Buon San Valentino!

Family!!

First off... the trip to Oregon sounds unbelieveable... AHHH! I am soooo sad that I wasn't there... I was totally there in spirit believe me! I talked about Grandma to my companion and thought about you all all day! This is the month of Birthday's so I hope you are all having fun! AND I hope you have a really fun Valentines day... even if I shall not be there. It is quite neat that I am spending Valentines day in the Home of Romeo and Juliet... yep me and my collega are going to be each other's valentines. I told her that we will have to make pink pancakes in the shapes of hearts, and she is in accordance so yahoo!

Verona... is awesome. What can I say. I am falling in love with this place too. I will send pictures next week when I figure out the computers here in this place. We have been trying to bike, but is has been SNOWING HERE! Yep... and thus we freeze. SO we have turned to walking and buses. The other night we had to go home a little early and just do phone calls because we were literally popsicles. I can't immagine what Jess is like in lithuania! I remember Scottie talking about how the cold goes straight to your bones... HOW true that is! Don't worry, I resorted to buying some longsleeved shirts, where 4 layers of leggings/tights and then socks and then boots, 2 pairs of gloves and 2 sweaters under my coat. I look like a little snowman missionary. It's fun.

This week has been lots of finding. Sorella Laratro really has given me so much help in being more brave. She talked to me about how as a missionary you usually have 1 chance to talk to people. And with that one chance, you want them to know that you have a testimony that the gospel has been restored on the earth! You have to let everyone you meet know that! SO we are on a hunt for the elect and I have really trying to be better. And I know Heavenly Father is helping me. I honestly can say that the feelings of fear have been getting less and less! I am grateful for my companion for encouraging me and telling me I can do it. We really have so much fun together and are working hard.

Miracles of the week would have to be this... We had 4 investigators in church on Sunday!!! YES!! So one of our investigators is named Alice. SHe is beautiful and 22. SHe has a 10 month old baby with a man named Luca, but they don't live together. The Sorelle actually found Luca on the street and he took them to Alice. After a bit he lost interest, but we have still been teaching Alice. However, Last thursday we go to our Lesson with ALice and Luca was there!!! We taught about Faith in Christ! That night he sent us a message that said thanks for the lesson. THEN he and ALice were at church on SUNDAY!! Yahoo!

Also, Violetta came to church with her Mom. They stayed the entire time and she loved it! Plus Patrick her 3 year old son had a blast in Primary! Oh my goodness we were sooo blessed! I love these people so much already and KNOW the gospel can change their lives!

WE also have a new investigator named Mary. She is from Nigeria but has lived here for 5 years. We did the lesson in English/Italian and Slla Laratro did sooo good at bearing her testimony in English. Mary is beautiful and said that because of the trails in her life she quit going to church. But the Anziani met her on the bus and gave us her information! YAHOO again!

We have lots of new people that we are right at the being of helping them accept the gospel! And we are searching for more. WE have had lots of fun experiences doing casa (ringing at appartments and knocking every door in the apartment)!

I've been thinking a lot about prayer this week and had to give the spiritual thought in District meeting this week on prayer. We learned in the MTC that we don't fully understand the power of prayer. We use about 1% of the actual power. We really have been trying to get those we teach to ask specifically for a testimony of the gospel instead of just praying vaguely for help. I know that it is something I have realized I needed to change in my prayers to, to ask for specific things. In preach my gospel it tells us to pray everymorning for the spirit and for the ability to be able to talk to others- yep perfect. It also tells us to listen to the spirit to know what to pray for. Man... I just have the HUGEST testimony of prayer. It is real... Heavenly father listens to us!!! He will listen to all of our prayers, I know this because he is listening to mine. Thanks for all of your prayers for me! I need them and I want you to know that I am praying for you!

I love you all soo much! Have a fun week and a really happy Valentines day!

con amore,

Slla Kate