has been given, I HAVE SEEN THE EFFECTS OF THAT.  Even though my companions and I have been tucked away in northern Italy in a city that most people couldn't point out on a map, we have had so many people seek and search in a very short amount of time for US. This week even we met a woman on the bus who offered to have us come to her home after a matter of minutes. On Saturday we met with Eva and her friend Maria, enjoyed some food together, and gave them books of Mormon with the agreement that we will return and help them study it more. We have also had members bring new investigators for us to teach to church, old investigators making new progress, and finding activities leading to greater success. 

So. In my search to follow the promptings I received in reading the invitation from President Nelson, I wanted to thank all of those go have been praying for the kingdom of God to unfold and grow and progress in these latter days, specifically in these past 2 and a half weeks. It's really cool for me to imagine youth and others around the world praying for the work of building the kingdom of God forward, and my small section of the planet is starting to see the blessings. 

Vi voglio un mondo di bene!

Con amore, 

Sorella McConkie 

Finding summer flowersssss🥀

English class finding with our district

Celebrating with sorella Spencer after I made my first chili.

Posing with our karate instructor after our relief society activity

Highlight Reel! - Torino, Italy

Hi folks! Here's a highlight reel of this week in Torino: 

1. Tasting guava and coconut gelato. 

2. Teaching a first and second lesson to the most darling girl named Liz who is from Peru! Such a sweetheart and was a member referral. We are meeting with her again tomorrow and are going to extend a baptismal invite. She is 26 and seriously darling and already had such faith in the concept of God as our loving heavenly father.

3. Seeing my trainer! Sorella Tullis finished her mission right after training me, and I haven't seen her since November. She came on a trip back with her family and I got to go to lunch with her. It was so fun to talk and catch up and get some wonderful life advice from this girl that I look up to and love so much. 

4. Scambio in Genova (look up some photos) and getting to do contacting by the ocean. 

5. Zone Conference! President and Sorella Allen have been focusing a lot on finding and companion unity. I think that they realize that these can often be some of the hardest things in the mission and they are things I could definitely improve upon. Also our trio matched which was fun. 

6. Rereading a quote by Elder Holland that I love and shared as a spiritual thought for zone conference that says: 

"Even if you cannot always see that silver lining on your clouds, God can, for He is the very source of the light you seek. He does love you, and He knows your fears. He hears your prayers. He is your Heavenly Father, and surely He matches with His own the tears His children shed."

I've loved this quote for a while, but how sweet is it to imagine God himself honouring the covenant we make at baptism. To "mourn with those that mourn and comfort those that stand in need of comfort." And in Italian it says to "cry with those that cry." I'm so grateful for God and the times when he has mourned with and comforted me when life is hard. This mission stretches me more than I thought possible, but having him here with me makes it easier and I'm so grateful for that. 

Vi voglio bene! 

Con amore, 

Sorella McConkie 

My Torino Trio - Torino, Italy

Ciao! 

Sorella Spencer, Sorella Graver, Sorella McConkie

I am loving Torino so much! This first week has consisted of a lot of fun and losing keys and making runs to the fresh markets by our apartment. I have been continually grateful, time and time again, by Heavenly Father's willingness to hear and answer prayers. Torino, our investigators, and my DARLING new companions are answering my prayers right and left. 

On Thursday when we accidentally got locked out of our apartment for the day, we decided to make the best of it and go get a kilo and a half of strawberries and eat it with the nutella that Sorella Spencer had in her bag for lunch. Sitting on a bench and laughing as a not-so-subtle trio was the good beginning of a week that only got better. 

Sometimes doing missionary work reminds me of the scripture in 2 Nephi 5 where it talks about "living after the manner of happiness." As a companionship, we talked this week about how joy is a choice and that being a missionary or a member of this gospel isn't so much a way of living perfectly, but is a way of enhancing the joy in living. 

One of my other highlights was teaching a recent convert couple named Anna and Simon from Nigeria and Jamaica. They are so awesome and still find such joy and clarity in learning about the gospel. We read 2 Nephi 2 with them and talked about the ability to choose righteousness through the laws that God has set forth. It was a really heartfelt lesson and it ended with Anna offering to make us all handmade, matching African dresses. We said yes, obviously. 

I'm grateful for this mission transition and for the wonderful people in my life. I love you all!  

Lots of love, 

Sorella McConkie 

Transfers!! - Lampugnano, Milan, Italy

Hello everyone! 

Happy Wednesday once again. Today is transfer day and I'm on my way to a new city named Torino to be in a trio! I'm nervous and excited and ready to see whatever adventures Heavenly Father has in store. I'll attach some pictures of some lovely last moments in Lampugnano which I will miss so very much. 

Love, 

Sorella McConkie 

Rainy Milan - Lampugnano, Milan, Italy

Good morning everyone!! 

Just a small report from lampugnano today, things are going well and we are trying to find ways to help the people here. Our investigators are kind of all over the map in terms of problems and progression, but we are trying our best to meet the needs of each one:) we had to change around the baptismal date for one of our investigators this week but we're hoping that she will realize once again how great the church is and that baptism is the right thing!! 

I love you all and I'm grateful for Heavenly Father, my family and friends, my mission and this gorgeous rainy day in Milano. Talk to you all more next week! 

Love, sorella McConkie 

Photos! 

1. Our Book of Mormon giveaway near the duomo

2. Visiting our recent convert Valentina 

3. Doing service at a members house and wearing shades as to not get paint chips in our eyes and so we look cool

🇮🇹❤☀️🤗- Lampugnanao, Milan, Italy

Ciao everyone!

Just a short email for today, with some attached photos and letting you all know that I love you and that Heavenly Father does too! I was gratefully reminded this week that God knows us each individually and helps us work though problems in the ways that he knows his best. All he asks of us is to, as Elder Holland put it, "keep loving. Keep trying. Keep trusting. Keep believing. Keep growing. [Because] heaven is cheering you on today, tomorrow, and forever." 

Heaven is cheering us on! Vi voglio un mondo di bene! 

Con amore, 

Sorella McConkie 

Photos... 

Lemonsicles during splits 

Leaving the church after a crazy Sunday with my greenie