You Can't Help But Think of the Future...

Saturday, March 17, 2012 12:50 PM

BUONGIORNO TUTTI!!

Yes, yes, I know...Don't think of the future, just think of right here...right now! But honestly, when dates and times start piling up and panic sets in that you only have THIS MUCH TIME LEFT...it's amazing how the Lord helps you submerge yourself in the work and forget...if only for a little bit. But, I can't help but notice how FAST the days go by...I don't remember time flying like this when I was home!! For crying out loud, we are getting ready for CONFERENCE!! That was 6 months ago!? And...in 2 days, (I just noticed the date on the clock here in the internet cafe), I'll have reached my year mark. Holy Moses...flies by way too fast!! I did receive some emails asking a couple things about my return...I'll be back in the US August 24, 2012 and yes, I will be starting school at BYU-Idaho in September. I'll have like 2 weeks to seem normal...I'm pretty sure I'll be carrying around my planner and such..timing travel time and studies. Haha...it'll be interesting the adjustments I'll need to make :) Haha Ams-I got your letter and don't worry, I'll happily go to the temple with you and I will HAPPILY watch your little chunker so you and Kevin can go on a date. No worries there. When you asked if I would go with you, my first thought was, well heck! I'll just watch Jack-Jack so she and Kevin can go together....and then you beat me to it! So, come middle of september, plan a good one with your hubby because the little chunker is mine!!!

So adjusting to the whole gluten and lactose free thing has been hit and miss every so often. I have been gluten free for quite a while, but I am finding milk does a little trouble too. Yet, I'm getting better and I am FEELING so much better...it's just my ankle now that still gives me troubles. But, all in a day's work, right?

This week was full of miracles...truly! We had 4 investigators in church on Sunday. The Lord literally placed these people in our laps! We found some long, lost less actives and part member families that we are really excited to call and get a move on with them. As we are working with the Assistants, we all felt that it would be really important to work with less actives and get this ward growing again. HOw can we bring in more sheep, if we can't even take care of the flock we have? We are so stressed for BAPTISMS!! BAPTISMS!! BAPTISMS!! And yes, it's truly important, but the scripture about finding the lost sheep has been ringing so strongly in my heart ever since I came to Milano. I can't imagine the joy we will have if we can help these sheep who have really wandered, RETURN unto their Savior once again.

I can't help but be so grateful as to how my mission has changed my life. If any of you reading this are thinking of a mission...do it! Or even if there is a missionary in your family, WRITE THEM! I can't express the joy we feel when we get letters..it's like Christmas on top of the amazing conferences we would have just had. (And yes...NOTE TO ALL MY "FRIENDS": If you haven't written me...awe c'mon! EPIC FAIL!! I want to hear from you!! And of course the " "...I was just joking ;D sort of hahah) But truly, the Lord has blessed my life with so many beautiful experiences, life changing moments, and tools to use in the future to make me a better person, student, wife and mother. Yes there are challenges, but you ALWAYS SEE the hand of the Lord in EVERYTHING that I experience. He has come closer to me in my life than ever before. And now that i think of it, HIS distance hasn't changed...It's me who's done the moving and changing and growing. And this I must be grateful for, and I am.

The Relief Society President said that the work here in Milan is going to grow TREMENDOUSLY and that we all have such a work to do. We have our 19 year old Evangelist Group Leader investigating, and his name is Gaetano. I have to have a LOT of patience with him because he asks SO MANY QUESTIONS and yet listens to NONE of the responses. ONe of the members approached me after church on Sunday and laughed telling me just to relax (he saw me praying during sacrament...and I admitted that yes I was PRAYING that Gaetano would be QUIET!!) But he just laughed and said to allow the ward take care of it. It's amazing how welcoming and friendly this ward is...how patient. I was stressing out because the past wards I've been in, if your investigator isn't "behaving", you better take care of it. Well, this ward isn't this way...and it's such a blessing. The other 2 investigators are a little shaky, but we haven't given up hope. New converts and LA are really a focus right now and the work is going in SUCH a different direction, but I'm sure it's going the way the Lord wants it to be...

That's all there is to report now! Keep us in your prayers to keep up the work of the Lord and bring back the Lost Sheep of His fold!!

love you all,

sorella bowman

Smoggy Skies, Tired Eyes, and Messes that Make You Cry

Wednesday, March 7, 2012 8:45 AM

 

Haha, yeah yeah, I promise this email isn't all glumbum...but..I must say this past week has been such an adventure.

 

Yes, I am now in Milano 3 and the ward is HUGE!! They are so fast paced here, my companion (Sorella Bethany Hanks from Boise, Idaho) and I were WIPED OUT this past Sunday. We left with our heads spinning!! But we are excited for the work and are actually working with the AP's as our companion elders. Our focus is going to be reactivating less actives and baptising part-member families. We have been feeling really bad because of how much cleaning we have been doing (50 euros later and 5 days)...we are finally clean. Any of my guy friends out there...I sure hope you kept your apartment's clean...and are now keeping them clean. If not, for goodness sake...use a broom!! Mom, I will NEVER leave a mess ever again. It was a MONSTER to clean up...grease and dust EVERYWHERE. But now, we feel the Spirit (TRULY...cleanliness is next to Godliness) and now we are working on the area book. We don't have any current investigators, but a boy we keep seeing on the street...I think he and his mother will be future investigators, if not members. THey are Evangelist, but so kind and welcoming. We have an appointment with him tomorrow. He keeps saying to his mom that WE are evangelist too...errr...we'll clean that up tomorrow. :)

 

I am actually super stoked to be here in Milan. Sneezing was our constant companion the first week, but now we are getting used to it. We live in a more tranquil part of the city and are really excited to be here. We walk everywhere (which doesn't help my ankle, it still swells every morning, but I can walk without a brace! FLAT STREETS!!)  and are finally starting to get our feet wet in the city. Sorella Hanks is a GEM to serve with and I'm super blessed to know her. We found a gluten free store just around the corner from our house and that has made all the difference in my ability to work. When I actually ate normal food, I was SO TIRED every single day. I couldn't wake up until at least 10:00...but Sorella Hanks was so kind about it all..."we are only cleaning". So I know I need to be here in Milan and the Lord has blessed me greatly.

 

The weather is finally changing and we are finally moving into Spring!! We actually have been without tights and have actually worn sandals! I love it and am so excited to dig my feet in and let the Lord guide me. Things have been hitting me right and left...next week I'll hit my year mark. MY YEAR MARK!! I'M OLD IN THE MISSION!!! And I feel like I'm just now getting the hang of things...but, thankfully the mission never really ends. You just keep growing from here! I just feel so blessed and am really excited to be in the tranquil part of town...NO SIRENS and NO CRAZY GUIDO YELLING AT 3 IN THE MORNING!! Woo hoo! Sorella Smith went to Firenze and Sorella Nilson is doing very well in Verona.

 

There isn't much to report, only please pray for Sorella Hanks and I to find those who are searching and to lift those families who have sunk down. It would be a wonderful help, seriously. Tonight we are making lasagna but using eggplant instead of noodles...we want to eat as healthy as we can and so far so good! We went to the HUGE fruit and veggie market today, as well as the street market, and are super excited about the treats we can eat!!

 

I really hope this letter isn't sounding whiney...if anything, it's a rough patch but we are still laughing and having so much fun. The work is going to take off and I know the Lord's hand is REALLY in my life right now. It has to be...there isn't any other explanation to anything else :) Love you all!

 

baci e abracci,

sorella bowman

The Mission Suit...

Wednesday, February 29, 2012 12:13 PM


Is unfortunately a VERY REAL THING!! I have seen, eaten, and oh mamma mia...SO. MUCH. FOOD!!! Italy...joke about losing weight...Summer is just around the corner and it's time for me to start losing my "pasta pants"...So here's hoping. Hahaha..VIVA IL CIBO!!

Alright, so I don't know how long this letter is going to be to you all because I have to communicate with my mom and aunt about classes! YIPES! I'm already registering!! And even with this whole process, I just see that the Lord has a plan for each and every one of us. I had registered to attend BYU Provo and I felt ever so strongly about it. And come to find out my application was denied. I had been looking at housing for a while, on account of a letter my grandmother sent me, all back at BYU Idaho. I can't BELIEVE the growth it has all taken!! So, here I am heading to, probably, my final city in my mission and already registering for classes at BYU IDAHO come September. So exciting and so surreal.

Milan. that's where I am headed. A city that I have actually been terrified to serve in. It's dirty, huge, and I have heard such scary stories of men doing weird things to sisters on the trains and busses. Luckily, I have my cute pink bottle of pepper spray...so I carry that around now. But, with all this...I had a feeling that I would be serving there. We are white washing the city...both me and my companion will be brand new...not know a thing of what's going on...haha...I'm pretty sure the Lord just keep re-emphasizing how much I need to rely on Him. And looking back on my experience here in Genova...He sure has blessed me greatly.

I had some wonderful studies this past week...actually reading in the Bible the story of Christ's sacrifice for us...chapter after chapter. With my companion being ill so much, I had so many opportunities to just DIVE IN and I have learned so much with it all. The Book of Mormon and Bible correspond so clearly and pieces that are missing, you find in either of the books! I can't believe how people can skrewy-wompus such a simple and beautiful gospel.

As I leave this city, I ask myself "Have I done all that I could do?" And immediately I just felt within me that the Lord is pleased with my work. *sigh* SUCH A HUGE RELIEF!!! Liz never got baptized, but that does NOT mean she won't...Mauro and Cecilia...when I called them to say goodbye they asked me and my companion to come to dinner and they told me that they were going to surprise me and come to church on Sunday. Little by little right? Oh what a beautiful experience this has been and how grateful, grateful, grateful I am to have served here. It has, literally, changed my life.

I want to testify of the power of the Spirit and how the Lord really, truly does have a plan for all of us. He only asks us to trust Him, and the only way we can do that is through Faith. GROW YOUR FAITH. Read the scriptures, FEAST upon them and learn to love the Lord with all your heart, might mind and strength...that you can stand blameless before God at the last day. He isn't looking for our mistakes to punish us...but looking for us to admit our mistakes so that He can cleanse us. That's all He wants...is for us to wash our hands and enter into His rest. I love the Lord and am so grateful that He has allowed me to serve Him.

baci e abracci,

Sorella Bowman

Oh My Soul Hungered...

Wednesday, February 22, 2012 9:53 AM

My heart cried out: "Please Lord, release me from pain and from doubt." Oh my soul hungered, the moment I knelt down to pray, and felt all my doubts wash away. Oh my soul hungered, He heard my cry...the voice of the Lord spoke peace to my mind. Oh my soul hungered, things that were old became new...when I learned to feel what I already knew. .... With all my heart, with all my soul, I wrestled before the Lord to make my life whole...He filled my hunger, he fed my soul. He fed my soul...The Truth that belonged to everyone else, is now a sacred part of myself...Oh I found out what I could not find, when I heard in my heart...what I knew in my mind. With all my heart, with all my soul, I wrestled before the Lord to make my life whole. He filled my hunger, he fed my soul.  He fed my soul. Oh my soul hungered...

Have any of you ever felt this way? I have always loved this song...a simple testimony of the Savior's healing abilities. I always thought I knew exactly how this young man felt every time I heard it...but this week, I had a beautiful experience of TRULY gaining a trust within these words. Let me see, how do I really explain this??

I guess it all starts with my companion just having a smack down talk with me. Come to find out...I have trust issues. haha! I look at my future and it's always been, my whole life, "Meh...i don't know if I REALLY want to risk this...because I don't know the outcome. Howabout i just run away and pretend it (meaning anything...whether it be college, or a decision for a job, or even interacting with other people) never happened and nobody gets hurt?" Howabout I just be a weenie and take the easy way out instead of going for what i really want? Yeah...let's just be a weenie...everyone likes hotdogs right? But, my companion has taught me to step up to the plate and really TRUST in my Heavenly Father. Down right, looked me in the eyes and said "Sorella Bowman, will you trust in your Heavenly Father?" And it hit me that I really didn't...i didn't have faith...I didn't want to make certain decisions because I didn't know the reason or outcome right then. YEAH...OKAY?? A MISSION CAN BE A STRESSFUL THING!! 

On the mission you get promptings that you don't know WHERE they came from because they just DO NOT make sense...to you. My companion helped me realize, they don't have to make sense because...Heavenly Father knows best and He knows MORE. If it feels okay, but you aren't sure...just remember it's from Heavenly Father...pay attention to how you feel and DON'T ask for the "why." She showed me a talk from last month's Liahona called "Looking Up" by Elder Carl B. Cook. It was an answer to prayers...again. As I was stressing about decisions to make here in the mission my companion sent me to my room...to pray. As I knelt down, just like throwing my hands in the air, and admitting, most embarrassingly, I had a hard time with faith and a hard time with trust...

I felt the Lord near me...and still love me. I apologized for not being fully in...I was scared, I don't know what the future holds and I don't know what kind of work He wants me to do. And then...I made a decision...and felt all my doubts wash away. I asked the Lord to help me find my answer to my trust issues when I opened the scriptures...I had to try like 6 times to open it because it would just fall shut...but when it finally opened...Alma 32...and I laughed...and I read just one line...and laughed again..."Faith is a hope in that which is not seen which is true." And that was my answer. It was like Heavenly Father saying: "You know...and now, you need to trust that I will work everything out. Let ME be the driver"

I have been working on really digging deep in my personal studies...really diving into the scriptures and really making my study times count. It's really a shame how everything starts making sense at the END of your mission and you find how to REALLY do things are the END of your mission...but that's all apart of the growing process, right? I have been working on seeing what a testimony truly is and just really baring testimony of things to my investigators. I cannot BELIEVE how many experiences and trials I have experienced...just to teach certain people..who NEED those things at that exact moment. Our little investigator Liz...opened up to us and come to find out, the thing that I had experienced the NIGHT BEFORE...was exactly what she needed to know and understand. Proverbs 3:5-6 also came to my mind as I was praying for some revelation... "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." 

I know that all the Lord wants from me is to trust Him. I know that is all He wants from any of us. I would sit in frustration as my companion would just whip out personal revelation...and me always asking myself "how do I know if this is from Heavenly Father, or just my own desires?" Elder Bednar answers...Be a good girl and it will all work out. I am coming to learn that and I am finding how much happier I am...not only in my mission, but also in life! Trust in the Lord...don't worry about what the future holds, just know that the Lord has a plan for each and every one of us and if we strive to follow Him, I KNOW He will not lead me or YOU somewhere you won't desire to remain or to be in. Oh...*sigh* how grateful I am for this gospel...how grateful I am for a Heavenly Father who loves me no matter how stinkin' stubborn I am...WHICH I am working on to change :)

We had an AMAZING experience with two new investigators we have...Michele and Claudia. I don't have much time to explain, I'll have to elaborate next time..BUT from the moment we walked into their home to the moment we left, I was in awe. This 24 year old young man has a love for the Savior that was breathtaking to behold. He was actually polite to us, actually considerate, and you could see the sensitivity and love he holds for his Savior. I'd like for everyone to remember that there are still good people out there. There ARE still good people here in Italy. It was a little disheartening to have an actualy shock, in realizing that he and his girlfriend are actually, genuinely kind people. And ROMANIAN for heaven's sake! The Romanian people, mainly men, are very rude and sister missionaries have to protect themselves...but...it was a beautiful thing to see this desire to learn of their Savior instilled in their hearts. All in all, they want to be baptized (after the first lessons) and have been searching how to be married in the Salt Lake Temple. They found a picture one day and said to each other that someday they'll get married there....pretty amazing, huh? Here I am struggling to find it within myself to trust the Lord with my own life, as I am teaching people to trust in Him with theirs, He places a miracle in my lap...

A few days later from all this struggle (which is today)

I am trusting in the Lord. And I am so grateful for the journey He has taken me on to get there...and I am excited for the journey He is leading me on now...to strengthen it :)

Hakuna Matata,

sorella bowman

"I Ask For Nothing, I Can Get By...

Wednesday, February 15, 2012 9:45 AM

 

 

but I know so many, less lucky than I. Please help the people...the poor and downtrod, I thought we all were...the children of God."

 

There is a little bit of Disney trivia for you. The Italian sisters have been listening to American disney music as apart of language study and this song has really stuck to my heart. So many people really do say the words of this fabulously written song. By memory, I am going to write the words..and even though Esmerelda is singing to Mary...I like to think of it as a prayer someone says to Heavenly Father, or even a conversation with our Savior, Jesus Christ. 

 

"I don't know if you can hear me...or if you're even there. I don't know if you will listen to a "sinner's" prayer. Yes, I know I'm just an outcast. I shouldn't speak to you. But, still I see your face and wonder...were you once an outcast too. God help the outcasts, hungry from birth. Show them the mercy they don't find on earth. God help the outcasts, who look to you still, God help the outcasts, or nobody will." Then you hear the prayers of others..."I ask for wealth, I ask for fame. I ask for glory to shine on my name. I ask for love I can't posses, I ask for God and His angels to bless me." And then the humility again, "I ask for nothing, I can get by. But I know so many less lucky than I. Please help my people the poor and downtrod, I thought we all were the children of God."

 

What always catches me..."I don't know if you can hear me, or if you're even there..." How many times have I asked? I think it has been, I've lacked the faith to listen. I knew things would always work out, no matter what the situation would be...but sometimes I couldn't recognize the hand of the Lord. To have faith is to really TRUST in the Lord. No longer do I trust in myself, just as Nephi says to never trust in the arm of the flesh, but honestly to TRUST IN THE LORD. Even when you don't know WHY something has to be done, I can testify if you feel a prompting to do it...then go forward and you will have the reassurrance burn within your heart. Never question what happens after, because that also is the Lord following through with the prompting He gave you. Say you write a letter, someone you have felt to write for a while, you send it off and the burden is lifted. And then a few days letter, a friend says that it wouldn't be the best thing for this person to receive it. And yet, you still receive a spiritual confirmation that what this friend says is true. Oh how great the goodness is of the Lord and the plans He has for us all. If any of you question whether or not the Lord will listen to a "sinner's" prayer, I testify that He wants more than anything to hear them. I know it's true. You have to faith to talk with Him, He has the power to heal you. We are ALL children of God. I know this.

 

In fact, last Wednesday I was hobbling onto the bus with my ugly stampanella...a crutch? Right? And I hear this voice of a man asking me to take his seat...in English. As I thank the man, it was actually his friend who encouraged him. As I looked at this friend, I KNEW I recognized him...but I couldn't remember how. And so I asked him and he humbly says, yes, we had met before and his name is Michele. He goes to tell me, in broken english, that he has been reading the Book of Mormon and appreciates the strength of the testimonies of the prophets. We keep talking and he tells me that he is afraid to die. How can anyone know what the purpose is for this world? He really is scared. And at first I laughed because I didn't know what he was saying...it wasn't making sense in English because HE LAUGHED TOO after he said it, and then he said that he was serious. And I looked straight into his eyes and testified very, very simply that I KNOW that he is a child of God and that God loves him. He looked at me and smiled and said "I'm glad" and he started laughing. ANd I asked him if he thought that I was joking and he said, "No. I am glad because I know you know. I know what you say is true and I know, because you told me, I can know for myself." Case and point. We are ALL children of God.

 

My companion is sick again, and on Tuesday we had a FULL day of appointments. It was odd because on Monday night, I had a strong impression to NOT leave the house. I thought I was freaking myself out with all the strikes happening and such...but in reality...it needed to be for the health of my companion. I'm worried for her right now, and I ask you all to keep her in your prayers. We don't really know what's going on...but we just have to keep staying inside. Nonetheless, I had a WONDERFUL study session yesterday. So many connections were made and Heavenly Father helped me make connections that I never made before. For example, in Revelations 22:14 it actually talks about the tree of life!! The whole chapter does! What is the tree of life? Well, let me just whip out my beautiful little copy of the Book of Mormon and share a dream my little friend, Lehi, had just a few years back. I then went on to do my own personal study, reading in 2 Nephi 27:15-18 is a prophecy of what happened EXACTLY to Joseph Smith!! It happened word for word in Joseph Smith History 1:65!! HOW AMAZING?!? Why would Joseph Smith write a WHOLE BOOK and even mention a humiliation that happened to Martin Harris? It's because he wouldn't! But prophets would testify and HOW BEAUTIFUL IS THE FACT THAT WE HAVE THE RESTORED GOSPEL AGAIN ON THE EARTH?!??! What was the need for a restoration? So many people do NOT understand that concept here...It's because when the Apostasy happened...which happened because the apostles were killed. When they were killed there was NO ONE CALLED to be direct messengers of God. Sure, there were men who held the priesthood, but they were not called to receive revelation. And thus, the priesthood began to be abused. As we know in Doctrine and Covenants 121, when the priesthood is abused there is no validity. Thus, the priesthood was lost. Literally, LOST!! And the restoration needed to happen so that the priesthood could be righteously used once more on the earth. It was the BEST study I have EVER had and so many things were made clear, and so simply too! I would say it is like "Duh, Sorella Bowman..even I knew that" but the thing is, I knew it...but never understood all the exact details. AND WHERE DO WE FIND THESE DETAILS??? Yeah, in the scriptures. Read them. If you haven't read them today...I would exhort you to do so...I really love it when I can truly FEAST upon the scriptures...you can feel the hunger in your spirit and you can feel it be satisfied. I didn't want to put my materials down but other things in the mission called. How grateful I am!!

 

(Big grin) I know that this church is true. I know that my Heavenly Father is leading me down paths that I never imagined I would be on...but without being sacreligious, I know He is leading me "down the path that rocks!" (yes, disney trivia again) How grateful I am to the Prophet Joseph Smith and all he did for this world and how I am so priviledged to be learning EXACTLY what the work of the Lord is. Sometimes, the work comes through a positive show of numbers...others, it's finally opening the heart of a companion and letting her cry after years, and years, of pain and anger. that's when you feel the Savior's love, and THAT's when I feel most like a missionary. A disciple of Christ. When you can see hearts changed, and you can feel the power of the Atonement working in them. I testify of these things, in the name of my Savior, Jesus Christ...Amen.

 

bacci e abracci,

sorella bowman

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow

Friday, February 10, 2012 9:34 AM

 

GOOD MORNING EVERYONE!!

 

This week the letter had to be sent later in the week because we had special training on our usual p-day. Things have been off and on this week because of the cold, I feel good, but my ankle doesn't. It swells up and gets hard as a rock!! But, the other day, Wednesday, we put this clay stuff on it to take the swelling down, and I woke up swollen!! I guess the clay activiates all the toxins in your body and so i felt like I got hit by a truck!! We cancelled all our appointments, which took me most of the day to not feel guilty about doing..because I was really wanting some lessons that day...but in the end it was a good thing for my companion. She did a LOT of learning and growing while I slept...so for her, the day was not a total waste. The Lord's work is always done, even if we don't realize in what ways.

 

I recieved the death call on Tuesday...am I staying 11 or 12 transfers? Man, it was just a reality shock for me because they are already needing to order my plane ticket and arrangements taken care of. I can't believe how fast things are going. And the frustrations that I have been having with my health and with my ankle, well, come to find out...I know that was apart of the Lord's plan too. It gave me time to rewind and really put my thoughts in order. I felt so tranquil during these past few days and just coming to realize what I really want in my life. I think that has been the BIGGEST amount of growth that I have made and it has really put things in order for me. I am very grateful for that.

 

Liz still isn't baptized and we have had some trouble getting ahold of Christele. But I know we'll make progress with both and everything will be okay. Yesterday's appointments were with Liz and also her mom later that night...but everytime I prayed about going out, it didn't feel right. by the end of the night I felt fine, so I was frustrated why I couldn't have gone out during the day. But the feeling I got was that LIZ needed to step up and bear her testimony to her mother...to work on gaining a relationship with her and just telling her mom how important the gospel is in her life. I don't know if she did it, because we asked her to when we had to cancel the appointment...but I am ready to get back out there and get the work rolling again.

 

That has been one of the challenges for me...learning to listen to the Spirit. I have...trouble...we could say, when it comes to knowing what I want and what the Lord wants. I second guess myself...like right now, I keep saying "I should have gone out yesterday" but I really just didn't feel good...I ended up sleeping the whole day even though by the night I felt much better. Is that okay? I keep saying "I can't let this happen again" but my ankle is also issues too! Members tell me not to go outside because it's so cold and it really does bad things for my ankle...and I can't really get on busses without people kicking me or stepping on my foot...*sigh* I just have to accept the decision and move forward. Everyone knows it's been in bad shape, and that normally, I would NOT just want to rest and eat nothing and stay in bed...There has been a big flu going around and my companion thought I was starting the symptoms...and now I realize, reading back over...could I have been justifying my decision to reassure myself? Gaaaghh...and then I think and realize, I felt what i felt, to stay inside...and I have to remember that my decisions also affect my companion...and for her, it was a real blessing..something that has changed her life. Okay, basta Sorella Bowman...when you want to serve the Lord, even if it means staying inside, you are doing what you are supposed to.

 

OH! So the subject line, yeah, what the heck? It's been snowing here in Genova!! In fact, ALL OF ITALY hasn't seen weather this cold in close to 30 years!! NUTS RIGHT?! So, the ankle has been a blessing because my companion gets woozy more often than not with the weather changes. But this time around, I have SO much patience and the sickness she has doesn't bother me...I surprise myself at how understanding I've become! can I actually say patient?? I think the Lord is now teaching me how to be patient with myself...and well...it's taking longer than everything else...but I'm working on it :)

 

Thank you all so much for the letters and pictures and pick-me-ups...You'll never know how much joy they bring to my life!! Keep standing up for what you believe in, and look for the hands that hang down....just so you can lift them up!!

 

love always,

sorella bowman

 

p.s. the ankle, yeah, I tweaked it on Wednesday and it's still swollen around the joints. I'm looking for a brace today to see what we can do...but, I'm making myself walk and going forward from there. Still bruised, still purple, but good enough to walk on :)

Sausage Making

Sausage Making, a set on Flickr.

To see the pictures, CLICK THE LINK! :)