The Final Six in Siracusa

Siracusa, Sicily

Congratulations to my sister, Lauren, on receiving her mission call to the France, Lyon Mission!!!  OH MY GOODNESS FRANCE I AM SO EXCIIIIIIIIIIITED!!!!  So happy for her you, Lauren, and the good people of Southern France.

Let's start by saying that I love Siracusa.  I have only been here a couple of days, but this place is enchanting.  Very glad to be ending here.  It's weird being on my last leg, but I feel like I have a new wind under my wings here, which feels great.  It is BEAUTIFUL, and we are seeing miracles.  But before I get into that - about farewelling Rome.

Rome Sweet Rome - The Hebrew Ghetto

One of the coolest parts of Rome, hands down, is the Jewish Ghetto.
This is the sector of the city in which Jews were exiled for centuries - no matter their economic status.

Fun Fact:
"Ghetto" is an Italian word meaning "Foundry" and was first used as a word of segregation in 1516 when Venice Jews were expelled to an industrial island (that had once been an area for cannon-making) west of Venice.  Once occupied by Jews, they renamed the place "Gheto Nuovo" - The New Metal Foundry.

Lots of deep roots here.  Some Jewish families can trace back even before the Romans.  Amazing.

Jewish Pasticceria has been here for over 300 years!

We ate at the Jewish Pasticceria (Bakery). Sooo good.  It was a pastry made with candied fruits inside called Jewish Pizza.  I don't even know how to describe it except BUONISSIMO.  I will miss this very cool area of Rome.

Amici Addio - Goodbye Friends
Final goodbyes to some pretty special friends.  Let me introduce you to people who have blessed my life.

The Crew: Vescovo Teodosi (left), Missionaries, and GANS (young adults)

Me and Jerwin.  He is a rascal, that one.  New convert.

with Beth and Elena.  Beth always says, "It's ok. It's alright"

Bishop Gillespie's Family (Rome 6).  They are so sweet and kind.  Love them.

Sorella Bosco and Lia.  She's from Peru and married an Italian

Veronica Valle.  Helped her do her genealogy

Shiela, me, Carol, Jomar, Jerwin

Rome 2 District  Back:  Sorella Udall and me
Middle:  Anziano Philips, Stewart, Ostler, Anderl, Sorgiacomo on everyone
Floor:  Anziano Lercer and Quaresima

Final District Meeting
Monday I called up Sorella Mikesell to say goodbye as she ended her mission. Love her.

Tuesday we had our last District Meeting (DDM) with ice cream provided by a member in our ward, Sorella Salsiccia (which means Sister Sausage, might I add).  A real saint that woman - really old, never married, and loves the missionaries.

Then we had a couple of final appointments and Sorella Udall and I made cake for our own goodbye.

Wednesday was CRAZY!  I started packing, and realized that I needed to make one of my bags weight-worthy for the plane ride home.  So I set aside some stuff to send home (be looking for packages).

Anyway, we get back from an appointment where we taught a Peruvian member how to do genealogy, then continued to try to get my stuff pulled together, but learned that Sorella Udall's new companion was arriving a day early.

Off to the station!

Then we missed the last train home before 9, so we waited for the 10pm, only to find that another sister was coming to stay at our house as well...and I still had to pack!

So on my last night in Rome, I ended up packing until 1:30 in the morning. :( And because my train was leaving at 7:26am, I was up at 5am to be ready for the Anziani to taxi us.

When they arrived, that was an adventure on its own.

Since both me and the other sister heading out were going to Sicily, they assumed that we each would be taking one bag.  That was true in my case, but not for Sorella Henson, who had 2 very large bags. Normally that would be fine with a van...but we had a small car.  President's car.

Mad Dash

Anderl holding my luggage. Or is the luggage holding him?

So Anziano Anderl took it upon himself to hold MY LARGE BAG (which was not much smaller than the car) on his lap.  It looked like an airbag with wheels had deployed on him.  Quite the site. He had to use all his strength to keep from crushing Anziano Sorgiacomo who was driving. Especially on the turns, which can be rough with an Italian driving :| .

We made it right on time though.  No worries. Well...only a few.




To Siracusa!

Journey from Rome (A) to Siracusa, Sicily (B)

On the train, the only experienced missionaries were sisters (everyone else was green, clueless, and out of it - Jet lag), so I was put in charge of making sure everyone and their luggage got on and off at the right stops: Napoli, Calabria, Messina.  It was an adventure.  I don't think we lost anyone in the mix.

Once in Messina, it was our cue to disembark and split off to Ragusa, Catania, and Siracusa.  But since I was the travel police making final checks for everyone else, I inadvertently  found myself trapped on the train when it started moving to head for Palermo!  Hahahaha

It was pretty great because right as Sorella Kippen and I saw one another and I was about to step off the train, the door shut in front of me and began whisking me away.  Uuuuuuuuuh.....

Lucky for me the train happened to be switching tracks and took me back, no problems.  Gave Kippen a good scare though. :)

Tickets Please
Then we made it just in the nick of time to the other train that was going to Catania.  During the excursion Sorella Arnold, Kippen, and I managed to talk to a ticket checker dude on the train about the gospel, and he gave us his number.  His name is Alessandro.  Really cool.

We were picked up by a member named Giuseppe Virgillio who happened to serve in the same mission Lauren is going to.  I got him talking about his mission for a bit as he shared some cool stories.  Now that I know where Lauren is going, I am going to have to plumb him for more info.

Settled In

Siracusa, Sicily

Then we settled in.  Ah, Siracusa.  It is gorgeous, and there is a special spirit here.  Like I said, I feel better than I ever have.  Sorella Kippen and I have done 3 lessons together already, and each one has been ROCKING.  The Spirit is strong with this companionship.  So great.  And we are pumped to be STLs together.  What a breath of fresh air.  The Lord has some good plans for us, I can feel it.

I know the Lord inspired president Waddoups to send me here.  There is a reason, and I intend to discover it.  (There are more than likely many reasons, but I want to know them all).  Our apartment is huge and gorgeous too.

Nephi's Sister
The primary kids here know me as "La Sorella di Nefi" - Nephi's sister - because of a kid named Marco who was being clever.  I am down.  I'll take it!

Surge in Siracusa
The ward seems to have passed through a difficult period, but they are now on the other side with a new bishop and counselors, and you can tell they are ready to expand.  People are coming out of the woodwork.  Less actives who are so far gone they have shrines to saints and Mary in their houses are agreeing to come to Church.  Random people are at investigators or members houses and are agreeing to take the lessons.  The Lord is preparing people, and in the strongest way to date on my mission, I can tell the Lord is using me as His instrument to help these people come to Christ.

Angels and Instruments

Bernini Angel

I keep thinking a lot about the idea of angels and instruments in God's hands.  Ammon says it nicely:

"Behold I say unto you,

how great reason have we to rejoice;

for could we have supposed

when we started...

that God would have granted unto us

such great blessings?

And this is the blessing which hath

been bestowed upon us,

that we have been made instruments

in the hands of God

to bring about this great work."

Alma 26:1, 3

The Lord uses missionaries as His instruments, or tools, to do HIS work, and work HIS power.  In doing so, missionaries become ministering angels.  Or, powerful tools in the hands of God to help others.

Revolving Doors of Missionary Work
Though it was difficult to leave Rome, new adventures (and blessings) await me in Siracusa.  As the saying goes, when one door closes, another opens.  With that, here are some doors of Rome.

 

I love the Lord, I love the work, and I love Siracusa.  I am ready to have the most powerful 6 weeks of my life.















La Sorella di Nefi,
Sorella Ashley Nef

A French PS to my missionary sister:
Je sais che Lauren connais deja un peu du francais.  Je ne le recorde pas tres bien, mais je ferais mieus pour l'etudier.  Je t'aime!  Bonne settimane!

The Pines of Rome

Stone Pines in Villa Borghese, Rome

Villa Borghese Park
Villa Borghese is the second largest park in Rome.  This GORGEOUS area was once a vineyard, but in the early 1600s, the Borghese family got the idea of converting it into an elaborate garden, which remained their family's personal retreat for almost 300 years.

Lucky for us, in 1903 the city of Rome bought the land from the Borgheses and opened it to the general public.

Today, the 148 acre park is a sprawling oasis from busy city life with its rolling hills, winding paths, small lakes, quaint flower beds, towering pines, some Museums, fountains, and of course statues.  Statues of patriots, poets, and mythology personalities.  Take a stroll through the park with me...

Balloon Vendor

Bronze Statue

Italian Cypress and Umbrella (Stone) Pines adorn the park

Galleria Borghese holds the exquisite Borghese art collection

Throughout the park there are signs and maps to help navigate visitors around.  Signs with creative street names like, "Viale delle Belle Arte" (Avenue of the Beautiful Art), and "Viale dei Pupazzi (Puppet Avenue), and the most precious, "Valle dei Cuccioli" (Valley of the Puppies).

Transfer News

View of Vatican from Villa Borghese

Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend me your ears (or eyes, I guess).  Transfer news.  I...well...um.  I don't really know what to do about this.

You know how I was joking about returning to Palermo, saying the trilogy was now complete?  Well, now comes the moment at the end of the trilogy where they tease a new storyline, in case the studios want to make more money. Ya, you know where this is going.

We got together as a District to predict transfers.  Basically everyone said I was staying.  I wasn't so sure.  President has a track record of uprooting missionaries their last transfer.  But I have only been in Rome for 2 transfers, so I thought I would dodge the bullet.  Even the anziani thought I was bullet proof.  The night before transfer calls, they all said, "Nah! You're staying, no question.  Don't worry about it."

Saturday 9:30am
We got a call from President Waddoups (sign #1 that something is changing).  Udall answered the phone and gave a sigh of relief - she gets to stay in Rome.  Then she tensed up and looked at me kind of sheepishly.  My heart sunk.  I am being transferred.  Urgh!  Where am I going?
      I took the phone, "Hi President.  How are you doing?"
     "Doing good," he said, "You sound sad."
     "If I am leaving Rome, yes, I will be sad."
     "Well, you are leaving Rome, and you are having a bit of a rerun."
     "Really?"
     "You are being transferred to Siracusa (Syracuse, Sicily), where your companion will be Sister Kippen.  You are both going to be STLs in the Catania Zone."

WUT.

Presto-Change-O

Lord Byron Statue by Bertel Thorvaldsen, Villa Borghese

Return to the Island.  For real, this time, folks. Needless to say, I am a little surprised.  And I am reeeeeeaaaaaally sad to be leaving Rome because I love it! But, if I have to leave Rome and go to another city and serve with another companion, I am glad that it is Siracusa with Kippen.  She really is one of my best friends from the mission (along with O'Connor and Mikesell who are both finishing their missions and flying home Tuesday).  

Apparently the Lord has some final tricks up His sleeve for the remainder of my mission.

So that is the biggest news of the week.  I was destroyed at the beginning of the week, but after taking a little nap I felt awesome.  Sometimes you just need to let your body catch up. 

Week of Rejection

Goethe Monument, Villa Borghese

Then we set up several appointments this week, but nearly every one fell through.  The lessons we taught, well, we ended up having to drop those investigators.  One that made me the saddest was a lesson with a couple of girls named Ramona and Evelina - cousins, both speak English, both about 17 years old. Ramona lives in Italy and her cousin was visiting.  They were investigators of the Assistants, but were passed to us in hopes that our teaching the Plan of Salvation would open their hearts a bit more.

But alas, Ramona does not believe she is a daughter of God, nor does she believe in continuing revelation, saying, "I think what I already know [about religion] is enough." So that was that. :(

There was just a lot of rejection this week.  A lot.  People on the street, cancelled lessons, less actives. Kind of a downer.  We may be down for the count, but we're not out of the ring.  We're continuing the fight to help people understand.  If they don't want to listen, there really isn't anything we can do about that.  But we are opening our mouths and putting our best foot forward.

And now I am headed south.

Ciao Roma

Lots of goodbyes on Sunday. Carol, the new convert, is heading back to Brazil.  Steurers are finishing their senior mission in the office this week.  I am leaving, as are Anziano Sorgiacomo (Bari Zone Leader), Anziano Smit (home), Anziano Anderl (Rome 1).  Lots of change.

Saying goodbye to my buddy Sorella O'Connor

The Steurers, me, Udall, Anziano Sorgiacomo

Ciao Roma.  I will be on my train for Sicily Thursday morning - 7:26 bright and early.  By the end of my mission I will have spent 9 months in Sicily alone, half of my mission.  3/4 of my mission will have been spent on islands. Only 3 short months on the mainland.  How very odd.

Last Sunday together in Gospel Principles.  President Waddoups in back, as is ward mission leader Fratello Rigby

Beautiful Pines of Rome

The Pines of Rome
Ah, the pines of Rome.  Beautiful elegance.  I will miss them.  But I know that as I pine for Rome, I am certain that miracles will follow my work down in Sicily.  And, despite the let downs and setbacks, my confidence holds firm that I am not alone.

     This is the Lord's work
     I am surrounded and protected by ancestors
     I am led by the Spirit
     President Waddoups is guided by revelation
So, I look forward to a powerful 6 weeks in Siracusa!

Love to All,

Sorella Ashley Nef

PS:
Happy, happy 90th birthday to my Grandpa, Lamar Nef (August 4th).  I realized that Grandpa was 5 years old when the stock market crashed.  Wow.  He's lived through quite a lot.