Cosenza Week 3

Stellar Six

This week has been fun and full of adventures! We went to città vecchia (old city) for P-day and wandered around. It is so beautiful here! Città vecchia is so charming and classic Italian looking. We did a scambio with the Taranto Sorelle. Because they are so far away from us we all went to Taranto and then we split up in the city. I was with Sorella Pinkston and Sorella Cluff. It was a lot of fun. We made brownies and then we went to a members house. We tried to visit another person, but we got lost trying to find her house. The next morning we had to get up early to catch our bus back to Cosenza. We got to watch the sun rise while waiting by the sea. It was a stunning sun rise.

Left: Classic Italia • Right: Stairs

Left: Graffiti

A gesso spot, and a gesso I drew.

Left: Cosenza! • Right: Stamping billitini

Six Month Mark: Gelato

One of our corso students invited us over for a "snack." She made three cakes for us and sent us home with half of each! They were delicious! We are going back next week, we are going to see if she would like to be taught the gospel.

We went out for gelato to celebrate my six month mark! As I have pondered the past six months, I can see and feel a change in me. I know that what I am doing is the most important thing for me to do right now. I know that the Lord is molding me and shaping me into the person I need to become. I know that the Lord helps us through our trials. He helps each of us to become better as we seek His guidance and direction. I know that He loves each of us, I feel it daily in my life, and I have seen His love in the lives of others. We are all His children and He wants us to return to Him. We do this through faith in His son Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. Looking back I see how the Lord has helped me to change for the better, and looking forward I see a bright future!

I love you all! Have a great week!

Cosenza!

Letter dated October 19, 2015.

You can currently send Victoria letters at:
Sorella Victoria Pinnegar
Missione Italiana de Roma
Piazza Carnaro 20
IT-00141 ROME RM
ITALY

Cosenza Week 2

My companions are sister training leaders and there was a big leadership conference up in Rome this week. I am not a leader so instead I got to go to Pozzuoli! On Monday we traveled to Napoli (Naples). We got there around one and got to spend the rest of our p-day there. It was so fun! I had my first Napolitano pizza! It was delicious! We also walked down Christmas Street and the straightest street in all of Italy! It was so much fun! We meet up with the Pozzuoli Sorelle at six and of I went! There is a military base in Pozzuoli and on Tuesday night we had dinner with Americans and did Family Home Evening with them. The husband has taken it upon himself to learn how to cook real Italian food. The food was great! It was pouring rain Wednesday morning. We had to walk to the station to catch a train to Napoli. While stuck in a tunnel waiting for cars to pass, one stopped and offered a family that was also in the tunnel a ride, they refused, they also offered us one and we accepted. It was a mini miracle! Once we got to Napoli we bought rain boots. I loved my time in Pozzuoli! It is such a great city. The Sorelle house there over looks the fourth largest amphitheater in all of Italy! It is beautiful!

We visited a lot of wonderful people this week! We went and visited Sam (one of our investigators), and afterwards we accidentally got on the wrong bus going back. Fortunately we asked the bus driver before it was to late. We also had a lesson with Abe and he accepted a baptismal invite. Yesterday I helped in Primary. That was a lot of fun. We had pranzo with Pepe after church. We also visited with a less active, she was so sweet!

On Saturday we watched the last session of General Conference. I loved the talk by Elder Keetch. He told a story about some surfers who were upset because there was a barrier blocking them from the big waves. It was not until they looked though binoculars that they could see the sharks swimming on the other side. He compared that to the commandments. God gives us commandments because he wants to keep us safe. Commandments are not a barrier to keep us out, but a barrier to keep danger out of our life. We cannot always see the danger, but God is all knowing and he knows where danger lurks. God loves us and He wants us to be safe and return to live with Him. As we keep His commandments we will gain a better understanding of His love. No one is perfect and we all have things to improve on, as long as we keep trying we will be blessed. This week try picking one commandment you might be struggling with, and strive to follow it the best you can. Also if you have not yet, try to watch, listen, or read the talks from General Conference.

Cosenza is beautiful and the people here are wonderful! My companions are great! I am so excited to be here!

Vi voglio bene!

Letter dated October 12, 2015.

You can currently send Victoria letters at:
Sorella Victoria Pinnegar
Missione Italiana de Roma
Piazza Carnaro 20
IT-00141 ROME RM
ITALY

Cosenza Week 1

The beginning of the week was full of packing and saying goodbyes.

We had a lesson  with Giuliana and Leonardo on Wednesday night. That is when it really settled in that I was actually leaving Ostia. It was really sad to say goodbye. On Thursday morning we had to wake up early to get to Rome on time so I could catch the train. I ended up falling a few steps down the escalator because my bag started to fall. Luckily someone caught me and helped me get my suit case under control. Once I got to Cosenza we had to wait a while for another train for the Sorella that was leaving. Once that came we took a bus to Cosenza, it was a beautiful ride up the mountain side.  After getting to my new home I unpacked a little before we went and picked up our other companion from the bus stop. We had corso in the evening. It was interesting to teach corso in three. On Friday we had an appointment for pranzo with the Bevilaqua family. We are teaching the father and the mother is a member. They are so nice. Cosenza is a charming little city. It is exactly what you imagine Italy to look like. It rolling hills with colorful buildings scattered across the hills. It is stunning. There is also old town Cosenza with a castle and beautiful old buildings. My new companions are great and I really like it here!

This weekend we had General Conference. It was a lot of fun. The talks were great!! They talked a lot about the Sabbath day and its importance, and about the importance of the Sacrament in particular. We can receive revelation and answers to our questions as we ponder and pray on the sabbath. We go to the church to strengthen one another and to worship the Lord, but above all we go to partake of the sacrament. The Sacrament is so important because we renew the covenants we made with the Lord at baptism. We promise to always remember Christ. We should think of ways we can better think of Christ throughout the week. It is a perfect time to think of where we are, where we want to be, and how we can get there. I know that as we keep the Sabbath day holy we will have a better week and our day to day lives will improve. The Lord will bless us tremendously as we remember Him and His holy day. What can you do to make the sabbath a holy and sacred day?

Have a great week! I love and miss you all!
Vi voglio bene!

Letter dated October 5, 2015

You can currently send Victoria letters at:
Sorella Victoria Pinnegar
Missione Italiana de Roma
Piazza Carnaro 20
IT-00141 ROME RM
ITALY