A Letter from Jenessa

Caro Famiglia,

Haha my subject made me giggle! Happy Saint Patricks day! I'm wearing green today in
honor of it all!! And happy birthday to Dad and Jonathan! And happy one month
anniversary to me! I'm almost halfway through the MTC, and it's hard to see the light at
either end of the tunnel...we joke that we were born and raised in the MTC because it's
already hard to remember what life was like before it, and we can't yet see the light at
the end of the tunnel, with a beautiful Roman sunset at the end of it! It's coming
though...time here goes at an odd pace. The days last forever, but the weeks fly by!
We're making it fun though, and I love it here. We were discussing in class how we'll
never have a time like this in our lives again, where all we can do is sit and study the
gospel without any distractions. I don't have anything to really worry about, so it's
easy to focus!

The language is coming along. It changes daily. I do really well on the days where we
are speaking in Italian all day, but on the days we don't it takes a lot of brainpower to
understand what my teachers are saying. Today I realized that I have to teach the first
discussion in Italian next monday at the TRC (Teaching Resource Center - where volunteers
come and pretend to be investigators, and we teach talk to them for 15 minutes in
Italian, and then teach them for about 35 minutes). The TRC is such a great experience,
I always feel the spirit. Yesterday we had to teach the Word of Wisdom to someone who
didn't believe they could do it, and all these words just came out of my mouth, and they
definitely weren't from me! I've realized after studying the Holy Ghost a lot, that I'm
prompted by it constantly. It's a beautiful gift to have, to be blessed to have a member
of the Godhead with you always. Isn't that beautiful?

I have to say that Sundays are my absolute favorite day here. And Relief Society is
AMAZING. This last week we had the 1st counselor of the Primary General Presidency come
and speak to us, and the week before was the Young Women's general president. The talks
were so wonderful and definitely life changing! I realized that Sunday is my motivation
day. It's so refreshing, and I also don't have class. :) I like the classes, but
sometimes, you just need a brain break!

This week we're CONVINCED that President Monson is going to come and speak to us for
Devotional. We decided that if we have enough faith, and start a rumor that he's coming,
that he will. I think the faith of 3 Italian sister missionaries is enough to bring the
prophet. I'll let you know how it goes.

This week I realized that I'm so glad I came on a mission, because I'm learning that some
of the things I always assumed my entire life about the gospel were completely wrong.
I've also come to realize that I really don't have all the answers, only God does.
Another thing I've gained a testimony of is that God can make anything possible. I was
having a few hard days because I wasn't sleeping too well, and I just prayed and the next
day I was on FIRE. I knew that Heavenly Father was just waiting for me to ask to bless
me. You'd think that coming on a mission would be all about giving back to God, but you
really just take and take with all of the knowledge and blessings he gives.
I also just wanted to say thank you so much to all of you, my dearest family. Your
letters have really brightened up my week! Cherie sent me Lily's first picture that she
colored, along with the cookie crumbs stuck to it. It made me SO ridiculously happy. I
showed it to my entire district, and they all thought it was so adorable! And then I
showed them a picture of Lily, and they all agree she is such a beautiful baby. Mi piace
la mia nipote!

Your packages also bring light to my life! EVERYONE (all the sisters in my zone and my
entire district) are obsessed with my grandpa packages. The sisters in my zone are still
talking about my "grandpa bars" that I got last week, because they loved how
healthy they were! And all the elders in my district can't wait until I get rolls
because I always share some with them (...and then I eat the rest. :))
I miss you! Keep writing. You are wonderful. Jesus loves you.
PS - read Zechariah 5:1 ..."behold! A flying roll!" (we read that, and then
started pretending like my grandpa rolls were flying...it was really silly!)

Love,

Sorella Jenessa Miles